Why Asheville Is a Craft Beer Destination Worth Understanding

Asheville beer culture has grown into something genuinely impressive. The city’s brewing scene draws visitors from across the country, and for good reason. According to the Brewers Association (2023), the United States now has over 9,500 craft breweries, and Asheville consistently ranks among the top cities per capita for brewery density. Walking into a taproom here and seeing twenty taps is not unusual. Walking in with no idea what any of it means? Also not unusual, and completely fine.

The challenge for a first-time visitor is that beer menus can feel like a foreign language. Double dry-hopped this, oatmeal that, session whatever. If you’ve ever pointed at something random and hoped for the best, you’re not alone. The good news is that once you understand a few basic beer categories, ordering confidently becomes a lot easier.

This page breaks down the styles you’re most likely to encounter in Asheville, explains what makes each one distinct, and gives you a clear starting point so you can spend less time second-guessing the menu and more time enjoying a great pint.

The Core Beer Styles You’ll See on Every Asheville Menu

Most beers, regardless of how creative the name sounds, fall into recognizable families. Here’s a plain-language breakdown of the styles that appear most often across Asheville’s taprooms.

IPAs (India Pale Ales)

IPAs are probably the style you’ll see most. They’re defined by hop character, which can mean anything from citrus and pine to tropical fruit or a sharp, resinous bitterness. West Coast IPAs lean drier and more bitter. New England IPAs (often called NEIPAs or hazy IPAs) are softer and juicy with less bite. If someone describes a beer as “hoppy,” they’re almost certainly talking about an IPA or something in that family. According to the Brewers Association (2023), IPAs remain the most popular craft beer style by volume sold in the United States. Start with a hazy IPA if you’re new to hops, as they tend to be more approachable than their West Coast cousins.

Wheat Beers and Hefeweizens

These are some of the most beginner-friendly beers available. Wheat beers are typically light in color, low in bitterness, and carry soft flavors of banana, clove, or bread. German-style Hefeweizens follow this tradition closely, while American wheat beers are often a bit more neutral and easy-drinking. If you’re not sure where to start, a wheat beer is rarely a wrong answer. Hillman Beer’s own history with this style goes back to the very first beer they ever brewed, the Dingaudamnit Dunkelweisen, a darker wheat beer that shows how much range this style actually has.

Stouts and Porters

Dark beers have a reputation for being heavy, but that’s often misleading. Many stouts and porters are surprisingly drinkable, with flavors of roasted coffee, chocolate, and sometimes a hint of caramel. Porters tend to be slightly lighter in body. Stouts, including dry Irish-style stouts, milk stouts, and imperial stouts, vary widely in strength and intensity. If you enjoy coffee or dark chocolate, this category is worth exploring. Ask your server about the body before ordering if you’re uncertain.

ESBs and English-Style Ales

ESB stands for Extra Special Bitter, which is a misleading name since these beers are not aggressively bitter at all. They’re malt-forward, balanced, and built for drinkability. English-style ales as a category tend to focus on balance over boldness, making them a fantastic entry point for someone who finds IPAs too sharp but wants something with more character than a lager. Hillman Beer’s ESB earned a Silver at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018 and a Gold in 2019, which says a lot about how well a classic style, brewed with care, can stand up against hundreds of competitors.

Lagers and Pilsners

If you typically drink domestic light beer, lagers and pilsners are the craft world’s answer to that preference. Clean, crisp, and refreshing, these styles rely on precise fermentation rather than bold ingredients. A well-made craft lager is a different experience from a mass-produced one, even if the style sounds familiar. These are excellent choices on a warm day or when you want something easy between more complex pints.

How to Read a Beer Menu Without Feeling Lost

Most taproom menus give you a style name, an ABV (alcohol by volume), and sometimes a short flavor description. ABV is worth paying attention to, especially if you’re planning to try a few things. A session beer typically sits under 5% ABV and is designed for longer drinking. A double IPA or imperial stout might push 9% or higher.

Flavor descriptors like “citrus,” “pine,” “malt-forward,” or “roasty” are your best friends. They’re not always poetic, but they’re honest signals about what’s in the glass. Don’t hesitate to ask a staff member for a small taste before committing. At a well-run taproom, that’s a completely normal request.

“The best beer for a beginner is the one they actually enjoy. No style is inherently superior. The goal is to find what works for your palate and go from there.”

According to Statista (2023), craft beer sales in the U.S. reached approximately $28.4 billion in 2022, reflecting just how mainstream the category has become. More people than ever are encountering these styles for the first time, and the industry has responded by making taprooms more welcoming and menus more descriptive.

If you’re visiting multiple Asheville breweries in one trip, consider pacing yourself with lower ABV options between higher-gravity pours. And if you want a structured starting point, ask for a tasting flight, a small selection of different styles served together. It’s one of the best ways to quickly map out your preferences without committing to a full pint of something that doesn’t suit you.

What to Order at Hillman Beer If It’s Your First Time

Hillman Beer’s taproom is designed for exactly this kind of visit. The atmosphere is welcoming, the staff can speak to each beer without making you feel like you need a degree to follow along, and the range on tap covers enough ground to suit most preferences.

For a first visit, the ESB is a strong recommendation. It’s balanced, approachable, and represents the kind of traditional craftsmanship that Hillman has built its reputation on. If you’re drawn to something lighter, ask what wheat beers or lagers are currently pouring. If you want to go darker, the staff can walk you through what’s available in the porter or stout category and give you an honest sense of the weight and intensity.

The Old Fort location, set in a converted hosiery mill along Mill Creek, also offers a food menu built around locally-sourced ingredients, which means you can pair your beer with something that genuinely complements it rather than just filling space.

Both Asheville locations are family-owned and family-run, which comes through in how the space feels and how you’re treated when you walk in. There’s no pressure to know what you’re doing before you arrive. That’s part of the point.