Archives for January 2022

Brewing the Burg: Gulfport Brewery + Eatery stands out in Tampa Bay’s beer scene(January 25) – Open since the summer of 2020, Gulfport Brewery + Eatery has quickly built a cult following and is already a neighborhood favorite for those who call Gulfport home. The laid-back brewpub on Gulf Boulevard is housed inside a converted home, complete with couches, easy chairs and dining room tables to match. Complete Story

15 Pittsburgh restaurant & brewery openings to look forward to this year(January 25) – People in Pittsburgh are squarely in the throes of the winter doldrums. But things do feel different than they did last year at this time — less bleak — and all of this will soon pass and we’ll be back to carefree eating and drinking out like old times. To that end, a slate of 15 new openings to look forward to in 2022. Complete Story

A ‘SHOT OF REDEMPTION’ — MONTCLAIR BREWERY OWNER TAKES PRIZE ON ‘MASTER DISTILLER’ (January 23) – If you tuned into Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners: Master Distiller” earlier this month, you know that Montclair now has its own “master distiller.” Complete Story.

New Scholarship Initiative Aims to Boost Diversity in Brewing (January 23) – Beer is intended to be for everyone, of drinking age, but it’s not always made by everyone. The craft beer industry has historically been dominated by white men. A 2021 survey by the Brewers Association, which represents thousands of breweries nationwide, found 93.5% of brewery owners are white and 75.6% are men. That lack of diversity is the inspiration behind a new scholarship initiative in Illinois. The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild partnered with the Siebel Institute of Technology, a brewing school in Chicago, to provide free entry-level and intermediate-level brewing courses, valued at $985 and $4,285. The goal is to build a more inclusive industry by giving underrepresented groups access to education and technical training. Complete story.

Bircus Brewing isn’t clowning around, plans to open Cincinnati location (January 22) – A Ludlow-based brewery has plans to expand and open its first location across the river in Cincinnati. Bircus Brewing Company, which serves craft beer and wood-fired pizza, currently has two locations: one in Ludlow, where it was founded, and the other in Covington. And this year, the brewery plans to expand production in Ludlow’s Opportunity Zone and open another location on Main Street in Cincinnati near the Aronoff Center for the Arts, according to a release. An exact opening date for the Cincinnati location has not yet been announced. Complete story.

Hop Talk: 3R Brewery opens new tasting room in Ocean Beach (January 22) – Last Sunday, Rincon Reservation Road Brewery — known as 3R Brewery for short — opened the doors of its new tasting room in Ocean Beach. 3R brewery is owned and operated by The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, who debuted their first location on the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Reservation in Valley Center. The OB location is the first outpost not on tribal land. The new San Diego tasting room will “pay homage to the heritage of the Native Americans while engraining itself in the Ocean Beach community,” according to a statement. Complete story.

Michigan’s first gluten free brewery opens (January 22) – Have you felt left out of the Michigan craft beer scene because you had to go gluten-free? Thanks to the efforts of a new West Michigan brewery that is brewing up greatness with alternative grains and creating true gluten-free beers from grain to glass, everyone can enjoy a pint of Michigan-made beer. The best thing about these brews from Brewery Nyx? Even if you’re not gluten-free, you’ll love them. Brewery Nyx might be focused on making great gluten-free beers, but I’ll argue that they’re just flat-out making incredible beers. Complete story.

Country Boy Brewing Sets 10th Anniversary Events Next Month (January 20) – Country Boy Brewing will celebrate its 10th anniversary in February. Started by four native Kentuckians, Jeff Beagle, Daniel “DH” Harrison, Nathan Coppage, and Evan Coppage, their love of high quality, minimally processed beer, brought them together to share their vision with beer lovers of Kentucky. Introduced through mutual friends in 2011, they realized their dream of opening a brewery together in February 2012. Within four years, the group had grown the brewery’s flagship brands, Cougar Bait and Shotgun Wedding to a point too large for the original Lexington brewery. Complete story.

2 years after Ballast Point deal, Kings & Convicts Brewing abandons Wisconsin plans to instead sink its roots in San Diego (January 18) – Kings & Convicts Brewing, the tiny north suburban operation whose founder stunned the beer world in late 2019 by buying the famed Ballast Point brewery, is scrapping a plan to build a new headquarters in southern Wisconsin and heading instead to Ballast Point’s longtime home of San Diego. Though it will maintain its tiny Highwood, Illinois, taproom at least in the short term, Kings & Convicts will center business in what has been Saint Archer Brewing, a brand bought by Molson Coors in 2015 at the height of the trend of large beer companies buying small, upstart craft breweries. Complete story.

Revolution Brewing Set to Distribute in Iowa and Minnesota (January 18) – Chicago’s Revolution Brewing, the largest independent brewery in Illinois, is expanding its distribution footprint in early 2022. The 12-year-old craft brewery will begin by joining the Johnson Brothers of Iowa portfolio for statewide coverage beginning in March. In April, Rev Brew will launch throughout all of Minnesota with Artisan Beer Company. This is the largest statewide expansion for the brewery since 2017, and the first time Revolution has expanded distribution west of the Mississippi River. Complete story.

Strong Brew: Otto’s Pub and Brewery Celebrates 20 Years of Creating Local Beers (January 18) -If you look around Otto’s Pub and Brewery, you’ll get a taste of Pennsylvania’s rich brewing history. Hanging from the ceiling are vintage advertisements from breweries of yesteryear, most of which faded out during Prohibition. On the walls are more artifacts of the Keystone State’s brewing past. Complete Story

Brewers Association’s notes CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective is still a craft brewery by its definitions (January 18) – Do beer nerds still get miffed when they hear about a big craft brewery selling out? It sounds like a philosophical thought experiment. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? The answer is probably yes to both, but what the heck even defines a craft brewery? To us in the press apparently, a trade organization’s membership definition. Complete Story

Betty White beer on tap at Brioux City Brewery raising money for local animal shelters (January 17) – A local brewery is celebrating the life of Betty White on Monday, January 17th, with the re-release of a popular white stout beer and a fundraiser. Brioux City Brewery held a Betty White Celebration and Fundraiser for Sioux City Animal Shelters on what would have been Betty White’s birthday – Monday, January 17th.   Complete Story.

Noble Funk’s Massive Brewery Opens In Old Louisville This Week (January 13) – The former Old Louisville Kroger has completed its transformation into a 27,000-square foot brewery. Noble Funk Brewing Co. is opening on Friday at 922 S. Second St., starting with three new beers and oven-fired pizzas. Complete Story

Sudsy! Ten years of tasty brews at Mankato Brewery (January 9) – The Cross-Czech Pilsner is, indeed, a tasty brew. But where it — the beer and the brewery — really succeeds is in its symbolism and how warmly, even on a bitterly cold day, it has been embraced by the community. Complete Story.

Craft beer lovers rejoice, there are a bevvy of new breweries to try soon in metro Phoenix (January 9) – Metro Phoenix’s craft beer scene continues to grow at an exciting rate. As we enter into the new year, two breweries have joined the mix and four others are getting ready to open their doors. Complete Story.

Troy Aikman Is Hoping To Score With Eight Brewing Co (January 8) – Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman is hoping that the residents of Texas are looking for a low-cal, low-carb beer the next time they visit their favorite watering hole or retail establishment. That is the impetus behind his entry into the beer business with the upcoming launch of a new beer named Eight after his former jersey number with the Dallas Cowboys. Complete Story.

Opinion: Bell’s Brewery sale means opportunity to expand company’s social commitments (January 8) – As you may know, the sale of Bell’s Brewery to join forces with New Belgium Brewing – a company that means as much to Fort Collins, Colo., as Bell’s does to Kalamazoo – officially closed on Dec. 31. Complete Story.

Creston Brewery to welcome Grand Rapids Comedy Club (January 7) – The brewery in Grand Rapids’ Creston neighborhood welcomed its first comedy show inside its upstairs Golden Age room on Dec. 17, according to Biddick. A day later, the Grand Rapids Comedy Club Facebook page went live. Complete Story.

Valley breweries persevere through brutal windstorm (January 7) – Our breweries in Palmer and Wasilla got a (butt) kicking with this week’s windstorm that blew through the area between Sunday and Wednesday, but I’m relieved to report that nary a drop of beer was spilled. Oh, there was damage, but three of the four breweries out there reported in that “it’s okay, we made it through.” Complete Story.

Metro Atlanta breweries looked for ways to grow, change in 2021 (January 6) – While COVID-19 had made operating a brewery a daily downer the previous year, there were times in 2021 when sitting down for a beer and a snack seemed downright pre-pandemic — especially for the fully vaccinated and boosted. Complete Story.

Beards Brewery launches community outreach partnership program (January 6) –  Beards Brewery has welcomed in the new year with a new community outreach and partnership program it hopes will create a lasting impact on area organizations. Complete Story.

New era for Bell’s Brewery (January 5) – The West Michigan beer world was shaken in November when news broke that Michigan beer pioneer Larry Bell sold Bell’s Brewery. Bell’s was one of the nation’s largest independent and family-owned breweries, brewing up some of the most beloved beers in the industry, like Two Hearted Ale. Bell regularly called out breweries that sold to large corporations. While his cantankerous attitude helped grow the Michigan beer industry, it also ruffled feathers. Complete story.

Sun King to open Florida taproom in 2022 (first outside Indiana) (January 5) – Indiana-based Sun King Brewery is headed south this winter and opening up a brewery and taproom in Florida – its first outside of Indiana. Sun King Sarasota will take over the location of an existing 5,000-square-foot brewery and tap room located at 1215 Mango Ave. The plan is to open in the summer. Sun King began distributing beer in Florida in 2017 and has found a strong following of fans who include Florida residents, snowbirds and vacationers who enjoy quenching their thirst with Sun King beers. Complete story.

Cleveland-area breweries made news in 2021: Biggest beer stories (and a few favorite sippers) (January 4) – The brewing industry in Northeast Ohio is just that – an industry, and a healthy one. We offer a glimpse at the year’s biggest regional beer stories – along with a few personal favorites we quaffed along the way. What other year-end column will include Ruth Bader Ginsberg, an Irish Breakfast, dimes and an Angry Penguin? Complete story.

Kansas City’s Alma Mader Are Brewing for the Backyard (January 2) – Whether it’s pinpoint pilsners, lush, juicy IPAs, or big, balanced stouts, the upstarts at family-run Alma Mader in Kansas City have something that just about any kind of drinker can love. Complete Story.

South Austin Brewery owner takes big risks, finds big reward (January 1) – In 2009, Greg Plummer decided to take a leap of faith after more than ten years in brewing and leave his California home for Texas. Complete Story.

The 50 Best Beers of 2021, According to Brewers and Beer Geeks (January 1) – It’s a tad strange to think about a best-of list in a not-so-great year, especially when it followed, and oftentimes felt identical to, an unequivocally worst-ever one. Complete Story.

Best Cities for Beer Drinkers – 2021 Edition (December 31) – Powered by a craft beer boom, the beer industry has undergone a renaissance in recent years. The number of craft breweries in the U.S. nearly doubled between 2015 and 2020, reaching 8,764 as of last year, according to the Brewers Association for Small and Independent Craft Brewers. With so much new beer being brewed in the last decade, some cities have become synonymous with their local breweries and beer culture. It begs the question: what are the best cities for beer drinkers? Complete story.

Atlanta based Black-owned brewery coming to NoDa (December 31) – Hippin’ Hops Brewery will soon call the NoDa neighborhood home bringing unique tastes and experiences for everyone to enjoy. Complete Story.

Big Lake Brewing launching Exploratory Series of beer (December 30) – A Holland brewery is working on a small batch series that will include the release of a new beer each quarter.  Big Lake Brewing, at 13 W. Seventh St. in Holland, said Tuesday, Dec. 28, it recently launched an Exploratory Series. A new beer in the series will be released quarterly and will be available on draft and in cans at the downtown Holland pub, as well as in limited distribution throughout the state. Complete story.

New brewery to open in midtown Bozeman (December 30) – What sets Colin Ruh-Kirk’s brewery — and Bozeman’s newest place to grab a pint — apart is the quality of beer, he said. Complete Story.

Turn on the taps: Brewery to start serving this week (December 29) – Seven Sounds Brewery Company sold its first craft beer last week and will begin serving to the general public on Wednesday. Complete Story.

City’s third brewery opening next spring in downtown Shakopee (December 26) – Mana Brewing plans to open a new brewery and taproom location in downtown Shakopee next spring. Complete Story.

Short’s releases Q1 brew lineup (December 24) – Short’s Brewing Company’s first-quarter releases include an oatmeal stout flavored with peanuts and another that blends blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry flavors. The company also announced that it plans to install a can labeler in January. Complete story.

Business roundup: Couple opens craft winery aiming for craft brewery atmosphere (December 23) – When it comes to making and selling wine, Melissa and Matt Smith aren’t what might be considered traditional.

Fat Head’s Brewery launching 5 beers in 2022 (December 23) – Fat Head’s Brewery’s 2022 beer-release calendar includes five new offerings. Alpha Ambush IPA and St. Fatty’s Irish-style Red Ale will be released early in the year, and the brewery’s first variety pack will launch in the first quarter as well. Complete story.

NEW BREWERY AND RESTAURANT IN THE WORKS FOR ASHBURN (December 22) – A new brewery, taproom and restaurant is in the works for a prominent spot in Ashburn that will give it great visibility from busy Route 7. Complete Story.

Washington’s Post-Pandemic Brewery Boom Continues (December 19) – We hoped for the best and feared the worst. Optimists like me assume the worst is behind us even though there’s no guarantee that we are out of the woods yet. Complete Story.

Bell’s kicks off 2022 releases with debut of new beer (Decermber 19) – Bell’s Brewery is kicking off a year of changes to its lineup with the release of a new low-calorie wheat beer this week. Complete story.

First look at OTR StillHouse, Cincinnati’s new distillery, winery and brewery (December 19) – A new business is opening in Over-the-Rhine this weekend, and the owner is serving up her own spirits, wine and beer, all made in-house. Complete story.

Brewology and the history of the Point Brewery comes to UWSP (December 18) – You can find many things in a museum of natural history. From skeletons of long extinct animals, to interactive exhibits featuring animal pelts and furs, museums of natural history have long since brought joy and wonderment into the communities they inhabit. Complete Story.

How Bonfire Brewing went out: Inside the shutdown of the beloved Eagle business (December 18) – Brewery’s future now lies in the hands of a few key actors, with much to be resolved before business can reopen its doors to the community. Complete Story.

First brewery in North Las Vegas opened this weekend (December 17) – North Las Vegas celebrated the opening of the city’s first-ever craft brewery to be located in the area. North 5th Brewing Co. is a locally owned and operated brewery with a wide selection of beers. Complete Story.

Pandemic setbacks don’t stop Ogma Brewing (December 16) – After multiple canceled opening dates, and more than a few setbacks, a new Michigan brewery has finally arrived in a community that couldn’t be more excited to welcome them. Complete Story.

Lebanon Brewing Co. finalizes deal to open in former fire station (December 16) – A decommissioned fire station will become the location of a new Lebanon brewery next spring after a development agreement between the city and a brewing company was finalized last week.  Complete story.

Former NC mortician to debut his brewery with a distillery in Charlotte next year (December 15) – Opening in the Bainbridge NoDa development on North Davidson Street, Hippin’ Hops Brewery will be the second Black-owned brewery in the city following Weathered Souls Brewing Co.’s anticipated late spring opening in South End. Complete Story.

Schlafly Beer Announces Opening Date for New Illinois Location (December 15) – Schlafly Beer is adding another location to its brewpub family: With spots in downtown St. Louis St. Louis County and St. Charles, the brewery expands to the Illinois area with its new Highland location.  Complete story.

Beer review: 6 of Ohio’s seasonal brews that will guarantee hoppy holidays for brew lovers (December 15) – It might seem that holiday/Christmas beers first start appearing in stores sometime in August, but now that the calendar has moved past Thanksgiving and turned to December, it’s officially time to start cracking them open.  Complete story.

Acclaimed young brewery ForeLand Beer of McMinnville opens The Study in SE Portland (December 12) – ForeLand Beer, the year-old McMinnville startup named Best New Brewery at this year’s Oregon Beer Awards, on Saturday opens The Study, a Portland taproom on Southeast Belmont Street. Complete Story.

Mississippi Brewery Honors ‘The Golden Girls’ With New Beers (December 12) – Are you a Dorothy, Blanche, Rose or Sophia? Fly Llama Brewery in Biloxi is honoring the iconic characters from the “Golden Girls” TV show with a limited-release batch of cheesecake beers.  Complete story

Online shipping of Spotted Cow a non-starter; popular beer to stay Wisconsin-only (December 12) – Since it was first brewed in 1997, Spotted Cow, the state’s best-known beer, has only been available in Wisconsin.  Deb Carey, who owns New Glarus Brewing with her husband, Dan, its brewer, recently hired a consultant and began investigating a way to sell Spotted Cow online and ship it to other states, but decided against it. Complete story

Inspiring veteran reschedules triathlon to Crozet brewery (December 11) – A canceled race, along with several other obstacles could not stop veteran, Kevin Blanchard. He’s a retired marine who is running, swimming, and biking for a cause. Complete Story.

Maker of Corona, Modelo to build $1.3B brewery in Mexico (December 11) – The company behind Corona and Modelo’s U.S. beers has agreed to build a brewery in southeastern Mexico. Constellation Brands’ project is valued at around $1.3 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. Complete Story.

West Sixth Brewing has a new beer you’ll want to scout out: Bourbon Barrel Brownie (December 10) – West Sixth Brewing in Lexington is teaming up with Bulleit to produce a new limited-edition beer: Bourbon Barrel Brownie. It’s a an Imperial Brown Ale aged in Bulleit Bourbon Barrels, with cacao nibs. Complete story

Micro-brewery opens in former US Rubber Company mill complex (December 10) – By World War II, more than 4,000 people were employed by the United States Rubber Company, led by industrialist Samuel P. Colt, where wire for portable communications and heavier wire for ships and tanks was produced. Complete Story.

Harmony Brewing celebrating ‘aluminum’ anniversary (December 10) – The traditional gift for celebrating a ten-year anniversary is aluminum, and while your wife might not appreciate receiving that, one Michigan brewery can’t wait to break out the cans for theirs.  Complete story

Hi-Wire Brewing is opening a brewery and taproom in Cincinnati (December 10) – Cincinnati-based PLK Communities announced that renowned Asheville, N.C., brewery Hi-Wire Brewing, will open a brewery and taproom at Factory 52, PLK’s 20-acre redevelopment on the former site of the US Playing Card factory in Norwood. Construction of Hi-Wire Brewing Cincinnati will begin immediately, and it will open to the public in fall 2022. Complete story

Odell Brewing releases Peaceful Waters IPA (December 9) – Peaceful Waters IPA is available only at the Odell Brewing Five Points Brewhouse.  The beer’s name is derived from the lyrics to one of John Prine’s most beloved songs, Lake Marie. It was brewed to celebrate the Vinyl Brew’s Oh Boy Roadshow, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Marigold Project and the Prine family’s The Hello in There Foundation.  Complete story.

Santa’s Revenge or Gourdon Ramsay? 19 beers to try at Connecticut breweries this weekend (December 9) – We’ve looked through a mix of tap lists throughout New London and Windham counties to find what local breweries are serving up. Complete Story.

8 great craft breweries along Ohio’s 250-mile Brew Trail (December 9) – From the state that brought the world the light bulb, the airplane, the pop-top can, and Life Savers, Ohio’s knack for fostering creativity finds its way into the many dimensions of craft beer brewing. The Buckeye State is also home to the world’s first craft beer hotel, the nation’s only production brewery housed in a museum, a brewery that sells cask beers in a box, and another that brews with the most fruit in the U.S. Complete story

The Brewers Association named Julia Herz as the new executive director of the American Homebrewers Association (December 5) –  Herz has been homebrewing since 1991 and passionately led the promotion and protection of small and independent craft brewers via advocacy, education, national beer holidays, and building awareness and adoption of the Brewers Association’s independent craft brewer seal. Complete Story.

Brewing Beer At The Top Of The World In Longyearbyen, Svalbard (December 5) – The Svalbard archipelago is a true Arctic wilderness. Yet despite the fierce winds, freezing temperatures and the presence of the polar bear, around 2,500 people call the town of Longyearbyen their home. Complete Story.

A popular Phoenix craft brewery is coming to the West Valley. Here’s where and when (December 4) – Good news for West Valley craft beer fans: A location of O.H.S.O. Brewery is coming to Surprise. Complete Story.

Arcade-themed brewery joins lineup at Kingsley in Fort Mill (December 3) – This husband-and-wife team has blended their love of craft beer and arcade games into Fort Mill’s newest microbrewery. Complete Story.

HOMES Brewery serves up beer, coffee and Smooj at new location (December 3) – HOMES Brewery and Dozer Café & Roaster is opening a new campus on Monday, Dec. 6, featuring a café, taproom and event space. Complete Story.

Brewery quenches thirst for growth, buys spot for new taproom (December 2) – In 2020, Sarasota-based Calusa Brewing had to make pandemic pivots —like just about everyone else in hospitality and restaurants. Complete Story.

ON TAP: FOUR BULLETS BREWERY’S WHAT ARE THE ODDS. (December 1) – Much of the current American craft beer scene is based on English beer traditions. Some of that has to do with our history as an English colony, but a lot of it has to do with it being cheaper to brew ales than it is to brew lagers. Complete Story.

The Brewers Association named Julia Herz as the new executive director of the American Homebrewers Association (November 30) –  Herz has been homebrewing since 1991 and passionately led the promotion and protection of small and independent craft brewers via advocacy, education, national beer holidays, and building awareness and adoption of the Brewers Association’s independent craft brewer seal. Complete Story.