Archives for December 2021

LOS ANGELES, California – The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced a multi-year partnership that makes Pabst Blue Ribbon, America’s lager, the Official Beer Partner of the PBA.

“A 300! A perfect game!” is how Colie Edison, CEO of the PBA, describes the partnership with Pabst Blue Ribbon. Edison goes on, “We are thrilled to welcome Pabst Blue Ribbon, an iconic American brand embraced by fans throughout the country, as the Official Beer of the PBA Tour. Much like the PBA, Pabst Blue Ribbon has a distinctive brand identity with passionate, lifelong fans. We look forward to extending the visibility and engagement of professional bowling to new audiences through our partnership.”

As the Official Beer of the PBA Tour, Pabst Blue Ribbon will receive an array of exclusive, first-to-market branding, messaging and naming opportunities, including the presenting rights to the beloved PBA League, the Tour’s team-bowling series featuring 10 five-player teams. One of the teams will be Pabst Blue Ribbon’s very own PBR Milwaukee Pounders – a 2020 expansion team (formerly the Brew City Ballers) managed by PBA legend Marshall Holman.

Throughout the PBA Tour season on FOX Sports, Pabst Blue Ribbon will be integrated into all telecasts with a “PBR Beer Frame” in the fifth frame, plus a new “PBR 6-Pack Alert” that will feature a $1000 bonus prize. If the sixth strike is not achieved, $500 will be added to the “PBR 6-Pack Alert Jackpot” and grow each match.

Pabst Blue Ribbon will also receive additional exclusive partnership benefits across PBA’s multiple platforms including streaming and digital media as well as inclusion in its esports property, “PBA Bowling Challenge”, the top bowling mobile app with over 30M downloads.

“Pabst Blue Ribbon has been a favorite at bowling alleys across the country for close to a century. Whether it’s at a League Night, a casual gathering with college friends at the local lanes, even Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas, we’ve been there,” says Nick Reely, VP of Marketing – PBR. “So to get the chance to partner with the PBA, and further integrate Pabst Blue Ribbon into the bowling community and culture, it’s a huge level up for us and we’re excited about the scale it offers our brand.”

More than 70 hours of national television and 1,000 hours of live streaming coverage of the 64th season of the Guaranteed Rate PBA Tour begins on FOX Sports, Saturday, Jan. 22, with the PBA Players Championship. Qualifying rounds for the first major of the year begin Saturday, Jan. 15 on FloBowling.

About the PBA

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition, with thousands of members and millions of fans throughout the world. The PBA plays host to bowling’s biggest tournaments from the Guaranteed Rate PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. In 2020, the PBA launched PBA Jr., a club for elite youth bowlers under the age of 17 and the PBA Pinsiders, a membership for fans of the sport.

About Pabst Blue Ribbon

Since its founding in 1844, Pabst Blue Ribbon, the original American lager beer, has been connecting with local communities across America. Pabst Blue Ribbon engages and supports individuals who are passionate about forging their own path in life, and will continue to empower new generations who believe in the future of America. Pabst Blue Ribbon is owned by Pabst Brewing Company. American-owned and operated since its founding in Milwaukee in 1844, Pabst Brewing Company is America’s largest privately held brewing company.

For More Information:

https://pabstblueribbon.com

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LEXINGTON, Kentucky – Kentucky-based brands, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey and West Sixth Brewing have teamed up to introduce Bourbon Barrel Brownie, a limited-edition release available for beer and bourbon lovers alike, just in time for the holidays. As two brands known for delivering high-quality products while invoking a positive impact on their communities, Bulleit and West Sixth are committed to pushing the boundaries of both the craft brewing and spirits industries.

Aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels, cacao nibs were added to round out this Imperial Brown Ale. Perfect for the holiday season, Bourbon Barrel Brownie is reminiscent of milky, dark, and fudgy brownies with notes of that bold signature Bulleit Bourbon flavor. This silky and chocolatey treat is available for a limited time only, so act fast because this offering won’t be around for long.

“Bulleit is proud to be a part of the local Kentucky community, and we’re thrilled to partner with our neighbors at West Sixth Brewing, as they offer a new and innovative brew to share with the community,” said Ricky Collett, Global Brand Director, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey.  “For Bulleit, being a part of the local community is extremely important, and we do that by partnering with those who are pushing the boundaries of their craft within their communities, like West Sixth Brewing.”

“We were inspired to push ourselves in creating a brew that speaks to the local Kentucky community ahead of the holiday season, while staying true to the innovative spirit of both Bulleit and West Sixth,” said Kelly Hieronymus, West Sixth Brewing’s creative and marketing director. “This release with Bulleit is extra special as we were able to collaborate with creative minds from within our local community. We couldn’t be happier for people to try this new barrel-aged beer in time for the holidays.”

Beginning December 6th, Bourbon Barrel Brownie will be available in limited quantities for purchase in the Northern Kentucky area. The new offering has an ABV of 10.5% and is available in 12-ounce packs of four and cases of 24 for a suggested retail price of $11.99 for a 4-pack.

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey and West Sixth Brewing remind consumers 21+ to drink responsibly, when choosing to drink.

ABOUT BULLEIT FRONTIER WHISKEY

Bulleit, founded in 1987, is one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America. The brand attributes that growth to bartenders and cultural partners who have adopted it as their own. The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey portfolio is distilled and aged in the Bulleit family tradition, using a distinctive high rye recipe, which gives them a bold, spicy, yet distinctively smooth taste. Most recently, Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon won a Double Gold medal and Best Straight Bourbon at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In 2017, Bulleit celebrated its 30th anniversary with the opening of a new, state-of-the-art distillery located in Shelbyville, KY. Constructed with a focus on sustainable practices including natural habitat protection, water conservation, and local ingredient sourcing, BDC received the Highly Commended award for Sustainable Distillery of the Year at the 2020 Icons of Whisky Awards from Whisky Magazine. In 2019, a Visitor’s Centre at the Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville opened to share our modern, technological and sustainable approach to making great whiskey.

ABOUT WEST SIXTH BREWING

Founded in 2012, West Sixth Brewing is an award-winning brewery based in Lexington, Kentucky, operating two taprooms in our home city, a farm in Frankfort, and a Louisville taproom opening in the NuLu neighborhood in spring 2020. We produce a wide variety of beers that we distribute throughout Kentucky and across the Ohio River in Cincinnati. We’re driven by brewing high-quality creative beers, making a positive social impact on the communities we’re a part of, and creating an awesome place to work for our team.

For More Information:
https://www.westsixth.com

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BOSTON, Massachusetts – Harpoon Brewery is thrilled to announce that its Rec League Hazy Pale Ale will now be widely available in Sweden. The Boston- and Vermont-based brewery won the coveted tender for system-wide availability with Systembolaget and will join Big League in Systembolaget. Rec League features a tropical blend of hops and activity-minded ingredients like buckwheat kasha, chia seed, and sea salt, giving the pale ale a tremendous amount of juicy hop character and a surprisingly refreshing finish.

Jon Schwartz, VP Business Development at Mass. Bay Brewing Company: “We are thrilled to partner with Crafted Exports and Galatea to bring Rec League to Sweden.  It is a hop-forward and flavorful, yet light and refreshing pale ale that we call the ultimate cool-down companion.  It is the perfect beer for so many occasions and we are excited to introduce it to a whole new audience of Craft beer lovers.”

Qurban Walia, Co-President of Crafted Exports, comments: “We can’t wait to be able to drink Rec League in Sweden! Harpoon has been one of our most passionate breweries, so it is great to able to see them growing and succeeding in one of our favorite countries. Skål!”

Commenting on the release, Andrew Reed, Brand Manager at Galatea and Craftbeer.se, said: “It has been an amazing year for Harpoon in Sweden! We are very proud that Rec League will be joining Big League in Systembolaget.”

Rec League officially launched in December 2021.

Systembolaget is the Swedish government-owned chain whose retail stores are the only ones in the country allowed to sell alcoholic beverages containing more than 3.5% alcohol, for take-home consumption. Within the Systembolaget there are several levels of availability. Some products are in the ‘ordering range’ or beställningssortimentet – orderable to stores, but not stocked. Then there are seven levels of availability in the chain of over 450 stores nationwide – T9, T7, T5, T3, T2, T1 and BASE. The lower the number, the greater the availability, with a “BASE” availability meaning that the product is available in all or virtually all Systembolaget stores.

About Crafted Exports

Crafted Exports is a premier international distributor of craft beers and spirits that specializes in using innovative, quality-control delivery processes to deliver the freshest products to markets across the world.

About Harpoon Brewery

The Harpoon Brewery was founded in 1986 by beer-loving friends who wanted to bring variety and community back to the American beer scene— particularly their home region of New England. At the time, Harpoon was issued Brewing Permit #001 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since it was the first to brew commercially in Boston after a dormant period of 25 years. Since then, it has expanded to a second brewery in Windsor, VT, and in 2014, became employee-owned. Harpoon’s portfolio of craft beer is led by Harpoon IPA, New England’s Original IPA, and features their League Family of active lifestyle beers as well as an array of seasonal and limited releases, including countless collaborations with other local brands.

For More Information:
https://www.harpoonbrewery.com

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CHICAGO, Illinois – Hop Butcher For The World, a Chicagoland-based brewing company known for its hop-forward approach to IPAs and fresh-to-retail distribution strategy has partnered with Garrett Brands, the company behind Garrett Popcorn and Frango® Chocolate, to brew an Imperial Stout that smells and tastes like the iconic chocolate mints we all know and love.

The Imperial Stout weighs in at 10.5% alcohol by volume and contains the same mint oil used to make Frango chocolates. It will be packaged in 16 ounce cans and distributed to stores via self distribution by the brewery between Wednesday, December 1st and Friday, December 3rd.

“Frango Mints are as much a part of the holiday season as Christmas trees and wrapping presents. And anyone who grew up or spent any amount of time in the greater Chicagoland area has a connection to them. Whether they’re a gift given to friends or family or a delicious treat enjoyed by one’s self, they’re synonymous with this time of year. And being able to take what we do with beer and infuse it with that spirit is a bit of a dream come true for everyone here at Hop Butcher,” says co-founder Jeremiah Zimmer.

About Hop Butcher For The World

Founded in Chicago in 2014, Hop Butcher For The World brews a broad portfolio of hop forward IPAs, flavorful lagers and bold stouts. Every week, the brewery self-distributes fresh beer, often only hours or days in the can, from its lineup of nearly 200 different beers (and growing) to better craft beer retailers throughout Chicagoland and periodically in out-of-state markets such as southern Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, California, New York, Boston, Florida, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville and Portland, Oregon. Until 2021, it has tenant brewed at various breweries throughout Chicagoland and self-distributed directly to retailers throughout the region. In early May of 2021, Hop Butcher reached an agreement with Half Acre Beer Company to purchase their original brewery and taproom on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago.

About Garrett Brands/Frango Chocolate

Garrett Brands LLC is a privately held, Chicago based company which owns Frango® and Garrett Popcorn Shops®. Garrett Brands acquired Frango from Macy’s in January 2017. Originally made in the candy kitchen on Marshall Field’s 13th floor, the iconic Milk Mint recipe is quintessentially Chicago. Each piece is made with rich milk chocolate infused with fine peppermint oil. Available online, Frango recipes are stylized in an exclusive gift box and tied with a bow.

For More Information:

http://www.hopbutcher.com

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CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, and HALIFAX, NS – Thirsty for better non-alcoholic options? Upstreet Craft Brewing, a B-Corp certified beverage company and Benjamin Bridge, Canada’s premier sparkling wine house, are joining forces to quench the thirst for non-alcoholic beverages during the holidays, Dry January and beyond. Upstreet’s award-winning alcohol-free craft beer Libra and Benjamin Bridge’s original alcohol-free wine-style beverage Piquette Zero give Canadians a better-tasting ‘no to low’ beverage experience with all the flavour and none of the headaches. The two brands will work together on in-store retail promotions at Sobeys in Atlantic Canada, digital campaigns and sponsoring ‘sober curious’ socials in Halifax and Charlottetown to help people find their balance.

Upstreet Craft Brewing and Benjamin Bridge Serving Up Non-Alcoholic Libra Craft Beer and Piquette Zero for the Holidays and Dry January. (CNW Group/Upstreet Craft Brewing)Piquette Zero (CNW Group/Upstreet Craft Brewing) Moderation is the name of the game as Canadians’ relationship with alcohol shifts. The global non-alcoholic beverage market has reached $3.1 billion in off-premise sales compared to 291 million a year ago** and 58 percent of no/low consumers report that they choose to switch between no/low and full-strength alcohol products***. This new approach to drinking has been fueled by the pandemic and the fact that 66% of millennials are opting to drink less to maintain their wellness goals****.

“The way people choose to consume alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is changing so fast, and that hard line in the sand between the drinkers and non-drinkers is quickly eroding. People will come in to have a beer after work followed by two NA beers, or will drink NA beer during the week and traditional craft beer on the weekend,” says Mitch Cobb, Co-Founder Upstreet Craft Brewing and Libra.” We are thrilled to be working with Benjamin Bridge to put the spotlight on the non-alcoholic beverage market and help educate and inspire Canadians to be social on their terms.”

“We’ve applied over two decades worth of knowledge from growing region-defining wines in Nova Scotia into Piquette Zero. We’ve longed for this non-alcoholic option in our personal lives and it turns out we’re not alone — there is a growing community of people seeking a tasty, well-made wine alternative that they can confidently share at their get-togethers or include to round out their dinner table offerings.” says head winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Benjamin Bridge.

Upstreet Craft Brewing and Benjamin Bridge want to become leaders in this growing market. By collaborating, the two Atlantic Canadian brands hope to build awareness, showcase their expertise and passion for creating great-tasting non-alcoholic beverages with half the calories and sugar. Dry January socials will be held in mid-January, and more details will be available on both drinklibra.ca and benjaminbridge.com.

Libra was created by Upstreet owners Mitch Cobb and Mike Hogan’s need to socialize without sacrificing their health. The award-winning Libra Pale Ale launched in October 2020 and was quickly followed up by Libra Hazy IPA, Libra Pilsner and a new Libra Stout, which will be launching mid-December. Benjamin Bridge’s Piquette Zero is a lively and delicious alcohol-free wine-style beverage with zero sugar that launched last year, offering a creative and unprecedented craft option to industrially dealcoholized wines that are so often stripped of their character. Instead of relying upon the forceful removal of alcohol, they tapped into the knowledge gained from making their artisan light wine refreshers, called Piquette.” Both non-alcoholic beverages are available at Sobeys in Atlantic Canada, select liquor stores and online.

*Global Market Insights, July 11, 2019

**Neilsen IQ Insights, October 2021

***IWSR, London, February 2021

*****Beverage Daily, March 15, 2021.

About Upstreet Craft Brewing

Upstreet Craft Brewing is a beverage company on a mission to refresh the community with its collection of craft beer, line of vodka seltzers, craft sodas, and Libra, a brand of non-alcoholic craft beer. It was the first company on Prince Edward Island to gain B-Corp certification and has three locations across two provinces and national distribution on Well and at Sobeys in Atlantic Canada.

About Benjamin Bridge

Benjamin Bridge strives to nurture not only healthy soils but healthy lives in a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. Our Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia-based sparkling wine house runs on the hard work and dedication of our passionate team, and we value diversity in the people we hire, the people we work with, and the people we serve. Our wine-style alcohol-free beverage Piquette Zero is available in the Maritimes through Sobeys and retailers throughout Canada.

For More Information:
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/quenching-the-thirst-for-non-alcoholic-drinks-upstreet-craft-brewing-and-benjamin-bridge-serving-up-buzzless-beverages-for-the-holidays-and-dry-january-841211227.html

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Shiner, TX — Today, the independent, family-owned makers of the iconic Shiner Bock Beer, announce the limited release of a new Berries & Cream brew, in celebration of a viral trend sweeping social media.

In 2007, a tongue-in-cheek candy commercial launched, featuring an innocent yet odd character named the “Little Lad” who is so excited by a Berries & Cream flavor that he launches into animated song and dance. In 2021, “The Little Lad” and this absurdist humor made a comeback on TikTok, as thousands of viewers created their own content with the original Berries & Cream tune. The Little Lad has also made his way back into the spotlight, garnering over 20.8 million likes from his TikTok account in the past year alone.

Inspired to join in on the fun, Shiner created a new Berries & Cream brew that will exclusively be available on tap at the renowned Spoetzl Brewery (603 E Brewery St, Shiner, TX 77984) in Shiner, Texas. Beginning on December 10th consumers will have the chance to taste this quirky beverage. All brewery visitors will be offered a complimentary sample when they book a tour.

The beer (ABV: 5%) is based on Shiner’s classic cream ale recipe, a brew made with an extra helping of specialty wheat malt to give it a velvety smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The Berries & Cream brew also includes a healthy splash of raspberries and blackberries giving it a fresh, juicy flavor. It all comes together with a crisp, refreshing finish that just makes you want to dance!

“This festive beer is designed to treat our brewery goers to something special,” says Shiner Head of Marketing, Matt Pechman. “Here at Shiner, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Just like the Little Lad, we love Berries & Cream and are excited to spread joy with our new brew!”

Like TikTok trends, this brew will only be around for a short time. Supplies are extremely limited so make sure to try this rare brew before it runs out. For more information on Shiner, its full portfolio and brewery tour bookings, visit www.shiner.com.

About Shiner and the Spoetzl Brewery:

The Spoetzl Brewery was founded in Shiner, Texas (population 2,069), in 1909, by Czech and German immigrants brewing beer with old-world traditions and recipes for Central Texas. Since then, the brewery has grown to be one of the largest independent craft brewers in the country with beers available in all 50 states and Mexico. To this day, every drop of the award-winning beer is brewed right in Shiner, TX, where it all started 111 years ago.

Visit us at www.shiner.com.

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Williamsburg, Virginia – This holiday season, The Virginia Beer Company ushers in the 6th annual release of its Evil Santa series of Spiced Milk Stouts.

Evil Santa (brewed with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, & Milk Sugar) returns annually with an array of variants. This year that includes Double Chocolate Espresso Evil Santa (brewed with Cacao Nibs & Espresso) and Vanilla Latte Evil Santa (brewed with Vanilla & Coffee). New to the variant lineup this year was also Peppermint Hot Chocolate Evil Santa (brewed with Peppermint, Vanilla, Marshmallows, & Cacao Nibs)!

“On Black Friday every year, we release Double Evil Santa,” notes VBC Director of Sales Michael Rhodes. “This 11.3% abv Imperial version was aged in Bourbon Barrels for 9 months. Then for the first time ever, we developed a super limited Double Evil Santa variant aged in Apple Brandy Barrels! This small batch Double Evil Santa variant is our most limited release of 2021.”

“We’ve seen the Evil Santa lineup grow from one offering in 2016 to a family of offerings in 2021,” recollects VBC Co-Founder Robby Willey. “We’ve brewed 11 variants of Evil Santa since 2016, plus numerous ‘brite keg’ one-offs that are tapped throughout the holiday season.”

In 2020, Evil Santa also went international with deliveries to folks on the Nice List in Japan, the Netherlands, France, and the UK. This year, Double Chocolate Espresso variant was actually developed specifically for an importer out of the UK.

Notes Michael Rhodes: “Evil Santa has become one of our most sought after releases of the year, so we’ve really leaned into the festive nature of the beer with our own Santa costume, Evil Santa scented candles, Evil Santa ornaments, and Evil Santa glassware. We have seen demand/interest/sales for Evil Santa increase annually since our first batch back in 2016. We’ve brewed more variants and more volume each year since that first batch, and distributed the beer farther & wider every year since 2016, for which we are very grateful!”

In Virginia outside of the brewery (401 Second Street, Williamsburg, VA 23185), the best place to find Evil Santa cans is at local bottle shops; Total Wine stores; and select grocers like Wegman’s, Kroger, Harris Teeter, and Costco. In New York, Evil Santa is available through TapRm. In Japan, Evil Santa is available through Cardinal Trading Japan. In the Netherlands and select Western European countries, Evil Santa is available through USA Beer. In France, Evil Santa is available through Brothers Loving Beer. In the UK, Evil Santa is available through Beer52.

All of the brewery’s Evil Santa releases tie in with an annual food & goods drive for the Williamsburg House of Mercy, holiday music pop-ups throughout December, and an “Evil SantaCon” coming to the brewery’s taproom and beer garden on Saturday, 12/18/2021.

Visit www.VirginiaBeerCo.com for more information about releases, events, and brewery happenings.

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COLORADO – Old 121 Brewhouse has created a special brew for Colorado Veterans Project (CVP) and will release Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager to raise funds in support of local veterans. This year’s collaboration will launch with a tap party on Friday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. at Old 121 Brewhouse, located at 1057 S. Wadsworth Blvd. in Lakewood, Colorado.

The Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager is medium-bodied, with a biscuit-like malt character and fruity notes from noble hops. The lager has 25 IBU and 4.5 ABV, with a light amber color. Priced at $7 per pint, $1 from each beer sold will be donated to CVP to help further its initiatives in supporting local veterans and veteran-related organizations. Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager will be on tap at Old 121 Brewhouse and available through at least the end of the year.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Old 121 Brewhouse, and for their support in creating the Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager to raise funds for our local veterans,” said Rob Bingham, founder, CEO and executive director of Colorado Veterans Project. “The team at Old 121 Brewhouse puts passion and pride into their brews, which are also delicious, and we’re thankful for the support that they give to Colorado Veterans Project.”

CVP is one of the largest veteran-related nonprofits in the state, aiming to enhance pride and patriotism in all Coloradoans, and the funds raised from the sale of Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager will help to enhance the organization’s mission. CVP collaborated with Old 121 Brewhouse in 2019 to brew the Pride and Patriotism Amber Lager and hosted a tap party fundraiser, where $1 from each pint sold was donated to CVP to support for the local veteran community.

“As part of our core values, Old 121 Brewhouse is committed to giving back to the local community in meaningful ways,” said Brett Zahrte, head brewer at Old 121 Brewhouse. “Colorado Veterans Project was one of first organizations that we teamed up with to accomplish this goal and we’re proud to continue our support of their initiative to build a stronger, more supportive community around veterans.”

About Colorado Veterans Project

Colorado Veterans Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to enhance pride and patriotism in all Coloradoans by building a stronger, more supportive community around our veterans. CVP hosts special events to raise awareness and funds for local veterans and veteran organizations. Since the inception of CVP in January of 2014, Colorado Veterans Project has aligned with 125+ veteran organizations and works alongside the mayor’s office to host the official Veterans Day activities for the City of Denver including the Denver Veterans Day Parade and the Denver Veterans Day Festival.

For More Information:
https://old121brewhouse.com

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