Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Nov. 3-9

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

• At its inaugural Stout Bout on Saturday, Nov. 7 (see Special events), Hi-Wire Brewing will sell bottles of its Pulcinella Russian Imperial Stout. The beer spends 10 months in Napa Valley Zinfandel, Kentucky bourbon and North Carolina dark rum barrels. The cost is $10 with a limit of six bottles per person.
• Burial Beer Co. has canned a small new batch of its Bolo Coconut Brown and will have 16 ounce cylinders available in its taproom on Monday, Nov. 9. The cost is $13 for a pack of four.

Small-batch beers

• Cask selections as of Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Oyster House Brewing Co. are Chocolate Moonstone Stout and Motown Double IPA.
• The Stone of Madness Brett Grisette (4.5 percent ABV), which was fermented solely with a single strain of brettanomyces and made with three ingredients (NC barley, wheat and cascade hops) debuts at Burial Beer Co. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Two days later, the west coast Deck Grip IPA (6.8 percent ABV) flows from the taps, made with the tropical yeast strain that brings the brewery’s Massacre of the Innocents Farmhouse IPA to life.
• Asheville Brewing Co. is tapping Farewell to the Mothership Pt. 3 on Thursday, Nov. 5 at all ABC locations. The last beer brewed at its original Merrimon Ave. brewhouse is its Shiva IPA dry hopped with Columbus hops and fortified with fresh grapefruit. ABV: 6 percent.
• Highland Brewing Co. releases Brewer’s Blend on Friday, Oct. 6, in its taproom. The 8.6 percent ABV beer is a 75 percent Gaelic Ale and 25 percent Black Mocha Stout blend aged for six months in Four Roses bourbon barrels.

Rare kegs

• Bruisin’ Ales is pouring a keg of Backwoods Bastard from Founders Brewing Co. This 11.6 percent ABV wee heavy scotch ale is cave-aged in bourbon barrels for a year before a limited seasonal release on draft and in four-packs.

Special events

• Thirsty Monk starts its new monthly beer class, Monk Beer Academy, Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at the downtown bar. Draft quality manager Jeremiah Tracy will lead an educational tasting focused on a new topic each month, with the inaugural class featuring Trappist beers. The class is free, but the cost of the flight is not.
• Burial Beer Co. is teaming up with The Junction for a beer dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at the Depot St. restaurant. The cost is $75 per person (not including tip) for six courses and five beers, including the event-exclusive Tears of the Sun Gods Saison, which is dry hopped with Galaxy and Moteuka hops and aged on flowers. The first beer will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the first course starting at 7. Call The Junction to reserve a seat.
• On Thursday, Nov. 5 from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Tasty Beverage Co. hosts a collection of limited barrel-aged offerings from Big Boss Brewing. Specific beers TBD. 5-7 p.m., Avery Brewing Co. founder Adam Avery pays a visit to Tasty Beverage Co. The brewery’s Raspberry Sour, 21st Anniversary and Raja (a new IPA with Vic’s Secret and Galaxy hops) will be on draft and on sale in bottles. Avery will then head over to the downtown Thirsty Monk where Twenty-Two, Raspberry Sour, Raja, Old Jubilation, White Rascal and IPA will be on tap. Glassware giveaways and more are also included in the Monk festivities.
• Ciderfest NC takes place Saturday, Nov. 7, 1-5 p.m. at the WNC Farmers Market. The event features ciders from 17 local and national makers. General admission tickets are $30 and designated driver tickets $15.
• Hi-Wire Brewing‘s Stout Bout is set for Saturday, Nov. 7, 1-5 p.m. outdoors at its Big Top Brewery at 2A Huntsman Place. The event begins with a blind tasting 1-3 p.m. in which attendees may try as many stouts as they wish from a selection of breweries from across the Southeast and vote for their favorite. After 3 p.m., the voting will close, the beers’ identities will be revealed and full pints may be ordered of each. A $5 fee includes entrance into the Bout and a commemorative tasting glass. Beer tokens may be purchased for samples or full pours of the specialty beers. Anyone who donates a jacket or pair of gloves will receive free entrance into the event. All coats collected will be donated to Western Carolina Rescue Mission.
• Stone Brewing Co. has chosen Pour Taproom as the Asheville host for its annual Arrogant Day. On Saturday, Nov. 7 beginning at 8 p.m., Arrogant Bastard Ale, Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, Espresso Depth-Charged Double Bastard, 2015 Double Bastard Ale and Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard Ale will be on tap.