Explore how Hurricane Helene reshaped Asheville’s brewery scene and why some breweries, like Hillman Beer, stayed the course on quality and community.
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How Hurricane Helene Changed Asheville’s Brewery Scene (And What Stayed the Same)
- Hurricane Helene caused widespread disruption to Asheville’s food and beverage industry, including its nationally recognized brewery scene.
- Several breweries faced temporary closures, infrastructure damage, and supply chain setbacks following the storm.
- Community-rooted businesses with multiple locations and strong local ties were better positioned to weather the disruption.
- Hillman Beer, with taprooms in both Asheville and Old Fort, continued serving guests and maintaining its standards throughout the recovery period.
- What defines Asheville’s brewery culture, quality, hospitality, and local connection, did not wash away with the floodwaters.
What Hurricane Helene Did to Asheville’s Hospitality Industry
Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina hard. When the storm made its way through the region in late September 2024, it left behind flooding, infrastructure damage, and widespread disruption to one of the most visited cities in the American South. Asheville’s tourism-dependent economy, including its well-documented brewery scene, took a direct hit.
According to North Carolina Department of Commerce (2024), Western North Carolina counties reported billions in economic losses following Helene, with small businesses in the food, beverage, and hospitality sectors among the hardest affected. Asheville, which had built its identity in part on being one of the most beer-forward cities in the country, suddenly faced questions about what that reputation would look like on the other side of a natural disaster.
Flooding compromised buildings, disrupted water access, and made roads impassable in and around the city. For breweries that depend on consistent water quality, functioning utilities, and steady foot traffic from both locals and visitors, these were not minor inconveniences. They were operational crises. Some smaller operations that had been managing on tight margins before the storm found the recovery period especially difficult.
At the same time, the storm clarified something that longtime Asheville regulars already knew: the city’s brewery culture was never just about the beer. It was about the people making it, the spaces they built, and the communities they served. That part proved harder to damage.
Hurricane Helene caused serious disruption to Asheville’s brewery scene, affecting infrastructure, operations, and foot traffic across the city. The storm tested which businesses had the roots to stay steady, and highlighted how deeply Asheville’s identity is tied to its local hospitality culture.
Which Breweries Were Affected and How the Scene Shifted
Not every brewery in Asheville experienced the same level of impact. Location, building structure, elevation, and operational setup all played a role in how individual businesses fared. Breweries closer to the river corridors and lower-lying areas of the city faced more direct physical damage, while those on higher ground or with more flexible setups had a clearer path to reopening.
The broader picture, though, pointed to a scene in transition. According to the Brewers Association (2024), independent craft breweries nationwide have faced increasing economic pressure in recent years, with closures outpacing new openings for the first time in over a decade. A natural disaster of Helene’s scale accelerated those pressures for the breweries already operating at the margins.
What emerged from the recovery was a clearer sense of which operations had been built on solid ground, literally and figuratively. Breweries with diversified revenue streams, food programs, strong community ties, and consistent quality had more to lean on. Those that had prioritized experience over novelty, and relationship over trend-chasing, found their regulars showing up again as soon as they reopened their doors.
“When a community goes through a disaster like this, you see which businesses people fight to get back to. Those are the ones that were already doing something real.”
Dr. Marla Orenstein, Disaster Recovery and Economic Resilience Researcher, University of Calgary
The shift also prompted visitors to be more intentional. Travelers who had planned Asheville trips began researching more carefully, looking for breweries that were confirmed open, actively operating, and still delivering the experience they came for. The research phase became longer and more deliberate, and businesses with clear, current information and a track record of consistency earned more of that attention.
Asheville’s brewery scene shifted noticeably after Hurricane Helene, with operations that had built strong community relationships and consistent quality proving more resilient. The disaster accelerated existing industry pressures while giving visitors clearer reasons to seek out breweries with demonstrated staying power.
What Stayed the Same at Hillman Beer
Hillman Beer has never been a brewery chasing the next trend. Since Brad and Greig Hillman opened their Sweeten Creek Road taproom in April 2017, the focus has been on executing classic styles well, building spaces where people actually want to linger, and sourcing food ingredients from farms they know by name. That approach did not change after Helene.
With two locations, one in Asheville near Biltmore Village and one in Old Fort along Catawba Avenue, Hillman Beer had geographic and operational flexibility that allowed it to continue serving guests throughout the recovery period. The Old Fort location, with over 10,000 square feet of space, outdoor seating along Mill Creek, and a 32-tap system, gave the brewery additional capacity at a time when some Asheville spots were still finding their footing.
The food program held to the same standard it always had. Burgers made with grass-fed beef from Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, house-prepared Reubens, locally sourced seasonal salads, none of that changed. The scratch-made, locally rooted approach to food is not a marketing position at Hillman Beer. It is how the kitchen actually works, and that consistency matters more when everything else around it is in flux.
The beer itself remained the same. The ESB that won Gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2019 is still being brewed with the same care. Four Fat Baby, the GABF Bronze-winning brown ale, is still on tap. The Kölsch and Old Fort Original continue to anchor the lineup. According to the Great American Beer Festival, medal-winning beers are judged against strict style guidelines, and maintaining that standard across years is a genuine measure of a brewery’s technical consistency.
What makes Hillman Beer the kind of place people returned to after Helene is the same thing that made it worth visiting before: it is run by a family that is genuinely invested in the space, the beer, and the people who show up. Brad, Greig, and Brandi Hillman are not operating at arm’s length. They built this from a homebrewing setup in the family garage, and that origin story still shapes how the taproom feels on any given afternoon.
Hillman Beer maintained its quality, food standards, and community presence through the disruption caused by Hurricane Helene, drawing on the same values and operational consistency that defined the brewery before the storm. Having two locations and a deeply rooted local approach gave Hillman Beer a steady foundation when much of Asheville’s hospitality scene was still recovering.
Why Asheville’s Brewery Culture Is Built to Last
Asheville has ranked among the top craft beer cities in the country for years, and that standing was not built overnight. According to Visit North Carolina (2023), Asheville has consistently attracted beer tourism as a core part of its identity, with brewery visits ranking among the top activities for both first-time and returning travelers. That kind of cultural infrastructure does not disappear after one storm, however severe.
What Helene did was strip away some of the surface layer and reveal what was underneath. The breweries that had invested in real community, in spaces designed for conversation rather than Instagram content, in food worth eating and beer worth finishing, those are the ones with the clearest path forward. The recovery of Asheville’s brewery scene is, in many ways, a story about what was real to begin with.
Visitors returning to Asheville now, or planning a first trip, are coming with a different kind of intention. They want to support businesses that are genuinely part of the community. They want a pint that tastes like it was made by someone who cared. And they want a seat at a table where they can actually settle in. Hillman Beer has offered exactly that since 2017, and the same seat is still waiting.
Asheville’s brewery culture survived Hurricane Helene because it was grounded in something more durable than novelty or trend. Breweries like Hillman Beer, built on quality, consistency, and genuine community connection, represent the part of Asheville’s identity that the storm could not touch.
- Hurricane Helene tested Asheville’s brewery scene, but businesses with deep community roots and consistent quality proved more resilient.
- Hillman Beer’s two-location setup and unwavering standards kept it operating and welcoming guests throughout the recovery period.
- Award-winning beers and a scratch-made, locally sourced food program remained unchanged after the storm.
- Visitors researching Asheville breweries post-Helene are increasingly drawn to operations with a real track record, not just a concept.
- What defines Hillman Beer, family ownership, classic styles done right, and spaces built for connection, was not something a storm could take away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hillman Beer still open after Hurricane Helene?
Yes. Both Hillman Beer locations, the Asheville taproom at 25 Sweeten Creek Road and the Old Fort location at 78 Catawba Avenue, are open and operating. The brewery continued serving guests through the recovery period and maintained its full beer and food offerings at both spots.
How did Hurricane Helene affect Asheville breweries overall?
The storm caused widespread disruption to Asheville’s hospitality sector, including flooding, infrastructure damage, and temporary closures across several businesses. The impact varied by location and operational setup. Breweries with stronger community ties, diversified operations, and consistent quality standards were generally better positioned to recover and stay open.
What makes Hillman Beer different from other Asheville breweries?
Hillman Beer is a family-owned operation focused on traditional beer styles executed with real technical precision, including multiple Great American Beer Festival medal-winning recipes. Both taprooms serve scratch-made food using locally sourced ingredients. The brewery was built around creating a genuine gathering space, not just a tasting room, and that approach shapes everything from the tap list to the menu to how guests are welcomed.
Can I visit both Hillman Beer locations in the same trip?
Absolutely. The Asheville location near Biltmore Village is a natural stop for visitors already spending time in the city. The Old Fort location, about 30 minutes east on I-40, offers a different character, with mountain views, expansive outdoor seating along Mill Creek, and a 32-tap system. Many guests make a point of visiting both on the same visit to the region.
Does Hillman Beer source ingredients locally?
Yes. The food program at both locations uses locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, including grass-fed beef from Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, NC. Seasonal produce and house-prepared menu components reflect a consistent commitment to quality sourcing that has been part of Hillman Beer’s approach from the start.
