What Wicked Weed Brewing does

Wicked Weed Brewing is a craft brewery founded in 2012 in Asheville, North Carolina, specializing in West Coast style hoppy ales, open-fermented Belgian beers, and barrel-aged American sour ales. It operates four physical venues in the Asheville area: the original Brewpub (91 Biltmore Avenue) with a full restaurant, downstairs taproom, bottle shop, and 15-barrel brewery; the Funkatorium (147 Coxe Avenue, South Slope), described as the East Coast's first taproom dedicated to sour and mixed-culture beer with a German-style beer garden and wood-fired menu; the Wicked Weed West production taproom and patio in Candler, NC, overlooking the 50-barrel production facility; and the Funk House sour beer production facility in Arden, NC. Its core product portfolio centers on the flagship Pernicious IPA (#1 IPA in NC and top-5 in the Southeast) and Freak of Nature Imperial IPA on the hop-forward side, alongside the Angel series of barrel-aged sours (Red, Black, Golden, White) and hazy variants including Perni-Haze, Imperial Perni-Haze, and Mango Wowie. Production technology emphasizes dry-hopping for IPAs and a dedicated barrel-aging program using bourbon, wine, and sherry casks with whole-fruit additions; the production facility earned Gold TRUE Zero Waste certification in 2024 with greater than 99% waste diversion.

The company makes money through three primary streams: on-site beer and food sales across its Asheville taprooms, wholesale distribution of canned and bottled beer to over 2,000 retail accounts across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts, DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and the Northeast, and branded merchandise/apparel through its online shop. Distribution reach is materially supported by its partnership with Anheuser-Busch (since 2016–2017), part of AB InBev. Customer segments include craft beer enthusiasts, dining patrons at the brewpub, retail/off-premise consumers, and — increasingly with the March 2026 Vicious Nectar launch — broader beverage consumers seeking fruit-forward, accessible drinks. Pricing is unit-based across draft, bottle, and packaged formats, with promotional programming (New Beer Thursdays, Stein Sundays, Friday flight discounts) used to drive traffic across venues. Wicked Weed is a private subsidiary under Anheuser-Busch and does not publicly disclose revenue or funding; it employs 101–250 people and operates as part of AB InBev's craft portfolio.

Name

Wicked Weed Brewing

Legal name

Wicked Weed Brewing

Website

https://wickedweedbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wicked Weed Brewing is an Asheville, NC craft brewery and Anheuser-Busch subsidiary producing West Coast IPAs, barrel-aged sours, and Belgian ales across four venues, distributing to 2,000+ retail accounts across eight-plus states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. On-site Beer and Food Sales: Direct revenue from taproom sales including beer, wine, cider, and full restaurant service at three Asheville locations. Beer garden and private event hosting also contribute.
2. Retail Beer Distribution: Distribution of canned and bottled beer to retail accounts throughout NC and expansion markets including SC, GA, MA, DC, VA, PA, TN, and the Northeast
3. Merchandise and Bottle Shop: Sale of branded merchandise, apparel, and take-home beer through on-site bottle shops and online shop
4. Vicious Nectar Product Line: New fruit-forward hard beverage launching March 2026 in NC and SC markets targeting social occasions for both beer and non-beer drinkers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wicked Weed Brewing is a craft brewery producing West Coast style hoppy IPAs, open fermented Belgian ales, and barrel-aged sour and mixed culture beers. The company operates four venues in the Asheville, NC area — the original Brew Pub, the Funkatorium (the East Coast's first sour-dedicated taproom), Wicked Weed West (a 50-barrel production brewery with taproom), and The Funk House production facility — alongside statewide and multi-state retail distribution.

Product overview

Wicked Weed Brewing is a craft brewery in Asheville, NC offering a portfolio of beers across multiple styles. The core products include three physical locations: the Brew Pub (original 15-barrel brewpub), the Funkatorium (sour and mixed culture beer taproom), and Wicked Weed West (50-barrel production facility with taproom). Key beer offerings include flagship IPAs Pernicious and Freak of Nature, the Perni-Haze and Imperial Perni-Haze hazy IPA variants, barrel-aged sour ales (Red Angel, Black Angel, Golden Angel, White Angel), and seasonal specialties. The brewery also offers ciders, wines, and the Vicious Nectar fruit-forward beer line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Funk House: Headquarters and Sour Beer Production Facility located in Arden, NC.
• Beers That Build

Products and services

• Brew Pub Original Wicked Weed Brewing location in downtown Asheville featuring a full restaurant, downstairs taproom and beer garden, bottle shop, the original 15-barrel brewery, and two pet-friendly outdoor patios. Offers on-site beer consumption, dining, tours, and take-home beer and merchandise.
• Funkatorium The East Coast's first taproom dedicated to sour and mixed culture 'funky' beer, featuring world-class sour selections, a German-style beer garden, and wood-fired menu offerings. Hosts private events and serves curated sour beer portfolio.
• Wicked Weed West A 50-barrel production brewery with a taproom and patio offering views of the working production facility, located in Candler, NC. Provides on-site beer consumption alongside the visible brewing operations.
• Pernicious IPA Award-winning flagship West Coast style IPA at 7.3% ABV, dry-hopped with nearly twice the typical hops, balancing tropical fruit-forward notes with bold resinous character. Ranked #1 IPA sold in North Carolina and top-5 IPA in the Southeast.
• Freak of Nature Imperial IPA Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV featuring monstrous dank and citrus aromas, designed as a flagship offering for hop enthusiasts. Multiple GABF and US Open Beer Championship medal winner.
• Red Angel Barrel-aged American sour ale aged in puncheons with 1.5 pounds per gallon of whole raspberries, re-fermented on an additional 2.5 pounds per gallon for fresh berry character. Multiple gold and silver medal winner.
• Black Angel Black sour ale aged in bourbon barrels on tart Michigan Montmorency cherries, rested approximately 9 months and artfully blended. Gold and bronze medal winner.
• Golden Angel Barrel-aged American sour ale fermented with apricots, aged in 500L puncheons with 1 pound per gallon of fresh whole apricots and re-fermented with an additional 4 pounds per gallon.
• White Angel Barrel-aged American sour ale fermented with muscadine grapes (Scuppernong), aged 2 months on white Scuppernong grapes then 8 additional months in wine puncheons, blended with lychee, white peach, and pear.
• Perni-Pack IPA variety pack featuring 6x Pernicious IPA, 3x Perni-Haze IPA, and 3x Imperial Perni-Haze, packaged for retail distribution.
• Imperial Perni-Haze Imperial hazy IPA at 9.1% ABV delivering an elevated hop experience with a smooth and juicy finish.
• Mango Wowie Hazy IPA at 6.2% ABV featuring Cashmere and Citra hops with real mango for tropical fruit flavors.
• Perni-Haze Hazy IPA at 6.9% ABV featuring Citra and Simcoe hops, designed for crush-ability with an effortless finish.
• Blue Razz Burst Session sour at 4.5% ABV with bright, tart flavor combining blueberry and raspberry for vibrant color and tartness.
• Vicious Nectar Watermelon Fruit-forward beer expanding the innovation portfolio with bold flavor and elevated refreshment, designed for social occasions and appealing to both beer and non-beer drinkers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pernicious IPA is #1 IPA sold in North Carolina and top-5 IPA in the Southeast
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CIRT (Consumer Electronics Industry Recycling Coalition)minorOthersPartnership with CIRT to help consumers understand how and where to recycle Wicked Weed products in their area through recycling information tools
• How2RecyclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWicked Weed is the first craft brewery to add standardized recycling labels to products through the How2Recycle platform, enabling consumers to properly recycle packaging
• WNC Brewery Recycling Co-OpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of cooperative to help improve recycling rates of breweries in western North Carolina
• Zillicoah Beer Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Stay Hunched beer - Double dry-hopped Brett IPA conditioned on second-use Scuppernong grapes
• Food ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit partnership through Beers That Build program. Food Connection helps reduce food waste and ease hunger across Western North Carolina by redistributing surplus prepared food to neighbors in need. Millions of Peaches beer brewed in collaboration.
• ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partnership through Beers That Build series. Silent Lunch beer proceeds benefit ASAP.
• 7 Clans BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNative Land Beer Collaboration as part of land acknowledgment efforts with Eastern Band of the Cherokee
• Vīdl WineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWine products served at Funkatorium including Sparkling Rosé, Sparkling White, Contact Sauvignon Blanc, and Drop red blend

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Founders Brewing Co. Grand Rapids, MI craft brewery owned by Mahou San Miguel, with flagship IPAs (All Day IPA, Centennial IPA) and barrel-aged stouts driving national distribution. Directly comparable in craft positioning, ownership structure under a global beverage parent, and IPA-led portfolio.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large-scale U.S. craft brewery with a national distribution footprint and a portfolio spanning hop-forward IPAs, sours, and seasonals. Directly comparable to Wicked Weed in product mix (flagship IPAs, specialty programs), distribution model, and sustainability investments.
• Bell's Brewery: Comstock, MI craft brewery with flagship IPAs (Two Hearted, Hopslam), extensive barrel-aging and sour programs, and broad Midwest/East Coast distribution. Comparable across flagship IPA strength, specialty/sour programs, and multi-state self-distribution.
• Russian River Brewing Co. California craft brewery renowned for pioneering American sour and barrel-aged programs (Supplication, Consecration, Pliny the Elder). Directly comparable to Wicked Weed's Funkatorium sour program and barrel-aging expertise, both in product craft and category prestige.
• New Belgium Brewing: Fort Collins, CO-based craft brewery owned by Kirin/Lion, with national distribution across flagship IPAs, sours (La Folie), and lagers. Comparable in scale, broad distribution platform, and ownership-by-strategic-parent structure similar to Wicked Weed's AB InBev relationship.
• SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta, GA-based craft brewery owned by Aphria/Tilray with strong Southeast distribution, hop-forward flagship IPAs (420, IPA), and a taproom-led model. Closely comparable as a Southeast craft competitor with a similar hop-forward portfolio and broader category extensions.
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Delaware-based craft brewery (now owned by The Boston Beer Company) known for hop-forward IPAs, experimental/off-centered ales, and a strong taproom/experiential model. Comparable across craft positioning, distribution scale, and East Coast regional stronghold.

Broad incumbents

• Stone Brewing Co. Large California-based craft brewery (now owned by Sapporo) with broad national distribution, hop-forward flagship IPAs, and a taproom-heavy model. Comparable as a larger, more distributed craft peer within AB InBev/Sapporo-style strategic ownership.

Regional players

• Highland Brewing Co. Asheville's oldest craft brewery and a direct local competitor, also based in Western NC with a regional distribution footprint, flagship IPAs, and taproom experience. Highly comparable as a same-city peer competing for Asheville craft beer tourism and NC shelf space.
• Terrapin Beer Co. Athens, GA-based craft brewery (owned by Tilray) with Southeast distribution, hop-forward offerings, and a small-batch specialty program. Comparable as a Southeast craft peer with similar geographic distribution overlap and Tilray strategic ownership parallel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wickedweedbeer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxzHGV8k_n6cSAWVtLNwGkA
• Facebookfacebook.com/WickedWeedBrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wicked-weed-brewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/wickedweedbrewing

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wicked Weed Brewing