Archive for the ‘Beer Pairings’ Category

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.

Firstly, big thanks to Pack’s Tavern for letting us use the beautiful Century Room (upstairs at the restaurant) to co-host the inaugural Blind Eye Beer Battle. While we definitely had some kinks in the process, overall the night was a gaggle of fun for about 40 beer people in attendance. This first BEBB featured a selection of local, regional and national brands of IPAs and Porters, eight in each category, with a pairing menu to die for.

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