For the first time ever, Asheville will host International Zwanze Day. The beer-focused event takes place at The Whale on Sat., Sept. 24,11 a.m.-10 p.m., and will feature Yacht Rock tunes from local DJ Kipper Schauer, five drafts, and a worldwide Zwanze toast at 3 p.m.
Since 2008, the Belgium brewery Cantillion has celebrated Zwanze with batches of experimental beer — and in 2011, the Cantillion created its own holiday, International Zwanze Day. Celebrated around the world, the event is a beloved + revered beer holiday.
The Asheville version of the event will feature the special release of the 2022 Zwanze, poivre de Gorilles: a blend of two-year-old lambic and Congolese black pepper.
Sound fun? It’s in keeping with the Belgian word zwanze, which refers to a sarcastic style of humor that informs the experimental nature of these special beers. Previous iterations have included lambics blended with ingredients including rhubarb and smoked malts.
