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
- Wedge Brewing Co. releases its first ever barrel aged beer on Thursday, Dec. 21, when 750-milliliter bottles of 13 Paces Baltic Porter will go on sale at its Foundation location. This 8.9 percent ABV traditionally lagered Baltic porter was selected by Foundation head brewer Ian Leightner to be aged in Buffalo Trace barrels in honor of Wedge brewmaster Carl Melissas’ acumen with lagering techniques. Bottles will go on sale at noon for $16 each.
- Pisgah Brewing Co. releases this year’s batch of Vanilla Porter starting at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at the brewery in Black Mountain, with live music from The Paper Crowns Band beginning at 8 p.m. The Vanilla Porter starts with Pisgah’s regularly available porter, which is brewed with five organic malts along with Chinook and Nugget hops, increases the gravity and adds Madagascar vanilla beans.
- **NEW** Hi-Wire Brewing releases 10W-40 Imperial Stout (8 percent ABV) on Friday, Dec. 22 at both taprooms and in limited distribution. Available on draft and in four-packs of 16-ounce cans, 10W-40 was brewed with lactose, French Broad Chocolates cocoa nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans and organic Dynamite Roasting Company coffee.
Small-batch beers
- Catawba Brewing Co. taps its Bière de Noël (8.8 percent ABV) on Thursday, Dec. 21, at all four Catawba tasting rooms. This Belgian-style Christmas beer is brewed with seven specialty grains, Belgian candi sugar and seasonal spices. It was fermented with an abbey ale yeast strain.
- Hi-Wire Brewing taps an extremely limited small-batch New England IPA (6.6 percent ABV) on Saturday, Dec. 23, at the brewery’s South Slope Sour & Wild Ale facility. This tropical northeastern IPA was brewed with 4 pounds per barrel of Mosaic and Citra hops, oats and lactose.
Special events
- Catawba Brewing Co. continues its Catawba Culinary Series with a pie and beer pairing at its South Slope Rickhouse Bar on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. Catawba has partnered with local restaurant Pete’s Pies to design a flight of three individual savory pastry pies and one sweet pie from the winter menu of the pub and pie provider’s London-raised chef, to be paired with five Catawba beers. Tickets are available here.
- Burial Beer Co. hosts a holiday pop-up market 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at its Collier Avenue taproom, featuring local crafts and last-minute gift options from Torches Ceremonies, Spoon + Hook and Hauntingly Familiar Vintage.
- Catawba Brewing’s Biltmore Village tasting room will hold a Festivus celebration 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, featuring food from T-Dawg Hot Dogs, Festivus games, prizes and more.
- **NEW** Black Cloud hosts a Winter Solstice Celebration on Thursday, Dec. 21, featuring a tap takeover from Innovation Brewing. Eight of Black Cloud’s taps will be dedicated to Innovation beers, including limited seasonals Pepper Stout, Graham Cracker Amber, and Harvest Saison, alongside year-round offerings Tactical Corset Sour, Cherry Sour, Black Balsam Porter, Soulvation IPA and Circumnavigation IPA.
- **NEW** The Whale Craft Beer Collective opens on Friday, Dec. 22.
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