For immediate release: February 1, 2012

Asheville Beer Week Logo Contest
Asheville Beer Week needs a logo and fast

Love beer? Got some design skills? The Asheville Beer Week folks are looking for a hot logo for this inaugural beer-centric week (which actually will be an 11-day party running from May 24 until June 3).

Submit your logo designs to avlbeerweek@gmail.com by February 17. The logo winner will receive two tickets to Beer City Fest (June 2), two tickets to Brewgrass (Sept. 15), and two tickets to Asheville Beer Week’s Iron Brewer Competition (TBA).

You know the deal—nothing obscene or inappropriate. This is a wholesome(ish) beer week. Your design could be featured on every piece of Asheville Beer Week swag.

Submit logos to: avlbeerweek@gmail.com.

For more information, follow us on Facebook at Asheville Beer Week or Twitter @avlbeerweek.

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

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!

…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 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!

If you haven’t heard by now (and you should have), Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing Company is visiting Asheville on Friday, October 28 for a series of events to promote a new book, The Craft of Stone Brewing.

At Bruisin’ Ales, we’re holding a private book signing and beer tasting from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Cost is $30/per person and includes the new book ($25 retail price), plus a flight of rare Stone Brewing beers paired with local cheeses and snacks. There are only 35 spots available. You must call the store with a credit card to make your reservation. (828) 252-8999

A little bit about Greg and the history of Stone Brewing:

Since starting the brewery with his partner Steve Wagner in 1996, Stone has become one of the fastest growing and highest rated breweries in the world. Brewing a projected 150,000 barrels in 2011, Stone is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States, a position it achieved without ever advertising, discounting, giving away freebies or compromising.

Greg passionately believes that environmental and social sustainability goes hand-in-hand with brewing mind-blowing beer and he frequently is called on to speak on topics ranging from craft beer to business to food to marketing, bringing a bold, entertaining, and often humorous approach along with his philosophy.

The beers [UPDATE]:

Trio of Bastards:
Arrogant Bastard
Oaked Arrogant Bastard
Double Bastard (2011)

Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

After the Bruisin’ Ales private event, please follow us to the LAB (Lexington Avenue Brewery), where Greg will deliver a talk on the craft beer industry, entrepreneurship, and creative marketing at 6:30 p.m. We have been fortunate to hear Greg speak in the past, and trust us, you don’t want to miss it. While we don’t much care for comparisons, many of you are familiar with Gary Vee of the wine industry. Greg Koch is that guy for all us craft beer supporters (and then some). The LAB speaking engagement is free to the public and will be held in the back room stage area of the brewery.

If you’re still up for some Stone Brewing beers after that (and who wouldn’t be?), The Thirsty Monk has a fantastic line-up of special draft beers that night, offering you another opportunity for a Meet & Greet.

Please note that books will be available at all locations, including Stone Brewing Company’s first book, The Brewers Apprentice. (And a special shout to all our friends at Malaprops, our amazing local bookstore, for handling the book orders.)

Call today! These spots will go quickly! We look forward to seeing you all at Bruisin’ Ales.

New Belgium Brewing’s “Clips of Faith” Beer and Film Tour Visits Asheville on September 9

It’s New Belgium’s style of show business: An outdoor evening with artistic beers and films, all to benefit Asheville on Bikes

Fort Collins, Colorado, August 24, 2011 – New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, is bringing its Clips of Faith beer and film tour back to Asheville on Friday, September 9. This is the second year for Clips of Faith, a festival that is traveling to 18 cities this summer and fall, showcasing independent films by New Belgium’s filmmaking friends. The outdoor event will highlight some of New Belgium’s most esoteric beer offerings while providing a great way to unwind under the stars.

The selected films include comedic shorts, adventure documentaries and music animation. The top three films are about lizard wrangling in the dead of the Wisconsin winter, a talking beer bottle sketch comedy and a miniature day on a tremendous mountain.

“Clips of Faith is all about showcasing creativity. Our Lips of Faith beers are some of our most unique creations and it’s fun to share that with our friends (or soon-to-be friends) around the country,” said Christie Catania, Clips of Faith Manager-at-Large. “It’s a great way to enjoy the warmer seasons – under the stars, drinking New Belgium beer (some new, some old favorites) and watching a great collection of short films.”

New Belgium will serve seven Lips of Faith beers and seven popular classics and food from local vendors. One of the beers that will pour is PIPA (Pamela’s India Pale Ale), which is a Lips of Faith beer created by a contest winner from last year’s tour. The contest allows interested attendees to sample a blend of three unidentified New Belgium beers in a cup. Whoever comes closest to guessing the blended beers and their percentages gets entered into a drawing to win a trip to New Belgium where they can brew the beer of their dreams with the technical support of New Belgium brewers.

No big secret that Asheville is very much a town of hopheads. We sell more IPAs that any other style of beer. So, what’s the deal with International #IPADay? Here’s the scoop from founders @thebeerwench and @ryanaross.

Greetings Craft Beer Drinkers! Welcome to International #IPADay — the world’s largest celebration of craft beer.

International #IPADay is a grassroots movement created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation together.

On Thursday August 4th, craft beer drinkers across the social sphere and across the globe will raise pints in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India Pale Ale. This celebrated style represents the pinnacle of brewing innovation with its broad spectrum of diverse brands, subcategories, and regional flavor variations – making it the perfect style to galvanize the craft beer’s social voice.

To participate, share your photos, videos, blog posts, tasting notes, recipes, thoughts with the world on Twitter Facebook, YouTube, WordPress, RateBeer, Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, Untappd or any other social media platforms you may use. Use the hastag #IPADay in all of your posts and then see what others are saying by searching the hashtag on google, twitter or other social media resources.

So, get out there and have an IPA today! You can share your photos and other things on the Bruisin’ Facebook Page, too.

[Pssssst... stay tuned on Twitter and Facebook for some giveaways—while supplies last.]

If you were following us on Twitter over the weekend, you probably noticed we weren’t at Bele Chere. In true Bruisin’ Ales last-minute fashion, Jason & I decided to hit the road across the state, chasing down some beers at breweries we’ve never visited (shamefully). Leaving the store in the able hands of Mike and Craig, the bosses took to the highway for a 4-day North Carolina beer adventure. We didn’t see everyone or everything we wanted to, but we did cram a bunch of sites into a whirlwind trip, met up with a lot of great people, and of course, drank many beers from our fine state and beyond.

And, we properly defaced to brewery beer coolers, too! That’s Jamie Bartholamus of Foothills Brewing throwing a little beerlanthropy® on his wall. All our pictures are below, followed by a little bit on each visit, if you’re the reading type.

FRIDAY
Olde Hickory Brewing Company (Hickory)
Hickory Taproom (Hickory)

First stop with Steve Lylerly, brewmaster at Olde Hickory Brewing. The brewery was much larger than we had imagined it to be, filled with tanks, barrels and a killer private bar with amazing woodwork. It was hot, so we started out with a Piedmont Pilsner, but then went straight to a new batch of Imperial Stout when offered.

The Hickory Taproom is a stone’s throw from the brewery, too. Feels like a taproom should feel. Get the fish-n-chips or the fried oysters with buffalo plum sauce. No regret there!

Cool thing: The brewery was making its 500th batch when we visited. The beer will be a barleywine, likely aged two years.

Natty Greene’s (Greensboro)
In Greensboro, we met with Kayne Fischer, co-owner of Natty Greene’s. He gave us a little tour of the basement brewery and expansions that are going on. The sweet space on the corner of Hamburger Square (which used to be a grocery store, a brothel, and a hotel—not necessarily in that order), is a lovely taproom experience. Restaurant downstairs with plenty of outdoor seating with an upstairs taproom, similar to Barley’s here in town.

But upstairs, on the third floor is the mac daddy of all. A private, rentable suite, complete with leather couches, your own bar taps and pool table. Swanky stuff. I want one.

Cool thing: Natty Greene’s just celebrated their 7th Anniversary August 1 with a big, FREE outdoor concert outside the brewpub. Good stuff.

Foothills Brewery & Brewpub (Winston-Salem)
This stop was so overdue, it’s embarrassing. Yes, we had never been to Foothills. But we made it! Brewmaster Jamie Bartholamus greeted us with a *gasp* sip of this year’s Olde Rabbit’s Foot, which will be released at the brewery on August 13th. (In fact, they were going to bottle that evening.) From there, we got a quick tour of the facilities while sipping a Torch Pilsner filtered through Citra hops and whole peppercorns. What a treat.

What amazed us most about Foothills was how much beer they crank out of this space. It is mind boggling a little bit, although they do brew twice a day, every day. It seems they can never have enough Hoppyum since the bottles came out. Luckily, they’ll be starting production at their big facility in a short while, which means more Foothills for everyone!

Also, we had some killer onion rings with  house-made beer-based ketchup.

Cool thing: We were told that on the day of our visit, Foothills filled it’s first-ever grain silo at the new Mooresville production brewery.

SATURDAY
We got up and visited our comrades and City Beverage in Winston-Salem, a neat, family-owned and operated business just walking’s distance from Foothills. Sweet little spot, so hit them up on your travels and support another independent bottle shop.

We arrived in Raleigh to meet our friends Robin and Dave who offered to take us around, so we wouldn’t have to drive. Cheers to that! It turns out it’s also good they did, because we would have been lost. On top of that, it was three billion degrees in Raleigh on Saturday.

Busy Bee Cafe (Raleigh)
Before touring, we needed a little lunch, so we hit up this great little cafe with some great taps. A little open-faced turkey with bacon, fried egg and gruyere never hurt anyone. Neither did a Victory Headwater’s Pale Ale. We tried to get the Fullsteam Summer Basil cask, but it was gone. (No matter, since we head there tomorrow.)

Lonerider Beer Company (Raleigh)
With bellies full, we are ready for some beer. We head over to Lone Rider, located in a windy-road business park somewhere near the airport. Jason got a little brewery tour and Jackie, in the tasting room, took care of us with cold Shotgun Betty Hefeweizens. Did I mention it was three billion degrees? I don’t normally consider myself a frail flower, but the heat was unbearable, so we didn’t last long here before heading out to Roth Brewing just around the corner.

Cool thing: Their website says Asheville reigns supreme, just like Iron Chef!

Roth Brewing (Raleigh)
In the same business park more or less with LoneRider (but not in agreement with any GPS), is home to Roth Brewing. Many of you in WNC might not yet heard of Roth. We didn’t either. Roth is run by two brothers on a two-barrel system. These guys are the rowdy young guns. Word is, at festivals they and their fans run around in Viking helmets and sell foam axes with their logo on it. I know this to be true because Jason had to have one. The small little tasting room painted black with low lighting. A couple guys dropped by with homebrew, but otherwise it was just the four of us and the Roth guys. We tried the Amber, Hefeweizen and American Barleywine. I especially loved the Hefe, as it was made with plums and honey. Very interesting and very refreshing.

This is like your garage bar. Off to the corner is a beat-up couch, an old PS2, a Nintendo, two Guitar Heroes, and just in case… a coffeepot.

Cool thing: Allegedly, Roth’s American Barleywine, Foehammer, is the strongest year-round beer made in North Carolina.

Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh)
We head off to Big Boss Brewing. The entrance welcomes you with stairs leading up between hop vines. Up the stairs, you go into another dark tasting room. It was busy while we were there, folks playing shuffleboard and pool. Another impressive space, much larger than we had imagined.

Here we tried the Lucky Bastard Porter, High Roller IPA, Monkey Bizzness farmhouse ale. The real treat, though, was Dave Rogers letting us sample a barrel concoction: Hell’s Belle blended with Monkey Bizzness on sour cherries on a wine barrel. Bejebus!

Cool thing: No food to be had here, but they don’t mind one bit if you bring something with you and hang out. In fact, we were told some people do pot lucks at the brewery. How cool!

[Here is where we got diverted. Plans to tour Aviator Brewing were changed due to a fundraiser.]

Foundation (Raleigh)
This has got to be the coolest cocktail bar we’ve been to in a long time. Concept: All NC-local or house-made cocktails. Ten taps of NC beer and drinks made with NC spirits, house-made syrups, etc. After a long day of sweating, a pear and Brut sparkling cocktail was just what the doctor ordered.

Cool thing: This place had to dig out its buried foundation to exist, so it’s dark and cool, which was especially welcome on a three-billion-degree day.

Raleigh Times (Raleigh)
“Seymour, feed me!” We were really hungry and our hosts told us to “linger” around tables because it’s first-come, first-served. Luckily, it wasn’t long until we scored a sweet little table in back. Six taps at all times. Although it seemed strange to have two taprooms, but the same beers on-tap at both. At any rate, cool menu like a newspaper with an impressive bottle list. Here we had a Bell’s Bourbon Barrel-aged Hell Hath No Fury, New Belgium Tripel and shared a bottle of Cascade Kriek. Not to mention totally badass burgers.

Cool thing: The building is actually the original location of the now-defunct Raleigh Times newspaper.

SUNDAY
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (Farmville)
After breakfast, we braved some pretty wicked storms to head out to Farmville for a visit with Paul Philippon at Duck-Rabbit. Turns out, there really isn’t a lot in Farmville! Located in a business park, this small production brewery is bursting at the seams. Luckily, there’s a lot of property around the brewery and Paul hopes to take advantage of that someday. There’s a new entrance and the three of us toured the brewery while it poured rain and Milk Stout. Ever the nice guy, Paul opened a 2010 Olde Rabbit’s Foot and we got to sample the upcoming Schwartzbier, which will be out soon.

Cool thing: More visitors are making the trek, so the brewery has new little tasting room that will open soon.

Fullsteam Brewery (Durham)
Back to Durham for the last evening. We headed down to Fullsteam. Things were quiet on a Sunday, but Sean Wilson came to give us a tour because he’s cool like that. (We also got to see brewer Chris, who popped in to say hello.) This is a sexy place. The entrance has a rolling front door with back backwards “F” on it. With its steampunk theme, there are all sorts of gadgets around. There’s a wicked turning door between the air-conditioned bar area and rest of the seated area that’s made out of an old brewing vat. Clear glass interior windows allow you to see right into the brewery’s workings. With the agricultural theme, we tried the Carver Sweet Potato and Summer Basil. The special treat was the Wanderlust Imperial Stout, with a hint of cherry.

Cool thing: Food trucks park right around the brewery almost every night. Street food + beer = Good.

Tyler’s Taproom (Durham)
Located in the old tobacco district, Tyler’s is a massive place with three different bars: one in the restaurant, one in the back game room, and one outside, which we’re sure is a blast during baseball games. (The Durham Bulls stadium is just around the corner.) Great location with good food, we started out with FREE fresh garlic fries just from checking in on Foursquare. Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison and a house-made, worth-the-wait chicken pot pie. J had the pork belly sandwich. For dessert, we had a 2003 Thomas Hardy’s Ale straight off the menu. Yowzers.

Cool thing: All the bars have different draft lines, so if you don’t find what you like on one, you have two others to check out.

MONDAY
Triangle Brewing (Durham)
We started the morning with beer for breakfast with Rick Tufts, brewmaster at Triangle Brewing. We’re grateful he opened his doors to us, after brewing since 3 a.m. that morning. It’s a small open tasting room, but the building has loads of room for growth. The brewery has a canning line and also does some canning for other breweries. We sampled the IPA, the Abbey Dubbel, Bourbon barrel-aged Abbey Dubbel, a Flemish sour.

Cool thing: We also tried an experimental lambic in a can. Have you ever? Me neither.

Bull City Burger & Brewery (Durham)
Stopped for lunch here at Durham’s newest brewpub. Nifty little flight of beers. We especially liked the hsaWaknow Strong Ale and wet-hop ale. (The hops were grown locally next to a watermelon patch and so tasted very fruity.) The burgers were to die for “just a little pink.” Ask for fresh garlic on your burger, you get about ten cloves on top. And don’t miss out on the duck frites—string fries with rosemary, drizzled with duck fat. Goodness.

Cool thing: Even the bread is made in-house.

Dos Perros (Durham)
While we were at Bull City Burger, Charlie, owner of Dos Perros, popped in and invited us around the corner to his place. Wish we would have had time to eat here, too. We chatted beer and shared a Vrienden. Nothing wrong with that!

Cool thing: He’s got a pretty badass Stone event coming up, the Stone Brewing Cage Match.

A quick stop at Sam’s Quik Stop to grab some goodies that don’t make it our way, and away we went back to the mountains. (And a broken air conditioner.)

The weekend was great fun. We highly recommend making the trip to see the other fantastic beer folks in our state. Now get out there and drink some North Carolina beer!