Highland Brewing Co.

Highland Brewing Co. was founded in 1994 by retired engineer and entrepreneur Oscar Wong, establishing it as the pioneer of Asheville, North Carolina’s now booming craft beer industry.

The History

In December 1994, when downtown Asheville was sleepy, Highland rolled out its first kegs from the basement to the alley. Built almost entirely of retrofitted dairy equipment, our original brewery could produce up to 6,500 bbls of beer per year in about 12,000 sq. ft. of space.

Until 1998, our beer was available only in kegs and hand-filled 22 oz. bottles. (We still fill our liter bottles by hand today.) That year, we added a four-head bottling machine which enabled us to start packaging in 12-oz. bottles. In 2002, a used Krones bottling line was installed, capable of filling 7,200 12 oz. bottles per hour. Although we brewed twice daily, four days per week, the demand for our beer continued to exceed supply.

The Brewery Today

Today, we have capacity to brew over 60,000 bbls annually with room to grow. We brew four times a day, five days per week on a 50 bbl brewhouse. Our cellar has 27 fermenters, mostly 200 bbls in size, as well as 7 brite tanks. We can bottle up to 320 bottles per minute, averaging 800 cases per hour. Our bottling line is a state-of-the-art 2015 KHS 48-valve rotary machine. Our can filler, meanwhile, is a 2018 KHS volumetric 21 valve 3 head Ferrum seamer. This machine is capable of packaging 12 oz. cans at a rate of 257 cans per minute.

Our 3-barrel pilot system allows for R&D and collaborations. Added in 2010, it allows for a stream of new beers that the staff and guests can taste.

Proudly regional, Highland’s beers are distributed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Highland is committed to quality and sustainability, boasting the third largest solar array in an American craft brewery.

Today, the company is led by Wong’s daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn, and serves as the largest family-owned brewery native to the Southeast.

Located in a rehabilitated manufacturing facility in East Asheville, the brewery affords space for thousands of visitors to enjoy limited release beers, tours, and live music. In addition, the event center and rooftop are available for private events.

For more information, visit highlandbrewing.com. Follow Highland on Twitter at @HighlandBrews and Instagram at @HighlandBrewing. Become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/HighlandBrewingCompany.

Highland Brewing Co. is an independent craft brewer.

Inside the Highland Brewing Co. taproom in Asheville, North Carolina