Just brew it homebrew fest on May 1
The second homebrew fest sponsored by Just Economics will take place on Sunday, May 2, at Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park. More than 65 home brewed beers have been entered by 50 amazing home brewers.. To attend, visit http://justeconomicswnc.org/join-donate/ and join at the $16 level. Green Man, Highland, Altamont Brewing, Wedge, Pisgah and The Thirsty Monk will hand out beer prizes, among others (including me). Five of our craft brewers will chose a home brew to brew in their production facility, which is kind of awesome. The brewers are Highland Brewing, Green Man, Thirsty Monk (new nanobrewery), Altamont Brewing (not sure where they’ll be brewing) and Craggie.
Just Economics is an Asheville based non-profit who promotes and oversees the Living Wage Campaign in WNC.
This event will be held in conjunction with the Big Love Festival hosted by The Big Crafty and the Asheville Grown Business Alliance/Love Asheville/Buy Local Campaign.
More Beer Master Tourney semi-finalists emerging
The second qualifying round of the Asheville Beer Masters Tournament was held on Apr. 18 at Brixx Pizza in Biltmore Park. Curt Arledge won that round and will move on to the semi-finals on May 15 at Wedge Brewing. First runner-up was Jeff Erhardt. At the round at The Thirsty Monk downtown on April 25, Liv Erhardt won, becoming the first female to qualify (Yes, she and Jeff are married. He says they’ve been studying a lot). Runner-up at the Monk was Trevor Reis. UPDATE: Trevor Reis won the qualifying round at Jack of the Wood on April 26, and Jeff Erhardt was first runner-up again.
The next three rounds are as follows: Pack’s Tavern on April 28, at 7 p.m., Barley’s Taproom on May 2, at 6:30 p.m., and The Bywater on May 4, at 7 p.m. Come out to play or just take in some great beer trivia.
Also, Green Man will release The Truth, their double IPA, at the Beer Masters qualifying round at Jack of the Wood on April 26. There will be small plate pairings available to go with this amazing brew.
Beer City poll May 2-8 (again)
We won last year. We tied the year before, with the great beer city of Portland, Ore. (which has a population about seven times that of Asheville). Who will reign this time around?
The third annual online competition to crown a town “Beer City USA” is coming soon: voting will take place May 2 through May 8. Beer guru Charlie Papazian hosts the unscientific but fun poll.
Our area’s active social media network and serious craft beer lovers had much to do with Asheville’s victory last year.
The designation Beer City USA, regardless of its import, has been credited with making WNC a beer destination and bringing in the brew tourists.
To vote or follow the poll, visit www.examiner.com.
Tickets are still available for Asheville’s Beer City Fest on June 4 at Roger McGuire Green downtown. Visit your local brewery or Barley’s Taproom to purchase. The first Asheville Beer Master will be crowned at the festival.
WNC breweries win bunches of medals at Hickory Hops
Regional breweries brought home 35 medals from the Carolinas Championship of Beer competition at the Hickory Hops Brew Fest in Hickory, N.C., on April 16.
Congrats to Lexington Avenue Brewery for their seven medals, including three golds for American Pale Ale, Donkey Weizen Dunkelweizen and Goldle Belgian Tripel. LAB got silvers for Blondle Pilsner, Wefeweizen and Witbier, and a bronze for their Oktoberfest Marzen. Pisgah Brewing was just behind the LAB with six medals: five silvers for Valdez Stout, Bacon Stout, Helles, American Pilsner and Schwartzbier; and a bronze for Vortex I Imperial IPA.
Highland Brewing and Green Man Brewing both netted five. Highland won silver for Barrel Aged Gaelic, PSA Pilsner, and Tasgall Ale. They also got bronzes for LAMA Legato Saison and Little Hump Spring Ale. Green Man silvered for Kill Devil Stout and Green Man Stout, and bronzed for Green Man Pale, Green Man Porter, and The Dweller Stout. Craggie Brewing brought home a silver for Burning Barrel Chipotle Ale and a bronze for Toubab Brew German Lager, while French Broad Brewing took three bronzes for Gateway Kolsch, Abbey Belgian Ale and Wee-Heavier Scotch Ale. Wedge Brewing earned a gold for Raspberry Imperial Stout and two silvers for Julian Price Pilsner and Abbey Belgian Ale. Asheville Brewing got a gold for Ninja Porter.
Nantahala Brewing of Bryson City won a gold for German Pilsner, a silver for Monday IPA and a bronze for Bryson City Brown Ale.
The best of show awards went to other North Carolina-based breweries. Best of Show went to Natty Green’s of for the Woody and Barrel Aged Sour Ale. Second to Olde Hickory’s Irish Walker Ale (Hickory), and third to Duck Rabbit’s Barleywine Ale (, with an honorable mention to Foothills Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate Stout (Winston-Salem).
The entries were judged a few weeks ago and awards were presented at the festival.
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