For immediate release: January 24, 2011

The first ever Asheville Beer Week will take place May 24 through June 3, 2012. The ten days celebrating beer and Beer City, USA, will culminate at Asheville’s third Beer City Festival on June 2.

Our mission is to celebrate that nectar known as beer—to taste many different styles of beer and variations on those styles; to pair beer with a smorgasbord of delicious foods; to learn about and explore beer in all its delectable complexity; and, most of all, to have fun drinking beer in the brewery-centric mountains of Asheville, NC.

The “week” will include seminars, tastings, dinners, and special events with “beer celebrities” from around the country and the world. More than 40 breweries are slated to appear at Beer City Festival already.

Organized by a beer-loving bunch of regional beer industry folks, Asheville Beer Week will offer a variety of events and include as many bars, restaurants and breweries as possible.

If you’re interested in holding an event, please contact us at avlbeerweek@gmail.com, and we’ll send you a sign-up sheet. Event sign-ups are due by February 17, after which time, we’ll produce an official Asheville Beer Week calendar.

Whether or not you’d like to participate or attend, please spread the word about Asheville Beer Week.

We’re also holding a logo contest. Submissions for the Asheville Beer Week logo also are due by February 17. The winner will receive two tickets to Beer City Fest, two tickets to Brewgrass (Sept. 15), and two tickets to an Iron Man Chef Competition to be held during Asheville Beer Week.

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Contacts:

Mike Rangel, Asheville Brewers Alliance and Asheville Brewing Company, asheville.ninja@gmail.com.

Anne Fitten Glenn, beer writer/educator/Brewgasm.com., annefittenglenn@gmail.com.

General email: avlbeerweek@gmail.com

Facebook: Asheville Beer Week

Twitter: @avlbeerweek

This coming Monday, Bruisin’ Ales will have special Monday hours to launch the long-awaited 21st Amendment Brewery from San Francisco, California. The entire line comes in cans. Probably best known for their Hell or High Watermelon Wheat (which exploded onto the beer scene initially and will likely make an appearance after the New Year), this is a fantastic canned line. We’re thrilled to launch it in WNC and we welcome them to the Bruisin’ shelves. About the brewery/brewpub:

In 2000, Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan founded the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco’s historic South Park neighborhood. The popular brewpub is now at the heart of the new city center, just south of the financial district and only two blocks from the San Francisco Giants baseball park. In addition to eight rotating taps of multiple award-winning hand-crafted house beers, the pub has been voted “Best Brewpub”, “Best Burger” and “Best Happy Hour” by the San Francisco press.

So, what 21st Amendment beers will be coming on the initial shipment? Here’s what we’re tasting on Monday from 5:00-7:00 pm.

Brew Free or Die (IPA)
Brewed with some serious west coast attitude. This aromatic golden IPA starts with a sucker punch of six different hops to the nose, quickly balanced by a solid malt backbone. Our top selling beer at the pub, this IPA starts big and finishes clean leaving you wanting more. [7.0% abv]

Back in Black  (Black IPA)
Inspired by Paul Revere’s midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and then recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the expected. Back in Black is our newest year-round beer available now in six pack cans and on draft. Brewed like an American IPA but with the addition of rich, dark malts, this beer has all the flavor and hop character you expect with a smooth, mellow finish. [6.8% abv]

Allies Win the War (Strong Ale brewed with Dates, Collaboration with Ninkasi Brewing)
In a surprising turn of events, rival superpowers have joined forces to bring a beer of might to the world. According to top-secret documents, recently unclassified, brewmasters for 21st Amendment in California and Ninkasi in Oregon began their brewing careers together many years ago. The two leaders reunited recently at a secret camp in the Sierras to devise their master plan. “We are more alike than we are different,” said 21st Amendment’s Shaun O’Sullivan. “We must unite in our common cause,” added Ninkasi’s Jamie Floyd. The resulting collaboration, an ale brewed with California dates, an aggressive arsenal of all-Northwest hops and an unmistakable aroma of victory, deals a unified blow to unoriginal beers everywhere. [8.5% abv]

Please note: Store hours will be 5:00-8:00 pm on Monday, December 5th, so come on down for a sample and get a little beer shopping done!

The Friday night before Brewgrass Festival, we’ll be having a tasting with Pisgah Brewing Company. This is the official release of Vortex II, people! Join us 5:00-7:00 p.m. that night with Head Brewer, Kyle, and Owner, Jason. See you there!

Equinox: “This harvest style ale celebrates the bounty of the seasons.  Amber in color and well hopped this beer weighs in at a comfortable 7.5% abv.”

Solstice: Pisgah’s year-round Belgian. A Tripel ale, this beer contains moderately fruity esters with an alcoholic complexity supported by a soft malt character. This beer is pale gold in color and 9.5% abv.

Special Reserve Cosmos: “Dark and mysterious, this Pisgah beer is a tribute to Belgian tradition and our homebrew roots. Combining the rich flavor of a Baltic Porter with the subtleness of a special Belgian yeast strain, the Cosmos is born. Bottle conditioned and aged for months this authentic organic beer will cellar for years to come.” 9.5% abv

Vortex II: A big, beefy Russian Imperial Stout. 11.7% abv

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Grand Hop Harvest Tour & Sampling — Showcasing Hops from Vine to Keg.

Hop’n Blueberry Farm and Pisgah Brewing Company invite you to experience a dual hop tour on Saturday, August 6, 2011.

Arrive at the Farm (24 Middle Mountain Road – Black Mountain) by 12:45pm for a 1:00pm tour.  Then take a short drive down the road to Pisgah Brewing Company (150 Eastside Drive – Black Mountain) to continue your experience.  Tickets are $8.00 per person and include a beer sample (or two).

Pisgah Brewing Company has been producing a “wet hop” beer with fresh hops grown at Hop’n Blueberry Farm for the last three years.  This unique beer only happens once per year when hops are picked and added to the brewing process at the brewery within hours after leaving the farm.

The tour begins at the farm where owner Van Burnette will share information about growing hops from the ground up, taking us from the vine to the kettle. Participants will enjoy a complimentary sample of Pisgah’s wet-hopped beer, appropriately named “Burnette’s Brew”.  According to Burnette, “This is the best batch yet with a fresh aromatic taste that will delight anyone.”  The afternoon continues at the brewery where the tour will hear about hops from the kettle to the keg.  Join us, for this farm-to-table collaboration.

www.hopnblueberryfarm.com
www.pisgahbrewing.com

Next weekend, in nearby Weaverville, is the second annual Hops Festival at Echoview Farms. Tour the farm, try beers from their harvest. Sounds like a great time!

From there website: “Hops may not have been the most obvious choice for our first experiments in sustainable agriculture, but they have been a great choice. The soils and climate of Western North Carolina show great promise for the cultivation of hops. And local breweries have been very receptive to the idea of using locally-grown hops. Not only does local agriculture cut down on fossil fuels; it also encourages more symbiosis between local growers and local consumers.”

Here are the details for next Saturday, June 16:

Second Annual Hops Festival
*Online event registration for 2nd Annual Hops Festival at Echoview Farm powered by Eventbrite*

Brewers and farm lovers alike are invited to the Second Annual Hops Festival at Echoview Farm in Weaverville, NC. Visit the largest hops farm in the state. See an oast at work. And enjoy lunch and home brew. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Limit 500.  Please click above for on-line registration. 

Saturday, July 16, 2011
Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm  (Last year was such a success we have extended the hours)

Echoview Farm Hops Field
534 Old Mars Hill Hwy
Weaverville, NC 28787
828-645-7667

[Photo credit: © Mike Guarracino]

Highland Brewing Co. to Release PSA Pilsner to Support Pints for Prostates Awareness Campaign

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Highland Brewing Co. is releasing PSA Pilsner to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and generate funds to fight the disease that one in six American men will face.

Highland PSA Pilsner is a limited release lager created by Highland Brewer Joey Justice that will initially be available only on draught. PSA Pilsner will be tapped for the first time on March 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. during a special event at the Highland Brewing Tasting Room, 12 Old Charlotte Highway in Asheville, N.C. The beer will benefit Pints for Prostates, an awareness campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer. Highland Brewery will donate 50-cents from each pint sold.

The beer takes its name from the PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test, a critical tool in the early detection of prostate cancer. Highland PSA Pilsner is the latest addition to the Pints for Prostates campaign, which is designed to be a friendly and non-threatening reminder to men to take charge of their health.

“We have been working on developing a new Pilsner and want to get the reaction of our fans to the new beer at our tasting room. We thought this would be a great opportunity to raise awareness about prostate cancer,” said Oscar Wong, Highland Brewing founder and a prostate cancer survivor. “Pints for Prostates is spreading the word across the country and this is a perfect opportunity to bring this important message to Asheville.”

Pints for Prostates will have an information table at the event, along with t-shirts, hats and a raffle for a nine-night trip for two to Prague, Bamberg and Munich for Oktoberfest.  The Tim Marsh Collective will provide live music during the release event.

“Pints for Prostates really appreciates the support of Highland Brewing and I am looking forward to tasting PSA Pilsner,” said Rick Lyke, a Charlotte marketing executive and beer writer who founded Pints for Prostates in 2008 after successful prostate cancer surgery. “Few people realize that men are 33 percent more likely to face prostate cancer than women are to develop breast cancer. With early detection and proper treatment, the disease is nearly 100 percent survivable, but last year 32,000 American men died from prostate cancer. Men need to take charge of their health and start having regular prostate health screenings and PSA tests at age 40.”

According to Justice, Highland PSA Pilsner reflects his love for great Pilsner. The recipe combines Best Maltz (Best Pilsen Malt) from Heidelberg, Germany, with Carapils and Vienna Malt from American specialty malt producer Breiss, with the wort nursed through an extended brewing, fermentation and conditioning cycle utilizing the yeast strain that created the Czech Republic’s reputation for producing the world’s greatest Pilsners. Classic Czech Saaz hops provide a modest IBU count and delicate effusive aromatics. This small batch Pilsner finishes clean and crisp, and at 4 percent alcohol by volume, can lay claim to being an honest, distinctly refreshing, and highly quaffable session beer, hand crafted with love of the brewer’s art.

“Prostate cancer is about 30 years behind breast cancer in terms of awareness and social standing. The pink ribbon can be found on everything from cat food to wine, but the blue ribbon for prostate cancer awareness is on very few products as a reminder to men,” Lyke said. “Having Highland PSA Pilsner on the market is a major step forward in raising awareness about prostate cancer. Highland Brewing is really stepping up to the plate to help guys.”

During the last two years more than 100 Pints for Prostates events have been held, organized by volunteers and often hosted on a local level at breweries, restaurants or brewpubs. Those wishing to organize an event can get information by visiting www.pintsforprostates.org.

About Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 218,000 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2010. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

About Highland Brewing Co.

Highland Brewing Co. rolled out its first beer kegs in December 1994.  Built almost entirely of retrofitted dairy equipment, the original brewery in downtown Asheville could produce up to 6,500 barrels of beer per year. In October 2006, the company moved to a larger, more efficient brewery in east Asheville with a 20,000 barrel capacity. Owner/founder Oscar Wong and Vice President/Brewmaster John Lyda have been at the brewery since its inception.  What began as a three person operation has grown into a staff of 18.  Currently, the Highland brand is sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. More information is available at www.highlandbrewing.com.

There’s a new meet-up group in town! Welcome, Asheville Beer Divas—”…a club for women who have a passion for beer and would like to meet up with other like minded women to socialize about beer.” This new happy-hour group will meet on the second Wednesday of each month for some brews and informal chatter about beer.

The first get-together is on Wednesday, December 8, 5:30 p.m. at Barley’s Taproom.

There is also a Facebook Page, so please go and give it a “like.” Follow on Twitter at @avlbeerdivas.

We have been holding our tongues on this for over a month, so we’re exciting to finally scream this news from the rooftops: Nebraska Brewing Company (@nebrewingco) is entering the WNC market starting in December, just in time for the holidays! The brewery is well-known in the beer community for several of their Brewer’s Reserve Series, like Hop God, Melange a Trois, and Black Betty Russian Imperial Stout. (And we’ve got a soft spot for other husband and wife teams who work well together, like Paul and Kim Kavulak.) Cin-cin!

Here’s the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 18, 2010

Nebraska Brewing Company Begins Distribution to North Carolina: World Class in Every Glass

(Papillion, NE)—Nebraska Brewing Company has signed a distribution agreement with Next Generation Beer Company in Asheville, NC. On and off premise retailers in the State of North Carolina are now able to order and serve Nebraska Brewing Company’s product suite of bottled Reserve Series Craft Beers.

Paul Kavulak, President of Nebraska Brewing Company stated: “North Carolina represents another market well suited to our brands given the growing Craft Beer sales data. This is a fantastic location to pair up with our products.” Additionally, “North Carolina also provides an interesting aspect in that mail-order sales can originate from this State into others that allow it. In an indirect way, we further broaden our reach via North Carolina.”

Distribution will begin in approximately December and will launch with one of its Reserve Series Beers, Barrel Aged Hop God. Seasonal shipments of Reserve Series Beers will comprise the extent of the product list in North Carolina. A full list of Nebraska Brewing Company brands can be found at www.nebraskabrewingco.com.

Dennis Thies, Owner and General Manager of Next Generation Beer Company had this to say: “Asheville-based Next Generation Beer Co. is excited to partner with Nebraska Brewing Company in Western North Carolina and Charlotte.” Further, “With its focus on specialty beers, NGB and Nebraska Brewing Co. look to be a perfect fit. Nebraska Brewing’s offerings are sure to be a hit in Asheville, a renowned beer market.”

Paul and Kim Kavulak co-founded Nebraska Brewing Company in November of 2007. Since that time, Nebraska Brewing Company has established itself as a Midwest Innovator of quality Craft Beers and artisanal Barrel-Aged Products. Building on a reputation for quality, flavor, and creativity – Nebraska Brewing Company strives to be a stand-out in an ever growing field.

Nebraska Brewing Company is proud to be a locally owned and locally operated brewpub in Papillion, Nebraska. Small, independent, and pushing the envelope.

We can’t wait for this one!

Join us tomorrow from 5:00-7:00pm with Paul Breeding from LoneRider!