Burial + Other Half | One For Me Helles Lager

Somehow I’ve managed to go years without reviewing a single thing from Burial Beer Company, one of the better-known, Asheville-based brewers in North Carolina. Today we make an end to that with One For Me, Burial’s collaboration Helles Lager brewed with Other Half Brewing out of New York. Read More

Pisgah Brewing Company | Pisgah Pale Ale

When people think of the Asheville area with regards to craft beer, so many brewery names come to mind. Too many. Asking to list all of the awesome breweries leads down one hell of a rabbit hole, along with the famous special release beers from nearly all of them. What might not be so obvious to outsiders and even some locals is the answer to a question such as “What is the  ______ beer of Asheville?” If that blank space says Pale Ale, there is an easy answer to it: Pisgah Pale Ale.

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Burial Beer Co. Releases Seasoned Skillet and A Paranormal Vibe

Cover photo courtesy Danele Bova @Daneleheartshops

Tomorrow, Burial Beer Co. (Asheville, NC) will release Seasoned Skillet Donut Stout for the second consecutive year and A Paranormal Vibe Double IPA (DIPA) – the latest addition to their DIPA Earth Series. This comes as Asheville Beer Week announces last call for the week’s celebratory and beer-centric events. Read More

NEWS | Anheuser-Busch Acquires Wicked Weed Brewing

This morning, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI), the world’s largest brewery conglomerate, announced the acquisition of Wicked Weed Brewing.

The Asheville, NC brewery began as a 15 barrel pub system in 2012, founded by brothers Walt and Luke Dickinson along with friends Ryan, Rick and Denise Guthy, Originally focused on West Coast style IPAs and Belgians, Wicked Weed quickly developed a reputation for wild, sour and experimental barrel-aged beers. This progression led to the opening of their Funkatorium sour beer taproom and barrel-aging facility in 2014, a second 50 barrel production facility in 2015, and most recently The Funk House and company headquarters which houses a custom designed brewhouse and training facility.

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BREAKING | TRVE Brewing to Launch Colorado Distribution of Burial Beer & The Commons

American craft beer has always been an industry that has thrived off strong relationships and mutual respect. That sense of camaraderie and support of fellow industry talents has led to today’s news that beginning in March, Denver’s TRVE Brewing will begin limited distribution of Burial Beer Co. out of Asheville, North Carolina and The Commons Brewery out of Portland, Oregon.

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Hi-Wire Brewing | Ringmaster’s Reserve Series – Raspberry Wheat Wine

ABV: 13.0% | IBU: 40

I just enjoyed the strongest beer I’ve ever had. Coming from one who actively seeks out high gravity beer, I feel like that’s something of an accomplishment. Even more so considering it’s from North Carolina, a state where the statutory limit of alcohol in beer is 15.0%. And while I don’t see much point in setting a legal limit at all, it’s very much preferable to the previous limit of 6.0% (I mean, really?). Thankfully this was lifted in 2005 when former NC governor Mike Easley signed NC HB 392 into law. I feel safe speaking for beer aficionados across the state when I say, “Thanks, Mike.”

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Wicked Weed Signs with Elite Brands for Colorado Relaunch

When Wicked Weed announced that it would be entering the Colorado market this August, they signed with CR Goodman, a local distributor focused on growing special craft beer brands. A … Read More

Hi-Wire Brewing | Twice as Nice Doppelbock

Thanks to winter and its falling temperatures, I find myself indoors more than out. I’m sure those of you in the cold-prone states are no different. And what do we want while we’re stuck inside? Comfort and entertainment, that’s what. Fortunately for those of us in North Carolina, we can venture to the beer store and take home an entire circus in the form of beer.
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Hi-Wire Brewing | Gose

ABV: 4.2% | IBU: 5

Recently, I’ve shared North Carolina brews that are particularly suited for the fledgling NC craft beer enthusiast. Today, I continue in that vein with Asheville-based Hi-Wire Brewing’s Gose.
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Walt Dickinson Discusses Wicked Weed’s Colorado Expansion

Header Photo Provided by Wicked Weed Brewing

Over the past five years, Colorado has become fertile ground for cultivating a thriving craft beer culture, both locally and nationally. As such, a wealth of the country’s best and brightest brands expand distribution to include the Centennial State. The most recent of which, Wicked Weed Brewing, which focuses on hoppy and wild/funky styles, who dropped close to 20 different brands throughout the Front Range earlier this week.

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Wicked Weed Brewing | Pernicious IPA

ABV: 7.3% | IBU: 70

Asheville, NC is a hip southern mountain town sought out by many beer fans. I was fortunate enough to make a brief pilgrimage there on a recent road trip across the country. The town hosts many excellent breweries, just some of which include Asheville Brewing Company, Green Man, Burial Beer Company and Wicked Weed. I only had time to visit one, but made a great selection in choosing Wicked Weed.

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Wicked Weed Brewing | Recurrant

Funk fans, rejoice! Wicked Weed Brewing Recurrant is back and now part of their sour line up.

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Event Recap | Tip Top Tours Visits South Slope Breweries

Craft beer is all about new experiences. The craft beer industry has taken a goods / commodities based enterprise and evolved it into an experience based business model. This is evident in brewery hosted events, taprooms/bier gardens and beers unbound by categories. This influence has extended past the brewers and imbibers to the retailers who are dreaming up new and innovative ideas to draw their customers into the door and encourage them to return many times thereafter.  Read More

Wicked Weed | Horti-Glory Farmhouse Ale

ABV: 6.0% | IBU: n/a

During a recent two-day beercation to Asheville, North Carolina, I had the pleasure of visiting the illustrious Wicked Weed Brewery. I tried a variety of brews that were delicious, of course, but most of them will be saved for another day. Lunch at the WW restaurant granted me the privilege of discovering the first of their Terra Locale Series: the Horti-Glory Farmhouse Ale. Read More

Wicked Weed | Oblivion

ABV: 8.7% | IBU: negligible

We use a lot of colors when we talk about beer. This beer is amber. That beer is black. This one is straw. That one is brown. These are all quite common. Yet, for all of my beer-drinking life, I have only infrequently come across the color red. Maybe it’s my geography. Some of the world’s best-known and most highly acclaimed beers come out of Belgium, among them a variety of reds. Rodenbach’s Grand Cru, Duchesse de Bourgogne from Brewery Verhaeghe, and New Belgium’s La Folie are just a few examples.

In spite of (and thanks to) my geography, I’ve been fortunate enough to come across a delectable sour red ale from one of North Carolina’s finest breweries, the Asheville-based Wicked Weed Brewing Company. They call it Oblivion, and they give it a little story. Read More

6 Reasons Sierra Nevada’s New NC Taproom Will Impress You

Tuesday, March 10, 2015, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. opened its East Coast Taproom and Restaurant on an expansive wooded property in Mills River, North Carolina, two miles west of the Asheville Regional Airport and about 20 miles south of downtown Asheville.

From the commanding presence of the 200-barrel brewhouse, to the Taproom and Restaurant featuring more than two-dozen beers and a menu that doesn’t look anything like your typical pub fare, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company built this facility to impress. Here are the six things that’ll stand out on your visit. Read More

Wicked Weed | Black Angel

ABV: 6.6% | IBU: 16

In the shadow of the mountains of western North Carolina lies a beautiful, eclectic city called Asheville. While it’s known for many things, one of the greatest is its big and burgeoning beer scene. With dozens of quality craft brewers in the area, it takes something bold and unique to really stand out among such strong competition. Fortunately, we have just the thing in our review today of Wicked Weed Brewing’s Black Angel, a black sour ale aged in bourbon barrels on “obscene amounts of tart cherries” (it says so right on the bottle). Wicked Weed Brewing specializes in uniquely sour beers (among a slew of hoppy beers and Belgian styles), and Black Angel is perhaps one of their greatest creations. Read More

Asheville Brewing Company | Ninja Bread Man Porter

Somewhere between the huge patio (where vintage airport chairs used to serve as seats), the killer pizza, cornhole and the mini hop infusing baskets, Asheville Brewing Company has become the place that’s often my first stop in a city so full of incredible beer.

When we hit up ABC’s downtown location to grab lunch before heading to some breweries, I thought the biggest surprise was there were enough Big 10 conference football fans in the house to convince the manager to turn the tv to the Minnesota vs. Ohio State game (a rarity in the South, my friends).

But my beloved brew pub had yet another surprise waiting: the delightful Ninja Bread Man Porter.

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Wicked Weed Brewing’s Funkatorium

If you love serious sour and funk, be warned: you won’t want to leave Wicked Weed Brewing’s Funkatorium in Asheville, North Carolina. You’ll wonder if they’d notice if you hid among the barrels and spent the night. At 5’4”, this thought seriously went through my head.

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Highland Brewing Co. | Thunderstruck Coffee Porter

ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 26

With a name like Thunderstruck Coffee Porter, the expectation is clear. Highland Brewing‘s winter seasonal should bowl us over with its coffee essence. Read More