.5lb [220g] 60L crystal
.5lb [220g] chocolate malt
.5lb [220g] Carapils
.25lb [110g] roasted barley
2lbs [904g] Muntons light DME
500g Coopers brewing sugar
1 Muntons Irish Stout kit
Nottingham dry yeast

Turned out great – roasty, toasty, some
chocolate, good mouthfeel. No added
hops, but the kit had plenty of
bitterness. Would definately do again.
– Rating:4/5

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From the press release:

Under the leadership of respected industry pioneer Ken Allen, Anderson Valley Brewery has been creating award winning craft beers in Boonville, CA since 1987.

HMB Holdings LLC is owned and managed by Trey White, a fifteen year veteran of the alcoholic beverage industry. Through his role as executive vice-president at United States Beverage, Mr. White worked with a variety of fast growing successful American craft beers including Goose Island, Rogue, Ipswich and SLO as well as selected imports including Grolsch from Holland. HMB will retain the current brewing and production facilities at Anderson Valley Brewery while expanding the sales and marketing capabilities.

“Ken Allen is a true leader within the American craft beer industry,” says Mr. White “The beers created by Anderson Valley are amongst the premier craft beers available in the world. Ken’s high-quality craftsmanship combined with his respect for the environment is a legacy we will respect and uphold. HMB is thrilled with the opportunity to grow consumer awareness and expand the distribution of the Anderson Valley family of world class award winning craft beers.”

Ken Allen says: “I have enjoyed immensely growing the Anderson Valley Brewery from a start-up operating a modest brew pub in Boonville into a world class regional craft brewery. The people and friends I have made in the industry will last a lifetime. I want to thank the many customers and brewery fans who have become key parts of the Anderson Valley Brewery family.

“I have looked long and hard for the right person to whom to entrust our legacy and I could not have found a better partner in Trey White. His passion and knowledge of the craft beer industry, coupled with his respect for the brands we have developed, will make him the ideal person to take the Anderson Valley Brewery to the next level within the growing craft beer industry.”

Located in the bucolic Anderson Valley region, the environmentally friendly, solar powered brewery produces Boont Amber Ale and Hop Ottin’ IPA in addition to many other highly respected craft beers. Ken Allen was awarded the craft industry’s prestigious Small Brewer Association Recognition award last year for his decades of service to the craft beer industry.

The brewery has long been known for hosting one of California’s best beer festivals.

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For small brewers making less than 6 million barrels annually, H.R. 4278 would cut the small brewer tax rate in half, to $3.50 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels brewed annually. It would reduce the tax rate from $18 per barrel to $16 per barrel on production between 60,000 barrels and 2 million barrels.

Almost all of the 1,500-plus breweries in the United States — most of them in fact brewpubs — make fewer than 60,000 barrels annually. Only a little more than two dozen brew more, including Boston Beer (Samuel Adams beers) and Sierra Nevada at the high end and breweries such as Abita Brewing and Great Lakes Brewing at the lower end.

The Brewers Association points out:

- A tax reduction will help grow small business breweries and provide drinkers will greater access to a wider variety of beers.

- Harvard University’s John Friedman’s study, Economic Impact of Small Brewers Excise Tax Reduction shows that H.R. 4278 would also help stimulate job creation quickly and at a low cost. The bill would generate more than 2,700 new jobs over the first year to 18 months, followed by an average of 375 new jobs per year over the following four years.

The Brewers Association has assembled a resource page at its website that industry members and beer drinkers can use to join the lobbying effort to reduce the tax.

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was the first and the best (so far)
followed the directions on the packet.
Primary for 4 days @ 28c. It’s been 8
weeks since I bottled it and it keeps
getting better. – Rating:4/5

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I mixed this up with Muntons Beer Kit
Enhancer and primary was complete after

7 days @ 18-21 Centigrade. Bottled in
2ltr PET bottles primed with a
tablespoon of sucrose per bottle and
after 2 weeks I was really suprised. I

was expecting it to be a bit flavourless

but it was actually really nice and
rounded with nice head, although the
head retention is not great. Everyone
who has tasted it has been very
impressed. I’m now on to the Mexican
Cerveza.
– Rating:4/5

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collapsable esky and ice bottles. Got to
1.010 in 2
weeks but left it for a total of 3 weeks
then bottled
with 2x carb drops per long neck. After
six weeks it
is crystal clear, light golden in
colour, head lasts all
the way, carbonation is perfect with
very fine
beading, not a hint of
‘homebrewyness’. Saaz is
very dominant, would probably use
Cascade next
time which is more true to style. Great
kit if brewed
at a low temp and a good dry yeast is
used. – Rating:4/5

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To celebrate Olde Main Brewing in Ames will let customers pick the first strong beer the brewpub offers. “We’ve been getting a lot of questions on what will be the first high proof beer we brew,” Olde Main’s Jill Haverkamp said, “so we are planning to let the people decide by doing a poll.” Customers can vote at the brewery’s website.

The Sioux City Journal surveyed other breweries via email to see what they had planned. The responses:

Rock Bottom Brewery, Des Moines – New Era Barleywine, Belgo India Pale Ale, an imperial stout and an imperial red ale.

Granite City Food and Brewery, locations in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport – “We have an IPA that we distribute to all our 26 restaurants, but since we have three in Iowa, we have always brewed it to the Iowa limit,” brewmaster Cory O’Neel said. “We will tweak the recipe to where it always should have been.”

Old Man River Brewing Co., McGregor – A doppelbock. “I’m looking forward to giving it a go,” brewer Jacob Simmons said.

Worth Brewing Co., Northwood – “A strong Belgian ale is a definite,” said brewer Peter Ausenhus. “I am also very excited about brewing a proper English old ale and some authentic German bocks.”

Raccoon River Brewing Co., Des Moines – “I currently make a double hopped version of our Bandit IPA called Bandito Loco, that I’m looking forward into making a true double IPA” said brewer David Coy.

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