“I really feel like most Americans are desperate to be involved in the greater good,” says John Richardson, director of the nonprofit PubCorps and owner of Black Mountain Ale House and Black Mountain Brewing. “Yet we have not made it easy, and we have not prioritized giving back like we should.”
PubCorps intends to change all that. The online platform makes it simple to sign up for local volunteer opportunities. In the process, the organization hopes to build a stronger community. Richardson says the nonprofit will accomplish this, in part, by inviting volunteers to gather at participating local restaurants, breweries and bars for a complimentary glass of beer, coffee or soda after their shift is completed.
PubCorps will formally introduce itself to the Asheville community on Sunday, Sept. 15, with a launch party hosted at the Asheville Masonic Temple. During the event, volunteers will help package over 100,000 meals donated by the Rotarians Against Hunger to be distributed by local nonprofits MANNA Foodbank and Bounty & Soul to food-insecure children throughout the region.
Tickets to the party are $5 each, and attendees will get a free T-shirt plus complimentary coffee provided by Dynamite Roasting Co. Afterward, all volunteers are invited to an afterparty at Wicked Weed Brewing, where PubCorps will buy the first round.
Though still in its infancy, Richardson has high hopes to expand the model beyond Asheville. “In three years, we’d like to be in 10 cities, and in five years we’d like to be in 50 cities,” he says.
In the meantime, he looks forward to debuting the concept to local residents. “I hope that folks get excited about giving back,” he says. “And I hope that they get excited about connecting, whether it’s through the volunteering or while having a beer afterward.”
Above all, Richardson adds, “I hope [participants] get excited about the potential to show the rest of the world what it means to be Beer City.”
PubCorps’ launch party runs 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway. To register to volunteer, visit avl.mx/6h3.
Cheese pairing
Looking Glass Creamery and Tasty Beverage Co. will team up for a cheese pairing on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Sean Stanley, retail manager at Looking Glass, will lead the evening event. Featured cheeses include Fromage Blanc (fresh, tangy and buttery cow’s milk cheese), Bear Wallow (a savory and dense European Alpine style), Ridgeline (a gouda/tomme hybrid), Chocolate Lab (with rind washed in Highland Black Mocha Stout and coated in French Broad cocoa nibs) and Green River Blue (a soft-rind blue cheese). Cheeses will be paired with beer, wine and cider; a complete list of beverages was not available at press time. Tickets are $35.
The pairing runs 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 162 Coxe Ave., suite 101. For more information and tickets, visit avl.mx/6gy.
Spanish tapas dinner
Metro Wines and Grapevine Distribution will partner for a Spanish tapas wine dinner at Celine and Company on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Spanish garlic shrimp, lamb meatballs and a churro with dark chocolate fondue are among the menu highlights. Featured Spanish wines include 2016 Can Petit cava, 2017 Blanco Neiva verdejo, 2018 Laxas albarino, 2011 Ochoa Reserva and Lustau Capata Andres cream sherry. Tickets are $79 and include tax and gratuity.
Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at Celine and Company, 49 Broadway. To reserve a seat call 828-254-9902.
The Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters
Local herbalist and botanist Abby Artemisia will host the Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters at Villagers on Wednesday, Sept. 18, focusing on herbal formulas that support digestion while simultaneously spicing up cocktails, mocktails and other beverages. Enrollees will walk away with a better understanding of what bitters are and how they function. Students will also take home concoctions made during the class. Advance tickets are $35-$45 on a sliding scale. The price includes materials. There is an additional $5 fee for on-site registrations.
Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters runs 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at Villagers, 278 Haywood Road. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6h0.
Donuts + Cocktails
DoughP Donuts will collaborate with Cultivated Cocktails on Thursday, Sept. 19, to present an evening of (you guessed it!) doughnuts and cocktails. Featured combos include kabocha squash and ginger with Hazel 63 rum cocktail; Meyer lemon and cardamom with Highway 9 gin cocktail; everything doughnut with Asheville Coffee Liqueur; and raspberry sriracha with Shades of Rosé red wine barrel-rested gin. Prices were not set at press time, however distillery manager Leah Howard says the the total price for all four pairings should be between $20-$25.
Donuts + Cocktails runs 4-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at Cultivated Cocktails Distillery, 29 Page Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/6gz.
A Taste of the Vineyard
On Friday, Sept. 20, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Henderson County will host A Taste of the Vineyard at Point Lookout Vineyards. “Every dollar raised goes toward our mentor programs through volunteer recruitment and training, program services, and supporting and sustaining current matches,” says program coordinator Shelbie English in a press release. The evening will include a barbecue dinner catered by Flat Rock Wood Room that will feature charcuterie trays, mini-hushpuppies, barbecued chicken thighs, slow-smoked pulled pork, bacon, apple coleslaw and more. A free glass of wine will also be included, and there will be live music and a live auction. Tickets are $50 per person or $375 for a table of eight.
Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at Point Lookout Vineyard, 408 Appleola Road, Hendersonville. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6gw.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.