Discover Asheville’s finest craft beers with our expert guide to the top 10 must-try brews, featuring Hillman Beer’s award-winning ESB and other local favorites that showcase the city’s vibrant brewing culture.
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Asheville’s Best Craft Beers: Your Essential Tasting Guide

Asheville has earned its reputation as “Beer City USA” for good reason. With more breweries per capita than almost anywhere else in the country, the city offers an incredible range of craft beers that showcase both brewing tradition and innovation. Whether you’re a local or just visiting for the weekend, this guide will take you through the absolute must-try beers in Asheville, including the award-winning selections from our own family brewery. We’ve saved a seat for you at the bar – now let’s explore the beers that put Asheville on the map.

Hillman’s GABF Gold Medal ESB: A Traditional Masterpiece

At the top of any serious Asheville beer list sits Hillman Beer’s Extra Special Bitter (ESB). This isn’t just local pride talking – this traditional English-style ale earned Gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2019, following a Silver medal in 2018. What makes it special? It’s the perfect balance of malty backbone and hop character that defines this classic style. With notes of caramel, light fruit, and a gentle earthy bitterness, our ESB shows that sometimes brewing excellence comes from honoring tradition rather than chasing trends. Available year-round at both our Asheville and Old Fort locations, this beer represents our commitment to quality craftsmanship in every glass.

Four Fat Baby: Hillman’s Belgian Quadrupel

Another standout in Hillman’s lineup is our Four Fat Baby, a robust Belgian Quadrupel that earned Bronze at GABF in 2017. This complex beer delivers rich flavors of dark fruit, caramel, and subtle spice with a warming finish. At 9.5% ABV, it’s a sipper that rewards patient exploration of its layered character. The careful balance between sweetness and alcohol warmth demonstrates our brewing team’s skill with traditional Belgian styles. When available, Four Fat Baby offers a perfect complement to our house-made pub fare, especially heartier dishes.

The Best of the Rest: Asheville’s Can’t-Miss Craft Beers

Beyond Hillman Beer, Asheville’s brewing scene offers remarkable diversity. Here are eight more essential beers that showcase the city’s brewing excellence:

Highland Brewing’s Gaelic Ale

Often credited with launching Asheville’s craft beer revolution, Highland’s amber ale combines caramel malts with a subtle hop presence. Its accessibility makes it a perfect introduction to Asheville craft beer.

Burial Beer Co.’s Surf Wax IPA

This modern IPA balances tropical fruit notes with a clean, crisp finish. Rather than overwhelming bitterness, expect juicy citrus and pine in perfect harmony.

Wicked Weed’s Pernicious IPA

A gold medal winner itself, Pernicious showcases American hops with notes of papaya, mango, and subtle onion. The dry finish keeps you coming back for more.

Green Man’s ESB

Another take on the English bitter style, Green Man’s version leans into the malty richness with notes of toffee and fresh bread, complemented by traditional English hop varieties.

Zillicoah Beer Company’s Lager

Sometimes simple is best. This clean, crisp lager shows that technical brewing excellence doesn’t need to hide behind extreme flavors.

Bhramari Brewing’s The Good Fight

This pale ale features a changing hop bill but consistently delivers bright, juicy flavors with a soft mouthfeel and balanced bitterness.

Asheville Brewing’s Ninja Porter

Dark without being heavy, this approachable porter offers chocolate and coffee notes that satisfy without overwhelming.

Hi-Wire Brewing’s Bed of Nails Brown Ale

Often overlooked, this brown ale delivers nutty, chocolate flavors with a medium body that works year-round.

What Local Beer Experts Say

We asked several local brewers and beer writers about their essential Asheville beers. The consensus? While IPAs dominate the national scene, Asheville’s strength lies in its diversity. From traditional European styles to experimental brewing approaches, the city’s breweries deliver excellence across the spectrum. Many pointed to Hillman’s commitment to traditional styles as a refreshing counterpoint to trend-chasing, with our ESB frequently mentioned as exemplifying this approach.

Experience Asheville’s Best Beers

Ready to start your Asheville beer journey? Begin where tradition meets quality at Hillman Beer. Our family-owned brewery offers not just award-winning beers but the genuine pub-style experience that’s at the heart of beer culture. Visit us in Asheville at 25 Sweeten Creek Rd or in Old Fort at 78 Catawba Ave. With quality, service, comfort, and community as our guiding values, we’ve created spaces where great beer brings people together.

Come Share a Pint With Us

There’s no better way to experience Asheville’s beer culture than by sitting down for a pint at Hillman Beer. Our award-winning ESB and rotating selection of craft brews await, along with house-made pub fare using locally sourced ingredients. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or just beginning to explore craft brewing, we’ve saved a seat for you. Come taste what makes Asheville’s beer scene special and become part of our extended family.