Anyone lucky enough to live in the Asheville area has some choices to make — namely, which breweries to visit. Considering that Asheville, North Carolina officially ranks second in the country for most breweries per capita (we have 17 breweries per 50,000 people!) it can be hard to narrow down the field. We rounded up the best breweries in Asheville according to a few different criteria to help you find your next delicious craft brew.

Google Reviews

Popular opinion, as listed by Google Maps, has given highest marks (an impressive 4.8 stars) to a few breweries in the Land of the Sky. Like ten-year-old, small-batch Wedge Brewing that opened the Wedge at Foundation in 2017. The new location gets love for the artsy, graffiti-clad building and excellent beers. Tucked away in a warehouse, Ginger’s Revenge brews up ginger beer and is praised for its friendly staff and refreshing beer alternative. Newcomer DSSOLVR has managed a whopping 4.9 stars thanks to its wide range of styles and high-quality brews.

Rate Beer

If you go by what beer enthusiasts say, a few Asheville breweries stood out in Rate Beer’s annual awards. They tallied ratings from their millions of user-submitted reviews and determined the best taproom in North Carolina happens to be Sierra Nevada Brewery’s massive compound near the Asheville airport, while the best bar was the Thirsty Monk Brewery & Pub in downtown Asheville.

And as for the best breweries in the country, one Asheville brewery made it into the site’s Top 100 list, the funky fermenters over at Wicked Weed Brewing.

Awards

But what about professional judging? During the 2019 Great American Beer Fest, two brews from Asheville came home winners: the ESB from Hillman Beer, a pub-style brewery focused on classic comfort, and the Sour Brown Aged on Palo Santo from South Slope and Biltmore Village area’s Hi-Wire Brewing.

Legacy

There’s also something to be said for experience. Highland Brewing has the distinction of being the oldest brewery in Asheville. They started brewing (on retrofitted dairy equipment) in 1994 and are still going strong today. Green Man Brewing and Asheville Brewing Co. established themselves in this part of the blue ridge mountains in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum is one of Asheville’s newer breweries. Archetype Brewing established its West Asheville brewery operation in 2016. Then in February 2019, the newest addition to the Asheville beer scene opened: Archetype Broadway, a taproom and event space bringing good beer and great design into downtown Asheville.

You Be the Judge

Obviously the best way to determine your personal ranking of Asheville’s best breweries is to try them out for yourself. And there’s no better way to do that than from your home base in an affordable, quality-made, new construction home from Windsor Built. To learn more about our planned communities near Asheville, NC, complete the form below, and we’ll follow up with you shortly. Cheers!

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