Courtesy of Twitter feeds today, here’s a clip of Conan O’Brien drinking beer with the late, great Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson.

Todd, the assistant brewer from Catawba Valley Brewing Company in Morganton, NC joins us this week in the tasting room! Five beer flight including the new Hyper Monkey Java Stout! Notes from the brewery:

White Zombie (ABV 4.7%)
Hazy golden white in color, our interpretation of a Belgian White (Wit) Ale is brewed with two row barley and unmalted wheat. The appearance is hazy due to the high protein content of the unmalted wheat. The addition of bitter orange peel and freshly ground coriander seed gives this very refreshing, low alcohol beer a wonderfully complex fruity and spicy aroma. The addition of English hops is subtle and detected with the smack of the tounge, which is followed and finished with a delicate slice of bread.

Firewater IPA (ABV 6.4%): A complex cross between an English and American style IPA. Olympic Gold in color, Firewater IPA boasts a unique malt backbone. Along with a hefty amount of two row barley, munich, caramel-40, carapils and a touch of wheat dominate the recipe. Six different hop varieties showcase the best England and the United States has to offer.

Indian Head Red Ale (ABV 5.2%)
Our interpretation of an an Irish Red Ale. Dark ruby in color, this very malt focused beer is achieved from the incorporation of specialty malts such as caramel60, caramel-120 and special B. Four different hop varieties lend a very complex and balanced non-traditional approach to this delicious style of beer.

Brown Bear Ale (ABV 5.0%)
Probably our most delicious malt focused product. The incorporation of four specialty malts such as caramel-60, caramel-120, special B and chocolate create the color of a sun burnt brown bear. Caramel, toffee and chocolate immediately saturate the taste sensations with English hops waiting around until the very end to surprise the palate.

Hyper Monkey Coffee Stout (ABV 6.1%)
With the ability to block out the sun, this stout is black in color and truly opaque. A heaping portion of specialty malts such as caramel-120, chocolate, roast and carapils contribute to a deceivingly thick body with little viscosity. Organic, fair trade Central American coffee is added post fermentation to confuse the consumer into believing that the day is just beginning. You’re welcome.

If you don’t know who Gary Vaynerchuck is by now, he’s the social media rockstar taking over the wine world with his book Crush It! Though he’s a wine dude, he has a great interview with Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery, sampling the big brews. (Thanks to Reggae Mike for the heads-up on this one.)

Valentine’s Day is upon us and whether you’re happily occupied with a significant other (or not), it’s a great day for beer. Yes, most think of Valentine’s Day as the day of wine and chocolate—or a champagne toast—but we suggest you try beer. Beer can be romantic, and we’ve got a bunch of suggestions for you that warrant celebration of your “taken” status. Or, if you prefer, your “single” status.

Romance
Try something special this year, something new and exciting. We’ve got many options for you. Sparkling ciders, “champagne” biere, or perhaps a splurger you’ve been wanting to try, but didn’t have the occasion to do so. The fact of the matter is: You can get an absolutely fantastic bottle of beer for the price of a cheap or median bottle of wine. Beer, for all intents and purposes, is still an affordable luxury in this economy.

Christian Drouin Poiré—[France, cider] “The lightness and elegance make Christian Drouin Poire a traditional drink in the Normandy region. Its fine bubbles are naturally produced in the bottle. With its delicate marriage of crisp acidity and discreet sweetness, Poire is both refreshing and festive. Serve chilled in a champagne flute, as an aperitif. It also goes beautifully with salad (artichoke, endive), shellfish (oysters), terrines, steamed fish, goat cheese and fruit sorbet.”

Hanssens Oudebeitje—[Belgium, lambic] One of the most unique lambics  from the last independent lambic blenders, Oudebeitje is made with strawberries. Tart with a subtle fruity finish, this matches perfectly with a gourmet cheese selection and chocolate-covered strawberries. Serve chilled in a champagne flute and put a sliced strawberry over the rim of the glass for garnish. If strawberries aren’t your thing, try the Hansenns Kriek instead with chocolate-covered cherries.

DeuS Brut des Flanders—[Belgium/France, Champagne biere] Brewed in Belgium and finished in France, DeuS is nothing like beer as you know it. First brewed at Bosteels, then transferred to the Champagne region of France where it is treated much like a champagne with the bottles inverted and the yeast expunged and bottle re-corked. Serve chilled in a flute and drop a raspberry in the drink for garnish.

Malheur Dark Brut—[Belgium, biere brut] Brewed by De Landtsheer, this sparkling beer will appeal to the dark beer lover. Often called “black chocolate” in the U.S., Malheur is an effervescent, malty sparkling beer with hints of caramel, toffee and a sweetness like cotton candy. Perfect with dark chocolate truffles.

Cheeky
Perhaps you want something more tongue-in-cheek this holiday. A beer that says something about your significant other in name alone. Try these out for size.

Victory Wild Devil—[United States, Belgian-style IPA] You’ve got a wild guy or a wild girl, so let them know that you love them for it. Victory’s Wild Devil is Hop Devil IPA brewed with a strain of Brettanomyces (aka, Brett) for a sour, tart, yet still citrusy, hoppy finish. Serve this with oysters on the half shell. (We all know what oysters do.)

Dieu de Ciel! Aphrodite—[Canada, stout] Also know as Aphrodisiaque in its hometown of Montreal, this cocoa stout is named for the Greek goddess of love. Flavors of vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon and roasted malt marry nicely to produce a well balanced beer. Subtle hops and cocoa add a touch of bitterness. This dessert beer is brewed with organic fair-trade cocoa and first rate vanilla beans. This beer has been a periodic winner since 2003 at Mondial de la Bière in Montréal. Serve mildly chilled in a chalice or tulip with berries on the side.

Flying Dog Horn Dog—[United States, barleywine] Horn Dog Barley Wine is a strong, dark and malty English-style barleywine that is aged for a minimum of three months before being packaged. Sweet and viscous like a port, this beer will only get better with age when stored at optimum conditions. Give your guy a nice cigar to go with this one. Give your girl a box of truffles.

Lagunitas Lil’ Sumpin’ Extra—[United States, imperial wheat] Tonight’s the night you make a little extra effort, so give them notice. This wheat beer is not a traditional witbier. More malty on the backbone but still light in color with a fruity finish.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute—[United States, IPA] Ladies, do you have a 60-minute man? Well, give him a hoppy 60 Minute beer as a primer for your 60 minutes.

Bitter
So, you hate Valentine’s Day. Despise it. You’re drowning your sorrows over someone or maybe celebrating your newly-single status now that said someone is out of your life. Good riddance! No pairings here, because you’re probably eating ramen noodles, potato chips and ice cream while making a voodoo doll, so no need for anything fancy.

Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard—[United States, American strong ale] The label says it all, “This is an aggressive beer. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth…”

De Dolle Dulle Teve—[Belgium, tripel] This beer had to have its label changed to meet labeling standards in the U.S. Because “dulle teve” means “mad bitch” in Flemish.

Founder’s Curmudgeon—[United States, English-style old ale] “Think classic sea fairing ports, local pubs, and weathered old fisherman. This old ale is brewed with molasses and an insane focus on the malt bill, then aged in oak. The result is a strong, rich, malty-delight that’s deceptively smooth and drinkable.”

Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted—[Scotland, blonde ale] Award-winning blonde ale with a lemon twist finish.

Left Hand Fade to Black—[United States, export stout] “Pours black with licorice, espresso beans, molasses and black cardamom with notes that give way to self-loathing, burnt opportunities and smoked relationships.” Perfect.

Craggie Brewing gets approval for growlers
According to the Twitterverse, the newish Craggie Brewing just got growler approval from the TTB and will be available in Feb. Their 7.75gal kegs will be available around the same time. They are still waiting on recipe approval their Antebellum Ale and hope to have that on draft around town by April. The Public House at the brewery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 4:00-10:00 pm. The brewery will also be hosting The Freaks of Asheville calendar auditions starting this weekend.

Highland Brewing 15th Anniversary Party on January 22
The snow got in the way of Highland’s big 15th Anniversary Party the other week, but that doesn’t keep a brewery down! The party is rescheduled for next Friday, January 22. Music by Now You See Them (one of our local favs!) and the Funktastics, plus food by Barley’s Taproom.

Winter Warmer Festival will warm you next weekend
The annual Winter Warmer Festival is next Saturday, January 23 at the Haywood Park Hotel. This winter fest of local and regional breweries is sponsored by French Broad Brewery and the Asheville Brews Cruise. Tickets are $37/pp and can be purchased here. Even cooler, Tres Hundertmark—the executive chef at The Lobster Trap and in-house brewery The Oyster House—will attempt to beat the Guinness world record for most oysters opened in a minute. Go, Tres, go!

FLIGHT in Hendersonville to host beer dinner
On January 26, FLIGHT restaurant in Hendo will host a beer dinner with French Broad Brewery. The cost is $40/pp. We don’t have menu details, but you can call the restaurant at 828-694-1030.

Asheville beer on Twitter?
Slowly, more of our breweries/brewpubs are joining the throng of the Twitterverse. @HighlandBrews @PisgahBrewing @CraggieBrewing @AshevillBrewing and @AvlGreenMan. Am I missing anyone?

As we approach the third anniversary of the humble storefront next week, we want you to be part of some changes to the store. (And I’ve opened the comments today, because I’m sick and need you to think for me.)

Last week on Twitter (@bruisinales), we asked a simple question: Which ratings system to you prefer, letters or numbers? In this completely unscientific poll in which a total 21 tweeps replied or sent Direct Messages, 19 said they preferred numbers stating that numbers gave a more accurate representation; the other two said they preferred letters, stating the letters give “wiggle-room.” It’s interesting to note these two very different responses also split down the lines of their respective territories. Most went with “numbers” and many were West Coast buddies, the locale of RateBeer; and the two that said “letters” were from the Boston area, home to BeerAdvocate.

We ask, because we’re updating our shelf talkers. And we know what we prefer, but what do you prefer? Which is more helpful while you shop, letters or numbers? This store is your store, so help me decide. And thank you all for the collective brain!

That’s right! We’re doing an exclusive private tasting on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m at Bruisin’ Ales with the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. What better way to dive head-first into Christmas than with beer and chocolate? The tasting will include five of their holiday truffles, each paired with two Belgian holiday beer samples. This will be a fun, educational tasting to give your taste buds a work-out and see the complements and contrasts of beer and chocolate. Only 30 spots are available.

$15/pp !! TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW !!

Champagne – The dry, earthy flavors of Italian prosecco and Remy Martin Petit Champagne Cognac are subtly present within a light-bodied Madagascar dark chocolate. (w/ shaved white chocolate)

1. Unibroue “16″—Aging in cool storage for two years, this anniversary ale from Unibroue is a Belgian Strong Pale. “16″ is sweet with effervescent carbonation from Belgian yeast. Add to that a smack of caramel, clove and apple, maybe even banana? Bubble gum? [10.0% abv]
2. Gouden Carolus Noël—A dark, beautiful ruby beer, this is the top-selling Belgian holiday ale at Bruisin’ Ales every year so far. Malty, but not overly heavy, this beer is so delicately balanced with its strength by cinnamon, nutmeg, and loads of dark fruit like fig and plum. Festive! [10.5% abv]

Gingerbread – Traditional gingerbread spices and organic molasses with 65% cacao dark chocolate. Covered in milk chocolate and sprinkled with baking spices.

1. Unibroue “16″—Aging in cool storage for two years, this anniversary ale from Unibroue is a Belgian Strong Pale. “16″ is sweet with effervescent carbonation from Belgian yeast. Add to that a smack of caramel, clove and apple, maybe even banana? Bubble gum? [10.0% abv]
2. Baladin Noël—A Belgian-style beer by the brilliant Teo Musso from Italy, this holiday winter warmer has a floral nose and fruity palate with a sweet toffee finish. Delish! [9.0% abv]

Cranberry walnut– Organic cranberries, reduced with fresh squeezed orange juice, paired with Nicaraguan dark chocolate from Black Mountain Chocolates in Swannanoa. Rolled in toasted ground walnuts.

1. Gouden Carolus Noël—A dark, beautiful ruby beer, this is the top-selling Belgian holiday ale at Bruisin’ Ales every year so far. Malty, but not overly heavy, this beer is so delicately balanced with its strength by cinnamon, nutmeg, and loads of dark fruit like fig and plum. Festive! [10.5% abv]
2. Baladin Noël—A Belgian-style beer by the brilliant Teo Musso from Italy, this holiday winter warmer has a floral nose, fruity palate with a sweet toffee finish. Delish! [9.0% abv]

Cabernet & Anise – A reduction of Bacchus Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, CA), gently infused with organic star anise, in a Peruvian dark chocolate ganache. (w/ dark chocolate star)

1. De Struise Tsjeeses—Another Belgian Strong Pale along the lines of “16″, Tsjeeses has an earthy aroma yet sweet citrusy flavor. A tart, dry finish is accented with hints of roasted nuts. Loads of flavor in this one. [10.0% abv]
2. ‘t Smijse Kerst—A little sweet, a little sour, this beautiful Christmas beer is the beefy one of the whole bunch. Dark, rich, and viscous, note the hints of chocolate, caramel, cherry and apple. A little honey and raisin on the finish tastes like the holidays! [11.0% abv]

Eggnog – A sweet white chocolate butter ganache with nutmeg and vanilla bean is warmed in the finish with a touch of Remy Martin cognac. (w/ freshly grated nutmeg)

1. De Struise Tsjeeses—Another Belgian Strong Pale along the lines of “16″, Tsjeeses has an earthy aroma yet sweet citrusy flavor. A tart, dry finish is accented with hints of roasted nuts. Loads of flavor in this one. [10.0% abv]
2. ‘t Smijse Kerst—A little sweet, a little sour, this beautiful Christmas beer is the beefy one of the whole bunch. Dark, rich, and viscous, note the hints of chocolate, caramel, cherry and apple. A little honey and raisin on the finish tastes like the holidays! [11.0% abv]

Hey! Remember back in May when Asheville was so, so very lucky to score a full weekend with innovative brewery owner and founder, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head? Well, our baby sister-in-beer (by choice, not biological parenting), The Beer Wench (@thebeerwench), did a very cool video interview with him at the release of Life & Limb in California a few weeks back. She covers a lot of ground here.

By the way, we have all of Sam’s books in-store. Great gifts and great reads for the beer lover. Oh, and shhhhhh, but we also got one more case of Life & Limb. It’s in the back, though. You must ask for it!

Every year, we make a few suggestions about serving beer at the Thanksgiving table. While wine always still seems to be in the forefront of a fancy sit-down, lovers of beer know that the complex flavors of our favorite beverage are much better at complimenting/contrasting the tastes of the holiday season. (Let’s not forget that beer is also a wonderful burst of flavor in the cooking process, too.) Here are a few recommendations. Share with the family and do a full beer-pairing with your meal! We’re linking to BeerAdvocate ratings here, so you can read what others taste in the beer. Reviews help! And while you may experience completely different flavors on your palette, reading what others taste is helpful.

TURKEY: Even though it’s a bird, and most typically pair white wine with it, turkey actually is mostly dark meat (compared to chicken). This means a heftier brew will pair nicely with it, no matter how you prepare it. For roasted birds, we usually try to contrast the with the bird’s flavor. Try Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux (750ml), the winter Saison seasonal by Dupont, famous for resurrecting the Saison style with Saison Dupont (750ml, also a great pairing, but a little lighter on the palette). Avec Les Bons Voeux is lightly spiced with quite a bit of alcohol [9.5% abv]. Saisons are also known for their grassy, earthy flavors (Jason calls this “horse blanket”) that bring a certain organic “taste of the season” to the table. Another American craft that is available year-round, but particularly delicious with a holiday meal, is Dogfish Head Raison d’Etre. A darker selection than the prior recommendation, this Belgian-style brown ale [8.0% abv] has the taste of roasted malt and caramelized raisins. Finally, a craft beer that does the job right is the 2009 Allagash Fluxus (750ml). The recipe on Fluxus changes annually. This year’s release is pretty rare, even for a small-batch brew—a Belgian-style Saison made with sweet potatoes and black pepper [8.5% abv]. It carries the alcohol very well with the sweet, sinuous character of the potatoes followed by a lovely spiced black pepper finish on the back of the throat. Delicious! This one is VERY limited, so get it while you can!

SMOKED TURKEY/HAM: Smoking turkeys is a popular way of preparing the bird in the South. Also, many families prefer to serve ham at the table. For these stronger, smoky flavors, we suggest something that compliments the flavor. De Molen Pek and Veren (750ml) is a fantastic pairing for ham. This Dutch stout carries an [8.0% abv] and offers a unique twist from its peat-smoked malt. Smoked meats and cheeses pair very well with this beer. The Italian beer, Le Baladin Super Baladin (750ml), is a sour ale in the Flemish style, but lighter in color. The tartness—think sweet and sour cherries—is toned down by the smokiness of the meat, giving you a great balance of flavor. (Note: Flemish-style sour ales are often “gateway beers” for red wine drinkers.) Finally, a German recommendation: Weihenstephan Korbinian Doppelbock. A popular choice at Bruisin’ Ales, this doppelbock tastes of roasted, almost burnt, grain with hints of dark fruit and caramel.

OTHERS TO TRY:
The Bruery Black Orchard (750ml): This “black witbier” is like a witbier gone to the dark side. Just a bit more body (and balance) than a true white witbier with additional malt, this one has subtle spices of chamomile along side the traditional spices of coriander and citrus peel. Very refreshing and surprisingly light at [5.7% abv]. Dark does not necessarily mean a “heavy” beer!

Traquair Jacobite (12oz): This English ale is a traditional Wee-Heavy with a twist. Based on an 18th-century recipe, it has the addition of coriander and chocolate malt, adding hints of earthy biscuity flavors, brown sugar, cocoa and dark fruit. [8.0% abv]

Smuttynose Wheat Wine (22oz): Wheat wines from several breweries have made a big impact in 2009. By combining the characteristics of a traditional Barleywine with the bready, chewy mouthfeel of a wheat beer, these are perfect for the holiday table. Hefty, warming and sweeter than our other recommendations, Wheat Wines are actually very versatile. This one also has a pretty hefty dose of hops in it, making it a true American style. Nice combination of sweet up front and bitter on the finish. [10.5% abv]

Meantime London Porter (750ml): England is home to the true Porter style, and frankly, you can’t beat the real thing. Meantime’s is based on a recipe from 1750 and has no less than seven different types of malt used. Super roasty, smoky, and little sweet, this traditional porter gets its bite from the malts, although hops are used in the brewing process. [6.5% abv]

If you need a specific recommendation for your holiday table, don’t be afraid to ask us. Jason, Mike or I will be happy to assist you to find the perfect Thanksgiving beers for your table! Cheers!

On Monday, I dropped by Green Man Brewing, a.k.a. Dirty Jack’s to the locals, to try the new Double IPA, The Truth. Lucky for me, Brewer Mike was there, so I could get my beer geek on and chat a bit and let me sample some of the stuff they’ve got going on at the brewhouse (not Jack of the Wood) for the holidays season.

The Truth is a wonderful beer and I already wish they had made more of it. It’s made with all English hops (of course!) and has a wonderful floral nose to it with a citrusy-pine finish. It will really warm you up and it’s a creeper at 9.0% abv. You barely recognize the alcohol in there, so drinker beware! They’re also doing a sampling of some experimental beers that will be available in flights soon: Bacon Beer, all my dreams have come true with this one; Rosemary’s Baby, still has hops, but very much like a gruit (want this with soup); Cinnamon Girl, spicy from the fresh cinnamon and sweet on the finish (want this with sugar cookies); and, Ancho Chili, sneaky spices in the back of your throat (want this with 12 Bones). The chili beer may turn into a year-round offering in small batches, only if they can source good local chilies to cook/store.

I’m geeked about a local brewery do experimenting like this. These are not beers you’d probably want more than a half-pint of, anyway, so the whole idea of flavor experimenting in a beer flight (4 oz. portions) is awesome. My beer minions tell me that availability could start as early as Thanksgiving, but don’t hold me to that.