The craft beer industry in Asheville is rapidly growing, with over 2.5 million tourists visiting the city’s 30 (and growing) breweries in 2017(Glenn 2018.) Along with more breweries, a number of businesses centered around supporting breweries have been built and the pre-existing ones have been expanded. The local brewing industry consists of several different types of enterprises, all the way from single barrel facilities with no distribution plans to breweries with multiple locations and national distribution. With the increase in beer tourism in Western North Carolina and more businesses dedicated to serving the craft beer industry, the ability for a brewery to open and maintain itself without any plans for distribution beyond their own tasting room has increased. This case study examines the experiences of breweries that opened up prior to 10 years ago (2008) and breweries that have opened since 2016, drawing insight on changes in the industry, competition, and the experiences each brewery has had in opening as well as maintaining its business.
