Oskar Blues Co-Brewing Big BAMA Buzz w/Asheville Brewing

have teamed up to create a North Cackalacky colla-BEER-ation. What did our brewers come up with? Think Alabama/Southern roots (both ABC head brewer Doug Riley and OB founder Dale Katechis hail from that Magnolia-strewn state). Think big, bold lightly-hopped nectar with a malty, steeped with Ethiopian-blend coffee, backbone. Think fun, tasty, and a little outrageous. It’s our new Imperial Brown Ale, aka Big BAMA Buzz!

}We went to the public to name this special brew, running simultaneous “Name that beer” contests on our brewery Facebook pages—https://www.facebook.com/asheville.brewing and https://www.facebook.com/OskarBluesSoutheast. Turns out we got two winners, as we combined the two names entered by Matt Hazelton and Janice Freeman and came up with Big BAMA Buzz. Matt and Janice win lifelong street cred and a T-shirt from each brewery.

Dale and Doug have been talking about doing a colla-BEER-ation since Oskar Blues first announced that they would open a second brewery in Brevard in May 2012. The Alabama-bred boys attended rival high schools in Florence, Alabama, and share a love for great craft beer and all things Southern.

“This was a really fun recipe to come up with, and it’s a fun style of beer that will be smooth but pack a wallop. We’re amped to be working with Doug and Asheville Brewing Company,” says Oskar Blues Head Brewer Noah Tuttle.

Big BAMA Buzz will be released at simultaneous parties at both breweries on Monday, April 8, from 4 to 8 p.m. (Oskar Blues Brewery taproom at 342 Mountain Industrial Dr. in Brevard and Asheville Brewing Company’s brewery locale at 77 Coxe Avenue in Asheville). It will only be available on tap at the two breweries—while it lasts.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Oskar Blues, not just on the beer but by working together to benefit an important local nonprofit—Animal Compassion Network,” says Mike Rangel, Asheville Brewing Company founder and president. “We also had fun playing on the Alabama connection.”

Proceeds from the sale of the beer will benefit ACN, the largest animal welfare organization in Western North Carolina. Because both breweries love us some hound dogs.

“We are honored to be chosen to benefit from this special small batch release by two of our local breweries,” says Lauren Weldishofer, ACN marketing coordinator. “A cold local brew and a rescue dog by your side is what I call a happy hour.”