Posted Jan 12, 2012 |
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Mother Earth Brewing and Terrapin Beer Co. are honored to host a BEER BENEFIT on January 20th, 2012, starting at 5pm in the Mother Earth Brewing Taproom. The BEER BENEFIT will help local farmers stay on their feet while one of their biggest customers, Chef & the Farmer, gets back to offering die-hard followers a most unparalleled dining experience.
As you have no doubt heard, our local restaurant, Chef & The Farmer, suffered a fire in their kitchen during the early morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 7. Although the fire was quickly contained, this top-notch, award winning eatery suffered extensive smoke and water damage, and remains closed for the foreseeable future while the damage is assessed and cleanup begins.
We planned an amazing collaborative beer dinner with our friends from Terrapin Beer Co.- to be held on January 20th at Chef &The Farmer. Clearly, the beer dinner won’t be happening; but in its place we’re hosting a BEER BENEFIT on the very same night.
Chef & the Farmer, is “a restaurant that celebrates the heritage and bounty of North Carolina’s Coastal Plain” to that end, “Chef Howard works with over 15 small farms in eastern North Carolina to supply the restaurant with proteins, produce, dairy, nuts and grains” according to their website. Many of you can attest to the incredibly fresh, multidimensional flavors experienced during an evening at “The Chef.” Many of the farmers that owners Ben Knight and Vivian Howard work hand-in-hand with will endure a substantial economic strain during this time of clean up and restoration. When we asked Ben and Vivian for guidance on the best way we could help, they suggested we do something to assist these local farmers, many of whom operate very small specialty farms that sell most of what they grow to the restaurant.
So, we’re doing what we can to help them by doing what we do best: having a party! On Friday, January 20, the originally scheduled date of the dinner, we’re having a Beer Benefit at the Mother Earth Tap Room & Beer Garden, presented jointly by Terrapin Beer Co. and Mother Earth Brewing. We’ll feature some awesome rarities from both breweries on tap (see below), as well as having John Cochran, Spike Buckowski, and Dustin “Ranger” Walker of Terrapin and Trent Mooring, Stephen Hill and Josh Brewer of Mother Earth on hand to meet beer lovers and talk about their creations. We’re also having a schwag raffle, with tickets available for purchase at the event that could net you some really awesome goodies from both Terrapin and Mother Earth. Please remember: All of the proceeds from the raffle, as well as a portion of the Tap Room sales for the evening, will go to help these local farmers stay on their feet while their largest customer rebuilds and gets back on their own two feet.
We know that thanks to the support of both the Kinston community and the craft beer community, Chef & the Farmer will be back and better than ever soon, sourcing the freshest possible ingredients from these farmers once again. Come out and celebrate with us on Friday, January 20. This is certain to be a very special and memorable evening for everyone involved. We can’t wait to see you here!
SPECIAL DRAFTS
From Terrapin Beer Co.:
Hopsecutioner IPA (7.2%) - This Killer IPA earns its name by using six different types of hops while still remaining an aggressive well balanced beer.
Free Spirit (6.8%) – A very special and limited release, Free Spirit is a saison brewed with Sunflower Seeds and Elderflower. One of only three kegs to make it to North Carolina!!
From Mother Earth Brewing:
Tripel Overhead (10.0%) – Our spring seasonal, a Belgian-style Tripel ale aged in Heaven Hills bourbon barrels. Vintage 2011.
Silent Night (9.5%) – Our winter seasonal, an Imperial Stout, brewed with coffee and molasses, and aged in Heaven Hills bourbon barrels. Vintage 2010.
Smokey Hart – A special one barrel pilot release. Details to come!!
Thank you for helping your local farmers.
Peace, Love and Beer... Trent
Posted Jan 2, 2012 |
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Here's some awesome news to kick-start your 2012: The Tap Room will be open more often for your enjoyment!
Word has really spread about the fresh craft beer we pour at the Tap Room; each week we get lots of "regulars" a bunch of new locals, and a host of guests from around NC and an amazing variety of other states. It has been a lot of fun to hear the story of how those from far away places heard of Mother Earth Brewing, and made plans to visit.
So begining January 1, 2012, we welcome you to come enjoy the Tap Room more often, with the following expanded hours:
Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 4pm - 10pm
Every Saturday: 1pm - 6pm
So the big change is that the Tap Room will be open every Wednesday and every Saturday. If you have not had the chance to experience a brewery tour, we've made it even easier for you to do so. Now, brewery tours will take place every Saturday begining at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Tours begin in the Tap Room.
Remember that we offer a killer beer patio, complete with heaters and incredibly comfortable chairs and couches. It's the ideal place to gather after the work day is done.
Due to its overwhelming popularity, we are scheduling even more live entertainment for 2012- so join us on Facebook, and keep checking our Events page for all the news.
I want to sincerely thank you for your patronage; we truly appreciate your support as we make Kinston synonymous with incredible craft beer.
Peace, Love and Beer... Trent
Posted Dec 20, 2011 |
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Yes, we're brewing an All NC Beer!
The holidays remind us that North Carolina’s Christmas trees beat all others; in fact NC is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested. Our Christmas trees rule, but I’m here to talk about hops. You might not know that a sizable number of hops are being harvested right here in the Tar Heel State and hops make Santa happy. We all want that fine fellow Ho-Ho-Ho’ing, don’t we?
Well, Mother Earth Brewing is about to make good use of this little known (ever-increasing) NC crop- taking the ‘NC harvested’ initiative to a new echelon. That’s because this Friday Josh and crew are brewing a one barrel batch of “all-NC” beer. A pale ale made with Cascade hops from the sustainable oriented Echoview Farm of Weaverville and malt from Riverbend Malt House – located in Asheville. The crew will use Riverbend’s Heritage Malt, a 6-row malt that is produced from Thoroughbred barley grown near Salisbury, NC. This malt sports a mild flavor profile that “contributes a slight nutty flavor, but allows the specialty grains to take center stage” according to the experts at Riverbend. We’re pumped to say the least, so keep up with tweets and FB posts for the release date of this NC-grown brew.
While hops are still considered a “specialty crop” in NC- there’s nothing short of a hop movement going on in NC. Take a few minutes to visit the information found on Echoview Farm’s website; you’ll be amazed at all the hop activity. Locally, we’ve successfully grown hops on a farm in LaGrange, and outside the Mother Earth Brewing Taproom. Several months ago we even brewed a special batch of beer made with these ultra-local hops. Fresh, delicious, and homegrown- it was a winner all the way around.
This is probably a good time to brag about another fine NC fact:
According to the NC Brewers Guild, “North Carolina boasts more craft breweries than any state in the American South, with 21 brewpubs and 28 production breweries statewide. If you're in North Carolina, you're probably just a few miles from a great craft beer.”
So as you take down your tree this year, raise a pint to all those NC farmers who continually push themselves to keep NC agriculture on the map. Thanks for a giving us what we need to craft a killer NC brew.
Peace, Love and Beer…Trent
Posted Nov 18, 2011 |
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RELEASE PARTIES: RALEIGH & KINSTON
The official Silent Night 2011 release party happens on Thursday, December 1st at the Mother Earth Brewing Tap Room. Not only will we debut 2011 Silent Night, we’ll also have 2010 Silent Night on tap so you can enjoy a two year vertical tasting. Of course, a limited number of Silent Night bottles will be for sale- last year we sold out incredibly fast, and we expect that this year’s Silent Night will be equally popular. We’ve heard lots of talk about people giving Silent Night as a cherished holiday gift; pair it with a Mother Earth Brewing snifter glass for a complete package of holiday cheer.
What's so special about this year's Silent Night?
So here’s something that’s got us extra pumped about 2011 Silent Night: Counter Culture Coffee tweaked their classic 1922 Mocha & Java blend just for us to give Silent Night an even more pronounced note of rich dark chocolate. For added body, richness, and complexity, we also mixed in Counter Culture's sweet, heirloom Jagong coffee from northern Sumatra. Four pounds of savory beans went in each 20bbl batch. They were rough ground and steeped in the whirlpool for an hour. Hmmm, Goodness.
Where Silent Night stands right now: Last week we transferred Silent Night out of the barrels (where it rested for two long months) and moved it into the brite tanks. Capturing this bad boy in its 750ml cork and cage bottle will happen next week. It’s a labor of love.
If you missed enjoying our Silent Night, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout last year, head into the Tap Room to grab a pint while it lasts. Remember, we have heaters that keep the spacious beer garden toasty, and comfy seating that’s inviting you to sit down for a silent night with friends.
More SILENT NIGHT good news:: If you’re having trouble waiting until December 1st, then check out the early release party that’s going down at Beasley's Chicken + Honey in Raleigh on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 starting at 6pm. Stephen, Josh and I will be on hand to personally present Silent Night to the Triangle region. A gang from Counter Culture Coffee joins us at this ultra admired, unbelievably popular eatery.
We hope you’ll join us in bringing in the holiday cheer; Silent Night style.
Peace, Love and Beer... Trent
Posted Oct 28, 2011 |
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Recently, Stephen and I spent an afternoon at Whole Foods with Fred Thompson, publisher of Edible Piedmont Magazine. Fred was interested in helping his followers learn more about craft beer, and we were more than obliged to help him out.
This short video is a great introduction to three of our beers (Endless River Kolsch, Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter and Weeping Willow Wit.) It has an added bonus: Fred offers a great beer cheese soup recipe made with Sunny Haze, our German Style Hefeweizen. We also have a short chat with Fred about the importance of sustainability as a fundamental element of Mother Earth Brewing- and specifically discuss the merits of our unique 6pk holders.
So go ahead and click: you’re sure to learn more about our craft brew, and grab a great recipe too. It’s a perfect dish for Halloween weekend.
–And kudos to Fred and his team for winning the 2011 James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year Award for Edible Communities Publications.
Peace, Love and Beer… Trent
Posted Oct 17, 2011 |
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Mother Earth Brewing’s Josh Brewer Wins World Beer Festival 2011/CraftBeer.com Smackdown!
While the title may lead you to believe otherwise, Josh’s recent Smackdown win doesn’t mean he’s rough around the edges. On the contrary, he did an ultra-smooth job of marrying beer with food. That’s what the World Beer Festival’s Food & Beer Pairing Challenge is all about. Julia Herz, Publisher of CraftBeer.com (and the Brewers Association Craft Beer Program Director) moderated, mediated and ensured this highly anticipated event was even more electrifying than everyone imagined it would be. Turn-out was awesome and the energy was high.
So here’s how a Smackdown goes down: Four hand-picked brewers are given a pre-determined food selection and must choose a craft beer that best suits the food. In short; Brewers go head-to-head to create the ultimate beer and food pairing in front of a 100 person audience stuffed with over-the-top foodies and beer lovers. Along the way they sit on stage and talk smack, reveal a bit about themselves to the crowd, and relish in the opportunity for friendly competition. The pressure is sweet! The audience serves as judge and jury (they were stoked!) and in a blind taste test chose Josh’s pairing of Mole Poblano with Mother Earth Brewing’s Dark Cloud, Munich style Dunkel – earning him the title of World Beer Festival 2011/CraftBeer.com Smackdown Champion. I’m so glad Stephen and I were right on hand to watch Josh weave his magic.
So if you’re wondering what makes a good food and beer pairing, here are a few notes on what the Brewers had to say about crafting a successful pairing.
The food and the beer should be able to stand proudly on their own; yet as a whole, they should be better than the parts. An ideal relationship.
The beer’s attributes should complement, contrast, or even cut. For example, the bitterness in hops balances sweetness. Carbonation bites through rich foods and cleans the tongue.
If you’re interested in more pairing tips, you’ll find every clue you need at CraftBeer. The site sports a boat-load of tips… it’s really very interesting stuff.
Cheers to Josh!
Peace, Love and Beer… Trent
Posted Sep 27, 2011 |
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Well, it's almost that time of year again. Our Fall Seasonal, Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter was just released- and the much anticipated Silent Night Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is headed your way. Here's the scoop.
Silent Night is scheduled to be released on December 1st. Right now it's headed to 24 whiskey barrels for a stay of about 2 months. Then, this Winter Seasonal will be transferred into a brite tank, undergo carbonation, and finally get carefully bottled into a 750ml "cork and cage" bottle. Of course, on release, you can buy it at the Mother Earth Brewing Taproom- but you can also experience it in kegs at various locations across the state.
What's very cool about this year's Silent Night is that we've collaborated with Counter Culture Coffee (out of Durham.) Silent Night has been seeped in the whirlpool with a special custom coffee blend made just for Mother Earth Brewing. We anticipate the results to be mind-blowing. Stay tuned.
Peace, Love and Beer... Trent
Posted Sep 12, 2011 |
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A few months ago we had the pleasure of meeting Joe Kavanagh. After reading our job posting from his home in Wisconsin, Joe jumped on the next bird headed to NC and became our Cellarman. You might have heard the term tossed around, but what does a Cellarman do, you might ask… Well, he’s the go-to guy for almost anything. He’s on the spot to prep and assist a brew, clean tanks, take up a position on the all-important bottle and can lines, fill kegs, arrange a massive beer order, and basically lend a helping hand to every aspect of the brewery operation. Joe has worked in the industry for a while now, and as you’d expect, he’s got an unthinkable respect for beer.
No doubt you’ve seen him around the brewery, in the Taproom, heading up a brewery tour, or out at a beer fest- so, here’s a bit of info on Joe.
“My favorite beer style Is American Pale Ale (APA) because it manages to be refreshing and hoppy while maintaining a good balance and stays drinkable for the entire session.”
“I’m really excited about being at MEB. To put it simply, the mission inspires me. Being a part of a conscious effort to leave as small of a footprint possible, while making great beer with great people and having fun doing it- that’s an incredible job!”
“I’d love to someday take a bike tour through Belgium. Why? For the beer of course!”
“My wife was offered a position as a professor at ECU. I immediately started Googling nearby breweries. Imagine how psyched I was to discover Mother Earth Brewing, and then find out this job! Since we have moved to eastern Carolina I have been Playing disc golf, trying as much local BBQ as possible, spending time at home with my wife Katy and our dog Louis, drinking local beer, making new friends and for some reason I have turned into everyone’s father and taken up lawn care as a hobby… go figure…”
Next time you see Joe out and about, I hope you’ll welcome Joe to eastern NC.
Peace, Love and Beer… Trent
Posted Sep 8, 2011 |
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Mother Earth Brewing is Honored as a Farm to Table Participant!
If you’re a big time craft beer enthusiast, you probably already know that one of craft beer’s most anticipated annual events is right around the corner: the 30th annual Great American Beer Festival. Referred to simply as the “GABF” by those in the biz.
If you aren’t familiar with the GABF, here’s some info. The festival runs September 29-October 1 and takes place in Denver, CO. It’s recognized as the premier US beer festival and competition- and of course, Mother Earth Brewing is going to be there… along with about 515 other breweries! Have no doubt; the GABF is HUGE; serving up liquid gold to about 50,000 attendees. Going to the GABF feels like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid. It’s energizing.
While we are thrilled, as always, to be part of this incredible beer event, what’s really got us jazzed is our participation in the GABF Farm to Table pavilion. To say we’re honored to have been one of only a dozen breweries invited to participate in this elite setting is a colossal understatement. The Farm to Table event offers the opportunity to demonstrate how well craft beer pairs with food and showcases how brewers creatively infuse their specialty beers with specific fresh ingredients. Mother Earth Brewing will present Tripel Overhead, a Belgian Style Tripel Ale and Dark Cloud, a Munich-Style Dunkel. The chefs who have the privilege of preparing the culinary delights are equally astute. The Farm to Table experience blends seamlessly with our philosophies, so we’re especially flattered to be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest and most respected players in the craft beer industry at this affair.
Our schedule is packed with a number of other outstanding events in the coming weeks. Check out our Events page for all the happenings- we hope to see you soon.
Peace, Love and Beer… Trent
Posted Sep 5, 2011 |
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It’s not like you need another reason to head to Chef & the Farmer and experience the amazingly fresh culinary delights Vivian, Ben and their top-notch team serve up; but we’ll give you one anyway: Mother Earth Brewing beer on tap!
Last week, Josh headed over to the Chef and helped install a four head draft system- helping this already killer restaurant (with a happen’ bar) put yet another feather in their cap. Best yet, Mother Earth Brewing beer flows from three of the four heads. The Mother Earth selection will change from time to time, and the forth head will undoubtedly offer you an equally fresh brew.
We’re really proud that an establishment as slick as the Chef & the Farmer has put us on tap, and decided to feature us in a big way. We’re raising a pint to our downtown Kinston neighbors right now.
If you have not enjoyed a Chef & the Farmer experience, I suggest you do so without delay. Not from Kinston? No problem, this is a destination restaurant well worth a tank of gas.
Peace, Love and Beer…Trent
