Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Oct. 6-12

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

• Bruisin’ Ales: bottles of Blackberry Farm Brewery oaked saison, Prairie Artisan Ales’ 3rd Anniversary Ale and Westbrook Brewing Co. Märzenbier are expected on the shelves Thursday, Oct. 8 and Pisgah Brewing Co.’s Tripel will be on sale as soon as Friday, Oct. 9.
• Wicked Weed Brewing’s Dark Arts imperial stout online presale will begin Saturday, Oct. 10 at 12 p.m. This year’s version of the 15 percent ABV wild imperial stout fermented with Brettanomyces was aged in blue agave tequila barrels. All sales will take place online this year, with customers allowed the opportunity to purchase two, six, or twelve bottles. Case and half-case purchases will also include a rare espresso variant.

Small-batch beers

• On Friday, Oct. 9, Burial Beer Co. debuts the latest in its Vise Single Hop series, an experiment showcasing one hop variety and a single malt to create an easy drinking beer that lets the hop flavors shine. The 5.2 percent ABV brew has funky pine characters and light citrus aromas of the American-bred Simcoe hop.

Rare kegs

• Craft Room Growlers will host a Ten Fiddy imperial stout pint night with Oskar Blues Brewing on Thursday, Oct. 8. Patrons will have access to kegs from 2012 and 2015 as well as free glassware (with purchase) while supplies last.
• Appalachian Vintner is currently pouring Psychokinesis, an American wild ale from Grimm Artisinal Ales dry hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado and Jarryllo.
• On Thursday, Oct. 8, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tasty Beverage Co. will tap some special Prairie Artisan Ales kegs that it has acquired over the past several months. Omniprairie (a milk chocolate caramel stout collaboration with with the Swedish brewery Omnipollo), Standard (a hoppy sessionable farmhouse ale), Brett C (a brett saison with citra hops and a touch of salt) and Gold (a sour farmhouse ale) are set to be poured.

Seasonal kegs

• Urban Orchard Cider Co.: semisweet Mixed Berry cider and the latest Hopped cider (this one is dry hopped with German Huell Melon hops) are available in the taproom this week.
• Green Man Brewery: Leaf Blower red IPA will be in the taproom starting Friday, October 9, and in 12 ounce six-packs.
• Belgian-style Abbey ale is back at Wedge Brewing. A Dubbel brewed to traditional monastic style, this year’s batch clocks in at 8 percent ABV and should be available throughout the fall.
• Pipehawk Mountain Ale returns to Burial Beer Co. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The sessionable IPA is brewed with a single malt and a British yeast strain and hopped up with a cornucopia of different American hops with a strong El Dorado and Centennial hops.

Special events

• The Thirsty Monk‘s downtown bar will be overrun with pumpkin beers on Thursday, Oct. 8. Offerings include Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Pinchy Jeek, Ballast Point Brewing Co. Pumpkin Down, New Belgium Brewing Co. Pumpkick, Highland Brewing Co. Kinsman Pumpkin Spiced Clawhammer, New Holland Brewing Ichabod Pumpkin, Dogfish Head Brewery Punkin and many more.
• Bruisin’ Ales hosts an RJ Rockers Brewing Co. tasting on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 5-7 p.m. Free samples of new releases Palmetto Trail Pale Ale and Dunkelele, core brands Son of a Peach (American wheat ale), Brown Eyed Squirrel (English-style brown ale) and the fall seasonal Gruntled Pumpkin will be poured.

New to distribution

• AleSmith Brewing is new to distribution in the Asheville market. Currently available offerings include Wee Heavy, a 10 percent ABV Scotch ale, X Extra Pale Ale, a 5 percent ABV American pale ale, and Decadence 2015, a unique beer created each year in celebration of AleSmith’s anniversary. This year’s brew is a 10 percent ABV “Belgian-style amber.” Other beers from the brewery’s extensive portfolio will be available soon, including the highly sought-after Speedway Stout. AleSmith is currently available exclusively at Appalachian Vintner, but will be coming soon to other specialty retailers.