Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Feb. 28-March 6

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. releases two seasonal favorites this week. King Coconut Porter (5.5 percent ABV) returns on Wednesday, March 1, available on draft and in six-pack cans. Then Peanut Butter Jelly Time (5.7 percent ABV) makes its return on Friday, March 3. A light-brown ale brewed with whole, roasted local peanuts and Oregon raspberries, PB and J will be available on draft and in new four-packs of 16-ounce cans at all Catawba tasting rooms and in distribution.
• On Friday, March 3, Highland Brewing Co. will host a party celebrating the release of its first year-round offering of 2017. Daycation IPA is a light-bodied, hop-forward session IPA brewed with Mosaic and dry-hopped with Centennial and Ekuanot. The party starts at 4 p.m. at the brewery with live music by Woody Pines from 7-9 p.m. and local food trucks Amazing Pizza Co. and The Real Food Truck on hand.
• Bhramari Brew House. will release the first in the Stave’elution barrel-aged series on Saturday, March 4, at 1 p.m. in its South Slope taproom.  The first in the series, Agua Mala, is an American-style IPA, initially dry-hopped with 3 pounds per barrel of Citra and Huell Melon. It was then fed to wet tequila barrels, where it aged for six months. To finish, Agua Mala was dry-hopped with an additional 3 pounds per barrel of Mosaic, Azacca, El Dorado and Simcoe, for a total of 6 pounds per barrel. Agua Mala will be available on draft and in 500-milliliter bottles.

Small-batch beers

• Burial Beer Co. released its third New Orleans inspired beer, the 7 percent ABV Sazerac Rye IPA, on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the brewery, with a portion of sales from the special Mardi Gras Beer releases go to benefit the Mardi Gras Indians Feather Fund. On Friday, March 3, Waves Crash Upon Us Brett Pale Ale will be tapped. The 5.5 percent ABV pale ale was fermented with a house blend of brettanomyces in primary and brewed with a malt bill of pilsner and oats and hopped with Hallertau Blanc, Rakau, Waimea and Southern Cross.
• Catawba Brewing Co. releases its India Pale Lager (6 percent ABV)  Apple Sour (6 percent ABV) on Thursday, March 2, at all Catawba locations. This hybrid style combines the clean, crisp character of an Old World lager with the bold, fruity notes of an IPA, showcasing Huell Melon hops. This refreshingly tart blonde ale was soured in the kettle with lactobacillus and apple added in secondary fermentation.
• On Friday, March 2, Oskar Blues will release its White Labs + MALT Hopped Pale Ale at the tasting room in Brevard from 5-8 p.m. This specialty one-off beer was brewed by the winner of the White Labs + MALT Homebrew Competition that took place at last year’s Burning CAN festival.

Special events

• Wedge Brewery opened its new facility to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Wedge at the Foundation, as the second location is being called, is currently pouring beer with 12 Bones Smokehouse serving food down the hall. A Welcome to the Neighborhood Party presented by Riverview Station will be held on Thursday, March 2, from noon-7 p.m., featuring an art show at the Wedge, dog training demonstrations, skating events and a scavenger hunt. Then, on Friday, March 17, (St. Patrick’s Day), Wedge at the Foundation will host its official grand opening party starting at 8 a.m. with coffee from High Five Coffee, lunch from 12 Bones and live music from Fireside Collective from 1-6 p.m.
• Bruisin’ Ales weekly free beer tastings resumes on Thursday, March 2, with Boojum Brewing Co. All tastings start at 5 p.m.
• On Saturday, March 4, Thirsty Monk will host the Highland Brewing team for a Daycation Pub Crawl at the downtown Monk starting at 6 p.m. Kegs of Daycation, Mandarina and Imperium will be tapped and there will be a few fun giveaways.
• Hi-Wire Brewing will host its inaugural North Carolina Small Batch Festival on Saturday, March 4, from 1-5 p.m. at its Big Top Production Brewery and Taproom in Biltmore Village. More details can be found in Edwin Arnaudin’s recent Beer Scout article.