Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings March 5-11

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

• Twin Leaf Brewery celebrates its fifth anniversary on Friday, March 8, with the release of this year’s Mass Extinction Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (12.7 percent ABV) in 500 milliliter bottles.
• **NEW** Sideways Farm & Brewery releases Justice Ale (5.3 percent ABV) on Friday, March 8. The beer is brewed in collaboration with musician Citizen Cope, hopped with calypso and features additions of lemongrass, Wisconsin River Cranberries and local Bee Master’s Farm wildflower honey. Only 420 of the 750 milliliter bottles were packaged. $1 from every bottle sold will be donated to Citizen Cope’s charity, The Mimi Wood Foundation for Arts and Business.
• **NEW** Hi-Wire Brewing releases Salted Maple 10W-40 Imperial Stout (8 percent ABV) on Friday, March 8. The twist on the brewery’s 10W-40 Imperial Stout features maple syrup, chocolate, vanilla, pink Himalayan salt and lactose. It will be available in four-packs of 16-ounce cans in full distribution.

Small-batch beers and ciders

• **NEW** Thirsty Monk Brewery is currently pouring She-Monk Dubbel (7.5 percent ABV), brewed by the ladies of Thirsty Monk in honor of the Pink Boots Society NC Chapter and featuring organic black mission figs and turkish apricots, at both of its locations. It will be joined on Friday, March 8, by Honey Citrus Tripel (9 percent ABV), brewed with Haw Creek’s Wildflower Honey plus lemon and grapefruit zest from Arizona.
• UpCountry Brewing Co. releases Raspberry Beret Raspberry Wheat Ale (4.4 percent ABV), brewed with an addition of over seven pounds per barrel of raspberry, on Wednesday, March 6, at its West Asheville taproom, and Thursday, March 7, at its Brevard location.
• Catawba Brewing Co. releases an Irish Red Ale (5.1 percent ABV) on Thursday, March 7, at all four of its taprooms.
• Ginger’s Revenge taps a fresh batch of Cosmo Ginger (4.7 percent ABV) on Friday, March 8. The ginger beer is inspired by the cosmopolitan cocktail and featuring cranberry, orange and a hint of lime.
• Oskar Blues Brewery releases Gose Before Bros on Friday, March 8, in honor of International Women’s Day.
• Wicked Weed Brewing celebrates International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, 4-8 p.m., at its brewpub with the release of two beers brewed by its female employees. Ningose, a gose brewed with Earl Grey tea and blackberries and Boi Bai, a sour ale with white tea from Dobra Tea and lemon zest, will be on tap. $1 per pour of both beers sold all day will be donated to Our Voice.

Special events

• The Whale taps beers from Red Cypress Brewing out of Winter Springs, Fla., on Tuesday, March 5, starting at 6 p.m. But First, Coffee, a porter brewed with locally roasted coffee; Chocolate Covered Strawberry Death Roll, a milk stout aged on chocolate and strawberries; I’m Fine, a margarita gose brewed with key limes, oranges and Himalayan salt; Love Dragon, a New England-style DIPA brewed with passion fruit; and Wrong Island, a pina colada milkshake IPA brewed with lactose, vanilla, pineapple and coconut will be available. **NEW** Then on Friday, March 8, starting at 5 p.m., the bar celebrates International Women’s Day by pouring a wide array of beers from Delirium, including Deliria (brewed for the holiday), Tremens, Nocturn, Red and the extremely rare Averbode. Free glassware with purchase, while supplies last.
• **NEW**Burial Beer Co.‘s next Off Topic discussion takes place Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m., and features representatives from Padua, Italy’s Crak Brewing. Ticket sales begin at 5:30 p.m. and can be purchased at the front bar for $10. Admission includes a branded Burial glass, samples of three different Crak beers and access to the event. Then on Friday, March 8, at 2 p.m., selections from Austin, Tex.-based Pinthouse Pizza will be available on draft, including Bailing Room IPA, Electric Jellyfish IPA and Lo Brau Lager.
• Hi-Wire hosts the NC Small Batch Festival on Saturday, March 9, 12-5 p.m. at its Big Top location. Admission is $10 and includes commemorative glassware and two beer tokens. A list of participating breweries and the beer list are available online.
• Ginger’s Revenge celebrates its second anniversary with a party on Saturday, March 9, 2-8 p.m. Check the event’s Facebook page for more details.
• The second yearly West Asheville Cider Crawl takes place Saturday, March 9, noon-10 p.m. Check the event’s Facebook page for more details.
• **NEW** Bruisin’ Ales‘ next free tasting takes place Saturday, March 9, 2-4 p.m., and features a selection of the staff’s favorite barleywines, stouts and porters from West Coast breweries.