According to Micah Bell of Laurelwood, the brewpub chain will go from 7,000 barrels a year to 20,000 barrels a year, which will allow them to distribute six-packs of Free Range Red and Workhorse IPA throughout Oregon and Washington. [...] Previously, Portland got 85 percent of production. Plus, a new acquisition by their distributor, Odom, means that Laurelwood bottles will move into Idaho and Alaska, with California and British Columbia in the works.

More >> OregonLive.com.

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. shared a photo showing three bottles of its upcoming Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch Farking Wheaton w00tstout collaboration on Tuesday. Here is a closer look at the labels that will appear on those bottles, slated for release in July. No further details yet on distribution or how the different bottles will be divvied up.

Senator Chuck McIlhinney (R-10) today unveiled legislation that would privatize the retail sale of liquor and wine, improve convenience for consumers and protect small businesses.

McIlhinney’s plan would allow current retailers that sell alcohol and beer to purchase an additional permit to sell wines and/or spirits to go. Specialty permits would also be available for retailers who only wish to sell a specific category of spirits, such as whiskeys or vodkas.

Rather than charging an exorbitant up-front fee for permits, McIlhinney’s plan would make permits available for an annual fee of $8,000. The proposal would help small, family-owned businesses and preserve the value of licenses that have already been purchased. Packaging reform measures would also benefit current retail beer distributors by allowing the sale of beer, wine and liquor in smaller quantities, such as six-packs.

“Many owners of beer distributors, taverns and restaurants were forced to make a giant leap of faith and pour all of their financial resources into their business to succeed in the current system,” McIlhinney said. “As we move toward liquor privatization, we need to give these small business owners a way to protect their investment and avoid handing the entire liquor distribution system over to huge corporate interests.”

[Link above will pop up full screen video]

Under McIlhinney’s privatization plan, state-owned Wine and Spirits stores would be phased out over time when the private retail market can accommodate the needs of consumers.

A number of measures in McIlhinney’s plan are focused on improving the system for consumers. In addition to expanding the number of liquor and wine retailers and creating one-stop shops for alcohol purchases at many establishments that currently sell alcohol.

The plan also incorporates a proposal introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) that would allow direct wine shipments to consumers. The Johnstown Flood Tax would also be eliminated as part of the plan.

The proposal differs from the privatization plan approved by the House last month in regard to the state’s current wholesale distribution system. McIlhinney’s plan would not immediately divest the state from the wholesale system. However, the legislation would require the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a study within two years regarding the future viability of the state wholesale system.

“Opponents to privatization have raised a number of valid concerns, and we need to address these issues carefully to avoid the negative consequences suffered in other states,” McIlhinney said. “My plan offers a way to privatize the retail sale of wine and liquor in the very near future while we continue to find ways to maximize our financial return.”

Amendments to Senate Bill 100 (pdf).

Stone Brewing Co. opened its packaging hall last week. Features include: New 99,815 sq. ft. building, Kegging and bottling capacity, Expanded Barrel Aging program and a $6.5 million initial investment.

Photos >> Facebook | Stone.

Press Release:

(Portland, OR) – The Commons Brewery will be releasing bottles of Fishing With Hallet for Eugene’s 16 Tons Cafe & Taphouse with two events on June 22nd and June 23rd.

Keeping with the 16 Tons tradition of naming their anniversary beer after one-armed authors, Fishing with Hallet was inspired by Belgium’s Jean-Pierre Hallet, a naturalist famous for his work in the Congo, which included fishing for predatory crocodiles with dynamite.

Fishing with Hallet is a Belgian Dark Strong ale aged in 2nd use Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrels with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. First fermented with yeast cultured from De Dolle Brouwers, this is a nod to their Oerbier and is currently rich and malty with a touch of floral Brettanomyces character. The beer was intentionally bottled young and is meant to be stored at cellar temp to allow the Brettanomyces to continue developing.

Fishing with Hallet will be released in Eugene at 16 Tons Cafe on June 22nd at 3pm. Join us for special taps, a complimentary toast and tastings of other Commons bottle conditioned beers.

On Sunday, June 23rd at 2pm we will release Fishing with Hallet at our tasting room, where the last keg of Fishing with Hallet will be tapped

750ml bottles of Fishing with Hallet will be $14 at each location.

16 Tons Cafe is located at 2864 Willamette St., Eugene, OR. For more info about 16 Tons check out their website: sixteentons.biz.

Opened in December 2011, The Commons Brewery crafts small batch, approachable and balanced European-inspired beers. The tasting room is located at: 1810 SE 10th Avenue, Unit E (entrance on SE Stephens between 10th & 11th). Tasting room hours are Thursday 5-9pm, Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 2-9pm and Sunday 2-6pm.

(Brooklyn, NY) – We at Grimm Artisanal Ales are proud to announce the release of our very first batch of beer called “From the Hip”. It is a refreshingly complex medium-strength Belgian-style blonde ale brewed with rose hips from which the seeds have been removed by hand. Only twenty barrels of this limited edition beer will be made.

Beginning in July 2013, our ales will be available on draft in craft beer bars across New York City as well as a select few outlets in upstate New York including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Albany (with Remarkable Liquids upstate). A small portion of our production will find its way into bottles, and will be available in boutique bottle shops across the state.

Founded in 2012, Grimm Artisanal Ales is the creation of Joe Grimm and Lauren Carter Grimm. We are two Brooklyn-based artists and homebrewers who came to be obsessed with the layered, subtle flavors derived from fermentation. From the recipes to the labels, we have meticulously designed every aspect of this brewing project.

As New York City’s only brewers specializing in beers inspired by Belgium’s freewheeling brewing traditions, our company’s approach is to make sophisticated yet inventive ales that push boundaries. The complex flavors and aromas of our beers reflect our interest in the unique ester profiles of Belgian yeasts, the delicate flavors garnered by herb, spice, and flower additions, as well as the highest quality specialty malts sourced from upstate New York and Belgium. Each one of our beers will be a limited edition seasonal ale that is gone when the last keg has been tapped or last bottle opened.

Being a small upstart company, our business model is based on principles of the shared economy; rather than investing in our own physical space, we brew our beer in other breweries’ facilities, helping them to keep their brewing pipeline full and benefitting both parties. Each recipe is extensively tested in our Brooklyn home, before we travel to our host brewery to make wort and leave the beer to ferment on-site until it is ready to be kegged or bottled. As nomadic brewers, we are liberated to create unconventional, distinctive limited-edition ales for the true connoisseur.

Please feel free to contact us at info@GrimmAles.com with any thoughts or questions. You can also visit our website at www.GrimmAles.com, our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrimmArtisanalAles, as well as follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GrimmAles and Instagram at http://instagram.com/grimmartisanalales.

(Bend, OR) – This year, Deschutes Brewery is toasting 25 years with the 6th vintage of its imperial porter, Black Butte XXV. In order to celebrate in style, this iteration of the annual beer amps it up with the addition of Theo’s cocoa nibs, Mission figs and Medjool dates. The bourbon barrel aged portion of the beer was increased by 20 percent over past versions of this anniversary brew, and drinkers of Black Butte XXV will notice complex notes of vanilla, tart and dried fruit, and chocolate. With everything that’s going on in the flavor profile of this beer, you may have to raise several toasts just to experience it all.

“Twenty-five years in business is a significant milestone for us, and our team wanted to create an anniversary brew that truly marked the occasion,” said Cam O’Connor, brewmaster for Deschutes Brewery. “Not only did we increase the aging amount in barrels for this beer, but we soured a small portion of the final blend. We added a bunch of new ingredients, including black currants. I think fans will find that there are many layers of delicious complexity in this year’s version.”

Both the Bend and Portland brewpubs will be celebrating the arrival of this year’s vintage with Birthday Bash parties on the brewery’s anniversary, June 27. The Portland pub will have a family friendly celebration, with balloon twisters and face painters, plus flights of Imperial dark beers for the adults. The Bend pub will be whooping it up in the back alley with live music from The River Pigs with Scott Foxx & Boxcar Stringband, tasty food specials and killer brews.

Black Butte XXV will be introduced in 22-ounce wax-dipped bottles and on draft to most of the 21 states where Deschutes Brewery beers are sold over the next few weeks, in limited quantities. Although the label states a best after date of June 10, 2014, we recommend drinking one now and cellaring another one to enjoy later. (11.3% Alcohol by Volume; 64 International Bittering Units)

About Deschutes Brewery
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Deschutes Brewery began as a brew pub in downtown Bend, Oregon and is known for such brands as Black Butte Porter, its flagship brew and the nation’s number one selling craft porter, and the popular Mirror Pond Pale Ale. In addition to its original Bend pub, this family and employee-owned brewery opened a second pub in Portland’s Pearl District in 2008. The company’s main brewing facility is located on the banks of the Deschutes River and produces over 250,000 barrels of beer annually for distribution in 21 states and two provinces. To find out more, visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com.

Rhinegeist Brewing in Over-the-Rhine will open its doors on June 29. Construction is wrapping up, and they’ve already brewed all four core beers, according to Bob Bonder. Bonder, president of the Tazza Mia coffee houses, and Bryant Goulding are behind the venture at 1910 Elm St., on the second floor of the former Christian Moerlein bottling plant.

More >> Cincinnati.com.

Sen. Charles McIlhinney, the Bucks County Republican who chairs the Senate Law and Justice Committee, is scheduled to unveil a bill designed to take the existing system beyond its long-standing state store straitjacket. It us not clear at week’s end just what that will mean: closure of the state stores; more Sunday hours in state stores; beer and wine in supermarkets; the ability to buy less than a case of beer at a time from distributors?

Lots of Lew Bryson appearances in the comments…

More >> PennLive.com.

Sen. Gary Dahms, a Republican who represents New Ulm, sponsored a bill to raise the threshold for breweries to be eligible for a state subsidy. It allows brewers that make up to 250,000 barrels a year, up from 100,000 barrels, to be eligible for a tax credit of $4.60 per barrel up to 25,000 barrels.

More >> The Free Press.

Tyler Jones, head brewer of the Portsmouth Brewery tries the OnTap Liquid Beer Enhancer

via YouTube | Seacoast Beverage Lab.

A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the former owners of the Dixie Brewery that sought to stop the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from demolishing a large chunk of the historic building on Tulane Avenue.

More >> NOLA.com.

You don’t have to imbibe even a drop of Treehouse Brewing Co.’s beer to feel the room move. That’s because the brewery’s tasting room is 22 feet in the air, nestled in a tree canopy near Mohican State Park. The tasting room is a grown-up’s version of a treehouse, complete with a deck, a restroom and a swinging bridge for access.

More >> Ohio.com.

There has been a lot of discussion (and certainly a good amount of confusion) about CA growler laws lately. Though the law has not actually changed recently, there has been much more attention on it. You can read the whollllllle PDF about enforcing these rules & regulations here, but we’ve been through the research and come up with a solution that we think is a MUCH more interesting read.

There is some discussion and reaction over on Reddit.

More >> The Bruery blog.

They are undercover, on assignment for a big-city ad agency that is many miles away. Mr. Rademaker, Ms. Witkin and Ms. Hall work for Chicago-based Cavalry, which has made this town its own little test market, a place agency staffers visit time and again to secretly observe how consumers shop, dine and drink.

For anyone with an entire day on their hands, the article drops a lot of hints on the town’s identity: population of < 50,000, within a day's drive of Chicago, a Speedway convenience store with a walk-in cooler, a Chili's, a Wal-Mart, a beer bar with a three-page beer menu that features Lagunitas WTF, bar(s) with Ziosks...

More >> Advertising Age.

(Littleton, CO) – This time it was Colorado’s Grand Valley Beer Festival… While void of a “stout” category, the judges awarded their Dark Ale category’s Bronze Medal to Fuller’s London Black Cab Stout. And as the newest member of Fuller’s award-winning, exclusively London-brewed portfolio, Fuller’s London Black Cab Stout continues to win consumer tastes and accolades wherever it is served.

Fuller’s Brewery has aptly named its new London Black Cab Stout as a tribute to London’s famous Black Cabs. The Black Cabs represent London’s elite; only the most experienced, the most knowledgeable taxicab drivers in the world are allowed to drive these cabs. London’s Black Cabs are earned and driven by only those who have passed the rigorous test, known simply as “The Knowledge.” This most challenging of tests requires a minimum of three to five years of intense study and dedication. It requires committing to memory every street, lane, courtyard, building, restaurant, pub, office, monument and park throughout all of greater London. It requires a thorough understanding and instant recall per every venue, tradition and idiosyncrasy of the great City of London. The vast majority fall short of Black Cab status, versus those very few, London’s finest, who have earned the right to serve London from a Black Cab.

Much like the traditions and impeccable standards of London’s elite Black Cabs, Fuller’s Brewery has dedicated its 168 years of award winning brewing knowledge to create Fuller’s London Black Cab Stout. With ABV of 4.2%, Fuller’s London Black Cab Stout’s multiple chocolate malts deliver rich, full flavors, then gives way to a delightfully creamy finish. Upon the first taste, Fuller’s London Black Cab Stout transports our tastes back to the days when porters and stouts were the drink of choice.

Fuller’s is imported to the USA through Paulaner HP USA.

What advantage do I possibly have over any of these guys? The answer is the same for any new small business: agility, creativity, innovation. I’ll never be able to get my ingredients cheaper, I’ll never be able to make more beer than they can, have lower prices, have flashier advertising, or fancier new packaging. Our advantage – and the advantage of many other new breweries out there – is our small size. We can do things on a 7 bbl scale, that nobody would ever want to do on a 100 bbl system.

(For the sake of this argument, small-batch / no-flagship / seasonal are the same).

More >> Top Fermented.

“Of different people who do fermented beverages, microbrewers are the most willing to experiment,” Dr. McGovern said. “They’re ready to try anything.” Great Lakes has no plan to sell its brew, also based on the Hymn to Ninkasi, to the public. The project, unlike others that recreate old recipes on modern equipment, is an educational exercise more than anything else.

More >> New York Times.

Check them out here and here.

Here is the latest update on beers now available online at Craftshack.

New arrivals:

1. Stone RuinTen (Double) IPA

2. Stone Highway 78 Scotch Ale Wagner Blend Aged in Scotch Whiskey Barrels

3. Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale Aged in Red Wine Barrels

4. Almanac Farmer’s Reserve #3 (Ale aged in wine barrels with Strawberries (Swanton Berry Farms) and Nectarines (Blosson Bluff Farms))

5. Almanac Barrel Noir

6. Anchorage Darkest Hour Belgian Imperial Stout

7. Mikkeller AK Alive! Alaskan Wild Ale (brewed at Anchorage)

Other Top Sellers:

1. AleSmith Speedway Stout

2. Logsdon Seizoen Bretta

3. AleSmith IPA

4. Knee Deep Simtra Triple IPA

5. Hair of the Dog Fred

6. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

7. Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale

8. The Lost Abbey Deliverance Ale

9. Port Older Viscosity

10. AleSmith Old Numbskull Barley Wine

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BUY THEM HERE!

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Obligatory disclaimer: BeerPulse only acts as a conduit of information and carries no responsibility in the fulfillment of the order. You must be at least 21 years of age to order alcohol in the U.S.. Supporting stores like Craftshack helps support BeerPulse as well so we would encourage you to do business with them.

Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R., Bucks), who chairs the Law and Justice Committee, which oversees liquor legislation, has scheduled a 3 p.m. news conference in the Capitol to release details of how he would phase the state out of running wine and spirits stores and change the way beer is sold in Pennsylvania.

More >> Pa. senator to introduce a new liquor-privatization bill.

To Øl Fuck Art Let’s Dance! is a Red Wine Barrel-aged Wild Tripel.
To Øl Fuck Art This Is Advertising is a Belgian-style Quadrupel.
To Øl Fuck Art This Is Architecture is a Belgian-style Farmhouse Pale Ale.

A member of To Øl recently joined the Shelton Brothers podcast where there was some discussion around label approval difficulties. The chat touched base on a topic from last November in which we learned that the TTB would not censor the word, “Fuck,” but would censor a label with a hamburger on it out of fear that the label would mislead the buyer into thinking the beer contained hamburger or additives of some kind.

As the episode suggests, it is not the TTB that has forced these labels to go through with the word, “Fuck,” censored but individual states. Some states will only approve a label if the TTB has approved the same exact one.

During the episode, Shelton Brothers note that there is one state in particular that is giving them trouble but they don’t name the state. The file names for the new labels say the word, “Maine,” on them so that is a pretty huge hint. Shelton Brothers is hosting an event in Portland this weekend (for which tickets are still available from this sponsor, yes). The importer has been getting a slew of new labels approved in recent months leading up to the event as it switches from kegs to bottles.

You can listen to the episode in its entirety here.

Mikkeller’s most recent venture is Mikkeller Spirits and Alsing says that those may start coming to the States at some point. Conveniently, Shelton Brothers (Mikkeller’s beer importer) can also import liquor which it hasn’t done yet.

Mikkeller is also hoping to partner with a U.S. contract brewer in the future that would enable it to expand production while potentially offering products in cans for the first time.

We have uploaded 23 beer labels from Mikkeller in recent days and approximately 50 labels in the past six months. You can view the most recent 20 label on the Mikkeller page.

Some new/upcoming beers (out of that 50) that Alsing mentioned include Betelgeuze, Spontancherry and Aarh Hvad?! (pronounced similarly to and based on Orval). The beer name is based on the popular fight-inducing phrase, “Oh yeah?!”

Mikkeller will also be part of The Festival (Shelton Brothers is a BeerPulse supporter) which takes place in Portland, Maine, this weekend. Tickets are still available.

You can download the 30 minute episode here.

“She must be looking for planters and selling them somewhere — maybe on Craigslist or at some market,” Dan Schwarz, co-founder and CEO of the brewery, told the PiPress. “I think people are really kind of shocked that an older person would do something like that,” Schwarz said. “It’s something that people should know better.”

More >> MPR News.

(Milwaukee, WI) – Horny Goat Brewing Company is starting their 4th year in the craft industry with new brews and new distribution. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Horny Goat prides itself on creating delicious beers that are both traditional and different. This summer marks the second year Watermelon Wheat, their best selling seasonal, will be available in markets. With real watermelon added during the fermentation stage this wheat ale is a great beer to enjoy during the summer. They are also perfecting new brews in preparation for mass distribution at their Milwaukee Brew Pub. Horny Goat Brewing Company is expanding its reach to many additional markets in the United States in the near future.

RECENT ADDITIONAL MARKETS
3rd and 4th Quarter 2012:
Texas, Nebraska, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee

1st Quarter 2013
Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri

2nd Quarter 2013
Iowa

Horny Goat Brewing Company currently serves 19 states. Horny Goat was founded in 2009 on the idea that craft beer should be fun and not so pompous. Horny Goat Brewing Company’s line includes a wide variety of flavors both traditional and unique: Exposed Cream Ale, Hopped UP ‘N Horny IPA, Horny Blonde Lager, Baby Got Bock, Watermelon Wheat, HornyCopia Pumpkin Ale, Oktoberfest, Stacked Milk Stout, Brownie Porter, and Chocolate Cherry Stout.

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The biggest news coming out of Georgetown is actually about Newark. What? That’s right, we recently announced the opening of the 16 Mile Taphouse on Main Street in Newark, Delaware. 16 Mile Brewing has partnered with The Graceland Group to produce the first of possibly more taphouses designed around the 16 Mile brand. Our first location will be the former Stone Balloon Winehouse near the University of Delaware. You can expect great food paired with your favorite 16 Mile beers (and a few special ones only found here) as well as the same great wine list you have come to expect at The Stone Balloon Winehouse. Expected to reopen on July 11th.

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Our latest collaboration brew is Long Ben ESB. For this collaboration we partnered with some of the finest chefs from the northern part of Delaware and the charity that benefits from it will be Meals on Wheels Delaware.

The brew itself started as traditional ESB style that we developed with the help of our good friends Copper Dragon Brewery from Yorkshire England. The first thing we did to spice things up a bit was to add 20 chopped pineapples and 25 chopped mangoes to the mash. While we were mashing in we also added a couple pounds of a newer hop that is known for its tropical flavors. Adding all of this during the mash really added to the tropical aroma of the beer. Once we hit our mark in fermentation, we added a little more pineapple and mango juice for a hint of tropical flavor and a nice elderberry slurry for just a touch of tartness. We wanted to give it one last little hint of spice, so we tossed in some oak that had been soaking in some white rum that came from our buddies over at the Delaware Distilling Company.

The result? A slightly hoppy but easy drinking ESB with a wonderful tropical aroma and just a hint of tropical flavor just in time for summer.

For those of you wondering about the name, it comes from Delaware’s most famous pirate. John Avery served for the British navy before turning to the life of a buccaneer. Avery, known to his brethren as Long Ben or The King of Pirates, fled the British and landed in Rehoboth where he settled on 300 acres of land. This would become the final resting place for Avery. We created this beer as tribute to the brew that “Long Ben” would have brought with him on his way up the old Caribbean trade routes from the islands to the New World.

Sponsored [Paid] Press Release:

(New York, NY) – New York City’s Legendary Blue Note Jazz Club is booking jazz artists for the NYC Craft Beer Festival – Summer Jazz, taking place July 20th at Webster Hall.

“When Webster Hall became available for our Summer Craft Beer Festival, we immediately reached out to our friends at Blue Note Jazz Club to provide the musicians. We knew terrific live music, in a historic, air-conditioned venue, with summer craft beer releases, was an amazing combination, said Ken Tesler, founder of Hand Crafted Tasting Co., the promoters of the very popular NYC Craft Beer Festival series.

Jazz Bands booked by the Blue Note Jazz Club include The High & Mighty Brass Band, Joe Alterman Soul Jazz Band and the beer community’s very own, Chris Cuzme, will play bass in the band, 508′s McClain and the Alers. Cuzme is the Brewer at NYC’s 508 Gastrobrewery.

The Summer Jazz – NYC Craft Beer Festival tasting will showcase Summer releases from 75 of America’s best Craft Breweries, with approximately 150 selections, and the beer list is being curated by Giancarlo & Sarah Annese from BeerUnion.com and authors of the upcoming book, “Beer Lover’s New York” from Globe Pequot Press.

Snacks designed to enhance the tasting sessions will be available for purchase in the food court from Craft Beer focused restaurants Coopers Craft Kitchen, Stone Street Tavern, Rosamunde Sausage Grill, Savory Pie Guy and others.

During the event, leading Craft Beer experts will host intimate, 50-person, first-come, first serve, seminars, and many brewer’s representatives will be available at the taps to educate the guests about their liquid offerings.

Tom Acitelli, Author of “The Audacity of Hops: The History of America’s Craft Beer Revolution” will discuss New York’s Pioneering Role in the Craft Beer Revolution, and Weyerbacher Brewer, Chris Reilly, will lead the seminar on Barrel Aging Beers.

The NYC Craft Beer Festival-SUMMER JAZZ will offer two sessions, 12:00 PM-3:30 PM, and 5:00 PM-8:30 PM. Tickets are on-sale now at NYCCraftBeerFest.com/tickets.

VIP and Connoisseur ticket holders can enter the tasting an hour earlier and have access to the beer, the brewers and the food during this first hour. This is a great time to speak with some of your favorite brewer representatives and avoid what is always a sold-out, capacity audience later in the day.

Finally, just one hundred & fifty Connoisseur tickets are available for purchase per session. The Connoisseur package offers a speedy entrance line into Webster Hall and access to the exclusive Connoisseurs Lounge for the entire session where there will be an additional 15-18 rare beers not found on the Grand Tasting floor. The Connoisseurs Lounge is a great, relaxing place to chill when the venue reaches capacity.

“Our Connoisseurs Lounge is a very special place. We offer a private, lounge environment for beer fanatics to listen to live acoustic music from Morley, while sampling some of the rarest, Summer release beers you’ll ever get a chance to drink AND delicious finger foods are included. It’s like being backstage in the Artist compound at one of our concerts” said Tesler.

When the Minnesota House of Representatives was debating whether to raise the state alcohol tax in April, Zellers (R-Maple Grove) criticized claims that the tax increase would amount to seven cents a beer. “That’s like promising a case of Summit to the party and showing up with that bathwater called Leinenkugel’s,” Zellers said. “It’s not a fair deal at all. Good Minnesota beer for Wisconsin bathwater, no sir.”

More >> Chippewa Herald.

Now a decade later, Casella Family Wines hopes to recreate some of that same success with beer.

Label approval is in for Arvo, Casella’s beer that it launched in Australia last year. At the time, the company had no plans to export it to the U.S. but plans have since changed.

With over 2,500 U.S. breweries, over 1,000 breweries in-planning, and rapid growth in the influx of import brands, it would seem to be now or never for Arvo in the U.S..

On the surface, it doesn’t look like there is too much that is special or out of the ordinary about the Arvo brand which is billed as “The Perfect Australian Lager.” Just another entry to take on Foster’s, Heineken and similar ‘premium’ imported lager brands.

Arvo will be imported through MHW Ltd. out of New York. No timing or other details available yet…

Another search under the United States Patent and Trademark Office website using the keyword "Miami" lists an entry by the name of Miami Artisan. Further probing reveals that A & S stands for Alchemy and Science, which appears to be a collaboration between between Magic Hat Brewing Company founder and former owner Alan Newman and Stacey Steinmetz, who also formerly worked for Magic Hat.

Like Los Angeles, Miami is a city with a relatively low count of local breweries.

More >> Miami New Times.

But co-owner Omar Robinson says Sun King markets to bars and restaurants now more than ever before. With so many breweries opening in Indiana, and more coming in from out of state, he can’t rely upon past success to keep his market share. "I’ll give you a good example," he said. "Oskar Blues will be coming to this state before the end of the year … and I will lose some business. Let’s say Osiris (Sun King’s pale ale) is going to run out somewhere when that happens, and the owner says, ‘Well, I’ll give Oskar Blues a try.’ "

Snippet from a general piece about Indiana beer industry growth…

More >> SFGate.

Two different artists (or marketers) have taken unique approaches in campaigns showing how to get friends to put away their fans while at the bar. Above, a special beer glass that requires a mobile phone goes viral after its launch last week. Recently, another video surfaced where a bar stores cell phones in lockers and (IIRC) gives you a free drink ticket for putting it away. Can’t place the second video (help?).

via Vimeo | Mauricio Perussi.

If it took nearly forty years for your dream to come true, would you give up? Now in his mid-fifties, Lance Rice is a gifted brewery historian with a passion for beer and an incredible photographic memory. Lance has spent a lifetime memorizing a staggering amount of knowledge in beer and brewery history. Yet even more astonishing is the fact that Lance has never been able to share his passion or brilliance with the world, but he never given up on his dream…

More >> Kickstarter.

For the second time in five years, the Goose Island brewpub in Lincoln Park is on the brink of closure. Lease negotiations for the 12,500-square-foot restaurant and bar at 1800 N. Clybourn Ave. have broken down because of a dispute about rent and are “not moving forward,” said Chris Siavelis, senior vice president at Deerfield-based CRM Properties Group Ltd., which owns the property.

More >> Crain's Chicago Business.

(Gorham, ME) – On Friday June 21, 2013, Sebago Brewing Company releases the highly anticipated 2013 version of their hoppolicious Single Batch Series Brew, Hop Swap. Hop Swap is named for a process. During the deliberate and annually experimental brewing process, Sebago swaps out the hops featured in this American Ale, providing a uniquely hoppy experience each year.

The 2013 Hop Swap boasts Cascade, Simcoe, Amarillo and Falconer’s Flight hops. A hoppolicious American Ale with light body and hoppy dryness, the pine and citrus notes of Cascade and Amarillo hops blend perfectly with grapefruit & tropical fruit aromas from Simcoe and Falconer’s Flight. This draft-only, single batch offering forces hop-heads to enjoy it now when the character is at its best.

Hop Swap can be enjoyed on draft at Sebago Brewing Company’s four brewpubs in Portland, Kennebunk, Gorham and Scarborough as well as at various craft beer bars and restaurants throughout New England.

Hop Swap Fact Sheet

Style: IPA
History: First Brewed in 2012
Orig. Gravity: 15 °P
Color: Light Straw 8.6 SRM
ABV: 6.1%
IBU: 52
Aroma: Pine, Citrus, Grapefruit & Tropical Aromas
Hops: Cascade, Amarillo, Simcoe, Falconer’s Flight
Malts: 2-Row Barley, Carapils, Flaked Oats
Pairing Suggestions: Grilled Meats, Indian Curries, Lime and Cilantro, Peppery Cheeses, Grilled Chillies

About Sebago Brewing Company
Sebago Brewing Company is a Maine-owned and operated company firmly rooted at the crossroads of food and beer. Since opening in 1998, Sebago has become Maine’s premier contemporary American brewpub and one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the state. Sebago offers a full line of year round beers, five seasonal beers, and several highly-anticipated limited edition Single Batch Series beers that have a reputation as creative, high quality, unique beers that tempt and satisfy the palates of New England’s beer lovers.

For more information on Sebago Brewing Company’s events and beer visit www.sebagobrewing.com.

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We believe the series of bills (SB 515-518) that recently became law represent a major step forward for beer in Texas. With time these changes will do wonders for the diversity and quality of the beer scene in our state. Our beer culture will improve with the opening of new breweries and easier avenues to commercial success for existing breweries. Ultimately, the winners are Texas beer drinkers, and for that we’re grateful.

What the law change immediately means for Jester King is that we are now able to sell beer at our brewery for on-premise consumption. Previously, when visitors came to our brewery, we sold them a tour and glassware that could be used for free samples of our beer. Now that it is legal, we will begin selling beer during our normal tasting room hours from 1 to 4pm on Saturday, June 29th. We will be closed on Saturday, June 22nd attending The Festival in Portland, Maine. We will no longer be selling a tour and glass, and then offering a fixed number of free samples. Rather, tours will be free, and our visitors are welcome to purchase whatever they would like off of our beer menu. Again, the tour is free, and there is no obligation to purchase any beer to take the tour. Our beer menu for Saturday, June 29th is pictured below.

We are very excited to be able to offer the menu above because it allows visitors to our brewery to experience a greater diversity of what we make at Jester King. Previously, there had been an odd disincentive for us to offer our most limited beers to brewery guests because doing so would have cut down on the quantities that we had available to sell. That is no longer the case, and visitors to our brewery will now be able to drink our more limited beers. Unfortunately, the new law does not give us the ability to sell beer from other breweries we like and respect, meaning that we will no longer be able to offer guest beers. Someday, we hope to be able to sell beer from other small, artisan producers alongside our own.

As a result of the new laws, we will be changing our license to a Brewpub. That is not actually as dramatic as it may sound. The change is somewhat of a formality, because it will simply allow us to sell bottles of our beer to go. We have no plans to operate a commercial kitchen, especially with excellent, wood-fired pizza being made next door to us at Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza. But we are very excited about having bottle release events at our brewery. Once we have our Brewpub license, we will begin scheduling bottle release dates for our latest beers. Our first bottle release will be Viking Metal and the second will be Atrial Rubicite.

As a result of the law change, sometime this fall we will be expanding our tasting room hours. One of our arguments to the legislature was that the new laws would increase beer tourism. We are about to become more tourist friendly with expanded hours and better amenities. We are still working out the exact details, but we plan to open several days a week.

While the new laws represent major progress for Texas beer, there are some realities that we are not pleased with. There still exist exorbitant licensing fees in Texas that keep beer from small, artisan brewers out of our state. We still will not be seeing beer from Cantillon or Fantome on Texas store shelves anytime soon. We feel strongly that in order for Texas to become a truly world-class beer state, it must eliminate the massive licensing fees that keep out beer from small, artisan producers. We have written extensively on this topic before, which you can read here.

We are also not pleased with the passage of SB 639, which makes it expressly illegal for breweries to sell the right to distribute their products to wholesalers, while making it expressly legal for wholesalers to sell those same rights to one another. This law is tantamount to legalized theft, and we will join future efforts to see it overturned. For our complete commentary on SB 639, please follow this link.

Again, we are thrilled for Texas law to have changed. We were skeptical whether it would ever happen after repeated defeats in the legislature. First and foremost, we want to thank beer drinkers across the state who voiced support for the bills and gave their time and/or money to our cause. We would also like to thank Open the Taps, The Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Scott Meztger of Freetail Brewing Co., The Beer Alliance of Texas, and journalists who helped shed light on the injustices inherent in Texas beer law. There is still much work to be done in making Texas a better place for beer and beer drinkers, but these changes represent a dramatic, positive step forward.

Allagash Brewing is known for its Belgian-style ales so this is quite a detour from the usual.

The brewery has a new brewhouse in place which adds some capacity, perhaps allowing to deviate to making beers that sit in the tank for a while (lagers generally take longer than ales).

In addition, new tanks just arrived for the cellar which will be used for making wild and sour beers as well.

Up next is Confluence which is available once again this month. Fluxus 2013, a porter, ships late next month.

(Cooperstown, NY) – Label approval is in for the second Game of Thrones beer in the series.

As first reported by BeerPulse back in March, HBO had applied for a trademark for ‘Take the Black.’ Three months later, that concept has now come to life with a new beer label now available.

Per the label, Ommegang Take the Black is a 7% stout “as dark as the winters that once engulfed Westeros, as robust as the men who swear their oaths at the Weirwood Tree. Chocolate and caramel sweetness are balanced by hop bitterness. Roasty, woodsy notes, and an earthy finish.”

Take the Black follows Iron Throne, a blonde ale that inaugurated the series this past spring. The launch of that beer coincided with the start of the third season.

As for when you will find Take the Black on shelves, a previous press release from Brewery Ommegang stated that this second beer would be a fall 2013 release and that subsequent beers would follow in the future. While label approvals do not officially mean that a beer concept will come to fruition, this appears to be a safe bet.

HBO has since filed trademark applications for possible future beers including: Rhaegal, Drogon, and Fire and Blood.

No start date has been set for season four though filming begins next month.

(Raleigh, NC) – Mims Distributing Company (http://www.mimsdistributing.com), a beer distributor that services a nine-county area in and around the Triangle, has announced that Jennifer Balik has been promoted to brand development manager. In this position, Balik will be responsible for the overall brand development of the distributor’s growing portfolio of craft breweries, working to grow their presence in the market and overall brand recognition among area beer drinkers. Previously serving as promotional manager for Mims Distributing, she handled the on-site and point-of-sale promotions of individual brands at on-premise licensed retailers, including bars and restaurants.

Balik joined Mims Distributing in 2005 as an assistant promotion coordinator before becoming promotional sales manager at the end of 2006. Prior to joining Mims Distributing, she worked in New York City managing event planning and logistics in the fashion industry.

Quotes:
“Jennifer has helped Mims maintain the best bar and restaurant promotions team in the state thanks to her leadership,” said Chip Mims, CEO. “We are tremendously excited that she has agreed to take on the newly created role of Brand Development Manager. Her passion for sharing her deep beer knowledge with others makes her the natural choice to help our customers select and promote the right brands and styles for their customers.”

New Media Content:
Mims Distributing Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/MimsDistributing

Mims Distributing Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/mimsdist

About Mims Distributing Company :
Established in 1964 and based in Raleigh, N.C., Mims Distributing Company provides domestic, import and craft beer brands to licensed retailers in nine central N.C. counties – Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren. It is the area’s distributor for all Miller brands, including Miller Lite, Miller High Life and Icehouse. Mims’ imports include Newcastle Brown Ale, Dos Equis, Red Stripe, Palm, Rodenbach, and Sapporo. It handles such craftbrews such as Yuengling, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Magic Hat, Anchor and Narragansett. Mims also carries cider from Crispin and non-alcoholic Arizona Tea. In 2007, Mims received the prestigious High Life Achievement Award from Miller, which recognized its top distributors in the nation. That same year, Mims also won the Newbie of the Year Award from Magic Hat as its best new distributor. In 2009, Mims was awarded Magic Hat’s Pouring Partner of the Year Award as its top distributor in the country. Active in the local community, Mims supports efforts such as the Walk for Hope, and the Frankie Lemmon School. For more information, visit http://www.mimsdistributing.com.

Check them out here.