When I first read about Asheville, North Carolina having the most breweries per capita of any city in the United States, you bet your behind that I started packing my bags. I don’t really drink too much anymore due to the fact that my body has aged so much more rapidly than my naïve little mind, and so a margarita with dinner is enough to give me a hangover well into the next afternoon. A shot of tequila is enough to make me immediately blow chunks all over the floor and then turn in for the night. Two glasses of wine is enough to make me cry by myself in the corner as I contemplate all the most devastating things in life and wonder why no one loves me.
Bottom line: I am not that fun when I drink. In a way I feel robbed of my youth, being this way, but I’ve accepted this is who I am. The only thing I can drink without guaranteed disastrous repercussions, and the one thing I really, truly love to drink, is beer.
But let’s be real. You are not here reading this post because you want to know about what a loser I am. You’re here because you want to hit as many breweries as possible in one afternoon in Asheville.
My sister Meredith and I spent about 10 hours hopping from brewery to brewery, and there were aspects that we enjoyed about each. The air was cold and crisp outside, and there was no better way to spend an afternoon than cozying up with some tasty beers and enjoying Asheville’s alternative, bohemian culture, even if we’re not cool enough to fit into it.
A huge number of Asheville’s breweries are within blocks of each other in the South Slope District, so here is the route we took and our favorite things about each brewery.
Disclaimer: though I find beer delicious, I am not a beer expert, so I won’t be speaking pompously of the beer’s aromas, amount of head, or flavor balance because I don’t know a goddamn thing and don’t really care to.
Burial Beer Company
40 Collier Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Burial was the first brewery we stopped into and it certainly set the bar high. It is one of the highest rated breweries in North Carolina, so it does get a little crowded, but you won’t even really care with the rustic interior and the good, hipster vibes. Expect to see a few dogs wandering around as well (huge thumbs up to all of Asheville, since I saw a dog or two in several of the breweries we went to. Now if we can just get the rest of the country to get on board). Burial is laid back, offers amazing southern food right next door, and is a truly unique spot to throw back your first beer. Plus, all the beer cans have really cool gothic art on them, and I am all about little details like this.
Beer to try: The Prayer, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like Belgian style pale ales with tart, apricoty, and somewhat peppery flavors.
Price: Expect a beer to be around $6-7.
Bottom line: If you only go to one brewery in Asheville, let this be the one.
Green Man Brewery
27 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: This place was very clean and very modern. It had two levels, with a bar on each level, and a ton of brewing equipment on the first. What is brewing equipment even called? Silver barrel beer things? The walls were painted a calming green, and there were boxes of trivia games upstairs that Meredith and I utilized for about an hour even though we are both horrifically bad at trivia and wildly guessed most of the answers.
Beer to try: Tart Berry Berliner Weisse, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like sour and fruity beers with a weird violet hue.
Price: A pint runs around $5.
Bottom Line: The perfect place for an afternoon beer.
Twin Leaf Brewery
144 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Twin Leaf was the first brewery we visited that was crowded as fuxk. Mid-afternoon is when the droves of thirsty day drinkers start to swarm the breweries, so be prepared for a long line here. However, the bartenders were incredibly friendly and worked as quickly as possible to get everyone served. There are long, communal tables to sit and drink with friends old and new, industrial decor, as well as ping pong tables and other games along the side. Beer, conversation, and plenty of activities, so you can’t go wrong.
Beer to try: Dark Matter Oatmeal Stout, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like rich, fuller-bodied beers with flavors of chocolate, molasses, and coffee.
Price: A pint runs around $5-6.
Bottom Line: Probably the cutest brewery we visited, and the easiest to hang out in FOR HOURS (yeah, we were there for hours).
The Funkatorium
147 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Funkatorium is actually owned by Wicked Weed, and is the East Coast’s first “sour and funky beer dedicated taproom.” Do I know what that means? Heck no, but it does sound like a good reason to check it out. There is a smaller, rustic bar area in front with a huge warehouse of barrels in the back, as well as a stage which I assume is for live music but not at the time we were there (would have been DOPE to hear some live music in a warehouse surrounded by beer barrels, though). Very cool place; its only downfall was that we had to wait outside for about 15 minutes before being allowed in because they were at capacity, but once we went inside it didn’t seem crowded at all.
Beer to try: Genesis Blonde Sour, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like fresh, fruity sours, bursting with flavors of pineapple, mango, papaya, and guava. Sour Patch Kids lovers welcome. I went through a phase recently where I ate 5 bags of Sour Patch Kids a week and it was horrible. Not that that is relevant to anyone but my mother, who loves me.
Price: Each special sour beer is about $5.
Bottom Line: Really, really, really good beer.
Hi-Wire Brewing
197 Hilliard Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Out of all the breweries, this one was my least favorite. I hate to talk bad about anyone or anything (unless it’s in the privacy of my house and no one except my friends and family can hear me, then I am seriously all about it), but I have to be honest. It was very dark inside and extremely loud, and we were not able to find a place to sit. It felt less like a funky, sophisticated brewery and more like a neighborhood dive bar with some barrels in the back. Not that there’s anything wrong with that necessarily. We just didn’t stay for too long. I also think at this point we were starving and tired and in need of some mid-brewery-crawl snacks.
Beer to try: Really Good Breakfast, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like a heavier, darker stout. I think I would have really enjoyed sipping on this beer had I not been so in need of food that any heavy beer was bound to make my delicate ass feel like barfing.
Price: A beer from the tap runs at about $5.
Bottom Line: At least it is dog friendly, and has some live music.
Asheville Brewing Company
77 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: The Asheville Brewing Company is home to some award-winning beers and is the “most Googled brewery in North Carolina,” according to their website. Who knows if that is true, or if it is for any other reason other than the fact that it has both “Asheville” and “brewing” in its name. This was a great next stop for us, because the beer was making our stomachs start to turn and we needed something to eat. There are three locations, but the one we went to in the South Slope District is their actual brewpub, where all the brewing equipment is held. Since the brewing equipment is all behind the scenes, you need a tour to see it, so this brewery had a restaurant feel to it more than the others. It was really lively and welcoming inside, even if we did have to wait for a table to get any service.
Beer to try: Perfect Day IPA, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like citrusy and floral hops. This one was recommended to me by the lovely bartender whose name escapes me but who was the sweetest and coolest woman on the face of this planet.
Price: Beers are about $5-6.
Bottom Line: This brewery had the friendliest staff we came across, and lots and lots of hot and tasty apps.
Bhramari Brewing Company
101 S Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Bhramari is a large, newer brewery with several different rooms, as well as an outside patio. The inside is extra hipster and extra chill, and while it was crowded with a lot of people as we stumbled into a booth, the vibes never strayed from highly laid-back and relaxing. The creative and funky decor and beers made for a very enjoyable time. At this point we were about ready to pass out from all the alcohol and we decided to split a lighter beer, which was a nice change of pace from some of the heavier ones we had been drinking.
Beer to try: Curb Appeal, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like simple, light, and fresh American lagers.
Price: A pint is about $5.
Bottom Line: Funky and fun, and I imagine it would have been an excellent spot for day drinking outside.
Wicked Weed Brewing
91 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Brewery atmosphere: Ah, yes, our final stop on our seemingly endless brewery tour. How is it possible that we only walked for 10 cumulative minutes and saw so many places?? Drank so much?? Spent SO MUCH MONEY?? This is the main location for Wicked Weed brewery, Funkatorium being its other location down the street. It is one of the more popular and more famous breweries in town, so it is often packed. It is loud inside at night, but it is very open so the vibe is actually a lot of fun as opposed to overwhelming and suffocating. There’s also a fire pit outside and plenty of space to hang out if the weather is nice. It was literally snowing while we were there and we sprinted from brewery to brewery to minimize our time in the cold, so we definitely did not get to enjoy that.
Beer to try: Lunatic Blonde, best enjoyed by beer drinkers who like yeasty, fruity, and spicy blondes with a crisp feel to it.
Price: Beers are about $4-5.
Bottom Line: Tons of fun and full of people, and a definite must for any brewery crawl if for nothing else than for its notoriety.
To me a day like the one Meredith and I had is not really about being wasted and making idiots out of ourselves. It’s not even necessarily about the beer. It’s about the experience. Meredith is not a huge beer drinker, but she still enjoyed the unique character of each establishment and was always able to find something she liked (hello, these are breweries. They specialize in making tons of different beers, and lots of them have ciders too!).
You’d be remiss to miss an opportunity to hit at least a couple of Asheville’s breweries on your visit. They don’t call this town Beer City, USA for nothing!
heading to asheville and was a bit overwhelmed about how to choose our crawl….just gonna follow your lead! Thanks!
Very informative. Thank you! Going to Asheville soon. Definitely will be stopping by Wicked Weed and Asheville Brewing