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edible beer can holder
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Brewery bosses invent an edible beer can holder which could save sea life from the scourge of deadly plastic six-packs which fish mistake for jellyfish

 

Click here to view original web page at www.dailymail.co.uk

Brewery bosses have come up with a novel idea to cut the appalling toll that discarded plastic is taking on sea life: edible Beer can holders.

The binders, which hold cans together, are currently among the most destructive waste dropped into our oceans because they are often mistaken for jellyfish and swallowed by larger fish, while smaller fish and birds can easily become tangled in their loops.

But the new binders, devised by the Saltwater Brewery in Florida, are made using by-products from the brewing process and can be eaten by marine animals.

And if they are not consumed, the binders are fully biodegradable and quickly disintegrate.

Marco Vega, of the brewery’s advertising agency, said: ‘Initially we wanted to make the rings from seaweed but it was too fragile and rigid. But what we have come up with works perfectly and is safe in the sea.’

The brewery has made metal moulds capable of churning out 400,000 binders a month at a cost of 17p each compared to 11p for their plastic ones.

But it says that, if big beer companies implement this technology, the manufacturing cost will drop and become very competitive.

It also believes customers will pay extra because of the environmental benefits of the rings.

The edible beer can holders fit the six-packs typically sold in the United States, but could easily work on four-packs more common in Britain.

Greenpeace has thrown its weight behind the invention and hopes UK brewers will adopt the idea. Already major brewers including Carlsberg and hundreds of smaller craft breweries are in talks with Saltwater about the binders.

But Dr Sue Kinsey, senior pollution policy officer at the Marine Conservation Society, sounded a note of caution.

She said: ‘Wheat and barley by-products [from brewing beer], while better than plastic, aren’t a natural diet for marine life and, if ingested, the effects are still unknown. The best thing would be is not to throw these things away in the first place.’

A recent report from US scientific research group PNAS said that about 90 per cent of seabirds have eaten plastic and predicted that, by 2050, any seabird found dead will have plastic in its stomach.

Louisa Casson, Greenpeace UK Oceans Campaigner, said: ‘Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats facing our oceans. To protect life, we need to end the era of single-use plastic.

‘It is very encouraging to see new innovations to tackle the problem of ocean plastics. But the most effective way is for manufacturers to commit to phasing out throwaway packaging.’Brewery bosses invent an edible beer can holder which could save sea life from the scourge of deadly plastic six-packs which fish mistake for jellyfish

The world’s biggest soft-drinks firms admitted last week that just 6.6 per cent of the more than two million ton of plastic bottles they make globally each year comes from recycled material.

The percentage came to light in the first attempt to estimate the companies’ plastic footprint, but the figure is actually likely to be far lower because Coca-Cola – the world’s biggest producer of soft drinks – refused to participate in the study.

In January, Prince Charles backed a campaign to stop plastic being dumped in the oceans and called for a deposit scheme for bottles.

The Prince, who has long been outspoken on environmental matters, said plastic was building up in the guts of sea creatures, polluting beaches and the ocean floor.

Ballast Point surpasses Stone
Craft Beer, Hot Topics

Ballast Point surpasses Stone

National craft beer trade group the Brewers Association released its annual lists of the top 50 American breweries by sales volume last week. While all four San Diego breweries included on last year’s lists remained — each with a higher ranking — there were some notable changes.

Two big ones had to do with Ballast Point. Since 2016 was the company’s first full year under the ownership of the Constellation Brands corporation, it no longer met the Brewers Association definition of craft brewer, and therefore did not appear on the list of the country’s largest craft brewers, where it ranked #11 last year, one spot behind Stone Brewing.

However, Ballast Point did show up on the list of Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies, which was topped every year — in the same order — by Anheuser-Busch, Miller Coors, and Pabst Brewing Co.

Ballast Point rose four spots on that list to become the 13th largest beer company in the USA. That puts it four spots ahead of Stone Brewing, meaning that, by sales volume at least, Ballast Point has taken over the mantle of the largest brewer in San Diego. In 2014, it ranked 37th.

The Brewers Association would not release the sales numbers it used to tabulate these lists (it will publish them in its own The New Brewer magazine in May). Neither would Stone, nor Ballast Point.

However, Stone did release its production numbers. Including beer produced at breweries in Virginia and Berlin, Stone brewed approximately 345,000 barrels in 2016, up from 326,000 barrels in 2015 — a 6 percent increase. Ballast Point did not release production numbers, so its difficult yet to tell whether it topped Stone in the amount of beer brewed, in addition to sales.

Stone ranked #9 on the list of top craft brewers, reclaiming its highest rank after dropping to #10 last year. However, it’s worth noting that Lagunitas Brewing, which ranked #6 in 2015, was also pulled from the craft list due to a partnership with Heineken. Stone fell two spots on the overall list to #17 (it was #14 two years ago).

Green Flash Brewing climbed four spots to become the 37th largest craft brewer by sales. Its production rose nearly 12 percent in 2016, to 91,040 barrels. That figure includes its production of beers for Alpine Beer Co., which it acquired in 2014. Overall, this increase was good enough to make Green Flash the 46th largest beer company — its second year in the top 50.

Finally, coming in at #41 on the craft beer list was Karl Strauss Brewing Co. Karl’s rank on this list has fluctuated the past several years, usually in the low 40s. It ranked #39 in 2012, when it also cracked the top 50 overall, actually coming in at #50. Nevertheless, the reigning midsize brewery of the year increased production 4 percent in 2016, to 78,618 barrels.

Using Craft Beer as a Vehicle for Good
Craft Beer, Devoted to the Craft

Using Craft Beer as a Vehicle for Good

Click here to view original web page at www.craftbeer.com

Craft beer pioneers had a clear vision: to serve a better, more full-flavored beer. That goal drove Boston Beer’s Jim Koch and Brooklyn Brewery’s Steve Hindy and countless others to persevere through ups and downs in a new and emerging market of beer drinkers.

Beyond creating a better product, many craft brewers use their small businesses as a vehicle for change. Small and independent craft brewers made more than $71 million in charitable contributions in 2014, according to the Brewers Association, CraftBeer.com’s parent organization, and you can find endless examples of breweries giving back to their communities.

But what you don’t always see are individual efforts to use craft beer as a tool, as a way of funding and supporting specific causes related to philanthropy. It goes beyond donating kegs or a portion of beer sales to charity from time to time. Brewers and craft beer-related businesses are literally harnessing craft beer’s popularity for good in a way we haven’t seen before.

Harnessing Craft Beer to Serve a Greater Good

Ex Novo Brewing became the country’s first nonprofit craft brewery when it opened in Portland in 2014. On the surface, it looks like a normal brewery, and a well-oiled one at that with a 16-beer portfolio and a thorough food component, including dessert and brunch items. But any dough that comes through those doors is immediately sent back out. Ex Novo partners with four local charities, donating all its profits to them. Founder Joel Gregory called the brewery “a permanent fundraiser to support causes.”

“I’m moved by the work [of these four organizations] and it’s a great motivator to succeed in business knowing that we are driving toward these goals and supporting these organizations,” Gregory said.

In Georgia, the birth of a new beer at Service Brewing means the start of a new charitable initiative. The brewery was started by West Point grad Kevin Ryan, who spent 8 years in the army, including a tour of Iraq. When he returned from duty, his passion for craft beer and desire to support his fellow veterans inspired him to open Service Brewing. The brewery promotes a new charity each season, typically corresponding with the release of a new brew, and donates to it a portion of the brewery tour proceeds (Georgia law only allows tastings as part of tours at craft breweries). Since opening in mid-2014, they have donated $50,000 to veteran’s charities, first responders’ organizations, and firefighter and police groups, among others.

“Part of our mission statement from the get go was to support those who serve their country and their community,” Ryan said.

Home of the Brave Brewing in Honolulu, which we featured back in December for the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, brews beers in a one-barrel system in the back of a World War II museum, serving it up 1942-style in its hidden speakeasy. Owner Glen Tomlinson sums up the method of using craft beer as a liaison perfectly.

“World War II is ancient history to young people nowadays, so if beer needs to be the bridge to bring them in, so be it. When younger guests come to the speakeasy and I’m able to share some of these stories, they are blown away,” Tomlinson said. “Add a craft beer that’s brewed downstairs… It’s been a winning combination.”

In Kailua, Hawaii, Tim and Holly Veling have taken to craft beer as a way to fund their nonprofit, the ONEninetynine Initiative. They came up with the concept of Grace in Growlers, a craft beer tasting room that serves up to 36-ounces per visit and sells growlers to go, including many members of the BA. The concept of Grace in Growlers was developed in the same vein as Ex Novo, yet the two models have stark differences. Ex Novo is a nonprofit brewery that donates its profits to external organizations. Grace in Growlers is a for-profit tasting room that donates its profits to its own nonprofit.

“Sometimes people [we meet here at the tasting room] will come on a Saturday to help with our [nonprofit], and then they’re back in here drinking beer again the next night,” Tim said. “Which is the most amazing thing. It’s exactly what we’re trying to do here.”

Good Beer Is Still the Top Priority

Don’t get these small business owners wrong: even though giving back is part of their mission, selling and making great beer is still the top priority.

One thing that everyone who we talked to for this article expressed was a proper set of checks and balances and transparency that ensures their motivations are not misconstrued. Grace in Growlers has the aforementioned 36-ounce limit per visit, for example, and Ex Novo decided to become a nonprofit mainly because they liked the idea of a board with multiple members.

Gregory said he receives calls from people for advice on how to start their own nonprofit brewery. He speaks with them about the pluses and minuses of becoming a nonprofit and advises them on which structure might be best for them. But he has one underlying piece of advice for anyone who might want to start a business with the same idea: Regardless of the purpose or mission, regardless of the organization, focus on the beer first and foremost.

“Maybe someone will come in for the first time and get excited about the mission and giving back, but if it’s mediocre beer, then they won’t come back,” said Gregory. “So beer has always been the focus for us because people come back for the beer.”

It’s good to hear Gregory say that. Good beer is something we can all get behind.

About the Author: Will McGough

Will is a nomad-at-large and travel columnist, penning profiles, features and dispatches from afar. His wake and wander philosophy is inspired by the spectrum of ways in which people live their lives in the different parts of the world. He enjoys the idea of waking up every day to new opportunities, new landscapes and the new feelings that the former inevitably evoke.Using Craft Beer as a Vehicle for Good

Milwaukee craft beer scene is hopping
Craft Beer, Featured Profile

Milwaukee craft beer scene is hopping

Despite its long-standing brewing legacy, Milwaukee was relatively late to the party when it came to craft brewing. But the hereditary home of Miller High Life, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz and Blatz is making up for lost time.

These days, the Cream City is awash in suds of all kinds from multiple small breweries scattered across the metro area. Pull up a stool and dive into some great new Milwaukee beer.

Dapper and BFG

Good things often come in small packages and very good beer is coming from Good City Brewing Co. on Milwaukee’s east side. Brewmaster and University of California-Davis grad Andy Jones is coaxing a surprisingly diverse collection of beers from his 17-barrel brewing system, much of which is available in Good City’s Farwell Avenue taproom.

Styles range from the eminently drinkable Dapper, a proper British session ale with 4.2 percent alcohol by volume, to the surprisingly dangerous BFG, or Big Friendly Goodness, a deceptively smooth barleywine that weighs in at 11.8 percent ABV. Top marks go to Motto, a single-malt/single-hop pale ale with 5.2 percent ABV and just the right level of Mosaic hops to make it both juicy and resinous on the palate.

Best new brewery

Brewer Kevin Wright must be doing something right, or maybe he just has a lot of friends. His Third Space Brewing Co., co-founded with Andy Gehl in Milwaukee’s Third Ward in September 2016, recently earned top honors as Wisconsin’s best new brewery, according to RateBeer.com, the online platform on which consumers weigh in on their favorite beers.

The RateBeer Best, an annual competition now in its 15th year, tallies the scores awarded for some 470,000 beers to determine the best beers, brewers and beer retailers worldwide. Third Space received its honor at a live ceremony in Santa Rosa, California earlier this year.

The taproom lineup includes Happy Place, a Midwest pale ale with 5.3 percent ABV; That’s Gold!, a golden Kolsch-style beer at 4.8 percent ABV; Acres Edge, a toasted oatmeal stout at 5.7 percent ABV; Happy Happy, a high-octane version of Happy Place with 8.5 percent ABV; and a few others. Wright’s lineup is well-balanced, featuring something for every beer drinker.

From coal to beer

Jimmy Gohsman knows craft beer can sometimes begin with home brewing and jump to the pros. The Denver native is one of those lucky ones and now serves as head brewer for the newly opened City Lights Brewing Co.

The brewery, which evolved from 4 Brothers Blended Beer Co., is in the former Milwaukee Gas Light Company structure built in 1902 to facilitate the coal gasification process necessary to light the street lamps throughout the city of Milwaukee. The building, designed by architect Alexander Eschweiler with bricks glazed by Tiffany, took a lot longer to rehab than expected due to historic preservation considerations. But in the end, the wait was worth it.

Gohsman’s beer lineup takes a traditional bent and includes an amber ale at 5.5 percent ABV, an IPA at 7.2 percent ABV, a brown ale at 5.7 percent ABV, and a session IPA at 4.5 percent ABV. You may want to go for the beer and stay for taproom’s stunning restoration and historical significance.

Doggy heaven

Every beer comes with its own legend. Here’s a good one: Black Husky Brewing was born in a log cabin. Really.

Tim and Toni Eichinger started brewing in a cabin in Pembine, a little town just inside the border from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Inspired by their son’s sled dog kennel and their pet husky Howler, a brand-new line of beers was born in 2010.

But as beautiful as Wisconsin’s north woods can be, the Eichingers ran into logistical problems trying to satisfy a growing number of Milwaukee bars and restaurants. Their solution? Relocate the brewery to Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, which they did in 2016.

Husky imagery, some fanciful, abounds on the beers’ labels, each of which features a different dog from the Eichingers’ kennel. The taproom lineup of eight beers includes The Original Black Husky Pale Ale, with 7.2 percent ABV, brewed with Simcoe hops and featuring Howler on the label; Sproose 2 IPA, an aggressive 8.6 percent ABV IPA brewed with spruce and featuring Lothar “the biter”; Three Scrutineers, an 8.4 percent ABV Belgian-style Tripel featuring White Knight, Papa and Fish adorned in pope hats; and close to a dozen others.

Brix

Tommy Vandervort was a UWM poli-sci and philosophy graduate when he entered public service and eventually took on the role of District 1 alderman for the city of Oak Creek. That would be enough to drive anyone to drink.

Instead, Vandervort founded Enlightened Brewing Co. in Bay View. In 2014, he brought on brewer James Larson, who holds a master’s degree in brewing and distilling from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, and who spent time in operations for Michigan’s famed Bell’s Brewery.

Together, Vandervort and Larson have come up with some inventive brews. Eight beers are currently on tap, including Benevolent Brew, a 7.4 percent ABV English ale; Enlightened Sustained Thought Coffee Stout with 6 percent ABV; te ipsum (Latin for “yourself”), a 6.5 percent ABV American pale ale; and Cream City Brix, a 5 percent ABV cream ale.

The last one is, of course, an inside joke for area residents who understand the origin of Milwaukee’s Cream City moniker and know “brix” refers to the amount of fermentable sugars in an aqueous solution. And now you know, too!

On tap

Good City Brewing Co.

2108 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee

414-539-4343

Third Space Brewing Co.

1505 W. St. Paul Ave., Milwaukee

414-909-BEER

City Lights Brewing Co.

2200 W. Mount Vernon Ave., Milwaukee

4141-436-1011

Black Husky Brewing Co.

909 E. Locust St., Milwaukee

414-509-8855

Enlightened Brewing Co.

2018 S. First St., Milwaukee

414-704-4085

2108 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee

2108 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee

Click here to view original web page at wisconsingazette.com

World's first craft beer brewed to be enjoyed while flying
Craft Beer, Hot Topics

World’s first craft beer brewed to be enjoyed while flying

Betsy Beer is the first beer designed and brewed to be enjoyed at high altitudes. Because senses are dulled by up to 30% during a flight, Cathay Pacific wanted to brew a beer that was perfectly suited to this environment.

The beer celebrates the eclectic flavours of the Orient with a tip of the hat to England’s long-standing tradition of turning barley and hops into a golden pint.

Taking its name from Cathay Pacific’s first aircraft, Betsy is a uniquely crafted brew containing Dragon Fruit and New Territories honey from Hong Kong, along with Fuggle Hops grown in Kent and used in English breweries for centuries.

Unlike its highly-hopped counterparts, Betsy is a wheat-based beer with a higher carbonation level than ordinary brews, heightening the sense of taste and delivering a punch of flavour with less bitterness and more aroma.

The Glenlivet has released a new rare whisky, its Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish, that has been finished in American oak casks that have previously held heavily peated Scotch whisky. This third release completes its rare single malt craft whisky range.

“As with each whisky in the Nàdurra range, it is produced using authentic 19th Century methods. A limited quantity is available because of the extensive time and craftsmanship involved in its making. Significantly, Nàdurra Peated marks the first time since the 19th century, that The Glenlivet has released a peated whisky,” says The Glenlivet brand manager, Eugene Lenford.

Bottled at 61.5% ABV Cask Strength / 48% ABV, the Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish is inspired by the authentic production processes used at The Glenlivet Distillery by its founder, George Smith, who originally used peat smoke to dry the malted barley. Finished in peated casks, the classic, smooth and fruity house style has been enriched with gentle, aromatic smoky notes.

The latest release is presented in redesigned packaging, which includes a prominent batch number, cask-like stamps and a more visible translation of the Gaelic word, ‘Nàdurra’ – meaning natural.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish is available from selected stores countrywide from March 2017 onwards at an approximate retail price of R818.92 – the same price as Nàdurra First Fill and Nàdurra Oloroso.

Click here to view original web page at www.bizcommunity.com

Beer Napa
Craft Beer, crushbrew featured, crushbrew featured home

Beer Napa

The waiter at the Top of the Hill Tavern (“TOPO”) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was pleading his case for an IPA called Assist. I wasn’t complaining. In fact, I’d just told him that TOPO’s Ram’s Head IPA was one of the best I’d ever had. It wasn’t just me — last year, the brewpub’s Ram’s Head brought home the platinum in the World Beer Championships. Our waiter said that for his money, he liked the hop-heavy, “fruit-forward profile” of Assist. The thing is that I’d already bought a second round; he wasn’t trying to make a sale. He was trying to convert me.

One of the truly great side effects of the craft beer boom has been a raising of a sort of hipster version of civic pride. So when traveling, I always order a local brew and have regretted it exactly once. It’s something new, and the waitstaff won’t just rattle off options. They get excited about it. Just like the fierce competition has driven Memphis barbecue to the next level in both quality and loyalty, North Carolina breweries are at the top of their game and have created a craft brew tourism in the bargain. It has become the Napa Valley of beer.

According to the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild, there are currently 185 breweries in the state, with 56 in the areas called the Triad and The Triangle. The regions are right next to each other, but the locals are picky — they aren’t the same thing.

According to its website, Gizmo Brew Works was launched in 2013 “from the ashes of a fallen brewery brother. … Gizmo represents the thinkers, tinkerers, and inventors who make up [Research Triangle Park] and the Umstead Industrial Park which we call home.” My only real complaint with the Assist IPA was the same I had with Gizmo’s prose — there was just a little bit too much going on.

That’s when it struck me — the state’s success with craft beer isn’t just sensible laws and fierce competition, it’s also friendly collaboration. These are the factors that Matt Ridley points out in his book, The Rational Optimist, that cause “ideas to have sex.”

Apt point, as Mrs. M and I were in town for a wedding. While she and her college friends went to pester the bride, the husbands went down to a famous burger shack called Al’s. It was a little too famous, actually, and crowded. One of us called his boss lady to say we’d gone down the street to …

“… the Carolina Brewery?” she guessed. Well, she had us there. This puts two fully functioning brewpubs, churning out excellent beer (try Carolina’s Pamlico Pale Ale, named after the local Pamlico Sound) within about six blocks, in a city the size of Chapel Hill.

The talent in this area is so thick that when a friend from college, Britt Lytle, opened a brewery down the road in High Point, it was easy to find a local brewmaster to help him out. Brown Truck Brewery (named after Britt’s first truck) won three medals in the Great American Beer Festival in its first year. If you love craft beer, beautiful scenery, and friendly arguments about brew, you might want to get yourself out to North Carolina for a long weekend.

And I have to admit to doing my part for the N.C. beer boom. Britt and I were discussing his opening up a brewery in such a competitive environment — the challenges and the fears — when the conversation turned to “Murffbrau,” my college homebrew. “Was I an inspiration for Brown Truck?” I asked.

“Actually, you were.” He said. “I took one sip of that crap and said to myself, ‘There has got to be a better way.'”

Click here to view original web page at www.memphisflyer.com

25 most important American craft beers ever
Craft Beer

25 most important American craft beers ever

Food & Wine had a great idea.

I’m borrowing it.

Last month, the magazine asked 21 beer industry luminaries to rank the most important craft beers of all time. Not the best, which would have been a ridiculous and impossible undertaking.

The most important.

As you might expect from a pack of luminaries, the list was fairly well-constructed. But after sharing it on social media and following with my own thoughts, most of which blew past 140 characters, there was only one thing to do: Make a list of my own.

What makes an “important” beer? To me, the definition is simple: It’s one that either changed consumer tastes or how breweries approach making beer. Some of the beers below have influenced both drinkers and brewers. Others hew more in one direction than the other. Others find their power in the brand or the package even more than the beer. As you’ll see, I agree with much of the Food & Wine list but also take several exceptions.

I’m interested in your opinions too. Feel free to email with the beer that has been most important to you, personally, with a few sentences explaining why, and we’ll follow up in the coming weeks with the readers’ say.

Until then, here is my ranking of the American craft beer industry’s 25 most important beers ever (which actually numbers more than that due to several ties):

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Sierra Nevada Brewing)

As simple as the concept is now, Sierra Nevada’s flagship beer was revolutionary in 1980: a hop-forward pale ale showcasing the spry citrus character of American-grown hops. Nothing like it had existed before on a commercial scale; now such beers line shelves of any and every reputable beer store in the country. There’s no other reasonable choice for the top spot. (Food & Wine rank: 1)

2. Sam Adams Boston Lager (Boston Beer)

Not the most exciting beer, but the company’s ambitious growth, crossed with founder Jim Koch’s marketing savvy — including a very public war of words with Anheuser-Busch during the 1990s — has arguably done more than any other brand to challenge the dominance of Bud, Miller and the old standbys. As Goose Island founder John Hall once told me: “Jim built a tent that the rest of us could step into.” (F&W: 2)

3. Bourbon County Stout (Goose Island Beer Co.)

When first released in 1995 (yes — it was 1995, not 1992 as the label says), an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels might as well have been a lager brewed on Mars; it just didn’t exist. Goose Island gave the world a gift by coaxing those phenomenal flavors that result from imperial stout meeting whiskey barrel — vanilla, chocolate, coconut, marshmallow and oak. The evidence lies in the hundreds, if not thousands, of breweries that have followed suit. (F&W: 3)

4. Anchor Steam (Anchor Brewing)

The original American craft beer. End of story. (F&W: 11)

5. 90 Minute IPA (Dogfish Head Brewing)

Like “Jeopardy!” this spot began with an answer: hops. Hops have been the engine driving craft beer for more than a decade, and without an India pale in the top four, it was time for an India pale ale. Dozens of IPAs have been influential, which made zeroing in on one a challenge. But I settled on this classic, and without much consternation. Back in 1999, when many American craft breweries were still built on mimicking European beer styles, Delaware’s Dogfish Head changed how a nation thought about hops, with this boozy (9 percent alcohol), bitter (90 IBUs) and assertive imperial IPA. What made the beer even more important was the company’s aggressive distribution strategy, which made Dogfish the nation’s fastest-growing brewery by 2011 and put 90 Minute IPA in countless awestruck hands at a time that craft beer was building momentum toward the breakthrough that followed. (F&W: 23)

6. Blue Moon Belgian White (Blue Moon Brewing Co.; subsidiary of MillerCoors)

The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer, and MillerCoors certainly is not one. However, the Brewers Association does not define craft beer, and it is widely agreed: Blue Moon is a craft beer. Ubiquity and the power of that MillerCoors distribution network have made Blue Moon crucially important to the growth of craft beer; it has educated countless mainstream drinkers about the genius of the Belgian wit. (F&W: Not ranked)

7. Lagunitas IPA (Lagunitas Brewing)

Hard as it is to imagine, IPAs barely existed in 1995, which put this beer and its citrus-pine hop character ahead of its time. More subtly, but equally important: Lagunitas founder Tony Magee claims to be first to package an IPA simply as “IPA.” Until then, he has said, the style was largely portrayed as “I.P.A.” and with the sort of images — a raja, the Taj Mahal, a Bengal tiger — that nodded to the style’s history as a British export to India. If in fact Magee was first to package IPA without the periods and the campy iconography — and I’ve found no compelling evidence to the contrary — this beer has been even more influential than its tasty liquid (which has become the nation’s top-selling IPA). (F&W: Not ranked)

8. New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire/Bell’s Amber (tie)

No one cares much about amber ales anymore, but like Sam Adams Boston Lager, the style helped convert scores of craft drinkers in the ’80s and early ’90s. It also gave breweries the bedrock, high-volume beers that financed their ability to embrace the wilder experiments that have come to define the industry. (F&W: Neither ranked)

9. La Folie (New Belgium Brewing)

Long before oak-aged sour beers were popular in American brewing, there was La Folie. This showed a generation of brewers the possibilities. (F&W: 13)

10. Pliny the Elder (Russian River Brewing)

One of the original American cult beers, Pliny can’t be found outside of its tiny distribution footprint — California, Oregon, Colorado and Philadelphia — and that’s partly where the power of this imperial IPA lies. But the beer backs up the hype with superb balance: bold citrus-pine character, malt backbone and bitterness. (F&W: 7)

11. Dark Lord (Three Floyds Brewing)

Dark Lord has several firsts (or near firsts) to its credit: It is among the first prominent examples of an imperial stout featuring adjuncts — in this case, coffee, Mexican vanilla and Indian sugar. Its annual Dark Lord Day release helped birth the idea of beer as an event. And, for better or worse, it has fueled the notion of rarity as a prized commodity in craft beer. (F&W: 8)

12. Redhook ESB/Widmer Hefeweizen (tie)

Extra special bitter and hefeweizen don’t have much in common, but these beers are linked in history by one powerful force: Anheuser-Busch. Both Redhook and Widmer sold minority stakes to the St. Louis giant during the 1990s when big beer was first grappling with the emergence of craft. In Anheuser-Busch’s mighty distribution network, both these flagships vaulted to national prominence and reached many more taste buds than they otherwise would have. A dotted line can be drawn from those deals to Anheuser-Busch InBev’s acquisition of nine American craft breweries since 2011, which has the world’s largest beer company poised to become the nation’s largest producer of craft beer in the coming years. (F&W: Not ranked/19)

13. Anchor Liberty/Anchor Porter/Anchor Christmas Ale/Anchor Old Foghorn (tie)

Arguably America’s first modern IPA, porter, seasonal release and barleywine all came from the same brewery. Remarkable. (F&W: 6/21/17/unranked)

14. Celis White/New Albion Ale/Bert Grant’s IPA/Pete’s Wicked Ale (tie)

Ah, the dearly departed. In the early ‘90s, Celis popularized the Belgian wit style in the U.S. (and quite likely inspired the existence of Blue Moon). New Albion lasted only a handful of years, but no less than Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman cites it as an influence. Grant is widely credited with brewing the nation’s first IPA (Anchor Liberty wasn’t marketed as such, though that’s essentially what it is). Pete’s Brewing was one of the five largest craft breweries in the U.S. through the ‘90s and served as a prominent alternative to Budweiser and Miller. All are gone; none is forgotten. (F&W: 14/10/unranked/unranked)

15. Allagash White (Allagash Brewing)

Blue Moon taught a generation of mainstream beer drinkers to love Belgian wit. Allagash White did it with grace and style. And without an orange wedge. (F&W: 4)

16. Black Butte Porter (Deschutes Brewery)

Opting for a porter as a flagship in 1988 was a bold move. The fact that Black Butte continues to be a bedrock brand for Deschutes — and that porter is now an industrywide bedrock style — more than affirms the decision. (F&W: Not ranked)

17. Dale’s Pale Ale (Oskar Blues Brewery)

Sometimes it’s not just the liquid that makes a beer important. Dale’s Pale Ale was the first craft beer to be widely distributed in cans, forever changing what we reach for when we reach for a craft beer. The fact that the handsome blue, red and silver can housed a well-made 6.5 percent alcohol pale ale didn’t hurt either. (F&W: 15)

18. Arrogant Bastard Ale (Arrogant Brewing)

It was the attitude as much as the beer that made Arrogant Bastard such a revelation upon its release in 1997. Stone Brewing — which spun off Arrogant Brewing into its own company in 2016 — set out to challenge beer drinkers in a way that the industry had rarely done. This intensely bitter and snarky beer (“You’re not worthy” was the tag line) pushed craft to keep pushing. (F&W: Not ranked)

19. Brooklyn Lager/Yuengling Traditional Lager/Victory Prima Pils (tie)

I’m lumping in the lagers because they’ve had similar effects on validating a style once disdained within the industry. Brooklyn and Yuengling did it with volume. Victory did it by crafting the perfect pilsner. (F&W: Not ranked/Not ranked/9)

20. Heady Topper (The Alchemist)

This Vermont double IPA helped establish the East Coast as a legitimate source of world-class craft beer — on par at last with the West. It also helped launch the unfiltered “New England IPA” style that has enjoyed recent prominence. This beer is still better than 99 percent of them. (F&W: 5)

21. Hennepin (Brewery Ommegang) and Tank 7 (Boulevard Brewing) (tie)

Ommegang has never been the most buzzed-about American craft brewery but has long been one of the best. Modeled on the Belgian breweries adored by Ommegang founders Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield, Hennepin was the first craft saison made in the United States. Boulevard’s Tank 7 didn’t come along until 2009 but is as responsible as any American saison for bringing that style to the mainstream. (F&W: Neither ranked)

Ommegang has never been the most buzzed-about American craft brewery but has long been one of the best. Modeled on the Belgian breweries adored by Ommegang founders Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield, Hennepin was the first craft saison made in the United States. Boulevard’s Tank 7 didn’t come along until 2009 but is as responsible as any American saison for bringing that style to the mainstream. (F&W: Neither ranked)

22. Cuvee de Tomme (Port Brewing/Lost Abbey)

Tart bourbon barrel-aged fruit beer doesn’t sound so radical now, but during the 1990s, Cuvee de Tomme was a revelation for anyone who could find it. I’ve never tried this beer, but it has been on my to-do list since learning its place in history while researching that wonderful, persnickety yeast strain, Brettanomyces. This was one of the first American beers to use Brett. (F&W: 18)

23. Matilda (Goose Island Beer Co.)

Speaking of Brettanomyces, Goose Island was among the first breweries to mainstream that yeast with the 2005 introduction of Matilda, a tribute to legendary Belgian beer Orval. Goose Island needed more than a year to figure out how to make a beer with Brett. Most of the literature at the time was about how to keep it out of beer. Matilda quickly caught the attention of both customers and fellow brewers, which has helped make Brett an industry staple. (F&W: Not ranked)

24. Every beer ever from Firestone Walker Brewing and New Glarus Brewing

How have we gotten this far without any representation from America’s two best breweries? OK, problem solved.

25. Not Your Father’s Root Beer (Small Town Brewery)

Just kidding.

Two Brothers Brewing: Built on a Stubborn Streak and a Dream
Craft Beer, Devoted to the Craft

Two Brothers Brewing: Built on a Stubborn Streak and a Dream

Click here to view original web page at www.craftbeer.com by MATHEW POWERS

Twenty years ago, Two Brothers Brewing didn’t operate four establishments, nor could it boast countless domestic and international brewing awards. The brewery certainly didn’t play host to 10,000 attendees at a summer festival. Back then, Jason and Jim Ebel, co-founders and the brothers behind the name, had nothing more than a few beer samples, a stubborn streak and a dream.

Jason Ebel sought to transform that dream into a reality by lugging the beer in his small car to a Chicago bar. The car’s trunk was too tiny to fit the beer, so he had to strap it into the seats, which forced his wife to sit in the back. But, the discomfort would all be worth it because once the bar operator drank Jason’s beer, he would buy it and the process of building a brewery would ensue — at least that was the hope.

The bar operator took one sip and promptly said, “Nope.”

“I always joke, if I weren’t so stubborn or stupid, I would have quit years ago. There were so many days I should have quit,” Jason explains. “But I just always wanted this to work, and I had such a passion … I couldn’t let it go. And now 20 years later, I am so glad that I was that stubborn.”

The stubbornness drove him back to the bar until he eventually won over the owner.

It’s Not About the Money at Two Brothers Brewing

The 20-year journey from brush-off to craft brewing stalwart has included multiple GABF medals and World Cup wins. The Two Brothers brand has also grown to include coffee, dining and spirits, but the beer remains front and center. They’ve opened three Chicago locations and another in Scottsdale, Arizona. Along the way, Two Brothers rejuvenated a historic railroad roundhouse (constructed in 1856) and repurposed a 1910 bakery into a beacon of craft culture that is aptly named “The Craftsman.”

Two Brothers remains family owned and staunchly independent. It persists in being faithful to the comradery craft beer is so well-known for.

“It’s always been a fraternal business … always willing to help each other,” Jason says. “We believe in that.”

“I don’t care about the extra dollars. I care about making great beer, and doing things the right way.” ~Jason Ebel

Dedicated to quality, community and sustainability, Jason says he refuses to skimp on resources for the sake of profit.

“Sustainability is not cheap,” he says. “We always try to do it the right way, we think, whether it’s spending five times more for something to be made in the U.S. or buying top-of-the-line ingredients. It gets tougher as the business grows, but we want to lead the business in the right direction. I don’t care about the extra dollars. I care about making great beer, and doing things the right way.”

Two Brothers Brewing strives to create the best product possible, rather than attempt to become the biggest-selling brewery.

“We have always had a slow, methodical growth pace on purpose. To me, it’s a very calculated…when wholesalers from new markets call, we often say, ‘not yet.’” In fact, Jason still writes every brewing recipe and actively participates in every level of quality control, just as he did 20 years ago.

Always Pushing to Create Something New

Ebel says what he’s seen change in recent years are beer consumers. Millennials have always had craft beer available to them, and he says their perspective is different from those who remember the days before its emergence.

“The difference in young adults and those who have been around a while presents a brewing challenge, for sure. But we have always been about pushing the envelope and embracing innovation,” he explains. “For example, we produced our first sour 11 years ago. We have our special divisions program and they are always experimenting. It’s great.”

Even when it comes to craft staples, Two Brothers seeks to be innovative. Ebel says a great example is the brewery’s new Pinball Pale Ale, a beer he says “has more hops than anything we’ve ever made” – yet isn’t overly bitter.

“This beer pushes the envelope in creativity. We don’t add any hops during boil, everything happens in the whirlpool, or later,” he says. “The aroma is absolutely incredible.”

Two Brothers will also introduce an IPA with a hop that’s just about to come into the market — the Denali hop — which Jason explains is “like pineapple meets pine and citrus. They are some of the coolest hops I’ve smelled in a while.”

Even after two decades of pushing that envelope, you can tell Ebel doesn’t plan to sit back and put the next 20 years on auto-pilot.

“I can’t help but think about all the cool stuff we can do in the next 10 years or beyond,” Ebel says. “Although, if my kids take over the business, they might be annoyed at all the dumb stuff dad did [laughter].”

I doubt that. It would appear that good beer, “crazy” dreams and a stubborn streak worked awfully well for the Ebels.

After spending most of his life chasing tornadoes, Mathew decided to chase beer as writer, historian and drinker. He possesses a Master’s in Written Communication and History and he’s published regularly in print and digitally on various beer and spirits publications. When he’s not writing (or drinking beer), he’s spending time with family, watching sports, reading history books and dreaming of classic cars he can’t afford.

BrewDog opens brewery in competitive central Ohio beer market
Craft Beer, Hot Topics

BrewDog opens brewery in competitive central Ohio beer market

by Ben Garbarek Click here to view original web page at abc6onyourside.com

Monday, February 20th 2017

CANAL WINCHESTER, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — Scottish brewery BrewDog opened its North American headquarters for the first time Monday in Canal Winchester.

The $30 million facility on Gender Road took nearly two years to build and is the size of about two football fields. It will house BrewDog’s brewing equipment, distribution center and taproom.

The brewery will start brewing in March. It’ll sell its beer across Ohio and perhaps eventually nationwide. The facility in Canal Winchester is designed to be a tourist destination.

“We had people coming from Brazil,” said Keith Bennet, who moved from Scotland to start the brewery in the US. “We’ve had people driving down from Michigan just to have a beer, things like that. So, it’s really exciting. Hopefully, people do make it a destination and we can make it a really cool place to hang out.”

BrewDog will be competing with more than 30 breweries in central Ohio and more than 200 across the state. The Ohio Craft Brewers Association said the number of breweries in Ohio has quadrupled since 2012.

“People have a passion for it,” said Mary MacDonald with the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “It’s something that they love. A lot of them are former home brewers turned professional and they want to serve something that’s local to their market.”

MacDonald said the market doesn’t appear to have hit its saturation point yet. She said there are more than 60 new ones in the works across the state.

“You’ve got more farmers markets, you’ve got more locally owned restaurants, you’ve got lots of artisan bakeries and things like that and the craft beer scene is kind of following that,” she said.

BrewDog also made headlines last week by announcing a new perk for its employees. Employees will get a week of paid leave if they adopt a dog.

 

American Craft Beer Week 2017 coming May 15-21
Craft Beer, Hot Topics

American Craft Beer Week 2017 coming May 15-21

Click here to view original web page at beerpulse.com by Press Release

WHAT: For the twelfth consecutive year, the Brewers Association has declared American Craft Beer Week (ACBW), a nationwide celebration of the small and independent craft brewers that make America’s beer culture so exceptional. The weeklong celebration provides a platform for craft brewers and beer lovers to celebrate craft beer. From May 15-21, brewers across all 50 states will hold events including exclusive brewery tours, special craft beer releases, food and beer pairings, tap takeovers and more.

WHEN: Monday, May 15–Sunday, May 21, 2017

WHERE: North to South. East to West. Sea to Shining Sea.
Visit the official American Craft Beer Week event calendar on CraftBeer.com for a full – and growing – list of local celebrations in all 50 states.

WHY: ACBW provides hundreds of thousands of beer lovers the opportunity to visit and support their local brewery and beer businesses. It’s the perfect time to recognize the ingenuity of the small and independent craft breweries that have made America’s beer culture the richest in the world.

About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer CupSM, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru™ mobile app. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.

 

Tap This: 6 beers to try this Valentine’s Day no matter who you’re with
Craft Beer

Tap This: 6 beers to try this Valentine’s Day no matter who you’re with

When discussing craft beers in America we tend to drop impressive dates of some older breweries that opened in the late ’70s or early ’80s. These “older” breweries seem to have been on the landscape for quite some time. Some macro breweries even date back to the 1800s, but in the overall beer landscape, we are nothing but infants.

Many European breweries have existed for centuries and have been brewing beers that are still just as impressive today as they were hundreds of years ago. One such brewery is the Rochefort Brewery, or Brasserie de Rochefort, the Trappist brewers behind the Rochefort line of world class Belgian beers.

The brewery is located in Rochefort, Belgium, and has been brewing beer since 1595. That’s right, the brewery has been brewing incredible beers nearly two centuries before the United States existed as a country. The brewery is also one of only 11 breweries in the world that has the Trappist label, meaning the beer is brewed by monks.

The Rochefort Brewery is directly associated with the Rochefort Abbey which was founded around 1230. Monks began brewing beer as a means to fund the monastery. The brewery has continued to grow and has developed a worldwide following and has gained a status as a brewer of some of the best beers in the world.

This is even more impressive when considering the brewery’s full lineup consists of only three beers that are released worldwide. With many craft breweries continuously expanding their beer lineup, the Rochefort Brewery has stuck to what it does best and has beers good enough that just three will suffice.

So what are these three beers that have gained such a stellar reputation? They are known simply by number and a colored bottle cap. The beers are Rochefort 6 (red cap), Rochefort 8 (green cap), and Rochefort 10 (blue cap).

Rochefort 6: At 7.5 percent ABV this is the lowest ABV beer produced. This Belgian Dubbel has a deep red hue with an aroma that explodes with an array of fruit notes and sweet malts. A smooth, rich body that is the perfect vessel for the variety of flavors locked within this example of great Belgian beer. This is an easy drinking beer and seemingly has something for everyone. It is the most approachable of all the beers.

Rochefort 8: A Belgian dark ale with a 9.2 % ABV has a thicker body than Rochefort 6, but is still an easy drinking beer. This beer was originally brewed for New Years Eve celebrations, but eventually became a favorite. Notes of dark red fruits abound with hints of brown sugar, molasses, figs and caramel swirl together in a beer that has the perfect touch of sweetness. The higher ABV makes it a little more aggressive, but is still fairly approachable for all craft beer lovers.

Rochefort 10: This 11.3 % ABV Belgian Quadrupel is the big brother of the group. This is the richest and most complex beer. Toffee malts, sweet cherry, figs, brown sugar and spicy hops are the perfect balance of flavors. The ABV may be high, but there is no alcohol heat present and instead this beer drinks more like fine smooth whiskey, but with no alcohol bite. No self-respecting craft beer lover can miss trying this beer.

The Rochefort Brewery has a long storied history with world class beers. Its beers should be in constant rotation for all craft beer lovers. While they are readily available they should not be taken for granted, if you have not experienced the wonders of these beers there is no better time than right now to try them.

Derek Warren is a beer fanatic, avid homebrewer and beer historian. Derek can be heard weekly on the Beer Geeks Radio Hour at noon on Sundays on WILK 103.1 FM with past episodes available on iTunes.

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You'll Never Guess Who's Jumped Into the Craft-Beer Business
Craft Beer

You’ll Never Guess Who’s Jumped Into the Craft-Beer Business

Can Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) save the craft-beer industry? Few are aware that the deep-discount retailer has been selling its own craft beer for almost a year now, but as more people discover it, there’s the potential for it to revive industry sales.

No laughing matter

Before you laugh, there might be some very good reasons this could happen. After years of double-digit growth, craft breweries are expected to post just single-digit gains for 2016. Even though there are more than 5,000 U.S. craft breweries in existence today, more than at any other time in the country’s past, the Brewers Association industry trade group estimates that volumes grew only around 8% last year. Others think it could be even lower.

The market analysts at IRI, for example, say its channel checks indicate fourth-quarter volumes rose only 3% from the year-ago period, leaving full-year volumes up just 5%.

Much of the weakness is due to reports of soft sales from the largest names in the industry. Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM), which many consider to still be the face of craft beer, suffered an 8% drop in depletions in the third quarter and expects them to fall by as much as 6% for the full year, compared with previous guidance that saw them as possibly being flat. (Depletions are shipments to distributors and retailers and are considered a reliable industry proxy for consumer demand.)

Similarly, Craft Brew Alliance, New Belgium Brewing, and even Anheuser-Busch InBev‘s Shock Top brand are all suffering from slack sales. While a few of these might not fit the industry definition of what constitutes a craft brewer, beer drinkers still view their beer as craft.

That showing would coincide with IRI’s data showing that brewers such as Boston Beer and Pabst were down sharply in the last three months of 2016, with Craft Brew Alliance, New Belgium, and Gambrinus down by low- to mid-single-digit rates.

That showing would coincide with IRI’s data showing that brewers such as Boston Beer and Pabst were down sharply in the last three months of 2016, with Craft Brew Alliance, New Belgium, and Gambrinus down by low- to mid-single-digit rates.

That showing would coincide with IRI’s data showing that brewers such as Boston Beer and Pabst were down sharply in the last three months of 2016, with Craft Brew Alliance, New Belgium, and Gambrinus down by low- to mid-single-digit rates.

It’s not all bad news, as brewers such as Lagunitas and Dogfish Head, among others, were up by double-digit percentages. Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) also surged, and though much of that increase might be attributable to its imported Corona brands, it also has its Ballast Point craft brand to thank, as it’s been living up to its reputation as the fastest-growing craft beer.

Wal-Mart to the rescue?

So how is Wal-Mart going to save the industry? First, the retailer isn’t actually brewing beer on its own in Bentonville, Ark., but rather contracts with WX Brands, which describes itself as developing “exclusive brands of wine, beer, and spirits for retailers around the world.” It packages Wal-Mart’s craft beers under the Trouble Brewing brand and offers a number of beer labels such as Cat’s Away IPA, After Party Pale Ale, and California-only Pacific Drift. A 12-pack of a Wal-Mart craft brew sells for around $13.

While you might not find many hipsters shopping Wal-Mart’s craft-beer aisle looking to pick up some ‘Round Midnight Belgian White, with more than 4,600 stores nationwide it remains the most heavily trafficked grocery store in the country, and stocking its shelves with “craft beer” has the potential to introduce more people to craft labels than just about any other outlet. The mass merchandiser might not break any sales records or have Boston Beer worrying it will be stealing market share from it, but as the supermarket giant told The Street last year, “We want to bring craft beer to the masses.”

Although there’s a level of snobbery in the craft-beer market that would exclude a Wal-Mart beer from being considered truly craft, the retailer has a unique ability to put craft beer front and center for the American consumer in a way no one else is able to. Beer drinkers who might normally not consider anything other than some mass-produced suds might now join the traditional craft-beer crowd that’s constantly on the prowl for new flavors and tastes. And anything that introduces more people to craft beer can’t be all bad.

Even if what they’re drinking is a Wal-Mart Red Flag Amber, it’s a development that might very well reverse the craft-beer industry’s sinking fortunes.

Trump’s potential $1.6 trillion investment
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They’ve picked 11 stocks poised to profit from Trump’s first 100 days as president. History has shown that getting in early on a good idea can often pay big bucks – so don’t miss out on this moment.

Apple quietly leases 5,000-acre abandoned military base
Why did Apple quietly lease an enormous, 5000-acre abandoned military base, what on earth are they spending $10 billion on, and who knows exactly what’s behind ‘Project Titan’?

We may have just found the incredible answer – and more.

You see, this research also reveals 3 stocks to buy before Apple unveils what could be the next must-have product. Click here now to read the full report now.

Click here to view original web page at www.fool.com

With Valentine's Day in mind, some sweet brews for your sweetheart ... and you
Craft Beer

With Valentine’s Day in mind, some sweet brews for your sweetheart … and you

For some, Valentine’s Day is a chance to give chocolates or other sweets. For others, the day might bring a blend of sweet and sour elements. The local craft beer industry sees Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for creativity, collaboration and even some ruminations on the nature of love.

Whether you seek a sweet chocolate-infused beer for your sweetie, or your inclination is more toward the sour, local craft beer makers might have just the thing, if you want a special craft beer to help celebrate the day.

Five craft breweries have new releases designed around Valentine’s Day, and The Veil Brewing Co.’s co-owner Dave Michelow says the brewery has something special planned for the day, too.

RVA Collab House, the Scott’s Addition location of Three Notch’d Brewing Co., will have Loose Moose on tap for Valentine’s Day.

This “dessert beer” was designed by Charlottesville-area native and avid home brewer Noelle Gray. “A chocolate lover’s dream, this rich, creamy stout was made with three different kinds of dark roast barleys, giving it several layers of chocolate and roast flavors, then finished off with Ghirardelli dark chocolate,” says Dave Warwick, founding brewer at Three Notch’d.

Castleburg Brewery has a new release coming out Saturday, Feb. 11. The Siege Chocolate Raspberry Stout is described by brewer Karl Homburg as containing “chocolate and subtle hints of raspberry in a dark and decadent milk sweet stout, brewed with cocoa nibs from the Dominican Republic and raspberries.”

This will beg comparison to the well-established Hardywood Raspberry Stout, available since March 2013. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery’s stout is described as “brewed with heaps of chocolate malt, cacao nibs and local, late-season red raspberries from Agri-berry Farm. It captures the essence of a decadent raspberry truffle in liquid form.”

Trapezium Brewing in Petersburg will release Get Lucky 14 Raspberry Stout on Friday, Feb. 10. This new offering has “bright raspberry flavor with subtle notes of chocolate,” says sales director Kirk Candler.

Other chocolate-infused stouts can be found in Goochland County and Ashland. Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery in Goochland offers Heir Apparent, and Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in Ashland has Orange Is the New Stout, described as “an imperial chocolate stout crafted with oranges and sea salt.”

For those looking for a lighter chocolate beer, porters can also include chocolate. Dave Gott, executive vice president of Legend Brewing Co., offers this description of Legend Chocolate Porter: “We generously added dark malts to this brew, including caramel and chocolate malts. By blending in natural cocoa, the flavor is of dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, and more dark chocolate.”

Triple Crossing Brewing Co. went in the sweet-and-sour direction for its Valentine’s Day release. Co-owner Scott Jones says the brewery’s Waxing Poetic with Passionfruit and Mango, a 4 percent tart wheat Berliner Weisse, “was fermented and conditioned over hundreds of pounds of mango and passion fruit purée. Tart, tropical and fruit forward.”

Isley Brewing’s new Valentine’s Day-themed release also focused on the sour. Summit Ave 3 is a barrel-aged sour Belgian white with cherries. Isley Brewing Co. brewmaster Josh Stamps describes it as: “Forty pounds of sour black cherries, Lactobacillus (bacteria that produce lactic acid to create the “sour” taste) and Brettanomyces (yeast) to add sour, tartness and a funk, all over a simple Belgian blonde!” The rationale behind this, Stamps says, is that “love is bittersweet, and we take the good with the bad, we work through challenges, and come out better than ever (hopefully!). Into the barrels went a rather simple, mild blonde ale.

“We utilized some very difficult, sometimes frustrating, always challenging techniques. Like love, this beer has faced many challenges, and has emerged stronger, better, and more beautiful than ever before.”

Click here to view original web page at www.richmond.com

SweetWater vs. Sam Adams -- The Super Bowl Loser Will Pay Up
Craft Beer, Hot Topics

SweetWater vs. Sam Adams — The Super Bowl Loser Will Pay Up

News broke via Twitter (how else) on Friday afternoon of a possible Super Bowl wager forming between two of the country’s largest craft breweries: Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing Co. and Boston Beer Co., colloquially known as Samuel Adams. The initial flurry of smack-talking tweets between the two breweries about Sunday’s Falcons/Patriots title game seemed to suggest something special might be on the line, by way of wager. Several ideas were bandied back and forth, but the final is especially intriguing: The loser must “rename” their flagship after the winning team, presumably in very limited capacity.

Wanting to confirm whether this wager was legitimately going to happen, or if it’s just a bunch of hot air, we reached out to SweetWater and Boston Beer Co. reps, and guess what? It’s on. The bet is on, people. If Atlanta wins, Boston Lager will hereby be known as “Dirty Bird Lager.”

.@SamuelAdamsBeer Let’s #riseup the stakes and force the loser to rename a beer after the winners team. Dirty Bird Lager has a nice ring

If New England wins, meanwhile, SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale would apparently be dubbed “New England Patriots Extra Pale Ale.” As an aside: I really must note here that the latter is a far less catchy name than “Dirty Bird Lager,” regardless of my obvious prejudices as an Atlanta resident. Step up your name game, BBC.

.@Sweetwaterbrew New England #Patriots Extra Pale Ale it is. Sales, through the roof. ????#SB51

We were even able to get a quote from Jim Koch, iconic Boston Beer Co. founder and American craft beer spokesman. Suffice to say, he sounds confident:

“We’re behind New England as they head to the big game. To put our beer where our mouth is, we accepted a friendly bet with SweetWater Brewing Co. We’re confident that we’ll be kickin’ back at the Boston brewery, enjoying southern grits while SweetWater’s brewers wear our patriot colors in the ATL. At the end of the day, New Englanders just want to see Roger Goodell put another ring on the fingers of our favorite Patriots.”

Well, Koch didn’t get where he is today by being timid, I suppose. Meanwhile, SweetWater founder Freddy Bensch is also confident that the Falcons won’t be letting the brewery down.

“South got something to say. Get ready to do the dirty bird! Watch this, Koch, #RiseUp!”

There you have it. Which hometown brewery will bask in the reflected glory of their sports team? And which will be humiliated? We’ll find out Sunday.

The Five W's Of Drinking In 2017
Craft Beer, crushbrew featured, Lifestyle

The Five W’s Of Drinking In 2017

Many Americans drinkers are entering 2017 with trepidation, and it’s not just because they may fear our new president prefers Twitter to tolerance. As I’ve chronicled in this space, the global beer market is , and its players – small to large – are pretty much asking a crystal ball how to maneuver within such uncharted territory. Life is somewhat more stable on the spirits side, though the Internet is continuing to profoundly transform . Spirit brands, more often than not owned by a handful of international conglomerates, have to and smart marketing to stay ahead of sharply banking sociological trends.

That doesn’t mean things are all bad for the industry. Alcohol is becoming an ingrained part of many aspects of our lives (just ask the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism how it feels about beer sales at college ball games), and all this competition and consolidation may mean lower cost inputs for partnered companies and eventually fewer rivals to clutter the Darwinian path.

as corporations use big data to tailor marketing messages and experiences to each segment within their target markets. Though they , they’re seeking deeper engagement with their brands when they do. They’re also using social media to broadcast what they’re drinking and doing, crafting their image by what they hold in their hands.

Here are some big trends to expect over the coming year.

Drinkers are increasingly choosing places to gather outside the bar. It’s diminishing bar revenues while raising revenues at liquor stores and other places where people get together to have fun. As I’ve written, but they’re also congregating at thousands of festivals and conferences that didn’t exist five years ago. Andrew Geoghegan, global consumer planning director at Diageo, the world’s largest spirits company, calls this “a real disrupter.”

“Nightclubs are declining and people are moving increasingly to festivals and places that are far more imaginative and collaborative,” he says. “Whether it’s food, dance, music or something else, it represents a real shift.”

Let’s break down the basics of what drinking at a festival means: walking or dancing around; informal clothes and atmosphere; a long session, perhaps outside or during the day; the possible inclusion of kids or dogs; wanting to stay as hands-free as possible. What does this mean for liquor suppliers?

So maybe a liquor company like Diageo combines a few of its brands to release a cocktail that comes in a Tetrapak, . Or a brand sponsors a concert or event to surround you with its messaging or even collaborates with a headliner to make or name a drink that’s sold on-site.

This April Unibroue is sponsoring the The Canadian brewery to brew an ale called A Tout le Monde, which will obviously be featured. Mustaine will make an appearance at the fest, as will Unibroue head brewer Jerry Vietz.

Through I haven’t been able to track this down, I’ve heard rumors of a restaurant whose servers bring a specifically selected stick of incense to the table along with each meal. Whether this actually exists (please comment if you know of such a place), it does speak to an emerging trend to more fully integrate other senses into tasting experiences. It helps brand ambassadors teach drinkers how to better understand the beverage and gives these drinkers a unique engagement they can brag about social media.

To wit: The Singleton whisky reps are traveling the world’s food-and-drink festivals with VR headsets and earphones. Participants put on the garb for a 2.5 minute audio-visual tour of the Glen Ord distillery while sipping a dram and virtually floating through the Scottish Highlands. The Singleton also collaborated with Oxford University to in SoHo (London) that each contained different colors, décor, music and smells. Participants wandered through the rooms, instructed to notice how the whisky they drank seemed to change from room to room. In a report released Wednesday called “The Changing Face of Socialising,” The Singleton owner Diageo predicts that bars of the future will focus more on sensory immersion as part of the experience.

More Consolidation and Constriction of the Market

The federal Tax and Trade Bureau has announced that it has issued 7,190 brewery permits as of the end of last year, which marks a leap of an almost unimaginable 2,000 or-so breweries since around this time last year. At the same time, craft beer growth has slowed to single digits, and several notable large craft breweries like Stone Brewing, Green Flash Brewing and Great Divide Brewing have either laid off workers or admitted that their production has declined for the first time. To survive, breweries, links in their supply chains and associated industries will continue to merge or sell out in traditional or new ways. For some examples, read about three transactions that’ve taken place in the past six months: Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply sells to Anheuser-Busch InBev, Stone Brewing announces a new funding mechanism, and a new venture called “Reinheits Boten” combines five German craft breweries to share costs to export to the US market. Less well-funded start-up breweries will fold, and breweries and distributors will pool resources to share sales reps.

Tiki, Flair and Fun

Diminishing are the days when “mixologists” act as if they’re so much better than thou. Sick of the stiffness of the speakeasy-style cocktail crafter, other bar professionals are condemning the condescension and returning to the 1980s and 1990s, when their predecessors stuck umbrellas in brightly colored rum drinks and tossed shakers over their heads a la Tom Cruise in “Cocktail.” Don’t believe me? Philadelphia alone supports two relatively new tiki bars and one flair bar. But the drinking class hasn’t forgotten what it’s learned in the time that Cruise went from sexy star to wacky Scientologist. Rums, which are coming back in their own right, are arriving from new origins, and instead of reverting back to sticky store-bought mixes, ingredients typically remain fresh, somewhat seasonal, and made in-house.

More Barrel-aging … But not Necessarily with Bourbon

Sonoma County’s Russian River Brewing got famous for making two things very well: extremely rare, hoppy beers and beers aged in barrels sourced from neighboring wineries. With craft brewers stretching their imaginations to try out novel ideas and finding it expensive to contract highly sought-after bourbon barrels, they’re increasingly collaborating with their neighbors across the wine and liquor aisles. It’s no longer surprising to see a beer aged in brandy or sherry casks, and we’re going to see more barrel-sharing between breweries, wineries and distilleries. To wit: Goose Island Beer just partnered with Pennsylvania’s Karamoor Estate Wines to age its celebrated saison Sophie in Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot barrels, and Camden, New Jersey’s Cooper River Distillers distilled an IPA from Philly’s St. Benjamin Brewing to make a limited-run whiskey. You’ll see even more of this as more mature craft breweries produce more spirits and greater numbers of start-up breweries and distilleries locate next to one another.The Five W\'s Of Drinking In 2017

It’s Lager Time

Lagers are fast becoming the new ales. When American craft beer emerged in the late 1970s, it was partially in opposition to the macrobrewing behemoths that essentially brewed two German-and Czech-based styles: American Lager and American Light Lager. You know, that cheap yellow stuff that Europeans spent decades mocking us for. To revolt, craft brewers have spent 40 years brewing aggressive hop- and yeast-forward ales in the image of England and Belgium. But now our palates need a break and independent brewers are brewing with more subtlety and less alcohol. Lagers, which differ from ales in the yeast used to ferment them, are leaking back into the American lexicon and making the style exciting. Over the next few years, expect to see many, many more Oktoberfest-season marzens, craft Mexican lagers, Vienna lagers, and definitely more hoppy pilsners.

In a quest to produce a documentary that tells the contemporary cultural story of craft beer, filmmaker Doug Tirola is focusing his lens on lagers, with a possible concentration on the pilsner category of lagers.

“Pilsner is the underdog, especially at the cool kids table, but some of the cool kids and forward thinkers and trendsetters are the ones trying to do it first,” he says.

I’m calling 2017 the Year of the Lager.

Second ActsThe Five W\'s Of Drinking In 2017

How many beers do you miss that aren’t made anymore? Depending on what it is, you may get lucky enough to see it on shelves again. Rodenbach made news about two months ago for re-releasing cult classic Alexander for the first time in 17 years, and Dogfish Head Brewing recently announced the reprise of Olde School barleywine, periodically taken out of rotation since its debut in 2002.

Dogfish founder Sam Calagione emails that the reintroduction is in part a way to create buzz and retry a style that may have fallen out of fashion. But more than that, he says, “We have over 100 off-centered recipes that we love and certain beers lovers love – we can’t release them all every single year so this system … is what works best for us.”

Diet-Specific Spirits and Non-spirits

Light beer dominates US beer sales, occupying three of the top four spots on the list of the nation’s best beer sellers. But companies like Diageo are going far past caloric counts. In addition to advocating for nutritional labels on bottles, it’s released Bailey’s Almanade, an almond milk version of the original Irish cream that’s dairy- and gluten-free. Expect to see more diet-specific spirts, along with an ever-growing array of mocktails on menus.

The Better to Digest You with, My Dear

Amaro. If you haven’t acquired a taste for this bracingly bitter botanical liqueur, you soon might. Often served straight in dainty glasses and believed to soothe a full stomach, the presence of this Italian after-dinner drink indicates a bar that’s gotten the memo. Hundreds of varieties exist, and some, like Fernet Branca and Montenegro, are known by their brand name.

The Five W\'s Of Drinking In 2017