Archive for the ‘People’ Category

We have been waiting for this for some time now, anxiously, drooling-ly (made up word). And it’s here: Olde Hickory Eiraphiotes. We can’t pronounce it at all, but we’re going to drink it for sure! (Here, Brewer Steven Lyerly talks about the beer.)

We had to look up Eiraphiotes. Wikipedia says: Eiraphiotes: “Insewn”. Dionysus, in Olympian myth, was sewn into the thigh of Zeus, who brought the prematurely delivered infant to term. There’s also a little link to Hellenic Gods.

“Olde Hickory Brewery Eiraphiotes is a very limited relase. An Imperial Pilsner we aged in chardonnay barrels, it begins with a hoppy, floral nose, with a hint of grape skins. Fruity, medium body on the palate, with a malty sweetness, hints of grapes, a slight acidity and oaky dryness. Hops first on the finish, followed by sweet malt and finally dry oak. Available for a short time throughout NC in 750ml bottles and on tap in just a few locations.”

We also have ONE CASE of Foothills Sexual Chocolate. One/per person and you must ASK for it. No shipping. (Good luck!)

Here’s the full list:

AVERY Maharaja
AVERY New World Porter
CALDERA Old Growth
FOOTHILLS Sexual Chocolate
NANTAHALA ATX Pale
NANTAHALA Noon Day IPA
NANTAHALA Pattons Run Porter
OLDE HICKORY Eiraphiotes
PEAK Hop Noir
TERRAPIN Moo-Hoo Stout

Heyo, beer people! Join us on Thursday, Februrary 2, 5:00-7:00 p.m. with Trey from New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, Color. We’ve got a special line-up, including the new seasonal, Dig Pale Ale, with Sorachi, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade and Centennial hops, and two beers from the Lips of Faith Series, Biere de Mars and the new (and yummy) Cocoa Mole.

Dig Pale Ale
“Unearth your bottle-opener because this Pale Ale is something you can Dig. Sorachi Ace hops provides a fresh Spring zing with incredible lemon aroma. Nelson Sauvin is next in line with bursts of passion fruit, mango and peach. American favorites, Cascade and Centennial round out this crisp, clean Pale Ale.” [5.6% abv]

Belgo IPA
“When we set out to brew, we use imagination and salvation to guide us- not necessarily style guidelines. It’s the Belgian way. So, Ameri-Belgo and IPA both being styles, the branding begged for New Belgium whimsy to liven things up. Hmmm Belgo sounds like a Belgian disco. Hops like to party. Next thing you know, we bust out a disco-ball and brewers started groovin. Hops started hoppin. Add in an authentic Trappist yeast strain and the place brewed into a frenzy of citrus hoppy folly.” [7.0% abv]

Lips of Faith: Biere de Mars
“Again in 2012, we are pleased to offer one of our favorite harbingers of spring, Biere de Mars. With earthy tones of ripe mango and lemon verbena, this bottle-conditioned ale reflects the hearty character of the southern Belgian and northern French countrysides. Brewed with barley, oats and wheat malt, Biere de Mars’ celestial orange hue inspired the planetary play on words. Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain, added for bottle-conditioning creates a refreshingly sour flash across the palate. Lemon peel coupled with the lemon verbena imparts fruitlike character and a citrusy finish.” [6.2% abv]

Lips of Faith: Cocoa Molé
“Say Hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor to our Cocoa Molé. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying, “¡Olé for molé!” [9.0% abv]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CHICO, Calif. — Jan. 25, 2012 —Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is pleased to announce that it has chosen a site in western North Carolina for the future home of an East Coast brewery. The site, approximately 90 acres in the Henderson County Town of Mills River— along the French Broad River, 12 miles south of Asheville — will be home to the new production facility, as well as a proposed restaurant and gift shop. “We are thrilled to have found an ideal location in western North Carolina for our second brewery,” says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. “The beer culture, water quality and quality of life are excellent. We feel lucky to be a part of this community.”

The new facility will add much needed capacity for Sierra Nevada, and will allow for the quick shipment of brewery-fresh beer to consumers in the east. The East Coast brewery will start with a capacity around 300,000 barrels, with room to grow. The added barrelage will accommodate wider production of the myriad of seasonal beers and bottled specialties Sierra Nevada has produced in recent years, as well as an expansion of the brewery’s well?known flagship product: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Sierra Nevada began the search for a new location several years ago. The brewery looked at hundreds of potential sites, eventually narrowing the search down to a handful of locations. The list of criteria was long and included quantifiable factors such as ease of shipping and water quality, as well as quality of life issues for its employees. Sierra Nevada has a reputation for a laid-back brewery culture and a love of the outdoors, and the new facility will retain this same tone. The Asheville area offers Sierra Nevada Brewing the perfect confluence of community, recreation and craft beer culture.

Sierra Nevada’s eastern brewery site is expected to employ approximately 90 workers, with additional staff in the restaurant to follow. The brewery anticipates being operational by early 2014.

About Sierra Nevada Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and ingredients of the finest quality. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including the flagship Pale Ale, Torpedo, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis, four seasonal beers, Estate Ale, Harvest Ales, Ovila Abbey Ales and a host of draught-only specialties.

Additional links from beernews.org:

Sierra Nevada Ken Grossman’s statement on North Carolina
Sierra Nevada Brewing to invest $107.5 million over next five years in North Carolina brewery

First tasting of the  2012 is with Kevin Fox of Heavy Seas, Baltimore, MD. Join us tomorrow, Thursday, December 12 from 5:00-7:00pm for a flight.

Loose Cannon: “Burnished gold with a rich citrus hop aroma, it is wonderfully drinkable with a big hop flavor. We’ve knicknamed it Hop³ (hop cubed) ale to reflect the enormous amount of hops in this beer: over 3 pounds per barrel! It is hopped 3 ways: in the kettle, in the hop back, and dry hopped. Pairs well with strong cheeses and steak. 2nd Place CAMRA award winner at the 2010 Great British Beer Festival.” [7.25% abv]

Black Cannon: “The style is an oxymoron but this ale is an extension of our Loose Cannon style brewed with black malt. Available Jan – March.” [7.25% abv]

Hang Ten: “A classic German-style weizen bock, slightly cloudy and bursting with flavor. It will benefit with aging up to two years. VINTAGE DATED.” [10.0% abv]

Smoke On The Water: “A rich dark porter with added complexity from subtle smoked malt. Pair this porter with anything cooked on the grill and smoked gouda. RETIRED.” [8.0% ABV]

Wow. Five years. Happy, happy 5th birthday to the humble storefront today!

I had every intention of writing a whimsical retrospective, something witty and funny, but the truth is, we’re so busy right now, I can’t even think. So, on that note: Jason & I would like to extend a big, FAT “thank you” to Asheville and all you wonderful beer people who have supported Bruisin’ Ales since 2006. It’s worth every minute. (Even the paper cuts, black-n-blue marks, and back spasms, sometimes.) Thank you also to the people who have helped us over the years: Chris Dotson, Philip Dotson, Craig Weitzel, Sophie Thompson and the absolutely irreplaceable Mike Guarracino.

It’s a little bit difficult to celebrate the Big-Birthday-Anniversary-Whatever, what with the holiday shoppers and all, but we’ll be giving away samples all day while you shop. We brought some items from our own beer cellar, plus we have a very rare keg we got from Allagash Brewing—the only keg in North Carolina—Curieux aged on Booker’s Bourbon barrels. (Normally, this beer is made with Jim Beam barrels, in case you were wondering.)

Thank you! We love you! Support your local, independent beer retailer!