Asheville, NC – Hickory Nut Gap is excited to announce a unique collaboration with Wicked Weed Brewing to create three new mouthwatering dinner sausage flavors, all crafted using Hickory Nut Gap pasture raised pork and Wicked Weed Beer. This collaboration between two of Asheville’s top food and beverage brands has been in the works for over a year, and they’re excited to unveil these special sausage flavors just in time for Memorial Day Weekend – the perfect way to kick off grilling and beer drinking season in Appalachia.
To ensure the unique flavor profile for each new sausage was just right, Hickory Nut Gap and Wicked Weed Brewing also teamed up with a third local partner, Spicewalla, to create the perfect spice blend for each of these three distinctive flavors:
• Jerk Style Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Fresh Pressed Wheat Ale, jerk seasoning, and habanero;
• Bratwurst Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Pernicious India Pale Ale and cascade hops;
• Appalachian Style Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Appalachia Session IPA, sassafras, and sumac.
Jamie Ager, Fourth Generation Farmer at Hickory Nut Gap, stated, “New product innovation is critical in the food and grocery category and we are excited to be partnering with Wicked Weed and Spicewalla, two great brands and friends, not only to creating amazing new flavor profiles, but also to help expand our retail presence in ways that leverage distribution partnerships and a shared belief in creating delicious food and beer.”
Hickory Nut Gap has worked with other local businesses in the past, but this is the first collaboration that will become a co-branded retail product. In fact, all three Dinner Sausage labels feature design inspiration taken from the Wicked Weed Brewing beer can artwork associated with each flavor.
This partnership goes beyond just the product itself. Hickory Nut Gap will be working with Wicked Weed Brewing on the overall sales effort, marketing, social media/promotions and community support.
“This project is the culmination of years of collaboration coming together,” said Ryan Guthy, founder of Wicked Weed Brewing. Working with both the Hickory Nut Gap and Spicewalla teams sparked a lot of imagination and innovation that allowed us to showcase part of what makes Western North Carolina so special – food, beer, and community.
“Every detail of the collaboration is important, including the land these products are created on,” Guthy continued. “The Appalachian Style sausage pays homage to the land now protected through conservation efforts of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. A portion of proceeds will be donated to help them continue their efforts to protect the scenic views, mountains, rivers, and working farms that local businesses depend upon.
“The opportunity to bring together local companies is something we’re honored to be a part of and can’t wait to introduce these sausages to the community we love, and just in time for summer!”
You can find these sausages for sale exclusively at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Store and on their website with a special option to have all three sausage flavors shipped directly to your door, Wicked Weed locations, Earth Fare at Westgate, Hendersonville Co-op, Johnson Family Farm Store, and more to come. Be on lookout for exclusive chef samplings and special menu pairings at Wicked Weed locations over the coming weeks.
About Hickory Nut Gap:
Hickory Nut Gap harvests and markets crave-ably delicious grassfed and pasture raised meats that are unsurpassed in quality and nutrition. We are partners with the land – committed to renewing our soil and pastures, improving the health and happiness of our animals, strengthening rural farming communities and helping create a cleaner environment.
Hickory Nut Gap. Flavor Raised™
For more information visit our website or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Wicked Weed Brewing:
Wicked Weed Brewing is an award-winning brewery based in Asheville, North Carolina. Founded in December 2012, Wicked Weed currently operates a 50-barrel production brewery, a sour beer production facility and four retail locations; the original Brewpub in the heart of downtown Asheville, the southeast’s first mixed-culture dedicated taproom, the Funkatorium, and the Wicked Weed West taproom. Most recently, in 2019 Wicked Weed opened Cultura, a fine dining restaurant that was nominated in 2020 by the James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant. In 2021, Wicked Weed launched their newest endeavor, Vidl Winery, specializing in the production of natural wines. Learn more at: WickedWeedBrewing.com.
