Background
Wicked Weed company co-founders and brothers Luke and Walt Dickinson co-owned the company with family friends Rick, Denise, and Ryan Guthy. Wicked opened their original brewpub location in 2012. The brewery was known for pushing the envelope in craft by offering 25 unique draft beers including West Coast style IPAs and barrel-aged sour ales.
The growth of Wicked’s sour program led to the opening of the South’s first sour beer-dedicated taproom, the Funkatorium in 2014. They also began to distribute beer throughout North Carolina in 2014. Self distribution grew statewide to 240 accounts. To keep up with demand, they opened their 50 barrel Clean Production Facility, Wicked Weed West located in Candler, NC.
The group sold their NC distribution rights in 2016 to expand to over 2,000 plus accounts statewide and expanded distribution to Atlanta, GA. They released their first ever 6 pack cans and opened new markets in MA, DC, VA, and PA. More distribution meant more demand for sour beer so the team opened their Headquarters and Sour Beer Production Facility, The Funk House in Arden, NC.
The brewery moved their first brands into cans while completing a 30K sq. ft. expansion of Wicked Weed West. In order to continue the growth they had seen in the past six years, Wicked Weed Brewing entered into a partnership with the Anheuser-Busch family of craft breweries in 2017. Wicked Weed continued expanding to new markets in the Southeast including SC and TN.
In 2018, Wicked opened a fine dining restaurant next to its Funkatorium location in 2018, Cultura, showcasing sour beer in a modern, elevated space. Two months later, they opened a taproom at Wicked Weed West overlooking the entire production facility
Experience
Wicked Weed is the place to have a good meal and some beer. Nice patio and indoor dining too. Located adjacent to the Orange Peel concert venue and in the south slope area. It’s in the heart of the happening. Some Funkatorium beer is available along with their less funky selections. Venture downstairs for a more casual setting and a few more offerings. Its hard to leave this place…
The Asheville Downtown Aloft is probably the closest hotel to Wicked Weed. It is expensive and difficult to get in. If you don’t enjoy traversing very hilly streets, many more hotels within a $5.00 Uber ride.
We visited Wicked Weed before they sold out to AB InBev.
When in Asheville, check out Burial Beer Company, Catawba Brewing and Wedge Brewing !
