Brews News: A peek inside what’s happening in the world of local beer

Beer Naming Contest! (Re)name this beer to win Brewgrass tickets and more

Here’s your chance to claim the glory of naming a local brew.

For years, Asheville Brewing Company’s excellent brown ale has been called, simply, Scottish Ale. But company president Mike Rangel says he prefers kooky brew names, plus the term Scottish describes the style (after all, this is the brewery that’s given us the brew handles Shiva, Ninja and Rocket Girl). About a year ago, Rangel and crew renamed the Scottish Boogie Down Brown. But that moniker just doesn’t roll off the tongue.

Here’s where you come in: Send us your name suggestions for this mildly sweet, mellowly hopped sessions beer, and you could win two tickets to the Brewgrass Beer Festival (September 18), $100 worth of gift cards to Asheville Brewing Company, and some other beer-related swag.

To submit a brew name, we must have a working email address for you, so we’re asking that you visit Brewgasm and add your creative sparkly beer name in the comments section under the Beer Naming Contest post (we will not share your email address with anyone). You also can visit Asheville Brewing’s facebook page and add your ideas to the “Beer Naming Contest” thread there.

A couple caveats: the name can’t already be taken by another beer (ABC folks will have to check that the winning name is available). And while we encourage sexy, punny, edgy monikers, the name can’t be vulgar, sexist, racist or otherwise inappropriate.

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, August 15, at midnight. We’ll announce the winner on Wednesday, August 25.

Now go put on your most creative beer hat and send us those handles!

Baseball & Beers fest returns


The second annual Baseball & Beers Festival will take place on Sat., August 7, from 4 until 8 p.m. at McCormick Field. There’s actually no baseball involved, except that you can drink while admiring the empty field, but there will be more than 40 different craft beers, including beers from Asheville Brewing, French Broad Brewing, Highland Brewing, Pisgah Brewing, and probably three or four other area brewers, according to Asheville Tourists General Manager Larry Hawkins. Other craft beers will include offerings from breweries such as New Belgium.

Regular admission ($20) gets you a souvenir beer stein and samples of all of the beer you want. Four bands will play on two stages throughout the fest. The line-up will feature Woody Wood and others. The $30 ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and a T-shirt; a $40 ticket gets a catered meal and a T-shirt (oh, and access to the bathrooms in the Asheville Citizen-Times Clubhouse).

For tickets, call 258-0428 or visit the Asheville Tourists website.

Barley’s Taproom introduces flights

I adore flights — those trays of four to eight small glasses of draught beers that a number of area breweries and bars offer to beer lovers. If Asheville’s going to be a national beer destination, we need to have more flights, and flight lists and succulent draught boards so our economy-supporting tourists can learn more about our craft beers.

Barley’s Taproom and Pizza is meeting the challenge by now offering flights. Each week there’s a manager’s choice of four beer tastes for $4. Or you can pick whichever four from their 55 taps for $5 (note that there are different taps upstairs and down). Flights are a great way to sample craft beers and figure out which ones you really like. Check it.

Beery shout-outs

Jason Caughman at Pisgah Brewing tells me that the Red Devil Ale is in the tanks and should be ready to tap around August 1. This nine percent ABV Belgian packed with tart cherries and raspberries is a local favorite.

Craggie Brewing has released Toubab Brewe, a Bavarian-style Zwickel lager. Named in honor of Asheville-based band Toubab Krewe, the beer will be available at Craggie’s Public House and on tap at various locales around town.

French Broad Brewing recently released the 2010 edition of their popular (and affordable) Re-Session Ale, a light-bodied cream ale. In honor of the recession, they mark the beer down and hope their retailers and vendors will do the same for their customers. Find this summery brew at the brewery and around town. 

Happy second anniversary to Wedge Brewing. Looking forward to many more beery sunsets down in the River Arts District in year three.

Also, happy No. 5 to Pisgah Brewing. Try their new light pale ale, Anniversary Ale, at their taproom. It’s a great summer sessions beer.

Finally, happy one year of teamwork to the Asheville Brewers Alliance — communication and cooperation are all good, y’all.

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