About the owners
Co-owner and head brewer Joe Dinan has been a craft beer fan for 2 decades, beginning when his father shared his love for traditional Belgian styles. Joe started home brewing way back in 2009 and loved it so much, he left his career in financial sector and dedicated his life to his passion. He was lucky enough to land a job at Goose Island in Chicago, bartending and interning in the brewhouse. After relocating to Asheville in 2011, Joe began beer tending and staff training at Thirsty Monk where he learned the finer points of beer style guidelines and craft beer trends. ,
In 2014 Joe, with the help of his amazingly supportive partner Lisa, attended Blue Ridge College's Craft Beverage Program where he earned a certificate from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling. The certificate turned into an internship with Wicked Weed which soon became full-time employment, helping to set up the sour facility at Wicked Weed's Funkatorium. In 2015 Joe & Lisa opened Sanctuary Brewing Company which has been a staple of downtown Hendersonville ever since. Featuring 16 drafts and live entertainment 7 nights a week Sanctuary has been a Sanctuary to scores of tourists and locals alike. To date Sanctuary has won a total of 6 medals at the North Carolina Brewers Competition, including 3 gold medals for beers from lagers styles to double IPA. Sanctuary Brewing has also won best bar and best live music venue in Henderson county 3 years in a row.
Co-owner Lisa McDonald is an unapologetic entrepreneur, philanthropist extraordinaire, and lifelong animal advocate. Business owner, world traveler, speaker, animal sanctuary founder and thought leader, her trove of accomplishments is as big as her heart. As a jet-setting corporate consultant, Lisa was at the top of her field, helping some of the world’s biggest companies to boost their bottom line. A MENSA member, she specialized in enterprise content management for corporate legal departments and law firms throughout the world. But Lisa wanted more. She wanted to turn her passion for love, kindness, and compassion into a business venture that would make the world a better place. So she and partner Joe Dinan started Sanctuary Brewing Company, a one-of-a-kind, award-winning vegan microbrewery dedicated to good times, good deeds, and amazing beer. Through SBC, McDonald is showing the world that philanthropy and profit can go hand-in-hand. Lisa’s love for animals, humans, and the planet is palpable.
Through the vision of Lisa and Joe, Sanctuary Brewing has created a Kindness Wall at the brewery, where those in need can take seasonal clothing, umbrellas, and essentials bags filled with basic necessities. Sanctuary also hosts Help4Hendo community days where people can get free haircuts, job placement assistance, and health checks. In addition, in the three years since its opening SBC has raised more than $10,000 for environmental, social justice, and animal advocacy charities. Under the umbrella of their Kindness Empire nonprofit, Sweet Bear Rescue Farm is Lisa and Joe's latest venture, where they serve as caretaker to nearly 40 non-human residents including dogs, cats, chickens, goats, pigs, and a lovely turkey named George.
In 2014 Joe, with the help of his amazingly supportive partner Lisa, attended Blue Ridge College's Craft Beverage Program where he earned a certificate from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling. The certificate turned into an internship with Wicked Weed which soon became full-time employment, helping to set up the sour facility at Wicked Weed's Funkatorium. In 2015 Joe & Lisa opened Sanctuary Brewing Company which has been a staple of downtown Hendersonville ever since. Featuring 16 drafts and live entertainment 7 nights a week Sanctuary has been a Sanctuary to scores of tourists and locals alike. To date Sanctuary has won a total of 6 medals at the North Carolina Brewers Competition, including 3 gold medals for beers from lagers styles to double IPA. Sanctuary Brewing has also won best bar and best live music venue in Henderson county 3 years in a row.
Co-owner Lisa McDonald is an unapologetic entrepreneur, philanthropist extraordinaire, and lifelong animal advocate. Business owner, world traveler, speaker, animal sanctuary founder and thought leader, her trove of accomplishments is as big as her heart. As a jet-setting corporate consultant, Lisa was at the top of her field, helping some of the world’s biggest companies to boost their bottom line. A MENSA member, she specialized in enterprise content management for corporate legal departments and law firms throughout the world. But Lisa wanted more. She wanted to turn her passion for love, kindness, and compassion into a business venture that would make the world a better place. So she and partner Joe Dinan started Sanctuary Brewing Company, a one-of-a-kind, award-winning vegan microbrewery dedicated to good times, good deeds, and amazing beer. Through SBC, McDonald is showing the world that philanthropy and profit can go hand-in-hand. Lisa’s love for animals, humans, and the planet is palpable.
Through the vision of Lisa and Joe, Sanctuary Brewing has created a Kindness Wall at the brewery, where those in need can take seasonal clothing, umbrellas, and essentials bags filled with basic necessities. Sanctuary also hosts Help4Hendo community days where people can get free haircuts, job placement assistance, and health checks. In addition, in the three years since its opening SBC has raised more than $10,000 for environmental, social justice, and animal advocacy charities. Under the umbrella of their Kindness Empire nonprofit, Sweet Bear Rescue Farm is Lisa and Joe's latest venture, where they serve as caretaker to nearly 40 non-human residents including dogs, cats, chickens, goats, pigs, and a lovely turkey named George.
