The first coffee-table book about our fair city—Asheville: A Photographic Portrait—is now here. The book was published by Riverbend Books in Atlanta and endorsed by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. In browsing through the impressive photography, the book paints a perfect portrait of everything that’s great about life in Asheville, from the downtown to the outdoors, music and arts, gastronomics and even a little appearance from Bruisin’ Ales.

Designated as Asheville’s “official book,” and enthusiastically endorsed by the Chamber, “Asheville—A Photographic Portrait,” will include more than 300 of the best color photos taken by photographers whose images appear in National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times and other prominent publications. As Asheville’s official coffee-table book, this stunning hardbound publication will serve as an economic development resource and promote our exceptional quality of life. Businesses will utilize this book to present to professionals considering relocation.

We’ll be giving some to our friends this holiday (now that we’ve given it away). The book is a wonderful gift for the native Ashevillian, the transplant, the part-timer, or the visitor.

CafePress.com is having a special for friends and family this week. Since the Bruisin’ Ales shop is part of CafePress, here’s a chance to get a jump start for the beer lovers on your list by showing your support for beer•lan•thro•py™. Get 15% off $50 or more through November 28 by entering coupon code FRFAM2007.

After Thanksgiving, Bruisin’ Ales will begin taking orders for custom baskets for the holidays. What could be a greater gift than beer?

All About Beer magazine has arrived in-store! Issues can be picked-up for just $4.99.

The Brothers Alström from BeerAdvocate have decided not to retail their new mag after all—not sure why and this is sad news—but we still have a few March issues left and will apparently at least be getting April’s. After that, you’re on your own. Get your subscription here.

Next up will be the arrival of Southern Brew News and Ale Street News.

Dogfish Head merch is now in-store. There are tees, hats, stickers, koozies, keyrings and some fancy-ass Raison D’Etre goblets that are just too awesome for words. If you’re feeling a little ‘off-centered,’ then this is the stuff for you.

Pennsylvania is going to allow convenience stores to sell beer after all. What a great day for beer lovers. Why do we care? For our old friends, of course. Congrats, everyone. MADD is wee bit up in arms about it, saying it will make beer sales to minors easier, but like NC, with their red-yellow-green color-coding, Pennsylvania has now started issuing a vertically-oriented drivers’ license with hologram for those over 21. So, if you work at one of these stores, card someone and still manage to sell to a minor, that just makes you an idiot. Our states are going to great lengths to upgrade identification cards, so let’s have faith and trust in the system, shall we?

Source: Phillyburbs.com

England has a big beef with Gordon Brown, since he just raised the price of a pint (beer and cider are affected) and it will inevitably do more damage to the already struggling traditional English pub scene. CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) has issued a statement:

“At a time when 56 pubs a month are closing, the smoking ban is imminent and supermarkets are selling beer at ridiculously low prices, British pubs needed a lifeline from their government and that has been denied them.”

Source: The Morning Advertiser / Manchester Evening News

Flying Dog is adding another in their Wild Dog limited-release series which will be Whiskey Barrel-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter. Only 5000 bottles will be available and the release is April. We wonder if we’ll see it in North Carolina. Here’s a brief description from the press release:

“This unique version of Flying Dog’s popular Gonzo Imperial Porter was brewed and transferred into charred White American Oak whiskey barrels that the neighboring Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey had aged their product in for two years. After aging in the wood barrels for three months, the Imperial Porter was hand bottled, corked, labeled and conditioned for another six weeks before being shipped.”

Source: Earthtimes.org