About Us

THE LOGO

Proud of Our Carolina Heritage

The roots for Catawba Brewing Company are strongly held in the mountains of western North Carolina, more specifically, the Catawba River for which we are named. The river is formed where the Pyatt boys grew up and winds down through Morganton, NC. It was important to us that our new logo and branding reflect that heritage, while also demonstrating our continued expansion beyond the region.

Turning Heads to the Carolinas

Mountains are nice. So are rivers and the Parkway. But we asked our graphic designers to go beyond that. We wanted something that would ‘turn heads.’ They took that literally.

To really get the full distinctive of our brand, you need to turn your head (or turn the can) to look at it upside down. When you do, you will see the two shades of blue create a boundary, and the inversion of the mountains creates the shapes of the two states, North and South Carolina. The very first curve of the river indicates Asheville, the center for craft beer on the East Coast and the sale of the first keg of Catawba’s beer in 1999.

Our roots run deep in the western mountains and rivers of North Carolina, but we are on a mission to introduce our local craft beers to a wider audience. And, thanks to you, our Catawba Brewing fans, it’s happening. Let’s keep ‘turning heads’ our way.

Blue Ridge Mountains and Catawba River

The variations of blues used in the mountain background distinguishes these mountains as the Blue Ridge range versus the Rockies or others. The winding negative space is also meant to bring motion and added identity to the location. The flowing ribbon represents both the mountain rivers of our region and the curves of the Blue Ridge Parkway that is so well-known and well-traveled.

History

History of a Craft Brewery

It all began with a Christmas gift in 1994. Billy Pyatt, a notoriously hard guy to buy presents for, fell in love with the carboys, pots, hydrometers, grains, hops, chemistry, and physics involved in home-brewing. His brother, Scott, fell right in with him. Their love became an obsession that could only be resolved by going pro – not an easy thing to do in 1999!

When the business plan was hatched, the Pyatts bought the assets of a defunct brewery in Colorado, flew out west, rented a U-haul, and brought it home to North Carolina. Of course, it stayed in a garage for three years while the brothers searched for an appropriate building where they could put it to use. Finally, they settled on a spot in the small town of Glen Alpine, NC. While it didn’t have any glass in the windows and ivy was growing inside, the price was right at $200 per month. “Turnkey” breweries were virtually non-existent back then, so the pieces and parts were cobbled together from dairy equipment or made by hand. Billy’s wife Jetta joined the brothers in ownership of the fledgling family business, and Catawba beer was made – with the first kegs sold to accounts in Asheville. That produced enough money to buy some ingredients, make another batch, rinse and repeat.

Fast forward to today, and the company has grown organically into a 30-barrel Sprinkman brewhouse that is shinier than anyone could’ve ever imagined during those humble beginnings. Company-wide, the brewery now employs more than 130 across three North Carolina cities (Asheville, Charlotte, Wilmington) and Charleston, SC. Along the way, many a new brewer has been tutored en route to forging their own path in the craft beer industry.

Asheville is home to a tasting room, opened in 2015 in the South Slope district, where a 7-barrel boutique brewhouse turns out an endless variety of Small Batch beers. Asheville’s Biltmore Village has another conveniently located tasting room. Catawba’s third location – and third brewery – opened in early 2017 in the Plaza-Midwood area of Charlotte, featuring a 10-barrel brewhouse, tasting room, and magnificent city views. By the end of 2017, Catawba had completed the purchase of Charleston’s Palmetto Brewing Company – South Carolina’s oldest craft brewery. And in March of 2021, the company announced the grand opening of its fourth NC location, and first brew pub, in Wilmington.

Catawba products are found in eco-friendly cans and kegs in five states (NC, SC, TN, AL, GA). The brewery is proud to be recognized as one of the pioneers of North Carolina’s burgeoning craft beer market.

Billy home brewing in 1995

Our first assets – equipment from a defunct brewery in Colorado made it home to NC.

Location of our first brewery. Our rent was $200 per month.

PHILOSOPHY

FROM THE SALE OF OUR FIRST 5-BARREL BATCH IN 1999 TO THE CHRISTENING OF OUR NEW, 30- BARREL BREW HOUSE IN 2016, OUR MISSION HAS REMAINED THE SAME:

Produce drinkable flagship beers of the highest quality.
Create unique, small-batch beers inspired by our communities, folklore, and lifestyle.
Service our distributor partner with availability of product and support.
Educate anyone interested in craft brewing and craft beer.
Grow a solid business that creates jobs, withstands the inevitable ups and downs of our industry, and actively gives-back to our communities.