What to try at 21 breweries in and around Asheville: signature beers, award winners, and a few seasonal favorites.
These are our editorial picks, based on brewery lineups, signature releases, and documented competition results. “Best” depends on your taste, so we’ve included crisp lagers, hop-forward IPAs, maltier classics, and sour options.
Researched October 6, 2026. This is a curated guide to leading breweries, not a complete directory or a live tap list. Seasonal and rotating beers may be unavailable; check the brewery’s menu before making a special trip.
| Brewery | Area | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| Burial Beer Co. | South Slope / Forestry Camp | Surf Wax / Shadowclock |
| Highland Brewing | East Asheville | Gaelic Amber Ale / Cold Mountain |
| DSSOLVR | Downtown / North Lexington Avenue | Thank You for Existing / Super Computer |
| Zillicoah Beer Company | Woodfin | Kellerpils / Helles |
| Wicked Weed Brewing | Downtown / South Slope | Pernicious / Freak of Nature |
| Hi-Wire Brewing | Asheville taprooms | Hi-Wire Lager / Hi-Pitch |
| Green Man Brewery | South Slope | ESB / Green Man Porter |
| Wedge Brewing Company | River Arts District | Iron Rail IPA |
| Asheville Brewing Company | North Asheville / South Slope | Ninja Porter / Perfect Day IPA |
| Hillman Beer | Biltmore Village area / Old Fort | ESB |
| Cellarest Beer Project | West Asheville / Haywood Road | Helios / Amara |
| Twin Leaf Brewery | South Slope | Luminosity |
| French Broad River Brewery | Biltmore Village area | Wee-Heavy-Er / Anvil Porter |
| White Labs Brewing Co. | Charlotte Street area | Tabberer IPA — West Coast yeast version / Tabberer IPA — hazy yeast version |
| Diatribe Brewing Company | West Asheville / Haywood Road | Rauchbier / New Zealand Pils |
| Riverside Rhapsody Beer Company | Riverside Drive / Woodfin area | Drum>Space Galaxy |
| New Belgium Brewing | West Asheville / French Broad riverfront | Fat Tire / La Folie |
| Pisgah Brewing Company | Black Mountain | Pisgah Pale Ale |
| Whistle Hop Brewing Company | Fairview | Banana Wheat |
| Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Mills River | Pale Ale / Torpedo Extra IPA |
| Oskar Blues Brewery | Brevard · farther outing | Dale’s Pale Ale / Ten FIDY |
West Coast IPA · Core beer
The signature hop-forward starting point for an Asheville beer visit.
Pilsner · Core beer
Our contrasting pick for a cleaner, lighter pour alongside Burial’s IPAs.
Amber ale · Core beer
An Asheville classic and Highland’s foundational beer; start here if you favor malt over aggressive hops.
Spiced winter ale · Seasonal winter release
The brewery’s much-anticipated annual winter release, worth looking for when it returns.
Kölsch · Core beer
The flagship: a clean finish with enough malt character to make a light beer interesting.
Hazy IPA · Check current menu
Our hop-lover’s alternative from the brewery’s featured lineup.
Unfiltered pilsner · Recurring beer; check taps
A crisp, hop-forward lager with herbal and lemon character; a good introduction to the brewery.
Helles lager · Recurring beer; check taps
Choose this for a softer, malt-led contrast to the Kellerpils.
West Coast IPA · Core beer
The flagship combines fruit-forward hops, resinous bitterness, and a dry finish.
Double IPA · Check current menu
A signature bigger IPA for fans who want a more intense hop experience.
Lager / international-style pilsner · Core beer
A straightforward first choice with a 2025 World Beer Cup silver medal behind it.
Mosaic IPA · Core beer
A flagship IPA for drinkers drawn to citrus-led hop character.
English-style amber ale · Core beer
A signature malt-forward choice with toasted and caramel character.
Porter · Core beer
The dark-beer pick, with a 2025 NC Brewers Cup gold medal adding to its appeal.
IPA · Core beer
Wedge’s flagship and an old-school Asheville favorite: an assertively bitter option for IPA fans.
Brown porter · Core beer
A chocolatey, roasty classic with World Beer Cup gold in 2014 and bronze in 2018.
IPA · Core beer
The brewery calls it its most popular beer; choose it for citrus and tropical hop character.
Extra special bitter · Core beer
A flagship with Great American Beer Festival silver in 2018 and gold in 2019. Our first pour here.
Oak-rested helles · Rotating menu
A crisp, bready lager that introduces the brewery’s approach to wood-rested beer.
Saison · Rotating menu
A cherrywood-fermented saison for drinkers who prefer floral and peppery farmhouse character.
Belgian strong ale · Check current menu
A 2025 NC Brewers Cup bronze medalist and our pick for Belgian-style beer fans.
Scotch ale · Recurring beer; check taps
A longstanding signature beer for drinkers looking for rich, malt-forward flavor.
Porter · Recurring beer; check taps
Our dark-beer alternative from the brewery’s established lineup.
IPA · Rotating yeast versions
An engaging way to try White Labs’ yeast-focused brewing approach. Ask which version is pouring.
Hazy IPA · Rotating yeast versions
Try alongside the clearer version, when both are available, to explore how yeast changes a beer.
Smoked lager · Rotating; ask for availability
A 2025 NC Brewers Cup gold medalist; a distinctive pick for fans of smoke and traditional lager styles.
Pilsner · Rotating; ask for availability
The brewery’s 2025 NC Brewers Cup silver medalist in International Style Pale Ale and IPA.
Hop-forward pale ale / IPA category · Rotating; ask for availability
A 2025 NC Brewers Cup bronze medalist worth asking about on the rotating tap list.
Golden ale · Core beer
A recognizable, approachable starting point. Today’s Fat Tire is a golden ale rather than the original amber recipe.
Wood-aged sour brown ale · Specialty; check availability
A distinctive sour-beer choice with tart fruit character, when the taproom has it.
Pale ale · Flagship; check taps
The brewery’s flagship and a longstanding local staple; our first choice for a Pisgah visit.
Hefeweizen / wheat beer · Check current menu
A characterful wheat-beer pick for people who enjoy banana-forward flavor.
American pale ale · Core beer
An American craft-beer benchmark: pine and citrus hops balanced by caramel malt.
IPA · Core beer
A more intense hop-forward alternative for fans of the classic West Coast profile.
American pale ale · Core beer
The beer the brewery was built on, and an influential canned-craft classic.
Imperial stout · Check release / tap availability
Our rich dark-beer pick for stout fans; look for the standard release or clearly labeled barrel-aged variants.
Signature beers give a useful introduction to a brewery. Competition medals provide another reason to try a particular style, but don’t mean everyone will prefer it. Our recommendations combine both approaches.
Award details: Hi-Wire’s flagship lineup · Asheville Brewing awards · Hillman’s beer awards · 2025 NC Brewers Cup local results.
Have a favorite beer we missed, or know a release has changed? Send the brewery and beer name so we can keep this guide useful.
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