STOUT BOUT 2026
Taste Blind. Choose Wisely. Crown the Champion.
WHEN & WHERE
Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Hi-Wire Brewing – River Arts District Campus, Asheville, NC
Step right up for Stout Bout 2026, our signature annual stout festival and blind tasting competition!
This isn’t your typical beer festival.
We’re bringing together 15 to 20 standout breweries for one dark, decadent showdown. But there’s a catch. You won’t know who brewed what! Every stout will be served anonymously. No brewery names. No labels. No hype. Just your glass, your palate, and some seriously good beer.
Taste your way through the mystery lineup, cast your votes, and help decide which breweries take home the honors. Once voting closes, the curtain comes up, the breweries are revealed, and the winners are crowned.
You taste. You vote. We reveal.
THE SCHEDULE
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM: The blind tasting competition runs, giving you four full hours to make your way through the lineup and cast your votes. (Arrive early—tastings and voting end promptly at 5:00 PM regardless of arrival time!)
5:00 PM: Voting closes promptly.
6:00 PM: Stick around after voting closes for the big reveal and Stout Bout Awards Ceremony, when we’ll uncover the breweries behind the mystery beers and announce the 2026 Stout Bout Champion.
YOUR $56 FULL TASTING PASS INCLUDES
Entry to Stout Bout 2026
A taster pour from every participating brewery, approximately 15 to 20 unique stouts
Commemorative Stout Bout taster glassware
One 16 oz. Hi-Wire Leisure Time Lager, because palette cleansers are essential, right?
People’s Choice voting card
Brewery reveal and awards ceremony access
Live entertainment throughout the festival
(Tasty food will be available for purchase on-site from local vendors!)
HOW STOUT BOUT WORKS
Each participating brewery brings a stout worthy of the Bout, but their identities stay hidden.
Grab your commemorative glass and tasting card and make your way through the mystery lineup. Judge each stout on the beer itself, not the brewery behind it.
Taste. Take notes. Debate with your friends. Find your favorites. Then cast your votes before the 5:00 PM deadline.
At 6:00 PM, the mystery ends.
We’ll reveal the breweries behind the beers and announce the winners, including the beer taking home the ultimate title of 2026 Stout Bout Champion.
No labels. No preconceived favorites. Just great beer and your vote.
15 TO 20 BREWERIES. MYSTERY STOUTS. ONE CHAMPION.
Add in live entertainment, food vendors, fall in Asheville, plenty of Hi-Wire beer, and a few surprises along the way, and you’ve got one seriously stout Saturday.
Whether you’re a stout fanatic, a craft beer nerd, or simply looking for one of Asheville’s most unique beer events, Stout Bout is your chance to put your palate to the test.
The breweries bring the beer. You decide who takes the crown.
TICKETS & FINE PRINT
Tickets are $56 for a Full Tasting Pass. Passes are limited, so advance purchase is highly recommended!
Stout Bout is a 21+ event. Valid ID required for entry.
Please note: Stout Bout tastings and voting end promptly at 5:00 PM regardless of arrival time. We recommend arriving early enough to enjoy the full tasting experience.
This is a rain-or-shine event. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
