Tip a pint in Brewtopia

Asheville may have only 92,000 residents, but with more craft breweries per capita than any other city in the nation, it’s a big town when it comes to beer. Home to about 50 craft beer makers, Asheville reigned as Beer City USA from 2009 to 2012. The city has five beer festivals — including the Best Firkin Beer Festival — and even boasts a Brews Cruise, which takes guests on guided tours of the city’s microbreweries. Brewing took root in the city in 2004 when Highland Brewing Company opened its doors. Others soon followed and now beer has gone beyond being just a drink. Beer lovers can find local beers incorporated into everything from condiments to ice cream to dog biscuits for man’s best friend. The region has even attracted larger beer makers such as Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Oskar Blues, which are setting up East Coast operations in western North Carolina. But North Carolina’s craft beer scene isn’t just limited to the mountains — you can savor the taste of local beers at more than 250 breweries statewide.