Asheville Beer, Breweries, Festivals & More

Spend some time in Asheville, and you'll see why it's been voted "Beer City USA" for four years in a row. (We're hoping for a fifth!) Asheville has more breweries per capita than most other US cities. Asheville is known not only for its quantity of beer but also its quality. Just recently, Pisgah Brewery Company's India Pale Ale was rated the number one beer in the state of North Carolina. 

(We could go on and on about the beer here, but if you'd like more information, you can read about it here.)

If all of this talk about beer is tantalizing your taste buds, there's good news. This weekend is the 6th Annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival at the Asheville Civic Center (US Cellular Center) co-hosted by Three Sheets Design, Brews Cruise Inc., and French Broad Brewing Company. Other local favorites found at the festival are Highland, Pisgah, Lexington Avenue Brewing, Southern Appalachian, MALT Homebrew Club, Heinzelmannchen brewing companies, as well as out-of-town breweries and new up-and-comers.

The bad news is that at the writing of this blog, the Winter Warmer has already been sold out. This has happened for the past six years, so mark your calendars for next year and buy your tickets early! This event grows larger and more popular each year.

As mentioned early, Asheville is hopping (literally) with plenty of places to enjoy a local brew or two. Find a nice downtown Asheville vacation rental to call your home for a few days, and plan a few pub crawls! Sample some of Asheville's finest as you explore the town and stop in to some local hot spots.We highly recommend it.

Photo by Joyful Now Photography

If you'd like some brewery, tour, and tasting tips, visit ExploreAsheville.com's helpful listing of the local craft brew scene. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for new breweries opening in Asheville. Wicked Weed Brewing just opened last summer. It's located right next to The Orange Peel Club in downtown Asheville, so stop by and check it out. Also coming soon are New Belgium and Sierra Nevada brewery locations in Asheville. Stay tuned!

What are some of your favorite Asheville watering holes? Let us know in our comment section! Cheers!