Asheville food bites: Cookie shop closing, beer collabs, celebrations

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·4 min read

ASHEVILLE - A West Asheville sweet treat shop to permanently close; a celebratory event planned to commemorate beer and brewers' beginnings; and an Asheville-based chef is honored by an Atlanta-founded brewery in a new chef series.

Cookie shop closing

On Dec. 3, Moo Cookie Company will permanently close at 792 Haywood Road.

A social media announcement posted on Nov. 17 said:

“It’s with great sadness to say that Moo Cookie will be closing its doors on December 3rd as our landlord has decided to end the lease. Unfortunately, we’ve not found another suitable location at this time, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled if something comes available.

I sincerely want to thank you all for your support and patronage at our little shop over the last year. This community and West Asheville especially is amazing! It’s been a pleasure getting to know you while serving up delicious cookies!

In the meantime, I hope you will swing by the shop to say goodbye for now!”

The message was signed by Moo Cookie Co. owner Matt LeClair, who introduced the “small batch, giant cookie” shop to the West Asheville neighborhood in August 2022.

Customers are encouraged to stop in before Dec. 3. to stock up on cookies, which are recommended to be frozen for up to three months.

Moo Cookie Co.’s hours are 1:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 1:30-6 p.m. Thursday, noon-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-7 p.m. Sunday. The online store will be closed for Thanksgiving Day through Nov. 24.

For more, visit moo-cookies.com and follow on Instagram @moo_cookieco.

Oskar Blues’ 'Brevardaversary'

Cheers to Oskar Blues Brewery!

In 1997, Oskar Blues Brewery was founded by Dale Katechis in Lyons, Colorado. Today, the craft beer company has locations in Colorado, North Carolina and Texas.

On Dec. 12, 2012, Oskar Blues brewed its first Dale’s Pale Ale at its taproom in Brevard.

On Dec. 12, Oskar Blues Brewery's "beer homecoming" will celebrate the first brew of Dale's Pale Ale and local and regional brewers who got their start at the Brevard brewery.
On Dec. 12, Oskar Blues Brewery's "beer homecoming" will celebrate the first brew of Dale's Pale Ale and local and regional brewers who got their start at the Brevard brewery.

On Dec. 12, Oskar Blues will host a “beer homecoming” beginning at 5 p.m. at 342 Mountain Industrial Drive. The celebration marks the 11-year anniversary and honors those in the local and regional beer community who got their start at the brewery and moved on to their own endeavors in the beer industry.

The special guest brewers and brewery owners to represent their breweries and offer pours are Noblebrau Brewing, Salt Face Mule Brewing Co., Big Pillow Brewing, Silos Brewery, Blue Ghost Brewing and Whiteside Brewing.

Food trucks will be onsite. Live music will begin at 6 p.m.

For more, visit oskarblues.com and follow on Instagram @oskarblueswnc.

Oskar Blues Brewery will celebrate 11 years of brewing Dale's Pale Ale at its Brevard taproom on Dec. 12.
Oskar Blues Brewery will celebrate 11 years of brewing Dale's Pale Ale at its Brevard taproom on Dec. 12.

Chef beer series

The award-winning Monday Night Brewing, based in Atlanta, and Chai Pani Restaurant Group have collaborated on a new, limited-edition beer as a part of a series celebrating some of Atlanta’s renowned chefs.

Chef Series: Meherwan Irani is available at all CPRG establishments, including the Indian street food eateries, Chai Pani at 22 Battery Park Ave. in downtown Asheville and Botiwalla at 697 Haywood Road in West Asheville.

Monday Night Brewing, of Atlanta, has released a limited edition brew, Chef Series: Meherwan Irani, honoring the Asheville-based chef and owner of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group.
Monday Night Brewing, of Atlanta, has released a limited edition brew, Chef Series: Meherwan Irani, honoring the Asheville-based chef and owner of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group.

The Asheville-founded restaurant group has several food concepts across the region, including in Charlotte and Decatur, Georgia, and Atlanta, where the beer will be available for purchase, as well as Monday Night Brewing’s taprooms in Atlanta; Charlotte; Birmingham, Alabama; and Nashville, Tennessee.

Monday Night Brewing Brewmaster Peter Kiley created the wheated rice lager with turmeric as an homage to Irani’s heritage and to complement the flavors in his restaurants’ Indian cuisine.

“I couldn’t imagine a liquid that could even come close to competing with the flavor profile of any authentic Indian dish, so I decided to create this beer around Meherwan’s unique story ― a biography in a beer, so to speak,” Kiley said in a news release. “I had the immense pleasure of spending time with Meherwan in Asheville, where he graciously took the time to share with me details about his life and his family’s background, as well as an abbreviated history lesson on India’s culture and cuisine ― which particularly highlighted the importance of regionality as it relates to Indian cooking. It was quite the challenge to devise a liquid that could accurately reflect the knowledge that I gained during my time spent with Meherwan.”

The use of wheat was decided upon as it’s the predominant grain of North India and rice leads in South India. Turmeric showcases its floral, citrus, and earthy bitter qualities.

Monday Night Brewing, of Atlanta, has released a limited edition brew, Chef Series: Meherwan Irani, honoring the Asheville-based chef and owner of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group.
Monday Night Brewing, of Atlanta, has released a limited edition brew, Chef Series: Meherwan Irani, honoring the Asheville-based chef and owner of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group.

Proceeds from Chef Series: Meherwan Irani will benefit The Giving Kitchen, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to food service workers.

“We’re all excited about this collaboration with Monday Night Brewing. Beer that tastes good and does good, what could be better?” Irani said in a news release. “The Giving Kitchen is truly one of those organizations that makes an impact at the individual level, and I know this money will be well used in supporting people in need.”

For more, visit mondaynightbrewing.com and chaipani.com.

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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Moo Cookie Co. closing, Oskar Blues 'beer homecoming, more news