Thirsty Monk to pour first draft Duvel in NC!

Some of out latest, greatest news... courtesy of Tony Kiss at Take Five!

So here is the latest from the Monk: It will be the first spot in North Carolina to serve Belgium's famous Duvel ale on draft. Only a handful of U.S. cities are getting this nectar, among them San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and Boston. And yes, Asheville, too.

Also, the Monk is opening a second location this summer in South Asheville. The new southside Monk will feature a combination of Belgian brews, American craft beers and locally made brews, owner Barry Bialik said.

As Belgian beer fans know, Duvel “Red” (that's the color on the label, not the beer) has been sold here in bottles for a while now. But now the ale is coming stateside in draft. The new Duvel “Green,” as it's being called, will be lighter in alcohol (6.8 percent compared with 8.5 percent for the bottles), said David Gonzalez, Duvel marketing manager for the Southeast.

The draft Duvel “Green” was first rolled out last year in Manhattan and London. When the company decided to “launch it at several locations in the United States,” Gonzales said, he immediately pitched Asheville for the honor because it “has the best beer community in the state.”

The Thirsty Monk is famous for serving its beer in the proper glassware. So Duvel “Green” will also have its own glass, filled with an 8 1/2-ounce pour, Gonzales said. To be sure it's correct, each glass will include a “fill line,” he said.
Launch day for Duvel “Green” is July 6, and not a drop will be served before then, Bialik said. He's expecting a party that day, but then “there is a party here every night.”

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