Archives for July 2018

Boulder, Colorado —Growth for small and independent craft brewers remained stable for the first half of 2018, according to new mid-year metrics released by the Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers. Production volume for the craft segment increased five percent during the first half of 2018.

“While more mature, the market continues to show demand for small and independent craft brewers,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. “There are certainly industry headwinds, but this stabilized growth rate is reflective of the market realities that exist for brewers today.”

As of June 30, there were 6,655 active breweries, up from 5,562 during a comparable timeframe last year. An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 breweries are in planning, based on active Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) licenses.

“The data demonstrate that 2018 is on pace to have the highest number of brewery openings and closings to date. However, even as breweries close, openings continue to far outpace the number that shutter,” added Watson. “New players looking to enter the space should be aware of the constructs of the current landscape, work to differentiate themselves and will need to make quality beer to succeed.”

Craft brewer definition: An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately three percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 4,800-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, SAVORTM: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew ConTM, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine, and Brewers PublicationsTM is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. 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, Twitter and Instagram.

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.

 

Craft brewer definition: An American craft brewe

Athens, GA – Creature Comforts Brewing Company will bring back its popular seasonal, Automatic pale ale, this August. The beer will be available on draft and in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans in both the Athens and Atlanta markets.

Automatic is a modern pale ale with an ABV of 5.5-percent that features a prominent hop flavor and aroma. A mix of Mosaic and Crystal hops are used to create a delicate balance and give the beer an aroma that features a complex array of berry, citrus, herbal, and pine notes. The flavor mirrors the aroma with a bit more earthiness and stone fruit, leading to a nicely balanced and moderately bitter finish.

“Automatic is meant to be light, refreshing and quite drinkable without falling into the common pitfall of ending up too thin, watery or insipid,” said Brewmaster Adam Beauchamp. “No color malts were used, however, the relatively full mouthfeel is enough to support this heavily hopped beer.”

The brewery collaborated with a local artist to design the can label. Athens painter, Michelle Fontaine, was inspired by 1950s American popular culture as well as the origin of Creature Comforts’ facility – a former 1940s Chevy dealership and later the Snow Tire Company. The label depicts a classic automotive theme.

Automatic will be available onsite at the brewery mid-August as well as in the Athens and Atlanta markets shortly following the onsite release. For more information about Creature Comforts visit www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com.   

CONTACT INFO
Company: Creature Comforts
Contact: Emily Sabula
Email: curious@ccbeerco.com

CLEVELAND, OH – Sixth City Distribution today announced a partnership with St. Louis-based Perennial Artisan Ales.

Perennial will be found in key craft establishments in Ohio beginning the week of July 30th with both package and draft options available.

“Perennial has been widely recognized as one of the best craft beer producers in the country and we’re flattered to be able to distribute their beer in Ohio.” said Brian Kelley, Sales Director for Sixth City. “The first time our team tasted Perennial’s beer, we knew it was special and something we had to bring to the state.”

Sixth City has been bringing exceptional beer, cider and mead to Ohio consumers for the last two years, while focusing on maintaining a streamlined portfolio of brands to provide great representation to its brewery partners.

“We are stoked to see Perennial shared in an awesome beer landscape like Ohio,” said Ben Bailey, National Sales Manager at Perennial Artisan Ales. “We’re excited to partner with Sixth City and know their team will do a great job getting our beer to craft consumers.”

About Perennial Artisan Ales
Perennial’s philosophy is to brew beer with the adventurous craft beer drinker in mind—focusing on hand-crafted, small batches of beer, using local, seasonal and organic ingredients as much as possible. Perennial’s beer is driven by quality, reverence and relevance for beer styles, both classic and contemporary. Ranging from delicate saisons to decadent stouts to balanced IPAs, we strive to make beers that are interesting, approachable and food friendly. While a small brewery in terms of production, we’ve put a little beer in a lot of places and have been humbled by several awards at GABF and FOBAB.

About Sixth City Distribution
Established in 2016, Sixth City Distribution is growing a small and manageable portfolio of high-quality craft brands. With operations based in Cleveland, Ohio, Sixth City acts is a true partner to small and medium-sized craft breweries to give their brands the attention they deserve. To learn more visit www.sixthcitydist.com

LONGMONT, CO – Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar has joined 10 breweries and local businesses for the House That Beer Built, a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley to support affordable ownership in the community. A kick-off party to celebrate the construction of the program’s second home will take place on August 16 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Parry’s Longmont location (1232 South Hover Road, Longmont, CO 80501). Silent auction items, t-shirt sales and select beer sales from the event will be donated to help St. Vrain Habitat build a home for a family in need.

“Parry’s is a Colorado-based family business that is passionately dedicated to improving the communities we serve,” said Jon Hook, CEO of Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar. “We give back to these communities with a variety of events throughout the year and the House That Beer Built is one of our favorite causes to support. As a restaurant with a focus on craft beer, we couldn’t be more thrilled to join the outstanding roster of breweries and businesses supporting this effort to build a home for a family in need in our Longmont community.”

This year the St. Vrain Valley affiliate will build a home in partnership with the Robles family through the House That Beer Built program. Alejandra is mother to a full-time college student and a three year old who requires in-home therapy. Becoming a Habitat homeowner will provide stability and the ability to plan for her family’s future.

“Breweries in the first House that Beer Built collectively raised over $50,000 and contributed more than 500 volunteer hours making the project a success,” stated David Emerson, Executive Director for St. Vrain Habitat. “The craft brewing industry is a tremendous supporter of our community and we are excited to be working with them again on the House That Beer Built.”

Participating breweries and businesses for the House That Beer Built include 300 Suns Brewing, Bootstrap Brewing Company, Brewhop Trolley, Brewmented, Left Hand Brewing, Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse, Oskar Blues Brewery, Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar, Shoes & Brews, Wibby Brewing and Wyatt’s Wet Goods. For more information about the Robles family or to learn more about Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley and House that Beer Built visit http://www.stvrainhabitat.org/house-that-beer-built.

About Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar
When you’re in need of a New York-style pizza fix and a craft beer selection that has been meticulously curated, Parry’s Pizzeria & Bar is your go-to spot. Parry’s dough and sauce are made fresh daily, rendering a pizza that is both delicious and award-winning. Take a look further down the menu and you’ll recognize that whether you’re a pizza lover or prefer something lighter, Parry’s has you covered with made-from-scratch options. From appetizers and calzones to salads and desserts, the menu offers an extensive variety of options just waiting to be paired with a cold craft beer or cocktail. For more information visit parryspizza.com.

About Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley
Established in 1988, Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and is in full agreement with that organization’s Foundational Principles. St. Vrain Habitat is dedicated to providing simple, decent, affordable housing for low-income families in the towns of Longmont, Lyons, Dacono, Frederick, Firestone, Mead, Niwot, and Erie.

CONTACT INFO
Company: Lexa Public Relations
Contact: Chea Franz
Email: chea@lexapr.com

MISSION, Texas — “Teufel Hunden” is not a term known to many unless one speaks German or has served in the United States Marine Corps. June 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Belleau Wood in France and a historic part of U.S. Marine Corps lore.

Lasting for almost a month, this battle resulted in almost 10,000 U.S. casualties, but for the Germans fighting, it was as if they were fighting ghosts, or “Tefuel Hunden” – Dogs From Hell. As hard as they fought, the members of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments continued to push the offensive and earned forever the term “Devil Dog” for all of the Marine Corps.

To commemorate their great sacrifice, 5×5 Brewing Co. a Mission, TX based brewery is teaming up with Black Ale Project to produce a new beer called “Teufel Hunden Altbier”. The traditional Northern Altbier or “Old Beer” is an amber ale with a hearty flavor profile accentuate with pecan-smoked malts to add that Battle Born – Texas Made twist.

Proceeds of the sale of the beer, as well as a myriad of merchandise, including hats, manufactured by veteran-owned Mountain Up Cap Company, t-shirts, glassware, and challenge coins, will benefit a Combat Veteran-Owned charity, Semper K9 Assistance Dogs. Semper K9 was founded by Christopher Baity, a Marine Corps Dog Handler and trainer. Their program utilizes rescue dogs to train as service animals partnered with veterans at no charge.

“The most important things to us were to utilize rescue dogs and ensure that our veterans are assisted at no cost to them,” said Baity. “Also, being a military family with small children, the family involvement was high on our list of priorities since our mission is to enhance the quality of life for our wounded veterans.”

5×5 Brewing Co. is a Veteran-owned and Operated company. Sean Downey and Domingo De La Garza are both Marines, while Alex Gellman and George Rice are Navy and Army veterans respectively.

“We take every opportunity to collaborate with other veteran-owned organizations and especially veteran charities,” says Downey. “Choosing Semper K9 as the recipient of our campaign was a no-brainer. A Marine-owned business, which works with dogs and does such great work for the veteran community wholly embodies the spirit of those lost ‘Teufel Hunden’ of WWI.”

Dave Pappas is the founder of Black Ale Project, a craft beer initiative to raise money and awareness on behalf of U.S. war veterans. As a former active duty Marine and non-combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War, supporting our war veterans is a cause that means a lot to Dave. The Black Ale Project itself isn’t a charity organization but an idea he came up with to help veterans in need.

“Much like the Black Ale Project, 5×5 Brewing Co. and Semper K9 Assistance Dogs were founded by veterans to help veterans. Our collaboration brings three separate entities with one shared goal together to raise money and awareness for our fellow veterans in need, and I am honored to be a part of this very special initiative,” says Pappas.

Mountain Up Cap Company’s CEO and founder Ryan Hunt is an Army combat veteran with the 10th Mountain Division; Dee Dalnes Sr., a Cold War Army veteran; and CMO David Bland is an Army 82nd Airborne Division combat veteran.

“Mountain Up Cap Company is extremely proud to be teaming up with 5×5 Brewing Co. on the Black Ale Project for Semper K9,” says Hunt. “I feel passionate about Semper K9 as they are making a huge impact in the veteran space.”

NEWPORT, Ore. — This summer, Rogue Ales & Spirits releases Combat Wombat, a collision of styles and flavors, bursting with intensity and personality. The fierce combination of a Northeast-style hazy IPA brewed with Australian hops and a sour ale with blood orange and grapefruit inspired both Combat Wombat’s name and its striking label design.

Given only the name and a pint of Combat Wombat, Rogue Graphic Designer Evan Bartholomew got to work drawing and designing Rogue’s newest creation.

“I love the idea of this tiny, aggressive, but lovable marsupial that’s ready to battle and brew at the same time,” said Rogue Graphic Designer Evan Bartholomew. “The beer is citrus-forward but sweet, sour but juicy, and I think the label mirrors those contradictions. I wanted the bright neon colors on the label to reflect the big flavors of the beer.”

“With thousands of beer options on shelves, and more joining them every day, label art is often a deciding factor for many consumers,” said Rogue President Brett Joyce. “Evan’s illustrations have set Rogue apart on the shelf since our Voodoo collisions and are part of the tradition of unique art on Rogue ales and spirits.”

Combat Wombat is available in 22 ounce bottles and on draft in all Rogue pubs through October. Use the Rogue Finder to find it near you.

About Rogue Ales & Spirits
Rogue Ales & Spirits, the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States, was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 1,900 awards for taste, quality and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Oregon soil, Rogue’s beers, spirits and sodas are made with ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in the Tygh Valley and in Independence, Oregon. Rogue Spirits are hand-distilled on a 550-gallon still in Newport, Oregon, aged in the thick ocean air of the Yaquina Bay and bottled by hand. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to sharing the terroir of Oregon hops, barley, rye, wheat, honey, cucumbers and pumpkins one acre at a time by growing its own.

We’re throwing it back ten years with our 2018 release of Gamma Ray, a Wheat Wine Ale brewed with honey from Savannah Bee Company.

Gamma Ray’s gold color and fruity nose gives way to a malty sweet taste of honey. Coming in at 11% ABV, there’s a subtle alcohol flavor on the finish, but doesn’t overpower the beer.

Whether you’re sharing a can with friends, or keeping the 4-pack to yourself, Gamma Ray is sure to make your taste buds take flight!

From the Label:

‘Cause sometimes you feel like a superhero

Gamma Ray is a wheat beer brewed with a massive amount of honey from Savannah Bee Company. This super-powered blast from the past will make you believe time travel is possible.

ABV: 10.8

ABOUT SAVANNAH BEE COMPANY

Savannah Bee Company is the leading manufacturer of all things Honeybee. Ted Dennard, the brand’s Founder, President and Head Beekeeper has established a growing empire based on his extensive knowledge of the Honeybee, acquired over 35 years of studying this unique species. The brand’s offerings include the purest forms of honey for cooking and tasting, as well as nourishing beauty products with ingredients made from honeybee hive ingredients. In addition to offering a wide range of honeybee-based products for everyday use, Savannah Bee is a proud parent and supporter of The Bee Cause Project, a not-for-profit whose mission is to educate the next generation to better understand, love and protect the honeybees. To reach this goal, the organization installs observation honeybee hives in schools worldwide, with over 300 installed to date. Savannah Bee products are available for purchase online and at multiple retailers across the United States. For more information, visit www.savannahbee.com.

ABOUT TERRAPIN BEER CO:
Terrapin Beer Co. began as a daydream between founders John Cochran and Spike Buckowski, who brewed and released their first beer in 2002. Inspired by the creative culture of Athens, the brewery’s home, Terrapin continues to produce unique beers year after year. Whether you’re joining us for a brewery tour at our tasting room, drinking a Hopsecutioner at your favorite watering hole, sipping some Up-Hi on your back porch, or enjoying a RecreationAle after a long day on the trail, we hope you appreciate the dedication we’ve put into our beers.

CINCINNATI, Ohio—Brink Brewing Company proudly took home four medals last week from the 2018 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Dow Scoggins, director of the U.S. Open Beer and Cider Championships, presented these medals to the brewery last week at their tasting room in College Hill. Brink received three gold medals and one silver, earning them second place in the competition’s Top Breweries of 2018.

Professional breweries and award-winning home-brewers from all over the world sent in 6,300 beers representing more than 110 different styles for the 2018 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Brink Brewing placed first in the English Mild Ale, Brown Ale, and Strong Scottish Ale categories for Hold the Reins, Father G’s Bees, and Duncan Clan, respectively. Additionally, the brewery placed second for their Moozie in the Cream Stout Category.

Hold the Reins is an English Mild, a classic “Session Ale” while still full flavored. Moderate sweetness, a bit nutty with a touch of caramel. Chocolate and roast notes give way to a dry finish. Hold the Reins also recently won Gold at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival®.

Named after the brewery’s College Hill neighbor, Father George, of Saint Clare Parish who also happens to be a beekeeper; Father G’s Bees features 40 pounds of honey from his harvest. The combination of Maris Otter, chocolate, and caramel malts provide a richness while the honey gives a touch of boozy sweetness to this delectable Brown Ale. Beer Styles

Duncan Clan is a Scottish Ale featuring rich, malty flavors of caramel and toffee balanced by roastiness and a subtle rye spiciness. This true-to-style brew is all about featuring the malt, leaving a very subtle hop presence.

Moozie is a rich Milk Stout. Like a chocolate milkshake without the straw, it features chocolate and coffee notes and is almost chewy thanks to the addition of lactose and flaked oats. This beer also boasts a bronze medal from the 2018 World Beer Cup®, a bronze from the 2017 Denver International Beer Competition and a silver medal from the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship after only being open for four months (one of the youngest breweries to place that year).

“Any win at this competition is a great achievement for our team, let alone four medals,” says Co-Founder Founder John McGarry. “We take great pride in our ability to brew high-quality beers across a variety of styles and these U.S. Open medals really validates that. Our Co-Founder and Head Brewer Kelly and his team have shown that dedication to their craft can have results, even though we’ve only been a business for a short time.”

ABOUT BRINK BREWING
Brink Brewing Co is neighborhood Craft Brewery in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati. Providing quality beers in a welcoming, comfortable taproom. In their one year of operation, they have accumulated an impressive amount of awards including a Gold at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival®, a Bronze at the 2018 World Beer Cup®, seven U.S. Open Beer Competition medals, and two Denver International Beer Competition awards. For more information visit brinkbrewing.com.

ESCONDIDO, CA  – With winds in its sails, a whole lot of grit and z-e-r-o Big Beer investment, Stone Brewing marks an expansion milestone for U.S. craft beer this week. America’s 8th largest craft brewery opened three first-class craft beer destinations on three continents over three consecutive months. This trifecta of expansion around the globe celebrates the continued rise and appreciation for craft beer in far-flung markets. With pints held high, Stone Brewing proudly announces the opening of Stone Brewing Tap Room – Shanghai, preceded by Stone Brewing – Napa and the Berlin city center Stone Brewing Tap Room – Prenzlauer Berg.

“The promise of expansion seems to be an all-too-familiar excuse for selling out in craft beer, but we prefer to be the embodiment of the alternative,” explained Stone Brewing CEO Dominic Engels. “Our independence is what guarantees authentic experiences for our fans. It allows us to be nimble, creative and bold. By pioneering new geographies we’re leading the charge for independent craft beer and the sheer act of doing so is fueling our creativity and passion. We’re thoughtful in our growth, we’re focused in our execution, and you definitely haven’t seen the last of us.”

Stone Brewing Tap Room – Shanghai
The auspicious opening of Stone Brewing Tap Room – Shanghai this week marks the first tap room by an independent American craft brewery in China, and unabashedly raises the bar for craft beer in Asia.

To deliver a world-class beer experience Stone Brewing painstakingly designed the first uninterrupted cold chain delivery of US craft beer to China last year, and continues its tally of ‘firsts’ with the installation of a ‘flux capacitor tap system’ at the newly opened tap room. A first in Asia, this special manifold system is a principal example of elevating the craft beer experience, and allows for custom calibration of carbon dioxide and nitrogen mixes for each and every of the restaurant’s 30 beers on tap.

Stone’s meticulous approach to each beer’s delivery is indisputably matched by the environment surrounding it. Stone’s 3,200 square-foot bar and restaurant offers seating for 90 indoors and 28 in the additional 1,000 square-foot gardens. Floor to ceiling custom roll-up doors open the tap room to the outdoors on two sides. The interior incorporates reclaimed wood, concrete, steel and vintage furnishing, a main bar and an oversized fireplace lounge. The Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens food philosophy translates to Stone’s first Asia project, incorporating artisanal products with a focus on environmental responsibility and high-quality ingredients.

“Stone Brewing Tap Room – Shanghai is everything we set out to achieve, as it has the craft beer heart and soul we intended,” expressed Stone Brewing Executive Chairman & co-founder Greg Koch. “We’ve curated a selection of craft beers rivaled by none and designed an impeccable experience for enjoying them. This isn’t just about Stone beers either. It’s about global craft beer. These are destinations for those interested in craft to explore new things and experience the world’s very best just as they were intended to be enjoyed. We hope to inspire a more profound understanding of craft beer, raise the bar in appreciation for America’s craft brewers and, at the very least, brings our fans together over a pint of the good stuff.”

Stone Brewing – Napa
Last month Stone Brewing – Napa brought its renovated 1877 downtown Napa building to life in the heart of California’s wine country. The 9,500 square-foot restaurant and 10-barrel brewery offers locally-brewed beers, a dining experience, growler fills and merchandise. The Napa brewing program is led by Steve Gonzalez, Stone’s six-year veteran Small Batch Senior Manager of Brewing & Innovation. Fortuitously, Steve also had a former career as a winemaker, making him uniquely qualified to bring together the two industries in distinct and special ways. This will manifest itself in brewing techniques that include wine-barrel aging, beer recipes that include wine grapes, as well as interesting botanicals from the region’s diverse ecology.

Stone Brewing Tap Room – Prenzlauer Berg
In mid-May, Stone Brewing Tap Room – Prenzlauer Berg opened in the Berlin city center, 53 minutes by bike from the brewery and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Berlin. The 1,000 square-foot outpost offers popular bistro menu items alongside international street foods. The destination takes inspiration from the expansive Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Berlin, with a more intimate approach in a bustling and vibrant neighborhood known for its outdoor Mauerpark Market. In usual Stone fashion, multiple taps are dedicated to international guest beers, making it another authentic destination for the craft beer adventurer.

With the addition of these three new locations, Stone’s unique venues now total 11 in number. Like-minded in approach, each exists to elevate the craft beer experience while creating an environment that fosters togetherness and affinity for the art of craft. The spirit and philosophy of Stone guides every project, but each is exclusive to its own surroundings, building’s character and local community.

And speaking of that spirit and philosophy of Stone, did we mention we did it all without the help of Big Beer? Founders Steve Wagner and Greg Koch retain full Board control of the company to this day, ensuring that the company stays true to its ethos and ideals of the past 22 years!