Archive for the ‘Brewpubs’ Category

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.

[NOTE: Press release from the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. Enter to win a trip to Asheville & Brewgrass Festival.]

WIN CRAFT BEER VACATION GIVEAWAY

~ Asheville celebrates craft beer title with beer-cation travel giveaway ~

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (May 27, 2010) – More than 19,000 votes and hundreds of heated comments and blog posts marked a neck-n-neck tie-breaker for the title of “BeerCity USA 2010” in an online poll celebrating American Craft Beer Week.  In the end, passion for the small, but mighty, brewing culture of Asheville, North Carolina surpassed brewing giant Portland, Oregon. Last year, the East Coast vs. West Coast battle ended in a tie between the two cities.

Quote

“Beers experienced from breweries in both cities, I can attest to, are worth the journey to these American beer Meccas.  In fact beer enjoyed in most American cities is worth the journey.  Beer drinkers are on notice: You can leave home now–better beer awaits,” said Examiner.com poll host and founder of the Association of Brewers Charlie Papazian.

Win a Craft Beer Vacation

In celebration of the city’s first outright title of BeerCity USA, Asheville has launched a beer-cation giveaway. Win a free night’s stay at the Asheville Renaissance and pair of coveted tickets to Asheville’s biggest annual beer festival, Brewgrass. Tickets are currently sold out for the popular event with a line-up of national and regional bluegrass acts. Enter to win the craft beer travel getaway at ExploreAsheville.com.

About Asheville: Brewtopian Society

Known for its scenic beauty, music culture and robust art scene, Asheville’s reputation as a haven for brewing and culinary arts is growing. With a population of just over 70,000, Asheville is giving bigger cities a beer-run for their money with nine diverse craft breweries–more per capita than any city in the nation.

On any given day, about 50 local beers can be enjoyed on draft and in bottles. Asheville is home to a world-renowned specialty beer store (Bruisin’ Ales, rated #3 retailer worldwide by RateBeer), five annual beer festivals, a regular “Beer Guy” column in the local paper, and a growing array of local beer-flavored food products. (Highland Black Mocha Stout ice cream, anyone?) Asheville Brews Cruise offers an insider’s look at Asheville’s rapidly evolving microbrewery scene complete with designated driver.

Beer Links

• BeerCity USA – Examiner.com poll results
• AmericanCraftBeerWeek.org
• BrewtopianSociety.com – guide to Asheville’s craft breweries via FoodtopianSociety.com

Follow @AshevilleTravel on Twitter.

Thanks for featuring Beer City, USA!

All Week

• The Asheville Brews Cruise has spots open all week long. If you haven’t done proper tours of our local breweries, the Brews Cruise is a great option to learn about the brewing craft, sample beers, and best of all, have someone drive you around safely.
• Check Barley’s Taproom this week for specials, especially the Bruisin’ Ales tap.
• The Thirsty Monk is having Rogue Week at the bar downtown with 8 taps of Rogue Ales on draft. This is your chance to become a member of Rogue Nation!
• The Universal Joint in West Asheville is running weekly pint specials. Check daily.

Wednesday, March 17

• Craggie Brewing Company releases its long-awaited Meet Your Maker Barleywine. If you came to the tasting at Bruisin’ Ales in February, you were lucky enough to get a sneak peak. Now the beer is ready, so head over to the Craggie Public Room tonight for the release. The Jig Is Up will also be playing traditional Irish Music from 8pm-midnight with no cover.
• Wedge Brewing Company‘s brewer Carl Melissas is doing a nifty experiment at the brewery tonight, checking the temperature of beer the old-fashioned way—which is where we get the old saying “rule of thumb.” And free corned beef and cabbage tonight from 5pm until they run out!
• French Broad Brewery has $1 off all growlers purchased at the brewery today.
• Green Man Ales, at Dirty Jack’s and Jack of the Wood, is unveiling a “new, dark, creamy, beefed-up, utterly blissful Irish Stout”! Starting at 12pm, live music all day.

Thursday, March 18

• Asheville Singer-songwriter Utah Green plays the French Broad Tasting Room with no cover charge.
• Sol-Roots with guests Woody Wood and Galen Kipar are playing the LAB venue. Also, with receipt, get $10 off the new Buzzed Home service!
• It’s infusion night at Asheville Brewing on Coxe Avenue! Go check out what beer their filtering thru which wacky flavors.

Friday, March 19

• Highland Brewing Company’s Tasting Room will be open Friday, March 19 from 4-8pm with music from East Coast Dirt and food available from Kyte’s Catering. All beers are $3.
• The Screaming J’s are playing at Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain at 8pm.
• “Ring in The Spring” Party at Oyster House Brewery (inside the Lobster Trap). Kick the winter blues with beer specials, live music, free food, a spring costume contest and giveaways.

Saturday, March 20

• Alt-country/Americana performer Dave Desmelik will perform at the French Broad Tasting Room. No cover.
• Garry Segal & The To Dye For Band play at Jack of the Wood at 9:30pm. A blend of traditional and original country, bluegrass and blues. Garry’s soulful voice and expert harmonica playing is matched by peddle steel, guitar and an infectious rhythm section.

Sunday, March 21

• Catch a movie at Asheville Pizza & Brewing on Merrimon for just $3/pp. Beer, pizza & movies? Yes, please.
  

Monday, March 22

• Monk(day) Monkfest at The Thirsty Monk downtown. $6 gets you three 6 oz. samples of the craft beer of your choice!
• Join Quizzo at Jack of the Wood tonight. Voted Asheville’s #1 trivia game in the Mountain XPress “Best of 2009.”

The Brewers Association announced the 2009 craft beer sales numbers and other statistics yesterday in its annual report, released just before the Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago next month. (Click the graphics for larger version.) From the Brewers Association:

“Beer lovers continue to find great value and enjoyment in fuller flavored craft beers,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Americans have an increasing appreciation of craft beers, and the growing number of brewers behind them. They’re eager to try the latest seasonal release and to sample a variety of beers from different breweries.”

In 2009, craft brewers represented 4.3 percent of volume and 6.9 percent of retail dollars for the total U.S. beer category. With the total U.S. beer industry representing an estimated retail dollar value of $101 billion, the Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2009 was $7 billion, up from $6.3 billion in 2008.

The total number of U.S. craft brewers grew from 1,485 to 1,542 in 2009, and they produced 9,115,635 barrels, up from 8,501,713 barrels in 2008. Overall U.S. beer sales fell from approximately 210.4 million barrels to 205.8 million barrels.”