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march 2010 / the tasting panel / 61 LaB Work G reat beer, adventuresome food and live music are the makings of a gastropub, and you'll find them all at the Lexing- ton Avenue Brewery—better known to Ashe- ville, North Carolina locals as the LAB. But the one thing the LAB doesn't have is TV screens. It's not a sports bar. "We're really a tra- ditional gastropub, more of a social place," says Mike Healy, co-owner of the new establishment. Three years in the making, the LAB was one of the most anticipated business openings in recent memory in this artsy college and tourist town, best known for the impressive Biltmore mansion. "When conceptualizing this place," remarks Healy, "we wanted to offer everything—beer, food and music." Healy and business partner Steve Wil- mans bought a 1916 building in Asheville's historic downtown and transformed it into a brewery, restaurant and live performance venue with two stages. Healy's fine arts background in sculpture contributed to the curvaceous look of the space. The building's top floors are soon to be residential lofts, while the second story houses the affordable Sweet Peas Hostel. Veteran craft brewer Ben Pierson makes the beers at the LAB. "All our beers are live beers—they still have yeast in suspension and are improving as you drink them," says Pierson. The manageable selection of six of- ferings will change with the seasons, but the Belgian-style White Ale, the dry-hopped IPA ("This is a dry-hopped town," quips Pierson) and the Ameri- can Pale Ale should be year-round offerings. In the kitchen, Chef Jason Roy takes the LAB's food to a level beyond ordinary pub grub, creatively using ingredients from the brewery in his cooking. Roy uses spent barley from the brewing process to make granola and wort is boiled down to make malt syrup; malt flour coats the crispy onion rings and chocolate stout ice cream is a popular dessert. Roy uses yeast from the tanks to make the house-baked breads. "I have a crazy symbiotic relationship with our brewmaster," admits the chef with a smile. Thanks to the team effort, the LAB has been an instant hit with Asheville's locals and tourists. "We went through 70 kegs the first week," says Pierson. "Not shabby!" www.lexavebrew.com GADDS siXPack Locals and tourists alike flock to the Lexington Avenue Brew- ery in Asheville, NC. LExington avEnUE BREwERy's SuCCESSful ExPERIMEnT In aShEVIllE