I wrote a lot about beer in 2011, and damn, was it fun. I culled through and picked some of the stories that got the most attention, and here they are, just in case you missed one. Excuse my self-indulgence. That said, I can’t wait to write more beery news in 2012. Happy New Year, beer lovers.
1. Beer Region, USA? Is Henderson County considering incentives for Sierra Nevada?
The Henderson County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing tonight, Dec. 12, to consider granting economic development incentives for an unnamed company that wants to open a facility in the county. The speculation? That it’s Sierra Nevada Brewing, looking to build a new facility in WNC.
Written for Mountain Xpress, December 2011
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and the pressure is on. How can you celebrate the woman who birthed you, raised you, and has spent most of her adult life worrying about you?
With craft beer, of course.
For CraftBeer.com, May 2011.
Me tapping a Stone Brewing cask at Jack of the Wood with chef Jason Brian. See? Moms love beer! Photo by Sean McNeal.
3. Back to School for Beer: Brewing for Grades.
I attended college 20 years too early. Back then, not many folks brewed their own beer, and students certainly weren’t asked to do so in order to earn a passing grade. Nowadays, however, there are a number of colleges, universities and culinary schools offering classes and even degrees in beer and brewing.
As interest in brewing and craft beer has increased in the U.S., there’s been a corresponding explosion in beer education. More and more students are studying the science, art, and business of beer in hopes of landing a job in this burgeoning industry.
For CraftBeer.com, August 2011.
4. Foam & Fizz: the evolution of WNC beer (the complete timeline).
As part of this week’s cover package on the local beer business, I prepared an extensive timeline of the high points in its evolution, from when the Smoky Mountain Brewery first opened its doors in 1993 in Waynesville to Asheville Brewing Company’s current plans to start offering the area’s first canned brews.
For Mountain Xpress, November 2011.
A beautiful flight of beer. Photo by Anne Fitten Glenn.
5. The Return of the Micro-Maltsters: a locavore’s craft beer dream come true.
What’s old can become new again—from fashion trends to beer recipes to ways of producing the ingredients in those brews. While the return of bellbottom pants doesn’t warm my heart, the return of regional “micro” malt houses does give me a glow—and not just because they equal beer in my belly.
For CraftBeer.com, December 2011.
6. How does lil’ ole Asheville keep winning the Beer City, USA, poll?
That is the question. How has a small city with no nationally known beers won the BeerCity USA poll for three years in a row? The brainchild of National Beer Examiner and President of the Brewers Association, Charlie Papazian, the first poll took place in 2009. Though Asheville, N.C., tied with the bigger city of Portland, Ore., that year, the town of just more than 76,000 inhabitants and 9 craft breweries (plus a few more in the county and a few more on the way) won outright in 2010 and 2011.
The truth is, there are many answers. My favorite comes from Oscar Wong, president of Highland Brewing Company.
“Part of it is this community is relatively new to the craft beer world,” said Wong. “We’re like teenagers. We’re enthused, and we have lots of energy.”
For CraftBeer.com, May 2011.
7. Brews News: Water, Water Everywhere.
Beer is primarily a tasty water-delivery method: Water accounts for about 90 percent of what you’re imbibing in beer. And while beer lovers geek out about different varieties of hops, yeast and malts, we often ignore this crucial ingredient.
But water can make or break a beer — or a brewery. Indeed, one of the reasons we have so many breweries in Western North Carolina is the good mountain water that flows into their mash tuns. This soft, pH-balanced water requires minimal treatment before brewing, though some styles do need specific salts and minerals added to bring out their particular flavors.
For Mountain Xpress, November 2011.
8. Brews News: Interview with Greg Koch of Stone Brewing.
Stone CEO to visit Beer City
Stone Brewing Co. has one of those remarkable business success stories. Started by two guys in 1996 just north of San Diego, in its first year of brewing, the craft brewery produced about 2,000 barrels of beer. Compare that with 2010, when Stone brewed 115,000 barrels and was the 14th largest brewery in America. Its memorably named beers (Arrogant Bastard Ale and Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale, among others) are now distributed in 36 states and Washington, D.C. The company also plans to build a European brew-house in either Berlin or Bruges.
For Mountain Xpress, October 2011.
Julie Atallah of Bruisin' Ales, Greg Koch and me. Photo by Jason Sandford.
9. Brews News: Interview with Charlie Papazian.
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.
For Mountain Xpress, February 2011.
10. Broo Your Do: Beer Shampoo made with Asheville Beer.
Not sure why this article is credited to Webmaster. Regardless, it’s a interesting example of how a craft beer-related business sprang to life.
For Mountain Xpress, September 2011.
- WNC on short list for New Belgium Brewing east coast distribution center (Asheville?).
- WNC on short list for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. east coast distribution center.
- Beer guru Charlie Papazian visits Asheville and gives a talk to members of the NC Brewers Guild and Asheville Brewers Alliance at Highland Brewing.
- Asheville wins BeerCity, USA, on-line poll for the hat-trick.
- Asheville Brewing Company gets a canning line. Canned Shiva IPA, Ninja Porter and Rocket Girl Lager!
- Appalachian Craft Brewery moves to Hendersonville, opens the town’s first tasting room, changes name to Southern Appalachian Brewery.
- Highland Brewing employee Trevor Reis wins first Asheville Beer Masters Tournament.
- The Thirsty Monk beer bar/restaurant opens nanobrewery at its south Asheville location with Norm Penn brewing.
- Riverbend Malt House opens in a warehouse space in Asheville, malting North Carolina-grown grains. to supply local breweries.
- Broo Shampoo, made with Highland Brewing’s St. Therese’s Pale Ale, starts selling from Asheville to retail outlets around the Southeast
What did I miss, y’all?
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Just had this story about the first Southeastern Malt House published in Mountain Xpress.
Here’s an excerpt:
Brent Manning and Brian Simpson want to take drinking local to a whole other level with their new malt house in West Asheville.
Think about it. You may support local breweries by quaffing their beers, but some ingredients — i.e., the malts — typically are grown and processed 3,000 miles away, then shipped here.
Manning and Simpson are striving to change that with the Riverbend Malt House.
The business partners met in Wilmington where they both worked as environmental consultants. Almost two years ago, they set out to ascertain why none of the barley grown in North Carolina is used to make North Carolina beer. Until now, most of that grain has gone to feed livestock.
Now farmers Buddy and Chris Hoffner of Salisbury, N.C., are growing barley and one type of wheat for Riverbend. Manning and Simpson received their first 40 tons of Hoffner barley last week, and after months of permit wrangling, they’re now malting grain in West Asheville.
Let’s take it back a step for the non-brewers. Malt is one of the primary ingredients in beer. It’s basically a grain, typically barley, wheat or rye, that’s been germinated then dried in a kiln (it isn’t the same as hops — that’s a different plant entirely). The process of malting develops the enzymes necessary to turn the grain’s starches into sugars. Malted grains are used to make beer, whiskey, malt vinegar and the malted milk balls that most of us only eat in movie theaters.
Also, I’m still recovering from last week’s 15th Brewgrass Festival. Some of my favorite beers there? Pisgah Brewing Vortex II Russian Imperial Stout, Coast Brewing Blackbeerd Bourbon-barrel aged stout, SweetWater Happy Ending Imperial Stout, Southern Tier Harvest Ale (ESB), Outer Banks Lemongrass Wheat, and Green Man Coconut Coffee Porter. Though I tasted lots more amazing beers from all over, those are ones that really stood out from the crowd. What a beautiful, beery day!
More Brewgrass photos soon. Cheers, y’all!
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Life’s been full with travel and writing here in Brewgasm world.
I’m currently chasing a potential story based on rumors that New Belgium Brewing is considering Asheville as a possible spot to open their planned East Coast brewery. See my Twitter stream for regular updates @brewgasm.
I also wrote a story about a new beer product that’s hitting the Southeast markets–and which can be ordered via Amazon.com–Broo Shampoo: awesome shampoo and conditioner made with Highland Brewing’s St. Therese’s Pale Ale.
Here’s an excerpt:
If you’ve ever poured a beer on your head, you know this nectar’s not only good for drinking — it can give your hair body and shine. Beer contains protein, B vitamins and natural silicon — all of which promote healthy hair. But, let’s face it, beer straight from the fridge to your head can be cold and messy.
Brad and Sarah Pearsall of Asheville have come to the rescue with a new, all-natural shampoo, the primary ingredient of which is locally brewed craft beer. And no, Bröö Shampoo doesn’t make you smell like a brewery.
Also, visit CraftBeer.com to read my story “Back to School for Beer.” And hit the “like” button for me, please?
Here’s an excerpt from that tale:
I attended college 20 years too early. Back then, not many folks brewed their own beer, and students certainly weren’t asked to do so in order to earn a passing grade. Nowadays, however, there are a number of colleges, universities and culinary schools offering classes and even degrees in beer and brewing.
As interest in brewing and craft beer has increased in the U.S., there’s been a corresponding explosion in beer education. More and more students are studying the science, art, and business of beer in hopes of landing a job in this burgeoning industry.
And don’t forget about the “Too Hopped for TV” contest. See below.
I’ll update again soon about the rocking Beer Bloggers Con in Portland and about my talk there.
Me at Rogue Public House in Portland, Ore. Epic!
Happy beer day!
Think you can make a beer ad that’s “Too Hopped for TV”?
Asheville Brewing, Brewgasm, and DRAFT Magazine think you can. We want to put your ad on-line for the world to see AND let it compete for a cash prize in our first “Too Hopped for TV” beer commercial contest.
Prize for first place will be $500; second place will be $300; third is $150. And five honorable mention ad creators will receive a box of beer schwag of our choosing. Plus, all winners will receive a 2-year subscription to DRAFT Magazine.
Here are the rules and regulations:
*Submissions will be accepted until Friday, September 30, at midnight.
*Beginning September 5th, we will open the servers at ashevillebrewing.tv to allow uploading of your files. Please remember that all files must be under 100MB and in a .avi, .mov, or mp4 format only! *All entries will become the property of Asheville Brewing Company/Brewgasm.com.
*Your “Too Hopped” beer ad/commercial/infomercial should be between 15 and 30 seconds. *If you win, we may make your commercial into a major motion picture, but probably not. *Use your imagination but nothing sick, or at least not offensive sick. No underage drinking beer, no beer-porn, no one getting injured or dirty dancing with a goat (it’s already been done). We’re looking for commercials with a sense of humor that don’t break any laws.
*We DON’T have permission from any other breweries to show their products, logo, etc. So to avoid any legal crap, please use only generic beer images (bottles with no labels, etc,) or you can use ANY Asheville Brewing beer logo or product. You can download images of our logo and our beer labels at ashevillebrewing.tv
*Submissions that pass all the requirements will be put on Brewgasm.com, Ashevillebrewing.tv and YouTube. We will let viewers comment on the ads throughout the contest. Questions? Suggestions? Please send to [email protected]
Most importantly, have fun, drink beer and support your local craft breweries.
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Update: We’ve changed the name of the video ad contest to “Too Hopped for TV,” and Draft Magazine has joined myself and Asheville Brewing in sponsoring the contest. Check it out!
Think you can make a beer ad that’s “Too Hot Hopped for TV”? Asheville Brewing Company and Brewgasm think you can. And we want to put it on-line for the world to see AND let your hawt ad compete for a cash prize in our first “Too Hot Hopped for TV” beer ad contest.
Prize for first place will be $500; second place will be $300; third is $150. And five honorable mention ad creators will receive a box of beer schwag of our choosing.
Here are the rules and regulations:
*Submissions will be accepted from Monday, August 15, until Friday, September 30, at midnight.
*Entries must be sent in .MOV .MP4 or .AVI format and e-mailed to [email protected].
*All entries are the property of Asheville Brewing Company/Brewgasm.com.
*Your “Too Hot” beer ad/commercial/infomercial should be between 15 and 45 seconds.
*If you win, we may make your commercial into a major motion picture, but probably not.
*Use your imagination but nothing sick, or at least not offensive sick. No children drinking beer, no beer-porn, no one getting injured or Dirty Dancin’ with a goat (it’s already been done). We’re looking for ads with a sense of humor that don’t break any laws.
*We DON’T have permission from any other breweries to show their products, logo, etc. So to avoid any legal crap, please use only generic beer images (bottles with no labels, etc,) or you can use ANY Asheville Brewing beer logo or product.You can download images of our logo and our beer labels at http://ashevillebrewing.com/media.php.
*Submissions that pass all the requirements will be put on Brewgasm.com, Ashevillebrewing.com and YouTube. We will let viewers comment on the ads throughout the contest.
Questions? Suggestions? Please send to [email protected] for a quick response.
Most importantly, have fun, drink beer and support your local craft breweries.
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Bona fide brewer rock star Garrett Oliver is coming to Asheville. Read all about it in this week’s Mountain Xpress. Also contains information about some area beer festivals.
And here’s a review I did for the Beer Bucket list:
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Lonerider Sweet Josie Brown Ale
Brewery: LoneRider Brewing Company
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Style: American Brown Ale
ABV: 6.1%
Sweet Josie Brown was one of only two North Carolina beers to garner a gold medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. The other, Foothills Brewing’s Sexual Chocolate stout, didn’t come as a surprise to me or anyone else. The Sweet Josie, however, was a shocker. Not because it’s not an awesome beer, it is, but because before the win, not many folks outside of the Raleigh area had tasted the brew. I’d heard of the upstart brewery with the Wild West theme and outlaw-inspired beers, but I hadn’t quaffed their stuff (LoneRider Brewing just celebrated their two-year anniversary). I’ve since availed myself of most of LoneRider’s beers, and I have to agree with the GABF judges. Sweet Josie deserved gold. She’s got a rich caramel aroma and a dark brown color, but that first sip isn’t as sweet as you might expect. She isn’t your syrupy English-style Brown Ale. Instead, she’s smooth but with an underlying hops bite and carbonation that dances on the edges of the tongue. Sweet Josie is well-named indeed. Food pairing suggestions:
I recently drank a Sweet Josie with a big bowl of buttery popcorn, which was delicious. Because she isn’t a particularly sweet Brown, salty, savory foods go well with this ale. But Josie can hold her own with complementary flavors. I’d like a Sweet Josie and a chocolate walnut
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Author: Anne Fitten Glenn
Beer columnist and brewgasm seeker Glenn loves to talk about, write about, and, of course, drink beer. In fact, her kids think the only place you can buy French fries is at a bar. Glenn writes a regional “Brews News” column for Beer City, USA’s newsweekly (that’s Asheville, N.C., y’all). She banters about beer regularly on the radio and to whoever else will listen. Learn all about her brewgasms, which she defines as “intense shudders of delight imparted by the taste of great beer,” at brewgasm.com. |
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Hot on the heels of Asheville’s three-peat win of the BeerCity USA poll comes American Craft Beer Week. Not that us North Carolina beer lovers need more excuses to drink good U.S. craft brews. The week starts today and runs until Sunday, May 22. Organized by the Brewers Association/CraftBeer.com, the week gives us all a chance to toast the growing community of craft beer lovers with events, beer tastings, and more.
New growler filler at Asheville Brewing Co.
In Asheville and environs, there are a number of beer specials and events taking place. Here are a few:
Monday, May 16: CANCELLED because of “unforeseen circumstances”: Five-course beer dinner pairing Craggie Brewing’s beers and Café Azalea’s foodstuffs (1011 E. Tunnel Rd.). Herkulean IPA with smoked chicken ravioli and beer cheese sauce is just one of the courses. Cost $40 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Dinner starts at 6 p.m. For reservations, call 299-3753.
The Thirsty Monk will offer special events pretty much every night of American Craft Beer Week, but the Monday night tapping of kegs of Stone Vertical Epic (10-10-10) and New Belgian Lips of Faith Metric (10-10-10) will draw in the beer geeks. For other events at the Monk, visit http://www.monkpub.com.
The newly opened Jack of Hearts in Weaverville will be tapping a keg of Southern Tier Brewing’s Unearthly Imperial IPA on Monday at 5 p.m.
Nantahala Brewing Company in Bryson City will feature an array of guest brews from other N.C. craft breweries until Friday, May 20. Guest beers will hail from Foothills Brewing, Wedge Brewing Co., Duck Rabbit Brewery, Mother Earth Brewing,Green Man Brewing, and Highlands Brewing among others. Congrats to NBC who are celebrating their first anniversary of brewing craft beer in the far Western reaches of our state this week.
Also, on tap this week around town in honor of Asheville’s Fanaticon Festival (Sat., May 21) French Broad Brewing Company, along with guest brewer Billy Klingel of Oyster House Brewing, has released of the official beer of Fanaticon, SuperHero IPA, clocking in at 6% ABV.
Tuesday, May 17: Beer dinner pairing Asheville Brewing Co. beers with Tingles Cafe food (dinner will be at Tingles at 27 Broadway). 6 p.m. $25. Tickets available at both Asheville Brewing locations at 675 Merrimon Ave. and 77 Coxe Ave.
Craggie Brewing: The first keg of Imladris Farm Berry Beer (a Belgian Ale) brewed at Imladris Family Farm will be tapped, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18: French Broad Brewery will tap a cask of dry-hopped 13 Rebels at Barley’s Taproom, 5 pm.
Thursday, May 19: Southern Tier mini-tap takeover at Jack of the Wood, 5 p.m.
Sweetwater cask upstairs at The Thirsty Monk downtown, and a cask of Allagash Confluence downstairs, 4 p.m.
Friday, May 20: Thirsty Monk Canned Craft Beer Friday with specials on canned beers and swag giveaways, 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 21: Bruisin’ Ales will be pouring samples of beers from their private cellar — beers otherwise not available in North Carolina from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $5 per person while supplies last.
Sunday, May 22: Beer dinner pairing Wedge Brewing beers and The Admiral’s eclectic dishes. 7 p.m. $50 per person. Call the Admiral at 252-2542 for tickets (400 Haywood Rd.). SOLD OUT.
(Crossposted at Mountain Xpress).
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Tap takeovers are the new black.
On Tuesday, April 12, there are two taking place in town. The first consists of multiple taps and a specialty cask, all from Stone Brewing Company of California, at Jack of the Wood. The second will offer taps from Founders Brewing Company of Michigan, just across the street at The Thirsty Monk.
The Stone Brewing Blowout will include at least nine Stone beers on tap plus the cask of Simcoe dry-hopped Arrogant Bastard (which I’ll have the honor of tapping at 6:00 p.m.). Other kegs include a double dry-hopped Sublimely Self Righteous, a 2010 Double Bastard with chipotles, Levitation, Smoked Porter, IPA, Cali-Belgique IPA, and Ruination IPA. Chef Jason Brian has prepared a menu of small plate food specials from local farms, including onion rings with Arrogant Bastard beer batter and a burger with a Smoked Porter marinade. Music will be provided by Greg Cartwright. Beers will be tapped starting at 3:00 p.m.
The Founders Tap Takeover will offer 12 beers, including the Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Nemesis, Double Trouble, Cerise, and Centennial. Brewery founder and co-owner Dave Engbers will be on hand. The festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. Also, at the Monk will be a Founders “prefunk” meet and greet with Hildegard Van Ostaden, owner and brewmaster of Urthel Brewery in Belgium. That will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. downstairs and feature six Urthel beers and free glassware while it lasts.
There’s also a sold-out farmhouse beer dinner at Bouchon French Comfort Food featuring Van Ostaden and her Urthel brews. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets for this Belgian/French eating and drinking extravaganza, get ready to loosen your belt. And let me know all the details.
Clearly, it’ll be a good night to drink craft beer in Asheville.
(Cross-posted at Mountain Xpress).
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Brewgasm
I've flirted with wine. I've flirted with vodka. I've even flirted with tequila (which didn't flirt back). But I fell in love with beer--craft beer, specifically. Then I started having brewgasms. Here is where I share tales of my brewgasms with you.
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