ASHEVILLE - The craft beer brewery that set the tone for Asheville’s robust beverage industry is turning 30 years old, and there will be many more years of creating a lasting impact, according to Highland Brewing’s founding family.
In 1994, Oscar Wong, a Chinese-Jamaican immigrant and retired engineer, started brewing beer using refurbished dairy equipment and bottling it by hand from the basement of Barley’s, a pub in downtown Asheville.
"My vision was that it would be one or two breweries in town, and I’d be one of those and have my personal watering hole and it’d be small," Wong said.
Wong, who last year was awarded the highest civilian honor from the governor of North Carolina, the Order of The Long Leaf Pine , said he never imagined the company would grow into what it is today or that the brewing community would skyrocket to more than 35 breweries within the city limits.
Highland Brewing then vs. now
Highland Brewing has grown from a team of three to 105 people today, operating from two taprooms ― downtown in the S&W Market and at its East Asheville brewery.
In 2006, the brewery moved into the 11-acre facility on 40 acres of land at 12 Old Charlotte Highway, formerly Blue Ridge Motion Picture Studios, with the taproom opening in 2008.
In 2011, Leah Wong Ashburn, Wong’s daughter, joined the brewery and became CEO/president in 2015.
Highland Brewing reported that 44% of the management positions and 50% of leadership and executive teams are held by women.
Karis Roberts, executive director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance, said Highland Brewing has created innumerable jobs directly and indirectly in the local economy and has been instrumental in laying the foundation for the brewing industry in Asheville.
“Their dedication to the local community, education, and sustainability and producing delicious craft beer has inspired many,” Roberts said.
Roberts said Highland Brewing’s impact began with beer but opened the door for an all-encompassing craft beverage industry, which has grown to include areas like cider, wine, sodas and other handcrafted styles.
“Oscar and Leah are both incredible role models who are dedicated to their craft and use their time, talent and experience to impact our brewing industry, not only on a national level but in a positive light as minority business owners,” Roberts said. “It’s been incredible to have them as mentors. They both work tirelessly to create a brewing culture that’s inclusive, welcoming and tenacious.”
Mike Rangel, the founder of Asheville Brewing Company, said there wasn’t a better-qualified person than Wong to be the trailblazer for the budding brewing industry.
He said Wong became known as gracious, quick to respond and assist other up-and-coming breweries like Asheville Brewing, which was the third brewery to open in the city.
Rangel said Wong transformed Asheville into “the best of the craft beer communities” by creating a positive, cooperative and welcoming community that imparts knowledge and supports and encourages each other.
“It’s a competitive market but Oscar took the fangs out of it and made it to where it’s a family environment,” Rangel said. “As everything grew here people saw it wasn’t just the attraction of the beer that was here, but it was how cool the brewing community was ― how inclusive and sharing. That was something other breweries and people marveled at.”
Highland Brewing's community impact
On May 4, Highland Brewing’s founding family and team will mark 30 years in business with anniversary events and new and throwback beer releases from April 28 to May 5.
Ashburn said opening the East Asheville taproom was the pivotal move that turned the brewery into more than a manufacturing operation but a destination.
Highland Brewing’s campus features a rooftop bar and an indoor event center for public and private events, volleyball courts, a disc golf course and an outdoor stage with a bar called The Meadow.
"When we moved to this new location it solidified we had some legs on this company. But we’re not comfortable," Wong said. "There’s never a point when people think, 'Oh yeah, you’ve got it made, now you’re established.' Once you think that way, you’re going to go downhill."
Roberts said Highland Brewing’s recent collaborative brew with the local Asian American Pacific Islander community is an example of purchasing power and thinking about giving back equitably.
In 2019, Highland Brewing launched its Pints with Purpose fundraising program to support five WNC nonprofits, including MANNA Food Bank and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, which has garnered a reported $239,571 since its inception.
Its Night Flight 4.5-mile race has raised nearly $91,000 for the development of greenways in Asheville and Buncombe County ― with many other community-oriented impact programs and collaborations over the years.
Sustainable operations
Recent campus improvements have included the rentable cabanas, debuting during the anniversary week, but they will be permanent features near The Meadow's stage.
"These are old silos that we turned upside down, cut them in half, and built a deck around them," Ashburn said. "We’re doing metal fabrication in-house. We are constantly looking at ways to repurpose materials."
Wong said sustainability is at the root of Highland Brewing's identity, and it's evident across the campus from the rooftop solar panel system to the repurposed wood in the event center sourced from downed trees on the property.
"If you look around, everything gets repurposed. That makes me feel good," Wong said. "Sustainability is part of who we are. We don’t think it’s a good idea to set up a new territory and build new stuff. It is a key to our long-term survival as people. We can’t keep using up stuff and throwing it away. We’re going to be awash in garbage."
Ashburn said the once-dangerous surrounding woods were rehabilitated to become a safe, welcoming area for guests, and is perhaps the biggest sustainability statement.
Beer trends
The highly competitive and saturated beer market continuously grows and changes and Highland Brewing's team is proactive at staying relevant through industry research and listening to consumers and experts.
Ashburn said Highland Brewing hasn't veered into brewing nonbeer products but "never say never."
"We don’t have any immediate plans but we’re always looking, always discussing because you have to," she said. "We have to talk about distilling and seltzer and cider and nonalcoholic. All of that is in conversation every week."
Highland Brewing distributes in four states (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia) and Ashburn said the goal is to grow deeper versus wider to "be more than a brewery but a business that is treasured and valued by the people in the states that we serve."
Ashburn said the company has remained family-owned and operated and employs a local workforce instead of selling to global beer conglomerates, as a conscious choice to keep the brewery connected to the community.
"I’m enormously proud to have all this happen," Wong said. "I’m proud of her and how she’s taken and run with it. I feel very fortunate that we’re a part of the community and have remained a part of the community."
For more, visit highlandbrewing.com .
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times .
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: The family who turned Asheville into Beer City celebrates 30 years of business
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