Still basking in the success that was bottled Sexual Chocolate, Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem picked-up two medals at the World Beer Cup last week. Foothills brought home the Gold for their People’s Porter (Robust Porter category) and a Silver for Total Eclipse Stout (American Style Stout category).

Ham’s Brewhouse and Restaurant in Greenville won Bronze for their Peg Leg Pale Ale (America Style Strong Pale Ale category).

Congrats! View the full list here.

Congrats, Aaron!
Aaron Schenk, one of Asheville’s most awesome home brewers, won the Highland Cup with his Cream Ale. His beer will be brewed by Highland Brewing Co. and he gets an all-expenses paid trip to the GABF. Way to go!

Asheville Beer Blog returns
He’s back! And he reports that Green Man’s Abbey Ale is ready and on tap. This is a Chimay Grand Reserve clone and when we had it out of the tank even a month ago, it was delicious. Go get some at Dirty Jack’s.

Sam Adams bottle recall
If you’ve got any Sam Adams at home, check the bottles. If you see an N35 on embossed on the bottom, take it back to where you got it or throw it out. There could be fragments of glass in the bottle. There have been no reports of injury so far.

Ararat picked-up SBS Imports
Thank god! We have been waiting for this news. SBS handles all the special collaborations for the De Proef Brewmaster’s Series that started with the Tomme Arthur & Dirk Naudt’s Signature Ale. The next one we’re looking forward to is the Allagash/De Proef brew. It will be available through the Michael Jackson Rare Beer Club and in the market by next fall/winter.

Vote for Highland in the AJC’s March Madness beer bracket
Highland Brewing Co. needs your help. Our friend, Bob, over at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution put together an East Coast and West Coast bracket. Highland didn’t make the Elite Eight, but they can still win the popular vote. Go vote for Gaelic. [Source: AJC.com]

Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway having a planting weekend
Next Saturday, April 5, Friends needs volunteers to help plant saplings at milepost 383.4. This ViewShed Planting will run from 8:00am-2:00pm. Click here to get the Volunteer form.

Dubai’s Crowne Plaza opens the Belgian Beer Café
Odd choice of location (seemingly) to try this experiment, but then again, perhaps not. The hot spot of the United Arab Emirates and one of the richest places on earth, Dubai City gets a taste of Belgium.
[Source: 7days.ae]

UK Treasury Chief banned from pubs across the UK
What happens when you raise beer taxes? Alistair Darling has found out. British pub owners ban you and you can’t go anywhere for a beer. Those Brits are so feisty. [Source: MSNBC.com]

Oh, sonny
Governor Sonny Purdue of Georgia is against Sunday beer sales because “allowing beer sales will make Sundays more dangerous in Georgia.” He submitted an op-ed on his stance to newspapers throughout the state that should be published soon. [Source: wdef.com]

Where o’ where is Asheville Beer Blog
We’re calling out Kilgore Trout over at the ABB. Slacker. He’s not posted a lick of news since March 5! It must have been that multiple posting day—poor feller got all tuckered out. We’re on to you, Kilgore. Oh, and we’re kidding.

Homebrewers celebrate! Highland Brewing Co. is sponsoring the very first ever Highland Cup. Basically, similar to Sam Adams LongShot Contest, Highland will be holding a contest in which the winner of “Best in Show” will be sent to the Great American Beer Festival and even better—have their beer brewed commercially by Highland.

The “Best Of Show” winner will be brewed (under the homebrewer’s strict supervision) at our facility and distributed and sold commercially by Highland. The winning brewer will also earn a trip to the 27th annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver with Highland Brewing in October.

The Brooklyn Brewmaster’s Reserve series will be available in Asheville throughout 2008 at Barley’s Taproom. Make sure to check the board downstairs! Incidentally, our local Barley’s was named #5 Best Beer Restaurant in the World by RateBeer Best 2008. (Our neighbors at the Mellow Mushroom came in #15, too.) Whoo!

Brooklyn Extra Brune (Jan/Feb)
Belgian Abbey beer traditionally flavored with Belgian dark candy sugar syrup. [9.0%abv]

Brooklynator Doppelbock (March/April)
Classic German-style Doppelbock brewed from heirloom variety German malts. [7.0%abv]

Brooklyner Keller Helles (May/June)
Unfiltered golden Helles-style lager, fresh and hoppy. [5.0%abv]

Brooklyn Grand Cru (July/August)
A Belgian-inspired strong pale combining the best qualities of tripel and witbier—bright, refreshing, and lightly flavored with summery botanicals. [8.5%abv]

Brooklyn Flemish Gold (Sept/Oct)
A dry, hoppy golden ale fermented with Belgian ale yeast and a hint of wild Brettanomyces yeast. [6.5%abv]

Brooklyn Savoir Faire (Nov/Dec)
Classic earthy French-style Biere de Garde. [8.0%abv]