This Trendy Asheville Brewery Is Taking Sour Beer to the Next Level

Over the years, Asheville, North Carolina, has become one of the most celebrated craft beer destinations in the United States.

If you didn't know it already, Asheville falls just behind Portland, Oregon, in terms of the most breweries per capita and consistently ranks high on lists of best cities for breweries and beer drinkers. With dozens of breweries scattered across the city, visitors have no shortage of places to grab a pint.

Yet among them all, Wicked Weed Brewing stands out for helping introduce styles of beer that are quickly gaining in popularity: barrel-aged sours and mixed-culture brews. If that's not enough, they also offer a delightful rotating menu and even a unique selection of wine. It's a spot that's not only loved by the local community, but it nabbed an honorable mention in our 50 Best Breweries in the U.S. for 2025.

A Brewery Built by Two Families

Wicked Weed Brewing was founded by two families that have known each other since childhood: the Guthys and the Dickinsons. Their shared history and passion for craft beer eventually evolved into the idea of opening a brewery together in Asheville.

One of the co-founders, Walt Dickinson, had spent years traveling as a nomadic climber while experimenting with home brewing. Unlike many hobby brewers at the time, Dickinson became fascinated with mixed-culture fermentation, a technique that involves using multiple strains of yeast and bacteria to create complex, sour flavors.

The Start of Wicked Weed’s Sour Beer Program

When Wicked Weed’s original pub was being developed, not everyone was convinced that sour beer should be part of the lineup. At the time, these beers were still niche and unfamiliar to many drinkers. If you've ever been to popular craft beer bars and breweries, you would know that, more often than not, the menus are overwhelmed with extremely hoppy IPAs (that may or may not taste like soap to some).

But that didn't stop Dickinson from quietly producing mixed-culture beers outside the main operation. When Wicked Weed finally launched, it debuted with two barrel-aged Belgian-style sour beers.

The Award That Put Wicked Weed on the Map

In 2013, just a year after opening, Wicked Weed won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for their American Brett beer Serenity. The award instantly brought national attention to the Asheville brewery for its quality and complex offerings. Suddenly, craft beer fans across the country were paying attention to what Wicked Weed was doing with sour beer.

In 2014, Wicked Weed opened a new concept called The Funkatorium. The space became the first taproom in the Southeast dedicated entirely to sour and mixed-culture beer. The idea was simple: create a place where people could explore these complex beers the way wine drinkers explore vintages and varietals.

The response from the local community was immediate. During early bottle releases, crowds lined up around the block, and the brewery had to place limits on how many bottles customers could buy.

Standout Beers and Wine at Wicked Weed

Wicked Weed’s sour program includes a wide variety of beers, but several have become fan favorites over the years. The Angel Series is one of the most well-known, with multiple "Angel" sour beers in the lineup. However, Wicked Weed’s experimentation didn’t stop with beer. In fact, this brewery also produces wine (something that surprises many guests).

In 2019, the brewery launched a wine program that began as a passion project and sustainability initiative. The team realized they had extra tank space and extensive barrel-aging experience that could be applied to winemaking. To make it happen, they sourced grapes from Washington State that hitched a ride on trucks already hauling hops to the brewery.

Today, most of Wicked Weed’s wines are served at its own taprooms, with only limited distribution locally. Among them, a draft-only sparkling wine has become one of the most popular offerings—and something that truly comes in clutch during brunch.

Surrounded by the Asheville Beer Community

Wicked Weed is only one piece of Asheville’s thriving beer scene. Another local favorite is Zillicoah Beer Company, a riverside brewery known for its traditional brewing styles. After temporarily closing due to storm damage caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024, the brewery has recently reopened and welcomed visitors back (and took the top spot for North Carolina in our 50 Best Breweries in the U.S. 2025).

Asheville’s reputation as “Beer City USA” is well earned, and Wicked Weed helped play a major role in that story. From secretly brewing barrel-aged sours to opening the Southeast’s first sour-beer taproom, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of what craft beer can be.

Whether you’re a dedicated sour beer enthusiast or curious about trying something new, you simply have to plan a visit to the Funkatorium. Or, if you are interested in Wicked Weed's other offerings and want to make a full day adventure, you can visit their other locations in the area at their Brewpub or Wicked Weed West, both within driving distance of the Funkatorium.