In 2017, Asheville-born Thirsty Monk, brewer of Belgian-Rooted Modern Ales and operator of world-recognized craft beer bars expanded its family of pubs to Denver, Colorado and Portland, Oregon. Also last year, this now ten-year-old company was voted Best of WNC in several categories, Best Bar in North Carolina by ratebeer.com, and named the best beer bar in North Carolina by Southern Living. 

This January Thirsty Monk celebrated its ten year anniversary in Asheville. The Thirsty Monk family includes its original downtown Asheville pub, Biltmore Park, Brother Joe’s Coffee Pub, Top of the Monk, and two new locations in Denver and Portland, Oregon.

Thirsty Monk brewed 242 BBL in 2017, expanding its tap lineup to ten flagship beers; a rotating, seasonal IPA; winter seasonals, and room for one-off small batches. Additions to Thirsty Monk’s flagship lineup include Clever Monk Saison and Brother Joe’s Coffee Stout, a coffee variant of Thirsty Monk’s Brother Noah Belgian Chocolate Stout. 

ASHEVILLE

Thirsty Monk Downtown Asheville saw increased demand for Thirsty Monk brewed beers and now has a minimum of 14 permanent house beer taps. Thirsty Monk also increased to go bottle sales with branded 750ml swing-top refillable bottles.

Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park was voted best neighborhood bar in Mountain Xpress 2017 Best of WNC Awards, where Thirsty Monk also received the most votes for unusual beer selection and local beer selection. Ratebeer.com named Thirsty Monk the best bar in North Carolina.

Thirsty Monk celebrated its annual five-day Sour Fest and Thirsty Fest specialty beer tap takeovers, More than 200 beer lovers attended its Not So Big BIG Beer Festival anchored in Asheville Beer Week in June.

DENVER

In the fall, Thirsty Monk acquired a 12 BBL brewhouse and tasting room in Denver, Colorado, which now serves as the company's primary brewing operation. Brian Grace, formerly of Crooked Stave, was hired as head brewer of all of Thirsty Monk's breweries.

Asheville brewing operations will remain under the tutelage of Norm Penn, who has been promoted to Vice President of Thirsty Monk. 

PORTLAND

In December, Thirsty Monk acquired Portland, Oregon's Bazi Bierbrasserie and is currently rebranding the beer bar as part of the Thirsty Monk family. The transformation will be complete in coming months, and will eventually include a pilot brewhouse as well. 

For more information about Thirsty Monk, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT THIRSTY MONK

Thirsty Monk, founded in 2008, brews Belgian-Rooted Modern Ales and operates a family of well-recognized, craft beer destinations in Asheville, NC, Denver, CO, and Portland, OR. Find the company online at monkpub.com.