Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings March 29-April 4

Photo courtesy of Hi-Wire Brewing.

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/can releases

  • A limited release of Boojum Brewing Co. Mûr Raspberry Saison (5 percent ABV) is now available in cans. The golden Belgian-style farmhouse style ale is made with saison yeast and a heaping portion of raspberries. Six-packs may be purchased at Boojum’s taproom and will be distributed around Western North Carolina later this week.
  • Hi-Wire Brewing releases the first two batches of its Single Barrel Series on Friday, April 1, at 2 p.m. at the South Slope brewery on Hilliard Avenue. Only 120 corked and caged 750-milliliter bottles of each variety are available. Batch No. 1 is a 7.8 percent ABV Oak Fermented Dark Saison with Brettanomyces. The white-wine barrel-fermented dark farmhouse ale was brewed with rice, corn and oats and is $12 per bottle. Batch No. 2 is an Oak Fermented Tart Wild Ale with Cherries and Raspberries. The 4.8 percent ABV wild ale was first soured with lactobacillus in the kettle before undergoing a seven-month mixed fermentation in a red-wine barrel on sweet cherries and raspberries. It costs $15 a bottle. Both Single Barrel releases will also be on tap at the South Slope brewery.
  • 12.7 ounce bottles of Wicked Weed Brewing Dark Age bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout (12 percent ABV) are available for purchase at its Biltmore Ave. brewpub – where the beer is also on draft – and will head into primarily N.C. distribution starting next week.
  • Founder’s Brewing Co. Kentucky Breakfast Stout is scheduled for release at most specialty retail outlets on Tuesday, April 5. This highly sought-after bourbon barrel aged imperial breakfast stout will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Supplies are extremely limited and are expected to sell out within the day, so purchase limits will be in effect. Check back here for further details as they become available.

Small-batch beers

  • Highland Brewing Co. is pouring Belmont Abbey Kolsch (5 percent ABV), made on its pilot system.
  • On Tuesday, March 29, Burial Beer Co. brings back Thresher Coffee Saison (a 4.8 percent ABV French Saison with cold pressed Counter Culture Coffee’s Kuichi added post-fermentation) and debuts Saint Hildegard Dark Grisette (4 percent ABV), brewed on National Women in Beer Day by the ladies of Burial and aged on hibiscus and raspberry. Thursday, March 31, brings a special keg of The Prayer Biere D’ Cobbler (a 6.8 percent ABV Belgian Blonde aged on freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon sticks, Madagascar vanilla beans and additional lactose) and on Friday, April 1, Ship of Fools Barrel Fermented Grisette (4.6 percent ABV) is tapped. Burial’s biggest barrel-fermented batch to date is made with 100 percent North Carolina malt consisting of 6-row pilsner, malted wheat and raw wheat, fermented in Biltmore Estate wine barrels and lightly hopped with whole leaf Hallertau.
  • Catawba Brewing Co. releases Queen Winterkill American-style hefeweizen on Friday, April 1, at its Banks Avenue tasting room.
  • Hi-Wire Brewing debuts Aerialist Hoppy Lager on Friday, April 1 at both of its taprooms. The 5.5 percent ABV India Pale Lager is made with Huell Melon, Mandarina Bavaria and Citra hops.

Special events

  • Thirsty Monk‘s downtown Belgian Bar hosts a Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Ovila Abbey Ales series tap event on Thursday, March 31, at 4 p.m. 2015 Quad, 2016 Quad with Cherries and 2016 Abbey Brown Ale with Cocoa and Mandarin will be on draft, and bottles of Barrel Aged Dubbel will also be available.
  • Bruisin’ Ales hosts a Dogfish Head Brewery Record Store Day event and tasting on Thursday, March 31, 5-7 p.m. Free samples of Beer to Drink Music To Belgian-style TripelOak-aged Noble Rot90 Minute IPA and Immort Ale will be poured. The Bruisin’ staff will also be spinning records on a special edition Dogfish Head Crosley Turntable and giving out 2016 Record Store Day commemorative posters and merch (while supplies last).
  • On Thursday, March 31 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tasty Beverage Co. taps kegs of the brand new Nantahala Brewing Co. Trail Magic 13, a strawberry rhubarb sour, and Midnight Topher Espresso Stout. Bottles of Trail Magic 13 will also be available for purchase.

New to distribution

  • Souther California based Cismontane Brewing Co. is now available in the Asheville market. Beers currently available include Black’s Dawn Imperial Stout and The Mesa wild fermented table beer.
  • Following a production facility expansion, River Rat Brewery of Columbia, South Carolina has added Asheville to its distribution footprint. Currently available offerings include American Kolsch Story, Metal Man Pale Ale, and Broad River Red Ale.
  • Pennsylvania based Erie Brewing Co. is newly available in Asheville. Current bottle offerings include Soleil Shandy and Final Destination IPA.
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About Scott Douglas and Edwin Arnaudin

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