Anheuser-Busch acquires Wicked Weed Brewing
Wicked Weed has brewed more than 500 craft beers since it was founded in 2012. The North Carolina craft brewer started with brewing West Coast IPAs and Belgian Ales and has moved into making sours with its first dedicated sour beer taproom and barrel house (dubbed the “Funkatorium”), a 50-barrel production brewery in West Asheville.
“We have chosen to partner with The High End to position ourselves to make Wicked Weed what we imagined it could be when we first sat at a craft beer bar and talked about opening a brewery,” Wicked Weed co-founder, Walt Dickinson, said.
"It's clear to me Wicked Weed is redefining what sophistication in beer can mean, with their amazing offerings being relevant in a wide variety of occasions,” Felipe Szpigel, president of The High End, said in a statement.
Reaction from craft brewing community
The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild issued a statement on the news of its now-former member:
“While we are disheartened to hear of the sale of Wicked Weed Brewing Co. to Anheuser-Busch, we wish our friends at Wicked Weed all the best,” the organization said in a statement.
The statement also specified that Wicked Weed Brewing can no longer be a voting member of North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild, which only represents independent craft brewers.
Wicked Weed hopes for increased beer tourism
Wicked Weed’s pub and Funkatorium will remain focussed on producing creative beers contributing to Asheville’s beer tourism industry.
“We hope more and more beer drinkers will flock to Asheville to taste what we have to offer,” Wicked Weed co-founder Rick Guthy said.
North Carolina is ranked as number nine out of 50 US states in terms of number of breweries (160), and the Asheville area is home to 36 craft breweries including major players such as Sierra Nevada’s second brewing facility and New Belgium Brewing, according to the Brewers Association.
