Finally, we get to announce our “big news” we’ve been hinting about for a few months now. Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head is coming to Asheville! And not just for a dinner, we snagged him for an entire weekend. There will be three events planned, giving you plenty of chances to meet the man behind the “off-centered ales.” The full press release is below with more details to follow next week!
March 13, 2009
ASHEVILLE, NC—Bruisin’ Ales (www.bruisin-ales.com), the third top beer retailer worldwide by RateBeerBest 2009, is pleased to host Sam Calagione, founder and President of Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales in Milton, Del., for a “Dogfish Head Mountain Weekend” in Asheville, May 15-17.
Well-known in the Brewniverse, Sam is one of America’s most vocal supporters of the craft beer movement-which is booming in Asheville-creating what he calls “off-centered ales for off-centered people.” He is also the author of three books: Brewing Up A Business, Extreme Brewing, and He Said Beer, She Said Wine, co-authored by Marnie Old. He has most recently been featured in The New Yorker and seen on NBC’s “The Today Show.”
The weekend will begin on Friday evening with a private tasting, talk, and book signing with Sam at Bruisin’ Ales. Saturday evening is Pint Night at The Thirsty Monk (www.monkpub.com) with a special “Brewer’s Choice” line-up on draft. The weekend will culminate on Sunday with the off-centered “Dogfish Head Beer Brunch” at Zambra (www.zambratapas.com), featuring a gastronomic six-course menu with Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA, Red & White, Immort Ale, Midas Touch, Palo Santo Marron, and another super-secret brew.
The Friday private tasting and Sunday brunch will be ticketed events. The Pint Night is free to attend. All information, including times, full brunch menu, and ticket information will be posted at the Bruisin’ Blog, www.bruisin-ales.com/beerblog.
Foothills Sexual Chocolate Release
Tomorrow morning, in Winston-Salem, is the release of the highly-rated Sexual ChocolateRussian Imperial Stout from Foothills Brewing. Get there early, as bottles will start selling at 11:00 a.m. Here are the details for you beer travelers out there:
• $15 per bottle
• NO RESERVING SPACES IN LINE for spouses/friends
• Bottle limit is 4, any left—2 per person
• Park on 4th Street or in our rear lot on Holly Avenue.
• If you are planning to drink on the street, please be discreet and courteous with empties.
• In case of rain or extreme cold, lineup will occur inside
Beer auction for displaced workers
The folks at The Brick Store Pub are about to open their new gastropub, Leon’s Full Service. The first pint, however, will not be served at the bar. Instead, the first pint is up for auction on eBay as a benefit to displaced workers of the Trackside Tavern and 5th Earl Market—two nearby businesses in Decatur that were recently destroyed by a fire. The cool thing is that the bidding is already over $1,000. Beer people are nice people.
Mississippi prefers to stay behind the times MEBA (Mississippians for Economic and Beverage Advancement), the grassroots organization aimed at raising the ABV limit on beer in Mississippi, has died in the state’s Senate Finance Committee. ”These are prohibition-type laws, there’s no way around it,” he [co-founder, Todd Parkman] said. “We were the first state to accept prohibition and the last to get rid of it.” *sigh*
Tomorrow’s the biggest game in football—Superbowl XLIII. Who are you cheering for? We’ll be rooting for the Steelers, since we lived in Pennsylvania. And, because of that we’re offering 5% off all PA breweries this weekend (Sat/Sun)!
We expect to get some heat for this, but why would you camp outside the Civic Center overnight in freezing temps for Phish tickets? Driving by there last night, after having Allagash Interlude ON TAP at The Thirsty Monk, folks were just kinda hanging out, huddled up from the cold and partying a bit. This we do not understand. We do not care for Phish. (*gasp* Did she just say that?) It’s not for lack of talent on their part—Phish is an incredibly talented group—it’s just that the whole “jam band” thing eludes us. We like a song structure. And we like songs to end in, let’s say, under 5 minutes. Guided by Voices is one of our favorite bands and some of their older ditties run about 30 seconds, which makes them sort-of the anti-Phish. But people go absolutely bonkers (including our friends) and we don’t know why. And, no, we have never been to a Phish show and, regardless, we don’t think it would change our opinion. That being said, we hope everyone got their tickets! It sold out in 6 minutes.
In completely unrelated business, Jason was on WLOS last night and this morning in the Absolute Le segment, “Do you have a second?”, featuring local businesses doing one-second commercials, a la Miller’s big advertising plan for the Super Bowl. Very clever! (And some free WLOS lovin’.) He’s wearing one of our boxing gloves and “punching” the camera while saying “Bruisin’ Ales.” Then, he got an extra spot in which he laments the end of football season. We believe the complete quote was: “It’s sad.” Man, that is great television right there. We hope WLOS posts a video of the spot! Jason can’t live without his football. This half would just like to see the TV room without the Fat Head.
Obama hosts Happy Hours and apparently enjoys beer We spotted this beauty on the Huffington Post earlier and now the BA’s are picking up the discussion in a forum. We confess to not reading the article, because we’ve had enough “stimulus” for today, but look at the picture. Just look. It’s wonderful. *tear* (We really hope no one writes us to take the photo down, because we’re so damn happy just looking at it. We’re hoping for the “fair use” rights on this one.)
It’s up; It’s down You just never really know what’s going on in beer, the alleged “recession-proof” business, but the UK sure is having a rough time. The BBC reports that sales of beer are down 8.3% compared to this time last year. The Times UK and Financial Times UK put the drop even higher at closer to 10.0%. Ouch.
“Fetch Me a Beer”
Oh, no. Please no. Animal Planet is introducing a series with “Internet Sensation and Extreme Pet Trainer Zak George” that will teach your pets to do insanely stupid things. No. Just no. Oh, and we’ve never even heard of this guy and believe me, we spend A LOT of time on the Internet.
Another blow to Alabamians
Last year, one of the state’s few breweries burned down in Huntsville. Now, Auburn’s Olde Auburn Ale House has ceased brewing, citing rising expenses. The beers, however, will not disappear, but will rather be brewed off-premise.
Possibly the saddest, most useless blind-taste testing ever
The Georgetown Independent went and did a blind-taste test of the “cheapest beers in D.C.” Bud Light won. *golf claps* (And we’re not that happy that they used Iron Chef’s episode-end question as the headline either. “Whose cuisine will reign supreme?”)
E-mail me 
