Thursday, May 24

AVL Beer Week Thirsty Thursday

5:30-10:30 p.m., McCormick Field, 30 Buchanan Place, $25-40

Kick off your AVL Beer Week experience with an Asheville Tourists’ Thirsty Thursday baseball game and $2 craft beers. Game starts at 7:05 p.m. Leap Frog Tours will offer its Thirsty Thursday shuttle, with locations and pickup times as follows:

5:30 p.m. — Leap Frog Tours office, 419 N. Haywood St., Waynesville —$40/person
5:45 p.m. — Ingles parking lot, 630 Champion Drive, Canton —$40/person
6:15 p.m. — Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave., Asheville —$25/person
6:30 p.m. — Aloft Hotel, 51 Biltmore Ave., Asheville — $25/person
*Shuttle price includes a reserved-seat game ticket. Arrive 15 minutes before the shuttle pick-up time.

For tickets, visit avl.mx/4yc.

Friday, May 25

AVL Beer Week Kickoff Party at The Social

7:30 p.m., The Social, 1078 Tunnel Road 

Get AVL Beer Week off to a fun start with live music and local beers.

Mountain Sports Festival

Starting at 5 p.m., Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Road 

The weekendlong event features competitions in paddling, adventure racing, cycling, running, disc golf, ultimate frisbee, climbing, skateboarding and more. There will also be live music, vendors food and beer.

Sierra Nevada Summer Ale release

Starting at noon, 101 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River 

This is Sierra Nevada’s AVL Beer Week Summer Ale, a easy-drinking, juicy-hopped IPA with Chinook, Citra and Simcoe. It will be on tap at the Mills River brewery taproom throughout AVL Beer week.

Highland Brewing Co. Brut Hop Champagne release

Starting at noon, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200

Highland Brewing Co. releases its most recent small batch — Brut Hop Champagne — in celebration of AVL Beer Week. This is a crisp tropical beer with hints of mango, pineapple and stone fruit, dry-hopped with Azacca, Ekuanot and Hallertau Blanc.

Brewing for Whiskey Production

2 p.m. Oak & Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Road, Black Mountain 

Did you know that the process of creating craft whiskey first means brewing a beer? Oak & Grist’s craft whiskey is made from a wort containing 100 percent malted barley from Riverbend Malt House. This informative tour will show attendees how brewing a single-malt beer is a necessary precursor to the production of whisky, and highlight parallels between the brewing and distilling industries, including equipment names, ingredients and processes.

Free Food Friday at Mills River Brewery

4-8 p.m. 330 Rockwood Road Unit 103, Arden

Free Asian tacos and more than 20 signature brews.

Highland Sampling at Omni Grove Park Inn

4-6:30 p.m. 290 Macon Ave.

The Omni Grove Park Inn is the backdrop for a tasting of seasonal and year-round offerings from Highland Brewing Co.

Meet the Blender with New Belgium Brewing

5-7 p.m. Tasty Beverage Co., 162 Coxe Ave., Suite 101

Instrumental in the progression of NBB’s 20-year-old sour program, Lauren Limbach, head blender and sensory analyst at New Belgium, will share her knowledge and experiences.

Saturday, May 26

Release party for New England IPA at Mills River Brewery

Starting at noon, 330 Rockwood Road, No. 103, Arden 

Mills River Brewery will release its first New England IPA for AVL Beer Week. This hazy Citra and Mosaic-hopped juice bomb is a must for the IPA lover. Fresh seafood and oysters will be available with live music provided by local singer-songwriter Jonathon Cox. Food begins at 1 p.m., music at 6 p.m.

Existential Rhythm release and Gathering of the Goses Festival

11 a.m. Bhramari Brewing, 101 S. Lexington Ave.

Join Bhramari Brewhouse and Twin Leaf Brewery as they celebrate the release of their collaboration Existential Rhythm, a margarita-inspired, gose-style ale brewed with lemongrass, Makrut lime leaves and lime basil.

Noon, Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave.

Be a part of the very first Gathering of the Goses Festival. Twin Leaf will showcase five small-batch goses on tap and release its first bottle collaboration with Bhramari Brewing. There will also be a beer and doughnut pairing flight all five goses paired with five specialty mini doughnuts from DoughP Doughnuts.

Cloud Cover Hazy IPA Series release No. 2

Noon-11 p.m. 32 Banks Ave., Asheville and 63 Brook St.

Join Catawba Brewing Co. to celebrate its second limited release from the Cloud Cover Hazy IPA Series. Rebellion Roads Hazy IPA is cloudy, intensely hopped, hugely flavorful and less bitter than traditional West Coast IPAs. Three Eggs Cakery will host a pop-up shop 2-6 p.m. at the 32 Banks Ave. location with sweet treats specially crafted to pair with this beer.

Sours on the South Slope

Noon-2 p.m. 40 Collier Ave.

Join Burial Beer for a double bottle release of two special sour beers. Brewers will be on the scene to provide tastes of other beers in the sour program.

Bruisin’ Ales 2018 Customer Appreciation Day

Noon-9 p.m. 66 Broadway

Free tasting All Day – Noon-9 p.m.
Sample Bruisin’ Ales Golden Glove Beers: Pisgah Je Ne Sais Quad and Green Man Olde Hearty Ale, plus staff favorites. Receive a 10 percent discount on Golden Gloves Beers, all staff favorites and all Bruisin’ Ales merchandise all day.
Vintage local beers tasting – 1 p.m.
Sample Pisgah Hellbender Barleywine (2008), Highland Imperial Black Mocha Stout (2008), French Broad Wee Heavy-est. Giveaways will include vintage local bottles, a Bruisin’ Ales hoodie and Bruisin’ Ales merchandise package. There will be a 10 percent discount on local large-format bottles 1-4 p.m.
Vintage Trappist Ales – 4 p.m.
Sample Westvleteren 8 and 12, Rochefort 8 (2012, magnum), Achel Extra (2009). Giveaways will include a Westy 8/12 two-pack, Rochefort 8 magnum (2012), Achel Extra 750-milliliter bottle (2009), Bruisin’ Ales Golden Gloves gift pack, Bruisin’ Ales T-shirt. Take a 10 percent discount off all Trappist beers 4-7 p.m.
New IPAs – 7 p.m.
Sample four of the freshest and newest IPAs in the shop. Giveaways inlcude a $50 gift card, Bruisin’ Ales hoodie and Bruisin’ Ales merchandise package. Take 10 percent off all IPAs 7-9 p.m.

Asheville’s Official Beer Mile

1-1:30 p.m., Carrier Park Velodrome, 220 Amboy Road, $20

Each competitor drinks three cans of beer and runs three laps. For tickets and details, visit avl.mx/4z8

Just Brew It

2-5 p.m. (VIP entry at 1 p.m.) Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St., $30-60

Just Brew It, a homebrew festival to benefit Just Economics’ living wage initiative, moves to a new location this year. The festival features more than 100 beers and more than 40 of the finest homebrewers in the region. Admission is limited to Just Economics members, so join the organization now. Basic membership is $30 and includes entrance to Just Brew It with unlimited beer samples. Standard membership is $40 and includes admission, unlimited samples, a souvenir tasting glass and a raffle ticket. VIP membership is $60 and includes all of the previous perks along with early entry at 1 p.m. for a chance to beat the crowds, plus a food truck voucher. For tickets and details, visit avl.mx/4xw.

Menage-a-Freak Triple IPA release party

5 p.m.-close, Wicked Weed, 91 Biltmore Ave.

Expect stilt walkers, tarot readers, jugglers, magicians, acrobats and more. Highlights include music from the Gypsy Swingers 5-7 p.m., aerial trapeze 7-7:30 p.m. and 9:30-10 p.m., music by Mayhayley’s Grave 7:30-9:30 p.m. and music from Drayton and the Dreamboats 1 p.m.-midnight.

Sour Symposium with Lauren Woods Limbach

5-8 p.m., New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven Street, $65

In this Sour Symposium created for Asheville Beer Week, New Belgium’s wood cellar director and blender, Lauren Woods Limbach, will lead a slideshow and open discussion on the genesis of wild ales such as La Folie, Le Terroir and Biere de Mai, with a focus on the blender’s art and techniques. This will be followed by a hands-on blending workshop where guests will be led through the process of experimenting and creating their own blended beer using samples of single-barrel unblended beer from New Belgium’s Foeder Forest. Light bites will be provided by chef Brian Canipelli of Cucina 24. Seating is limited. RSVP at avl.mx/3v1

Flights and Bites at Habitat Tavern & Commons

7-9 p.m. 174 Broadway, $27

Chef Dan Silo will create a special menu of four small plates to pair with four Habitat brews. This is a seated beer dinner event, so tickets are limited. A percentage of ticket sales will benefit Hood Huggers International, a social enterprise that provides opportunities for young people while helping to spark more grassroots economic development. For tickets, visit avl.mx/4xt.

Mills River Brewery and Ecusta Brewing  AVL Beer Week IPA release

Noon-7 p.m. 330 Rockwood Road, Arden, and 49 Pisgah Highway, No. 3, Pisgah Forest

Mills River Brewery and Ecusta Brewing Co. have joined forces to create a delicious New England Session IPA, brewed specifically for AVL Beer Week. An easy-drinking beer brewed with Citra and Belma hops, this IPA will be released at both breweries.

Sunday, May 27

Beer City 20k Relay

10 a.m-noon, Carrier Park Velodrome, 220 Amboy Road, $25-60

Choose to run a 20K race solo or in teams of two (10K each) or four (5K each). For tickets and details, visit avl.mx/4z9

Brewery Volleyball Tournament

Noon-5 p.m.  Creekside Taphouse, 8 Beverly Road

Some of Asheville’s finest breweries will bring their game out to the sand court for some fierce competition. Smack-talking rights and a lifetime of glory are all at stake, so naturally there will be beer specials and plenty of fun to be had. Come out and cheer for your favorite beer purveyor as Hi-Wire, Highland, New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and Pisgah face off to see who is the top gun.

Total Summer Eclipse: Dark Beer Day at The Whale

2-10 p.m. 507 Haywood Road

Total Summer Eclipse is a day to celebrate all beer that is dark. Staff favorite dark beers from around the world will be served all day. Discounts will be available. 

20 Years of Sour celebration

2-6 p.m. New Belgium Brewing, 21 Craven St.

Celebrate 20 Years of New Belgium’s wood-aged sour program and the return of La Folie Sour Brown Ale into its beloved cork-and-cage package.

Experimental Hop IPAs with Stan Hieronymus

5-7 p.m. Zebulon Artisan Ales, 8 Merchants Alley, Weaverville, $30

Stan Hieronymus, author of Brew Like A Monk, For The Love of Hops and Brewing Local, joins Zebulon Artisan Ales for a tasting and lecture about IPAs brewed with rare, experimental hops varieties. These hops are not yet available to brewers, so you can be one of the first to sample them. Space is limited. RSVP to gabe@zebulonbrewing.com

Live at Aloft with Oskar Blues

5-8 p.m., Aloft Hotel, 51 Biltmore Ave., $5 suggested donation at door

An evening of raffles, beer from Oskar Blues Brewery and a rooftop concert with all proceeds going to Give to the Music.

Monday, May 28

Sovereign Remedies and Oskar Blues Boilermaker Barbecue

4 p.m.-2 a.m. Sovereign Remedies, 29 N. Market St.

Sovereign Remedies and Oskar Blues will team up for an all-day boilermaker barbecue. Select Oskar Blues beers will be paired with the infamous George Dickel No. 8 for boilermakers and there will be barbecue on the patio.

Detox to Retox Yoga with the Asheville Brewer’s Alliance

11 a.m.-noon, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., $17

Please arrive 15 minutes early to get settled in. Bring a mat and a water bottle. Be prepared to work it in Vinyasa-style flow and jam out to some great tunes. For tickets, visit avl.mx/4xu.

American Beer in the 1800s with Stan Hieronymus

1-3 p.m. Zebulon Artisan Ales, 8 Merchants Alley, Weaverville, $30

Author Stan Hieronymus will talk about the history of American brewing from Colonial times to the turn of the 20th century. Swankey, Brilliant Ale and Kentucky Common are just a few of the early-American beers you will be able to sample during this lecture and tasting. Space is limited. RSVP to gabe@zebulonbrewing.com

Memorial Day Keg Hunt benefiting Blue Ridge Roller Girls

1-10 p.m., starts at Hi-Wire Brewing, 197 Hilliard Ave., $120 per team ($20 per person)

Hi-Wire Brewing collaborates with Conundrum Escape Adventures to present  the Memorial Day Keg Hunt benefiting the Blue Ridge Roller Girls. Ten teams of six people will be sent into downtown Asheville with the mission of following a series of clues leading them to a final secret destination, where there will be free Hi-Wire beer, food and live music. The first team to complete the challenge will receive a free keg from Hi-Wire Brewing to be used at a future date. Additional raffle prizes will be given out at the after-party to all participating teams. All proceeds from registration and door donations will benefit the Blue Ridge Roller Girls. The scavenger hunt is 1-6 p.m., the party is 6-10 p.m.

AVL Beer Week IPA release at Catawba Brewing

2 p.m. 32 Banks Ave.

Based out of Argentina, Güira brewing Co. and Beata Brewing have teamed up with Catawba to create a double dry-hopped, fruity IPA recipe based off of Güira’s popular Bomber IPA for AVL Beer Week. The Asheville Brewers Alliance will receive 15 percent of sales from this IPA throughout the day.

Food and beer pairing at Upcountry Brewing

5-10 p.m. 1042 Haywood Road

Beer and food pairings will highlight new menu options at Upcountry Brewing, with the weekly Bluegrass Jam starting at 7 p.m.

Pairing options include:

• UpCo Mountain Lager with elote pizza, a play on the Mexican street food with charred corn, crumbled cotija cheese and chili-lime powder.
• Isoprene Hazy IPA with sticky beef ribs and sweet potato fries
• Mangose with tangerine-chili shrimp salad and lime cilantro vinaigrette
• TBA Porter with bacon jam breakfast burger

For details, visit avl.mx/4yg.

Lagers For Life

5-10 p.m. Burial Beer, 40 Collier Ave.

Join the Burial Crew to celebrate Memorial Day with music, munchies and a double lager release. Cans of Innertube will be fresh off the can line and released alongside the fourth Ambient Terrain Lager, brewed in collaboration with Oxbow Brewing Co.

Roll’n For Beers: A benefit for Blue Ridge Rollergirls featuring UniHorn

6-10 p.m. Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave. By donation

Hi-Wire’s flagship brews will be the spotlight as the Asheville Music Hall hosts an early evening of fun and fundraising for the Blue Ridge Rollergirls. Asheville’s funk Frankenstein group, UniHorn, will jam as members from Dub Kartel, Empire Strikes Brass, Laura Reed and Deep Pocket and more set the stage for a fun night. Local and national beers will also be highlighted. Proceeds go to the Blue Ridge Rollergirls. This is an all-ages show.

Beer Week Trivia at The Casual Pint

6:30-9 p.m., The Casual Pint, 1863 Hendersonville Road

Celebrating the camaraderie of the Asheville beer community, the Casual Pint and Hi-Wire Brewing will tag team for a “Friends”-themed AVL Beer Week trivia challenge. Prizes will include swag from Hi-Wire and The Casual Pint. There will also be a raffle for two general admission tickets to the Beer City Festival.

Tuesday, May 29

Sierra Nevada pilot brewery tour

2-3 p.m., Sierra Nevada Brewing, 101 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, $20

In honor of Celebrate American Craft Beer Week (May 14-20) and AVL Beer Week, Sierra Nevada will offer a detailed tour of its pilot operation, where its 20-barrel Kaspar Schulz pilot brewing system creates “heartbreaker” and “audition” brews that are only available at the source. Tour includes beer samples and a free empty growler. Open to ages 12 and older. RSVP required. Visit avl.mx/4yh.

Burial Beer Co. and One World Brewing AVL Beer Week Brett IPA Release

2-10 p.m., Burial Beer Co., 40 Collier Ave.

To fully celebrate the spirit of Asheville, Burial will release a funky Brett IPA in collaboration with One World Brewing. This rustic, full-bodied IPA is brewed with a blend of pale barley, local wheat and lactose.

Sierra Nevada Tailgate Market AVL Beer Week Feature

4-8 p.m., Sierra Nevada Brewing, 101 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River

Brewers will demonstrate the process for creating Sierra Nevada’s signature Pale Ale in the parking lot during the Sierra Nevada Tailgate Market. The market takes place 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays on the brewery’s Mills River campus.

Thirsty Monk AVL Beer Week Farmhouse IPA release and pint night

4-10 p.m., Thirsty Monk South, 2 Town Square Blvd.

Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park will release its Farmhouse IPA in celebration of AVL Beer Week. Tickets will also be available for the Not So Big BIG Beer Fest for the following evening. Every full pour of Farmhouse IPA comes with its own limited edition AVL Beer Week Thirsty Monk tulip glass.

Fermented Beer Dinner at White Labs

6-8:30 p.m., White Labs, 172 S. Charlotte St., $60

For Vol. 3 of the Fermented Pairings Series, White Labs will host a four-course dinner featuring fermented foods, unique beers and a screening of the documentary film Fermented. For tickets, visit avl.mx/4xv.

Malt Talk with Riverbend at Bhramari Brewing

7-8 p.m., Bhramari Brewing Co., 101 S. Lexington Ave. 

Learn about artisanal malts with Riverbend Malt House. Sample a hot steep (malt tea) to experience all the flavor, color and aroma of different malt styles.

AVL Beer Week Mega Trivia

8-10 p.m., Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave.

In addition to its weekly trivia, Twin Leaf Brewery hosts a mega monthly trivia event with double the prizes. This month’s MEGA Trivia Night will celebrate AVL Beer Week with trivia for beer nerds and enthusiasts as well as pop culture history and more. Competition is free and starts at 8 p.m. with Tuesday pitcher specials and food from Smash Box Kitchen.

Wednesday, May 30

Barleywine Release at Eurisko Beer Co.

4-10 p.m., Eurisko Beer Co., 255 Short Coxe Ave.

Eurisko Beer debuts its first barleywine, Mops and Brooms. Expect notes of toffee, caramel, turbinado sugar and a hint of booze.

Pint Night at Westville Pub with Oskar Blues

5-8 p.m., Westville Pub, 777 Haywood Road

Oskar Blues drafts are the focus of this Pint Night with surprise giveaways and brewery swag.

Thirsty Monk’s Not So Big BIG Beer Fest

5:30-9:30 p.m. Thirsty Monk Warehouse 92 Thompson St., $12-20

The fifth annual small-scale beer festival features Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Founders Brewing, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Brewery Ommegang, Birds Fly South Ale Project, Allagash Brewing and more plus several unique beers curated by Thirsty Monk. Regular admission of $12 includes a souvenir Thirsty Monk Festival tasting glass and one Thirsty Monk 750-milliliter growler to go. General admission tickets are available at the door without this special to-go growler. The $20 deluxe admission includes the previous perks plus three tokens redeemable for either beer pours or food. Tokens are available for $4 each, or three for $10 and can be redeemed for festival pours or food options. Tickets and details are available at avl.mx/4yi.

Crawfish boil with Sierra Nevada at the Grey Eagle

6-9 p.m., The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave.,$20 

The Grey Eagle collaborates with its brewery of the month, Sierra Nevada, to celebrate AVL Beer Week with a crawfish boil on the patio plus live music. Proceeds benefit MountainTrue. Open to all ages.

Gaining Ground Farm Dinner

6-9:30 p.m. Yesterday Spaces, 305 Sluder Branch Road, Leicester, $79 

The annual Beer Week Farm Dinner will feature chef John Fleer of Rhubarb and chef Gene Ettison of the Green Opportunities Kitchen Ready program collaborating on a five-course beer and food pairing. Proceeds benefit Green Opportunities.

South Slope Beer and Music Pairing, Act II

6-8 p.m. Tasty Beverage Co., 162 Coxe Ave., Suite 101

Tasty Beverage, Burial Beer Co. and Hi-Wire Brewing will team up to pair tunes with beers from the participating breweries. First, Bryan Smith of Tasty Beverage, Tim Gormley of Burial and Chris McLain of Hi-Wire will choose songs to pair with three specialty beers from each brewery. Following the curated portion of the event, guests will be able to put in requests for pairings.

Meet the brewer and beer trivia at Mills River Brewery

6:30-8:30 p.m. Mills River Brewery, 330 Rockwood Road,  Arden

Join Mills River Brewery for its first Meet the Brewer event. Master brewer and co-founder Joey Soukup and assistant brewers will host a special beer trivia for AVL Beer Week starting at 7 p.m.

What the Brett?! blind beer tasting

6:00-8:30 p.m., Archetype Brewing, 265 Haywood Road, $15

Expect Brett, mixed-culture, barrel-aged and everything in between during this blind taste test. Archetype brewers Steven Anan and Erin Jordan will describe each beer with house tasting notes then answer questions.

Guided flight tasting at Bhramari Brewhouse

7-8 p.m. 101 S. Lexington Ave.

A guided flight tasting with certified cicerone Dan Allen. Learn how to experience and articulate all the flavors, aromas and mouthfeels of different styles of beer.

Open Mic Night at Twin Leaf Brewery

8-10 p.m., Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave.

Hosted by Thomas Yon, expect good beer, music, poetry and comedy at this open mic night.

Dance party at Upcountry Brewing

9 p.m.-midnight, The Odditorium, 1042 Haywood Road

The Odditorium will host an AVL Beer Week Dance Party where costume dress-up is encouraged. Theme to be announced. For details, visit avl.mx/4yj.

Thursday, May 31

Sour beer and pickles pairing

All Day, Bhramari Brewhouse, 101 S. Lexington Ave.

Discover new flavors with this pairing of a sour beer flight and a flight of the chef’s pickled vegetables. All day at the brewery.

Hillman Beer British Gold release

11 a.m.-10 p.m., Hillman Beer, 25 Sweeten Creek Road

Head to Hillman Beer in Biltmore Village for the special release of its sessionable British Gold.

Small Batch Hefeweizen release at Catawba Brewing

Noon-10 p.m., Catawba Brewing Co., 32 Banks Ave. and 63 Brook St.

Catawba releases a new beer every Thursday through its Passport Loyalty Program. This week the brewery releases a thirst-quenching Hefeweizen at all four tasting rooms, including its South Slope and Biltmore Village locations in Asheville.

Highland Floatilla

3:30-7:30 p.m. Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Drive, Asheville

Float participants will meet at the Cascade Lounge, 219 Amboy Road, at 3:30 p.m. sharp, then put in at Carrier Park to float down to the Salvage Station. Bring your own floating device or use one of Highland’s. At the end of the trip, expect Highland favorite brews plus some tasty one-off and specialty offerings.

Skillet Six Ways Vortex Doughnuts pairing

4-8 p.m. Burial Beer, 40 Collier Ave.

Six variations of Burial Beer’s Skillet Donut Stout will be paired in flights with six mini-doughnuts from Vortex Doughnuts. Cans of Skillet will be released for purchase in the taproom only.

Plow to Plate

5:30-8:30 p.m. Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Drive, $60

Join Asheville Ale Trail, The American Pig and Asheville Date Night Guide for a flavorful evening featuring five tables, each hosting a North Carolina farm, chef and brewery. Each table’s team will collaborate to serve a small plate highlighting locally grown ingredients paired with a craft brew. The event is designed to showcase the creativity and partnerships that make Western North Carolina’s culinary community one of the nation’s most celebrated. Profits from Plow to Plate will benefit Bounty & Soul, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating a health and wellness movement in underserved communities in Buncombe and McDowell counties. For tickets, visit avl.mx/4y0.

Smokies Pint Night at UpCountry Brewing

5-11 p.m., UpCountry Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road, Asheville

Friends of the Smokies is the designated nonprofit for this special AVL Beer Week Pint Night. Ten percent of the sales of each Miracle Pint will be donated to this local charity. Live music from Dave Desmelik begins at 7 p.m. with no cover.

Pig On A Wire Barbecue Sauce Competition

5-7 p.m. Hi-Wire Brewing Big Top, 2 Huntsman Place

Judging of the fourth annual Pig on a Wire Barbecue Sauce Competition presented by Luella’s Bar-B-Que and Hi-Wire Brewing is free and open to the public with live bluegrass and a specialty menu available from Luella’s. Winners will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Entries in the categories of tomato, mustard and anything “gose” (pun intended) will be evaluated by a panel of guest and celebrity judges. There is a limit of one entry per category. All entries must have Hi-Wire beer in the sauce. Entries must be submitted by 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 29. More details and registration information is available at avl.mx/4y1. Send questions to events@hiwirebrewing.com.

Beer dinner at Hickory Tavern

5:30-7:30 p.m., Hickory Tavern, 30 Town Square Park Blvd., $40

Hickory Tavern will host a three-course beer dinner with Oskar Blues Brewery. Further details not available at press time.

Archetype Brewing and AUX Bar beer dinner

6-9 p.m. AUX Bar, 68 N. Lexington Ave., $45

Four courses prepared by chefs Steve Goff and Mike Moore will be paired with some of Archetype’s signature brews. For more information, contact Jen Gordon at jen@auxbar.com. Tickets are available at avl.mx/4y2.

Throwback Thursday with Highland Brewing at Fairview Tavern

7-11 p.m., Fairview Tavern, 831 Old Fairview Road

Celebrate the ’90s with live band karaoke and a Highland Brewing Co. tap takeover featuring limited-release beers. Dressing up encouraged!

Craft karaoke at Twin Leaf Brewery

9:30-11 p.m., Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave.

Elijah Wayne will host a night of karaoke and craft beer on the South Slope.

Pisgah Brewing and The Farm present: A Pairing of the Finest

6-10 p.m. The Farm, 215 Justice Ridge Road, Candler, $55

The Farm’s on-site kitchen staff will offer a tapas menu expertly paired with beers from Pisgah Brewing Co. For details, visit avl.mx/4yk.

Beer and cupcake flight pairing

4-9 p.m. Craft Centric Taproom & Bottle Shop, 100 Julian Shoals Drive, Arden 

Cupcakes from 3 Eggs Bakery will be individually paired with four Asheville beers. Tickets are available at avl.mx/4z5.

Friday, June 1

Catawba Brewing Peach of Mind Peach Grisette release

Noon-11 p.m., Catawba Brewing Co., 32 Banks Ave.

Catawba will wrap up AVL Beer Week with the release of Peach of Mind Peach Grisette, inspired by the 19th-century southern Belgium ales. Brewed with a generous portion of flaked wheat, then amplified by the addition of fresh South Carolina peaches during secondary fermentation, this refreshing session beer showcases the fruity esters of its farmhouse ale yeast strain. Peach of Mind will be released within its five-state distribution on draft and in six-pack cans by the first week of June.

Archetype The Explorer IPA release

1-11 p.m. Archetype Brewing, 265 Haywood Road

This bold, brazen pale ale is hopped with a combination of fruity Mosaic, Azacca and El Dorado. With piney spice from Chinook hops and rye malt, it’s complex and bold with a 6.3 percent ABV.

Habitat Brewing and Homeplace Beer Co. ABW collaboration release

5 p.m.-midnight, Habitat Tavern & Commons, 174 Broadway

Habitat Tavern & Commons and Homeplace Beer Co. have collaborated to create a Southeastern IPA for AVL Beer Week.

One World Tap Attack at Tasty Beverage

5:30-7:30 p.m., Tasty Beverage Co., 162 Coxe Ave.

Limited-release specialty beers on tap from downtown’s One World Brewing.

Cold War Kids at Orange Peel with Oskar Blues

8-11:30 p.m., The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., $25-28

Cold War Kids will perform at The Orange Peel sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewery. Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. Tickets are available at avl.mx/4ym.

Saturday, June 2

Upcountry Brewing’s grand re-opening party

All Day, UpCountry Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road

Wrap up AVL Beer Week and celebrate the grand opening of Upcountry Brewing’s new tasting room and outdoor space with a full food menu, corn hole, outside bar and with live music all day from Asheville’s Virginia Dare Devils and Kaizen. No cover charge. Friends, family and pets all welcome.

Seasoned Skillet and DIPA Release

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Burial Beer, 40 Collier Ave.

The release of Burial Beer’s annual batch of Seasoned Skillet, its bourbon barrel-aged Skillet Donut Stout, along with a surprise DIPA.

Beer City Festival

Noon-5 p.m.  Roger McGuire Green, 121 College St., $25-45

Asheville’s premier downtown craft beer festival brings the best local and regional breweries together for a great day of beer and music. This year’s event features over 30 breweries, all of which are members of the Asheville Brewers Alliance. Live music will also be part of the celebration. Tickets are available at avl.mx/4yn.

Wedge Brewing French Broad float and cleanup

1-6 p.m. Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St.

Join Asheville GreenWorks, MountainTrue, 98.1 The River, and French Broad Outfitters at the Wedge at Foundation for the next great installment of the Riverkeeper Beer Series. Come ready to float, clean up our river and taste the release of the Riverkeeper Beer at the after-party. Participants will meet at the Wedge at Foundation to be shuttled to the Swannanoa River, where they will float back to the Wedge with boats full of trash. Boats and paddling gear are provided, but folks are welcome to bring their own. This section of river is flatwater and suitable for all paddlers. The first 10 folks to register will receive the 2018 Recover Brands Riverkeeper Beer Series shirt. Everyone will have a chance to win prizes from the Asheville Gear Builders for finding the weirdest trash, most tires, creepiest trash and best overall trash haul. More details are at avl.mx/4yo.