Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Dec. 12-18

Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow is the one-stop home for Asheville-area beer news. Check back throughout the week for updates and send your own to wncbeertoday@gmail.com.

Bottle and can releases

• Catawba Brewing Co. Hooligan Scotch Ale (8 percent ABV) returns Thursday, Dec. 14. Brewed with six specialty grains, this Wee Heavy-style dark ale will be available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans throughout Catawba’s five-state distribution area and on draft at all its taprooms.
• On Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m., Burial Beer Co. has a triple release. Sangies DIPA (8.3 percent ABV), a collaboration with Brooklyn-based Other Half Brewing, is triple dry-hopped with Mosaic, Equinox, Galaxy, Motueka, Vic’s Secret and Cashmere hops. Four-packs of 16-ounce cans cost $18. No distribution. Massacre of the Innocents IPA (6.5 percent ABV) is made with a wild strain of yeast, lactose, oats and wheat and dry-hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Ekuanot and Vic’s Secret hops. Four-packs of 16-ounce cans cost $14. No can distribution and limited draft distribution. Bloodtusk Kellerbier Lager (5.1 percent ABV) is made from a decoction of 100 percent pilsner, hopped with Tettnanger, Saaz, Crystal and Mandarina hops, then spunded in the fermenter to produce natural carbonation. Four-packs of 16-ounce cans cost $11. Limited distribution.

Small-batch beers

• Oskar Blues Brewery taps Orange Citrus Dale’s Pale Ale on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
• **NEW** Black Mountain Ciderworks is currently pouring its 2017 Holly King blackcurrant and vanilla cider.
• Wedge Brewing Co. releases Mango IPA (7 percent ABV) on Thursday, Dec. 14, exclusively at its original Wedge Studios brewery. Using a base beer of Pilsner and Caramel Vienna malt, the unfiltered brew is made with Pacific Jade and Cascade hops, plus 250 pounds of mango puree post primary fermentation.
• Thirsty Monk Brewery Imperial Normtrooper returns to both Monk locations Thursday, Dec. 14. The Imperial Belgian-style Stout is brewed with coffee, chocolate and roasted malts.
• On Thursday, Dec. 14, Catawba taps 60 Shilling Ale (3.2 percent ABV), a light-bodied, sessionable ale with notes of toasted nuts and toffee. Then on Friday, Dec. 15, Barrel-Aged Hooligan (10 percent ABV) arrives. The 2016-vintage Scotch Ale has spent the past 12 months aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Also new Dec. 15 is a Peach Grisette (4.9 percent ABV), Catawba’s first open-fermented beer from its new custom-made, glass-walled “Beer Aquarium” fermenters.
• **NEW** Hi-Wire Brewing taps two new beers Friday, Dec. 15, at its South Slope brewery: Black Rice Grisette (6 percent ABV) and Really Good Breakfast Stout (7 percent ABV), brewed with roasted buckwheat.
• In addition to Sangies, Massacre of the Innocents and Bloodtusk, Burial has two new releases on Saturday, Dec. 16. Ferraris and Floral Fabrics (6 percent ABV) is a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Flanders-Style Sour fermented on pineapple and coconut. It will be joined by Houtenhamer Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (10 percent ABV), a heavy black ale that spend a year in Willet bourbon barrels.

Special events

• Thirsty Monk hosts Winter Brew Night on Thursday, Dec. 14, featuring a special selection of seasonal brews at each Monk location. The downtown bar will be pouring Founders Brewing Co. Backwoods Bastard Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale; The Bruery 10 Lords a Leaping Dark Imperial Wit; Foothills Brewing Barrel-Aged Sexual Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout; Evil Twin Brewing Even More Jesus Imperial Stout; De Glazen Toren Canaster Winter Scotch Ale; Haw River Farmhouse Ales Bourbon Barrel-Aged St. Benedicts Breakfast Dubbel; Brasserie Dubuisson Scaldis Noel Belgian Strong Ale; Thirsty Monk Imperial Normtrooper; Hi-Wire Brewing Berry Sour; and Highland Brewing Co. Imperial Cold Mountain Winter Ale. The Biltmore Park bar will have Champion Brewing Co. Santa’s Cookies Imperial Stout; Founders CBS Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout; Highland Imperial Cold Mountain; Thirsty Monk Imperial Normtrooper; Mother Earth Brewing Silent Night Imperial Stout; and Foothills Barrel-Aged Sexual Chocolate.
• **NEW** Bruisin’ Ales‘ latest free tasting takes place Thursday, Dec. 14, 5-7 p.m., and features selections from Bell’s Brewery. The event also includes the opportunity to dip some rare Bell’s beers and other purchasable options in hot wax to help their aging process or as adornment for holiday gifts.
• On Friday, Dec. 15, 6-8 p.m., Twin Leaf Brewery hosts Twin Leaf 12 Days of Christmas. Guests may enjoy a dozen holiday-themed stations, including samples of savory treats by Verbena, beer from the brewery, a photo booth and more.
• Sweeten Creek Brewing celebrates its second anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 16, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. with the release of Scootie’s Stout along with food specials and live music.
• Local Bottle Shop 604‘s latest weekly free tasting will be Saturday, Dec. 16, 5-7 p.m. and highlights selections from Unity Vibration Kombucha Beer and Tea.
• Burial‘s and Other Half‘s second Xmas Party takes place Saturday, Dec. 16, 5-11 p.m. The event features collaboration releases and, according to event descriptions, “all the Other Half IPAs” as well as “giant snow globes, laser lights, snow machines, crushed velvet” plus food and more.
• Burial latest Off Topic event features representatives from Other Half and Dry and Bitter Brewing from Denmark, who will discuss the international beer scene. Tickets are $10 at the door and include a glass to keep, access to the talk and shared beers from both breweries. Tickets will be available at 11:30 a.m. at the front door prior to opening. The taproom opens at noon.