Twelve lager casks will be served. In addition to lagers from Jack’s Abby, several other Massachusetts breweries have graciously donated casks as well. Other participating breweries include:

• Watch City Brewing
• Haverhill Brewing Co
• Cape Ann Brewing
• Notch Brewing
• Harpoon
• Ipswich Ale Brewery

This will be a great chance to try some very special local casks as well as support a great cause. Tickets are not required – guests pay for what they drink with 100% of the proceeds going to One Mission.

• Where: The Framingham Tavern 102 Irving Street Framingham, MA
• When: Saturday May 19 – 4 pm to 7 pm

About Jack’s Abby Brewing

Jack’s Abby Brewing is a family-owned craft brewery in Framingham, MA founded by three brothers, Jack, Eric, and Sam Hendler.The company name, Jack’s Abby Brewing, pays homage to Jack’s wife, Abby, and also to the tradition of monastic groups in Europe who handcrafted beers in their abbeys. We are inspired by this tradition of craft brewing which focuses on quality ingredients, mindful labor, community involvement, and remarkable beer.

About One Mission
One Mission is a childhood cancer foundation dedicated to enhancing the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families. We are a registered 501 (c) (3) foundation that provides help, hope, care, and support to children and their families touched by pediatric cancer. One Mission funds patient and family support services, cutting-edge cancer research, and programs and services that help children and their families cope with the many physical, emotional and financial challenges associated with this disease.

This year brings us a new story, with new brewery openings (like Riverwalk, Night Shift and more), additional brewery expansions (on site and new locations), more players in the craft cider market, marriage, babies, Brewdog ruling the world and bottle sharing — yes, I said bottle sharing. With the popularity of craft beer increasing, the frequent of bottle sharing is increasing.

Note: These may not be completely new this year, but are increasing in popularity.

Please post a comment if you are noticing additional trends..

What is bottle sharing?

Similar to a knitting club or a poetry group, a bottle share is a gathering of people, inspired by craft beer, sharing what they love — beer, bottles of beer to be exact. Whether it is hard to find beer or beer in limited quantity, craft beer fanatics are gathering to share the nectar with their fellow kin. Craft Beer is better shared with Friends!

We recently attended a share in Maine and Portsmouth. Both were fantastic and epic! We met many new friends and our hosts were gracious to welcome us into their world. The Maine tasting included some top-notch saisons and sour ales, hosted by Dawn. We were impressed by the selection of beers. So impressive, that our palates were shot by the end of the night.

The Portsmouth sharing was hosted at A&G Homebrew and was also a celebration for SeacoastBeverageLab.com Second Anniversary, along with a fundraiser for the Alysha Miller Harris Baby Fund. Our gracious hosts, Brian & Alex, brought 40+ people together, sharing all sorts of beers from New England and Beyond. The District Restaurant provided some brilliant food for the event.  Check out Brian’s post for a complete recap: blogs.seacoastonline.com/seacoast-beverage-lab/

Tips for hosting a bottle share:

• Set a theme for the beer
• Suggest a food pairing with the offering
• Invite some new and old friends
• Share stories about your beer inspirations and journeys.

Hope to see you at the next bottle share!

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

### More about the The Alysha Miller Harris Baby Fund ###

We are grateful for the outpouring of support that we’ve received from the community after Tuesday’s tragic accident in Portsmouth. Ben Harris had been a member of the Redhook family for more than seven years, first working at the Cataqua Pub and most recently as part of our brewing operations team. His wife, Alysha Miller, is expecting his child and is also part of the Redhook family as a server in our pub. Ben was a wonderful man, a dedicated member of our team and a friend to all who knew him. We are heartbroken by this tragedy and are grieving with the family.

We would like to thank the community and the media for respecting the family’s privacy as well as that of our employees as we mourn together. We would also like to thank our family of employees for their support in this process, as this is an extremely difficult time for all of us and our top priority is taking care of Ben’s family and our team. In the meantime, we ask for continued thoughts and prayers for Ben’s family, friends, and everyone touched by this accident.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to: The Alysha Miller Harris Baby Fund c/o TD Bank, 20 International Drive, Portsmouth, NH, 03801,

May 14-20 Marks the “Mother of All Beer Weeks” with Celebrations in All 50 States

With craft beer delighting the palates of Americans nationwide, beer enthusiasts and beginners alike will come together to toast the seventh annual American Craft Beer Week (ACBW). From May 14-20, celebrations are expected to be held across all 50 states as communities come together to show appreciation on a local level for the more than 1,900 small and independent craft brewers responsible for the steadily advancing American craft beer culture.

“As the craft beer community continues to experience exponential growth, American Craft Beer Week has quickly become an iconic event that underscores the ever-increasing appreciation for small producers in this country,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director at the Brewers Association. “This year’s celebrations will once again provide an opportunity for small brewers, enthusiasts and the community of better beer retailers to celebrate this growth and the progressively popular craft beer culture in the U.S. The thousands of scheduled events nationwide underscore the grassroots nature of the craft beer movement.”
Going Social

This year, Untappd, the mobile-based social network that connects breweries with craft beer lovers, will allow 2012 ACBW participants to earn a special badge for enjoying craft beer during the week. Craft brewers are encouraged to leverage the sharing app by listing their brands on the social media site.
Local Celebrations

This year’s events include exclusive brewery tours, special beer releases, multi-course food and beer pairing dinners, collaboration beers and retail promotions throughout the U.S. To find a local celebration, visit the official American Craft Beer Week events calendar hosted by CraftBeer.com -http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/news-and-events/calendar.

2012 New England scheduled celebrations include:
Events at Craft Breweries
CT

• 05.14.12: Willibrew Community Awareness Week/American Craft Beer Week – Willimantic Brewing Company, 967 Main Street, Willimantic, Connecticut, 06226
• 05.18.12: Friday Open House @ Thomas Hooker – 16 Tobey Rd, Bloomfield, Connecticut, 06002
• 05.19.12: Bark and Brew – Hooker Brewery, 16 Tobey Rd, Bloomfield, Connecticut, 06002
• 05.19.12: Saturday Tasting @ Thomas Hooker – 16 Tobey Rd, Bloomfield, Connecticut, 06002
• 05.20.12: Bikes & Beers @ Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. – Thomas Hooker Brewing Co., 16 Tobey Road, Bloomfield, Connecticut, 06002

MA

• 05.19.12: Mayflower Brewing Company 3rd Annual Open House – Mayflower Brewing Company, 12 Resnik Road, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 02360

ME

• 05.14.12: Single Hopped Gritty’s Pale Ale – Gritty’s Portland Brew Pub, 396 Fore Street, Portland, Maine, 04101
• 05.14.12: Single Hopped Gritty’s Pale Ale – Gritty’s Portland Brew Pub, 396 Fore Street, Portland, Maine, 04101
• 05.14.12: Gritty’s Chocolate Porter – Gritty McDuff’s L/A Brew Pub, 68 Main Street, Auburn, Maine, 04210
• 05.14.12: Gritty’s Porter – Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub, 187 Lower Main Street, Freeport, Maine, 04032
• 05.14.12: Pilot Brews & Pairings at Sebago Brewing Company – All Sebago Brewing Co. Pubs – Portland, Scarborough, Kennebunk, & Gorham, Maine

RI

• 05.18.12: Fridays@Six – Newport Storm Brewery, 293 JT Connell Rd, Newport, Rhode Island, 02840

Craft Beer Festivals
MA

• 05.18.12: HarpoonFest 2012 – Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02144

VT

• 05.19.12: The 2nd Annual Heavyfest – Magic Hat Artifactory, 5 Bartlett Bay Rd, South Burlington, Vermont, 05403

Brewery Tastings
CT

• 05.14.12: ACBW At The Ginger Man, Greenwich – The Ginger Man, 64 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, Connecticut, 06830

MA

• 05-14-12: Boulevard Tank 7 Tasting – Austin Liquors Shrewsbury, rt 9, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, 01545
• 05.15.12: Boulevard Tank 7 Tasting – Austin Liquors Worcester, Gold Star Boulevard, Worcester, Massachusetts, 01606
• 05.16.12: Spring Beer Tasting – Mansfield VFW, 30 Chauncy St, Mansfield, Massachusetts, 02048
• 05.17.12: Grand Beer Tasting – Yankee Spirits 376 Main Street, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 01566
• 05.19.12: Grand Tasting Event with Giveaways! EASTGATE LIQUORS NORTH READING, 12 Main Street (Route 28), North Reading, Massachusetts, 01864
• 05.19.12: Grand Beer Tasting – Winchester Wine & Spirits – 632 Main Street, Winchester, Massachusetts, 01890
• 05.20.12: Julio’s Beer Fest – 140 Turnpike Road, Westborough, Massachusetts, 01581

RI

• 05.14.12: Daily Tour & Tasting – Newport Storm Brewery, 293 JT Connell Rd, Newport, Rhode Island, 02840
• 05.16.12: Red Hook Hookie Promotion – Early & Often, 289 Knight Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02909

Pint Nights
MA

• 05.17.12: Allagash Event – British Beer Company, Falmouth, Massachusetts
• 05.18.12: Allagash Tap Takeover – British Beer Company, Hyannis, Massachusetts

NH

• 05.14.12: Beer and Chocolate Pairing at Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.14.12: North Coast Brewing Co. & Barley Pub – Barley Pub, 328 Central Ave., Dover, New Hampshire, 03820
• 05.15.12: Portsmouth Brewery Total Tap Take Over at the Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.15.12: Cooking Demostrations with Chef Todd at Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.15.12: Peak Organic Brewing Co. & Flatbread Pizza – Flatbread, 138 Congress St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.15.12: Tuckerman Brewing Co. & Cactus Jack’s – Cactus Jack’s, 1182 Union Avenue, Laconia, New Hampshire, 03246
• 05.15.12: Tuckerman Brewing Co. & Flatbread Pizza N. Conway – Flatbread Pizza N. Conway, 2760 White Mountain Hwy, No. Conway, New Hampshire, 03860
• 05.15.12: Goose Island Brewery & Elacoya Barn & Grill – Elacoya Barn & Grill, 2667 Lake Shore Road, Gilford, New Hampshire, 03249
• 05.15.12: Goose Island Brewery & Horsefeathers – Horsefeathers, 2679 White Mountain Highway, No. Conway, New Hampshire, 03860
• 05.15.12: Goose Island Brewery & Dover Brickhouse – Dover Brickhouse, 2 Orchard Street, Dover, New Hampshire, 03820
• 05.16.12: Cheese and Beer pairing at Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.16.12: Tuckerman Brewing Co. & Red Blazer – Red Blazer, 72 Manchester Street, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301
• 05.16.12: Redhook Brewery & Ri Ra Irish Pub – Ri Ra Irish Pub, 22 Market Square, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.16.12: North Coast Brewing Co. & Press Room – Press Room, 77 Daniel Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.16.12: Berkshire Brewing Co. & Portsmouth Gas Light – Portsmouth Gas Light, 64 Market St, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.16.12: Long Trail Brewing Co. & Mad River Tavern – Mad River Tavern, Route 49, Campton, New Hampshire, 03223
• 05.16.12: Harpoon Brewery & Wolfeboro Inn – Wolfeboro Inn, 90 North Main Street, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, 03894
• 05.16.12: Harpoon Brewery & Kelley’s Row – Kelley’s Row, 421 Central Avenue, Dover, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Meet the Brewers at Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Goose Island Brewery & Shibley’s Restaurant – Shibley’s Restaurant, 164 NH Route 11, Alton Bay, New Hampshire, 03810
• 05.17.12: Peak Organic Brewing Co. & Poor People’s Pub – Poor People’s Pub, 1 Witchtrot Road, Sanbornville, New Hampshire, 03872
• 05.17.12: Long Trail Brewing Co. & Barley House – Barley House, 132 North Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301
• 05.17.12: Redhook Brewery & Fat Belly’s – Fat Belly’s, 2 Bow Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Peak Organic Brewing Co. & Biederman’s – Biederman’s, 83 Main Street, Plymouth, New Hampshire, 03264
• 05.17.12: Redhook Brewery & TJ’s Cantina – TJ’s Cantina, 54 Daniel Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Goose Island Brewery & Kathleen’s Cottage – Kathleen’s Cottage, 90 Lake Street, Bristol, New Hampshire, 03222
• 05.17.12: Redhook Brewery & Daniel St. Tavern – Daniel St. Tavern, 111 Daniel Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Redhook Brewery & Rusty Hammer – Rusty Hammer, 49 Pleasant Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.17.12: Redhook Brewery & State Street Saloon – State Street Saloon, 268 State Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.18.12: Firkin Friday at Portsmouth Brewery – 56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 03801
• 05.18.12: Long Trail Brewing Co. & Looney Bin – Looney Bin, 554 Endicott Street, Laconia, New Hampshire, 03246
• 05.18.12: Harpoon Brewery & Holy Grail – Holy Grail, 64 Main Street, Epping, New Hampshire, 03042
• 05.18.12: Long Trail Brewing Co & Looney Bin – Looney Bin, 554 Endicott Street, Laconia, New Hampshire, 03246
• 05.18.12: Long Trail Brewing Co. & Looney Bin – Looney Bin, 554 Endicott Street North, Laconia, New Hampshire, 03246
• 05.19.12: North Coast Tasting – McKinnon’s Meat Market – McKinnon’s Meat Market, 236 North Broadway, Salem, New Hampshire, 03079

RI

• 05.14.12: Founders Pint Night – Doherty’s East Avenue Cafe, 344 East Avenue, Pawtucket, RI, Rhode Island, 02860
• 05.14.12: Meet the Brewer Night – Brown Graduate Center Pub, 90 Thayer Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906
• 05.16.12: Stoudts Pint Night – The Mews Tavern, 456 Main Street, Wakefield, Rhode Island, 02879
• 05.16.12: Founders Tap Takeover – Pour Judgement Bar & Grill, 32 Broadway, Newport, Rhode Island, 02840
• 05.16.12: Mayflower Cask Night – Harry’s Burger Bar, 121 North Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903
• 05.16.12: Stoudt’s Night Promo at the Mews Tavern – Mews Tavern, 456 Main Street, Wakefield, Rhode Island, 02879
• 05.17.12: Sebago Promotional Night – Brown Graduate Center Pub, 90 Thayer Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906
• 05.17.12: Abita Promotional Night – Wickenden Pub, 320 Wickenden Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906
• 05.17.12: Mayflower Cask Night – Track 84, 84 Kilvert Street, Warwick, Rhode Island, 02886
• 05.18.12: Peak Tap Takeover – 84 High Street, 84 High Street, Westerly, Rhode Island, 02891

VT

• 05.18.12: North Coast Beer & Food Pairing – 75 Main Street, Bennington, Vermont, 05201

Collaboration Beers
ME

• 05.12.12: Allagash, Maine Beer, Rising Tide Beer Release – Mama’s Crowbar, Congress Street, Portland, Maine
• 05.12.12: Allagash, Maine Beer, Rising Tide Beer Release – Mama’s Crowbar, Congress Street, Portland, Maine

State and Regional Beer Weeks Also Happening During ACBW

• Albuquerque Beer Week
• Chicago Craft Beer Week
• Colorado Beer Week
• Frederick Beer Week (MD)
• Long Island Craft Beer Week
• South Shore Cape Islands Beer Week (NY)
• Santa Ynez Valley Beer Week (CA)
• San Antonio Beer Week

### About ###

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

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. Follow us on Twitter.

When: Friday and Saturday May 11-12th
Who: Fourteen Mass. Based Brewers
Why: Support Your Local Brewer

It’s really easy to support your local brewer – buy their beer! The British Beer Company will make it even easier on May 11th and 12th at their Walpole pub as they celebrate this State’s proud brewing heritage at the first Mass Brewers Weekend. It’s no secret that the brewing industry in Massachusetts is growing in leaps and bounds. This state has gone from a handful of breweries just a dozen years ago to over sixty currently (if you count brewpubs) – now that’s a reason to celebrate!

Friday – Wachusett (1pm), Sam Adams (4pm), Haverhill (5pm), Wormtown (6pm), Harpoon (7pm), Mayflower (8pm).

Saturday – Cisco (12pm), Blue Hills (5pm), Berkshire (6pm), Backlash Beer (7pm), Clown Shoes Beer (8pm).

Also on tap…Pretty Things, Slumbrew, Jack’s Abby.

Brewery reps will be floating through the BBC in Walpole on both days offering education, samples, glassware and cool free stuff. The BBC will be offering flights (four five ounce pours) so customers can mix and match and maybe find a new favorite style or brewer. The event will feature a variety of styles from every corner of Massachusetts highlighting the diversity that can be found right here in our own back yard.

Come on down any time on Friday or Saturday and support your local brewers, fourteen of them to be exact

British Beer Company Walpole
85 Providence Highway
www.britishbeer.com/local/walpole

Cambridge Brewing Company to Celebrate 23 Years in Business

Cambridge, MA – May 2012– On Saturday, May 12 from 12pm – 1am Cambridge Brewing Company (CBC), located at One Kendall Square in Cambridge, will celebrate its 23^rd Anniversary and a gold medal at the World Beer Cup (for Sgt. Pepper).  The event will feature 23 hand crafted beers from CBC, an outdoor beer garden and grill, and live music by the Matt Berlin Jug Band from 7 – 10pm.  There is no cover and tickets are not required.

CBC Brewmaster Will Meyers will be putting at least 23 hand crafted and inspired beers on tap for the event.  Featured beers will include the 2009 TripelThreat, the first Belgian-style beers brewed in America; the 2010Cerise Cassée, an American Sour Ale and the world’s first Solera-style beer; and the 2011 Weekapaug Gruit, an unhopped herbal beer with yarrow and sweet gale.

The beer highlight of the evening will be the release of Ozymandias, a beer brewed especially for the occasion.  Ozymandias is an extremely rich and dark beer fermented with six different kinds of yeast and aged in red wine and bourbon barrels.  This very big beer tastes of raisiny malt intermingled with sweet and sour currant and elderberry, with hints of toast and smoke and a smooth port wine finish.

Executive Chef David Drew will have two separate menus for the evening- one for diners inside and the other for those enjoying the patio.  He’ll have his grill set outside serving items like Beer Brined Grilled Chicken Pitas, Charred Flank Steak Sandwiches, and Marinated Vegetable Skewers.  All grill items are $5.  The inside menu will feature classic CBC favorite like Nachos and burgers with specials like Fried Green Tomatoes with Jonah Crab Salad, HefeWeizen Mussels, and Pulled Pork Pizza with Bacon, Beer Onions and Pale Ale BBQ Sauce. All inside menu items are individually priced.

 ### About Cambridge Company ###

Founded in 1989, the Cambridge Brewing Company is the oldest brewery-restaurant in the Boston area and one of the nation’s first.  As pioneers of new American beer styles, they offer a wide array of hand crafted original beers as well as interpretations of classic world styles and experimental beers. Brewpubs such as The CBC have a unique culinary opportunity to continually pair new and interesting beer styles with innovative menu ideas.  CBC’s in-house artisan beers are paired with fresh and local ingredients on the menu, providing choices not found anywhere else in the local dining arena.

www.cambridgebrewingcompany.com

http://cambridgebrewing.com/events/details/23rd-anniversary-party/

During the 2012 Craft Brewers Conference, held in San Diego last week, 99 breweries entered 3,921 beers in the 2012 World Beer Cup Competition.  The competition is held every other year and the 2012 event included breweries from 54 countries competed for a gold medals in 95 beer style categories.  Out of the 285 medals awarded, New England Breweries brought home 9 medals, which include 3 golds and 6 silver medals.

Tip of the hat to all who entered and especially to the breweries that were awarded medals:

• Category 6: Herb and Spice Beer, 80 Entries
• Gold: Sgt. Pepper, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
• Category 9: Specialty Beer, 38 Entries
• Silver: Maple Tripple, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Warren, VT  (which also was awarded a Bronze in 2010)
• Category 18: American-Style Sour Ale, 14 Entries
• Silver: Mattina Rossa, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
• Category 21: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 91 Entries
• Gold: Samuel Adams Utopias 2011, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
• Category 55: Belgian-Style Witbier, 50 Entries
• Gold: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME (which also was awarded a Gold in 2010)
• Category 60: Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale, 16 Entries
•  Silver: Monomoy Kriek, Cisco Brewers, Nantucket, MA
• Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale, 30 Entries
•  Silver: Nut Brown Ale, Redhook Ale Brewery, Woodinville, WA (and Portsmouth, NH) (which was awarded a Bronze in 2010 entered as the “Mudslinger Ale”)
• Category 75: Robust Porter, 68 Entries
•  Silver: Pro-Am Porter, Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, MA
• Category 79: British-Style Imperial Stout, 40 Entries
•  Silver: Luscious, The Alchemist, Waterbury, VT

Having enjoyed most of these beers, and the ones that I have had are top-notch!

Congrats and good luck to all New England Breweries next year.

Sean

2Beerguys.com

2012 World Beer Cup Winners Announced

Exceptional beers and brewers recognized in the largest global competition

BOULDER, CO • May, 2012—Brewers from around the world received awards from an elite international panel of judges in the 2012 Brewers Association World Beer Cup. The ninth bi-annual competition boasted the strongest field of entrants on record, with 799 breweries from 54 countries and 45 U.S. states entering 3,921 beers in 95 beer style categories. A 17.7 percent increase over 2010, the entries were eligible for gold, silver and bronze awards in their respective categories. Judges presented a total of 284 awards.

A detailed analysis of the entries and awards can be found in the 2012 World Beer Cup Fact Sheet (PDF).

“It’s called ‘The Olympics of Beer Competition’ for good reason,” said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association, the U.S.-based trade association that has put on the competition every two years since 1996. “The event brings together great brewers from all corners of the globe. Plus, the awards are highly regarded. A brewer who wins a World Beer Cup gold award knows that their winning beer represents the best of that beer style in the world. Congratulations to all the winners of the 2012 World Beer Cup. The Brewers Association and the proud sponsors of our event thank all participating brewers for their involvement.”

Judges

The 2012 judging panel was the largest and most international in the history of the World Beer Cup. Judges from 27 countries conducted blind tasting evaluations of the beers to determine the winners. Drawn from the ranks of professional brewers and brewing industry experts, these 211 judges came mostly from international breweries, with some 67 percent from outside the U.S. In addition to the judging panel, over 250 volunteers helped sort beer entries and steward the competition.

The judging criteria are exacting—some categories are not given the full slate of awards if the panel decides that the entries do not merit recognition.

Award Highlights and Trends

Highlights from the competition:

• The average number of beers entered per category was 41.
• The category with the most entries was American-Style India Pale Ale, with 150 entries. The second most-entered category was Imperial India Pale Ale, with 93 entries. The German-Style Sour Ale category had the fewest number of entries at 11.
• The 2012 World Beer Cup saw substantial growth of entries in the American-Style India Pale Ale category. Category entries grew 41.5 percent over 2010 to make it the largest category of the 2012 competition.
• Additionally, Champion Brewery and Champion Brewmaster awards are given in each of five brewery categories based on the awards won by each brewery in the given size category.

The five Champion Brewery/Brewmaster award winners are:

• Small Brewing Company Category Brauerei Michael Plank, Michael Plank
• Mid-Size Brewing Company Category Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Matthew Brynildson
• Large Brewing Company Category AB InBev, Claudio Ferro
• Small Brewpub Category Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant-Media, Iron Hill Brewery Team
• Large Brewpub Category Pelican Pub & Brewery, Darron R S Welch

The complete list of award winners is available for download.

Presenting Sponsor Krones, and Partner Sponsors Ball, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia, proudly supported the 2012 World Beer Cup.

###

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

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. Follow us on Twitter.

NARRAGANSETT SUMMER ALE HITS THE SHELVES – Award-Winning Craft Session Ale Makes Seasonal Return

May 2012; Providence, RI – Narragansett Beer today officially announces the return of its summer seasonal craft brew. Introduced last year, Summer Ale is the first summer seasonal released by the brand in its more than 120-year history. Wildly popular among beer drinkers, Summer Ale received critical acclaim in its premiere year and was awarded the Silver Medal at the 2011 World Beer Championship. Previously distributed in New England, Southern New York, and Philadelphia, Narragansett’s ongoing expansion into new markets now makes for increased availability of the supremely drinkable craft brew, perfect for the beach, boat or ballgame. Summer Ale is available at leading package stores, bars, and restaurants on draught and in 16 oz. Tallboy cans in New England, Eastern Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Florida.

Narragansett Summer Ale is brewed under the supervision of award-winning Brewmaster Sean Larkin at Trinity Brew House in Providence, RI, Cottrell Brewery in Pawcatuck, CT, and North American Breweries in Rochester, NY. This easy-drinking light session ale features two row pale malt and citra hops, an increasingly popular variety that complement the pale malt perfectly. Golden blonde in color, its pour produces a generous white head and balanced carbonation. The malt flavor is smooth and subtle, balanced out by a crisp hop bitterness that delivers natural notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. Summer Ale is 4.2% Alcohol by Volume and 24 IBUs.

‘Gansett Summer’s introduction last year made it the first Ale to be produced by Narragansett Beer since the 1970s. Known best for its signature Lager, a wide variety of Ales were previously available beginning in the late 1800s. The original Narragansett Brewery devoted an entire four-story building to the “Ale Department.” Staples like the Pale Ale, Select Stock Ale, and Banquet Ale outsold Lager until the 1940s when American tastes changed as a result of thousands of GI’s returning home from Lager-drinking European countries during World War 1 & II, and a wave of Lager-drinking immigrants.

The Summer Ale Tallboy can features iconic imagery of the famous Narragansett Towers. Once part of the Narragansett Pier Casino, the Towers remain a historic landmark, having endured two great fires in 1900 and 1965 and three tremendous hurricanes. The surfer catching waves in the foreground symbolizes the Southern Rhode Island shoreline’s reputation as one of the region’s top summer surfing destinations.

For more information about Narragansett Summer Ale or to find a retailer near you, visit: http://www.narragansettbeer.com/products/summer-ale.

ABOUT NARRAGANSET BEER:
Narragansett Beer….Brewed since 1890, ‘Gansett is a straight-forward, quality beer that has been a New England tradition for generations, producing a classic family of award-winning American lagers & ales. Today, ‘Gansett is produced at top-rated breweries in Providence, RI, Pawcatuck, CT, Rochester, NY, and Latrobe, PA. Narragansett is available for purchase in local restaurants, bars, and liquor stores throughout New England, Eastern Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Florida.

Thirsty for more? Visit: www.narragansettbeer.com.

• Sunday, May 6th
• 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
• 11 Rogers Street, Gloucester MA
• $50 per person + gratuity (tax included)

Menu:
Course 1: Native Clams in rich fish broth with garlic ciabatta bread and fresh chives. Paired with Honey Pilsner

Course 2: Watercress and fried goat cheese salad with toased almonds, pickled onions and beefsteak tomatoes with strawberry rubarb vinagrette. Paired with Sunrise Saison.

Course 3: Sasquatch Smoked Salmon and Manchengo cheese dumplinds over Asian coleslaw with sesame ginger eclipse soy sauce. Paired with Eclpise.

Course 4: Over braised veal osso bucco over housemade parsnip puree with an ESB Demi-Glace. Paired with ESB.

Course 5: Bananas rubbed with brown sugar, cinammon and rum luquor over dunkelweiss ice cream with beer caramel sauce. Paired with Dunkelweiss.

Contact the brewery to reserve a spot: 978-282-7399

16th Edition of the Perfect Summer Beer – Farmhouse Summer Ale

Hard to believe this tasty stuff is now entering its 16th summer. Farmhouse should be at your favorite retailer and tavern by the time you read this. The perfect summer beer, Farmhouse Ale is brewed with pale malt, a small percentage of wheat and hopped with imported Styrian Goldings. A sour mash gives this beer its signature dryness and great drinkability.

Farmhouse is available in 12 oz. bottles, 1/6 and 1/2 kegs. If you don’t see it, ask your local retailer to get it!

New York, NY, April 2012 – To celebrate its summer exhibition Beer Here: Brewing New York’s History, the New-York Historical Society will host a series of beer tastings that showcase the thriving brewing culture in New York City and State. Beer Here will examine the social, economic, political, and technological history of the production and consumption of beer, ale, and porter in the city from the seventeenth century to the present day. The beer tasting program, run by Starr Restaurants catering group, will take place in the exhibition’s beer hall on most Saturday afternoons from May 26 through August 25, 2012.

The half-hour beer tastings, which will occur at 2 pm and 4 pm, will offer visitors the chance to hear directly from brewers and brewery founders about the history and process of making beer. In addition to tasting local artisanal creations, visitors also will experience first-hand the hops, whole leaf flowers and other ingredients used to make beer. Tickets for the tastings are $35 (Members $20) and may be purchased online. A six pack special discount (purchase by telephone or in person only) is offered to visitors who purchase tickets to six separate tastings for only $150 (Members $100). A complete tasting event schedule follows below.

In addition to the beer tastings, New-York Historical also will host Beer Appreciation Night on Tuesday, July 10 at 6:30 pm, featuring Beer Here curators Debra Schmidt Bach and Nina Nazionale; Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery; Steve Hindy, co-founder of Brooklyn Brewery; and Gabrielle Langholtz, editor of Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan. A special tasting of Brooklyn Brewery beers will follow the program. Combined tickets for the program and beer tasting are $49 (Members $37), and program-only tickets are $24 (Members $12).

Beer Tastings Schedule & Participating Breweries

• May 26- Matt Brewing Company
• June 2 –Kelso Beer Co.
• June 9 – Keegan Ales
• June 16 – Bronx Brewery
• June 23 – Harlem Brewing Company
• June 30 – Blue Point Brewing Company
• July 7 – Captain Lawrence Brewing Company
• July 14 – Genesee Brewing Company
• July 21 – Heartland Brewery
• July 28 – Ithaca Beer Company
• August 4 – Matt Brewing Company
• August 11 – Bronx Brewery
• August 18 – Keegan Ales
• August 25 – Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.

The Matt Brewing Company – Saturday, May 26, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm, Saturday, August 4, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
The Matt Brewing Company has prospered at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Central New York for over a century. Under the leadership of the third and fourth generations of the Matt Family, the Brewery has earned the reputation as one of the most respected specialty brewers in the country and continues its family tradition with the celebrated Saranac family of beers. The tasting will feature Saranac White IPA, bursting with Citra hops, and the refreshing fruitiness of orange peel & coriander and the softening characters of wheat malt and oats, and other special selected beer.

Kelso Beer Co. – Saturday, June 2, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Kelso Beer Co. was founded by Kelly Taylor, also a brewmaster at Heartland Brewery, and wife, Sonya Giacobbe, in 2006 to create fresh, flavorful, low-alcohol session beer. The tasting will feature Saison, a Belgian style ale; Recessionator, a big bold doppleback; India Pale Ale, a punchy, bright and unique beer; and Pilsner, a classic European pils, with a floral nose, slightly sweet with a dry finish.

Keegan Ales – Saturday, June 9, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm, Saturday, August 18, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Keegan Ales was founded in early 2003 when Tommy Keegan learned about an empty building in Kingston that nobody would buy because there was a defunct brewery stuck in it! The Keegan Ales tasting will feature Mother’s Milk, a dark and creamy milk stout with hints of oatmeal, chocolate and milk; Hurricane Kitty, a coppery and heavily hopped India Pale Ale; and Barley Wine.

Bronx Brewery – Saturday, June 16, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm, Saturday, August 11, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Bronx Brewery is a craft brewer and distributor based in the South Bronx. It was launched in 2011 by a small team with two things in common: a maniacal focus on creating high-quality beer and a passion for the Bronx. Bronx Brewery will serve its Bronx Pale Ale, a deep amber, American-style pale ale. A second, yet-to-be released, spring beer may be available as well.

Harlem Brewery – Saturday, June 23, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
The Harlem Brewing Company story starts about 86 years ago. Legend has it that during Prohibition a special beer was being made and this secret brew could be found in Speakeasies and after-hours spots all over Harlem. This tasting will feature Sugar Hill Golden Ale, a medium bodied golden ale known for its drinkability, with a subtle citrus accent and a finish of hops and malt flavor.

Blue Point Brewing Company – Saturday, June 30, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Blue Point Brewing Company is Long Island’s only microbrewery. It was founded in 1998 by two long-time friends, Mark Burford and Pete Cotter. The brewery’s unique direct-fire brew kettle imparts a lightly toasted, complex taste to produce a line of ultra-premium microbrews.

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company – Saturday, July 7, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company was started by Scott Vacarro, an avid brewer from the young age of 17. The brewery opened in 2006, and is named after Captain Lawrence Drive, the street where Vacarro grew up. After much success, Vacarro recently expanded the brewery into a new location in Elmsford, NY with more brewing capacity and a large tasting room. The tasting will feature: Captain Kolisch, Liquid Gold, and Pale Ale.

Genesee Brewing Company – Saturday, July 14, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Genesee Brewing Company, based in Rochester, New York, is one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in the United States. The Brewery makes the Genesee line of beers, including the original Genesee Cream Ale, Dundee Pilsner, the award winning Dundee Pale Bock, Dundee Stout, and Dundee India Pale Ale.

Heartland Brewery – Saturday, July 21, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Heartland Brewery opened as New York’s first American style brewpub on Union Square in 1995 and has been igniting New Yorkers’ passion for craft beers ever since. Heartland has consistently brewed New York’s freshest craft beers, including Heartland’s classic six as well as a wide range of unique seasonal brews.

Ithaca Beer Company – Saturday, July 28, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
In December 1998, Dan Mitchell, founder of Ithaca Beer Company, created the first local brewery in Ithaca that exemplifies “The Spirit of the Finger Lakes.” Ithaca Beer Company was recently awarded two medals at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado in 2008. The tasting will feature Nut Brown, with subtle hints of both chocolate and coffee; CascaZilla, a red ale; and Apricot Wheat Ale, an easy-drinking wheat beer.

Greenport Harbor Brewing Company – Saturday, August 25, 2012: 2 pm & 4 pm
Founders John Liegy and Rich Vandenburgh met in college and dreamed of opening a microbrewery. That dream became a reality when in in July of 2009, the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company was founded. Today, Greenport’s beer is served in over 200 places on Long Island and NYC.

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About the New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, the New-York Historical Society has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

The New-York Historical Society is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Lincoln and New York; The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society; Nueva York; and Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.