Highland Brewing Company Reviews

Just love providing music for our mutual wedding clients. Great staff, Great people! 10 stars!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and speaking with Oscar, cofounder and owner. You can really see how much he cares about his business, customers, and his employees. The beers were pretty great, too.

Beer was okay. We were excited to sample beers while our kids were excited to play ping-pong. There was 1 ball and it was broken! Seriously, ping-pong balls are cheap! Please don't advertise all of these fun games to allow parents to have fun while the kids play and then disappoint us all!

Good local feel. Food truck was BBQ that night with some of the best southern cooking.

Nice place to have a cold beer. Now during the pandemic they open the meadow with social distancing. It's a grassy meadow turned into a beer garden with a stage live music on sundays food trucks standing by . They also offer a roof top deck for special events. Inside tap room also with a stage this is one of my favorite Asheville watering holes .

Was on the top of the list of things to do when we came to Asheville and did not disappoint! Tour and info was great, Madie I believe was the guides name and she was very informative, knowledgable and fun! Gaelic Ale has been on the top of my go to list for awhile and after tasting some of their other beers wish we had more down in Florida!!! Awesome setup! Hoping to take advantage of their rooftop bar next time we come without kids! Kids were interested in the tour and had a good time anyway though. We tried several of their small batch brews and you may wanna hurry over because the have a brown ale called "Pecan Brown" which was great but limited! "St. Terese's Pale Ale" was also superb! Had the coolest flight ring I've seen too with the Gaelic knot, unfortunately they dont sell them in their gift shop.. major bummer but still cool. Hoping to be able to stop by before leaving town and will definitely be back!

Great live music. Always great brews. Great accommodating space and seating. Comfy seating options on sofas. Great apparel selection.

What a beautiful piece of property, great staff and awesome beer.

Server was very rude and ruined the visit for me. Was visiting from out of town but will definitely not go back should I come back to the area.

Awesome! Highland is an awesome Asheville brewery. The best beer and real contributor to our community.

Biggest brewery in Asheville, beer was good, atmosphere great. Definitely stop by

The beer's fantastic, so pack up grandma and kids and head over.

Great Brewery. Great Location. Great brew. Enjoyable for a qui k stop, or to linger.

Fantastic!!! Great to be here on opening day for the Black Watch. Absolutely great coffee/chocolate beer.

NOT family friendly. I live in Asheville, my family and I frequent Highlands. Highlands has changed. The past few times we have been there with our children, the staff has been very unwelcoming. Our most recent visit, we came with friends, all had kids. We brought toys, and activities to occupy our children, so they would stay around us, and not run around. We were off to the side, and kept a close eye on our children (they were not being crazy, wild, etc), but the employees kept coming around to "check" on us, and moved our things, chairs, etc., just so we knew that they were watching us. I am guessing, I don't know why. This was kind of a buzz kill for our group, and we felt as though we couldn't enjoy ourselves because we felt like we were doing something wrong by having our kids there. I have spoken to other friends that have gone to Highlands with their kids, and had a similar experience. Again, I am from Asheville, and this is what people in Asheville do with their children, go to the brewery to hang out. This is what makes it unique here. Luckily, we have many options now, which we will now be going to with our kids, and our friends. It is a shame Highlands, I have always been a HUGE supporter.

Great selection of small batch brews that aren't available elsewhere.

This is just one of the reasons why Asheville is called Beer City USA! Many events here from dancing to fashion shows, and some of the best regional beer brands in the Southeast!

This place is great! The beer is amazing and there are lots on tap so there is plenty of variety! The several times we have been there they have had some great food trucks! When they have live music it makes the place really loud and it s really hard to talk, but it is so much fun it is definitely worth it. The staff is always super kind and fun and make sure you are taken care of. It is very clean and the industrial vibe is super cool! Definitely a great place to spend the evening!

I am a 4th generation Asheville native and I take a lot of pride in my town and in western North Carolina! That being said, Highland is my go to for craft beer in the area. I highly recommend it to any of my out of town guests or tourists who ask for the best beer in the area. The Gaelic Ale is unrivaled, and there brewing space/taproom is unbelievable. Furthermore, this is a company that cares about WNC as much as I do and the wonderful owners are extremely active in the community. The last time I visited the brewery, the then President of the company visited our table and asked us how we were enjoying our time. Talk about excellent customer service! Finally, I will admit that I was sad to see Highland change their classic logo. However, the taste of their flagship beers vastly outweighs any decisions they make about labeling their product. As a native of Asheville and a lover of beer, Highland certainly gains my 5-Star endorsement!

Nice, spacious brew pub serving a great selection of beer.

Great beer, great atmosphere. Beer specialist are super friendly!

If you are a stout drinker, get the Black Mocha Stout. Delicious. Also, the Mandarin IPA is fantastic, not too bitter or fruity, just right. Highland is one of my favorite breweries in Asheville beer-wise, and this was my first time to the actual tasting room. They had two food trucks, live music, and great atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit!

Amazing beer! Gorgeous landscape, great food trucks and on the weekends they have music. Great indoor space, huge "meadow" with tables, front deck area and my favorite is the roof top bar. Amazing view! Such a layed back place!

I was pretty impressed when walking in to the large "bar" area. Lots of space and great decor. The beers are always delicious. We decided to venture out to the Meadow since we could be outside. There were plenty of table in and out of the shade. This was a trip up from Raleigh to celebrate our friends birthday and to had a WolfsBayne Brew Crash Road Trip. The only real downside was having to wear masks OUTSIDE and that there was only one beertender at the outside taproom causing quite a delay in getting our beers. But, that being said, strange times require patience.

I drove across the state to visit Asheville and see Gary Clark Jr. I've seen him at 2 other venues before, but I thought it would be fun seeing him at a brewery. I visit Asheville often, and have been to several great breweries there. The concert was great, but unfortunately Highland wasn't. I would give zero stars if possible.
We put a blanket on the ground near other people with blankets, and near people who brought their own chairs. Shortly after, we were told we couldn't sit there because it was within 20 feet of the tent bar. And the man who told us to move wasn't exactly nice about it. By the way, the tent bar was in a terrible place for a sold out concert. Really poor planning there. After we moved, other people sat in that exact spot within 15 minutes and nothing was said to them.
After that, I stood in a line at the big bar to get a beer. There were 4 lines and 3 servers. When I got to the front of the line I was in, I approached one of the servers. He accused me of not waiting in a line and 'just walking up from the side'. I assured him I had been in a line and I pointed to where I had been standing. He obviously didn't believe me, and I found myself defending my honesty. He really embarrassed me, treating me like I did something wrong. I brought that beer to my friend (holding down the blanket spot) and got back in the beer line for myself. When I got to the front of the line, the same man saw me, glared at me and then ignored me. I ended up going to a different server eventually.
To say I feel the staff at Highland is rude, is an understatement. They obviously don't care about your experience at their venue. I will never go back even if there is a concert I would like to see. And the beer is average, at best. There are much better choices available everywhere else. I will never buy their beer again either.

Good beer....band was playing Jamaican and was really good

Friendly crew and good vibes. The tab system is amazing. You get your card back, and it transfers between the inside taproom and outside meadow bar!

Great place but new remodel is underwealming. Still a good time with music in tasting room, great roof deck bar and a meadow to play in. Huge, touristy place, with lots of parking. Same great beer. Asheville's first craft brewery is still got a lot going for it.

It has a great selection of IPAs, Ales, and some pilsners, unlike a lot of Brew houses, which usually focus on heavier beers. Dog friendly, great atmosphere, and everyone was super helpful. No food, but they have a food truck schedule that was cool.
Live music, we saw Sidecar Honey, they were awesome. Just a great evening. Highly recommend.

Looking for a good time in the local area try this place! It's a very down to earth brewery that offers live music and outdoor/indoor seating. Here you can sample some of the best beers that Highland has to offer at a decent price. The reason for the 4 stars is due to the fact of product knowledge of the beertenders. I would have liked to see an effort from these guys to offer a better understanding to the company's beer. All in all its a good place to spend time with your partner!

Highland is Asheville's first and largest brewery and they continue to get better and better. From their days below Barley's downtown, to their huge space in East Asheville, they use feedback from their customers to improve their beers and the beer drinking experience for everyone.They have daily tours at both 4 and 4.45 Monday through Saturday and the tasting room is open Thursday through Saturday with live music (on the outdoor stage in the summer) and catered food. Beyond that, they now have a pilot brewing system to develop small batch beers only available at the brewery (think New Belgium or Sierra). The folks who work there are awesome and love what they do, which shows in their beers.I highly recommend taking a tour, getting a flight (recent addition) of beers and enjoying the fantastic deck or outdoor meadow space. Better yet, take a tour of Troy and Sons Moonshine next door to make your visit even better. Cheers!

Fun atmosphere, awesome patio, and great beer selection. Even got to take home some "Cold Mountain"... Very successful trip to Asheville.

What a fantastic place. We took in Highland Brewery for the 25th anniversary festival, and what a night it was.
Live performances by Yo Momma s Big Fat Booty Band made the evening extremely entraining. The beers on offer by the brewery were some of the best I had ever tasted. Try the Midnight Summit, it s gorgeous.
If we had more time in Asheville I m sure we d visit again, but we ll return next time when we re in town.
Definitely worth checking out if you re into your beers.

I really enjoyed coming to Highland Brewing Co, the tasting room is spacious with that cozy, comfortable feel. The beers are delicious, large selection of taps, I come back every year just for Cold Mountain alone. The tours were fun and educational, we had around 15 people in the tour, made it nice and personal... always nice to see the behind-the-scenes.

Great beer! The tables were well spaced, so you don't notice any crowds

Great beers and informative tour of the brewery. Unfortunately, buying merch on their website has turned into a terrible experience; I placed an order on August 22 and still have not received notification of shipment two weeks later. I have tried reaching out to Highland twice but have not received a response. It's a shame that there is such lack of customer service.

The interior and exterior are both beautiful I love the rooftop bar (which is recently dog-friendly). The interior tasting room as pleasing to the eyes and has a lot of space for your squad. (No doggos allowed inside though). When they have music inside, it is too loud for the space, so be prepared for that.

The Meadow, as they call it, is directly outside the building, but it makes you feel like you are out in the forest, surrounded by trees; bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy it. There are a couple of canopy-covered spaces, but you will most likely be in the sun (unless it is night time of course!). They often have concerts outside and it is a lovely venue for that purpose.

There is plenty of parking on average days, but when there is an event it can get a little tight, but often they will have a shuttle that goes from River Ridge shopping center for larger events.

The beertenders are super friendly! The are happy to make suggestions and also do great pours. The beers are great. With it being Asheville's oldest brewery, they know what they are doing! I really love AVL IPA. Gaelic Ale is their flagship and with good reason.

There is a $8 hip-hop fitness class in the Event Center every Monday night at 6pm. It is a great workout! $3 drafts afterwards make it perfect! They have a running group every Wednesday that leaves at 6:15pm. Every level of runner is welcome- there is a 1 mile, 3 mile, and 5+ mile route.

Highland is definitely a must-see on any Asheville visit.

Very nice spot and music venue. The beer was good, but the bartenders were weird...

One of the best breweries in Asheville! The tour was very cool and the brewery has a very relaxed chill feel to it. The staff are always friendly and down to earth. The dog friendly patio and rooftop are both beautiful and great places to enjoy your beer. The Highland Oatmeal Porter is a great dark beer.

Highland did a fantastic job of providing a safe social outlet to listen to live music in the Meadow. The circles set up to dictate social distancing made it clear where you could be to safely enjoy your beverage and conversation without your mask. All other areas required a mask. Well done!
Sunday music by Chalwa is always a treat. Thanks for making our first outing during the pandemic, enjoyable!

Great selection of brews for an awesome Sunday reggae. The wife and I came up from Florida for a ride in the mountains and to check out the fall foliage. This place was a pleasant surprise.

Great brews with a really interesting guided tour of the plant. They frequently have live music and food trucks outside, so there's plenty to do!

I like this place but wish there were fewer kids. Needs to be more kid restrictive. Kids running around don't make for a good place to sit and enjoy a pint.

Loved this brewery! The atmosphere is really relaxing, the tap room has a ton of beer options, the lighting was cool, lots of seating, and there was a really great band playing in the evening. They have outdoor seating too and while they don t serve food, there were 2 food trucks outside. They have events going on most nights of the week, like music or trivia or a game night. We also did the tour which was very informative and took us into the back where we could learn about all the equipment and how they make beer. The owner was walking around which was cool to see too. Would definitely recommend coming here to Asheville s first brewery!

One of the best concert venues in WNC. The brewery tours are a lot of fun as well.

Outstanding Place almost always live music. If you're coming to Asheville you need to come to Highland and check it out. If you can check out the meadow on a Sunday. Live music lots of activities.

My favorite brewery. Excellent beer, free tours, great outdoors. Dog friendly outside. Helpful staff, very knowledgeable. Free tours.

Great tour. Great drafts. Only reason it's not 5 stars is the tour guide needs a mic the live band had a decent crowd and it was a bit difficult to hear her. All in all a good time

The beer here was great. I would describe everything I had as very crisp. Fantastic Berliner Weiss beer with raspberry. Apparel is comfortable, well priced, and looks good. The atmosphere was family friendly and the space is large enough where you could avoid human contact if you tried. Left with a crowler of the Berliner Weiss and a 6 pack of the IPA as my favorites.

Always a great place to hang out at and have an amazing beer!

What a beautifully architecture and engineers establishment. This place not only emphasizes its green footprint but it emphasizes a great example of the art in building in Western North Carolina. A great place to go and a must place to go for every visitor of Asheville.

Love Highlands beers. They have a wonderful selection of year round beers and seasonal draughts. They also have a great outdoor bar area and field for events. The inside has a great setup for a band and indoor activities like Cornhole that give the warehouse a beer hall feel.

Cold mtn was good this year and they are taking sanitation seriously.

Great local staff, beer, & live music carefully socially distanced. Who could ask for anything more right now? The food trucks out front are always top notch as well.

They've got working through this pandemic figured out also great seating choices and very dog friendly

I like the space highland has created. But the beer is just okay, and they serve it in plastic cups. 5 bucks a beer seems a bit much for average beer served in plastic cups.

Awesome brewery, we met the owner!! Can't wait to return for a concert!

They've done a great job making us feel welcome and safe (COVID). We really enjoyed ourselves.

We started our weekend at Highland. Our plan was to stay an hour. Great beer and service, especially bartender Nicole, we stayed 6 hours.

Service sucked and there were maybe 10 people in the place. Rude bartenders. Maybe this is why it was dead. Not pet friendly nor kid friendly. Will take my money elsewhere.

We recently got married at the Highland Brewing Co. Event Center and it was magical! Not only was the setting absolutely perfect for the kind of wedding vibe we wanted, but the staff and all of Highland's team were amazing to work with. Everything went so smoothly and they could not have done a better job. They were incredibly accommodating to some of the things we threw their way. Thanks for helping to make our day so special. We can't wait to share some pictures with you!

They have a large space for bands to play, and at least 20 varieties of beer to choose from.

Great beers, amazing location with the rooftop bar. Always have really great good trucks also. It really is a great place that optimizes what Asheville is all about

Very informative tour given by the extremely knowledgeable Emily.

Outstanding quality beers and event spaces on level 1, level 2, or rooftop with elevator and cool steel steps. Has multiple large event areas. Family and dog friendly.

arguably one of the best in Asheville and in the country. Gaelic Ale is excellent every time.

Highland Brewing was an amazing venue for our wedding! They were incredibly organized and helpful and made our day so special. It started pouring right before our ceremony but the rain plan was perfect and they still made the day wonderful! We really loved working with Nikki and her team.

Stumbled on it by accident. Enjoyed the beer and entertainment. Seems every day of the week something different is happening entertainment wise. Food also.

Super friendly staff and patrons. Will be coming back