There are many breweries in Western North Carolina. Most of them require you to drive into a downtown, find parking, and deal with foot traffic before you ever reach a tap handle. Hillman Beer Old Fort is different. It sits right off I-40 at Exit 73, between Asheville and Charlotte, with free parking, a full kitchen, and over 32 taps waiting the moment you step off the highway.
If you’re driving the I-40 corridor between Asheville and Charlotte, this is the stop. Not because it’s convenient (though it is), but because Hillman Beer Old Fort is genuinely worth the detour. A GABF Gold Medal brewery with creek-side seating, house-made pub food, and 10,000 square feet of space doesn’t show up often on a highway exit. This one does.
This guide covers exactly where Old Fort sits on the map, what you’ll find at Hillman Beer Old Fort, what to eat, what else to do in town, how to get there from the highway, and answers to the most common questions travelers ask before stopping in.
Where Old Fort Sits on the I-40 Corridor
Old Fort is a small mountain town in McDowell County, North Carolina. It sits in a valley on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, right at the base of the climb that takes I-40 up into the Swannanoa Gap toward Asheville.
The geography matters. Old Fort is positioned almost exactly where the mountains begin to flatten out heading east, or where they start to rise heading west. That puts it at a natural stopping point on one of the most-traveled stretches of highway in the Carolinas.
Here’s how the distances break down:
- Old Fort to Asheville: About 30 minutes west on I-40, roughly 25 miles
- Old Fort to Marion: About 10 minutes east on I-40, roughly 7 miles
- Old Fort to Charlotte: About 90 minutes east on I-40, roughly 85 miles
- Old Fort to Hickory: About 45 minutes east on I-40, roughly 40 miles
That positioning makes Hillman Old Fort a logical midpoint stop for anyone making the Asheville-Charlotte run. It’s far enough from Asheville to be a distinct destination, but close enough that Asheville visitors can easily add it to a day trip from Asheville to Old Fort without losing much time.
For Charlotte day-trippers, Old Fort sits at a comfortable hour-and-a-half mark, making the round trip reasonable for a Saturday outing. For travelers heading west from Charlotte toward Asheville, it works as either an arrival warm-up or a departure wind-down.
The town itself is small, with a population under 1,000. It doesn’t have the commercial density of Asheville, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. Old Fort’s emerging craft beer scene has developed around its natural assets: trails, creek access, mountain views, and a slower pace.
What’s at Hillman Beer Old Fort
32 Taps, 10,000 Square Feet, and a Creek
Hillman Beer Old Fort opened in July 2020 on Catawba Avenue in the center of Old Fort. The space is substantial: over 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor seating with more than 32 taps running at any given time.
That tap count includes Hillman’s own lineup alongside a curated selection of guest taps. The Hillman originals are the reason to come. The brewery has earned hardware at the Great American Beer Festival, including a GABF Gold Medal for the Hillman ESB in 2019, a GABF Silver for the same beer in 2018, and a GABF Bronze for Four Fat Baby in 2017. That’s three medals across three years at the country’s most competitive craft beer competition.
The community-style tables inside work well for larger groups. The layout is open and easy to navigate. Order at the bar, grab a seat wherever it looks good, and stay as long as you want. No reservations, no time limits.
The Brewery Behind the Beer
Hillman Beer is a family-owned operation started by Brad, Greig, and Brandi Hillman. Brad began homebrewing in Brooklyn in 2006 and moved to Asheville in 2015. The first Hillman Beer location opened on Sweeten Creek Road outside Biltmore Village in 2017. Old Fort followed in 2020.
The Hillman family’s brewing philosophy is straightforward: quality ingredients, pub-style execution, community orientation. The beers are brewed to drink, not to impress a style competition judge, though the GABF medals suggest they do both. The food is made in-house using locally sourced ingredients. The taproom culture prioritizes comfort over pretension.
Hillman Beer is a member of the NC Craft Brewers Guild, the Asheville Brewers Alliance, and the Brewers Association, and holds Craft Malt Certified status. Those affiliations matter because they reflect consistent engagement with quality standards and the regional craft beer community, not just marketing positioning.
Dogs are welcome at Hillman Old Fort as long as they’re leashed, quiet, and well-behaved. Families are welcome too. The farm-to-table philosophy at Old Fort carries through in both the menu sourcing and the general approach: the brewery is embedded in its community, not transplanted onto a highway.
Parking
Free parking is available directly at the Old Fort location. This matters more than it sounds if you’ve spent time trying to find parking at breweries in Asheville’s South Slope or downtown. Hillman Beer Old Fort has none of those friction points. You pull in, you park, you walk to the door.
For road-trip groups arriving in multiple vehicles, this is a meaningful practical advantage.
Food Options for the Road-Trip Crowd
One common mistake people make at craft breweries is skipping food. That’s partly because many taprooms don’t have a full kitchen. Hillman Beer Old Fort does.
The menu is pub-style, made fresh daily using locally sourced ingredients. That means you’re not working with frozen products or a scaled-down bar menu. The kitchen operates until 9 pm every night, giving you a real window if you’re arriving late afternoon after a long drive.
What to Order
The Hillman burger is the anchor of the menu. It’s built with grass-fed beef from North Carolina ranchers, cooked to order, and assembled with house-made components. If you’re stopping between Asheville and Charlotte and you want one solid meal before getting back on I-40, the burger holds up.
The Reuben is another consistent option. House-made, substantial, and the kind of thing that doesn’t require you to think too hard after a few hours of driving.
The kale salad is there if you want something lighter. Don’t underestimate it. It’s not an afterthought; it uses the same approach to fresh, locally sourced prep as the rest of the menu.
For beer pairings with the food, the ESB’s malt profile works well against the burger’s richness. If you’re in the mood for something different, ask the bar staff what’s currently pouring and what they’d put with your food order. They know the lineup.
Eating at the Creek
One practical detail worth mentioning: if the weather cooperates, eating on the creek-side deck at Old Fort changes the experience of a highway stop. Instead of a quick pit-stop energy, you’re sitting next to moving water, drinking good beer, and eating a real meal. That’s not the typical I-40 exit experience. It’s what makes Hillman Beer Old Fort a destination rather than just a rest stop.
The kitchen closes at 9 pm every night, so plan accordingly if you’re arriving late in the evening.
Other Things to Do in Old Fort While You’re Off the Highway
Hillman Beer Old Fort is reason enough to exit I-40, but the town has more going on if you want to stretch the stop into a half-day or a full-day trip.
Catawba Falls
Catawba Falls is one of the more accessible waterfall hikes in Western North Carolina, located in the Pisgah National Forest just a few miles from Old Fort. The lower falls are about a mile in on a moderate trail. The upper falls require a bit more scrambling but reward you with a 100-foot drop. If you’re building a day trip around Old Fort, Catawba Falls, and Hillman Beer pair well as a morning hike followed by an afternoon at the taproom.
Curtis Creek
Curtis Creek Road runs north from Old Fort and follows the stream into the Pisgah National Forest. The road is paved for a stretch and then turns to gravel. It’s a popular area for trout fishing, hiking, and camping. If you’re coming through on a warm weekend, it’s worth knowing about.
Old Fort Arrowhead Monument
In the center of Old Fort, the Arrowhead Monument marks the town’s history as the westernmost European colonial settlement in the 18th century. It’s a quick stop, walkable from Hillman Old Fort, and provides some context for the town’s place in regional history.
For a more detailed breakdown of what to do in and around Old Fort, the local hidden-gem brewery guide offers a local perspective on the area.
Driving Directions from I-40 to Hillman Beer Old Fort
Getting from I-40 to Hillman Beer Old Fort is straightforward.
From the west (coming from Asheville): Take I-40 East to Exit 73 (Old Fort / US-70). Turn right onto US-70 East. Follow US-70 through the small downtown area. Turn left onto Catawba Avenue. Hillman Old Fort is at 78 Catawba Ave. The drive from the exit to the taproom takes about 3-4 minutes.
From the east (coming from Charlotte or Hickory): Take I-40 West to Exit 73 (Old Fort / US-70). Turn left onto US-70 West. Follow US-70 into Old Fort. Turn left onto Catawba Avenue. Hillman Beer Old Fort is at 78 Catawba Ave.
The address for GPS navigation: 78 Catawba Ave, Old Fort, NC 28762
Parking is available on-site, free of charge. There’s no need to circle or pay for a garage.
For visitors combining both Hillman locations in a single trip, luxury transportation between Hillman Asheville and Old Fort is available as a separate option. If you’re driving yourself, the two locations are about 30 minutes apart on I-40, making it a workable brewery day trip between Asheville and Old Fort.
FAQ:
Is Hillman Beer Old Fort dog-friendly?
Yes. Dogs are welcome in the brewery as long as they are leashed, quiet, and well-behaved. The outdoor creek-side seating works particularly well for dogs, and the taproom’s open layout is comfortable for leashed pets.
Is there parking at Hillman Beer Old Fort?
Yes, free parking is available on-site. Unlike Asheville’s South Slope or downtown brewery districts, where parking can be expensive or hard to find, Old Fort has direct, free parking at the taproom. This is one of the more practical advantages of stopping here on a road trip.
How many taps does Hillman Beer Old Fort have?
The Old Fort location runs more than 32 taps, including Hillman Beer originals and guest taps. The Hillman ESB, which won a GABF Gold Medal in 2019, is the flagship recommendation for first-time visitors.
Why Hillman Beer Old Fort Is Worth the Exit
There’s no shortage of places to stop on I-40 between Asheville and Charlotte. Most of them are gas stations and fast food. Hillman Beer Old Fort is something different: a GABF-decorated, family-owned brewery with a creek running behind it, a full kitchen serving locally sourced pub food, free parking, and over 32 taps to choose from.
The comparison between the Hillman Asheville and Old Fort experiences is worth reading if you’re deciding which location to build a trip around. For road-trippers hitting the I-40 corridor, Old Fort has the practical edge: easier access, no parking friction, quieter setting, and all the same Hillman quality that earned three medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
Take the exit. The ESB will be ready.
