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Rating: 4.25
Location: Asheville, NC
Founded: 1994
Last visited: August 2022
Highland has two locations in Asheville. We visited their downtown taproom inside the S & W Market. The taproom is on the second level and overlooks a food court on all four sides. There were 15 beers on tap when we visited.
BEER:
Pilsner (4.75) – Crisp, snappy, refreshing pilsner. Decent hop bite stays in your mouth the entire time. Well formulated beer.
Distance Driver Kölsch (4.00) – Smooth and fresh tasting. Somewhat lighter bodied, probably could use an extra dose of pale malt. Not aggressively hopped, as expected.
Clawhammer Oktoberfest (4.00) – Amber Märzen. Lighter bodied, definitely needs more oomph in the grain bill. Malty sweetness is evident and is the star characteristic of this beer. Hoppy aspects blend nicely into the overall profile.
Black Mocha Stout (5.00) – Roasted character front and center. Easy to drink, smooth as silk. Big and malty, as expected in a top-level stout. Hoppy character in a good balance with the huge malt profile.
Mountain Mama Hefeweizen (3.50) – Big punch of clove and banana. Improved malt character is needed. Citrus notes evident.
Hazy Heights New England Hazy IPA (4.00) – Fruity and floral aspects evident early in the first sip. Hoppiness is in the picture, but not a punch in the nose. Well balanced IPA.
Oatmeal Porter (4.50) – Lots of roasted malt character. Hints of coffee, chocolate evident. Smooth, easy to drink. Hop bitterness not totally overshadowed by malty aspects, nicely balanced.
Gaelic Ale (5.00) – Brown, amber ale. Malt sweetness is abundant. Proper balance with hop bitterness. Well formulated Irish ale.
FOOD:
There are many options available in the food court. Our bartender gave us good advice on which places to avoid.