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Archives for April 2018

Kona Brewing to Release Gold Cliff IPA

April 30, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – Kona Brewing Company today announces the latest addition to its Aloha Series with Gold Cliff IPA, a bold, juicy beer that highlights the adventurous spirit of the Hawaiian Islands. The new beer expands Kona’s ever-growing offerings to include a big, hoppy IPA with a Kona twist– juicy, tropical pineapple, an homage to the southern tip of Lanai, where the island’s first pineapple field overlooks cobalt blue waters. The 7.2% ABV Gold Cliff IPA pairs caramel & acidulated malts with easygoing aromas of Mosaic, Chinook, Topaz, and Citra hops for a cool embrace of Pacific paradise.

Gold Cliff IPA draws thrill-seeking inspiration from the golden cliffs of Lanai, where for years adventurous Hawaiians have launched off a 70-foot bluff into Kaunolu Cove. Kona has instilled this same bold energy into every sip of the new Gold Cliff IPA, creating full-flavor taste for summer and beyond. Gold Cliff spotlights the deep history of hospitality and welcoming vibes of the sun-kissed island, by inviting beer drinkers to take a breath and embrace what matters most – whether that’s adventurous cliff diving or sipping this tropical IPA in the sun with friends and family.

“While all of Hawaii shares in the same proud Aloha Spirit, each island bears its own unique personality,” said Billy Smith, head brewer, Kona Brewing Co. “Gold Cliff IPA takes the uniqueness of Lanai’s congenial yet bold spirit and, with a tropical touch, creates a beer that is adventurous yet approachable.”

Kona Brewing Company’s Gold Cliff IPA will launch nationally May 7th, 2018 and will be available in draught and 6PKs at your local retailer.

To learn more about Kona Brewing Company or Gold Cliff IPA, visit konabrewingco.com, follow @KonaBrewingCo on Twitter and Instagram and check out www.youtube.com/konabrewingco.

About Kona Brewing Company
Kona Brewing Company was started in Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawaii in the spring of 1994 by father and son team Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa, who had a dream to create fresh, local island brews made with spirit, passion and quality. Today, Kona is Hawaii’s largest and favorite craft brewery, known for top-selling flagship beers Longboard Island Lager and Big Wave Golden Ale and award-winning innovative small-batch beers available across the Islands. From the beginning, Kona has remained committed to brewing the freshest beer of exceptional quality closest to market, which helps to minimize its carbon footprint by reducing shipping of raw materials, finished beer and packaging materials.

Kona Brewing Co. has become one of the top craft beer brands in the world, while remaining steadfastly committed to its home through a strong focus on innovation, sustainability and community outreach. As part of Craft Brew Alliance, an independent craft brewing company that brews and distributes a variety of award-winning craft beer and cider brands, Kona is available in all 50 U.S. states and 30 countries worldwide. For more information call 808-334-BREW (2739) or visit www.KonaBrewingCo.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Craft Brew Alliance Announces 2017 Sustainability Highlights

April 30, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

PORTLAND, Oregon — Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. (“CBA”) (Nasdaq: BREW), a leading craft brewing company, today announced the release of its fifth Annual Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s 2017 accomplishments in environmental and community stewardship, including progress against its three-year targets for reducing carbon emissions, diverting waste from landfills, and increasing local community support. In addition to publishing its annual sustainability achievements, CBA is also pleased to share highlights from this past Earth Day, with each of its locations participating in volunteer events to support environmental awareness and enhancement.

“As one of the largest craft brewers in the U.S., we’re committed to investing in innovative ways to improve the sustainability of our business – from reducing our carbon emissions, to repurposing more in order to get closer to zero waste, to actively improving the communities where we brew, live, and play,” said Julia Person, Corporate Sustainability Manager, CBA. “This year’s report includes some great examples of how our teams keep getting more and more creative, not just with the beers we brew, but in the sustainable ways we brew them.”

2017 CBA Sustainability Report Highlights

  • We reduced our Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions per barrel by 4.5%, which means we’re well on our way to achieving our three-year target of an overall 10% reduction by end of 2019.
  • Across our breweries, we held energy-saving Treasure Hunts with local partners, which helped uncover more than 70 small but impactful opportunities to reduce our energy footprint.
  • Sending our spent grain to local cattle farms and partnering with local non-profits to repurpose our unused cardboard helped us get closer to achieving our 99.8% landfill diversion target, as we strive to become zero waste.
  • Our employees donated more than 300 volunteer hours to support non-profits last year, and our local giving program supported hundreds of charitable organizations that are working to enhance our communities.
  • Our Widmer Brothers brewery in Portland became one of the first breweries in the Pacific Northwest to install a CO2 recovery system, closing the CO2 loop and saving thousands of tons of CO2 from being shipped to the brewery.
  • Redhook’s new Brewlab invested in a High Efficiency Brewing System that uses a mash filter instead of a lauter tun to conserve water and grain.
  • Each of our breweries developed limited-release beers to support environmental awareness, from Kona Brewing Co.’s Lehua Lager, which helped raise money and awareness to protect an important native tree species, to Widmer Brothers and Redhook, which both brewed special Earth Day beers using sustainably sourced ingredients.

Brewery 2018 Earth Day EventsBA’s brands and breweries are active in their local communities. Each Earth Day, we partner with great local organizations that are working to improve our environment and our communities. Following is a summary of our 2018 Earth Day events and the organizations we supported.

  • In Hawaii, our two Kona brewpubs featured special Earth Day “Hipa Hipa” Happy Hours, with a portion of all Big Wave pint sales going to support the four long-time non-profits, Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Malama Manalua, Surfrider Foundation Hawaii, and Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. Our Kona employees also pitched in for volunteer cleanup events at Old A’s Beach and Skatepark in Kona and Waimanalo Beach in Oahu.
  • In Portland, Widmer Brothers tapped Silver Warrior, a pale ale brewed with Salmon-Safe hops and malts, and volunteered with April Pints for Portland partner, Community Cycling Center, to build bicycles for kids.
    In Seattle, Redhook Brewlab hosted the first IPA Daze, a three-day celebration featuring 35 different IPAs, with a portion of sales from the event going to support the local Seattle Surfrider Chapter.
  • In Portsmouth, our Redhook Brewery and Pub teams tapped an Earth Day IPA to benefit Surfrider New Hampshire and volunteered for a cleanup effort at the wall at Hampton Beach.
    About Craft Brew Alliance

Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) is an independent craft brewing company that brews, brands, and brings to market world-class American craft beers.

Our distinctive portfolio combines the power of Kona Brewing Company, a dynamic national craft beer brand, with strong regional breweries and innovative lifestyle brands, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Cisco Brewers, Omission Brewing Co., Redhook Brewery, Square Mile Cider Co., Widmer Brothers Brewing, and Wynwood Brewing Co. CBA nurtures the growth and development of its brands in today’s increasingly competitive beer market through our state-of-the-art brewing and distribution capability, integrated sales and marketing infrastructure, and strong focus on partnerships, local community and sustainability.

Formed in 2008, CBA is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and operates breweries and brewpubs across the U.S. CBA beers are available in all 50 U.S. states and 30 different countries around the world. For more information about CBA and our brands, please visit www.craftbrew.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Coronado Brewing Releases Peach Cruiser IPA in April

April 30, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

 SAN DIEGO, California – Coming off the success of North Island IPA, Coronado Brewing is releasing the next beer in its Knoxville Series – Peach Cruiser IPA – in time for summer. Coronado’s Knoxville Series debuted earlier this year and features three special release beers distributed throughout Coronado’s network in six-pack cans, 22oz bottles and on draft. The series offers beer drinkers fun, interesting beers available to buy on store shelves, while supplies last. Peach Cruiser IPA is the second installment in the series and comes off the heels of the very well-received North Island IPA. Early Bird Milk Stout is scheduled as the third release later this year.

Peach Cruiser is a San Diego-style IPA brewed with summer in mind. The beer is brewed using a blend of Mosaic, Citra and Azacca hops, with fresh peach puree added to complement the tropical citrus hoppiness. “When I think of summer, I think of tropical fruit and the beach,” says Mark Thiesen, Head Brewer, Coronado Brewing Company. “The blend of hops we used brings out all the bright, tropical fruit characteristics you look for in a summer beer, and the fresh peach puree complements and enhances those flavors nicely. The end result is an incredibly easy-drinking and refreshing IPA that’s perfect for outdoor activities.”

Peach Cruiser IPA will debut at all Coronado locations on Friday, April 27 in six-pack cans, 22oz bottles and on draft. The beer will hit broader retail availability in May and will be available to buy on store shelves throughout the company’s distribution network. For more information about Peach Cruiser IPA, visit www.coronadobrewing.com. Stay Coastal. Cheers.

Peach Cruiser IPA info:
Style: San Diego-Style IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Package: 22oz, 12oz six-pack, draft
Release: April 2018
Sales Sheet: http://bit.ly/peachcruiser

Label Copy:
We took a San Diego-style IPA and added fresh peach puree to complement the tropical citrus hoppiness. The result is an unfiltered, easy-to-drink IPA with tons of citrus and peach fruitiness and a moderately hoppy/bitter finish.

About Coronado Brewing Company
In 1996, when craft beer was still a foreign term and San Diego County was home to only a handful of breweries, the Chapman brothers Ron and Rick opened a brewpub in their hometown of Coronado. Today CBC stays true to their San Diego roots, brewing abundantly hoppy West Coast-style ales, which are available today in 14 US states and 12 countries. In addition to the long-established pub in Coronado, the company opened a tasting room inside its San Diego production facility in 2013, and a tasting room and restaurant in Imperial Beach, California in 2014. Coronado Brewing Company was honored in 2014 with one of the brewing industry’s most prestigious awards—World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster for a Mid-Size Brewing Company.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Laura Bell to step down as CEO of Bell’s Brewery

April 30, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

Laura Bell’s letter to distributors is below, as reported in the Brewbound article:

Dear Distributor Partner,

This is one of the hardest emails I have had to write during my time here at Bell’s.

As I have shared with our employees, I have worked as a Bell’s employee in some capacity or another for almost 11 years. I started in sales right out of college and have had the incredible opportunity to work with so many over the years. I have loved it, and love Bell’s. I have not taken the opportunity to explore my other passions and interests.

Effective May 18th, 2018, I will be stepping away from my role as CEO of Bell’s. Day to day operations will be overseen by Larry Bell in addition to senior leadership, of whom I have the utmost confidence.

We are not selling and will remain a 100% independently owned family business. I will remain on the Board of Directors and will still have a role when it comes to making big decisions for this company.

We have the right team and structure to continue to support you and I know that our partnership will remain strong.

Our Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Matt Moberly, will continue to remain your main point of contact should you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for all that you do.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Ninkasi Brewing brings back Maiden the Shade Summer IPA, and launches its new Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack

April 27, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

EUGENE, Oregon — Crafted for warm weather, Ninkasi Brewing Company brings back its sunny seasonal, Maiden the Shade Summer IPA, and launches its new Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack, featuring a mix of the brewery’s best IPAs in bottles and cans. Available May through September, both offerings can be found throughout Ninkasi’s distribution footprint.

Maiden the Shade Summer IPA
Deemed a Summer IPA, Maiden the Shade captures a complex hop profile paired with an exceptionally smooth body. Inspired by the annual Oregon Country Fair, a three-day summer festival held in Oregon, Maiden the Shade is bold, dank and bursting with floral notes. Available next month, Maiden the Shade Summer IPA can be found on-tap and in 12 and 22-ounce bottles.

“When we first brewed this beer, we set out to capture the perfect warm-weather IPA,” says Jamie Floyd, Ninkasi founding brewer and co-founder. “Brewed with eight hop varieties and flaked barley, this beer’s multi-layer hop complexity is complemented by a smooth body, making it a go-to for any summertime fun.”

Maiden the Shade Summer IPA Stats 
Bold and drinkable, this Summer IPA captures an impressively balanced hop complexity. An adventurous hop bouquet of eight select varieties is complemented by the use of flaked barley to create a beer that is as robust as it is easy to sip. Kick back and enjoy!

Style: Summer IPA
Series: Seasonal Release Series
Available: May – September
ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 72
Malt: 2-Row Pale, Vienna, Flaked Barley
Hops: Summit, Centennial, Simcoe, Columbus, Crystal, Palisade, Amarillo, Magnum

Tasting Notes: This beer has been dubbed a summer IPA. Powerful combinations of many different kinds of hops give it a big hop profile. We added flaked barley to the beer to make for a smooth body and a lighter summer-style IPA. Another Ninkasi cult favorite!
Food Pairings: BBQ, Fresh Vegetables, Fish Tacos, Savory French Toast

Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack
Also set to release this May, Ninkasi debuts its Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack, highlighting an assortment of IPAs for any palate or occasion. The new variety pack includes 12-ounce bottles of Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Maiden the Shade Summer IPA, and 12-ounce cans of Prismatic Juicy IPA.

“This Summer IPA Pack really demonstrates the versatility of the IPA style,” says Floyd. “Whether your cheersing with bottles in the backyard or heading to the river with cans, this variety pack is ready to go wherever you choose to adventure this summer.”

The Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack Includes:

Total Domination IPA – 6.7% ABV, 81 IBU
This decidedly balanced Northwest IPA celebrates our love of hops. A delightful blend of citrus and floral hop notes dominate the senses while a trio of malt adds a clean finish. Totally hoppy, totally drinkable; the name says it all.

Maiden the Shade Summer IPA – 6.8% ABV, 72 IBU
Bold and drinkable, this Summer IPA captures an impressively balanced hop complexity. An adventurous hop bouquet of eight select varieties is complemented by the use of flaked barley to create a beer that is as robust as it is easy to sip. Kick back and enjoy!

Tricerahops Double IPA – 8.0% ABV, 84 IBU
A colossal hop profile defines this deceivingly drinkable Double IPA. Earthy and floral hops meld with a generous amount of malt, making Tricerahops incredibly bold and balanced. Hoppy, intensely flavorful and smooth, it’s double everything you already love in an IPA.

Prismatic Juicy IPA **In Cans!** – 5.9% ABV, 36 IBU
Juicy hops burst with notes of pineapple, passionfruit and guava in this irresistibly flavorful IPA. Dry-hopped with Mosaic and Simcoe CRYO HOPS®, Prismatic offers a deliciously colorful hop experience.

To track down Maiden the Shade Summer IPA or the Summer IPA Variety 12-Pack, visit DrinkNinkasi.com.

About Ninkasi Brewing Company
Founded in 2006 by Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, Ninkasi Brewing Company continues to grow from its first batch of Total Domination IPA to the 33rd largest craft brewery in the United States. Independently owned and operated in Eugene, Ore., Ninkasi’s Flagship beers include Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Dawn of the Red IPA, Hop Cooler Citrus IPA, Prismatic Juicy IPA, Pacific Rain Northwest Pale, Yours Truly Easy-Drinking Ale, Helles Belles Helles Lager, and Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout. Ninkasi beers are sold throughout Alaska; Alberta; Arizona; California; Colorado; Idaho; Maryland; Nevada; New York; Oregon; Utah; Washington; Virginia; and Vancouver, British Columbia. Committed to community support and giving, Ninkasi’s Beer Is Love program offers donations to 501(c)(3) organizations throughout its footprint. For more information, call 541.344.2739 or visit www.NinkasiBrewing.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Four Saints Debuts Carbon-Neutral Brewing with Founding Fathers Hemp Ale

April 27, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

Asheboro, North Carolina –  Four Saints Brewing Company has partnered with Greensboro’s Urban Offsets to brew Founding Fathers Hemp Ale with a carbon-neutral process from start to finish. The beer will be released at Raleigh’s Brewgaloo, April 28.

The carbon emissions produced by brewing — from sourcing the ingredients to tapping the kegs — will be offset by renewable-energy and other projects in North Carolina that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This is the first carbon-neutral brewing process of its kind in North Carolina and one of the first in the country.

“One of the beautiful things about being a craft brewery is we can experiment,” says Andrew Deming, co-founder and head brewer at Four Saints.

One of the emission-reduction projects supported by Urban Offsets is the Cone Health Cancer Center Healing Gardens in Greensboro. As part of its work with Urban Offsets, Four Saints will fund tree plantings at the garden.

“This project gives us the opportunity to spread some joy and hope and do something good,” says Joel McClosky, co-founder of Four Saints. “Brewing beer might not be curing major world problems, but if we can help our local community through a beer we brew and be an example for other breweries, then why not?”

Founding Fathers Hemp Ale is an English mild ale that incorporates hemp flower from Asheboro-based Founder’s Hemp. The earthy, nutty beer comes in at 3.8% ABV and 8 IBU. Last year, the beer became North Carolina’s first legally registered hemp ale.

In an effort to reduce carbon emissions and support local industry, all beer ingredients were sourced from North Carolina companies. Epiphany Craft Malt of Durham supplied the grain, and Bee Hoppy Farms in Pittsboro grew the hops.

“It’s a relatively small pilot batch, but now that the legwork is done, we can easily scale the carbon-neutral process developed with Four Saints to match a growing demand for locally crafted products that also invest in their communities,” says Shawn Gagné, CEO of Urban Offsets.

Four Saints Brewing Company is located at 218 S. Fayetteville St., Asheboro. To learn more about the brewery, visit www.FourSaintsBrewing.com. For details about Brewgaloo, go to www.ShopLocalRaleigh.org/Brewgaloo.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Melvin Brewing Introduces Chuck Morris Imperial India Pale Ale

April 26, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

Jackson, Wyoming — Fear the mullet! As with all great inventions, this one happened on accident. One day when our head brewer was away, he had asked Melvin GM Jamie Morris to do another round of dry hopping in his stead. Morris of course added WAY too many hops, and…the beer turned out amazing! Thus, Chuck Morris was born — karate chopping and round-house kicking its way into your hop fueled heart. And while the new Chuck Morris Double IPA is lighter in body than most of our RIIPAs, don’t let it fool you: it definitely packs a punch! Crafted in Jackson, WY, with what actually began as Morris IPA, we accidentally over-hopped it and turned off the heat exchanger, and the batch took 14 days to ferment. Not afraid of stepping into the madness, we then submitted the beer to the National IPA Championships, and made it to the Final 4. Soon after, Melvin Brewing’s Jamie Morris and his wife had their third daughter. They named her Charlotte, nicknamed her Chuck, and thus the new Chuck Morris was born.

Chuck Morris Double IPA starts with a huge aroma of grapefruit, pineapple, guava, pine, marmalade and chardonnay. Subtle hints of dankness are overwhelmed by more citrus and tropical punch that’s very inviting, and each sniff and sip brings more nuances. Hop bitterness is in perfect balance with the malt, and both play nicely together without stepping on anyone’s toes; with just enough sweetness to showcase the hop-splosion and a clean bitterness to cleanse the palate before the next necessary sip. Chuck Morris features Chinook, Columbus, Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops amongst a range of secret techniques.

Chuck Morris Double IPA is 8% ABV and 90 IBUs, with a medium body that’s deceptively drinkable despite the slightly higher strength. “People throw around terms like “devastatingly delicious” and “most awesome ever”, declared Melvin Brewing’s Sales Director, Ted Whitney. “I’m glad to know that they can use those accurately and with no hyperbole about Chuck Morris.

Chuck Morris is part of Melvin’s ground-breaking rotational RIIPA series available in retail stores and in bars and restaurants nationwide. Remember, Rotational is the new seasonal. Don’t f*** up the rotation.

Chuck Morris Video

About Melvin Brewing
Melvin Brewing, born in 2009, is the beer child of Jeremy Tofte and Kirk McHale to fulfill their desire to drink the madness. Their quest was to produce the biggest and baddest West-Coast Style IPAs in Jackson, WY. Like true chemists, they experimented on a 30-gallon, then three-barrel brew house system, and developed the awardwinning Melvin IPA and 2×4 Imperial IPA. Today, Melvin Brewing has a full-scale brewing facility in Alpine, WY, a brewpub in Bellingham, WA, and astoundingly, more than 40 mouthwatering beer recipes to its name, including a range of hoppy beers and other styles such as ChChCh-Cherry Bomb (Fruit Beer), Killer Bees (Honey Ale), Ruckus (Imperial Stout) and Heyzeus (Mexican Lager). If your beer is not madness, it’s not beer. For the low down on the madness, visit www.melvinbrewing.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Sit Down Chat with Dean Jones, Brewmaster at the Genesee Brewhouse

April 26, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

A Sit Down Chat with Dean Jones, Brewmaster at the Genesee Brewhouse by Paul Leone
With over 6000 breweries nationwide, it’s hard for most to stand out, unless that is, your brewery is tied to an iconic brand like Genesee.

Dean Jones is the brewmaster at the Genesee Brewhouse, which is the pilot brewery for the Genesee Brewing Company (owned by North American Breweries). Opened in 2012 as pilot brewery, museum, gift shop and restaurant, the Genesee Brewhouse has become much more than a small in-house brewery, it now has a huge influence on new styles, and creative twists on a few old styles, that are often upscaled to the “big” brewery next door. These are known as the Pilot Batch Series of beers, and Dean is the driving force behind them all.

With nearly 30 years of brewing experience, Dean has a tremendous amount of wisdom and knowledge to share with the new breweries just opening up, and he often does share that knowledge with anyone and everyone in the Rochester New York region and beyond who asks.

So with that in mind, I sat down with Dean and asked him a few questions knowing that his expertise, wit, and overall brewmaster coolness would resonate with everyone. As Dean often says, “never trust a skinny brewmaster”.

When did you first get into the brewing industry, what got you into beer?

I joined the brewing industry way back in 1989. I was in State College, Pa. and was hanging out at the Happy Valley Brewing Company for their wood fired pizza and got hooked on the Scotch Ale. I met the Brewmaster there and we became friends and I soon was hired as his apprentice and then went to Siebel in 1992 for the Diploma Course.

How did you end up at North American Breweries/Genesee?

As you can imagine brewing is a very small tight knit community, while I was visiting a local Rochester Craft Brewery (Rohrbachs) I ran into Jim McDermott who was working at Genesee at the time, but he had previously worked for Rohrbachs out on Buffalo road where I had help him years earlier. He then told me of the opportunity and I interviewed at Genesee a few weeks later.

What’s it like making small batch craft beer for an iconic brewery like Genesee?

Really, Really, Cool !! I am seeing and brewing recipes from 1878 and then turning around and making Orange Honey Cream Ale…fun cannot even describe my job!

What are the challenges, and how have you been able to take a popular small batch and upscale it to the big brewery?

Upscaling the batch size is a challenge for sure. Designing the beer and brewing on the 20 bbl is the fun part. Steve Kaplan and his team in the main brewery have all the challenges of scaling up my recipes to the 500 bbl mark with extremely different equipment and efficiencies.

Genesee Cream Ale is an iconic brand, how have you modernized that style at the Brew House?

Cream Ale is the first beer I ever drank in my life and I still love it to this day. Being able to play with that recipe and make different craft versions has been extremely rewarding. We are releasing our Cream Ale Variety pack in late April with Mosaic dry hopped, Imperial and Orange Honey Cream Ale. All from our flagship beer with a new modern twist.

What has been the most successful beer to come out of the Brew House so far?

I would have to say the Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter. That was an extremely popular beer and one you would have never expected from Genesee.

You’re making videos more often, why do you feel this is an effective way to communicate the brand?

Videos are just fun and I get a chance to convey my passion for the beers we are releasing and I hope that message comes across when people watch them. Genesee is a fun cool brand and I want to share that with the beer consumer.

You’ve been in the industry for a while, if you had a crystal ball, what would you see?

27 years to be exact….craft beer will have its ups and downs but still continue to grow. I don’t think it will ever take over the American Pilsner style in the US but I think we will eventually see a 40/60 mix or somewhere close. People are realizing that beer comes in all colors and flavors and they are trying them all as their pallet develops but always will have a go to lighter beer. Mine is Cream Ale.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to open a brewery, or get into the business?

Opening a brewery is tough. Just ask any of your local brewers that had the entrepreneurial guts to do so. Some say it was well worth it and some say had if they had known what sacrifices it really took to do so they never would have done it. We are very lucky in NY state to have the New York State Brewers Association that is consistently striving to help our industry. That is always a good start to business research. As far as getting into the industry, start home brewing, reading everything you can get your hands on and start knocking on some brewery doors, and expect to start at the bottom…..with a shovel and a mop…. It’s no joke when I call myself “The Janitor”

Video Links

Simcoe SMaSH – https://youtu.be/x285uvJDWnc
Pilot Batch – https://youtu.be/wdgt9CYGCXo

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Sprecher Brewing in Glendale, Wisconsin to Release Night Demon Belgian Dubbel

April 26, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

GLENDALE, Wisconsin — On April 29th, beginning at 9am, Sprecher Walker’s Point Taproom will host the exclusive release party for Night Demon, an ultra-smooth, complex, and ultimately delicious bourbon barrel aged Belgian Dubbel. This is truly a unique beer, never attempted by any Milwaukee brewery in recent history.

Made with five malts, flaked oats, wheat, dark Belgian candi sugar and a hops blend; aged for eight weeks prior to resting for one year in oak bourbon barrels; Night Demon is far from your average Belgian Dubbel. It’s a big, multi-dimensional beer. Intense aromatics give way to layers of dried fruits, caramelized notes that unfold as the beer warms. Every sip leads to new flavors including cola, deep cherries, sweet berries, caramels, interlaced oaky and bourbon notes. This is a big beer in that it is rich with aromatics and flavor, best enjoyed as one would a cognac.

“Night Demon is a limited, single batch release. We packaged this beer in one liter flip top bottles because it is special, like a wine you want to share with friends. Our brewmaster, Craig Burge, recommends cellaring this beer for a number of years. This is a great beer for a vertical. Designed to age well, it will reveal new layers, new flavors over time. Bottles of Night Demon are not available at the brewery, only at the taproom release party,” said Sprecher communications director Anne Sprecher.

Night Demon Release Party

Where: Sprecher Walker’s Point Taproom, 706 S. 5th Street, Milwaukee, WI.

When: Sunday, April 29th, 9am until sold out

What: Only 100 one liter bottles of single batch Night Demon, Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel (10% alcohol by volume)

Price: $20 per bottle

Limit: 3 bottles per person

About Sprecher Brewing Company
Maker of award-winning beers and sodas, Sprecher Brewing Company is Milwaukee’s first craft brewery since Prohibition. Established by Randal Sprecher in 1985, Sprecher continues to be a leader in Wisconsin’s craft brewing industry.

Sprecher Brewery, the Sprecher Gift Shop and Indoor Beer Garden are located at 701 W. Glendale Ave, Glendale, WI. The Gift Shop and Indoor Beer Garden are open Monday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm; Sunday, 11am – 5pm. Tours offered daily. More information about the brewery history, products, tours and Gift Shop hours can be found at www.sprecherbrewery.com, or by calling 414.964.2739.

Sprecher Walker’s Point Taproom is located at 706 S. 5th St., Milwaukee, WI. Hours of operation: Thursday, Friday: 4pm-10pm; Saturday: 12pm-10pm; Sunday: 12pm-5pm.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Second Self Beer Company in Atlanta, Georgia to Debut ‘Make IPA Great Again’

April 26, 2018 by Dow Scoggins

ATLANTA, Georgia — Atlanta brewery Second Self Beer Company introduces its newest offering Make IPA Great Again (9% ABV, 111 IBU), a phenomenal Double IPA made for winners. The brewery’s Cofounders Jason Santamaria and Chris Doyle created the throwback double IPA as an homage to the bitter and clear IPAs that inspired them to start brewing over a decade ago. This new beer will be released at Second Self’s Westside taproom on April 28th and on draft and in cans throughout the patriotic states of Georgia and Alabama in May.

Brewed with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Simcoe hops, Make IPA Great Again has tremendous notes of pine, resin, covfefe and citrus with a bitter finish. It is best enjoyed on the golf course or while browsing Twitter on Stormy nights. Suggested food pairings include well-done steak with ketchup, taco bowls, Russian dressing, and anything off the Dollar Menu.

Label artwork was designed by Tex Grubbs, and the yuge 16 oz. cans will fit comfortably even in small hands. The beer’s name was devised by Eddie Holly, Owner of Ale Yeah! in Decatur.

About  Second Self Beer Company
Bringing a decade of brewing experience, Second Self’s Co-Founders Jason Santamaria and Chris Doyle released their highly acclaimed beers to the public in fall 2014. Second Self’s beers are brewed with fresh ingredients like blue ginger and lemongrass (never dried ingredients or extracts), and each beer is designed to be paired with food. Second Self’s brewery and taproom is located in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood at 1317 Logan Circle NW, Atlanta, GA. The craft brewery has been nationally recognized by Food & Wine, DRAFT Magazine, Beer Advocate, Fortune, Paste Magazine and more. For more information, visit www.secondselfbeer.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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