It seems that craft brewing and the interest in craft beer has snowballed this summer. Here’s a summary of just a few stories in August that have caught my attention. Keep in mind that old news is better than no news. I've been away on an island for the past 10 days and this is the reason for my 2 week hiatus from National Beer Examiner jottings.
The Great American Beer Festival celebrates 29 years. An account of the early years of the Great American Beer Festival. Interviews with early participants such as Alaskan Brewing Company’s Geoff Larson, Boston Beer Company’s Jim Koch, Denver’s Falling Rock legend Chris Black and yours truly Charlie Papazian. Interesting stuff if you’re a fan of the Great American Beer Festival
Magic Hat/ Pyramid Breweries are bought North American Breweries, Inc. – Independent craft brewing company called, “Independent Brewers United” since the merger of Seattle based Pyramid and Burlington, Vermont based Magic Hat completed their sell to a company called North American Breweries (NAB) produces brands such as Labatts, Dundee, Genessee and Seagram’s Escapes.
Carolina Beer and Beverage company sells majority of stake to a Dallas private-equity firm. The brewery makes the Carolina and Cottonwood Ale brands
Anchor Brewing sale is finalized this month. The Anchor Brewing Company bought in April by The Griffen Group was finalized this past week. Now the company is called Anchor Brewers & Distillers LLC. Gruppo Campari, Skyy Vodka, Preiss Imports, BrewDog Brewery (Scotland) are other companies that the group has invested in.
Heady Times for “Boutique” Brewers - U.S. independent beer brewers outpace their U.K. cousins and gain market share. MarketWatch provides insight reporting from London.
USA Today asks “Who makes the best American beer?” http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2010/08/finding-the-best-american-craft-beers/104918/1 After witnessing, “A funny thing happened last week at the Great British Beer Festival in London. By Day 3 of the four-day event, the stands serving American brands had run dry.”
Retailers are cheering the surge in consumer interest for “microbrewed” beer as reported by
GourmetRetailer.com. They sell a lot of beer at the Central Market in Shoreline, Wash., an independently operated 80,000-square-foot supermarket that carries 450 items in 48 feet of beer cooler space and a big promo island… read the rest of the story.
This story starts out, “Just like the creepy Poltergeist scene 28 years ago…’They’re here.’” Miller Coors launches “craft beer” unit called Tenth and Blake Beer Company. Their current portfolio of beers include: current roster of beers includes: Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni, Killian’s, Henry Weinhard’s, Grolsch, Tyskie, Lech, Cristal, Cusquena, Aguila, Batch 19, Kasteel Cru, AC Golden brands (Herman Joseph’s, Winterfest, Colorado Native) and Sandlot brands (Brewmaster’s Special, Ski Brews, Barmen, Championship Amber Ale, Right Field Red, Slugger Stout, Power Alley ESB). Take a full read of the story at Beernews.org
What is still the USA central nerve of the largest brewing company in the world is now home to another brewery, BeerAdvocate.com broke this news in August, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co Announces Plans to Launch a Craft Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. The entrepreneurs are Florian Kuplent and David Wolfehese, two former Anheuser-Busch InBev employees having a go at starting their own brewery.
Oregon based Indie Hops parties with farmers, brewers, mad scientists and politicians. See what’s happening at one of America’s newest hop farms and processing companies.
Brewers without breweries – Read and listen to the National Public Radio (NPR) piece called “’Gypsy Brewer’ Spreads Craft Beer Gospel.”
American craft brewers take 15 gold, silver and bronze awards at the inaugural Asia Beer Award competition held in Singapore. Winners were:
- Bridge Road Brewers Chevalier Saison
- Dog Fish Head Brewery 60 Minutes IPA
- Epic Brewery Galloway Porter
- Flying Dog Brewery Garde Dog Belgian Style
- Flying Dog Brewery Snake Dog IPA
- Flying Dog Brewery Road Dog Porter
- Flying Dog Brewery Gonzo Imperial Porter
- Flying Dog Brewery Horn Dog Barley Wine
- Lakefront Brewery, Inc. Bridge Burner Special Reserve Ale
- Pelican Pub & Brewery Kiwanda Cream Ale
- Rogue Brewery Dry Hopped Red
- Rogue Brewery Dead Guy Ale
- Southern Tier Brewery Southern Tier Porter
- Stone Brewing Company Stone Smoked Porter
- Stone Brewing Company Stone Imperial Russian Stout
The Great Japan Beer Festival! Is coming! September 18th to 20th 2010 The Great Japan Beer Festival 2010 will be held in Yokohama" in Osanbashi Hall, Yokohama. Japan Craft Beer Association Director Ryouji Oda reports, “Japanese craft breweries number over 250 breweries and 2,000 kinds of beers. Those craft breweries are producing 400,000 hectoliters yearly. The Brewers Association Export Development Program will be hosting a stand at this year’s Great Japan Beer Festival.
And last but never final, MutineerMagazine.com reports on the ultimate beer mobile. Brewpub4U is real and for rent. You gotta take a look at this and keep your drooling to yourself.
Comments