Archive for the ‘New this week’ Category

THURSDAY, Dec. 3: Our great friend, Don Richardson (THE “King Don” for whom Catawba Valley’s Pumpkin Ale is named), is bringing some holiday ales from his All Good Brands portfolio. The first of three holiday tastings leading up to December 25. This is a high-rated line-up. Don’t miss it! These are great beers for your dinner table or holiday gifts, too!

DUPONT Avec les Bons Voeux—Meaning “With Best Wishes,” this winter Saison is a seasonal favorite with Bruisin’ Ales customers. Amber in color with an earthy smell traditional to Saisons, it finishes both fruity and mildly bitter on the palate. [Saison, 9.5% abv | A- BeerAdvocate; 99 RateBeer]

ST. FEUILLIEN Cuvée de Nöel—”Dark ruby brown colour and a very intense aroma. The aromatic herbs and spices used greatly enhance its smell. This beer is full-bodied with a smoothness that is the result of the synergy of caramelised malts… A very subtle bitterness is the dominant flavour that strikes a perfect balance between all the ingredients.” [Belgian Strong Dark, 9.0% abv | A- BeerAdvocate; 95 RateBeer]

SCALDIS Nöel (a.k.a. Bush de Nöel, Belgium)—Strong, dark and sweet. This beer smacks of a yeasty, malty mouthfeel with hints of burnt caramel and moderate spices & dark fruits in the finish. [Belgian Strong Dark, 12.5% abv | B+ BeerAdvocate; 94 RateBeer]

HE’BREW Jewbilation Bar Mitzvah “13″—The 13th Anniversary Ale for Schmaltz Brewing Company’s He’Brew line, this brew boast 13 different malts with 13 hop additions. Robust, super hoppy with a chocolate finish, it yields minimal alcohol burn for its strength. The Jewbilation Anniversary Series “has been touted by critics receiving top accolades including “5 Stars” from Celebrator Beer News, “Best Holiday Beer” by Pacific Brew News, and Playboy Magazine.” [American Imperial Stout, 13.0% abv | A- BeerAdvocate; 94 RateBeer]

Today, one of the most coveted single-batch beers of 2009 is arriving at the humble storefront: Life & Limb, a collaboration between Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Due to allocations, we are getting just TWO CASES. This is first-come, first-served; ONE bottle per person. The beer is not available for shipping orders or for holding by phone. It’s Black Friday, so at some points today, it is likely we will be unable to get to the phone. So, to be fair, you must pick it up. (Plus, we also want to keep these few bottles in Asheville for our loyal, local customers.)

What else is new this week, besides the gargantuan list from last Friday? PLENTY.

BELL’S Christmas Ale*
BELL’S Sparkling Ale*
CANTILLON Classic Gueze
CANTILLON 1900 Grand Cru
CANTILLON Lou Pepe Frambroise
DOGFISH HEAD Olde School Barleywine*
FANTOME Hiver Winter Saison*
HOPPIN’ FROG Christmas Ale*
JOLLY PUMPKIN Noel de Calabaza* (first time in WNC!)
LEFT HAND BREWING Fade to Black*
LEFT HAND BREWING Widdershins Barleywine*
MIKKELLER From/To*
MIKKELLER Santa’s Little Helper*
NEW HOLLAND Cabin Fever*
NØRREBRO Julebryg Winter Warmer*
SIERRA NEVADA/DOGFISH HEAD Life & Limb* (very limited!)
TERRAPIN Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout*
WEISSENOHE Monk’s Fest
WEISSENOHE Monk’s Jubelfest*

ABITA Christmas Ale*
AYINGER Jahrhundert Lager
AYINGER Weizenbock
BELL’S Christmas Ale*
BREWDOG/STONE BREWING CO. Bashah*
CATAWBA VALLEY King Coconut Porter*
CORSENDONK Christmas Ale*
DE DOLLE Stille Nacht
DE KONINCK Winterkoninck*
DE REGENBOOG t’Smisje Kerst*
DUBUISSON Scaldis Noël*
DUPONT Avec le Bons Voeux 2009*
FANTOME de Noel*
FANTOME Hiver*
FRENCH BROAD Wee-Heavy-est*
HEAVY SEAS Hang Ten*
HITACHINO Commemorative Ale*
KIND BEERS Belgian Red Ale*
KONINGSHOEVEN Bock
LA CHOULETTE La Choullette de Noël*
LE BALADIN Noël*
LE BALADIN Xyauyù Fume
MAHR’S Christmas Bock*
MIKKELLER From/To*
MOYLAN’S IPA
OLDE HICKORY Bardstown Bourbon-aged Barleywine (2006)
PISGAH India Pale Ale* (22oz)
PISGAH Porter (22oz/growlers)
PISGAH Vortex I Triple IPA* (22oz)
RIDGEWAY Criminally Bad Elf*
RIDGEWAY Insanely Bad Elf*
RIDGEWAY Seriously Bad Elf*
RIDGEWAY Lump of Coal Stout*
RIDGEWAY Santa’s Butt Porter*
RIDGEWAY Warm Welcome Nut-Browned Ale*
ROGUE Yellow Snow IPA*
SAMUEL SMITH’S Winter Welcome Ale*
SCHMALTZ He’Brew Jewbelation 13*
SMUTTYNOSE Wheat Wine*
SMUTTYNOSE Winter Ale*
THIRSTY DOG 12 Dogs of Christmas*
TOMMYKNOCKER Cocoa Porter*
TOMMYKNOCKER TundraBeary
VICTORY Helios Saison
WEYERBACHER Winter Ale*
WIDMER BROTHERS Reserve: Cherry Oak Doppelbock*

Remember a few week’s ago when we announced the arrival of new Belgian craft beers from 12 Percent Imports? Yeah, well, we totally forget to list them anywhere on here. Here’s a little list of all those, followed by some of the other awesome new beverages that arrived this week. Holiday beers! Here they come! Whee!

Eerwaarde Pater
Embrasse
Kalle Tripel
La Botteresse Brune
La Botteresse Noire
Noblesse
Piet-Agoras
Potteloereke
Sint Canarus Tripel
‘t Gaverhopke Extra
‘t Gaverhopke Singing Blond
Tournay
Tournay Black
Valeir Blond
Valeir Extra

For the holidays:
ANDERSON VALLEY Winter Solstice*
ALLAGASH Interlude
ANCHOR Christmas*
AVERY Old Jubilation*
DOGFISH HEAD Chicory Stout*
KIND BEER Belgian Red*
Ommegang Adoration*
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome*
Sierra Nevada Celebration*
Weyerbacher Winter Ale*

Highland Brewing has a YouTube Channel
My bad for not checking YouTube enough. But AskAsheville.com linked to this nifty 3:00 min video (above) of Highland Brewing Company’s bottling line. Dig it. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel here.

Green Man Ales debuts new Double IPA
Asheville’s Green Man Ales, found Dirty Jack’s and  Jack of the Wood, made its debut of a new Double IPA yesterday. We couldn’t get out to try it, but we hope you did. Definitely going to get some of my own today! Maybe a growler for the Chicago Bears game tonight. I’m pretty sure the beer will keep me from crawling into a corner and crying. Well, maybe.

Wedge debuts Third Rail IPA
Yet another local brewery showing some love to the hopheads for the holidays. Introducing Third Rail IPA, another Double IPA. Here’s to hoping we’ll get bottles back soon. These guys just can’t keep up with y’all. Stop drinking all the Wedge, people! (Just kidding.)

Pisgah’s Baptista is resting
Honestly, I get more geeked about Baptista than any other holiday beer. It’s locally-brewed and reminds me of the beer that single-handedly started my foray into the Land of the Beer Geeks, La Binchoise Spéciale Nöel, now called Binchoise Reserve. Baptista is a Belgian Strong Pale with holiday spices and hints of orange peel. Warms you up, too, with its ever-so-light 11.5% abv. The yeast is working its magic as I type this, so expect to see it soon.

Asheville Brewing’s Christmas Jam White Ale is flying off the shelf
One of the smartest collaborations between Asheville’s closely-tied beer and music scene is the new Christmas Jam White Ale, a private label beer made for Warren Haynes Christmas Jam (tix on sale this Saturday) by Asheville Brewing Co. We can’t keep this stuff around. Already shipped to over ten different states! And our country’s foremost beer guru, Charlie Papazian, has requested bottles for review. Boo-yah! (Papazian is also the man behind the “Beer City USA” poll.)

French Broad’s Wee-Heavy-est arrives next week
One of Asheville’s most popular beers, French Broad Brewery’s Wee-Heavy-er, gets a Belgian boost for the winter months with the release of Wee-Heavy-est. We’ll be kicking off the release at next Thursday’s Tasting!