1993: Smoky Mountain Brewery opens in Waynesville. It closes four years later.
1994: Oscar Wong and John McDermott start Highland Brewing Co. in the basement of Barley's Taproom in downtown Asheville.
1997: The Blue Rooster, Asheville's first brewpub, opens next to Barley's featuring Highland beers exclusively. It closes a year later.
Laughing Seed Café co-owner Joe Eckert opens Jack of the Wood pub/Green Man Brewery.
Barley's co-owners Jimi Rentz and Doug Beatty hold inaugural Brewgrass Festival, which will become one of the top beer festivals in the Southeast.
Mountain Ale and Lager Tasters homebrew club begins meeting regularly.
1998: Two Moons Brew ’n’ View opens in Asheville. The next year, Mike and Leigh Rangel buy the business, change the name to Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co.
1999: Catawba Valley Brewing Co. is born in the basement of a Glen Alpine antique mall.
MALT starts Blue Ridge Brew Off homebrew competition, which becomes one of the largest such events in the Southeast.
2001: French Broad Brewing Co. opens in Asheville.
2003: Andy and Kelly Cubbin launch Appalachian Craft Brewery in Rosman; it soon moves to Fletcher.
2004: Dieter Kuhn and Sheryl Rudd start up Heinzelmännchen Brewery in Sylva, producing German-style beers.
2005: Co-owners Jason Caughman and Dave Quinn open Pisgah Brewing Co. in Black Mountain, producing the area’s first certified-organic beer.
Green Man Brewery moves from Jack of the Wood to Buxton Avenue in Asheville, opens tasting room locals affectionately dub Dirty Jack's.
August 2005: State "Pop the Cap" legislation passes, enabling brewers to create high-gravity beers.
2006: Highland Brewing moves to east Asheville warehouse space, expands production.
Local entrepreneurs Mark and Trish Lyons launch the Asheville Brews Cruise, ferrying beer lovers from brewery to brewery.
December 2006: Bruisin' Ales, Asheville's only beer-only retail store, opens.
2007: Catawba Valley moves to Morganton, opens tasting room.
2007-08: Local farmers, including Echoview and Hop’n Blueberry farms, begin experimenting with growing hops.
January 2008: Inaugural Winter Warmer Beer Festival in downtown Asheville.
May 2008: Wedge Brewing Co. opens in Asheville's River Arts District. Owner Tim Schaller teams up with former Green Man brewer Carl Melissas, known for his Belgian-style beers.
February 2009: Asheville Brewers Alliance formed.
March 2009: Oyster House Brewing Co. opens inside The Lobster Trap restaurant in downtown Asheville.
Spring 2009: Asheville ties with Portland, Ore., for first place in first BeerCity USA poll, put on by Brewers Association President Charlie Papazian.
November 2009: Craggie Brewing Co. opens in Asheville.
January 2010: Lexington Avenue Brewery opens gastropub/brewery in downtown Asheville with brewer Ben Pierson at the helm.
2010: Asheville Beer Divas begin holding monthly meetings for female brew aficionados.
April 2010: The new Biltmore Brewing Co. contracts with Highland Brewing to produce two beers for Cedric's Tavern. Eventually, Biltmore Estate hopes to brew on-site.
May 2010: Dennis Thies buys and expands Green Man Brewery. John Stuart continues as brewmaster.
May 2010: Nantahala Brewing Co. in Bryson City begins selling beer made by brewmaster Chris Collier.
June 2010: Asheville wins BeerCity USA title outright; Brewers Association and Brewgrass organizers put on first Beer City Festival in downtown Asheville’s Pack Square Park.
Just Economics puts on first Just Brew It homebrew festival spotlighting the region’s homebrewers.
February 2011: The Brewers Alliance and N.C. Brewers Guild entice beer expert Charlie Papazian to visit Asheville and speak at an educational event.
Spring 2011: Appalachian Craft Brewery moves operations to Hendersonville, opens tasting room, changes name to Southern Appalachian Brewery.
Asheville wins BeerCity title again.
Nantahala Brewing opens tasting room.
Highland Brewing employee Trevor Reis wins first Asheville Beer Masters Tournament.
Fall 2011: The Thirsty Monk opens nanobrewery in south Asheville with Norm Penn brewing.
September 2011: Riverbend Malt House opens in Asheville, begins malting North Carolina-grown grains for local breweries.
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