Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings April 3-9

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

• Hi-Wire Brewing debuts Bluebeard IPA (5 percent ABV) on Wednesday, April 4, with a 6 p.m. release party at Tasty Beverage Co. The beer was brewed for the Asheville City Soccer Club and named in honor of the team’s supporters. It will be available in 12-ounce cans and on draft.
• Formerly available in 16-ounce cans, Burial Beer Co.‘s Bolo Coconut Brown Ale (5.6 percent ABV) makes its 12-ounce can debut on Saturday, April 7. The American brown ale is brewed with a minimum of 7 pounds per barrel of raw coconut.

Small-batch beers

• In addition to tapping Bolo the day of its package release, Burial will be pouring Spoon Brett Pale Ale (5.5 percent ABV), hopped with eight different American varietals, starting Wednesday, April 4.
• Catawba Brewing Co. taps a Thai Gose (5.2 percent ABV) on Thursday, April 5, at all four of its tasting rooms. A classic German-style wheat ale base beer was then soured in the kettle with lactobacillus followed by an addition of sea salt. It was then infused with fresh ginger, lemongrass and lemon peel.
• **NEW** Wedge Brewing Co. releases an Organic Saison (6.6 percent ABV) on Thursday, April 5, at its Wedge Studios location. The beer features organically grown Pale and Wheat malts. Hallertau, Styrian Golding and Czech hops are used in the boil.
• **NEW** Oskar Blues Brewery starts its Barn Burner series, to be held the first Thursday of each month, on April 5 with three new taproom only releases: Simcoe: Interstate Smash Express IPA, Cashmere: Bwahahaha IPA and Check Yo’self IPA.

Special events

• **NEW** Throughout the month of April, Asheville Brewers Alliance breweries will raise funds to support Our VOICE’s 24/7 rape crisis services by pouring “Pints for Our VOICE,” in which $1 per pint of selected brews directly benefits the agency. Current participating breweries and beers include Burial (Billows Hoppy Kolsch), Highland Brewing Co. (AVL IPA) and Pisgah Brewing Co. (Schwarzbier). Other breweries wishing to participate in the campaign may contact Our VOICE.
• The Casual Pint hosts a tasting of Sweeten Creek Brewing beers Thursday, April 5, 6-8 p.m.
• Tasty Beverage Co. features samples of New Belgium Brewing Co.‘s Hemporer HPA, MURAL Agua Fresca Ale and Juicy Haze IPA on Friday, April 6, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• The Tunnel Road Tap Hous at Whole Foods Market’s latest First Friday event takes place Friday, April 6, 6-8 p.m.featuring selections from Boojum Brewing Co. In addition to core offerings Reward Pale Ale, Hop Fiend IPA and Graveyard Fields Blueberry Porter, the event features the year’s first keg of spring seasonal Mur Raspberry Saison as well as James Blonde, a one-off blonde ale made with 007 yeast, and the debut of Greenstone IPA, a small-batch beer made exclusively with New Zealand hops.
• The Black Cloud hosts an IPA Weekend, Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7. Maine Beer Co. Lunch IPA, Burial The Plague IPA, One World Brewing Let’s Berry The Hatchet IPA, Homeplace Beer Co. Mountain Fog IPA, Heretic Brewing Evil Cousin Imperial IPA and Moylan’s Brewery Hop Craic XXXXIPA will be on tap.
• Thirsty Monk‘s NC Belgian Beer Fest takes place Saturday, April 7, at noon at its Biltmore Park location. Taps include selections from Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Birdsong Brewing Co., Wise Man Brewing, Pisgah, Thirsty Monk Brewery and more. Tickets are $10 and includes a 750-milliliter pop-top growler of Thirsty Monk’s She-Monk Belgian-style Dubbel to take home and a limited edition NC Belgian Beer Fest tasting glass. Tokens will be available for purchase on-site to redeem for 5-ounce flight pours or full 8 to 12-ounce pours.