Beer Buzz – Week of 22 Jan 2018

Brewery and Bottleshop Events in Wilmington NC

Bell’s Hopslam Imperial IPA (10.0% ABV) is hitting town Monday, so plan an early trip to your favorite bottleshop. This annual favorite is Bell’s most complexly-hopped beer (six varietals during brewing plus “massive” dry-hopping with Simcoe), and it won’t last, so don’t miss out!

Red Brick Brewing’s Hype Whale (10.0% American Imperial Stout) should be showing up in shops this week as well. I am led to understand that this year’s Hype Whale was aged in bourbon barrels, as opposed to being aged on bourbon-infused oak chips as in the past.

New Anthem Beer Project’s latest canning of Throwing Shade IPA should still be around in the upcoming week; Steez IPA’s remaining availability is less certain.

Lots of places are planning live music this week, including New Anthem (Jared Sales on Tuesday the 23rd, including slam poetry for the first time), Bill’s Front Porch Pub and Brewery (Bland Sawyer at 7 PM on Friday the 26th and Justin Fox at 7 PM on Saturday the 27th), Edward Teach Brewing (Into The Fog, 7 PM, Thursday the 25th; Mike Blair, 8 PM, Friday the 26th; Jenny Pearson, 8 PM, Saturday the 27th; Chris Frisina, 4 PM, Sunday the 28th), Palate Bottle Shop & Reserve (DJ Professor Dub at 6 PM of Friday the 26th and Hank Barbee at 8 PM on Saturday the 27th) and Wrightsville Beach Brewery (Adam Quinn, 6 PM, Thursday the 25th).

Hey!Beer will observe Wake ‘N’ Bake Wednesday on the 24th, pairing donuts from Wake ‘N’ Bake in Carolina Beach with NoDa’s Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge (9.2% Imperial Porter), 1718 Brewery’s Mexican Chocolate Sweet Stout on Cocoa Nibs (4.9% Milk Stout), and Cafe Con Leche (6% Milk Stout with expresso) from Tampa’s Cigar City. Saturday the 27th brings an all-day tap takeover by Wooden Robot from Charlotte. This takeover will include the latest iteration of their hop-shifting What He’s Having IPA, which is always a winner in my book.

Chris and Tommy at Fire & Spice Gourmet invite you to Throw-Down Thursday starting at 5 PM on the 25th, when they will be tapping a keg of 3rd Rock Brewing’s Light Year (9% IPA) and a representative from Mutual Distributing will be sampling four Napa Valley wines (a Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, a Merlot and a Pinot Noir). 2 Bros Coastal Cuisine will have a food truck on site, and I heard a rumor about a keg of Hype Whale (10% American Imperial Stout), but don’t quote me on that.

Join the fine folks at Wilmington Brewing Company for Firkin Friday at 5 PM on the 27th as they crack a ten-gallon cask of something special.

Weekly specials at Bill’s Front Porch include “$5 Patties and Pints” on Wednesday the 24th and $5 flights on Thursday the 25th.

Sunday the 28th brings Broomtail Craft Brewery’s Winter Casserole Cookoff. Bring your best casserole (and your appetite) and compete for first, second, and third place prizes. Judging is via secret ballot (popular vote), and begins at 6 PM with winners being announced at 7 PM.

Waterman’s Brewing Company’s weekly Humpday Pub Run will take place on Wednesday the 24th. Participants can elect to run 2, 3.5 or 4.5 miles, followed by specials on appetizers, sandwiches, and select pints. Pre-registration is required, and participants should sign in upon arrival.

This Friday the 26th, Cape Fear Beer & Wine hosts their third annual Stingray IPA day, featuring beers from California’s Coronado Brewing Company: Stingray IPA (7.9%), Sorbet Stingray, Double Dry-Hopped Stingray and Orange Ave. Wit (5.2% Witbier).

On Wednesday the 24th, Fermental celebrates Beer Can Appreciation Day, featuring Oskar Blues. OB reps will be on hand, as will be plenty of great Oskar Blues beer, including draft pours of Bourbon Barrel Aged Ten Fidy, which is fantastic (again) this year. On Thursday and Friday, Fermental pays homage to hops with Adventures In Lupuland, a tap takeover by the hoppiest of the hoppy, including (among many others) Bell’s Hopslam (10.0% ABV), Casita Cerveceria’s Been There Done That (8% ABV) and multiple offerings from New Anthem and Wilmington Brewing Company.

Join Wrightsville Beach Brewery at 6:30 PM on Wednesday the 24th for the Taste of Ireland Beer & Wine Dinner, a five course meal with beer and wine pairings at each course. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. And don’t forget their weekly Farmer’s Market on Thursday the 25th. Come out and support local agriculture and artisans (and a healthier diet).

Flytrap Brewing has a couple of events this weekend: Saturday the 27th at 2 PM they host Begorrah Bone House: Book and Beer Release, a simultaneous release of Todd Sherman’s hybrid-horror collection Begorrah Bone House and Flytrap’s Date & Pecan Belgian Dubbel, and Sunday the 28th they host Crafts + Drafts: Watercolor & Hand-lettering Workshop (2 PM).

On Wednesday the 24th, Waterline Brewing hosts a public forum entitled What’s Brewing in Science: De-Extinction? (7 PM – 8:30 PM). On Thursday the 25th at 6 PM, the 3rd annual Business of Artistry Forum will take place at Ironclad Brewery.

Check back periodically; events may added throughout the week as they are announced.

(c) 2018 Old Man Metal