Asheville Beer Blog

Beer Bash Tonight

2009-06-26T12:39:00.003-04:00

I've been out of town on some much needed R & R, but I am back just in time for the Beer City Bash tonight at the Orange Peel. Tickets are still available and cost only 10 dollars. Seriously, you have no excuse not to go. Bruisin' Ales has even been giving away tickets on their twitter account. If you want to read more about it, check out the article on Asheville beer in the Mountain X. Hopefully I will see you all there. I also hope to have a nice post about my latest beer travels soon.

Ticket to Ride

2009-06-05T19:27:00.003-04:00

This must be the week to get the hot ticket. First, there was the frenzy for the Beastie Boys show at the Orange Peel, and apparently I am the only one in Asheville who actually scored two tickets. But there are other hot tickets to be had this week.

The first big event coming soon is ~~my birthday~~ the Beer City Bash, a celebration of Asheville's newly designated title of Beer City U.S.A. (East). Okay, so it is happening the day before my birthday, but still, it should be a rollicking good time in celebration of me Asheville beer. The big day is June 26th with doors opening at 7:30. Ten dollars gets you two 9 ounce beers, a raffle ticket, and the pleasure of hearing three great local bands, Wilsin, Floating Action, and the fine folks who made the Beer Y'all movie, Rat Jackson. Tickets are on sale RIGHT NOW. I suggest you get them as early as possible. Be there or be square.

And if you haven't had enough of dealing with ticketing agencies this week, on Saturday morning (tomorrow), tickets for the Baseball and Beers festival will go on sale. The festival, scheduled for Saturday August 22nd, will feature over 30 brewers from throughout the southeast, and unlike Brewgrass, you get to use an actual bathroom. Again, the earlier the better if you think you want to go.

This next item has nothing to do with tickets, but there was a good writeup of the Lexington Avenue Brewery on the Asheville Now website. It looks like the LAB will be focusing on German Style beers, with a Kolsch, Pilsner, Hefeweizen, and Marzen to be among the regular taps. It sounds like it is going to be a great space and I look forward to seeing them open later this year.

I come from Alabama with a Belgian Ale on me knee

2009-05-22T18:38:00.002-04:00

So the governor of Alabama listened to the people and signed HB373, which will greatly expand the selection of beers in Alabama, and will hopefully encourage some local breweries there to experiment with some different beer styles. I know the folks down there must be pretty happy, and I am drinking a beer right now in their honor.

In other news, I went to the premiere of Beer Y'all last night, and it was a great evening. The guys who made this did a really good job of showcasing the great beer culture of North Carolina. In addition to all the great breweries featured, the film was part rockumentary, featuring the band Rat Jackson, a great bluesy rock band that I might have to check out the next time they play in Asheville. Also in attendence where many of Asheville's local beer celebrities that were featured in the film. If you missed the movie, you will get a second chance to see it this Saturday night (tomorrow) at Asheville Brewing on Coxe Avenue at 9 pm. Admission is free, and if you can't make it there you can also purchase the dvd online, or at Bruisin Ales when they get some copies of the dvd in the near future.

Free the Hops

2009-05-20T19:21:00.004-04:00

After some tireless work by a group of avid beer fans in Alabama called Free the Hops, on May 14th, the Alabama Senate passed bill HB373, which will raise the cap on the percentage of alcohol by volume from 6 percent to 13.9 percent. I ran into a few folks that came up from Alabama for the Dogfish Head Brunch on Sunday, and needless to say, they were very excited. The bill is currently sitting on the governor's desk. If the governor does not sign the bill by May 25th, it is considered a 'pocket veto' and the bill will die.

If you recall, North Carolina went through our own fight to pop the cap, and on August 13th, 2003, we went from 6 percent to 15 percent, significantly adding to the variety of beers we have available, as well as unleashing the creativity of our local brewers. Without this law, there would be no "Beer City USA" designation, no Thirsty Monk, no Pisgah Baptista, no visit from Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head (okay, I think you are catching my drift). Since that time, South Carolina has popped the cap as well, and early this year West Virginia did the same. That leaves Alabama and Mississippi as the only two states with severe limitations on alcohol content of beer.

So if you have relatives or friends in Alabama, please pass along the word for them to call or email the governor to show their support. Contact information can be found here.

Odds and Suds

2009-05-19T19:40:00.002-04:00

First of all, what a fantastic weekend of beer. The Dogfish Head Mountain Weekend was a smashing success. We had our good beer friends from Pennsylvania, Deuane and Carolyn in town, and we hit up all three Dogfish events. Sam Calagione from Dogfish arrived a little late to the first tasting because of an airline hiccup, but he was nice and generous, and went out of his way to speak to everyone who was there. The following night was the Pint Night at the Thirsty Monk, which had an excellent turnout along with some rare treats from Dogfish Head on tap. The weekend wrapped up with one of the best meals I have ever had. Adam Bannasch, head chef of Zambra, created a wonderful set of dishes that matched really well with the dogfish beers. From the light shrimp salad paired with Red and White, to the tenderloin with microgreens and rabbit gravy over a biscuit paired with the 90 minute IPA, the meal was exquisite. I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first official beer dinner, but it will not be my last. Overall it was a great weekend and Sam really seemed to enjoy Asheville, and he was a great storyteller as well during the brunch, giving us some inside details on each beer that was being served.

Of course the beer fun never stops in Asheville, and this Thursday at Asheville Pizza and Brewing on Merrimon is the world premiere of the documentary, Beer Y'all. Beer Y'all is a rock and roll and beer adventure that spans 27 breweries across North Carolina, and I am sure that a few of those breweries will be familiar to us. Advance tickets for the 9 pm showing are being sold at Bruisin' Ales, the Weinhaus, Hops and Vines, and Asheville Pizza and Brewing. It should be a nice celebration of the growing craft brew scene in North Carolina.

As for other events, it looks like Asheville is getting another beer festival. Baseball and Beers will be held by the Asheville Tourists on August 22nd, featuring 30 beer vendors as well as food and music. There won't be a baseball game, but you will get free admission to a Tourists game with the purchase of a ticket to the festival. Tickets go on sale on June 6th, and start at 20 dollars. I hope this is the start of a yearly tradition. The Tourists have done a great job this year of featuring local craft brews on tap, as well as conducting 'beer races' for games that happen Thursday-Saturday. I may have to get in shape to participate.

And lastly, a I just wanted to point out a couple of mentions of Asheville beer. Pisgah Brewing's Solstice won a blind tasting of Belgian style Tripels back in February in Brooklyn. The tasting was sponsered by Ale Street News, and Pisgah faced some stiff competition and came out on top. Also, Asheville Pizza and Brewing got a nod from the travel website Matador Trips as one fo the top 20 Microbreweries in America. Congratulations to both breweries on getting some love.

American Craft Beer Week

2009-05-12T22:48:00.002-04:00

This week, from May 11-17 is American Craft Brew Week. It is organized by the Brewer's Association for people to declare their 'independence' by supporting breweries that produce less than 2 million barrels of beer a year (that pretty much covers everything but the big three, which aren't even American owned anyway). You may be asking yourself, "Self, what can I do to celebrate this most wonderful week?". Well I have gathered a few ideas for you.

Wednesday night at the Thirsty Monk, there will be a Duck Rabbit pint night. Buy a Duck Rabbit beer and keep the pint. That's a pretty nifty deal if you ask me. It has gotten to the point where the only glassware I use at home are pint glasses, but another one never hurts. The following night on Thursday, the Monk will be featuring Duck Rabbit again, only this time it is a cask ale. No pint to take home, but this will probably be the only appearance of their Coffee Stout, a limited release beer not available in bottles. The Monk has been featuring a Cask Ale every Thursday night, and it is definitely worth checking out.

Care to hear some music while you sip your pint? Why not swing by the tasting room for either French Broad Brewery or Pisgah Brewing. French Broad will be featuring local acts Utah Green on Thursday, Dave Desmelik on Friday, and Nikki Talley on Saturday. Or you can head east to Pisgah's tasting room, which has been hosting music for quite awhile now. Thursday night at Pisgah features the Pitch Slickers at 6 pm, followed by Soul Night with Cardeli, which ought to get your booty shaking. Chalwa, a local reggae band, will play at Pisgah on Friday night. Music + cold beer = happiness.

If you are feeling charitable, head on over to Craggie Brewing on Hillard Avenue on Saturday from 2 pm to 7 pm, but don't come empty handed. They are sponsoring a food drive for Manna Food Bank, so bring a couple of non-perishable items to the tasting. Five different beers will be available for sampling.

And of course, the real big event this week is the arrival of Sam Calagione, founder and President of Dogfish Head Brewing Company. Sam is highly regarded in the beer world, and is the author of several books as well as playing the part of beer ambassador to those who have not been converted. The fact that he is coming to Asheville shows that we are definitely on the national map as far as beer (have I mentioned that Asheville is Beer City USA?). The events begin on Friday with two beer tastings at Bruisin' Ales, but you must have tickets for them and they are sold out. Also sold out is the Dogfish Head Brunch at Zambra that is scheduled on Sunday. But fear not, for you can have your chance to see Sam as well as sample some of Dogfish's beer at the Thirsty Monk on Saturday, starting at 7 pm. The tasting menu is terrific, and includes the Burton Baton, the Midas Touch, the Immort Ale (yum), and the Red and White. I suggest heading over there early, and I suspect it will be a crowded event.

Well, if you can't find something to do for American Craft Beer Week, you have no one to blame but yourself. Happy drinking.

We Are The Champions

2009-05-10T18:59:00.004-04:00

So the results of the Beer City USA poll are in, and we are tied with Portland for the country's favorite beer city. I think that is a great result, and Asheville should be proud to be tied with Portland, a great beer city in its own right. I think one of the things that makes Asheville's beer scene so unique is the emphasis that this town has on eating and drinking local. It is amazing that a town of our size can support so many breweries. In addition to our great local beer, Asheville has proven that they like beers from all over the world, as evidenced by the success of such local businesses as Bruisin Ales and the Thirsty Monk. So raise a glass to us and to Portland, and I look forward to celebrating with y'all at the Orange Peel.

In honor of our victory, I wrote a little verse, sung to the tune of "We Are The Champions". If you want me to pen the rest of the song, please send a donation.

We've drank our beer
Pint after pint
We voted all day
And into the night
The voting was close
But we came through
We've had our share of ales and lagers
And we drank quite a few

We are the champions – and Portland
And we'll keep on drinking - till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the beer

Beer Wars Part Two

2009-05-07T18:53:00.004-04:00

First of all, a quick hello. The last couple months have not been easy on me, but I'm still here and I still love beer. I also have begun to use internal rhyme every time I write a sentence. Okay, so that last part is not true, and I hope that no one has caught the swine flu. Somebody stop me please.

I just wanted to make a quick comment on the ongoing beer war that we have been embroiled in over the last few weeks. No, I am not talking about the Beer Wars movie that premiered last month that I was unfortunately out of town for and was not able to attend. I am referring to the recently closed poll by Charlie Papazian, writer for Examiner.com among many other superlatives that can be said about him (he is a deity in the homebrewing community). The poll is for "Favorite Beer City U.S.A.", and if you haven't heard about it, I suggest you check your internet connection. It has been featured on the Citizen Times website, blogged about by my good friends at Bruisin' Ales, tweeted by the Mountain Express (did I just use the word tweeted?), and I have received two emails at work about it. So, needless to say, I don't feel that my lack of a blog post hurt Asheville's chances any.

I was certainly thinking about making a post, and I was trying to come up with some insults that I could hurl at Portland (the comments on the poll at Examiner.com have devolved over the past day or so), but the truth is that Portland and Asheville are both great Beer Cities, and equally worthy of the crown. I spent a few days in Portland a few years back, and honestly, I have nothing but praise for the beer culture in that town. Portland reminded me of a bigger Asheville, and if I ever move out west it would be high on my list of places to live. And the beer is great. You can go to the grittiest dive bar and still be able to enjoy some great craft beer. Asheville thankfully has gotten to this point as well, as you will be hard pressed to find a place where you can't have at least a Highland Gaelic Ale. So, as we await the results of this poll while the casualities mount on both sides of this fierce war, I hope that the survivors can raise a glass to each from opposite sides of the country. We should also be proud that Asheville can be mentioned in the same breath as more established "beer cities". We've come a long way, baby.

One last note. On the Mountain Xpress Tweet and the Bruisin' Ales blog, it has been mentioned that the Orange Peel will donate space for a celebration of our local breweries if Asheville wins the poll. It is my opinion that we have already 'won', and I would hope that the Peel could host a celebration regardless of the outcome of the poll.

I Lobster and Never Flounder

2009-03-08T11:23:00.004-04:00

They have been selling their own beer for nearly a month now, but this coming Wednesday the Lobster Trap will be celebrating the official opening of their Oyster House Brewery. There will be beer specials, 50 cent mussels and oysters (yum), along with music and door prizes. If you haven't been out there to try it already, March 11th will be a perfect night to sample Asheville's newest and smallest brewery, including the much talked about Moonstone Oyster Stout.

Around Town

2009-02-26T18:49:00.005-05:00

Long time no post. Hope everyone is enjoying the last really cold month. I can't tell you how excited I am about the approach of Spring. Its not that the winter has been that bad, but there is nothing like a cold beer in the warm sun. We'll be there soon.

You should already know by now that Brewgrass tickets are on sale. I have heard that over a thousand tickets have already been sold. If you have any interest in going, now is the time to get tickets, and I would not be surprised to see them sell out before the first dogwood blooms. No bands have been announced, but who goes to Brewgrass for the music?

The second annual Highland Cup is right around the corner. If you are a homebrewer, you better get to fermenting. Entries for this years 2009 Homebrew competition are due by March 21st. If you would rather show off your excellent pallette instead of brewing, they are also looking for judges for this years event. All the info can be found here.

If you need to look to see how far homebrewing can take you, look no further than French Broad's Drew Barton. Drew was recently featured as the first brewer on the Know Your Brewer (North Carolina) website. I suggest hopping on over there and checking out the interview.

Speaking of hops (nice segue, right?), one of my all time favorite hoppy beers is currently on tap at the Thirsty Monk. Hop Slam from Bells Brewery is a hop lovers dream, and only comes out once a year. Of course, the Hop Slam isn't the only reason to visit the Monk. Things are heating up in the kitchen, and the past couple of Thursdays, the Monk has been giving out free samples of some of the possible menu items. If you want to try out a full dinner, the Monk will be having a special three course meal commerating the arrival of New Belgium beers to Asheville on March 9th. The beer dinner will be forty dollars and tickets are on sale at the Thirsty Monk website. Later in the month on March 25th, the Monk will have a special pint night featuring Terrapin Brewing's secret stash. There will be three limited beers on draft and a cask ale. All in all, it should be a good month to visit the Monk.

Winter Warmer Wrapup

2009-01-28T19:51:00.002-05:00

The Winter Warmer this year was a blast. The folks at Asheville Bruise Cruise should be commended for putting on such an excellent event. They thought of everything, right down to having a coat check. I really appreciated having a festival that showcases all the great local and regional beers that are available to us.

Some of the highlights included a barrel aged Milk Stout from Duck Rabbit Brewing (I just love barrel aged beers). The oaky vanilla aftertaste really elevated what was already a good beer. Another pleasant sent surprise was from Triangle Brewing Company out of Durham, who brought two casks to drink from. One was a Raspberry Coffee Chocolate Imperial Stout (that is a mouthful), and the other was their Extra Pale Ale flavored with Habenero. The Pale Ale was quite a treat, and the heat from the peppers was just enough to give it a distinctive bite without it being too overpowering. I can only imagine how good that beer must be with some grilled meat. The local breweries also had some great beers. French Broad had a Belgian Stout, Pisgah brought their popular Valdez Coffee Stout, and I got to have a taste of the Wedge Super Saison from the bottle (this is a must purchase for local beer fans). All in all, a great day to drink beer.

Early in the session, I noticed a brewery I had never heard of pouring beer from large gallon glass jugs. The Oyster House Brewery will be Asheville's newest brewery as they should be pouring beer at the Lobster Trap in the next few weeks. They have a really small brew system and will only be pouring at the Trap from my understanding, but I hope to learn more and have a separate writeup on them in the near future. With Craggie and Lexington Avenue Brewery opening this year, this will make 10 breweries in Buncombe County (11 if you count the two breweries associated with Asheville Brewing).

Speaking of Craggie Brewing, if you haven't had a chance to try them out yet, they are having a tasting on Tuesday, February 3rd starting at 5:30. Be there or be square.

Odds and Suds

2009-01-22T22:00:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately. If my life were just drinking beer, I would post every other day. Let me take a moment to think about a life that just involves drinking beer...........

Okay, done. Friday, January 23rd marks the one year anniversary of the opening of the Thirsty Monk. I can recall how excited I was that a Belgian beer bar was opening in Asheville, and I can say in hindsight that I have not been disappointed. To be honest, part of me was worried that we might not be able to support a beer bar that was strictly devoted to Belgian styles, but thankfully I was wrong. Shame on me for underestimating Asheville's thirst for great beer. In a years time, the Thirsty Monk has thrived and expanded upstairs to include some great American craft beers in addition to their fine Belgian selection. Hopefully y'all can get a chance to stop by on Friday night to help them celebrate their Anniversary, and they will be featuring beer specials and giveaways. If you can't make it tomorrow night, you might want to swing by on February 4th for a very special pint night featuring a cask version of the Highland Black Mountain Bitter.

I hope everyone got tickets for this year's Winter Warmer Beer Festival, which is happening Saturday afternoon at the Haywood Park Hotel ballroom in downtown Asheville. I checked for tickets two days ago and they were still available, and I had every intention of giving everyone a last minute heads up, but alas, tickets are sold out. I will be there with figurative bells on, so I hope to see everyone there.

On February 5th, the fine folks at Bruisin' Ales are having a mead tasting from a local meadery, Fox Hill Mead. I'll be honest, I have had very few meads but I am looking forward to trying a couple out, and that fact that they are local just makes it even more appealing. Hopefully I can get educated a bit more about meads. I also think this should count towards the number of Asheville breweries, which keeps growing every year it seems.

Speaking of new Asheville breweries, the Mountain Express just ran an article highlighting one of our local music studios, Echo Mountian, and their ties to what will be Asheville's newest brewery, the Lexington Avenue Brewery. It looks like they might be opening later in the spring, with an IPA, a white ale, a stout, a pilsner, and a marzen among others. I am excited to see a couple lagers in the mix, and am looking forward to trying all their wares in the near future. The brewer for LAB will be Ben Pierson, a former brewer at Green Man who will be making his return to the Asheville brewing scene. Come to think of it, this will be the third brewery that will have featured a former Green Man brewer (Extra points for the person who can name the other two).

That is all for now. Hope to be back with a post game report on the Winter Beer Fest next week.

Winter Beer Bash

2008-12-30T20:24:00.005-05:00

Soon the holidays will be over. We will wake up on January 1st, possibly with a slight hangover, and we will look at the long winter ahead. But have no fear, the perfect antidote for the winter blues is happening in just a few weeks. Mark your calenders for the Second Annual Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival on Saturday January 24th. If you missed the first one, it was an excellent event, chronicled in this post by yours truly. It was a great showcase of local beer, food and musical talents, organized by the fine folks at the Asheville Brews Cruise. This years version promises to be bigger and better than ever. The beer lineup has expanded beyond the mountains of Western North Carolina, and will include several beers from North Carolina including Foothills Brewery, Duck Rabbit, and Triangle Brewing, in addition to all our local brewers (with Wedge and Craggie making appearences this year). Tennessee is also getting into the act with Yazoo Brewing Company out of Nashville planning to be in attendance. In order to make room for more people and more beer, the location for this year's fest will be at the Haywood Park Hotel Ballroom, located just behind the Bier Garden. I think the downtown location will make this an even better fest than last year. Food will again be provided by local lovers of smoked meat, Luella's Barbecue.

If the food and beer isn't enough, (and it should be), local musicians Woody Wood and Brushfire Stankgrass will be providing some great tunes for everybody. Tickets are currently on sale, so be sure to head over to the website and order them early in case the event sells out.

Beer of the Moment - Hook Norton Twelve Days

2008-11-29T18:00:00.002-05:00

One of the things I love about beer is that every beer and brewery has a story, and sometimes the story is as interesting as the beer itself. That is the case with the Hook Norton Brewery, located in Oxfordshire County, England. The brewery is one of the last remaining Victorian 'tower breweries' and they have been brewing at the site since 1849. Even more interesting, the brewery still employs the use of a steam engine that has been running for almost 110 years. It is believed to be the oldest running steam engine in England that is still used for its original purpose. And if that is not enough history and charm, they also have shire horses that deliver the beer in the local area. If I were visiting England, this would be high on my list of places to visit. For more info, see their wiki page, or this blog.

Obviously there is a reason for all of this talk about a historic brewery in England. They have released a special holiday beer, the Twelve Days. I'll be honest, I haven't been drinking a lot of English beers in the past few years. While I cut my teeth on beers like Samuel Smiths and Fullers, I have tended towards drinking more brash American beers, or funky Belgians. I really need to go back across the pond to sample a few more beers from this storied beer country. The Twelve Days is a dark English bitter, and it really shines with a toasted, nutty malt flavor that dominates the beer. As stated on the website, this beer would go excellent with some nutty cheeses. The Twelve Days would be considered mild by American standards, but it is delicious none the less. England has a long tradition of doing special beers for Christmas, and I hope to try a few more during the holiday season.

Beer of the Moment - Olfabrikken Kloster Jule

2008-11-25T17:00:00.003-05:00

This is the first of what I hope will be several beer of the moments devoted to special holiday releases. First up is the Kloster Jule from Olfabrikken, a small brewery in Roskilde, Denmark. The brewery was started in 2003 by a couple of Danish friends who had a passion for strongly flavored unpasteurized beers. There was some concern in the beer world when Olfabrikken was purchased by Gourmetbryggeriet early this year, but judging by the taste of this beer, I think some of the concerns can be laid to rest.

The Kloster Jule is a belgian strong ale, that includes an addition of Danish sour cherries, candy sugar and licorice root. It is everything a great Christmas beer should be. The 9.5 percent alcohol gives it some warmth, the cherries add some tartness, and the malt gives off some nice chocolate notes. The smell and the taste are wonderful, and would be a great addition to the holiday meal table, or as an after dinner drink.

Tis the Season

2008-11-24T19:02:00.002-05:00

If you haven't picked up a bottle or three of the Highland Cold Mountain, you may be out of luck. I have heard sales have been strong, and several places are out. If you can't find a bottle, you can always go out and have it on tap. I have seen it at Barley's, Jack of the Wood and the Thirsty Monk. Speaking of the Monk, on Wednesday evening they are featuring the Cold Mountain Ale for their pint night, and you will get a chance to meet the brewer and take home a glass.

In other local beer news, Jack of the Wood had a Russian Imperial Stout on tap, a perfect beer to take the chill off the unusually cold weather this fall. Later in the season, Wedge Brewing will also be featuring an Imperial Stout, as well as a dopplebock. Sometime in December we should also see the annual release of Pisgah's Baptista, which is always a treat.

In celebration of the coming holiday season, I am hoping to do a few special 'Beer of the Moments' that will feature some holiday beers from around the world that I picked up at Bruisin' Ales. Of course, don't hold me to it.

On Tap - Wedge Brewing

2008-11-15T17:07:00.004-05:00

Lets say you have a dilemma. You and a group of friends want to go out for a beer. One friend chimes in that he likes lagers. Another says, oh I like dark beers. A third person claims his or her love of belgians. And you, loyal reader, like to drink locally made beer. Well, Wedge brewing can easily solve your problem. They currently have eight beers on tap. Two belgians, two dark beers, two lagers, and a pale ale and an IPA. You can't get much more variety than that.

One of the newer beers on tap at the Wedge is the Oatmeal Stout. The oatmeal gives the stout a bit of chewiness in the mouthfeel, and the beer is being run on a nitrous tap, giving it a Guinness like creaminess, although with more flavor than the ubiquitous Irish brew. This is a great beer to have as the weather gets cooler.

If stouts aren't your thing, then maybe a nice crisp lager will do the trick. The Helles Bock has been available for a couple of months now, and it has a nice caramel malt taste, making it a little more complex than your typical lager.

One of the belgians that Wedge has available is the Abbey Ale. The Abbey is a Belgian Dubbel, and the highlight of this style is the sweet malt character. The yeast for this beer also comes into play, giving the beer some fruitiness. This is a highly drinkable belgian style ale.

Other beers on tap at the Wedge include the Payne's Pale Ale, the Iron Rail IPA, the Community Porter, the Zatec Pilsner, and the Golem. Each beer is distinctive, and I am sure that you shouldn't have any trouble finding one that suits your taste.

Around Town

2008-11-11T15:23:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since my last post, but that doesn't mean that there isn't some good beer to drink around town.

Barley's has a unique brew from Brooklyn on tap upstairs. The Flemish Gold is a saison style beer that pours with a golden color, and has some nice spiciness to complement the overall sweet taste. This is a limited beer from their Brewmasters Reserve series, and only select locations from around the country are given a chance to sample it. Downstairs, Barleys features the return of the Red Devil from Pisgah, an 8 percent beer based on their Solstice, but with the addition of a ton of raspberries and cherries.

The Red Devil can also be found at the Thirsty Monk, in addition to another unique Pisgah brew. The Dancing Hobo has been in the making for over a year, and the folks at Pisgah threw everything at it. It is a whopping 13.5 percent, and has raspberries, orange and spices, and was aged with oak chips and fermented with a champagne yeast. The description even says that it was a kitchen sink beer, and it is defintely worth trying out this one time offering. Another good beer on tap at the Thirsty Monk is the Bell's Expedition Stout, a smooth, creamy imperial stout with some lovely roasted malt flavors, this is one of my favorite imperial stouts.

Bruisin' Ales has been able to land a great new brewery out of Florida. Saint Somewhere is located in Tarpon Springs, and they brew two belgian style beers that I have had the chance to try on my visits to my parents. They are both good, but in particular I like the Athene, which is an interesting twist on the saison style, with a flavor the reminds me of fresh apples.

And finally, be on the lookout for the Highland Cold Mountain Ale, which should be making its way into stores very soon.

And the medal goes to.....

2008-10-11T19:13:00.003-04:00

For 27 years, brewers and beer lovers have invaded Colorado to attend the Great American Beer Festival, which is part competition and part festival. This year, there was only one winner from North Carolina, and it just so happens to come from a brewery in Asheville. Highland brewing took the silver medal in the American Stout category, for their wonderful Black Mocha Stout. To my knowledge, this is the first medal for Highland Brewing, and also the first medal for an Asheville brewed beer at the event. The Black Mocha Stout was previously awarded a silver medal at the World Beer Cup in 2006. Congratulations to Highland Brewing, and you can celebrate with them by picking up a six pack yourself, or by picking up an Imperial Black Mocha Stout from the brewery or from Bruisin' Ales.

New Kids on the Block

2008-10-01T23:37:00.000-04:00

I finally got a chance to meet the folks behind Asheville's latest brewery, Craggie Brewing Company last night at the Michael Jackson toast at the Thirsty Monk. They were nice enough to bring along some of their Belgian Nut Brown for folks to sample. Their philosophy on beer is refreshing, as they are brewing flavorful beers with a lower alcohol content. They hit the mark with the Belgian Nut Brown, which clocked in at around 4.5 percent. These session beers are meant to be drunk socially over the course of an evening, with the lower alcohol content allowing you to extend your night with friends, or to drive home if you only have a couple. Craggie is out to prove that lower alcohol does not have to mean less flavor.

Speaking of flavors, the menu of beers that Craggie is making reminds one of a trip to the farmers market. A strawberry porter, a maple blueberry porter, an India pumpkin ale (made with pumpkin, not spices), a civil war era recipe beer with molasses and pine needles. Quite a varied list, and they do brew some 'normal' beers as well, such as an English style golden ale. Craggie just received their brewery permits, so they are one step closer to officially opening, which probably won't be until early spring of next year. But if you want a chance to try them out before then, feel free to stop by for a tasting on October 14th from 5:30-11:30, which gives you plenty of time to check out Asheville's newest brewery. The new brewery is located at 197 Hilliard Street in downtown, between Asheland and Coxe avenues.

Festival Time

2008-09-30T18:00:00.005-04:00

Did you miss Brewgrass this year? Or if you went, did you leave thinking to yourself that you need to get to another festival? Well don't worry, there are several festivals happening in the region over the next month to whet your beer appetite. Personally, I love beer festivals. They are a great chance to try a number of beers without having to buy a six pack or a pint, and often times there are special releases or out of state beers that you can't get here in Asheville.

This Saturday is the World Beer Festival in Durham. Unfortunately tickets are already sold out for this event, but you could get lucky if you try craigslist. This is the 13th annual WBF, and it is the largest and longest running beer festival in North Carolina. The festival is held at the historic Durham Bulls baseball field (except for this year where it is being held at the new Durham Bulls Field) and obviously emphasizes both local and international beer. We will be in attendance for the second year in a row.

A week after that on October 11th is the Knoxville Brewers' Jam in Knoxville, Tennessee. Just a short two hour drive away, the festival will feature many of the same brewers that were at Brewgrass, along with a few foreign beers as well. In addition to the beer, a variety of different bands will be playing throughout the day. Tickets are available.

If you don't mind driving a little bit further, the next week features the Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival in Decatur, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. Again, music and beer are part of the fun, and you get a chance to see the burgeoning beer culture of Atlanta. The festival is sponsored by the Brick Store Pub, one of my favorite bars, and it is located adjacent to the festival grounds. The date is October 18th and tickets are on sale.

Just as the last leaves are falling to the ground, a trip to the High Country would be quite nice, especially if there is a beer festival involved. The first annual High Country Beer Fest is on November 1st, and is being held at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in Boone, North Carolina. In lieu of music, the festival will be having educational seminars on a variety of beer topics. Another interesting aspect to this festival is being able to sample some homebrewed beers in addition to beers from commercial brewers. There is also a beer dinner in Blowing Rock that evening. Again, tickets are on currently on sale.

Be safe in your beer travels, and let me know if you attended any of these events. I would love to hear what they are like (I can't go to every festival).

Raise Your Glass

2008-09-29T10:00:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow evening (September 30th), the Thirsty Monk is hosting the second annual Michael Jackson Tribute Toast. Jackson succumbed to Parkinson's Disease on August 30, 2007, and his legacy can be seen in places like the Thirsty Monk, which showcases many of the Belgian beers that Jackson introduced to beer lovers all over the world. It wasn't just Belgian beers that Jackson was so passionate about, it was all beer, and the way that beer and culture are so intertwined. From the lagers of Germany to the ales of England, Jackson recognized the importance of beer as being a part of the cultural history of the area in which they are brewed. It is not an exaggeration to say that Jackson is mostly responsible for the beer renaissance that has been occurring over the past 20 years. I highly recommend that you seek out some of his books or his television show, the Beer Hunter.

The festivities at the Thirsty Monk start at 6 p.m., and they will include Highland's first ever cask conditioned ale to be sold to the public. Highland is bringing a Kashmir IPA that has been dry hopped with Cascade hops. All the taps upstairs will be from the area, in following with Michael Jackson's preference for drinking beer that is locally made. At 7 p.m. will be the official toast by Asheville's resident beer scribe, Tony Kiss. Proceeds from the event will go to National Parkinson Foundation.

Another Brewgrass Blast

2008-09-25T22:35:00.005-04:00

Another Brewgrass has come and gone. I am always amazed at how quickly the day goes by. This is certainly my favorite beer festival, mainly because I get a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. One of the new friends I made is Anne Fitten Glenn, aka Edgy Mama, a local writer, blogger and beer lover (that is me and her in the picture, taken by her husband Drew). I also had a great time hanging with the local brew crew as well as some friends from Pennsylvania and Alabama. It was a perfect day and I am sorry that it had to come to an end.

So, how was the beer you ask? There was plenty of good beer to be had, and a few standouts that I will mention. Blue Ridge Brewing out of Greenville, South Carolina again impressed me. They brought a Black Honey Imperial Elixir Stout. Elixir is a good word to describe it, as the sweet honey really matched well with the roasted malts of the stout. If you have any gas and happen to be heading down to Greenville, be sure to check them out. It also turns out that there is some good beer to be had in Greenville, North Carolina as well. T.L. Adkisson is an award winning brewer that is doing some great things in the flatlands of North Carolina. His Double Peg Leg Pale Ale was one of my favorites, with a nice balance of hops and sweet malts. Its too bad that his beer can only be had at Hams Restaurant and Brewhouse in Greenville. Heading back to the other Carolina, Coast Brewing in South Carolina also brought some good beers, in particular their Rye Knot Brown. I am not usually a huge fan of Brown ales, but the addition of Rye really gave this beer some added depth. An interesting side note is that Pisgah's own Dave Quinn used to pester the current brewer of Coast, David Merritt, when he was a brewer at the now defunct Palmetto Brewery in Charleston. Coincidentally, Coast Brewing is also an organic brewery, just like Pisgah.

The locals also had some great beer flowing. Green Man featured their Imperial Stout which has made its second appearance, just in time for the cooler weather. French Broad also featured a Rye beer, the Rye Hopper, another brown ale with rye and some spicy hops to match. And of course there was the Highland Imperial Black Mocha Stout, which was a big hit at the festival. I was told that the beer would only be available at the brewery, but do not be surprised if it shows up in stores in a few weeks.

Again, it was such a wonderful day and I am already looking forward to next year's festival. Kudos goes out to Doug Beatty, who always puts on a great festival.

Countdown to Brewgrass

2008-09-19T10:53:00.003-04:00

Well, its that time of year again. Tomorrow, 3500 beer lovers will descend on downtown Asheville for the 12th annual Brewgrass Festival. Tickets have been sold out for months, and if you don't have one, you are out of luck. There are two things that you can do though. First, check out craigslist, and hope that someone is selling a ticket at face value instead of scalping it for a hundred dollars a ticket. The other thing you can do is to show up at Martin Luther King Jr. Park about an hour early and see if anyone will be selling tickets. Every year I see a few people who are tyring to sell their extra tickets, so you might get lucky. I wish you luck in your search.

For a great writeup on what the local brewers are doing for Brewgrass, check out Anne Fitten Glenn's excellent write up in the Mountain Express (Anne is also known as the blogger Edgy Mama). Perhaps the most anticipated beer at Brewgrass will be Highland Brewing's Imperial Black Mocha Stout. This is the third year that Highland has introduced an Imperial version of one of their beers, and I think this year may be the best yet. Be sure to hit the Highland tent early, as they will likely run out of the Imperial Stout before the end of the day. As a matter of fact, it is a good idea to figure out what special beers that the breweries are offering and drink them early in the day. The good thing about the Imperial Black Mocha Stout is that you will be able to pick some up on Sunday. Highland is once again be selling their special beer at the brewery from noon to 3 pm.

The weather for tomorrow's festival should be perfect, with a forecasted high of 73 and no rain in sight. We'll hopefully see you there, and I will post a writeup of the festival early next week.

Things are Brewing in the High Country

2008-08-11T21:11:00.003-04:00

Well, Brewgrass won't be the only beer festival in Western North Carolina this fall. Our friends in Boone are organizing the first annual High Country Beer Fest. It is actually two events in one day, the first being the traditional beer festival in Boone and the second being a beer and food event in Blowing Rock later that evening. The only downer is that unless you have a designated driver, it will be hard to attend both events. The festival itself will be held at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center, which would be perfect for an overnight stay. The festivities begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday November 1st, and will include not only craft brews but also samples from local and regional home brew clubs (something I wish could be incorporated into Brewgrass).

Not only is Boone hosting a beer festival, they are also home to North Carolina's newest brewery, the Boone Brewing Company. BBC's first beer is the Blowing Rock Ale, a pale ale that is more English in style with the malt taste being more prominent than the hops. For now, the beer is being contract brewed by Lion Brewing in Wilkes-Barre, Pennslyvania, and you can read all about the new brewery here.

And last but not least, speaking of new breweries, the Ashvegas blog has uncovered a potential new brewery here in Asheville. TanBarkRidge Brewery LLC has been recently incorporated, and is headed by John Parks. I have not heard a thing about this new venture, so if anyone out there has any info, please send it my way. It does make you wonder at what point the Asheville beer scene will hit a saturation point.