No trip to Beer City is complete without visiting Asheville’s original brewery, Highland Brewing. As the city’s first brewery, Highland Brewing’s new Highland Heritage Tour & Tasting brings Asheville’s craft beer origin story to life.
The guided tour, which lasts one hour and 20 minutes, takes guests behind the scenes through Highland Brewing’s brewhouse, pilot room, taproom, meadow, packaging hall, and recreation areas across the brewery’s scenic 40-acre hilltop campus, which is home to a disc golf course, sand volleyball courts, and two vibrant murals by local artist Gus Cutty. The experience culminates in a guided tasting of six of Highland’s iconic beers, including fan favorites like Highland Haze IPA, plus a take-home Highland pint glass and sticker.
Beyond seeing where and how the magic is made, the tour immerses guests in the history of Asheville’s brewing scene, which began in 1994 when Highland Brewing Founder Oscar Wong brewed Asheville’s first craft beer, Gaelic Amber Ale. Oscar would eventually become known as the Godfather of Asheville craft beer, paving the way for what has become an incredibly vibrant local beer culture. Oscar Wong passed away last year, leaving an indelible mark on the Asheville community.
“We can’t wait to share our story, our process, and a flight of freshly brewed craft beer with beer fans traveling to Western North Carolina. We’re bringing beer lovers in to be a part of Asheville’s storied brewing history that carries on today at Highland Brewing with a focus on community, quality, and exceptional experiences,” said Leah Wong Ashburn, Wong’s daughter and the current CEO and President of Highland Brewing.
After more than 30 years, the story is still unfolding. Highland Brewing introduced Thirst for Good last year as the brewery’s commitment to good flavors, sustainable practices, and enriching community experiences. Following Hurricane Helene, the brewery stepped in to support the local community, raising more than $13,000 for impacted hospitality workers and transforming its public spaces, warehouse, and beer coolers into offices, a distribution hub, and food storage for multiple relief organizations and countless volunteers. When there’s a need, Highland Brewing rises to the occasion.
Tour tickets are $20 per person and include the tour, a tasting flight, Highland Brewing pint glass, and sticker. Parties are welcome, including corporate events, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, and more, with options like custom tours and disc golf. Learn more at highlandbrewing.com/tours.
About Highland Brewing
Highland Brewing was founded in 1994 by Oscar Wong, a retired engineer and entrepreneur, making Highland the pioneer of Asheville's craft beer scene. Since 2016, the minority-founded company is proudly woman-led by Oscar's daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn. Highland is the largest family-owned brewery native to the Southeast, distributing beers across NC, SC, TN, and GA. Committed to quality and sustainability, Highland operates one of the largest solar arrays in the U.S. craft beer industry. The hilltop destination welcomes visitors for limited-release beers, tours, disc golf, live music, and private events—and will soon feature an outdoor retail shop, a rock-climbing gym, and a pizza restaurant opening in 2026.
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