Highland Brewing Company

Asheville, NC

Highland Brewing Company rolled out its first beer kegs in 1994.  Their original brewery in downtown Asheville, built almost entirely of retrofitted dairy equipment, produced beer in kegs and hand-filled 22-ounce bottles.  In 1998, they added 12-ounce bottles.  Although thee brewed twice daily, four days per week, the demand for the beer continued to exceed the supply.  After evaluating short-term options for increasing production, they temporarily brewed and bottled some beer in Maryland.  But their long-term goal was to once again brew all our beer locally, and in 2006, they began operations in a larger, more efficient brewery in east Asheville.

Besides a commitment to quality, important factors in Highland ‘s longevity and success are owner/founder Oscar Wong and Vice President/Brewmaster John Lyda, who have been at the brewery since its inception.  What began as a three-person operation has grown into a staff of eighteen.  Oscar and John oversee the staff in brewing, packaging, and sales.  The company also sponsors guided hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains and river clean-ups, and gives Brewery Tours in exchange for donations to a local food bank.

Currently, the Highland brand is sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and enjoyed in many restaurants, including Panzanella.