Bruisin' Ales; Asheville Beer Run

If you are in or near Asheville, you just HAVE to go to Bruisin' Ales. If you remember back to beer b-ashe-ville (beer bash- ville) we stopped in there after the Brews Cruise. This time we went with a purpose, to get local beer.

We had gone down to Asheville for their Bele Chere festival, I was hoping to meet some friends from other places on the web, but I don't think they went :(. So, we just hung out around the fest and drank beer.

Meat had asked me to see how much Sweetwater Happy Ending, I could get, and I told him I'd try, but getting beer for me, is obviously my first priority. Well, when we went in to Bruisin Ales, I didn't see any 12 oz bottles, but as I looked around, I found some larger bottles, so I got all of them.

The owners were really helpful and nice. We didn't get to park near the store, so they let me fill a box and pay for it and leave it overnight. The were even more helpful when I told them that I'd give them a bottle of this year's Dark Lord.

At some point, they mentioned they had Westy 12 in the back. At first I asked for two of them, but then reconsidered and took 5 (at $30 each).

Bruisin' Ales has a great selection of local, national and international beers. They carry local beers from Greenman (in growlers), Pisgah (bottles and growlers) French Broad, and Highland. Regionally, they have Duck-Rabbit, Terrapin, Sweetwater, Atlanta Brewing Company and others. They've got a good selection of Weyerbacher, Southampton, Oskar Blues and some other hard to find beers (at least around here). I only picked up one beer from overseas, other than the westies.

Each time I've been in there, I've spent a bunch, and it seems they will give you a glass if you spend about $100 (don't quote me on that). Last time we were there, I got the Chimay glass. This time, I got a Rochefort glass on Saturday; then on Sunday I picked up the Terrapin Goblet, which will be great for drinking the Sweetwater out of.

They've got a good shirt selection too, I got a terrapin shirt, but there's also Highland, Pisgah, Bruisin' Ales and other shirts for sale. They've got a couple of books and some other things for sale (including the hops appreciation kit).

Most of the beer is kept in the open, at cellaring temperatures, there is a fridge to hold single bottles and growlers. they have some sort of liquor license that allows you to drink while shopping, so when you go, ask for a beer.

If Asheville is a beer destination, then this is definitely one of the places you HAVE to go.