If you’re road tripping to Asheville, North Carolina, later this month, you will want to buy tickets to the official grand opening celebration of Highland Brewing Company’s new tasting room.

Road Trips for Beer visited Highland last summer when the tasting room was under construction, and we can testify that it will be worth the visit. Situated in the space next to the brewing operations, the tasting room encompasses 12,000 square feet and includes a pilot brewery operation behind glass walls.

The grand opening will be Saturday, January 29, 2001, beginning at 7 p.m. and will feature music by Oteil Burbridge and The Lee Boys. Here’s how Asheville Brewing describes their music:

Oteil Burbridge is best known as bass player for the Allman Brothers band and founding member of the Aquarium Rescue Unit.  Oteil’s sound is very funky and soulful. Groups such as Karl Denson, James Brown, Herbie Hancock, Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks Band, Gov’t Mule, Soul Live, Medieski Martin and Wood and Victor Wooten are all like minded fans.

The Lee Boys are in the same vein as the Allman Brothers, North Mississippi All-Stars, Black Crowe’s, Robert Randolph, Dereck Trucks and Gov’t Mule.

The Lee Boys are one of America’s finest African-American sacred steel ensembles. This family group consists of three brothers, Alvin Lee (guitar), Derrick Lee and Keith Lee (vocals) along with their three nephews, Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel guitar), Alvin Cordy Jr. (7-string bass) and Earl Walker (drums). Each member began making music at the ages of 7 and 8 in the House of God church they attended in Perrine, FL. Here they underwent a rigorous course of training in a variety of musical instruments, including lap and pedal steel guitars. Born and raised in Miami, each of The Lee Boys grew up in the church where their father and grandfather, Rev. Robert E. Lee, was the pastor and a steel player himself.

“Sacred steel” is a type of music described as an inspired, unique form of Gospel music with a hard-driving, blues-based beat. The musical genre is rooted in Gospel, but infused with rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, country and ideas from other nations.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Of course there will be plenty of tasty Highland beers on tap.

The event will also launch new hours for the tasting room, which was only open on Fridays. It will now be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, beginning February 3.

For more information or tickets, go to www.highlandbrewing.com.