We’re into our second week of welcoming Sprecher Brewing Company from Milwaukee at the humble storefront and the brand is killing it. Many people are either from the area and happy to see it in their new locale; others know the reputation of one of America’s oldest craft breweries and couldn’t wait to try it again. So, for those of you that haven’t yet tried Sprecher beers, we’re having another special Friday Tasting this week, 5:00-7:00pm. Join us in the tasting room with the folks from Next Generation Beer Company—the newest distributor in Asheville.

What we’re sampling:

Black Bavarian: “This intensely dark Kulmbacher style lager has a superb malt complexity with the distinctive flavors and aromas of coffee, caramel and chocolate.” [Schwartzbier | 5.78% abv]

Abbey Tripel: “A Belgian Trappist triple yeast culture balanced with the finest imported pale barley, Belgian aromatic malt and oats, gives this golden ale a fruity bouquet and a light refined taste.” [Belgian-style Tripel | 8.41% abv]

IPA2: “This traditional ale was originally brewed in England for the British troops stationed in India. Double dry-hopped,it has intense hop flavors and aromas delicately balanced with a potent, yet delicious, malty sweetness.” [Imperial IPA | 7.5% abv]

Russian Imperial Stout: “Once brewed in Britain for the Russian Czars, this tremendously rich and thick ale uses a profusion of burnt and caramel malts. A massive mouthful of dark roasted malt and coffee flavors finishes with hints of chocolate, caramel & licorice.” [Russian Imperial Stout | 8.5% abv]

Don’t forget to pick up one of the Special Releases as well. We have both the Scotch Ale and the Bourbon barrel-aged Doppelbock.

Green Flash is back in this week! I know y’all have been missing the West Coast IPA and Hop Head Red. And we put Weyerbacher Verboten on the kegerator for Sip-n-Shop samples.

Remember: Limited hours for Bele Chere this weekend. 12-5pm Friday/Saturday; 12-4pm Sunday. Cheers!

PORTERHOUSE Wrasslers XXX Stout
SCALDIS Blonde Tripel
SPRECHER Abbey Tripel
SPRECHER Black Bavarian
SPRECHER Bourbon Barrel-aged Doppelbock*
SPRECHER IPA2
SPRECHER Scotch Ale*
SPRECHER Russian Imperial Stout
THE BRUERY Bourbon Barrel-aged Coton*
THE BRUERY Mischief
THE BRUERY Trade Winds Tripel

Sprecher Brewery from Wisconsin coming tomorrow
Yup, a classic from the original brewing city, Milwaukee, is hitting the shelves tomorrow. Welcome, Sprecher Brewing! We’re making our list and checking it twice today, including some of the Brewmasters Premium Reserve Series. Can I get a woot?

Tweet for beer at Bele Chere
The Mountain XPress is offering beer for tweets this weekend to help them cover Bele Chere. Basic rules are: Have five or more posts with the #belechere tag and/or upload pictures or videos and if they use either, show up at 3pm on Sunday at Asheville Brewing on Coxe and they will buy you a beer.

Foothills got label approval for more bottles
Beernews.org reports that Foothills Brewery got label approval for Hoppyum IPA, Torch Pilsner and Peoples Porter. While the post makes this seem imminent, beer spies tell us that bottles are at least a few months down the line. Look for them on our shelves later this year. *cross fingers*

The End of History
In the on-going-school-boys-on-the-playground-pissing-contest that is for “the world’s strongest beer,” Brewdog’s forthcoming The End of The World was leaked to the masses yesterday. The End of The World is the latest (possibly dumbest) incarnation by Scotland’s Brewdog. There are only 12 bottles being made at the cost of $800-$1,100 per bottle …with the actual bottle stuffed into road kill converted to a bottle vessel by a taxidermist. Wait, what? Yup, not joking. You can’t make this crap up. The best news, in my humble opinion, is that Brewdog states this is the last in their high ABV experiments, and thank god, already. We like the brewery, we love their marketing, but we’re 100% over the hype. Hopefully, they’ll return to brewing beer now instead of scouring the Scottish Highlands for dead squirrels.

Everyone’s an entrepreneur
A homeless man broke into a Northern California bar and reopened it, posing as the new owner. A+ for ingenuity, but ultimately, still a failing grade.

And how cool is this?

Next Friday, July 16, drop by between 5-7 p.m. before Downtown After Five for a Teaser Tasting of Durham-based Fullsteam Brewery. Fullsteam is North Carolina’s newest brewery, having launched July 2010. Fullsteam is a “plow-to-pint” brewery with a mission: to create a distinctly Southern beer style that celebrates the culinary and agricultural heritage of the South. By brewing with local farmed goods, heirloom grains, and seasonal botanicals, Fullsteam Brewery is on a never-ended quest to explore what “Southern-style beer” means. We don’t pretend to have the answers—we just love the quest.

Fullsteam believes in:

• Southern farmers. We buy and brew local…not only to craft distinctly Southern beer, but ultimately to provide a higher quality of life for our neighbors and friends who farm for a living.
• Regional pride. Local identity trumps mass-marketed nationalism.
• Redemption. The image of beer can be redeemed in the beautiful South.
• Fun. Lofty as our goals may be, at the end of the day…it’s beer. The beverage of celebration and community.

Also, meet Sean Lilly Wilson, Fullsteam’s Chief Executive Optimist. He founded and led both Pop The Cap and Permit Beer, two beer lobbying organizations that have opened up economic markets to North Carolina’s craft beer industry. He holds both an MBA and Master of Public Policy from Duke University. Sean has ten years restaurant experience, including three years at Durham’s renowned Magnolia Grill. (He may also be a little crazy, and for the record, we like him tons.)

What we’re sampling…

Carver Sweet Potato Beer: Local North Carolina sweet potatoes account for nearly one-third of the total fermentables in this surprisingly refreshing amber ale. This is NOT your grandma’s sweet potato casserole — there are no pie spices in this beer! The goal is to let the natural flavor of the sweet potato to come through, not to hit you over the head with cloying pie spices. The grain bill is light, with a modest floral and citrus-hop profile. Perfect with grilled chicken, veg plates, and hearty dishes. [5.8% ABV]

Rocket Science IPA: A more modest IPA than some of the more “West Coast” versions now out there. Though the hop profile is subdued, Rocket Science remains an American- and not an English-style IPA. We know Asheville loves its hops… this is for you, Beer City USA! [6.5% ABV]

Summer Basil Farmhouse Ale: The very first batch of beer we brewed on our 15-barrel brewhouse. It’s a rustic farmhouse beer finished with a healthy dose of Coon Rock Farm basil. Like the sweet potato beer, don’t anticipate being hit over the head with basil (though we will have some basil bunches to do that if you’d like). Instead, expect a balanced, refreshing country ale with just a touch of fresh basil on the finish. Try it with panzanella, local cheeses, or just quafff it in a mason jar on the front porch. [5.5% ABV]

Look for Fullsteam to launch in the Asheville area later this year. We’re just giving you a taste! Follow them on Twitter at @fullsteam.

Sorry for the delay in blog posts, you fabulous beer people. Things are wacky these days on the Bruisin’ home front with things not so fun, so please know it’s not that I’m not thinking of you, the fabulous beer people. It’s that I’m busy with real life stuff, trying to keep up with shipping Asheville Brewing’s Moog Filtered Ale (available only until July 31), adding new beers, and generally feeling rather unoriginal these days to write a blog post.

This too shall pass, though, so maybe enjoy it?

NEW THIS WEEK:

BOULDER Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat*
CASCADE The Vine ’09 Sour Ale w/ Grapes*
DE PROEF Monstre Rouge Imperial Flemish Sour* (collaboration w/ Spike at Terrapin)
GREAT DIVIDE 16th Anniversary Ale Oak-aged Double IPA*
HOFSTETTEN Barleywine aged in Cognac barrels
HOFTENDORMAAL Blonde Farmhouse Ale
HOFTENDORMAAL Amber Farmhouse Ale
LAGUNITAS Lucky “13″ Mondo Imperial Red*
RJ ROCKERS Rockhopper IPA
SIERRA NEVADA Charlie, Ken & Fred’s Helles Bock* (Pioneer Series)
STONE BREWING Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA*
SWEETWATER Magnum IP Imperial Pilsner* (Dank Tank series)
STILLWATER ARTISANAL Stateside Saison
VAN DE KORENAAR Finesse

Our friends at The Happy Hour Guys made for the Short Pour Fest at GABF this year. Cheers!

Moog Filtered Ale, on Sale Until the End of July, Creates a Buzz in Its First Month

July 1, 2010 – The limited edition Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog, has been selling at record rates, according to the Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation, partners in creating the beer. Its launch on May 27 coincided with the late inventor’s 76th birthday. Proceeds from all sales go to support the Foundation’s mission to teach science through music.

Moog Filtered Ale will be sold only until July 31, after which it will no longer be available. It is retailed via shipping nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville’s Bruisin’ Ales. It’s also sold in bottles at Greenlife Grocery, Earth Fare, Hops & Vines, and Bruisin’ Ales, and it’s available on tap in various locations throughout Western North Carolina, including Asheville Pizza Company, the Orange Peel, and Lucy Otter.

Asheville artist Phil Cheney designed the bottle’s original label, which shows Bob Moog leaning over a keyboard with his head surrounded by knobs, cables, and musical notes. The beer has gotten rave reviews not only for its taste, but for the benefit it supports:

“We love the idea of paying tribute to a great pioneer like Bob Moog with a beer. What higher honor is there? Moog Filtered Ale is a good session beer for drinking with coworkers after a hectic day of work. And that session can be made even more enjoyable by admiring the awesome label.”
— Wired.com

“I can’t recall shipping any one beer to so many states before. Clearly the bond between musicians and beer speaks volumes with the sales success of Moog Filtered Ale.”
— Julie Atallah, Owner, Bruisin’ Ales (RateBeer 2010’s #3 Beer Retailer Worldwide)

“Moog Filtered Ale is definitely the fastest selling beer we’ve ever produced, a testament to Bob Moog’s connection with people all over the world and to the beer’s great taste. The high volume of sales confirms that synergistic combination. Add the fact that it supports an essential non-profit organization, and it’s a win-win for all.”
— Mike Rangel, President, Asheville Brewing Company

“This stuff is really tasty. I’d better stock up so I have plenty on hand before it disappears in a few weeks.”
—   Geary Yelton, Contributing Editor, Electronic Musician

“My father would have loved the taste of this beer and the concept behind it. He’d be delighted to have a brew all his own.”
— Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director, Bob Moog Foundation

Asheville Brewing has been making outstanding craft beers since 1998 and has won several awards for its beers. As an active supporter of local non-profit groups, they are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation, whose work is innovative and historical. Through Moog Filtered Ale, Asheville Brewing aims to support the interactive educational programs that the Foundation is developing to teach science through music and to eventually build a Moogseum.

“Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It’s a very accessible beer that reflects the ingenuity and creativity behind the Moog legacy. I’ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and I am excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer,” says Doug Riley, brewer and part owner of the Asheville Brewing Company.

Asheville Brewing Company President Mike Rangel says, “We are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation to help keep Bob’s vision and legacy alive. By donating the profits from Moog Filtered Ale, we will be supporting innovative science education through the Foundation’s MoogLab outreach project. We are proud to be joining some of the larger beer companies in supporting important educational work in our community. Moog Filtered Ale is absolutely the most exciting project our company has been involved in.”

www.ashevilebrewing.com

www.moogfoundation.org

www.bruisin-ales.com

Via Beernews.org:

EXPERIENCING THE WORLD ONE PINT AT A TIME
DISCOVERY CHANNEL RAISES A GLASS FOR BREWED, NEW SERIES ON THE WORLD OF BEER ANNOUNCED FOR FALL 2010

(Silver Spring, MD) – Beer is the drink of the masses. If you look into a glass of beer you can see the past, present and future of mankind. Cicero lauded it, Genghis Khan fought for it and now Discovery Channel celebrates it with a world premiere series, BREWED, exploring the culture, history and variety of beer.

Meet Sam Calagione: maverick entrepreneur, family man and owner of Dogfish Head Brewery in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. As an ambassador to the world of craft beer, Sam travels the world to experience what every culture brings to its own special brew.

In BREWED, Sam shows viewers the other side of the bottle, sharing the stories of beer sub-cultures as well as exploring life inside The Dogfish Head Brewery. BREWED goes behind the scenes at Dogfish Head as Sam’s merry band of creative brewmasters concoct new taste varieties.

“BREWED taps more than just kegs and barrels, it unlocks a fascinating history of beer making, showcasing the ingenuity and passion behind our love affair with those alluring suds and how it played a role in building civilizations,” said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel.

Running a successful business also requires inspiration, so BREWED hits the road for the ultimate beer tasting road trip. Along with archeologist and beer expert Pat McGovern, Sam sets out to recreate “ancient ales” that have been discovered at sites around the world from Egypt to Peru. He travels to Rome to research old world Italian beers as inspiration for a new site in New York with Mario Batali. A visit to New Zealand introduces the idea of making the “first tomato based beer.” And back home, Sam is tasked to come up with a commemorative beer called “Bitches Brew” to celebrate the 40th anniversary release of Miles Davis’ famous recording.

“Beer has always been my passion. It is so much more than what you see in the glass. I’m excited to share the diligence, daring and creativity that we pour into our work,” said Calagione.

BREWED is produced for Discovery Channel by Zero Point Zero Productions. Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia are executive producers. Tim Pastore is executive producer for Discovery Channel.

About Zero Point Zero

Zero Point Zero is a television and film production company founded in 2003 by Executive Producers Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia. Since its inception the company has produced over 300 hours of nationally and internationally airing television programs, including the critically acclaimed and award winning series: Anthony Bourdain No Reservations and Diary of a Foodie. In 2009 Zero Point Zero received five EMMY nominations, including a primetime nomination for Best Non-fiction Series for Anthony Bourdain No Reservations series and a win for Best Cinematography. Other recent productions include the 2009 EMMY-winning Diary of a Foodie and 2010 EMMY nominated, Adventure’s with Ruth for PBS; the 2010 series, Brewed, for Discovery and Frontierman for History Channel. This year the company will produce a landmark 100th episode of No Reservations, which features celebrity chef and New York Times best-selling author Anthony Bourdain’s travels and explorations of food and culture around the world. Specializing in distinct storytelling with a handcrafted look and feel Zero Point Zero has produced television shows in over 100 countries around the world.

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.1 million U.S. homes, can be seen in over 180 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISAD, DISBD, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.