App Mountain Brewery — founded in 2011 — has become one of the touchstones of Boone's drinking scene. The taproom is a relaxed, dog-friendly room with an outdoor stage that hosts live music several nights a week, and the beer ranges from clean, sessionable lagers to assertive mountain-themed IPAs.
The brewery's Boone Creek Blonde and Long Leaf IPA are reliable starting points. Food trucks rotate through the parking lot; on a summer evening this is one of the more easygoing places in town to spend a few hours.