If you were following us on Twitter over the weekend, you probably noticed we weren’t at Bele Chere. In true Bruisin’ Ales last-minute fashion, Jason & I decided to hit the road across the state, chasing down some beers at breweries we’ve never visited (shamefully). Leaving the store in the able hands of Mike and Craig, the bosses took to the highway for a 4-day North Carolina beer adventure. We didn’t see everyone or everything we wanted to, but we did cram a bunch of sites into a whirlwind trip, met up with a lot of great people, and of course, drank many beers from our fine state and beyond.

And, we properly defaced to brewery beer coolers, too! That’s Jamie Bartholamus of Foothills Brewing throwing a little beerlanthropy® on his wall. All our pictures are below, followed by a little bit on each visit, if you’re the reading type.

FRIDAY
Olde Hickory Brewing Company (Hickory)
Hickory Taproom (Hickory)

First stop with Steve Lylerly, brewmaster at Olde Hickory Brewing. The brewery was much larger than we had imagined it to be, filled with tanks, barrels and a killer private bar with amazing woodwork. It was hot, so we started out with a Piedmont Pilsner, but then went straight to a new batch of Imperial Stout when offered.

The Hickory Taproom is a stone’s throw from the brewery, too. Feels like a taproom should feel. Get the fish-n-chips or the fried oysters with buffalo plum sauce. No regret there!

Cool thing: The brewery was making its 500th batch when we visited. The beer will be a barleywine, likely aged two years.

Natty Greene’s (Greensboro)
In Greensboro, we met with Kayne Fischer, co-owner of Natty Greene’s. He gave us a little tour of the basement brewery and expansions that are going on. The sweet space on the corner of Hamburger Square (which used to be a grocery store, a brothel, and a hotel—not necessarily in that order), is a lovely taproom experience. Restaurant downstairs with plenty of outdoor seating with an upstairs taproom, similar to Barley’s here in town.

But upstairs, on the third floor is the mac daddy of all. A private, rentable suite, complete with leather couches, your own bar taps and pool table. Swanky stuff. I want one.

Cool thing: Natty Greene’s just celebrated their 7th Anniversary August 1 with a big, FREE outdoor concert outside the brewpub. Good stuff.

Foothills Brewery & Brewpub (Winston-Salem)
This stop was so overdue, it’s embarrassing. Yes, we had never been to Foothills. But we made it! Brewmaster Jamie Bartholamus greeted us with a *gasp* sip of this year’s Olde Rabbit’s Foot, which will be released at the brewery on August 13th. (In fact, they were going to bottle that evening.) From there, we got a quick tour of the facilities while sipping a Torch Pilsner filtered through Citra hops and whole peppercorns. What a treat.

What amazed us most about Foothills was how much beer they crank out of this space. It is mind boggling a little bit, although they do brew twice a day, every day. It seems they can never have enough Hoppyum since the bottles came out. Luckily, they’ll be starting production at their big facility in a short while, which means more Foothills for everyone!

Also, we had some killer onion rings with  house-made beer-based ketchup.

Cool thing: We were told that on the day of our visit, Foothills filled it’s first-ever grain silo at the new Mooresville production brewery.

SATURDAY
We got up and visited our comrades and City Beverage in Winston-Salem, a neat, family-owned and operated business just walking’s distance from Foothills. Sweet little spot, so hit them up on your travels and support another independent bottle shop.

We arrived in Raleigh to meet our friends Robin and Dave who offered to take us around, so we wouldn’t have to drive. Cheers to that! It turns out it’s also good they did, because we would have been lost. On top of that, it was three billion degrees in Raleigh on Saturday.

Busy Bee Cafe (Raleigh)
Before touring, we needed a little lunch, so we hit up this great little cafe with some great taps. A little open-faced turkey with bacon, fried egg and gruyere never hurt anyone. Neither did a Victory Headwater’s Pale Ale. We tried to get the Fullsteam Summer Basil cask, but it was gone. (No matter, since we head there tomorrow.)

Lonerider Beer Company (Raleigh)
With bellies full, we are ready for some beer. We head over to Lone Rider, located in a windy-road business park somewhere near the airport. Jason got a little brewery tour and Jackie, in the tasting room, took care of us with cold Shotgun Betty Hefeweizens. Did I mention it was three billion degrees? I don’t normally consider myself a frail flower, but the heat was unbearable, so we didn’t last long here before heading out to Roth Brewing just around the corner.

Cool thing: Their website says Asheville reigns supreme, just like Iron Chef!

Roth Brewing (Raleigh)
In the same business park more or less with LoneRider (but not in agreement with any GPS), is home to Roth Brewing. Many of you in WNC might not yet heard of Roth. We didn’t either. Roth is run by two brothers on a two-barrel system. These guys are the rowdy young guns. Word is, at festivals they and their fans run around in Viking helmets and sell foam axes with their logo on it. I know this to be true because Jason had to have one. The small little tasting room painted black with low lighting. A couple guys dropped by with homebrew, but otherwise it was just the four of us and the Roth guys. We tried the Amber, Hefeweizen and American Barleywine. I especially loved the Hefe, as it was made with plums and honey. Very interesting and very refreshing.

This is like your garage bar. Off to the corner is a beat-up couch, an old PS2, a Nintendo, two Guitar Heroes, and just in case… a coffeepot.

Cool thing: Allegedly, Roth’s American Barleywine, Foehammer, is the strongest year-round beer made in North Carolina.

Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh)
We head off to Big Boss Brewing. The entrance welcomes you with stairs leading up between hop vines. Up the stairs, you go into another dark tasting room. It was busy while we were there, folks playing shuffleboard and pool. Another impressive space, much larger than we had imagined.

Here we tried the Lucky Bastard Porter, High Roller IPA, Monkey Bizzness farmhouse ale. The real treat, though, was Dave Rogers letting us sample a barrel concoction: Hell’s Belle blended with Monkey Bizzness on sour cherries on a wine barrel. Bejebus!

Cool thing: No food to be had here, but they don’t mind one bit if you bring something with you and hang out. In fact, we were told some people do pot lucks at the brewery. How cool!

[Here is where we got diverted. Plans to tour Aviator Brewing were changed due to a fundraiser.]

Foundation (Raleigh)
This has got to be the coolest cocktail bar we’ve been to in a long time. Concept: All NC-local or house-made cocktails. Ten taps of NC beer and drinks made with NC spirits, house-made syrups, etc. After a long day of sweating, a pear and Brut sparkling cocktail was just what the doctor ordered.

Cool thing: This place had to dig out its buried foundation to exist, so it’s dark and cool, which was especially welcome on a three-billion-degree day.

Raleigh Times (Raleigh)
“Seymour, feed me!” We were really hungry and our hosts told us to “linger” around tables because it’s first-come, first-served. Luckily, it wasn’t long until we scored a sweet little table in back. Six taps at all times. Although it seemed strange to have two taprooms, but the same beers on-tap at both. At any rate, cool menu like a newspaper with an impressive bottle list. Here we had a Bell’s Bourbon Barrel-aged Hell Hath No Fury, New Belgium Tripel and shared a bottle of Cascade Kriek. Not to mention totally badass burgers.

Cool thing: The building is actually the original location of the now-defunct Raleigh Times newspaper.

SUNDAY
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (Farmville)
After breakfast, we braved some pretty wicked storms to head out to Farmville for a visit with Paul Philippon at Duck-Rabbit. Turns out, there really isn’t a lot in Farmville! Located in a business park, this small production brewery is bursting at the seams. Luckily, there’s a lot of property around the brewery and Paul hopes to take advantage of that someday. There’s a new entrance and the three of us toured the brewery while it poured rain and Milk Stout. Ever the nice guy, Paul opened a 2010 Olde Rabbit’s Foot and we got to sample the upcoming Schwartzbier, which will be out soon.

Cool thing: More visitors are making the trek, so the brewery has new little tasting room that will open soon.

Fullsteam Brewery (Durham)
Back to Durham for the last evening. We headed down to Fullsteam. Things were quiet on a Sunday, but Sean Wilson came to give us a tour because he’s cool like that. (We also got to see brewer Chris, who popped in to say hello.) This is a sexy place. The entrance has a rolling front door with back backwards “F” on it. With its steampunk theme, there are all sorts of gadgets around. There’s a wicked turning door between the air-conditioned bar area and rest of the seated area that’s made out of an old brewing vat. Clear glass interior windows allow you to see right into the brewery’s workings. With the agricultural theme, we tried the Carver Sweet Potato and Summer Basil. The special treat was the Wanderlust Imperial Stout, with a hint of cherry.

Cool thing: Food trucks park right around the brewery almost every night. Street food + beer = Good.

Tyler’s Taproom (Durham)
Located in the old tobacco district, Tyler’s is a massive place with three different bars: one in the restaurant, one in the back game room, and one outside, which we’re sure is a blast during baseball games. (The Durham Bulls stadium is just around the corner.) Great location with good food, we started out with FREE fresh garlic fries just from checking in on Foursquare. Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison and a house-made, worth-the-wait chicken pot pie. J had the pork belly sandwich. For dessert, we had a 2003 Thomas Hardy’s Ale straight off the menu. Yowzers.

Cool thing: All the bars have different draft lines, so if you don’t find what you like on one, you have two others to check out.

MONDAY
Triangle Brewing (Durham)
We started the morning with beer for breakfast with Rick Tufts, brewmaster at Triangle Brewing. We’re grateful he opened his doors to us, after brewing since 3 a.m. that morning. It’s a small open tasting room, but the building has loads of room for growth. The brewery has a canning line and also does some canning for other breweries. We sampled the IPA, the Abbey Dubbel, Bourbon barrel-aged Abbey Dubbel, a Flemish sour.

Cool thing: We also tried an experimental lambic in a can. Have you ever? Me neither.

Bull City Burger & Brewery (Durham)
Stopped for lunch here at Durham’s newest brewpub. Nifty little flight of beers. We especially liked the hsaWaknow Strong Ale and wet-hop ale. (The hops were grown locally next to a watermelon patch and so tasted very fruity.) The burgers were to die for “just a little pink.” Ask for fresh garlic on your burger, you get about ten cloves on top. And don’t miss out on the duck frites—string fries with rosemary, drizzled with duck fat. Goodness.

Cool thing: Even the bread is made in-house.

Dos Perros (Durham)
While we were at Bull City Burger, Charlie, owner of Dos Perros, popped in and invited us around the corner to his place. Wish we would have had time to eat here, too. We chatted beer and shared a Vrienden. Nothing wrong with that!

Cool thing: He’s got a pretty badass Stone event coming up, the Stone Brewing Cage Match.

A quick stop at Sam’s Quik Stop to grab some goodies that don’t make it our way, and away we went back to the mountains. (And a broken air conditioner.)

The weekend was great fun. We highly recommend making the trip to see the other fantastic beer folks in our state. Now get out there and drink some North Carolina beer!

If you haven’t yet heard, Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery is coming to Asheville in August. There are two same-day events that you can attend, both involving food and beer. Hooray to that! Please note: You can get tickets to the Pack’s Tavern Luncheon at Bruisin’ Ales. CASH ONLY, please.

(Above is Garrett’s interview with Gary V of WineLibraryTV.)

Luncheon:
Pack’s Tavern
August 17, 2011
12:00 Noon
Garrett Oliver and 5 Courses paired with 5 Brooklyn beers seminar.
$50/pp all inclusive
ON SALE NOW! Get your ticket at Pack’s or Bruisin’ Ales!

Dinner:
Cedric’s Tavern on the Biltmore Estate
August 17, 2011
6:30pm
An evening with Garrett Oliver and fine foods paired with fine beers.
$100/pp all inclusive
Let me know if you are interested, VERY FEW SPACES LEFT.
mountaingirl88@gmail.com

The heat just won’t go away, so this week we’re sampling some lighter, summery Belgian beers that pair perfectly with your finds at the farmer’s market! Join us Thursday, June 9, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Caracole Troublette: An artisanal Wallonian white ale. Lightly spiced wheat beer of great complexity, starts off with aroma of mangoes, apples, citric fruit, wheat, yeast and finishes with slight sourness.

St. Bernardus Wit: A traditional Belgian white beer developed and brewed in collaboration with the late legendary Master Brewer Pierre Celis. This ale is very pale and quite hazy. The head is white and dense. In aroma, it has a wheaty, apple-like, tartness; herbal-spicy notes with coriander and orange fruitiness and honey sweetness.

Saison Dupont: Bottle-conditioned summer-fruited treasure flaunts heavy carbonation, champagne head, cloudy pale body, aromatic floral hops, and rustic barley-oats base. Finish remains dry, silky, and elegant.

Dupont Foret: Organically produced bottle-conditioned ale with cloudy yellow hue, puffy beige head, bubbly champagne flow, and white wine sweetness. Lively deep-grained hop bitterness counteracts tart fruit twist and champagne pop as well as flowery spices.

We’re pleased to announce a very special beer dinner at Bouchon on Tuesday, April 12, featuring owner and brewmaster of Urthel Brewery, Hildegard Van Ostaden. We met Hilde five years ago at BeerAdvocate’s Belgian Beer Festival in Boston and look forward to hosting her here in Asheville.

The dinner will be held in Bouchon’s “Beer Cellar” in an intimate setting with very limited seating. The dinner will feature a traditional French/Belgian farmhouse 5-course menu paired with the beers of Urthel, including some cellar reserves by Urthel that are no longer produced.

Menu:

Welcome: Brie en croute chaud. Baked brie served with chutney, fruit, nuts.
Pairing: Urthel Hop-It

First: Mussels Parisienne with Saisonniere ale, garlic, thyme sauce.
Pairing: Urthel Saisonniere

Second: Le Poisson avec Tripel buerre blanc. Tilefish finished with Tripel infused buerre blanc served with couscous pilaf.
Pairing: Urthel Hibernus Quentum Tripel

Third: Le Canard et ris de veau grand mere. Duck & sweetbreads stew with Urthel Vlamese Bock broth.
Pairing: Urthel Vlamese Bock

Dessert: Creme brulee infused with Urthel Quadrium.
Pairing: Urthel Quadrium

Please call Bouchon for reservations, 828.350.1140.
$48.50 per person all inclusive.

The WNC Chef’s Challenge is going on right now and last week’s ingredient was… BEER! The event squared off teams from Pomodoros and Tomato Jam Café, featuring beers from Lexington Avenue Brewery and The Wedge. Here is the low-down, reprinted with permission from WNC Magazine.

To some, beer trumps bacon as a secret ingredient in the Chefs Challenge. After all, here in Beer City, USA, we wash down every meal with a local microbrew, right? But if you ask any nonchef holding a pint what dishes you can make using beer, you might get a glazed stare that can’t be attributed to his or her alcohol level. Luckily, the teams in the second face-off of the Chefs Challenge competition, led by Chef Greg King of Pomodoros Greek and Italian Café and Chef Daniel Wright of Tomato Jam Café, rose to the occasion, subtly blending the beverage into batters, sauces, and even chocolate mousses.

Wedge Brewing Co. and Lexington Avenue Brewery, both in Asheville, supplied the star ingredients. The evening played out with two seafood and two pork dishes, and two chocolate mousses. The opening offering by Pomodoros, an IPA-battered shrimp, was a logical use for the beer, but the accompanying beet and goat cheese salad and candied lemon slice brought color and originality to the dish. Chef Wright’s dish of striped bass with parsnip and sunchoke puree that followed was a nice taste progression. Though the puree could easily have been mistaken for mashed potatoes at first glance, its sweetness was a fresh complement to the fish, which was rated the second best dish of the evening.

Two very different takes on pork and beer came next. Tomato Jam’s pork loin ragù served with sides of beet and carrot grits created a colorful plate. The savory ragù with tender bites of pork was the standout on the plate. At least one diner (me) guessed that the following plate, an American Pale Ale-braised pulled pork butt with ale-infused barbecue sauce and a crisp and refreshing apple and fennel slaw, was in keeping with Tomato Jam’s menu of homestyle cooking. Instead, it was a testament to Chef King’s culinary versatility. The apple slaw with cider vinaigrette was a bright and refreshing take on a traditional cabbage salad.

Both presented mousses for dessert, creating a battle of chocolate. Pomodoros’ mocha stout mousse was the lighter of the two and came presented in a phylo cup complemented with porter ice cream, sprinkled with caramel brittle. Tomato Jam’s richer chocolate dollop was festooned with a blue peppermint candy twist. Both dishes were fine finales, but perhaps it was the ice cream that pushed Pomodoros ahead, because diners rated this the top dish of the evening.

Chef King claimed the victory in the match-up, which was even closer than last week’s between Bistro at Biltmore and Deerfield Community, with only 439 points, less than 7 percent of the vote, separating the challengers. Cheers to both chefs.

Team Pomodoros
Led by Chef Greg King
Menu:
- Japanese-style, IPA-battered shrimp with cucumber, goat cheese, and beet salad with ale-lemon vinaigrette, candied lemon, and arugula
- Wedge American Pale Ale-braised pulled pork butt with ale barbecue sauce, and apple and fennel slaw with apple cider vinaigrette
- Mocha stout mousse in phylo dough garnished with roasted pistachios, and served with porter ice cream topped with caramel brittle

Team Tomato Jam
Led by Chef Daniel Wright
Menu:
- Striped bass with raisin tapenade, bay leaf-ale béchamel, parsnip-sunchoke purée, and arugula garnish
- Pork loin ragù with shiitake mushrooms and beet and carrot grits
- Chocolate stout mousse with a chocolate-beer reduction, served with a buttery pastry cookie and berry gastrique

Next week: Chef Rob Keener of Flight Wood Grill & Wine Bar in Hendersonville vs. Chef Jason Roy of Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville. Visit www.ashevillewineandfoodfestival.com to purchase tickets.

Hard to believe, but next Thursday, December 23, is Bruisin’ Ales 4th birthday. Our little store is growing up quickly! So, when our friends at Pisgah Brewing wanted to do a pre-holiday tasting to launch Baptista 2010, we said, “Hell yeah!” It’s going to be a party all around. Come celebrate with us and have a free flight of Pisgah beers! 5:00-7:00 pm in the Tasting Room.

Valdez Coffee Stout: This mouth watering stout is brewed with organic, fair-trade coffee beans from Dynamite Coffee Roasters. The aroma of fresh coffee leaps from the glass, and finishes slightly dry. [6.8% abv]

Vortex I: The hoppiest beer in Buncombe County, Vortex I is a Triple Pale Ale.  Brewed with over 3.5 grams of four distinct varieties of super high alpha hops per glass, lupulin lovers rejoice. [10.8% abv]

Vortex II: This Russian Imperial Stout would make any 18th century Czar proud. Dark, rich and roasty with a good dose of hops on the finish. Get it while you can! [11.7% abv]

Baptista: Pisgah’s annual Belgian-style Noel is named for the man who discovered CO2 and father to pneumatic chemistry, Jean Baptista van Helmont. Dark amber in color with spices and hints of orange peel. [11.50% abv]

Every year, we highlight a selection of local, regional and specialty favorites that pair well with a Thanksgiving meal. From light-on-the-budget to splurgers, we’ve got a list for you that is sure to make your holiday table burst with flavor.

Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale: A local, seasonal favorite, Highland’s Winter Warmer is a rich brown ale that varies slightly from year to year with big vanilla notes and hints of cherry. A great selection that compliments the flavors of the holidays. Fairly sweet but not too heavy—perfect as a dessert beer.

Asheville Brewing’s Christmas Jam Ale: Made once a year for the Warren Hayne’s Christmas Jam in Asheville, NC, this traditional Belgian witbier offers a lighter style for the time of year. Spiced with coriander and heavy notes of citrus, its lighter body pairs with almost anything on the holiday table.

Sweetwater Festive Ale: From Atlanta, Ga., Festive Ale is brewed once a year for the holidays—an American Strong Ale with the addition of cinnamon and mace, the bright red covering of the nutmeg seed. Lovely aromas with a full-bodied mouthfeel make this a perfect addition to the table. Also a favorite in the South and a beer that goes quickly! Don’t miss it.

Baird Jubilation Ale: Brewed at the base of Mt. Fuji, Japan, Jubilation Ale is a treat for the senses. Deep ruby in color, it’s made with Japanese red sugar candied figs and cinnamon twigs from the Japanese Nikki tree. Smells and tastes like Christmas!

Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien: This beautiful Belgian-style quadruple from BFM Switzerland is rich with flavor. Blended and aged between several style barrels for both wine and whiskey, it pairs well with dark poultry like turkey and duck. Nicely carbonated through bottle-conditioning, the beer has subtle sour notes and its complex oak flavors make it versatile enough for the pickiest of wine drinkers.

Noel de Géants: From Brasserie de Géants in Belgium, this Belgian holiday ale is classified as a Gruit, using a special aromatic herb native to the brewery’s region. Less sugary than most holiday ales, the beer is light amber in color with subtle spices and a lower alcohol content than most, but still a warming 8.5% abv.

Scaldis Prestige de Nuits: A grand splurger, and sister beer to Scaldis Prestige, Nuits is a Belgian Strong Dark ale aged Bourgogne barrels from the world famous French vineyard, Nuits St. Georges, for a minimum of six months. Dark caramel in color, its 13.0% abv is well-masked with intense sweetness from candi sugar and oak from the wine barrels. Slightly “sparkling” with very rich fruits notes of grapes, dates, and prunes.

Join us tomorrow from 5-7pm for a special Halloween Belgian beer tasting from the portfolio of 12 Percent Imports. We are big fans of this cool, little portfolio made up of small, craft “weekend” breweries. And in the spirit of Halloween, we’re going to pair them with Halloween candy, giving you both a buzz and a sugar high.

[All beer notes from 12 Percent.]

Hof Ten Dormaal Blonde

• Style: Farmhouse Blond Ale, refermentation in bottle | 8.0% abv
• Color: hazy gold, massive, pillowy white head with long-lasting retention
• Tasting Notes: yeasty, farmhouse, hugely-effervescent, full-bodied, yeasty, fruity, faintly sweet, balanced hop-bitterness, classic Belgian farmhouse ale

Valeir Divers

• Style: Tripel, refermentation in bottle | 8.5% abv
• Color: pale gold, white head
• Tasting Notes: earthy, floral nose; light sweetness, bubblegum, herbal, spicy, peppery, grassy, dry complexity

Van de Korenaar Courage

• Style: Strong Wheat Ale, refermentation in bottle | 8.0% abv
• Color: dark ruby, dissipating off-white head
• Tasting Notes: fennel, clove, star anise, roasty, dry finish
• This will be on the Sip-n-Shop kegerator for as long as it lasts!

Van de Korenaar Finesse

• Style: Tripel, refermentation in bottle | 8.5% abv
• Color: pale gold, white head
• Tasting Notes: earthy, floral nose; light sweetness

Emelisse Russian Imperial Stout

• Style: Imperial Stout, refermentation in bottle | 11.0% abv
• Color: pitch black; creamy, khaki head
• Tasting Notes: dark roast, richly complex, berries, black coffee, bitter chocolate

This Friday, September 3, we’re pairing up with The Hop Ice Cream for more BEER FLOATS!

This week’s event is a benefit for our charity, FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway. FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a non-profit, volunteer organization that is dedicated to preserving and protecting the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national treasure. FRIENDS programs focus on preservation, protection and education. The monies we raise go directly to the Asheville Chapter, which is one of the most traveled (yet least funded) portions of the 469-mile scenic roadway.

$5.00/pp for three different beer floats!

• Antebellum Ale Ice Cream with Craggie Brewing Antebellum Ale
• Aztec Chocolate Ice Cream (with cinnamon & cayenne pepper) with Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
• Southern Comfort Ice Cream with Weyerbacher Insanity Bourbon Barrel-aged Barleywine

If you can’t join us, please consider an online donation to FRIENDS.

We hope to do another in Fall!

The highest-rated IPAs: 1) Sweetwater IPA 2) Terrapin Hopsecutioner 3) Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
The highest-rated Porters: 1) Smuttynose Robust Porter 2) Founder’s Porter 3) Highland Oatmeal Porter