6 Craft Beers To Try In Asheville, N.C.

Arguing that Asheville is one of the country's best cities for craft beer enthusiasts is an easy position to take.

It's won the vote for BeerCity U.S.A. the last three years in a row. It's home to nine craft breweries and a  handful of devoutly patronized beer-geek bars (Mellow Mushroom, Barley's Taproom, and Thirsty Monk, to name a few). It plays host to a number of beer festivals (the Brewgrass Festival and a local beer-only Oktoberfest), and has a serious bottle shop to its name (Brusin' Ales, which stocks more than 1,000 international brews). In short, you want to drink beer here.

So what might you find in your pint glass? Everything from turn-of-the-century-inspired ale to a rich oatmeal porter crafted at the city's oldest brewery. Below are six favorites to sample for a taste of the local scene.

Oatmeal Porter, Highland Brewing Company

No list of favorite Asheville craft beers would be complete without mention of Highland Brewing, the city's biggest and longest-living brewery. In business since 1994, it's best known for its Gaelic Ale and this Oatmeal Porter. Typical of the porter style, this dark pour has a rich, malty character with notes of chocolate and coffee, but is unique for its distinctly hoppy finish.

Solstice, Pisgah Brewing Company

This organic brewery's Beglian-style Tripel is a favorite of craft beer expert Joshua Bernstein for its subtle fruit flavors and "spicy, yeasty scent." Still, picking a favorite brew here is no easy task as they are well known for their unique seasonal varieties, often featuring local ingredients. Take the Valdez, for example, a stout made with beans from Asheville Coffee Roasters.

Moonstone Stout, Oyster House Brewing Co.

According to the company, this signature stout is brewed using five pounds of oysters (that includes shells, too!). Though the brew won't taste exactly like downing a dozen bivalves, the unusual ingredient does give the beer a discernible minerality and sea saltiness.

Rye Hopper, French Broad Brewing Co.

Although this brewery's 13 Rebels ESB (a variation on a British extra-special bitter) gets a lot of attention — and deservedly so — their dark amber-hued Rye Hopper is another notable favorite. A worthy representation of the increasingly popular rye beer genre, it's a nice mix of rye, malt, and floral hops.

Antebellum Ale, Craggie Brewing

Beer history buffs should appreciate this young brewery's 1840s-inspired American ale, which riffs on a turn-of-the-century recipe and includes ingredients like molasses, spruce tips, and ginger. Another worthwhile pour? Their bold-flavored Bourbon Chipotle Porter that gets brewed with the chile and aged on bourbon oak chips.

Green Man IPA, Green Man Brewing

Local hop-heads are likely to be found hanging out at this popular brewery's tasting room (open from 4 p.m., seven days a week!). There, they can down the bitter Green Man IPA — or better yet, the intensely hopped Rainmaker Double IPA, an occasional specialty brew.