Craft Beer Collective

Sierra Nevada in WNC

Overnight reports are coming in: Sierra Nevada will build in Western North Carolina putting to rest months of rumors and scouting in the region:

Officials with California craft-beer maker Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. are expected to announce this week they have chosen Western North Carolina for the company’s much-publicized East Coast expansion, sources with knowledge of the negotiations have told the Times-News. The sources asked not to be named because of the confidential nature of economic development projects.

Chico, Calif.-based Sierra Nevada — the nation’s second-largest craft-beer producer, which distributes to all 50 states — is expected to build its new facility at Ferncliff Industrial Park in Mills River.

The property — which was annexed by the town in 2009 after landowner Vaughn Fitzgerald requested that 220 of his family’s acres be rezoned for an industrial park — is on Old Fanning Bridge Road between Broadpoint Industrial Park and Asheville Regional Airport on the east side of the French Broad River.

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20120123/ARTICLES/120129896

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

WGHP Video about recent tap room law

Liberty and Foothills brewers chime in on law change that may pave the way for New Belgium or Sierra Nevada (or both) to open breweries in North Carolina.

Some state craft breweries will be allowed to offer tastings and sell beer on site thanks to a law recently signed by Gov. Bev Perdue.

The new law gives breweries those privileges if they make more than 25,000 barrels a year.

One Piedmont brew pub quickly gaining popularity is Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem. Brewmaster David Gonzalez said he is in the process of increasing production.

“We own a brewery across town that we’re building right now, and that hopefully will have a tasting room. We’ll be able to sell product in there, so that’s what this bill will do,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez currently makes 8,000 barrels a year with flavors ranging from Carolina Blonde to their award winning Sexual Chocolate Stout. Its new site should be open in a couple of weeks.

North Carolina is already home to the most craft breweries in the south, and they employ 100,000 people nationwide. Todd Isbell, brewmaster at Liberty Steakhouse, said the bill was signed in an effort to attract new breweries to the state.

“There’s a couple breweries, West Coast breweries, that are looking to come to this market and build East Coast breweries, so it would generate a lot of business, a lot of jobs and tax money,” Isbell said.

One of those breweries that’s talked about moving east is Sierra Nevada, Isbell said.

“Potentially, if Sierra Nevada came to North Carolina–and this isn’t set in stone, it’s just a potential–they could actually sell six packs of their beer in location,” Isbell said.

While overall beer sales were down a bit last year, craft beer sales were up by 12 percent.

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© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

Beer Talk with Anne Fitten Glenn

Discussing Asheville beer news plus Sierra Nevada & New Belgium potential build

Reporter Jake Frankel and beer columnist Anne Fitten Glenn discuss the state of beer business and culture in Asheville. Hosted by Margaret Williams. Podcast produced by Steve Shanafelt. Theme music is “jam band spy song” by E. Lee.

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

TEST FLIGHT: Beer Camp

Have you ever bought a mix 12 pack and there was one style in there you just didn’t like at all? Beer Camp from Sierra Nevada certainly had the potential for a lot of duds. Well, I was pleasantly surprised with the four varieties in this box.

So here they are in order of preference and a few comments:

Weizenbock The surprise favorite was this Weizenbock: cloudy in color, citrus and malt on the nose and tongue. It’s just not a commonly crafted beer in the US and it was great to try this one.

California Common is the beer style that made Anchor famous and is every bit as enjoyable. Possibly even more full bodied then the classic we all know and love.

Juniper Black Ale Well balanced and full of flavor. Juniper flavor was not over powering and worked well with the dark malts here.

Double IPA This beer was great, however not surprising that they made a good double IPA… in fact I would expect Sierra to do just that as they’ve done with the Hoptimum DIPA released earlier this year!

As you might know, the Sierra Beer Camp series are beers conceptualized and brewed collaboratively by journalists, homebrewers and others under the guidance of Sierra Nevada brewers. I just wish the packaging included some info about the people who put together there beers in this twelve pack.

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

Best Double IPA Poll

Tonight at 6pm at The Raleigh Times you’ll have a chance to try four great Double IPAs in a flight. Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, Bell’s Hop Slam, Founders Double Trouble and Green Flash Imperial IPA!

After you’ve taken your flight I invite you to come back here and vote for your favorite using the poll below!

FINAL RESULTS Green Flash takes it

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum 3 votes 10.7%
Founders Double Trouble 6 votes 21.4%
Green Flash Imperial IPA 12 votes 42.9%
Bell’s Hopslam 7 votes 25.0%

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

Revere Beer Week

The Raleigh Times Presents Revere Beer Week. 5 nights of events leading up to the World Beer Festival in Raleigh.

On Monday the Fourth The Raleigh Times & Craft Beer Collective will give you a chance to taste four great Double IPA’s side by side. You’ll have a chance to vote for your favorite and while you’re there and decide which Double IPA of the four is the best! See below for the line up.

Other events include the debut of the Mother Earth / Carolina Distillery brew, Baltimore’s Brian Stumke of Stillwater Ales, the all North Carolina Cask night and Bell’s Expedition stout vertical.

14 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC (919) 833-0999
raleightimesbar.com‎

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© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

Sierra brewer to visit NC for a good cause

Thanks to Sean Balkwill for this post:

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. and Sierra Nevada are having a fundraiser in Asheville for a three year old boy with cancer on Dec. 11. They’re giving away tickets to the sold out Christmas Jam, you can brew beer with Sierra Nevada brewmaster Terence Sullivan, and he’s tentatively bringing a Russian Imperial Stout that hasn’t seen the East coast yet. Tickets are a $50 minimum donation and should be available at both Asheville Brewing Co. locations soon.

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com

Sierra 30

So, last night the first in the Sierra 30 series landed at Flying Saucer Raleigh who tapped their first of several kegs. Plus, about 100 cases of bottles have been scattered all over the Triangle. If you really like it you can fly to Cali for the beer dinner:

Join two of the original craft-brewing pioneers for an intimate one-night-only celebration of beer and food at the historic Anchor Brewery in San Francisco.

Anchor Brewing’s Fritz Maytag, and Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman will be celebrating the release of their collaboration beer, Fritz and Ken’s Ale, in honor of Sierra Nevada’s 30th anniversary.

Come and join us for a 5-course dinner paired with unique rare and vintage beers, seated amongst the kettles in the legendary Anchor brewhouse.

Reception begins at 6PM on April 1st, 2010 at Anchor Brewing Company, 1705 Mariposa Street San Francisco, CA 94107

Five-Course meal, 11 interesting beers, and souvenir glassware. $100 tickets, limited to 60 seats, no tickets available at the door. Tickets available at craftbeerfestival.com/beerdinner

© 2012 Craft Beer Collective / Away Team Media

Bringing you the craft and culture of beer in North Carolina --> Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, NC and beyond

Contact us at dave (at) away (dash) team (dot) com