About

Highland Brewing Company rolled out its first beer kegs in December 1994.  Built almost entirely of retrofitted dairy equipment, our original brewery in downtown Asheville could produce up to 6,500 barrels of beer per year. In our current location, 5 minutes outside of downtown Asheville, we now have capacity to brew over 20,000 barrels annually and room to grow.

Highland was the first legal brewery in Asheville, a city which is now home to nine breweries and counting. It is now the largest craft brewery in North Carolina and the third largest in the Southeast. Growth has been steady over the years, as Highland's distribution was expanded carefully, taking care to reduce risk in over-expanding too quickly - which can mean running out of beer or compromising quality.

It wasn't untill October of 2010 when Highland opened it's Tasting Room - a concert venue and gathering place for all events from guest speakers to community fund-raisers to weddings.The Highland Tasting Room is open to the public Monday- Saturday, 4-8pm, offering food & live music 6-8pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Besides our commitment to quality, important factors in Highland 's longevity and success are owner/founder Oscar Wong and Vice President/Brewmaster John Lyda, who have been at the brewery since its inception.  What began as a three-person operation has grown into a staff of twenty.  Oscar and John oversee the staff in brewing, packaging, and sales. Currently, the Highland brand is sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.