Discover how to expertly navigate beer flights at Hillman Beer in Asheville. Learn insider tips for sampling our craft brews and making the most of your taproom experience.
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The Ultimate Beer Flight Guide: How to Experience Hillman Beer’s Asheville Taproom Like a Pro

Stepping into Hillman Beer’s Asheville taproom is like being welcomed into our family home. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or someone who rarely ventures beyond your comfort zone, our beer flights offer the perfect way to discover what makes our small-batch brews special. No pretension, no judgment—just quality craft beer served with a side of genuine hospitality. We’ve created this guide to help you make the most of your tasting experience, from selecting the perfect combination of our award-winning flagships to catching limited seasonal specialties before they’re gone.

What Makes a Hillman Beer Flight Special

Unlike industrial breweries focused on trends, our family-owned operation crafts beers we love to drink ourselves. Our pub-style brewery prioritizes quality, comfort, and community above all else. When you order a flight in our Asheville taproom near Biltmore Village, you’re sampling beers that might be served by the same family members who brewed them—Brad, Greig, or Brandi Hillman might just be the ones explaining what makes that ESB award-winning or why that Dunkelweisen has such a funny name.

Each flight paddle represents our brewing philosophy: approachable excellence without the fuss. We arrange each taster in a thoughtful sequence that builds from lighter to more robust flavors, creating a journey through different styles and brewing traditions rather than just a random sampling.

Creating Your Perfect Flight

For First-Time Visitors

If you’re new to Hillman or craft beer in general, start with our Signature Flight. This includes our most beloved year-round options featuring our award-winners and crowd favorites. The Hillman ESB (which earned GABF Gold in 2019) showcases our commitment to traditional styles done right, while our Four Fat Baby (GABF Bronze 2017) demonstrates how a classic can still surprise you. These core beers tell the story of who we are as brewers better than words ever could.

For the Adventurous Palate

Already familiar with our flagships? Ask your server about creating an Explorer Flight featuring our rotating seasonal specialties. These limited-run beers might include unexpected ingredients or brewing techniques, but they’re never made just to shock or follow trends. Like everything at Hillman, they’re crafted with intention and care, designed to bring people together around the table rather than just push boundaries for their own sake.

Flight Tasting Tips From the Hillman Family

After years of brewing that started in a Brooklyn apartment in 2006 and continued in an Asheville garage before we opened our doors in 2017, we’ve learned a thing or two about appreciating beer. Here’s how to get the most from your flight:

Start light and move to dark. This helps your palate adjust gradually to more intense flavors. Take a small sip first to wake up your taste buds, then a fuller drink to experience all the flavor notes. Between samples, cleanse your palate with water or a bite of something neutral from our kitchen—our pub-style comfort food was designed to complement our beers perfectly.

Don’t rush. Our taproom was created as a gathering space for conversation and connection. Take your time with each sample, noticing how flavors evolve from first sip to finish. The best flight experiences happen when you slow down enough to notice the subtleties that make each beer unique.

Pairing Your Flight With Food

Our full kitchen serves pub-style comfort food that’s the perfect companion to your beer flight. For the complete experience, share some of our favorites like falafel wraps, buffalo chicken wraps, or our grass-fed beef patty melts while working through your samples. The interaction between food and beer can bring out unexpected notes in both, turning a simple tasting into a memorable meal.

Come Be Part of Our Family

Ready to experience Hillman Beer’s Asheville taproom for yourself? We’re open Sunday through Tuesday from 11am to 9pm, and Wednesday through Saturday from 11am to 10pm. Bring your friends, bring your family, even bring your well-behaved dog (on a leash, please!) and discover why our approach to brewing has earned both industry awards and loyal regulars.

We’ve saved a seat for you at our table. Come join us for a flight and find your new favorite beer—no expertise required, just curiosity and a thirst for something authentic.