For more info on the take-over (for those readers who don’t like to read), check out the YouTube clip from ReutersVideo below,

So what will 2008’s Beer Lover’s Choice beer be? The choice is between a Blackberry Witbier — brewed traditionally with orange peel & coriander seeds and with a touch of blackberry flavor — and a coffee stout, brewed with smoked malts and aged on a bed of whole Rwandan coffee beans.

Click to find out more about the 2008 Sam Adams Beer Lovers’ Choice race, find a tasting session near you & vote for your favorite. Then look for the winner in the “Brewmasters’ Collection” 12 packs later this year.

CNBC is airing a show tomorrow (Thurs July 17th) at 9pm EST called American Originals: America’s 130 Year Love Affair with the King of Beers. According to the folks at NBC, tune in to see What’s on tap now for Budweiser:

Now that InBev has agreed to purchase the iconic American brand, CNBC’s “American Originals: Budweiser” offers a first look at the new reality for Bud.

Also check out the site for previews of the show, plus slideshows and articles about the storied Budweiser brand.

Meanwhile, elsewhere ’round the NBC Universe, MSNBC has a great article profiling the “World’s Best Brewery Tours”. According to MSNBC,

Once a magnet for those looking for a free beer, brewery tours have gotten much more sophisticated in recent years.

Along with that gratis beer, breweries the world over are offering everything from in-depth tours to lessons in beer-making. Some have even built restaurants or brewpubs where visitors can lunch on a Kobe burger and wash it down with a German-style ale. Add it all up, and you have more than just a free beer; you have a perfect Saturday afternoon.

The article points out — rightly so — that, with Summer Vacation time (along with great summer beers!) in full-swing, there’s never been a better time for touring a nearby craft brewery!

The meeting was preceded by the 2nd weekly “Beer 101″ class at Prost!, each of which was run by me and Jason (co-founder of the MBWG and author of beerbloggers.com). The classes were great fun to “teach” and were pretty well attended. We won’t be running every class (although you couldn’t tell from the first two weeks) but should be there with some regularity. So if you’re in the neighborhood Wednesday afternoons from 6-7pm, be sure and pop in to see if you can spot us at the head of the class.

As far as Prost! is concerned, the bar has a LOT of potential - namely: a fantastic, convenient downtown location, very attractive renovations from the trashy bars that were in its place a few months ago, a fledgling of a great concept, and the potential for an incredible drought lineup.

But there is still lots and lots of work to be done. While Prost! says it has “more than 100 taps… the most taps in Maine” the actual drought line-up is far smaller than a hundred, and of those that are installed, many were kicked when we were there. While the pub calls itself a German-themed beer garden, it feels more like the Germany exhibit at Epcot. And, if there is a band or a DJ playing (or simply doing a sound-check, as was the case during our Wednesday evening meeting) in the adjacent Onyx nightclub, you won’t be able to hear anyone sitting at your table (or yourself think, for that matter).

Giving the company the benefit of the doubt, Prost! is still brand new (under a month) and I’m sure they’re in the process of working the kinks out. If they’re able to do that, it will definitely become a cornerstone of the ever-growing Portland Beer Scene.

One of the best parts of all the new Better Beer spots popping up around town is the potential for them to bring better beer to retail establishments, as well. Meaning, if West Coast breweries, (like Stone, for instance, or the half of the Rogue beers that you can’t get here) which previously haven’t been available in Maine, see how well specialty craft beers are doing in bars around Portland, they’ll bring their beers to our local package stores as well, benefiting local beer drinkers on every level and outlet of consumption. Here’s hoping…

Meanwhile, you can find the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild at the brand new Run of the Mill Brewpub in Saco, Maine in August. Cheers.

Although their beers were never some of my favorites, it is still sad and troubling to see any brewery close, especially one from right here in Maine. I wish all of the guys & gals at Stone Coast the best of luck in where ever beer may take them next!

Stone Coast’s Story

In 1992, Grant Wilson conceived and built Sunday River Brewing Co., a homey brewpub nestled at the base of Sunday River ski area in Bethel, Maine. We quickly became known for tasty beer, friendly anything-you-need service and great live music. Loyal local mug club members and visitors alike fell in love.

Due to popular demand, in 1995 we built Stone Coast Brewing Co. in Portland Maine. The legend of our incredible hoppy 420 IPA grew with each pint served. Hounded with requests, we asked our friends at Casco Bay Brewing to start bottling a few of our brews. In 2003, we got serious and built our own state-of-the-art production brewery right in Portland, complete with a beautiful stainless-steel bottling line. In 2004, we added a one-of-a-kind canning machine and became one of the first microbreweries in the country to can beer.

The New York Times reports that,

The combined company is expected to be named Anheuser-Busch InBev, fulfilling a promise by the Belgian company to include the Anheuser name in the new brewer’s title, people briefed on the matter said. Anheuser will be given two seats on the board, including one for August A. Busch IV, the company’s chief executive and a scion of its controlling family.

But what is in store for “InBusch”? Job cuts are expected and they’ll happen hard and fast. According to a story in the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch,

In a conference call this morning, victorious executives from InBev laid out their plans to expand cost-cutting already underway at Anheuser-Busch Cos., and to build the world’s dominant brewer around its new flagship brand: Budweiser.

That cost-cutting plan — known as “Blue Ocean” — entails budget cuts totaling upwards of $1 billion in expenses over two years, which will be expanded to a $1.5 billion effort over three.

The most interesting tidbit, in my opinion, stemming from the whole buy-out was pointed out earlier by Jay Brooks,

Once the merger of the two companies is finalized, Anheuser-Busch InBev, will be a Belgian company. [Second largest American brewery] MillerCoors consists of MolsonCoors, managed from Canada, and [third largest American brewery] SABMiller, which is either a South African or London-based company, depending on your point of view. That leaves Pabst, the fourth largest beermaker by volume, but they do not own a brewery, instead contracting to have all their beer made at Miller’s breweries. So in terms of actual brewers (that is companies that own and operate a brewery) and who are U.S. owned, the biggest one remaining will be Boston Beer, making Samuel Adams as the undisputed biggest American brewer. Way to go, Jim. It also means Yuengling, America’s oldest brewery, becomes number two and Sierra Nevada comes in third. Amazing, simply amazing!

While it’s tough to see such an American icon crumble (even if you’re not a fan of their beers), the situation is made much sweeter knowing that Jim Kock is the new King of American Beers. Cheers, Jim!

• Alan from A Good Beer Blog talked about a petition to “free Ontarians from the two-headed monster that is the government owned LCBO and the macro-brewery owned Beer Store,” and the premiums imposed on craft beer distribution by the government of Ontario which is, of course, passed on to the consumer.
• Stan Hieronymus at Appellation Beer revealed plans between Evan Rail and the Discovery Channel to produce a Discovery special on beer. Special guests already include Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head fame.
• Captain Hops at Beer Haiku Daily wrote about Rich Lyke’s new campaign: Pints for Prostates. A national campaign sponsored by the beer industry to try and convince men aged 40 and older to get a PSA test.
• In addition to a whole new theme over at Hop-talk.com, Al shared an upsetting story - Mike Freeman, a member of the Flying Dog Family, has recently been diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme or GBM, an aggressive form of brain cancer (the same form of cancer that took my brother-in-law a few years ago). Al also explained some ways in which you can help Mike, including buying a sweet “Fuck Cancer” shirt; the proceeds from which go to help cover Mike’s medical bills.

Be sure and check out each of the links above; I hope they’ll tide you over until I’m able to tackle the topics which need tackling ’round here. Notably, a recap of Tuesday night’s Dogfish Head event at Novare Res; a recap of last night’s July meeting of the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild and a review of the canned beers which arrived at my doorstep from Buckbean Brewing in Reno, NV a few days ago (THANKS GUYS!). So stay tuned and get out there an enjoy the sunshine. Cheers.

According to a tip leaked earlier this afternoon on BeerAdvocate: Beginning in early November 2008, Redhook will release a new and unique beer twice a year that will be packaged in 22oz “bomber” bottles. Each release will be hand crafted by Redhook’s brewers and will only be available at small, select liquor stores around the country.

According to brewery officials,

The limited release line will generate new excitement for the Redhook brand with consumers, retailers and wholesalers by offering unique, craft-credible beers that will inspire purchase in-store and build anticipation & buzz for the next beer release.

I was never lucky enough to try the Double Black Stout (which was brewed by Redhook from 1995-2000 using coffee from Starbucks) during the first time around but I’ve heard nothing but great things about the brew, so I for one am very excited to hear of its return.

Stay tuned for more information about the new Redhook Big Beer Series and future installments as it become available.

The second event at Novare will take place next Tuesday (the 8th) and it’s one which I am REALLY excited for - a very rare event here in New England and definitely one worth traveling for. Sam Calagione and all of the other owners, brewers, assistant brewers, managers, sales folks, distro guys… literally EVERYONE who has any ties to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Delaware will be on hand pouring some rare Dogfish brews, answering questions and giving away tons of Dogfish Schwag. The event will last from 6-8pm only, though, so make sure and get there early!

If you’re in town this Wednesday (the 2nd), I will be hosting — along with Jason Burks (hopefully) of beerbloggers.com and the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild — the very first “Beer Connoisseur Tasting” (unofficial name; I don’t know the real one) evening at Prost! International Tap House from 6-7:00pm. So please come by, drink some good beers and introduce yourself.

And, speaking of Prost!, they’ve been selected as the July venue for the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild meet-up on Wendesday July 9th. Check out mainebeerwriters.org for more information.

And hopefully I’ll see you at the bar!