Archive for category asheville

September Beer Fests

HIGH COUNTRY BEER FEST September 4th
Third annual beer fest for Boone benefits the Watauga Children’s Council. Tickets still available. Music includes The Henhouse Thieves, BPL and The Switch. Seminars available include: Cask Conditioned Ale Tasting and a Beer and Cheese Pairing.

http://www.hcbeerfest.com/

BREWGRASS FESTIVAL September 18th
Hand’s down the best fest that I’ve worked. Best crowd, mostly NC/SC/ TN breweries, great bluegrass / Americana music all in the heart of BEER CITY USA! It’s a long day (noon-7pm) but the crowd, for the most part, “maintains” and the music is usually world class. Not some unknown cover band playing “Brown Eyed Girl” like most beer fests. This year The Infamous Stringdusters are headlining! This one sells out way in advance. Start planning for next year!

http://brewgrassfestival.com/

CHARLOTTE OKTOBERFEST September 25th
This one is unique because it includes a HUGE representation of homebrew clubs from around the state. Why so many homebrews? Because this one is run by homebrewers! Specifically the Carolina BrewMasters. This years fest will raise money for The National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina and The Autism Society of North Carolina.

http://www.charlotteoktoberfest.com/brewers.aspx

good pour

good pour

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Recent NC beer news

OK, I hope you like these “NC beer news round ups.” These are intended to be small stories or re-caps of recent events. For example, have you heard about this Chimay guy? He was posing as a member of the “Chimay beer dynasty” and used his influence to fraud investors in a money management scheme. He was arrested last Friday in Wrightsville Beach, NC!

MORE BEER CITY PRAISE
National Geographic profiles Asheville as a “funky” destination for beer enthusiasts.

In Provence it’s pastis, in Morocco mint tea, and in Asheville, North Carolina the inevitable answer to the question “What would you like to drink?” is beer. A hoppy pale ale perhaps, or a chocolate porter, but preferably something on draft that has been handcrafted and brewed locally.

In this artsy, laid-back mountain town of 75,000 people, beer has become an integral part of the culture, not to mention a leisure activity in its own right. And with nine breweries (plus more in the vicinity), Asheville has firmly established itself as a mecca for beer enthusiasts.

And this video celebrating beer city:

and this video from Brewgasm from the Beer City festival earlier this month:

hemp ale at Wedge Brewing

BEST BREWERY/ BEER STORES IN THE TRIANGLE
Jason Cole, the Chapel Hill Beer Examiner at Examiner.com has rounded up a great summary of Indyweek’s beer categories:

There is a lot of buzz around the beer scene in the Triangle in the next few weeks. June is scattered with tastings, beer dinners, and new beers to keep the craft drinker happy. First, congratulations are in order for the Independent Weekly’s “Best of the Triangle 2010″ winners. For best local brewery, Raleigh’s Big Boss Brewing Company won over Lonerider, Carolina Brewery, and Triangle Brewing Company. For best draft beer selection, Tyler’s Taproom took the gold over Milltown, Flying Saucer and Tribeca Tavern. As for best retail beer selection, Sam’s Quick Stop in Durham was voted best with Carrboro Beverage Company, Peace Street Market and Total Wine being voted as finalists. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists for their great work and passion.

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Asheville Brewing’s Moog Filtered Ale Now Available

Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the limited edition Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. All profits from the sale of the beer will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation to benefit their projects. The timing of the launch of the beer coincided with the inventor’s May 23 birthday.

Moog Filtered Ale will be be distributed nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville’s Bruisin’ Ales and will be available on tap in various locations throughout Western North Carolina. The beer will be sold from May 27 through July 31, after which it will no longer be available.

“Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It’s a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy. I’ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and I am excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer,” says Doug Riley, brewer and part owner of the Asheville Brewing Company.

Asheville Brewing has been making outstanding craft beers since 1998 and has won several awards for its beers. As an active supporter of local non-profit groups they are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation, whose work is innovative and historical. Through Moog Filtered Ale, Asheville Brewing aims to support the interactive educational programs that the Foundation is developing to teach science through music as well as the eventual creation of a Moogseum.

Asheville Brewing Company President Mike Rangel says, “We are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation to help keep Bob’s vision and legacy alive. By donating the profits from Moog Filtered Ale, we will be supporting innovative science education through the Foundation’s MoogLab outreach project. We are proud to be joining some of the larger beer companies in supporting important educational work in our community. Moog Filtered Ale is absolutely the most exciting project our company has been involved in.”

Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation, comments, “Creating Moog Filtered Ale with the Asheville Brewing Company has been a rewarding project. We are very grateful to Mike Rangel and Doug Riley for their support of our innovative projects, which will benefit Western North Carolina and beyond. The unique partnership between the Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation marks a true match of venture philanthropy and creative fundraising in a economically precarious environment. The proceeds from this project will assist us in continuing our important work.”

The label for the Ale was designed by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. The label, an original graphic in vibrant shades of purple, green, and orange, shows Bob Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs, and patch cables floating from his head. The number “76” graces the upper right-hand corner of the label, commemorating Bob Moog’s 76th birthday which falls on May 23.

Beginning June 1, Moog Filtered Ale will be available for international retail distribution in bottles exclusively through Bruisin’ Ales. It will be available on tap throughout western North Carolina.

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June Beer Festivals Coming

Hey NC Beer Fans -There are two festivals coming up in June that should be on your radar.

First, coming up fast, is the Beer City Festival. Help Asheville celebrate winning BeerCity USA by sampling beers from in and around the Beer City, as well as beer from around the state!

Tickets are $35/ea. you can get them online at the Beer City Festival website or at select locations in Asheville. The festival runs from 12:00 to 6:00 on June 5th.

Second, on the other side of the state, the first annual BrewBern Beer Fest is coming to New Bern, NC. It coincides with New Bern’s 300th birthday celebration, so it should be a great time to be around, beer notwithstanding. Proceeds from the festival go to Hope for the Warriors and, of course, us!

BrewBern just released their list of participating brewers (scroll down to the bottom of this page) and they feature a huge list of great North Carolina beer, as well as many others.

Tickets are $35/ea ($40 at the door). Two sessions, one from 12PM to 4PM and another from 6PM to 10PM on June 26th.

If you get out to either of these, let us know! Take pictures, and send ‘em our way!

Cheers!

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Vote for Asheville: BeerCity USA 2010

You might remember that last year, during American Craft Beer Week, North Carolina’s own Asheville tied in an internet poll for the moniker of “BeerCity USA” with Portland, OR.

Well, the polls are open again! Asheville is out to a strong lead with 42% of the votes, but others (especially Portland, OR) are bringing up the rear quickly!

VOTE NOW to keep Asheville listed as BeerCity USA! Polls are still open for the next three days.

Let the whole country know how proud we are of North Carolina Beer!

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