Cold Mountain & Clawtoberfest Beer Dinners: Highland Brewing’s Collaboration with Chef Taylor Montgomery
Highland Brewing Company, Asheville’s original craft brewery, has partnered with James Beard Award-winning Chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm since 2024 to host an annual farm-to-table beer dinner series at Highland Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2026, the partnership expands with two events: the inaugural Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner and the 7th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner, marking Cold Mountain Winter Ale’s 30th anniversary.
Who Is Chef Taylor Montgomery?
Chef Taylor Montgomery is the chef and co-founder, alongside his wife Fran, of Montgomery Sky Farm, a 50-acre regenerative farm in Leicester, North Carolina, just outside Asheville. With more than 25 years in the culinary world, Chef Taylor is known for hyper-seasonal tasting menus built around Appalachian ingredients, many grown on-site at the farm.
In June 2026, Chef Taylor won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards in Chicago, one of the most prestigious honors in American cuisine. The recognition capped a landmark year for Montgomery Sky Farm, which also saw its documentary, “The Soil Remembers,” nominated for a 2026 James Beard Media Award.
Montgomery Sky Farm itself combines regenerative agriculture, heirloom and endangered seed preservation, private dining experiences, and animal rescue through its onsite nonprofit, Final Run Rescue, led by Fran Montgomery. That same farm-driven, seasonal philosophy is what Chef Taylor brings to every course he prepares for Highland Brewing’s beer dinners.
Cold Mountain Beer Dinner: A New Asheville Tradition, Now in Its 7th Year
Since 2024, Highland Brewing has hosted an annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner at Highland Brewing in Asheville, pairing farm to table menus from Chef Taylor Montgomery with Highland’s iconic Cold Mountain Winter Ale, first released in 1996 and now one of the Southeast’s most anticipated seasonal beers.
2024: “Auroras” Cold Mountain Beer Dinner
The inaugural Cold Mountain Beer Dinner with Chef Taylor Montgomery, themed Auroras, brought farm-forward cooking to Highland Brewing’s grounds. Highland cows greeted guests on arrival, and Chef Taylor cooked over open flame in front of the Event Center to kick off the evening.
2025: “Fire and Ice” Cold Mountain Beer Dinner
The second annual dinner, themed Fire and Ice, opened with a contrast of hot and cold appetizers alongside fire spinner performances. The centerpiece dish, lamb osso buco with local greens, anchored a multi-course tasting menu, with each course paired to a different variation of Cold Mountain.
2026: The 7th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner
This year’s event lands during Cold Mountain’s 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of Highland Brewing’s most iconic seasonal release. Chef Taylor and the Montgomery Sky Farm team will return to Highland Brewing in November to build on the tradition established by Auroras and Fire and Ice.
New for 2026: The Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner
Highland Brewing and Chef Taylor Montgomery are also launching the inaugural Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner, a new event highlighting Clawhammer Marzen Lager, one of Highland’s longest-running seasonal beers.
Unlike the plated, multi-course format of the Cold Mountain Beer Dinner, Clawtoberfest takes a livelier approach:
- Buffet-style dinner featuring Chef Taylor’s farm-to-table cooking
- Beer garden atmosphere centered around Oktoberfest traditions
- Traditional live music throughout the event
- Oktoberfest games and competitions
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Cold Mountain Beer Dinner held?
The Cold Mountain Beer Dinner takes place at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. While the menu is created by Chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm, the dinner itself is hosted on Highland Brewing’s grounds, not at the farm.
Who caters the Cold Mountain Beer Dinner and Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner?
Both events are catered by Chef Taylor Montgomery, the 2026 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southeast and co-founder of Montgomery Sky Farm, a regenerative farm in Leicester, NC.
What beer is featured at the Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner? Clawhammer Oktoberfest, one of Highland Brewing’s longest-running seasonal beers, is the featured pairing at the inaugural Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner. Additional German-style brews like Heffiweizen, Kolsch, Radler and Fest Beer, all brewed by Highland Brewing, will also be available.
What makes 2026 a special year for Cold Mountain? 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Cold Mountain Winter Ale, first released in 1996. Highland Brewing is celebrating with the 7th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner.
Has Highland Brewing partnered with Chef Taylor Montgomery before?
Yes. Highland Brewing and Chef Taylor Montgomery have collaborated on the Cold Mountain Beer Dinner since 2024, including the “Auroras” themed dinner in 2024 and the “Fire and Ice” themed dinner in 2025.
Why This Partnership Works
Highland Brewing has spent nearly 30 years building Cold Mountain into one of Asheville’s most beloved beer traditions. Montgomery Sky Farm has spent the years since 2018 building a farm rooted in regenerative practices, seasonality and care. Both believe food and beer should tell a story about the land they come from, and every beer dinner hosted at Highland Brewing brings that story to the table, one course, one pour and one guest at a time.
Join us at Highland Brewing this fall for the Clawtoberfest Beer Dinner on September 25 and the 7th Annual Cold Mountain Beer Dinner on November 12 featuring Chef Taylor Montgomery.