May 25-June 1, 2013
The 2nd Annual Asheville Beer Week will culminate with the Beer City Festival on Saturday, June 1. Organized by a beer-loving group of regional beer industry folks, Asheville Beer Week will offer a variety of events in and around the Asheville and western North Carolina area.
This year’s eight-day celebration will include keynote speakers, education, tastings, dinners, and other beer-centric events. More than 40 breweries are slated to appear at Beer City Festival, with many other national brands at events throughout the week.
To enjoy local beer year-round, see our Asheville Beer Guide.
Beer City Festival - June 1
The 4th Annual Beer City Festival features 23 breweries and live music on the Roger McGuire Green in Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville. Music includes Broadcast and The Swayback Sisters. Tickets go on sale April 1-8 at local breweries for $40/person. They are available online on the Beer City Festival Web site starting April 15 for $45/person. Sorry, Festival SOLD OUT by early May.
Sampling of Beer Week Events
Many events are free and some are ticketed with limited seating. So plan ahead! Go to the Beer Week Web site for details on these Beer Week events and others.
May 25, 2013
Just Brew It! Homebrew Festival at Wedge Brewing Company: Showcases WNC's homebrewer culture in order to highlight the quality and variety of beers produced in WNC’s homes, as well as, to raise awareness of the Living Wage Campaign in WNC. Just Economics, Asheville’s Living Wage Advocacy Organization, will host a tasting event featuring 50 homebrewers with over 200 different beers including favorites like “Hoppy Habanero,” “Bourbon Brown,” “Mangolicious IPA,” and “Princess Peach Pale.” Just Economics is looking for additional support for the concept of Living Wages and urges you to become a member of our organization and attend this ticketed event.
Altamont Brewing Company Trail Mix Benefit: A fundraising party showcasing twelve small batch and specialty taps from local and regional breweries. Trail Mix will benefit the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in conjunction with more than 22 breweries. Come enjoy one part of Western North Carolina's culture while supporting another! FREE entry.
May 26, 2013
LaZoom Sunday Beer Run: 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!
Thirsty Monk IPA Euphoria: IPA's will be taking over all 20 of The Thirsty Monk Downtown main floor taps. IPA's all day from around the country. From singles to doubles and everything in-between, enjoy a day of total hoppy bliss.
May 27, 2013
Barley's Taproom French Broad Flight Night: Sample each and every one of French Broad Brewery's delicious, delectable and downright cuddly beers in the warm environs of Asheville's granddaddy of beer bars, Barley's Taproom. Keep the glass-ism, take a t-shirt-ism, and other novel, revolutionary beer-promoting strategies will be pioneered by Asheville's traditional, quality-obsessed, and downright cuddly brewery, established quite a while ago.
May 28, 2013
Thirsty Monk New Belgium/Allagash Tap Takeover: New Belgium and Allagash are teaming up to take over the Belgian bar at the Monk! They will be pouring rare beers from both breweries, 8 New Belgium and 8 Allagash. They are pulling no punches on this one, and are bringing in some really heavy hitters, rarities, and one off batches.
Oskar Blues Brewery Yummy's Tasty Tuesday Trivia & Specialty Tap: We'll be tapping a special one-off Green Tea Saison in the Tasty Weasel Taproom at 4pm. At 6pm, gather your team for Yummy's Tasty Trivia. Exercise your beer lifting and brain muscles at the same time! Win prizes and everlasting street cred.
Luella's Bar-B-Que Duck. Rabbit. Pig: Duck Rabbit Brewing Co. visits for a beer and BBQ pairing menu called "Duck. Rabbit. Pig." The a la carte and 'cue menu will feature new smokey creations for Propietor & Pit Boss Jeff Miller, crafted for Duck Rabbit's full catalog of beers. Duck Rabbit limited release beers from the brewery will be available at the event. Brewery reps will be at Luella's to greet beer fans.
Jack of Hearts Smuttynose Beer Dinner: : 4 course tasting dinner paired with 8 different Smuttynose brews including: Shoals Pale Ale, Finest Kind IPA, Summer Weizen, Old Brown Dog Ale, Robust Porter, and a few short batch surprises. In celebration of New Hampshire's premier craft brewery, Chef Bill Klein will pair each course with two different beers, giving guests the opportunity to comment and select which beer they think suits the dishes best.
Wicked Weed Five Breweries - Five Courses - Five Rare Beers: In the spirit of uniting the beer community, four of the newest Asheville breweries, Oskar Blues, New Belgium, Sierra Nevada and Wicked Weed have teamed up with Highland Brewing for a 5-course beer dinner to celebrate the craft beer tradition in Western North Carolina. Joining forces at Wicked Weed Brewing's downtown Asheville location, each brewery will showcase their staple beer during a "Flagship Cocktail Hour" as well as a specialty variety they have hand selected to pair with one course. From 6-7pm, five representatives from each brewery will be available for an informal meet and greet session during the cocktail hour. Starting at 7pm, each guest will be invited to take a seat and enjoy the chef prepared courses. Only 80 tickets are available!
MG Road French Broad Pints'n'Pairings Evening: French Broad's "food beers" are fizzing with anticipation over this match-up with MG Road's delectable small plates. Buy a pint, keep the glass, and other fun stuff. Amuse bouche, baby!
Jack of The Wood: Foothills Fiesta: Jack of the Wood takes Foothills south of the border. Specialty cask and rare offerings from Foothills Brewing. Guest Chef collaboration with a Mexican inspired menu.
Isis: Terrapin Beer Dinner with Head Brewer Spike Buckowski: Come join Terrapin and Isis to celebrate beer week on the westside with a select, coursed dinner and beer pairing. On this special evening, Spike, head brewer and cofounder of Terrapin Brewing, will be joining for an informal meet and greet and to speak about the specialty beers available for the evening. So take a break, have a couple beers and join us for a delicious dinner. Stick around for some free bluegrass in the lounge.
Jack of Hearts Smuttynose Brewing Beer Dinner: Come join us for a wonderful multi-course dinner featuring Smuttynose brewing company. Head Chef Bill Cline will be pairing a specific dishes with each Smuttynose beer. A few hard to find beers will be poured as well as some of their award winning flagship brews.
May 29, 2013
Thirsty Monk South French Broad Brewing Pint Night: Many French Broad beers on tap, as well as a special cask of special beer. Buy a pint keep the glass baby!
Thirsty Monk Downtown Bell's Tap Takeover: Bell's Brewery is taking over the upstairs taphouse, featuring 20 Bell's taps with a wide range of products, including some extremely rare kegs brought straight from the brewery. Bell's representatives will be there to host the event.
WALK: New Belgium and Oskar Blues Tap Takeover: New Belgium and Oskar Blues will be taking over 6 draft lines each. Whether it's old favorites or one offs you are looking for, there will be plenty of both on tap. WALK's kitchen will be preparing 4 dishes to be paired with 4 of the beers offered as well.
Jack of The Wood: An Evening with Anderson Valley Brewing: Rare specialty offerings from Anderson Valley. Chef Jason Brian has created an Amuse-bouche, farmhouse inspired menu that will pair with Anderson Valley beers. Enjoy Old Time Appalachian music.
Bruisin' Ales Stone Tasting with Head Brewmaster, Mitch Steele: Join Bruisin' Ales for a 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! Beer samples include Stone's flagship IPAs: Stone IPA, Ruination, Sublimely Self-Righteous, and Cali Belgique.
Westville Pub: Big Boss Cask and Pint Night Event: Please join the crew from Big Boss for an IPA pint night event featuring a Dry hopped cask of High Roller and Knight Night Black IPA on draft. Buy the beer, keep the glass while supplies last.
May 30, 2013
Highland Brewing Six Barrel Shootout: Come join Highland Brewing for a night of gun slinging Western fun as we try and "shoot out" 8 timed release specialty beers including a guest appearance of Cold Mountain! There will be a rock and roll band, food, specialty barrel glassware for sale and a whole lot of fun to be had. Stetson's, plaid shirts and boots encouraged!
Thirsty Monk Downtown: NC vs. SC Craft Beer Civil War: North Carolina vs. South Carolina beer war! All beers poured on main floor will be from the Carolinas. Patrons will vote for the winning state and beer. The winning state flag will be hoisted for the weekend and the trophy will reside at the brewery of the winning beer until next year. Special pints and t-shirts for the event, too!
Wicked Weed Saison Tap Takeover: Love our saison series? Us, too! In celebration of Asheville Beer Week, Wicked Weed is bringing back one keg of every saison we have brewed since our opening day. This massive tap takeover will include ten saisons along with a special surprise from our barrel house!
The Market Place Small Plate Allagash Beer Pairing & Moog Mingle: The Market Place and Bruisin' Ales welcome Allagash present a casual, small plate tasting and beer pairing with live Moog jazz music by Ben Hovey.
Jack of The Wood Mitch Steele Extravaganza: Jack of the Wood welcomes Stone Brewing's brewmaster, Mitch Steele. Mitch will be tapping a brewer’s choice cask and signing his book, "IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale." A wide variety of Stone Brewing beers will be available with chef’s selection of small plate offerings. Live bluegrass music for your listening pleasure.
Barley's Taproom New Belgium/Foothill's Brewing Specialties: A co-bill event featuring specialties from both breweries, including Cocoa Mole from New Belgium and Sexual Chocolate from Foothill's Brewing.
Sunny Point & Sierra Nevada Southern Hospitality Beer Dinner: : Share food, beer and Southern Hospitality at Sunny Point Cafe and welcome Sierra Nevada Brewing. Four course meal of delightful southern fare perfectly paired with beer from Sierra Nevada. This is the first of two seatings and we'll have guest speakers from Sierra Nevada on-site to describe the beers and talk about the new brewery.
Oskar Blues Brewery Fly Fishing Film Tour: Come drink a fresh Dale's Pale Ale while watching the Fly Fishing Film Tour on its final stop of the year at Oskar Blues new brewery in Brevard--right near some of the best fly fishing spots in the nation.
May 31, 2013
Greenlife Grocery: Local Beer, World Cheeses: All WNC beer paired with cheeses from around the world. Co-presented by our Certified Cicerone and our Certified Cheese Professional.
Wicked Weed: Tapping of Foothills and Wicked Weed Collaboration: : Wicked Weed Brewing and Foothill Brewery have come together to create a delicious NC beer just for Asheville Beer Week. Expect this beer to be delicious, creative and uniquely North Carolinian. Representatives from both Foothills and Wicked Weed with be available to drink and talk with everyone who attends.
Asheville Rare & Wild Beer Tasting: All About Beer Magazine and Thirsty Monk are partnering with Pints for Prostates to bring you a one of a kind beer experience in Beer City, USA! Twenty-four highly acclaimed breweries are bringing their rarest, most wild creations yet. Sample these one of a kind beers, and mingle with the finest in the industry, all while benefiting Pints for Prostates.
Go to their Web site for details on Beer Week events.
