Burial Beer Co.

Burial Beer Co.
Name	Burial Beer Co.
Location	Asheville, North Carolina
Founded	2013
Distribution	Regional, national

Burial Beer Co. Burial Beer Co. is an artisan brewery founded in 2013 in Asheville, North Carolina, known for experimental ales, lager innovation, and a distinctive blend of visual art and brewing. The company has attracted attention from craft beer enthusiasts, culinary writers, and hospitality publications, while engaging with regional festivals, local producers, and touring musicians.

History

Burial Beer Co. was founded in 2013 by a team with ties to the Asheville craft beer scene, drawing attention from New Belgium Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Dogfish Head, Founders Brewing Company, and Stone Brewing. Early collaborators and mentors included brewers who worked at Highland Brewing Company, Wicked Weed Brewing, Green Man Brewery, Oskar Blues Brewery, and Catawba Brewing Company. The brewery’s trajectory intersected with regional development initiatives involving Asheville City Council, Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Parkway tourism, and culinary programs at Johnson & Wales University and Western Carolina University. Burial’s growth mirrored national craft trends tracked by the Brewers Association, drawing coverage in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Bon Appétit, and Thrillist. The founders navigated regulatory frameworks shaped by the North Carolina General Assembly, licensing practices of the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, and distribution systems involving partners like Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and regional wholesalers patterned after Carolina Beverage Company. Collaborations and limited releases connected Burial with artists represented by Flux Studios, musicians from Widespread Panic, and chefs associated with James Beard Foundation nominees operating in Asheville Masonic Temple and nearby Biltmore Estate events.

Beers and Brewing Practices

Burial Beer Co. gained renown for farmhouse ales, kettle-soured Berliner weisse, and mixed fermentation projects akin to methods used by The Bruery, Jester King Brewery, Allagash Brewing Company, and Russian River Brewing Company. Their lineup includes single-hop IPAs, barrel-aged sours, and pilsners brewed with techniques comparable to those at Guinness, Pilsner Urquell, and modern lager houses like Trappist Westvleteren. Ingredients sourcing echoed relationships with regional maltsters such as Briess Malt & Ingredients Company and hop suppliers paralleling Yakima Chief Hops, while adjuncts came from farms featured by Local Food Hub and producers showcased at Farm Aid. Fermentation strategies referenced microbiological work performed at institutions like North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, and sensory evaluation methods promoted by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. Packaging and can art placed Burial alongside breweries that emphasize aesthetics, including Mikkeller, BrewDog, Evil Twin Brewing, and Almanac Beer Co..

Facilities and Locations

The brewery’s taproom and production facilities sit within Asheville’s urban fabric near districts frequented by visitors to Downtown Asheville, River Arts District, Pack Square Park, and hospitality venues like The Omni Grove Park Inn. Expansion projects reflected zoning discussions involving Asheville Planning Department and funding models reminiscent of capital raises used by Bell's Brewery, Lagunitas Brewing Company, and Victory Brewing Company. Onsite features included barrel rooms inspired by cellars at Rodgeriana Winery and cold storage comparable to systems used by Budweiser, while tasting spaces hosted art exhibitions in collaboration with galleries such as 25C Gallery and festivals like LEAF Festival. Logistics leveraged proximity to transport corridors including Interstate 26 and rail lines historically associated with Norfolk Southern Railway.

Distribution and Sales

Burial’s distribution model combined direct-to-consumer taproom sales with regional distribution across states connected by networks similar to Craft Brewers Guilds and commercial partners patterned after Wicked Weed Distribution. They navigated three-tier distribution systems influenced by statutes in the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission framework and expanded into markets where wholesalers like Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and state-run stores operate alongside independent retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Total Wine & More, and local bottle shops modeled on The Malted Cup. Onsite retail integrated point-of-sale systems used by hospitality operators like Square (company) and reservation platforms comparable to OpenTable for events. Seasonal releases often sold at festivals such as Great American Beer Festival, Hopscape, and regional beer weeks hosted by organizations like Asheville Brewers Alliance.

Awards and Recognition

Burial received recognition from beer competitions and media outlets akin to honors awarded by the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, RateBeer Best, and editorial lists in Draft Magazine, Beer Advocate, and Paste Magazine. Features and reviews compared their offerings to benchmark beers from Hill Farmstead Brewery, Cantillon, Trillium Brewing Company, and The Alchemist (brewery). Accolades included local business awards presented by Asheville Chamber of Commerce, hospitality mentions in Condé Nast Traveler, and design acknowledgments in publications such as Design Milk.

Community and Cultural Impact

Burial engaged with community partners including Habitat for Humanity, Asheville Area Arts Council, Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council, and local musicians who perform at venues like Orange Peel and Grey Eagle. The brewery participated in charity taprooms and fundraising aligned with organizations such as Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and supported collaborations with chefs from restaurants featured by Eater and Michelin Guide lists. Cultural programming connected Burial to Asheville’s identity alongside historic institutions like Asheville Art Museum, Biltmore Estate, and events such as LEAF Festival and Moogfest, reinforcing the interplay between craft brewing, visual art, and live music in the region.

Category:Beer breweries in North Carolina Category:Companies established in 2013