As Asheville Beer Week 2025 draws to a close, our community pauses to honor the life and legacy of Oscar Wong, the visionary founder of Highland Brewing Company, who passed away peacefully on May 25 at the age of 84.
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Oscar was more than a brewer — he was a pioneer who helped put Asheville on the map as Beer City USA. A Chinese immigrant born in Kingston, Jamaica, Oscar came to the U.S. to study civil engineering at Notre Dame, eventually retiring to Asheville in the early 1990s. What started as a homebrewing hobby turned into history when he founded Highland Brewing in 1994, originally brewing out of the basement of Barley’s Taproom downtown.
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Together with Gerry Sigmon, his loyal friend and right-hand man, they built Highland from the ground up — quite literally. Gerry’s steadfast dedication, engineering expertise, and hands-on involvement helped shape the brewery in its early days. Tragically, Gerry passed away just one month ago in West Virginia, and now with Oscar’s passing, we lose the two visionaries who pioneered Asheville’s first post-Prohibition brewery.
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Oscar’s leadership turned Highland into one of the largest family-owned breweries in the Southeast. From their flagship Gaelic Ale to their current mountain-view taproom in East Asheville, the legacy continues under the leadership of his daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn.
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Oscar was known not only for his business acumen but for his generous spirit. He received numerous honors, including The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian award. His presence was felt across the city — from local beer fests to quiet conversations at The Omni Grove Park Inn, or planning strategy over steaks at Ruth’s Chris.
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Now, during the heart of Asheville Beer Week, Oscar’s passing turns this annual celebration into a lasting memorial. His vision, paired with Gerry’s grit, shaped the foundation of Asheville’s thriving craft beer identity.
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To Oscar and Gerry — thank you for believing in Asheville before the rest of the world did.
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🍻 May your cups overflow in the streets of gold.