Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Jan. 19-25

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.

Snow closures Jan. 23

• Green Man Brewery – Open at 12 p.m.
• Catawba Brewing Co. (South Slope) – Open 12-7 p.m.
• Hi-Wire Brewing – Downtown tasting room and Big Top open
• Wicked Weed Brewing and Funkatorium – Open regular hours
• Burial Beer Co. – Open 2-10 p.m.
• Bhramari Brewhouse – Open at 3 p.m.
• Sanctuary Brewing Co. – Open
• Sweeten Creek Brewing – Closed
• OysterHouse Brewing Co. – ???
• Pour Taproom – Open at 2 p.m.
• Black Mountain Ciderworks – Closed
• French Broad Brewery – Closed
• Highland Brewing Co. – Closed
• Lookout Brewing Co. – Open
• Pisgah Brewing – Closed
• Asheville Brewing Co. – Merrimon Ave. location closed; Coxe Ave. location open.
• Thirsty Monk – Downtown, Biltmore Park and Reynolds Village are open.
• Barley’s Taproom – Kitchen will stay open until 8:30-9 p.m. Upstairs bar will go later.
• Lexington Avenue Brewery – Open at 1 p.m.
• Appalachian Vintner – Open
• Bruisin’ Ales – Open until 4 p.m.
• Tasty Beverage Co. – Open 12-5 p.m.
• Urban Orchard Cider – Open at 3 p.m.

Bottle/can releases

• On Friday, Jan. 22, Green Man Brewery releases The Dweller Imperial Stout in 4-packs of 12-ounce bottles. Robust and warming, this 10 percent ABV brew has deep notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate and burnt toffee.
• SNOW UPDATE: Bottles will go on sale Jan. 23 as planned, with a secondary supply held back for Sunday. Check Burial’s Facebook page for further details. On Saturday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m., Burial Beer Co. holds a double bottle release at its back bar. Massacre of the Innocents IPA (6.5 percent ABV, made with a wild strain of yeast that produces a sweet fruity and tropical flavor that coaxes the tangerine, pineapple and melon out of a moderate blend of both New Zealand and U.S. hops) will be available in 750-milliliter bottles for $12. Pinot Noir Barrel Aged Haysaw Saison (6.2 percent ABV, aged in barrels from the Biltmore Estate Winery to add a vanilla and vinous character that melds with Haysaw’s raisin, fig and clove aromas) is available in that same quantity for $16. Both beers will also be available on draft.

Small-batch beers

• In conjunction with its British Invasion Week festivities with The Orange Peel and the Bob Moog Foundation, Asheville Brewing Co. is releasing beers inspired by The Beatles and The Who. Strawberry Pils Forever, a 5.2 percent ABV special ale brewed with Pilsner malt and infused with strawberry puree, was tapped Monday, Jan. 18, in conjunction with a screening of Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night. On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the 6.4 percent ABV Baba O’Rye Beer debuts, a dark ale brewed with 20 percent rye and German dark malt. Named in honor of The Who’s famous song, the beer’s release coincides with the evening screening of Ken Russell’s Tommy at the brewery’s Merrimon Avenue location. Both beers will be on draft at all ABC locations, The Orange Peel and elsewhere within the brewery’s distribution footprint.

Special events

• Bruisin’ Ales hosts a special tasting with Nate from Rogue Ales on Thursday, Jan. 21 from 5-7 p.m. Beers available for sampling will include Rogue Farms 4 Hop IPA, 6 Hop IPA, 7 Hop IPA, and 8 Hop IPA, all of which feature hops grown on premise at the brewery’s farm. In addition, Double Chocolate Stout and Voodoo Doughnut Mango Astronaut Ale will be poured.
• On Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 4 p.m., Craft Room Growlers taps three beers from Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co.’s Adventure Pack Collaboration Sampler: Risen (a 8.4 percent ABV double brown ale made with Surly Brewing Co.); Another State of Kind (a 6.8 percent ABV double dank cream-style ale made with Sun King Brewing Co.); and Session IPL (a 3.8 percent ABV India-style pale lager made with NoDa Brewing Co.).
• Friday, Jan.22, through Sunday Jan. 24, Thirsty Monk is holding a Lost Keg Series event at its Biltmore Park location. The brewery has let some of its flagship beers age to see how their Belgian character develops with time. Offerings include aged kegs of Screaming Monk IPA, Sunnyside Saison and St. Norm Hopped Tripel paired with new batches of each and a Roaring Monk Double IPA paired with a Screaming Monk. Patrons receive two 8 ounce pours of a pairing for one inclusive price ($5-6).
• **Due to the declaration of a State of Emergency by Governor McCrory Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival has decided, in conjunction with the City of Asheville & U.S. Cellular Center, to move the Winter Warmer Beer Festival to Saturday, Feb. 6. All tickets will be accepted on the 6th and are still considered valid. ** The ninth annual Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival takes place 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at the U.S. Cellular Center. The festival features beers from 35 regional and North Carolina  breweries as well as guest Tröegs Independent Brewing from Hershey, Pennsylvania. Tickets are likely to sell out and are available in advance online.