12 Bones/Bruisin Ales: a match made in heaven:
On Wednesday, April 21, 12 Bones Smokehouse will hold their first beer dinner of 2010 with Bruisin' Ales. The menu looks pretty darn good:

Smoked Skate Wing with citrus salad of Clementines and Meyers lemons
Plank Bavarian Hefeweizen / Germany / Hefeweizen / 5.2% abv

Duck Confit Taquito with fig, goat cheese and lavender dipping sauce
Traquair Jacobite / England / Scotch Ale with coriandor / 8.0% abv

Lamb Sausage with sage and apricots and a parmesan, baby artichoke risotto
Dogfish Head Aprihop / Delaware / American IPA with apricots / 7.0% abv

Borracho Beef Short Ribs with fennel au gratin and plantain purée
Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout / California / Imperial Stout / 8.1% abv

Honey Lager Gelato  with cornbread biscuits and roasted brazil nuts
Bier du Miel / Belgium / Saison with honey / 8.0% abv

The cost is $60 per person, including tax and gratuity. To make reservations (which are required), call 606-7880. Dinner takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the River Arts District 12 Bones, located at 5 Riverside Dr. For more information, visit the Bruisin' Ales blog

Zambra and the Winehaus team up again:
On Wednesday, April 28, the Weinhaus will team up with chef Adam Bannasch of Zambra for a five-course dinner inspired by the Mediterranean with complementary wine pairings. Here's the menu:

Course 1----frittata, boquerones, olives
Course 2----arugula, radish, piquillos, chevre, preserved lemon-poppy mojo
Course 3----seared NC scallops w/ duck cracklings, orange, balsamic-honey, pickled turnips
Course 4----grilled lamb rack w/ baba ganoush, dates, feta, pistachios
Course 5----olive oil cake w/ pignolis, apricots, bittersweet chocolate

Dinner and wine costs $60 per person, and begins at 7 p.m. Zambra is located at 85 Walnut Street in downtown Asheville. To make reservations, contact the Winehaus at 254-6453.

Bruisin' Ales is staying busy this week:
Ingles dietitian Leah McGrath will join forces with Bruisin' Ales during this week’s Gluten-free fair in Asheville for a Gluten-free tasting on Thursday. Gluten-free beer selections along and gluten-free light hors d'oeuvres will be provided for the astonishingly low price of $8 per person. Reservations are required, and can be made by visiting the Facebook event page here: Reservations

This event takes place on Thursday, April 22 from 5 until 7 p.m. Bruisin Ales is located at 66 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville. Call 252-8999 for more information.