A Winter Seasonal Becomes a Tradition Highland Brewing, Asheville's original craft brewery, is celebrating 30 years of Cold Mountain Winter Ale this November. The 5.9% ABV spiced winter ale, first released in 1996, has evolved from a seasonal offering into one of Western North Carolina's most enduring holiday traditions and the brewery's biggest annual event. The anniversary celebration runs Nov. 12–16 at Highland's East Asheville campus, anchored by a culinary collaboration with James Beard Award winner Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm in Leicester, N.C. Montgomery will create a curated multi-course dinner paired with Cold Mountain releases on Thursday, Nov. 12, marking the brewery's 7th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner. "For decades, the release of Cold Mountain Winter Ale has brought people together at a special time of year," said Nikki Mitchell, Vice President of Brand Development at Highland Brewing. "It's incredible how a seasonal beer has become a tradition shared by our team, our community and generations of Highland fans across the Southeast. For the 30th anniversary, we're continuing to honor the traditions that make Cold Mountain a legacy brew while creating unforgettable experiences with new spinoff flavors, bottle offerings and surprises on campus."
New Releases and Limited Offerings The original Cold Mountain Winter Ale—with notes of vanilla, hazelnut, dark fruit and cinnamon—returns in bottles and on draft alongside new variations. A 30th Anniversary Variety Pack in 16-ounce cans includes the original, returning Coconut Cold Mountain, and two new releases: Chocolate Orange Cold Mountain and Pumpkin Spice Latte Cold Mountain, which features cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and coffee notes. Highland is also releasing two limited barrel-aged bottled versions. Barrel-Aged Cold Mountain (11% ABV) is whiskey barrel-aged with vanilla, cinnamon and hazelnut notes. Double Barrel-Aged Bourbon Pecan Cold Mountain (13% ABV), the brewery's first bottled double barrel-aged Cold Mountain, features bourbon and toasted pecan notes. Four additional Cold Mountain variations—Chai, Sour Cherry, Apple Cider Donut and Imperial Cold Mountain—will be available exclusively on draft during the celebration.
Five-Day Event Schedule Following Thursday's beer dinner, the celebration expands Friday through Sunday with live music, specialty food experiences and the Cold Mountain Classic Volleyball Tournament. On Monday, Nov. 16, Highland's campus opens to the public with no ticket required, offering Cold Mountain on draft and in packages, plus access to the Highland merchandise store. Highland Brewing opened in 1994, becoming Asheville's first legal brewery since Prohibition. The company is currently woman-led by Leah Wong Ashburn, daughter of founder Oscar Wong. Highland distributes across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia and operates one of the largest solar arrays in the U.S. craft beer industry.
Why It Matters
For operators and retailers across the Southeast, Cold Mountain's three-decade run underscores the sustained consumer appetite for seasonal beer traditions. The anniversary celebration demonstrates how a single product can anchor an experiential destination strategy, drawing repeat visits and deepening brand loyalty across generations—a model increasingly valuable as craft beer markets mature.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
