12 Bones Smokehouse
12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing is a privately-held, single-location craft brewery and scratch-made barbecue restaurant in Arden, NC, serving local residents, visitors, corporate event clients, and North Carolina wholesale beer accounts through on-premise dining, catering, and retail products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersArden, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 12 Bones Smokehouse does
12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing is a privately-held, single-location craft brewery and scratch-made barbecue restaurant operating at 2350 Hendersonville Road in Arden, North Carolina. The original 12 Bones Smokehouse brand was founded in 2005 by Tom Montgomery in Asheville; in spring 2019, Angela and Bryan King acquired the South location, relocated it to Arden, and concurrently launched 12 Bones Brewing, producing on-site craft beer using a 15-barrel brewhouse with a 1.5-barrel pilot system and selling through sixteen revolving taps. The business serves local residents, Asheville-area visitors, corporate event planners, and beer wholesale accounts across North Carolina.
The combined operation generates revenue through four interlocking streams: dine-in and takeout food and beverage sales (sandwiches $9.50–$20, rib plates $22.50–$36, brisket plates $20.50–$24.50, meat by the pound at $17.50–$22/lb); catered events for groups of 12 to 250+ guests via tiered packages ($223–$882.50); private event room rental in a 1,000 sq ft space (40 seated / 60 standing); and ancillary retail through signature rubs, dry mix baking kits, and apparel sold at shop12bones.com. Beer is also distributed to a handful of specialty bottle shops in North Carolina and sold in kegs to retail and hospitality businesses on request. Operational technology is limited to Toast Tab (online ordering), Mailchimp (newsletter), and Arryved (point-of-sale/website commerce), with no AI/ML capabilities, no proprietary digital products, and no public funding rounds or institutional investors.
The customer base is highly diversified: walk-in consumers and families form the primary segment, while corporate event planners, wholesale beer buyers, and private-event clients represent secondary revenue layers. Brand recognition is anchored by signature items such as Blueberry Chipotle ribs, national and regional media recognition (Good Morning America's Best Bite Challenge 2007, Yelp Top 100 Barbecue Spots 2024, Eater Carolinas 18 Essential Restaurants 2025), and high-profile historical visits including two presidential visits and Air Force One catering orders. The ownership is solely the King family with no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no external capital partners; a 2025 leadership transition promoted Arthur McLean from Taproom Manager to a dedicated Head Brewer role.
12 Bones Smokehouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 12 Bones Smokehouse
- Legal name
- 12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing
- Website
- https://12bones.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing is a privately-held, single-location craft brewery and scratch-made barbecue restaurant in Arden, NC, serving local residents, visitors, corporate event clients, and North Carolina wholesale beer accounts through on-premise dining, catering, and retail products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
12 Bones Smokehouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Barbecue Restaurant and Craft Brewery
- NAICS
- Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
Keywords
Where 12 Bones Smokehouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arden
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
12 Bones Smokehouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food Sales: Direct food sales through dine-in, takeout, and online ordering at smokehouse and taproom locations. Menu includes smoked meats, sandwiches, plates, sides, and desserts.
- Beverage Sales: Craft beer sales at taproom and smokehouse, including draft, Crowlers, and 4-packs for takeout. Beer also available at specialty bottle shops in North Carolina.
- Catering Services: Catering packages for events ranging from 12-50+ people, offering pickup of prepared food in disposable pans. Food prepared hot for immediate service or cold for reheating.
- Merchandise Sales: Apparel and merchandise sold through shop12bones.com and at the south location
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Usual catering: 2 meats, 3 sides, sauce |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | High Roller catering: Smoked Turkey Breast or Sliced Brisket |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | All Ribs Baby catering: 3 rib flavor choices |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sandwiches |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rib Plates (served with 2 sides and cornbread) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brisket plates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meat by the Pound |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barbecue Sauce |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sides |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Add-ons and Extras |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
12 Bones Smokehouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing operates a combined scratch-made Southern barbecue restaurant and on-site craft brewery in Arden, NC. The smokehouse serves pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and smoked turkey smoked long and slow over oak and cherry hardwoods, while the brewery operates a 15-barrel brewhouse and 1.5-barrel pilot system producing ales, lagers, seasonals, and collaborations served across sixteen revolving taps. The business also offers catering, private event space, retail rubs and baking kits, and branded merchandise.
Product overview
12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing operates as a unified food and beverage establishment in Arden, NC, combining a smokehouse restaurant with an on-site craft brewery. The core offerings include the 12 Bones Smokehouse serving scratch-made Southern BBQ (pulled pork, brisket, ribs, turkey) alongside the 12 Bones Brewing taproom featuring a 15-barrel brewhouse and 1.5-barrel pilot system with sixteen rotating taps of traditional and experimental beers. Supporting products include retail dry mix baking kits (corn pudding, cornbread) and signature rubs/spices, while catering services and private event spaces extend the dining experience for groups of 12 to 250+ guests.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 12 Bones Smokehouse Restaurant Full-service scratch-made Southern barbecue restaurant offering pulled pork, brisket, ribs, smoked turkey, sandwiches, plates, sides, and desserts, with meats smoked long and slow over oak and cherry hardwoods. Serves dine-in and takeout customers at the Arden, NC location.
- 12 Bones Brewing Taproom On-site craft brewery and taproom featuring a 15-barrel brewhouse and 1.5-barrel pilot system producing ales, lagers, seasonals, and collaborations served across sixteen revolving taps. Open 7 days a week, 11am-8pm, to walk-in customers.
- Catering Services Off-site catering for office parties, birthdays, rehearsal dinners, and private events serving 12 to 250+ guests. Offers tiered buffet packages including meats, sides, sauces, and disposable serviceware, prepared hot for immediate service or cold for reheating, with pickup at the Arden, NC location.
- Private Event Space Rental 1,000 sq ft private event room at the Arden, NC location accommodating approximately 40 seated or 60 standing guests, with TV, patio access, and optional full buffet and bar service available for company parties, rehearsal dinners, birthdays, and other celebrations.
- BBQ Rubs and Spices (Retail) Retail signature dry rubs including Butt Rub, All-Purpose Rub, and Brown Sugar Rib Rub, sold individually through the restaurant and online channels for home barbecue use.
- Dry Mix Baking Kits (Retail) Retail baking kits including Damn Good Corn Pudding (16 oz dry kit) and Honey Cornbread (16 oz dry kit), sold alongside rubs and spices for at-home preparation.
- Branded Apparel and Merchandise Apparel and branded merchandise sold through the dedicated online store at shop12bones.com and at the Arden, NC south location.
Companies that use 12 Bones Smokehouse
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
12 Bones Smokehouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
12 Bones Smokehouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dominic (Angela's brother)coreAngela's brother Dominic, who owns and operates a successful brewery in Manitou Springs, Colorado, provided brewing expertise and knowledge to help launch 12 Bones Brewing in 2019. His experience was instrumental in developing the brewery operations and beer program.
- The HowardscoreFriends and partners the Howards helped bring plans for 12 Bones Brewing to fruition alongside Dominic's brewing knowledge. Contributed to the founding and development of the brewery.
- Black Orchid Event CompanyminorRecommended catering delivery partner for clients needing delivery services. 12 Bones does not offer delivery but has a good working relationship with Black Orchid Event Company for clients who require it.
- Summit CoffeeminorLocal Asheville coffee roaster whose flagship Basecamp blend is used to create the Summit Up Coffee Stout. Beer enriched with 5 lbs of Summit Coffee's blend to make cold brew with beer.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
12 Bones Smokehouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wicked Weed Brewing: Asheville craft brewery with a full food menu and taproom experience. Closest direct comparison for the brewery-plus-restaurant hybrid model.
- Heirloom Hog BBQ: Asheville-area BBQ concept competing for the same local BBQ diner with a similar scratch-made, small-batch positioning.
- Buxton Hall Barbecue: Asheville-based whole-hog BBQ restaurant. Direct competitor in the Asheville BBQ market targeting the same destination diner and event/catering customer.
- Lexington Barbecue: Iconic North Carolina BBQ restaurant. Comparable operating model (single location, dine-in, takeout, retail sauce/rubs) and benchmark for NC BBQ brand-building.
- Burial Beer Co. Asheville craft brewery with a taproom. Competes for the same local craft-beer drinker and on-premise pour traffic.
- The Black Pig: Asheville BBQ-focused restaurant. Operates in the same local market with a similar craft-meets-culinary positioning.
- Luella's Bar-B-Que: North Carolina BBQ restaurant group with an Asheville-area presence. Competes for the same smoked-meat diner and catering occasions.
Regional players
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large craft brewery in Mills River, NC (just south of Asheville) with on-site restaurant and taproom. Nearby peer that defines the regional craft-beer competitive set.
- Sweet Lew's BBQ: Charlotte-based craft BBQ concept. Regional peer demonstrating the BBQ-plus-brewery/small-batch playbook in adjacent NC markets.
Broad incumbents
- New Belgium Brewing: Large craft brewery headquartered in Asheville with taproom. Sets the broader Asheville craft-beer benchmark and competes for both retail and on-premise occasions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
12 Bones Smokehouse social profiles
Digital presence12 Bones Smokehouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
12 Bones Smokehouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
12 Bones Smokehouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
12 Bones Smokehouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 12 Bones Smokehouse
What does 12 Bones Smokehouse do?
12 Bones Smokehouse and Brewing operates a combined scratch-made Southern barbecue restaurant and on-site craft brewery in Arden, NC. The smokehouse serves pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and smoked turkey smoked long and slow over oak and cherry hardwoods, while the brewery operates a 15-barrel brewhouse and 1.5-barrel pilot system producing ales, lagers, seasonals, and collaborations served across sixteen revolving taps. The business also offers catering, private event space, retail rubs and baking kits, and branded merchandise.
Is 12 Bones Smokehouse a public or private company?
12 Bones Smokehouse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was 12 Bones Smokehouse founded?
12 Bones Smokehouse was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 12 Bones Smokehouse based?
12 Bones Smokehouse is headquartered in Arden, United States, in the North America region.
How does 12 Bones Smokehouse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food Sales are the primary driver. The others are beverage Sales, catering Services and merchandise Sales.
Who are 12 Bones Smokehouse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wicked Weed Brewing, Heirloom Hog BBQ, Buxton Hall Barbecue, Lexington Barbecue, Burial Beer Co., The Black Pig and Luella's Bar-B-Que. Regional players are Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Sweet Lew's BBQ. New Belgium Brewing is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does 12 Bones Smokehouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for 12 Bones Smokehouse.
What industry is 12 Bones Smokehouse in?
12 Bones Smokehouse's product category is Barbecue Restaurant and Craft Brewery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAH, BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual, with a secondary code of THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its NAICS code is 312120 and its SIC code is 2080.