Introduction to Asheville Breweries
Most beer destinations in the United States are tiny towns or bustling metropolises. Think revered brewpubs in Northern California or New England, and places like Portland or San Diego. But one midsize city in the southeast has become an unlikely haven for creative beer geeks.
Asheville, North Carolina, is home to less than 100,000 permanent residents and over 50 breweries. This charming city is only now starting to get its due as a craft beer hotspot. There are both national and local brands operating taprooms in the city, but the variety of styles on offer is what’s most impressive.
You’ll have more options than room in your belly for putting together a pub crawl, so it’s good to research before your trip.
Visiting Asheville, NC
Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, Asheville boasts among the best US cities in terms of quality of life. Access to the outdoors and an increasingly diverse cultural landscape make it ideal for younger travelers or transplants. Its dining and nightlife scenes punch above the city’s weight class, perfect for anyone attached to the urban lifestyle but not the logistical hindrances of Brooklyn or Chicago.
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is reasonably well-connected, but you can drive from Charlotte in just over 2 hours and Atlanta, Charleston, or Nashville in about 4 hours. It’s easy enough to get around; you can take a rideshare or cab from one end of town to another rather quickly. It’s also an incredibly walkable city, with clusters of breweries, restaurants, bars, and taprooms throughout central Asheville.
South Slope simply cannot be skipped, and you’ll find most of the taprooms listed below within the confines of this walkable and vibrant neighborhood. West Asheville is another cultural hotspot you’ll want to hit, with a few Asheville breweries (not on the list) like Zillicoah Beer Company, Archetype Brewing, and Haywood Road’s epic taproom, Cellarest Beer Project.
Archetype Brewing
Archetype Brewing
265 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
By far Asheville’s most fashionable brewery, Archetype is known for producing approachable but flavorful beers and putting them in eye-catching and stylish packaging. Think pastel colored cans of hazy pale ale featuring minimalist artwork and often accompanied by a haiku (these folks are hipsters if you couldn’t tell). They certainly get inventive, as well, as their wild ale program is simply one of the best in North Carolina. Their bright and inviting West Asheville taproom is situated near plenty of other worthy beer spots.
Burial Beer Co. South Slope Taproom
Burial Beer Co.
40 Collier Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
What very well might be North Carolina’s best brewery has put together quite the empire in Asheville. There are two taprooms in town, a (wine and spirits-oriented) rooftop bar, and even a music venue, all operated by the brewery. Burial also has outposts in Charlotte and Raleigh. The city’s South Slope District is a major draw for trendy travelers, and Burial’s flagship location is the best place to start.
Burial is one of the standard bearers for the evergreen “beer for metalheads” theme, so fans of Denver’s TRVE Brewing or Indiana’s 3 Floyds will feel right at home. As far as what to expect in your glass, Burial doesn’t relegate themselves to a specialty. They’re adept at dank IPAs, abrasive imperial stouts, crispy lagers, and even sours. All with morbid branding befitting a brewery named Burial.
Green Man Brewery
Green Man Brewery
The Green Mansion Taproom: 27 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Dirty Jack’s Taproom: 23 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Anyone looking to take a time machine back to the ’90s brewpub era should visit the Asheville OG. This mossy outfit was one of the first operations in town and can be credited with putting Asheville on the (beer) map.
There are two spots to hit: their original Buxton Street pub, Dirty Jack’s, and their Green Mansion facility, complete with tasting room and restaurant. Their creations harken back to the early days with straightforward IPAs, one of the country’s best porters, an ESB, and a few seasonals. Their beers are well-made and unfussy, making a fine analogy to the city itself.
DSSOLVR Brewery
DSSOLVR
63 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Sure, the name sounds like an EDM act, but this hip outfit takes its craft very seriously. With an impressive brewing pedigree that includes stops at institutions like Night Shift and Lord Hobo, founder Vince Tursi has built his upstart for the hyper-online beer nerd. Expect zany labels adorning cans, carrying everything from pizza boxes to aliens.
The beers themselves are equally zany, and a visit to their Asheville taproom provides the opportunity to sample everything from a Pilsner brewed with coffee to imperial stouts with cookies and bananas. Of course, plenty of New England-style IPAs exist, but many of their brands can only be described as half-baked.
Highland Brewing
Highland Brewing
Brewery Taproom: 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803
Downtown Taproom: 56 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
One of the true OGs of Asheville’s brewing roster, Highland Brewing is now the largest independent brewery in North Carolina and shows no signs of slowing down. With a production facility on the outskirts of town and a can’t-skip downtown taproom, Highland pushes all the right buttons.
Their Dank-A-Delic Double IPA taps into the classic West Coast flavor, while their Highland Haze New England IPA is one of the most coveted juice bombs in town. Nostalgic beer geeks will want to try Gaelic Ale, which the brewery calls “Asheville’s First Beer.” We can’t vouch for the claim, but its 30-year reputation for deliciousness speaks for itself.
Their sustainable brewery campus sprawls 40 acres, complete with a rooftop bar. The Mothership has an excellent event program and brings in the best food trucks in town, but their downtown taproom is a solid place to get a feel for what Highland is all about.
Hi-Wire Brewing, South Slope
Hi-Wire Brewing
197 Hilliard Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
If you travel enough in the southeast, it’ll feel like there’s a Hi-Wire taproom in every city. That doesn’t make the original Asheville location in South Slope any less vital. This Instagram-friendly taproom is bright and colorful, with plenty of seating for larger groups (you’ll likely see at least one bachelor or bachelorette party).
The beers are as approachable as the space, with tart sours, pale ales, and an increasingly impressive wild ale program.
Wicked Weed Brewing Funkatorium
Wicked Weed Brewing Funkatorium
147 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
One of the most notable examples of a brewery sale causing a stir, but Wicked Weed remains an Asheville Staple even after almost a decade of Anheuser-Busch affiliation. For all things sour, you simply can’t skip their Funkatorium taproom in South Slope. Wicked Weed’s cutting-edge barrel-aging program produces some of the country’s most delicate, subtle, and complex beers.
Their Pernicious IPA is hyped up for a reason! The Funkatorium had a break in late 2024 and early 2025, but plans to reopen have since been solidified.
Zebulon Artisan Ales
Zebulon Artisan Ales
8 Merchants Alley, Weaverville, NC 28787
Finding a brewery with such a fully realized brand is always a pleasure. Beer producers are spending more time on their presentation, but it’s uncommon for a place to have an identity that matches the product as well as Zebulon Artisan Ales.
Situated about 15 minutes from central Asheville in Weaverville, this outfit specializes in Belgian-style saisons and wild ales. They’re nothing if not adventurous, so don’t expect any flagship or repeat beers. Their airy taproom is a great place to grab a flight or pick up their elegant bottles of wonderfully crafted creations to bring back to town.
New Belgium Brewing, Asheville
New Belgium Asheville
21 Craven Street, Asheville, NC 28806
If you can’t get enough Fat Tire in your life, this decade-old production facility overlooking the French Broad River is a great place to pop into. It opened in 2016 to increase capacity and simplify logistics, but you’ll still get to try some of their most coveted beers, like La Folie Oud Bruin.
Sierra Nevada Brewery, Asheville
Sierra Nevada, Asheville
100 Sierra Nevada Way, Fletcher, NC 28732
It’s hard to argue with a beer as dependable as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, especially not when it’s being poured in the heart of a gargantuan taproom just outside of central Asheville. This temple of beer production offers a brewery tour you’ll actually want to take.
And the Torpedo Double IPA or vintage Bigfoot Barleywine? Let’s just say Cascade hops taste just as good in North Carolina as they do in Northern California.
