Asheville Brewgrass Festival this Weekend

September 20, 2014   Brewgrass Festival   40 American breweries gather to showcase more than 120 different beers. Live entertainment includes a great lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians that, in the past, has included such notables as Cadillac Sky, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Infamous String Dusters, Dry Branch Fire Squad, J.D. Crowe, The Osborne Brothers, Norman Blake, Tony Trischka, Jim Lauderdale, Valerie Smith, Tony Furtado, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Sons Of Ralph.

This exceptionally popular event also features a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water. 1 - 7 PM at Asheville's Memorial Stadium.

Get links for  Asheville lodging, attractions and information on the Asheville NC Guide. 

Mountain Spirits: Brusin' Ales Events During Asheville Beer Week

Asheville Beer Week takes place in 2013 from May 25 through June 1. Brusin' Ales, located at 66 Broad Street in downtown Asheville, will be offering a variety of experiences to celebrate the week.

May 26, 6 PM:   LaZoom Sunday Beer Run
Where: On the big, purple bus!
Tickets: $25.00 per person,  Buy online HERE
Hop on the big, purple bus - Asheville's Feral Chihuahuas, Bruisin' Ales and LaZoom team up to bring you a beer and comedy explosion tour not to be missed. Wrap your mind around the area's beer history-as told by local funny guys, The Feral Chihuahuas. Includes beer on the bus and at least one brewery stop along the way! **This is event is close to selling out - get your tickets NOW.

May 28, 12:00 PM: ABA Hoppy Saison Release
Where: Bruisin' Ales
The ABA Hoppy Saison-made with North Carolina honey, and around 6.5% abv-is the first-ever collaborative brew to come from the Asheville Brewers Alliance. Twenty different breweries came together for this creation: Altamont Brewing Co., Asheville Brewing, BearWaters Brewing Co., Blue Mountain Pizza and Brew Pub, Burial Beer Co., Catawba Valley Brewing Company, French Broad Brewing Company, Green Man Brewery, Heinzelmannchen Brewery, Highland Brewing Company, Lexington Avenue Brewery, Nantahala Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing, Oskar Blues, Pisgah Brewing Company, Riverbend Malt House, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Southern Appalachian Brewery, Thirsty Monk, Tipping Point Brewing, Wedge Brewing Company, Wicked Weed Brewing.

Green Man Brewing's 750s of Raugupatis, Baltic Porter Aged in Whiskey Barrels, will also be released.



May 29, 6 - 8 PM: Mitch Steele, Brewmaster of Stone Brewing, Book Signing and IPA Tasting
Where: Bruisin' Ales
Tickets: $25 per person. By reservation with book purchase, (828) 252-8999
Join the tasting and meet-n-greet with Mitch Steele, Brewmaster of Stone Brewing Company, California. He'll be signing his new book, IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale. Get a signed copy of the book (while supplies last) and a flight of Stone's flagship IPAs: Stone IPA, Stone Ruination, Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous, and Stone Cali-Belgique.  Reservations with book purchase.



May 30, 6 - 9 PM: The Market Plate Small Plate Pairing with Allagash Brewing
Where: The Market Place
Tickets: $40/pp with tax + gratuity. On sale at both The Market Place (828-252-4162) and Bruisin' Ales (828-252-8999).
The Market Place and Bruisin' Ales welcome Allagash present a casual, small plate tasting and beer pairing. Come mingle. Bring your reservation anytime between 6-8:30, at your leisure, and chill out in the bar area good eats, great beer and live Moog jazz and funky beats by Ben Hovey.
Tasting Plates:
Single lady oyster, Allagash white mignonette, toasted coriander, seaweed & cucumber salad. Paired with Allagash White.
Looking Glass Creamery chocolate lab cheese, local lavender flower honey, sorghum glazed hazelnut & arugula salad. Paired with Allagash Victoria
Braised pork shank & mushroom ragu, local chevre & spring onion grits. Paired with Allagash Dubbel
Pecan tart, caramel sauce, bourbon macerated raspberry.  Paired with Allagash Bourbon-barrel Black

May 28, 6 PM: Beer at The Ballpark Mini-Fest
Where: McCormick Field, Oskar Blues Party Pavilion
Tickets: $60 per person, now available at Bruisin' Ales (828) 252-8999.   Includes game ticket, VIP seating, all-you-can-eat buffet, and beer samples.

Asheville Tourists and Bruisin' Ales bring Belgian pub food and Belgian-style beer to the home game at McCormick Field. Nine innings-Nine breweries:
- Liefmans: Goudenband, Cuvee Brut, Fruitesse
- Het Anker Gouden Carolus: Hopsinjour, Easter Ale, Cuvée van de Keizer Blauw
- Allagash Brewing:  Blonde, James Bean (Curieux w/ coffee), Midnight Brett
- Brewery Ommegang:  Biere d'Hougoumont, Rare Vos, Gnommegang
- The Bruery:  Saison Rue, Mischief Golden, Tradewinds Tripel w/ Thai Basil
- Boulevard Brewing:  Tank 7, Nommo, Sixth Glass
- Pisgah Brewing:  White Ale, Solstice Tripel, Baptista
- New Belgium Brewing:  Biere de Garde, Peach Porch Lounger, Cascara Quad
- Weyerbacher Brewing:  Verboten, Quad, Tiny
All breweries are bringing THREE selections. Brewery reps will be on-hand-and the brewer of Boulevard Brewing will be at the Asheville event for the first time.


Get links and a list of Asheville Breweries and beer Pubs on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Ale Sharpton Cruises Asheville

Ale Sharpton Presents Operation Asheville - Asheville's burgeoning beer scene is once again in the spotlight. Ale Sharpton, a renowned beer aficionado and blogger, took to the streets of Asheville to produce an episode of his upcoming show Cruisin' for a Bruisin'.

The show is currently in post production, but Sharpton did post a teaser which highlights the Brews Cruise, Highland Brewing, French Broad Brewing, the now defunct Craggie Brewing (RIP) and more.

The full video is expected to be released soon and in the meantime, follow Ale's adventures on his blog.

Learn more about Asheville beer, breweries and beer tastings on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

NC Beer Month Event: Asheville's The Best Frikin Beer Festival

April 27   The Best Firkin Beer Festival  The 2013 Beer Festival features cask-conditioned, barrel-aged and specialty beer. This is a pre-prohibition era festival that will have old time music by The Big Nasty Jazz Band and old time food from The Lowdown Food Truck.

Tickets can be purchased on the website by clicking on "The Best Firkin Beer Festival" poster. If event is not sold out by the day of the festival, tickets will be available at the door. VIP ticket holders will receive access to the festival 1 hour early and a free t-shirt.

The Festival is held at The Meadow at Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy in  Asheville NC

 

NC Beer Month Event: Altamont Brewing River Float, Beer Tasting and Brewery Tour

April 20   Altamont Brewing French Broad Float, Beer Tasting & Brewery Tour   Altamont Brewing Company is partnering with Asheville Adventure Rentals for this special event. Participants will be picked up at Altamont Brewing at 2 PM and will float down the French Broad River. All equipment will be provided.

Participants will be returned to Altamont Brewing for a beer tasting and brewery tour. Total cost is $50.00. Booking will be provided through Asheville Adventure Rentals by phone, 828-505-7371. There is a 12-person maximum on the trip.

Learn more about Asheville beer and get links for breweries on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Asheville Beer and Wine Tasting this Weekend

Join Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Street #100 in Asheville NC, for FREE wine and beer tastings this weekend:

January 4, 5 - 7 PM - Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Street #100 in Asheville NC:  Free Beer Tasting - Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine 2013.  Come taste this years Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine.  This beast of a beer is released the first week of January every year. Hops and Vines has been saving Bigfoot for six years now. They will be opening a different vintages throughout the tasting starting with 2008.

Six pack verticals of '08-'13 will be available for $29.95.and there will be plenty of 2013 Bigfoot Barleywine Ale as it just came in! $10.99 4/packs this year.

January 5, 3 - 6 PM:  Free Wine tasting of Wines from Washington.  Mildbrant Riesling 2011: Fresh light and vibrant, with juicy, tangy pineapple and pear fruit picking up floral notes as the off-dry finish lingers. $12.99/750mlt; The Velvet Devil Merlot 2011: Milk Chocolaate, wild blackberry, baking spice, rose oil, and of course, Velvety! $14.99/750ml;   Chateau Smith 2010: Supple and inviting with complex flavors of dark berries and plum shaded with hints of bacon and star anise. The finish rolls along unimpeded by the polished tannins. $19.99/750m.

Get a link for Hops and Vines and other Asheville Beer and Wine shops, breweries and wineries on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Asheville Oktoberfest this Weekend

October 13  Asheville Oktoberfest   Downtown Asheville's Wall Street will transform into "Little Germany" for the Asheville Downtown Association's 4th Annual Oktoberfest. Internationally-renowned "oompah" band, The Stratton Mountain Boys, returns to the stage with happy yodeling songs, shoe-slapping dances and lively spirited Polka music sure to incite dancing in the street and rousing cheers of "ein Prosit!"

The event will feature beer tastings from local breweries including Highland Brewing, Asheville Brewing Company, Pisgah Brewing, Green Man Brewery, Craggie Brewing and French Broad Brewing Company. Many brewers are featuring seasonal ales for Oktoberfest, and will be on hand to discuss their beers.  Oktoberfest Games are back as well with some old favorites like the Stein Races and Keg-rolling contests as well as some new ones.

Find more Asheville NC events and festivals on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Pisgah Brewing Company hosts Shamboozle Fest

September 29   2nd Annual Shamboozle Fest at Pisgah Brewing Company  A music and food festival with four phenomenal live bands - including Gaelic Storm, food from some favorite local vendors, and plenty of activities for the whole family hosted by one of the area's favorite NC mountain breweries.

Brewgrass Festival this Weekend in Beer City

September 15  Brewgrass Festival  40 American breweries gather to showcase more than 120 different beers in Beer City - Asheville NC, that is...

Live entertainment includes a great lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians that, in the past, has included such notables as Cadillac Sky, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Infamous String Dusters, Dry Branch Fire Squad, J.D. Crowe, The Osborne Brothers, Norman Blake, Tony Trischka, Jim Lauderdale, Valerie Smith, Tony Furtado, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Sons Of Ralph.

Music Schedule:

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen   12:30 - 1:20 pm
Jack Straw                                  1:40 - 2:35 pm
 Cutthroat Shamrock                    2:55 - 3:40 pm
 Town Mountain                          4:00 - 5:00 pm
 Head for the Hills                        5:30 - 7:00 pm

The event also features a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water. Buy tickets in advance online.

Get a link for the Brewgrass Festival and other Asheville events on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Appalachian Breakdown Bluegrass Festival

June 9, 2 PM - 8:30 PM at Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, in Asheville NC. Appalachian Breakdown Bluegrass Festival is a  day of bluegrass and beer in Highland Brewing Company's meadow. Live music performances will include the Kruger Brothers, Sons of Ralph, Buncombe Turnpike, Sanctum Sully and Southern Crescent.

Asheville Beer City Festival this Weekend

June 2, 12 PM - 6 PM   Asheville's 3rd  Beer City Festival The first ever Asheville Beer Week includes ten days of celebrating beer and Beer City, USA, and will culminate at Asheville's third Beer City Festival. The ABA (Asheville Brewers Alliance) teams up with the folks from Brewgrass for Beer City Festival. It’s the brewer’s beer festival! Tickets are available at local breweries, Bruisin’ Ales and Barley’s. Get your tickets NOW! $40 (cash only).

Asheville Beer Week

May 24 - June 3:  The first ever Asheville Beer Week includes ten days of celebrating beer and Beer City, USA, and will culminate at Asheville's third Beer City Festival on June 2. The Week will offer many different styles of beer and variations on those styles; beer pairings with a smorgasbord of delicious foods; an opportunity to learn about and explore beer in all its delectable complexity; and, most of all, a week of  fun drinking beer in the brewery-centric mountains of Asheville, NC.
The Beer Week events will include seminars, tastings, dinners, and special activities with "beer celebrities" from around the country and the world. More than 40 breweries are slated to appear at Beer City Festival already. Organized by a beer-loving bunch of regional beer industry folks, Asheville Beer Week will offer a variety of events and include as many bars, restaurants and breweries as possible.

Get a link for Asheville Beer Week and other local events on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

Help make Asheville NC Beer City USA - Vote Now!

The polls are now open to vote for Asheville in the Beer City USA poll. According to a recent Asheville Citizen-Times article, there are differing opinions on whether Asheville should continue to fight for the title. From a destination marketing standpoint, a win is good for national press (and business) and a useful calling card as Asheville continues to promote its culinary and craft beer attributes. Most local businesses and residents are in favor of continuing to pursue the title.

The competition is a bit tougher this year with other NC cities now on the ballot.  Current poll standings show a new contender Grand Rapids, MI, inching ahead. With a population almost 3 times larger than Asheville, the city's fans will have to dig deep this year.

Help Asheville stay #1 and take a moment to vote. Then share the link with family, friends and colleagues. Only one vote per email/IP address  is allowed- so  forward this to your personal email and vote from your home computer or mobile phone, and feel free to share it on your Facebook and Twitter pages.

VOTE HERE

Looking for a taste? Check out the  Asheville Bruise Cruise. Take a tour of Asheville's award-winning beer scene with a guided tour of 3 to 4 of the 10 local breweries. The behind-the-scenes tour include the processes involved in brewing as well as generous samples of each brewery’s fresh and delicious brews.  Get a link on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide

Supercross Superfunk Cinco de Mayo with The Fritz! at Altamont BRewing CO.

May 5, 9:30 PM - Altamont Brewing Co.  1042 Haywood Road, Asheville NC.   Supercross Superfunk Cinco de Mayo with The Fritz! Free Event. Watch the last Supercross race of the season and get down with the sounds of Asheville funk band The Fritz.