Archive for the ‘People’ Category

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!

This week, say hello to Les Addis, the Southeast Rep for Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME. This is our brewery last tasting of 2011, so don’t miss it. Same time, same place: Thursday, December 15, from 5:-00-7:00 p.m. Be sure to click the beer links below leading to the Allagash site for some great recipes to go along with these beers!

What’s on the beer flight:

Allagash White: “Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel, this beer is fruity, refreshing and slightly cloudy in appearance.” [5.0% abv]

Allagash Black: “Allagash Black is a Belgian style stout brewed with 2 Row barley, torrified wheat, oats, both roasted and chocolate malt and a generous portion of dark caramelized candi sugar. The silky mouth feel is a great balance to the roasted character, coffee and dark chocolate notes expressed throughout this beer.” [7.5% abv]

Allagash Tripel: “This strong golden ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with suggestions of banana and honey in the complex palate. The Tripel has a remarkably long and smooth finish.” [9.0% abv]

… and a very special addition straight from the brewery for samples only …

Mattina Rossa: “Mattina Rossa is a beer that was a long time in the making. It was brewed in August of 2008 with a base of 2-Row malt and 440 lbs of local raspberries in the mash. It was then conservatively hopped with Tettanang, German Tradition and Saaz and fermented with our house yeast strain. Shortly after primary fermentation, the beer was racked into eleven red wine barrels, nine of which were inoculated with either Lactobacillus or Brettanomyces ‘Allagensis’. After one year, we placed an additional 100 lbs of local raspberries in five of the barrels. The beer continued to age for an additional year, at which time the barrels were blended to strike the desired balance of fruit and funk. Mattina Rossa has an aroma of fresh raspberry, strawberry preserves and lemon rind. Raspberry is also discernible in the flavor, along with mild quince and pomegranate. The long finish starts with a tart citrus and ends with a pronounced biscuit flavor and a slight bitterness.” [6.9% abv]

(PS: We also have the draft-only release Big Little Beer wild ale on the kegerator for purchase.)

…BREAKING NEWS…THIS JUST IN…

Things just keep getting better around Asheville! We’re getting more fun visitors this weekend at the shop!

This upcoming Saturday, December 10, we’ll be hosting a special afternoon tasting. Join us in welcoming Terrence Sullivan, Brewmaster of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., to the humble storefront! He’ll be with us from 2:00-4:00 p.m. pouring all the Ovila Series, as well as Celebration, for the holidays.

What’s the Ovila Series, you say?

A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America. A portion of the proceeds from this ale goes toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Ovila chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plans crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.
Celebration Ale
“The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.” [6.8% abv]

Ovila Abbey Dubbel
“Ovila Abbey Dubbel is brewed in the abbey tradition, and perfect for the re-birth of spring. Clear and deep copper in color, this Abbey Dubbel has a complex and rich malty sweetness with hints of caramelized sugar. The aroma is a heady and layered mix of fruit and spice, with hints of clove, raisin, and black pepper from the use of an abbey style yeast.” [7.5% abv]

Ovila Saison
“A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America. Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish. A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.” [7.0% abv]

Ovila Quad
“Ovila Abbey Quad is rich and complex with layers of flavor including notes of intense dark fruits, and caramel-like maltiness. Rich and complex, this ale should be shared among friends in the true spirit of the season. ” [10.4% abv]

This week we welcome Madison Smith into the tasting room to sample some Natty Greene’s brews. Join us tomorrow night, 5:00-7:00 pm, for a flight of beer from Greensboro, NC.

On the flight:

Buckshot Amber: Full-bodied with rich, smooth flavor and notes of caramel and toffee.

Southern Pale Ale: Medium-bodied, deep golden ale with distinct, bitter character and a hoppy, piney, citrus finish.

Old Town Brown: Traditional, English-style, full-bodied with sweet, toasted malt aroma and a hint of baker’s chocolate.

Red Nose Winter Ale: Full-bodied winter warmer with a rich, dark malt body spiced with cinnamon, ginger and orange peel for festive flavor.

… And beer spies report that a few growlers of the Foreign Extra Stout will be on hand, too!

Today we welcome Stephen Hill, co-founder of Mother Earth Brewing from 5-7 p.m. We’re sampling the whole line-up, including cans!

Endless River: A clean, crisp beer, Kolsch offers a very slight fruity flavor and aroma. It is light gold in color, with a delicate head. This light-bodied beer appeals to nearly everyone who samples it. Expect to enjoy a slight tang in the finish.

Sunny Haze: Sunny Haze will brighten even your finest day. “Hefe” means “with yeast” so expect to find our hefeweizen cloudy in appearance due to its unfiltered status. Fruity hints and slight spiciness of this hefeweizen will mingle in your mouth, creating a crispness that’s as energizing as the sun itself. Banana and clove-like aromas add interest and depth to an already impressively well balanced brew. There’s no doubt; it’s meant to be a Sunny Haze kind of day.

Weeping Willow Wit: This beer style is over 400 years old, and continues to enjoy overwhelming popularity. Offering low hop bitterness, it is easy to enjoy. It pours very hazy, with a light gold color… we say it’s like summertime in a glass. Bitter orange peel and fresh coriander add zest and depth to this refreshing beer.

Dark Cloud: Steeped in a long history dating back hundreds of years, this “old-fashioned” beer is again in vogue. Lager is the German word meaning “to store,” so this beer ages three times longer than our ales do. “Dunkel” means dark in German, but don’t let the color fool you, it is by no means heavy, overbearing or bitter. In fact, it proves to be a very drinkable session beer.

Second Wind: Prepare yourself for an inspiring journey. Uncomplicated and down-to-earth, the mild hop bitterness and gentle floral and citrus like character of this beer result in an invigorating experience that flawlessly celebrates the close of an idyllic day. If you’re searching for your second wind, you’ve just discovered it.

Sisters of the Moon: Made with hops grown in the good ‘ol USA… you’ll proudly support American farmers when you drink this beer! Light copper in color, it has an intense hop aroma and strong hop bitterness. Our hopback process uses fresh hop cones to take this IPA to unexpected places. Prepare for a mouthful of flavor.

Old Neighborhood (seasonal): Our Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter will take you back to the good old days. This classic dark ale is rich and robust, yet silky smooth. Its distinct roasty essence is deliciously balanced with a slight sweetness, creating a porter that boasts intense flavors.