Mountain Moonshine Recipe

Moonshine has had a tumultuous history in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Corn whiskey, once a source of revenue by many mountain farmers, was outlawed early on in America's history. For hundreds of years, the practice of distilling this particular spirit had to be done in the darkness of night (hence the name moonshine).

These days, distilleries have come out of the darkness in Asheville. Troy & Sons Distillers began producing legal 'shine in 2010. This truly American spirit is a blend more modern and elegant than you would find from a deep-woods still. Their moonshine, made from a rare heirloom white corn, is ultra-smooth with hints of vanilla on the finish.

This new blend of Moonshine is taking the Asheville mixology scene by storm. Many local establishments such as Tupelo Honey Cafe and the Great Hall Bar at the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa have created entire drink menus around this newly crafted spirit.

We recently met with Kenneth Pace, a sommelier at Grove Park Inn to get this warming drink recipe made with Troy & Sons moonshine. It's called the Valentine Rose and it's one of many tasty concoctions available on their menu. Enjoy!

Visit here for more moonshine cocktail recipes. Learn more about the history of moonshine in the mountains and discover how moonshine is made.

Win Tickets to SoCon

The Southern Conference Basketball Tournament will heat up the ExploreAsheville Arena at the Asheville Civic Center this March 2 – 5. Join the excitement and enter to win two general admission tickets good for any one session to the SoCon tournament. As a bonus prize, we’re throwing in two Go Blue Ridge cards, granting you free access to more than 30 attractions across the Asheville area, including Biltmore!

Winners will be selected each Friday from now through February 24. Good luck!

ENTER HERE!

Celtic Adventure Weekend

Gaelic Storm image by Jojo Marion

For those who enjoy music with a little Irish/Scots flavor, then the only place to be this weekend is at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa. The Celtic Adventure Weekend celebrates its fifth year with the finest in Celtic dance, literature, dance and music. This year's lineup of activities includes:

Friday night:

Midnight at Kittredge: This duo combines the talents of Andrew Finn Magill and Duncan Wickel. This is Friday night's opening act.

Seven Nations: This band has earned a reputation for being adventurous and having a charismatic stage presence. According the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, "Seven Nations taught a crowd of nearly 10,000 one important lesson: bagpipes rock."

Saturday:

Colin Grant-Adams On Saturday afternoon you can enjoy the music and stories of this Scottish songwriter and guitarist. 

Gaelic Storm Back by popular demand, this band promises to deliver another raucous, crowd-pleasing performance. By far, this is one of the hottest Celtic bands currently touring the country.

Other activities include Scottish border collie sheepdog demonstrations, cooking demonstrations, chair massages, guided history tours and live Celtic music throughout the Inn.

Visit the Grove Park Inn's website for more information or to book a package.