The Best Beer in North Carolina. That’s a bold statement and a daunting task to decide on one. We can’t even pick a favorite here in Asheville. There are just too many incredible breweries here.

But national lists continue on and this one is from Huckberry’s Journal. The criteria? Editors simply asked their readers to suggest lesser-known breweries in all 50 states. “In short, these aren’t the approved picks judged by some eggheads in lab coats, these are the breweries that we’d invite to our birthday party, the ones we’d ask to pick us up at the airport, our ride-or-dies.”

Last year it was Burial Beer that came out on top. This year the distinction belongs to Zillacoah Beer alongside the French Broad River in Woodfin, specializing in fermented lager and open-fermented farmhouse beer. 

Here’s what Huckberry had to say about Zillacoah:

“I visited a friend in Asheville, NC a few years ago and was absolutely astonished to see how much beer this city is producing. Large outposts from New Belgium and Sierra Nevada are just the beginning; the city includes a brewery for every persuasion, from the funky lovers to just-the-facts-ma’am purists. Ask people in the industry though, and more often than not you’re gonna hear the name Zillicoah, a brewery a few miles out of town in Woodfin, NC. It took a few years of “toting wort” from one brew site to another, but these guys nailed down a permanent space in 2020. The beers are dank and the view is serene, with a taproom located on the French Broad River. As for the name, “Zillicoah” is one of the words the Cherokee tribe used to describe that beautiful waterway.”

Hours at Zillacoah:

Monday 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Tuesday 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Wednesday 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Thursday 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday Noon – 10:00pm
Saturday Noon – 10:00pm
Sunday Noon – 8:00pm

Visit Zillacoah’s web site by clicking HERE.