Beer Masters starts tonight

by brewgasm on April 4, 2011

Tonight. 7 p.m. Mellow Mushroom. The opening night of the Asheville Beer Masters Tournament.

I’ll be judging. Can’t wait to see y’all there.

More dets from my Brews News column this week:

Beer City seeks Beer Master

The qualifying rounds for the inaugural Asheville Beer Masters Tourney are coming up. If you haven’t heard yet, the tournament’s goal is to find the person most knowledgeable and passionate about beer, and crown him or her Asheville Beer Master.

The one true master will be given two tickets to Beer City Fest and two tickets to Brewgrass, plus other beery gifts. (If you’re not confident in your own mastery, there are still Beer City Festival tickets available at area breweries and Barley’s Taproom — $30 cash only).

There will be eight different qualifying rounds (you only have to win one to move into the semi-final round). The competition will include a true/false quiz and a multiple choice/fill-in-the-blank quiz. The top competitors will move on to enjoy a blind local beer tasting. The highest scorer will compete in the semi-final representing the restaurant where he or she won. Got it? Good. Here’s the list of dates and restaurant/bars that are holding qualifying rounds:

April 4: Mellow Mushroom, registration 7:00 p.m.
April 18: Brixx Pizza, registration 7:00 p.m.
April 25: The Thirsty Monk, registration 6:00 p.m.
April 26: Jack of the Wood, registration time TBD.
April 28: Pack’s Tavern, registration 7:00 p.m.
May 2: Barley’s Taproom, registration 6:30 p.m.
May 4: The Bywater Bar, registration 7:00 p.m.
May 10: The Universal Joint, registration 7:00 p.m.

Semi-finals will be at Wedge Brewing on May 25, and the final will be at Asheville Brewing Co. on June 2.

The Tourney is open to anyone who wants to participate, except for the “primary owners and head brewers of breweries, brew pubs, restaurants, bars, retail beer outlets, distributors, beer importers, homebrew supply shops and tournament sponsors and organizers.” So, if you work on the bottling line, work on the sales floor, are the assistant brewer, wait tables, bar manager, or anything else that is not mentioned in the previous sentence … you can compete.

Check out Asheville Beer Masters on Facebook for more information.

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Who’s gonna be the Beer Master?

by brewgasm on March 16, 2011

My friend, Mary Eliza McRae, life-long Asheville girl and craft beer aficionado, came up with the idea to hold an Asheville Beer Master Tournament, kind of based on the annual Wynkoop Beer Drinker of the Year Contest.

Here are some of the details from my Brews News column in Mountain Xpress:

Want to show off your beer knowledge? How would you like to be named Asheville Beer Master? Here’s your chance.

The Asheville Brewers Alliance is organizing the first Asheville Beer Masters Tournament. If you’re older than 21 and don’t work in the beer industry, you can enter the pre-qualifying round of beer-trivia questions, blind tastings and more. There will be eight pre-qualifying rounds held at local restaurants and brewpubs before May 13, followed by two semifinal rounds for those who ace the pre-quals.

The final round is tentatively scheduled for June 2, so the winning Beer Master can be honored at the Beer City Festival on June 4 at Roger McGuire Green. To put your name in the hat, or to sponsor a round, e-mail Mary Eliza McRae at avlbeermasters@gmail.com. Check out the tournament’s Facebook page for rules, restrictions and up-to-the-minute information (search Asheville Beer Masters Tournament). Let’s see what you got, future beer masters.

Obviously, you must be 21 or older and must not work in the beer industry to enter. The Beer Master title will be given to the person who shows the most knowledge and passion for beer.

Folks already are asking me how to prepare. As a judge in the final round, I can’t give away too much. But if I were you, I’d go back and read through any and all information on Asheville beer and breweries (my Brews News columns would be a good place to start). I’d make sure you know the local beers by name and can differentiate them by taste. I’d have a good overview of the craft beer industry as a whole in this country. And I’d practice by drinking lots of great beer!

In other news, here’s a partial list of beery St. Patrick’s Day events around Asheville. I’ll probably be at the grand opening of the Altamont Brewing Company in West Asheville for much of the night. Just learned they’ve sold out tickets for tomorrow night, but don’t worry, they’ll be open most days at 4:oo p.m. after that (across from The Get Down on Haywood Rd).

Here's Mary Eliza and me--the double first name girls. She's also the primary force behind the Asheville Beer Divas.

Remember that Booze it and Lose it has started up again. It’s never a good idea to drink and drive, but when the cops are putting out road blocks, it’s a particularly bad idea. Cabs are cheaper than court.

Slainte!

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Asheville Charlie Week

by brewgasm on February 22, 2011

So Charlie Papazian finally arrived in Asheville today–a day late because of not one, but two, flight cancellations. But he’s here! Yay!

And tonight is the Night of Five Casks (see post below). Tomorrow night is the presentation at Highland Brewing. Thursday night is the AHA rally. We’re calling this Asheville Charlie Week–follow on Twitter at #avlcharlie.

I’ll try to update regularly from Twitter (follow me @brewgasm).

In the mean time, here’s my Charlie story from the Mountain Xpress:

Saving his mouth for the beer

I chatted with Charlie Papazian last week in advance of his highly anticipated visit to Beer City, USA (otherwise known as Asheville).

Papazian, whose home base is in Boulder, Colo., says he has yet to visit Asheville, despite spending up to two-and-a-half months a year on beer-related travel.

“I’m obviously excited about experiencing the great beers of Asheville and meeting lots of brewers and home-brewers and beer enthusiasts,” he says.

Papazian, author of the Complete Joy of Homebrewing, is a founder and advocate of the modern home-brew movement and current president of the national Brewers Association. He also runs the examiner.com Beer City, USA poll, which Asheville won last year and tied for first place with Portland, Ore., in 2009. I asked Papazian if he was surprised by Asheville’s rank.

“Asheville just kind of bubbled over the first time,” he says. “The second time around, I wasn’t too surprised. I’d learned of the very cohesive beer community you have.”

“I’m more excited about what I’m going to learn from Asheville’s beer community than what they’re going to learn from me,” he adds. “I’m really going to be more ears than mouth. I’m going to save my mouth for the beer.”

Wherever Papazian goes, folks give him beer. When I ask him how he handles that lovely conundrum, he says: “I’m offered a lot of beer, and I try to take the opportunity to sip and taste every one. Although obviously, I can’t drink a pint of every beer. When home brewers bring me bottles, I try to open them on the spot and taste them with the brewers.”

Papazian will speak at Highland Brewing Company on Wednesday, Feb. 23, about styles of beer and his experiences with brewing yeast. He’ll also present updates on governmental affairs and legislative developments in the beer industry. Two other speakers will precede him: Kevin Sudderth of Hach, who will talk about oxygen testing, and a representative from HopUnion, LLC, who will offer an update on the hops market. The event runs from 4 until 8 p.m.

The program is free to members of the North Carolina Brewers Guild and the Asheville Brewers Alliance, though you must register at charlieinasheville.eventbrite.com. Non-members will need to pay $25. The ticket includes a barbecue feast and two drink tickets for Highland brews. To register, join or learn more about the N.C. Brewers Guild, visit ncbeer.org.

Welcome, Charlie!

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The night of FIVE casks from Eastern North Carolina

by brewgasm on February 9, 2011

Wanna taste five specialty casks in one night? I bet you do. As do I.

On Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Barley’s Taproom, starting at 7:00 p.m., WNC beer lovers can try the following beers from some of our N.C. breweries to the East of us:

Big Boss Brewing – High Roller IPA cask dry-hopped with Chinook hops;

The Duck-Rabbit Brewery – Milk Stout cask, aged with Escazu chocolate from Raleigh;

Foothills Brewing – Bourbon barrel-aged People’s Porter cask;

Fullsteam Brewery – Red Beans and Rice cask, aged with bourbon soaked hickory chips;

Mother Earth Brewing – Cardamon and black peppercorn Tripel Overhead cask.

Amazing. And yes, Charlie Papazian will be in Asheville that night. I can’t imagine he’d miss this event.

Here’s Johnny from Big Boss and Evan from Foothills at Winter Warmer recently. Reps from all five breweries will be on hand at the Night of Five Casks.

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Another new Asheville brewery…and more

by brewgasm on February 4, 2011

Yes, 2011 will see both a new nanobrewery in South Asheville (at The Thirsty Monk South) and a new “regular” brewery–The Altamont Brewing Company–in West Asheville. Not sure if we’re counting the nano, but if so, that’ll make 11 craft breweries in a town of around 76,000 people. Wow.

Here’s my story on the Altamont from this week’s Brews News at Mountain Xpress:

The more craft beer, the better, I say. As long as it’s exceptional brew. And brewer Gordon Kear, co-owner of the forthcoming Altamont Brewing Company on Haywood Road, knows how to brew exceptional beers. He’s been the brewer for Flagstaff Brewing Company in Flagstaff, Ariz., for the past six years. There he crafted an array of ales and seasonals, from an IPA to an English Brown Porter to an ESB. Now Kear and business partner Ben Wiggins are opening a brewpub/music venue to bring a little more cool to the western end of Haywood Road. Other businesses that have opened in recent months in the same area are music venue The Get Down and restaurant Pizzeria Ritrovo.

“Asheville has always been home for me,” Kear says. “I wanted to bring what I learned in Flagstaff back home.”

Kear grew up in eastern N.C., and came to the mountains to attend Warren Wilson College. He stayed on in the area for a number of years after college before moving to Flagstaff and taking on his first professional brewing job. While at Warren Wilson, he befriended Wiggins, the other half of Altamont Brewing. Wiggins has been working construction and running a beer and wine shop in Nantahala. While Kear focuses on brewing, Wiggins will book music and handle marketing. He’s also overseeing renovation and construction on the building at 1042 Haywood Road (formerly the Low Rider shop, an automobile renovation business now located on Patton Avenue).

Kear and Wiggins initially want to focus on making their place a haven for local beer lovers.

“There’s no brewery in West Asheville, and we’re going to really focus on having a brewpub/bar for local clientele to come into to drink,” Kear says. “Some day we’d like to distribute, but that’s down the road.”

The goal is to have the place open this spring, perhaps even in late March, though Kear may not be brewing by then. Licensing, as always, can take a while. Nor has he ordered his brewing equipment yet. But there’s always a chance that he could get a beer or two brewed by renting some tank space from one of Asheville’s other breweries.

When I ask Kear about starting a business in an area with a glut of brews (Asheville has one of the highest brewery-to-population ratios in the U.S.), he isn’t fazed.

“The market here is still not saturated,” he says. “The craft-beer market continues to expand because not one brewery is ever going to take over. The beers are all a little different, and more options [means] more education about craft beer.”
The brewery’s name has to be one of my favorites, though Kear says most people don’t get the allusions.

Altamont is Thomas Wolfe’s fictional name for Asheville in his novels. It’s also the name of an infamous concert that took place in California in 1969, headlined by The Rolling Stones.

“We want to represent Asheville with our name and with what we’re doing,” Kear says. “Plus there are great stories behind the name — from Thomas Wolfe to California.”

Learn more about Altamont Brewing Company on their Facebook page.

The rest of Brews News includes a review of the recent Winter Warmer Beer Festival. Below are some photos from that event. Oh, and here’s a little video I did, though the audio’s not great.YouTube Preview Image

Love Yazoo Brewing's beers. Wish they distributed in N.C.

Talking brews with the Pisgah guys

Girls wearing funny beer hats

The Hop Ice Cream made with Craggie Brewing's Bourbon Chipolte Porter is awesome!

The requisite beer fest pretzel necklaces

I interview Steve "The Heat" Schwartz from Highland Brewing Co.

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Sexual Chocolate? Yes, please.

by brewgasm on January 31, 2011

So tomorrow night, Tuesday, Feb. 1, will be the WNC Sexual Chocolate Release Party at Barley’s Taproom starting at 6 p.m.

I was telling some colleagues this today at the Mountain Xpress office and one asked, “What’s Sexual Chocolate?” Another guy answered: “The best beer you’ve ever had.”

While I’m not sure I’m ready to commit to that level of love, I am pretty damn excited about this brew–as are folks all over N.C., and yes, even the entire U.S.

Sexual Chocolate, cocoa-flavored Russian Imperial Stout, is, without a doubt, Foothills Brewing’s most anticipated seasonal release each year. The ABV is around 9.75 percent–so it packs a wallop. But the alcohol is barely discernable under the smooth chocolate and coffee notes. I tasted the 2011 SC just last week–and it’s awesome.

Tomorrow night’s festivities will include a specially-flavored cask of the Sexual Chocolate (cayenne? cocoa nibs? coffee?), special giveaways, and live music by the Funktastics starting at 8 p.m.

See y’all there.

I know I’ve posted this photo before, but it makes me so happy. That’s me pouring Sexual Chocolate at the 2010 Brewgrass Festival. I’m a lot less blonde now. The beer color remains the same.

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Winter Warmer Beer Festival–soon

by brewgasm on January 22, 2011

Forgot to mention that I’ll be working at Asheville’s Winter Warmer Beer Festival today. If you don’t have tickets already, you’re probably out of luck. Though typically there are a few souls selling their tickets outside the venue the day of–which is TODAY!

Yep, Sat., Jan. 22 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Asheville Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall.

I’ll mostly be wandering around taking photos and hanging at the Mountain Xpress table. I’ll be hosting special tastings of local brews at 4:00 and 5:00 at the MX table. Look for me in the purple dress and glasses. I decided that I’m tired of wearing my “Beer Goddess” tee to every single beer fest, so I’m mixing it up a bit. I’ll also be juggling a couple of pitchers and a Nikon.

Hope to see some of my local beer lovers there.

Brewers having fun at the 2010 Winter Warmer

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Charlie Papazian coming to Asheville and more

by brewgasm on January 21, 2011

Yes, the homebrew guru, Charlie Papazian, is coming to visit Asheville in February. Here are details we published in Mountain Xpress this week:

Even non-beer-geeks around here recognize the name Charlie Papazian — because he’s the guy who runs the Beer City, USA online poll, which Asheville tied with Portland, Ore., in 2009, and won in 2010. What you might not know, unless you’re a home brewer, is that Papazian is widely considered one of the founders and most tireless advocates of the modern homebrew movement. He’s also the author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing and a number of other books on the subject. Papazian currently is president of the Brewers Association and beer columnist for examiner.com.

And he’s coming to visit Beer City, USA in February. He’ll be speaking at Highland Brewing Company on Wednesday, Feb. 23, on the topics of beer styles and his personal experiences with brewing-yeast. He’ll also present updates on governmental affairs and legislative developments in the beer industry. Two other speakers will precede Papazian’s presentation:  Kevin Sudderth of Hach, who will be talking about oxygen testing, and HopUnion, LLC, who will offer an update on the hops market.

The event is free to members of the North Carolina Brewers Guild, who are cosponsoring the beer-y night with the Asheville Brewers Alliance. Nonmembers will need to pay $25, but the ticket comes with a barbecue feast and two drink tickets for Highland brews.

Mike Rangel, president of the ABA, will introduce Papazian. “2010 was such a great year for local beer and the ABA,” says Rangel. “2011 couldn’t start any better than having Charlie here. On a scale of one to 10, this is a 10-and-a-half.”

Xpress will have an interview with Charlie Papazian in mid-February and regular updates about this awesome event. Tickets are available at charlieinasheville.eventbrite.com. Join or learn more about the N.C. Brewers Guild at ncbeer.org.

Here’s the rest of this week’s WNC Brews News and a up-to-the-minute Beer Events Calendar.

Yours in good beer…

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Start early, train hard

by brewgasm on January 17, 2011

Asheville’s oldest and most famous beer festival, Brewgrass, isn’t on tap until the third Saturday in September. Even so, you can start training now.

Training, you ask? Yes, indeed. Because in order to taste around 200 beers in seven hours, you need to be in the best beer drinking shape possible. In order to help facilitate your future multiple beer quaffing success, the folks at Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria will hold the first of what I hope will be several Brewgrass Training sessions.

Here’s how it works. Trainees meet upstairs for orientation at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Trainees hand over $25 each. Trainees then receive a Brewgrass Training Team T-shirt, samples of any of the Taproom’s 60-odd taps, and lots of delicious housemade pizza.

Tom Godleski and Buncome Turnpike will play music, while trainees drink and eat.

This night will help prepare you for this day:

Sounds like a helluva deal and a whole lotta fun to me. Who wants to babysit my kids while I’m in training?

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Asheville Beer in 2011 and beer calendar

by brewgasm on January 5, 2011

I love January in Asheville–there aren’t many tourists around (not that I don’t appreciate the tourists) and there are beautiful crisp sunsets every night that it’s not cloudy. Now I have another reason to love January in Asheville–it’s a rocking local beer month. Actually, both Jan and Feb are chock-a-block with beery events.

Check it out:

2011 Brew Calendar (partial–mostly winter)

Wed., Jan. 5: Craggie Brewing at Thirsty Monk downtown with cask of Bourbon Chipotle Porter and more. 4:00 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 5: Asheville Beer Divas meet-up. 5:30 until. Burgermeister’s in West Asheville.

Thurs., Jan. 6: Craggie Brewing tasting at Bruisin’ Ales, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Free.

Thurs, Jan. 6: LAB will tap their first cask beer—a dry-hopped Oktoberfest. Cask beers will then become a regular LAB event, probably each Thursday. Next up will be their IPA.

Wed., Jan. 19: Larry Bell, founder of Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, Mich., at tasting at Bruisin’ Ales from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a Bell’s “tap takeover” at The Thirsty Monk downtown. Tasting free.

Thurs., Jan. 20: Duck Rabbit Pint Night with Porter firkin. Pack’s Tavern. 7 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 22: Winter Warmer Beer Festival, 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., Civic Center Exhibition Hall. Tickets $38, available at www.brewscruise.com/beerfest.

Sat., Jan. 29: Grand Opening Party for Highland Brewing’s Tasting Room from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Lee Brothers play. $10.

Tues., Feb. 1: Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate Stout release party at Barley’s Taproom and Pizza starting at 5:00 p.m. Music at 8:00 p.m. No cover.

Wed., Feb. 23: Asheville Beer Divas welcome New Belgium brewer Lauren Salazar to The Thirsty Monk. 5:30-8:30.

Late February: Beer guru Charlie Papazian to visit Asheville. Details to come.

Also starting in February, Highland Brewing will start opening their tasting room on Thursdays and Saturdays, in addition to Fridays. 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Most Wednesdays: Pint Night at both Thirsty Monk locations. Buy the beer draught special and keep the glass. 4:00 p.m. until.

Most Thursdays: Bruisin’ Ales tasting parties, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Free.

Most Thursdays: Asheville Brewing Company Infusor Nights at Coxe Avenue. 6:00 p.m. until.

Most Fridays: Hops & Vines tasting parties, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Free.

Further out, but calendar-worthy:

June 4: Second Beer City Festival.

Sept. 24: Fifteenth Brewgrass Festival.

Oct. 8: Third Asheville Oktoberfest.

I’m sure there’s more happening. Let me know if you know. Get ready to drink and talk beers, y’all.

Also, here’s my column on some of what is on local breweries’ agendas for 2011.

Big news teaser:

There’s been lots of growth and expansion in the WNC craft beer industry in 2010 — and you can expect more of the same in 2011. The residents of Beer City (and of the larger WNC region) routinely show their appreciation for both craft beer and buying local. It’s a perfect storm for our breweries.

Lexington Avenue Brewery to expand into bottling

“We want to play while the fish are biting,” says LAB Master Brewer Ben Pierson. Pierson says the 35,000-square-foot building at 37 N. Lexington Ave. next to the LAB has been gutted and is in the process of renovation. Two floors of the building will be dedicated to brewing and bottling the LAB’s beers, while the ground floor will become a tasting room and bar (one way to handle overflow from next door). The new brewery will contain a 20-barrel system, and Pierson hopes to produce up to 5,000 barrels in the first year, which will help keep all beers on tap at the LAB and give him surplus suds to bottle and keg. First up on the bottling line will be the LAB’s popular White Ale and Oktoberfest brews.

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