Hillman Beer’s Guide to Community-Driven Craft Beer in Asheville, NC

What Power in Pints Means at Hillman Beer

Power in Pints is Hillman Beer’s structured community giving program, designed to connect every pour sold at their Asheville and Old Fort taprooms to a tangible local impact. Each month, a featured nonprofit or community cause receives a direct contribution tied to taproom sales, turning an everyday visit into an act of local support.

The idea grew organically from the values Brad, Greig, and Brandi Hillman brought with them when they relocated from Brooklyn to Asheville in 2015. From homebrewing in a garage to earning a Gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for their ESB, the Hillmans have always treated community as the foundation of what they build, not a footnote to it.

According to the Brewers Association (2023), craft breweries contribute an estimated $79.1 billion to the U.S. economy annually, with independently owned breweries playing an outsized role in local economic ecosystems. Hillman Beer exemplifies what that contribution can look like when a brewery decides to make giving back a core part of operations rather than an occasional gesture.

Power in Pints is not a marketing campaign. It is a practical, recurring mechanism. A featured partner is selected each month, spotlighted across both locations, and receives a percentage of sales during that period. The program is straightforward by design, because complexity tends to dilute intention. Visitors who want to experience this firsthand can explore Hillman Beer’s Asheville taproom and see the current featured partner on display.

Power in Pints is Hillman Beer’s monthly giving program that channels taproom revenue directly toward Western North Carolina nonprofits and community causes. Rooted in the Hillman family’s founding values, the program treats community investment as a core business function, not an afterthought. Hillman Beer’s Asheville and Old Fort locations both participate, making every visit a contribution to the local community.

Community Partners and Causes Hillman Beer Supports

Hillman Beer’s community partnerships span a wide range of causes that reflect the needs and character of Western North Carolina. Partner organizations have included environmental conservation groups, food security nonprofits, arts initiatives, and youth programs, reflecting the diverse fabric of the Asheville region.

The brewery’s commitment to local sourcing extends well beyond beer ingredients. Spent grain from the brewing process is sent to regional farms as animal feed, and food menus at both locations feature locally sourced produce and proteins. These choices reflect a brewery that sees its supply chain as a community relationship, not just a cost line.

According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce (2023), Western North Carolina communities face ongoing economic challenges tied to rural infrastructure, workforce development, and access to services. Local businesses that actively direct revenue toward nonprofits in these areas help fill gaps that public funding alone cannot address.

Hillman’s approach to partnership selection prioritizes organizations that are genuinely embedded in WNC life. A featured partner is not chosen for visibility or brand alignment alone but for the real work they do in the region. That standard matters because it keeps the program honest.

“Small businesses that build philanthropy into their operating model, rather than treating it as discretionary spending, tend to create more durable community bonds and stronger long-term customer loyalty.”

Dr. Jennifer Manske, Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of North Carolina Asheville

Hillman Beer’s community partners represent a cross-section of Western North Carolina causes, from environmental stewardship to food access and the arts. The brewery’s selection process prioritizes organizations doing substantive local work rather than those offering the highest profile. This approach to community-driven craft beer in Asheville keeps the program grounded in real regional impact.

Measurable Community Impact: What a Pint Actually Does

Transparency matters when a business makes claims about community giving. Hillman Beer’s Power in Pints model is structured so that impact is trackable at the partner level: each featured organization can point to a defined contribution window, a specific monthly campaign, and a tangible outcome from that period of support.

The program compounds over time. Twelve featured partners per year across two taproom locations means that a meaningful number of WNC organizations receive structured support annually. For smaller nonprofits operating on tight budgets, a single month of featured status at a busy Asheville brewery can represent a material portion of their fundraising calendar.

According to Independent Sector (2023), the estimated value of volunteer time in North Carolina is $29.67 per hour, underscoring how even modest financial contributions from local businesses can multiply the capacity of volunteer-driven nonprofits in the region.

Beyond direct financial contributions, the visibility a featured partner receives inside Hillman’s taprooms and through their communication channels carries real value. Customers who learn about a new local organization over a pint of Kölsch or Hazy Half Back IPA become potential volunteers, donors, and long-term advocates. That kind of warm introduction is difficult to replicate through conventional nonprofit outreach.

The measurable impact of community-driven craft beer at Hillman extends to the local agricultural economy as well. By sourcing ingredients regionally and returning spent grain to nearby farms, the brewery creates a circular economic relationship with the land and people around it. Those interested in the full range of Hillman Beer’s craft offerings can browse their rotating tap list to see how each style connects to the broader mission.

Hillman Beer’s Power in Pints program produces measurable community impact through direct monthly contributions to featured WNC nonprofits and sustained visibility for partner organizations. The model benefits both small and mid-sized nonprofits by combining financial support with genuine audience exposure. Community-driven craft beer in Asheville, at its most effective, functions as a bridge between everyday consumer choices and lasting local change.

How to Join the Movement and Nominate Your Organization

Getting involved with Power in Pints is open to any qualifying nonprofit or community cause operating in Western North Carolina. Hillman Beer welcomes nominations year-round, and the process is designed to be accessible rather than bureaucratic.

If you represent a local organization, a community group, or a cause you believe deserves a platform in one of Asheville’s most established independent breweries, the path forward starts with a direct conversation. Hillman’s team evaluates nominations based on community rootedness, demonstrated local impact, and alignment with the brewery’s values around inclusivity, sustainability, and regional care.

For regular visitors, joining the movement is as straightforward as showing up. Choosing Hillman Beer over a chain or a less community-invested alternative is a vote for the kind of Asheville brewery culture that gives back. The featured partner for each month is highlighted at both locations, so every visit is an opportunity to learn about a new organization doing meaningful work nearby. Groups planning ahead can also review upcoming events at Hillman Beer to find nights that align with causes they already support.

Hillman Beer also welcomes corporate groups, event organizers, and private parties interested in combining a taproom experience with a community giving element. Private events held during a featured partner month can amplify the contribution while giving attendees a shared sense of purpose beyond the evening itself.

As craft beer culture in Asheville continues to grow, the breweries that will matter most over the long run are those building something beyond the glass. Hillman Beer has made that choice from the start, and Power in Pints is the most visible expression of it.

Nominations for Hillman Beer’s Power in Pints program are open to any WNC nonprofit or community organization that reflects the brewery’s values of local impact, inclusivity, and sustainability. Visitors can participate simply by choosing Hillman Beer during a featured partner month. Community-driven craft beer in Asheville becomes most powerful when customers, organizations, and local businesses move in the same direction together.