GOLDEN, CO -

“We felt that, even though the IPA category is crowded, there was room for a beer with the hoppy goodness of an IPA but without the fruity esters that ale yeasts create,” said Glenn Knippenberg, president and co-founder of AC Golden. “Using lager yeast instead of ale yeast allows the delicate hop characters to shine through as only a lager can do. Our brewers jokingly call it our hop delivery vehicle.”

The result is a beer with a huge hop aroma and a long-lasting billowy head. The beer has a slight haze from being unfiltered. It is a dry and drinkable brew with a surprisingly clean finish. AC Golden’s IPL contains 3.3 pounds of hops per barrel – Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Simcoe – with one of those pounds being in the dry hop.

“Being a part of Old Chicago’s Mini Beer Tour is a great opportunity for us to sample the beer with Colorado drinkers,” said Knippenberg.  AC Golden’s brewers will be visiting various Old Chicago’s to talk with guests about the IPL and to hear what they think about this relatively new style of beer.

Alcohol content:   6.8% ABV

IBU:   75

Calories:  200 per 12-ounce serving

Yeast:  Bottom-fermenting Lager Yeast

Bittering hops:  Chinook

Finishing hops:  Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe

Dry hops:  Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe

Malts:  Two-row Moravian Pale, Munich

Pairings:  Pairs well with big blue goat cheeses like Gorgonzola or Roquefort. The huge floral hops will help balance out the funky notes of the cheese and the CO2 will help mellow the creaminess.

About AC Golden Brewing Company:

AC Golden Brewing Company, located in Golden, Colo., was established to create specialty beers for discriminating beer drinkers. It specializes in small batch, hand-crafted brewing. Its beers include: Colorado Native, and amber lager made with all Colorado ingredients; Herman Joseph’s, a German-style lager, and Barmen Pilsner.

HOOD RIVER, OR -

Dan’s Satin Stout is a creamy, dark beer with a soft and smooth finish and is complemented with the subtly sweet notes of chocolate and a hint of honey. A blend of pale, Munich, caramel, chocolate malt, and roast barley give Satin Stout its deep darkness and complex palate. Willamette and Mt. Hood hops provide just enough bitter to balance the sweet malitness; their slightly spicy aromas complement the floral notes from the addition of wildflower honey. Nitrogen conditioning is the final finishing touch providing a luscious satiny smoothness. 5.2% ABV 36 IBU

“I feel so fortunate to have a job I love in the place I grew up. I started my career at Full Sail as a keg washer over 21 years ago and have had the opportunity to move through many jobs at the brewery. In the process I have really gained a passion for great beer and a deep respect for the brewing art. When the opportunity to brew my own beer came up, I jumped at the chance to follow a long line of very talented Full Sail brewers. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this beer as much as I enjoyed brewing it. Cheers!” said Dan Nakamura.

Full Sail has scheduled a “Meet the Brewer and the Beer” event to showcase this new beer. The event will be at Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, on Thursday, February 16th from 5:00 to 6:30PM. Join the Full Sail crew to celebrate and toast with a pint of this special brew.

Dan’s Satin Stout will also be featured at Full Sail’s Zwickelmania brewery open house. On Saturday, February 18th, dozens of Oregon breweries and brewpubs will open their doors to visitors for the state’s 4th annual Zwickelmania. Hosted by the Oregon Brewers Guild (OBG), Zwickelmania is a free statewide event that offers visitors a chance to tour Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers. Full Sail Brewing will offer guided brewery tours at 11, 12, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm and will be offering samples of Dan’s Satin Stout paired with artisan chocolate. Tours and tasting are free of charge and each tour participant will receive a complimentary pint glass. Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace in Portland will also be open for tours.

With each Brewer’s Share series beer, Full Sail picks a local charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer. Dan has chosen to support Hospice of the Gorge so every keg of Dan’s Satin Stout benefits this organization whose mission is to compassionately support patients and families through the end of life process.
The Brewer’s Share Experimental series is a line-up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sail brewer takes a turn hand-crafting their own single batch recipe. A portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity or organization of their choice. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share Experimental beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. The next Brewer’s Share Experimental will be brewed by Lead Lab Tech, Joshua Allman and is planned for spring.

About Full Sail Brewing Company:
The independent and employee-owned Full Sail Brewery is perched on a bluff in Hood River, Oregon, overlooking the most epic wind and kite surfing spot in the world. At this very moment our specialists in the liquid refreshment arts are crafting barley and hops into your next beer. Among the company’s most popular brews are Full Sail Amber, IPA, Pale, LTD, Session Premium Lager, Session Black and Session Fest. Founded in 1987, the Full Sail crew has been fermenting godlike nectar for 25 years. Committed to brewing great beer and sustainable practices their award winning brews are now available in 29 states. The Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub is open seven days a week. Swing by for a pint, grab a bite, tour the brewery, or just soak up the view. http://www.fullsailbrewing.com

MIDDLEBURY, VT – The artisan spirit is alive and well here in the Green Mountains of Vermont, and that has never been more apparent than with the world’s first Belgian White-style hard cider.

This limited run cider carries on a tradition of innovation, first forged two decades ago, when Woodchuck Amber reinvented hard cider in the United States.

Cloudy, with a rich, golden hue reminiscent of wheat beer, our Belgian White presents a delicate aroma and taste, mirroring the Belgian tradition of a coriander and orange peel profile, laced with the complexity of apple notes and classic Belgian beer yeast. Enjoy with a slice of orange, and pair with light seafood fare, mixed greens and an assortment of sharp cheeses.

It is 5.5% alcohol by volume – and as always with Woodchuck – naturally gluten free.

Woodchuck Hard Cider is Independent to the Core. It’s a spirit that has served us well. Belgian White is the latest addition to our rich history in hard cider.

Private Reserve Belgian White – be one of the select few who will enjoy the fruits of our labor.

STAMFORD, CT. –

Founder Conor Horrigan had this to say:

“Over the past year or more, we have seen probably two dozen sites and this was by far our favorite site, so we are very excited that we will be able to call it our home.  Signing a lease really opens the flood gates for our business as it gives us much greater clarity on when we are expected to open, which we hope will be in June 2012, assuming we can get all our municipal, state, and federal approvals in time.”

The space includes a roughly 3,600 square foot warehouse which will house the brewery operations and a tasting room that will take up about 700 square feet.  Half Full expects to receive its equipment in late-April and once everything is in place, will begin to invite visitors to the facility.

Stay tuned for more information on this over the upcoming months.

STEVENS POINT, WI -

The latest expansion — a $1.1 million project includes nine new fermentation tanks, two new bright beer tanks, a new 7,000-gallon hot water tank and a centrifuge for filtering finished beer. When all of the new equipment is up and running this spring, the brewery will be able to brew 120,000 barrels of beer annually, a 20% increase.

Since 2009 the Stevens Point Brewery has invested approximately $1.5 million in new equipment and additional storage space to increase capacity and improve efficiency, according to Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery Operating Partner.

“Last year we added 6,600 square feet of warehouse space, five aging tanks and three fermentation tanks to bring our brewing capacity up to 100,000 barrels per year,” Martino said. “In 2010, we built a 2,700-square-foot addition to expand our keg cooler room and add four aging tanks.

“We have our loyal customers to thank for our continued success, and as our sales continue to grow, we’ll continue to expand our capacity to keep up with the demand,” Martino added. “We’ve still got plenty of room to grow and we fully intend to do so.”

The two new bright beer tanks for package release beer will allow Point Brewmasters Gabe Hopkins and John Zappa and their team of Brewing Operators to brew six days per week instead of five. The 120-barrel tanks, which hold finished beer ready for the bottle and can lines, will be installed by the end of February.

The nine new fermentation tanks scheduled to be installed in late March are vertical fermentation “unitanks” and represent a first for the Stevens Point Brewery, according to Hopkins. “Our new vertical tanks are twice as tall as they are wide, and they’re called unitanks because they allow us to ferment and age beer all in one vessel,” he explained. “Vertical tanks also enable improved dry hopping of our beer. Traditional fermenters are horizontal and can be used for either fermenting or aging, but not both in the same tank.”

The centrifuge, which will arrive in April, will help improve beer quality and production efficiencies. “We will be able to filter beer faster and improve the quality of our product in the package,” Hopkins said.

The new hot water tank will be used to heat water at the beginning of the brewing process and will be the first piece of new equipment to be installed, in mid-February.

At the event, Brewbound.com spoke to Hindy about the state of the craft beer industry, rising ingredient costs and how the hundreds of small startups will fare in a competitive marketplace.

“Clearly, something fundamental is happening in the U.S. beer business,” Hindy said. “I think craft beer is going to expand, expand, expand.”

Yet despite his belief that craft brewers will continue gaining market share, he also expects to see some of the 915 current breweries in planning fail.

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see some people fall away,” he said. “This is not a guaranteed business. “It’s business. You are taking a risk.”

The interview, seen below, is the latest installment in our video series.

FT. COLLINS, CO –

Clips of Faith is an 18-city tour where people can savor beers from New Belgium’s esoteric Lips of Faith series, along with some popular classics, while enjoying short films and raising money for local nonprofits.  Since its inception two years ago, the tour has raised more than $91,000 for local philanthropic organizations and shown nearly 40 amateur films.

“We really enjoy working with all the creative folks in our community of beer drinkers to bring the event together,” said Christie Catania, Clips of Faith Manager-at-Large.  “The whole evening is a remarkable collaboration of passions – hand-made films with hand-made beer.  We look forward to bringing out some new unique beers and putting together the final cut of the 2012 show.”

Over the last two seasons, New Belgium has received nearly 200 film submissions, with approximately 20 selections making each tour. This year, all selected entries will receive a custom gift from New Belgium and screenings in 18 cities.

To enter, upload your film by April 16 to www.clipsoffaith.com. The guidelines include:

• The film must be no more than seven minutes.
• Filmmakers must be at least 21 years old.
• The film can cover any subject/genre, but extra points go to films that include a New Belgium folly: craft beer, sustainability, whimsy, adventure or culture.
• Keep it clean.
• Filmmakers must secure rights for all elements included in the film.

In 2010 and 2011, some of the selected storylines included a paddling trip through whaling waters, a talking beer bottle sketch comedy and an absurdist spaghetti western. Film genres ranged from comedic shorts, animation and environmental documentaries to tales about the beloved bike.

Here is the 2012 Clips of Faith schedule; venues will be announced at a later date.

• St. Louis, MO – Friday, May 18
• Kansas City, MO – Thursday, May 31
• Bloomington, IL – Friday, June 8
• Des Moines, IA – Friday, June 15
• Madison, WI – Thursday, June 21
• Boulder, CO – Friday, June 29
• Flagstaff, AZ – Thursday, July 12
• Santa Cruz, CA – Friday, July 20
• Seattle, WA – Friday, July 27
• Portland, OR – Friday, August 3
• Davis, CA – Friday, August 10
• Missoula, MT – Friday, August 17
• Asheville, NC – Friday, September 7
• Atlanta, GA – Friday, September 14
• Athens, GA – Friday, September 21
• Charleston, SC – Thursday, September 27
• Charlotte, NC – Friday, October 5
• Knoxville, TN – Friday, October 12

For the latest information on Clips of Faith, go to www.clipsoffaith.com and for more information on New Belgium Brewing, visit www.newbelgium.com.

About New Belgium Brewing Company:

New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces eight year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Ranger IPA, Belgo IPA, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases.  In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship.  For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

BEND, ORE -

The Odom Corporation will distribute GoodLife Brewing’s craft beer to the entire state of Oregon, excluding Deschutes County and the Portland metro area, Northern Idaho, Washington and Alaska.
We are excited to sign the Odom Corporation because we feel they can do a great job to help grow our brand and supply thirsty enthusiasts regionally with our product.

Idaho Distributing Company, based in Boise, will lead the charge for GoodLife Brewing Company as we release beer into Idaho for the first time. They will distribute beer to the whole state except the Northern panhandle. Residents of Idaho have a similar mindset to people living in Bend, and we are enthusiastic about the potential of the Idaho market. Initially, GoodLife Brewing Company will send both of its award winning beers, Mountain Rescue Dry Hop Pale Ale and Descender IPA, and slowly release seasonal beers when they are available.

GoodLife Brewing Company is also excited to announce the release of 22oz Mountain Rescue Dry Hop Pale Ale bottles. We will be bottling 600 cases of 22oz bottles that will allow people to enjoy a GoodLife beer wherever life may take them. Being fans of the outdoors, bottles will be an easier way to enjoy one of your favorite beers without having to carry a keg on your back during your next adventure.

You will be able to find the bottles at your local bottle shop initially with hopes of being in grocery stores and convenient stores in the next 6 months.

For additional information, visit the brewery located at 70 SW Century Drive in Bend, OR., or visit www.GoodLifeBrewing.com. GoodLife Brewing Company is currently distributing all their beers in Bend and Portland via Point Blank Distributing.

In a press release, Ben E. Keith specialty beverage manager Kevin Nettleton commented on the move.

“Alaskan’s line up of award-winning beers has been requested by retailers and consumers in Texas for some time. We are thrilled to be able to distribute this unique portfolio of beers across the state.”

Recall that Alaskan told Brewbound.com last November its plans to entire both Texas and New Mexico by this summer. Entering Texas comes at a time when the brewery is also introducing a new Pilot Series beer and making a small packaging tweak.

Entering the Pilot Series is Alaskan Birch Bock. It is brewed with Alaska Birch Syrup, an ingredient previously incorporated into its 25^th Anniversary, Perseverance Ale.  Also going forward, the brewery will begin using pry-off closures on all bottled offerings, in an attempt to improve the quality of the beer over time.

“The decision to undergo this conversion was driven by the fact that pry-off closures have been proven superior at protecting the quality of beer flavor in a bottle overtime,” explained Operations Manager David Wilson in a press release.

Below are the three press releases with more detailed information on the changes.

Alaskan Brewing announces expansion into Texas

Juneau brewery partners with Ben E. Keith Company to bring a “taste of Alaska” to the Lone Star State

JUNEAU, AK -  Beer drinkers in Texas will soon enjoy brews from the Last Frontier when Alaskan Brewing brings their bottled “taste of Alaska” to the Lone Star State this spring. Alaskan Brewing Co. is partnering with Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors in Texas to bring their award-winning beers to market throughout the state.

“Alaskan’s line up of award-winning beers has been requested by retailers and consumers in Texas for some time,” says Ben E. Keith specialty beverage manager, Kevin Nettleton. “We are thrilled to be able to distribute this unique portfolio of beers across the state.”

Founded by Geoff and Marcy Larson in 1986, Alaskan has been brewing and bottling award-winning beers that reflect their home in Juneau, Alaska for more than 25 years.  The brewery researched the move into Texas for several years, wanting to first ensure they had an established supply chain to support the long trip from Alaska before expanding their distribution to such a large state. Texas will be the 14^th state to serve Alaskan Brewing products.

“Alaskans and Texans seem to have a lot in common, especially in their appreciation of wide open spaces and of quality craft beer.  We have been getting letters, calls and emails from thirsty Texans for years,” says Alaskan Brewing Co-founder, Marcy Larson. “We are truly excited to finally be answering the call with our partners at Ben E. Keith.”

Alaskan will first enter Texas with their Gold Rush-era inspired Alaskan Amber, along with Alaskan White Ale and Alaskan IPA on draft. These and Alaskan’s seasonal products will be available in kegs and cases in Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio in April.

“We are very proud to represent Alaskan,” shared Ben E. Keith Beverage Division president Kevin Bartholomew. “Geoff and Marcy are wonderful people and they, and their crew, brew incredible beers.”

Alaskan Brewing and Ben E. Keith Co. will be posting news and announcements about launch events and activities at Facebook.com/AlaskanBrewingCoTX and AlaskanBeer.com as they get closer to beer’s release in the market.

 Alaskan brings back the birch in new Pilot Series release

Alaskan Birch Bock releases March 1 

JUNEAU, AK - Alaskan Brewing announces the release of Alaskan Birch Bock,  the newest addition to their Pilot Series collection of limited edition specialty beers. This doppelbock-style ale brewed with Alaska birch syrup will be available on draft and in 22 ounce“Alaskan Birch Bock puts a unique twist on the doppelbock style,” says Alaskan’s Darin Jensen. “Birch syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness mid-palate and a nice cutting dryness at the finish.  We used over 45 gallons of syrup for the making so you can really taste it in the brew.”

Alaskan Birch Bock is a tawny, copper-colored ale with lightly toasted and caramel malt highlights and the earthy undertones of birch, figs and spun sugar. Birch Syrup adds a subtle woodsy and sherry-like character that mingles with the hop bitterness to create clean and dry finish that nicely masks the spice of alcohol in this medium-bodied beer.

The 2-3 week tapping window and time-consuming boiling process of Alaska birch syrup make it a truly rare and gourmet ingredient. The rich and spicy notes of birch syrup added complexity to Alaskan’s 25th Anniversary Perseverance Russian Imperial Stout, but this distinct ingredient from the Alaska Birch Syrup Company and Kahiltna Birchworks is the showcase flavor in Alaskan Birch Bock.

“Alaskan Birch Bock is a great addition to our collection of recipes that age well in a bottle,” says Alaskan Operations Manager David Wilson. The natural tannins in birch syrup are akin to those of the spruce tips in Alaskan Winter Ale and of the smoke compounds in Alaskan Smoked Porter and Perseverance Imperial Stout. “The same compounds that preserved and protected the trees, now naturally preserve our beers.”

Other members of the specialty Pilot Series have included Alaskan’s Double Black and Imperial IPAs, award-winning Barley Wine and Raspberry Wheat, which will make another appearance in the Pilot Series this June. Alaskan Raspberry Wheat will be followed by the much-anticipated return of Alaskan Baltic Porter in September.

Alaskan Brewing Transitions to Pry-off Bottle Caps

Packaging change to support quality, shelf life and consistency

Alaskan Brewing is switching to pry-off crowns on all of their 12 oz. bottles starting this month. Alaskan’s Quality Assurance department initiated the change to pry-off crowns to better protect the quality of their products from bottling to purchase.

“The decision to undergo this conversion was driven by the fact that pry-off closures have been proven superior at protecting the quality of beer flavor in a bottle overtime,” explained Operations Manager David Wilson.

The tighter seal of pry-off closures are more effective at preventing oxygen from getting into the bottle.  The pry-off closure also makes for a stronger bottle than the twist-off bottles, which have small raised edges on the twist-off closure making them more susceptible to chipping and leaking.

“We understand that there may be some loss of convenience due to this conversion,” says Wilson. “While this is not an issue we take lightly, we also know our consumers are buy our beer for its quality and flavor and we are confident that increase in quality that comes with the transition to pry-off caps will more than make up for any inconvenience.”

Alaskan started packaging with new pry-off closures this week, though the new packaging may not arrive in some markets for several weeks.

About Alaskan Brewing Co.

Alaskan Brewing Co. has been making award-winning beer in Juneau, Alaska, since 1986. The Alaskan Brew Crew bottles the unique character of the Last Frontier with historic recipes, local ingredients and glacier-fed water. Alaskan Brewing handcrafts Amber, Pale, White, IPA, Stout, Smoked Porter, Winter Ale, Summer Ale and a variety of limited edition beers in the Alaskan Pilot Series. Follow Alaskan at Facebook.com/AlaskanBrewingCo, Twitter.com/AlaskanBrewing and www.alaskanbeer.com.

About Ben E. Keith Beverages

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company’s Beverages division is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With fourteen Sales & Distribution Centers in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Brownwood, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Houston, Kerrville, Llano, Palestine, San Antonio, and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit www.BenEKeith.com/beverage .

Los Angeles, CA –

Coleman brings 23 years of experience to Pabst as well as tremendous knowledge of the industry, its customers and distributor relations. Coleman, a long-time veteran at Anheuser-Busch, began in a role in the sales department and was responsible for approximately $1.6 billion in revenue when he left.

“We truly believe that John’s experience, skills, and results-focused approach fit our already existing team, which will continue to drive Pabst to its unique potential,” said Evan and Daren Metropoulos, co-owners of Pabst Brewing Company. “We are carefully building an executive team and company culture that shares our own highly entrepreneurial, results-oriented style and the values of our special consumers.  John combines extensive industry experience with a fire within to join a smaller company and help it realize its huge potential. We are very excited and look forward to working with him to optimize the potential of our brands both within and outside of the United States.”

At this position, Coleman will focus on Pabst’s sales and marketing teams and be responsible for solidifying Pabst’s relationships with its distributors.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the team at Pabst.  This is an iconic company, with some incredible brands that have been brewed in America since 1844. We look forward to accelerating the current momentum and returning the entire brand portfolio to its former greatness,” said Coleman. “With the Metropoulos family’s commitment to authenticity, revitalization and innovation, we will continue to position ourselves for long-term success.”

Since acquiring Pabst Brewing Company, Evan and Daren Metropoulos have been gratified by tremendous feedback from millions of consumers who uniquely identify with their brands, a long established American heritage and their very personal connection to a special and growing segment of people yearning to identify and create bonds with lifestyle brands that share their local and unique values. They continue to make great strides in building a powerhouse team with John Coleman as the new President.

About Pabst Brewing Company

In business since 1844, the Pabst Brewing Company is North America’s largest privately held brewing company. Pabst Brewing’s portfolio includes iconic brands with deep ties to America’s heritage such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Colt 45, Old Style, Lone Star, Stroh’s, Ballantine, Old Milwaukee and Rainer. Pabst Brewing Company is owned by Evan, Daren, and C. Dean  Metropoulos, who acquired the company in 2010. For more information, visitwww.pabstbrewingco.com or www.pabstblueribbon.com, or follow at www.facebook.com/PBRme and twitter.com/PabstBlueRibbon.

This event, focusing on the business side of craft brewing, will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City on Tuesday, June 5. With an emphasis on the business of beer, it provides an excellent opportunity to learn marketing, investment, and distribution strategies, as well as hear case studies of successful brands  in a highly collaborative atmosphere.

Giving skilled craft brewers a unique opportunity to learn from and network with speakers, panelists, suppliers and each other, the conference aims to address the topics that directly impact craft brewers as they look to refine their brands and grow their businesses.

During the event, brewers and beer industry experts will discuss how brewers can harness the avalanche of consumer, distributor and retailer interest in the craft beer category to improve their access to growth capital and deepen their sales base. Panelists and presenters will help brewers weigh the impact of portfolio choices,  branding elements like design and packaging decisions on brand-building and shelf appeal, as well as long-term distribution strategies. Marketing, merchandising, and the overall state of the craft market are looked at as opportunities for brewers to improve revenue and profitability, and to build the capital structure that will allow them to weather any storm.

Brewbound Craft Beer Session attendees will have multiple opportunities to engage speakers both during the moderated part of the program and as part of structured networking breaks. Additionally, attendees will be able to leverage the advanced networking availability — and sampling opportunities — afforded by the 500-plus investors, distributors, suppliers and retailers on hand due to the event’s co-location with the BevNET Live event at the Metropolitan Pavilion, and they will have the opportunity to participate in the trade show shared by the two shows on June 4.

The current $3 million dollar expansion – it should be complete in April — is a far cry from the estimated $20 million that Boulevard’s Vice President, Bob Sullivan, anticipates the next phase will cost, but it’s a start.

“We are at capacity,” he said. “This temporary expansion will give us a 20 to 30 percent bump.”

Sullivan said the initial expansion was necessary to keep up with growing demand in its current markets. While much of that local demand comes from the company’s core wheat beer, company’s Smokestack Series, an ever-evolving collection of bigger, more complex offerings that typically possess a higher ABV, is also driving growth.

The current expansion is being made to “Cellar One,” where those special Smokestack offerings ferment. Sullivan said the series was up 130 percent in 2011 and he doesn’t think that growth will slow anytime soon.

“January is historically our slowest month,” he said. “We were up 20 percent as a company to start the year and no way did I think that would happen.”

The Smokestack Series has proven to be an effective weapon when entering new markets, like Massachusetts.

“We certainly don’t think we can ship our wheat beer everywhere and take existing business away from someone who is either already there or local,” said Sullivan. “We started shipping only Smokestack Series beers to Massachusetts as a way to test this model and so far it’s worked really well.”

Shipping only Smokestack Series beers to Massachusetts allowed the company to develop a new consumer base while still leaving the door open to extend their portfolio. Brian Murphy, the Director of Sales & Marketing for Massachusetts Beverage Alliance (who distributes Boulevard) said Boulevard is performing well, having shipped 725 barrels since entering the Commonwealth last September.

Boulevard is currently looking to duplicate the distribution model it used in Massachusetts in other east coast cities as well as California, although the plans are not yet concrete. The brewery shipped 157,000 barrels of beer in 2011 and is projecting another 11 percent growth year in 2012.

According to the company website, a Cicerone is someone who has a “proven expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving today’s wide range of beers.”

And yesterday, just after 6:00 p.m., Cicerone founder Ray Daniels announced via twitter the company’s 10,000^th Certified Beer Server – a distinction given to those who pass the first level online test before being able to advance to a much more grueling Cicerone exam.

Despite the historic number, Daniels said there are currently just 350 certified Cicerones, a number he initially thought would be higher.

“When I first put this thing together, I anticipated that 10 percent would go on to the next level,” he said. “I still think that over time we will collide on that mark.”

Despite the high drop-off rate from beer server to cicerone, the recent success of a program launched just four years ago is further validation of the growing acceptance of craft beer amongst beer industry professionals.

In 2010, the program boasted just 1,000 Certified Beer Servers. In addition to brewers and retailers, Daniels said that nearly 50 percent of the 10,000 Certified Beer Servers come from the distribution tier.

“These are guys who are trying to get smart about craft beer and brewers right now,” he said. “When your business is to sell beer, you fish where the fish are. Distributors were taking care of other business for a good number of years and now there is a hustle to get back in the craft pond as craft beer makes its comeback.”

And Daniels is doing a bit of fishing himself. Exam fees run between $69 and $595 depending upon the certification, meaning that the Cicerone Certification Program has raked in over $800,000 on testing alone. Daniels also sells educational materials and live training sessions.

“This is a real business and certainly one that has legs,” he said. “I am doing everything I can do build it into a long-term viable business. “

So what exactly is that long-term plan?

“The goal here is to institutionalize it,” said Daniels. “I want to make it the thing that you need to do if you want to be considered a serious retailer or server of beer.”

For now, Daniels has more business than he can handle, and even admits he would be “foolish to aggressively pursue new business opportunities.” He did however mention plans to launch a major retail campaign next year.

“We haven’t really done any promotion at national and regional restaurant shows,” he said. “We will launch a major campaign as we look to get involved with hospitality chains and corporate accounts.”

BROOMFIELD, CO -

Miles joined Ball Packaging Europe in 1994 and was vice president, sales, metal beverage packaging from 2005 until early 2011, when he moved to North America as vice president, sales, metal beverage packaging.

In his expanded North American sales role, Miles will continue to oversee the strategic activities of the metal beverage sales group with added responsibility for overall relationship management with Ball’s key global customers.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release contains “forward-looking” statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates.

Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company’s defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

If you’re looking for that perfect after-dinner desert beer this evening, we have you covered. Our top picks are Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale and Brooklyn’s Black Chocolate Stout (reviewed below), but there are a few others worth mentioning.

We’ll save the mushy stuff and cut to the beer. Here are six beers worth sampling this Valentine’s Day.

Southern Tier Choklat Stout: This offering checks in at 11 percent ABV but packs a serious dark chocolate and bitter-sweet taste. If you’ve had the pleasure of trying their Pumking, it’s the same idea – loads of flavor that lives up to the name, Choklat.

Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate: This brew is released just before Valentine’s Day every year and doesn’t hold back on the flavor or the innuendos. It’s also 9.25 percent, so please, drink with caution.

Slumbrew Porter Square Porter: A relative newcomer on the craft beer scene, this Massachusetts based company features locally sourced cacao nibs from Taza Chocolate.  Chocolate, coffee and roasty flavors dance on your palate with a delicate balance. And at just 6.5 percent, you can probably drink a few.

Bison Brewing Organic Chocolate Stout: So you’re looking for a nightcap but you are adamant on staying Organic… Bison Brewing to the rescue. This rich, roasty stout brings just enough flavor to keep you guessing but doesn’t overpower your taste buds. Oh and that addition of cocoa powder to the mash is quite alright with us as well.

Boulevard Brewing Chocolate Ale:

Boulevard’s latest addition to their large format Smokestack Series is Chocolate Ale, a seasonal release. On the outside, Chocolate Ale’s label seems cluttered and clumsy. Christopher Elbow (chocolatier and collaborator for this beer) isn’t necessarily a household name, yet it competes with the rest of the text for dominance. This all sits in stark contrast to the neck band found on Smokestack Series beers, which is strong, clean, and to the point. That said, what’s inside the bottle is a very pleasant surprise.

Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale pours a slightly hazy light brown color with a thick tan head. The aroma of Chocolate Ale is that of semi-sweet chocolate, much like a baking cookie, with well-balanced notes of malt. On the palate, this beer has a smooth, silky texture that is full of malt and hints of chocolate. The malt and chocolate have a wonderful balance and compliment rather than overpower the other.

At 9.1%, there is only a slight hint of alcohol through the middle of each sip, but that quickly gives way to a mildly bitter, earthy finish with flavors of nuts and tobacco noticeable. Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale, despite some underwhelming packaging, is a complex and pleasant beer that should not be missed.

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout:

The label says it all. If you’re looking for a Chocolate Stout, this is it. But be warned, this beer is 10 percent despite what you may think while drinking.

Brooklyn Chocolate Stout pours jet black in color with a very small amount of brown colored head. The nose is exactly what you would expect, chocolate upon chocolate. If you dig past the intense chocolate aroma however, you will pick up a nice roast character, some dark fruits and a hint of toffee. The taste follows the smell with this one. Dark chocolate, roast and a coffee-like bitterness dominate your palate. A smooth but viscous mouthfeel and medium carbonation make this beer incredibly enjoyable from start to finish.

Overall, this is one of the most enjoyable imperial stouts you can find with relative ease. The 12-ounce format is perfect for a beer that checks in at such a high ABV. The label art is simple and elegant and definitely stands out on the shelf.

ALLENTOWN, PA -

Trucks are scheduled to arrive at 7AM, and riggers will be wrangling the tanks into the brewery from the rear entrance for a good portion of the day Wednesday.  The 3 new tanks will join two existing 30BBL tanks that were recently installed in May of 2011.

“We’ve been brewing at capacity for a long time. In 2010, we hit our peak at 66% above our 2009 numbers. That’s when we knew we needed a way to make more beer. Those two 2011 tanks added 50% more capacity, but it didn’t give us any breathing room – we peaked out the moment they went on line – we just worked harder,” said a smiling Brewmaster Beau Baden, “And when these tanks go live, we’ll probably bring on some more help because, well, we’ll need it.”

According to 2011 production numbers from the Brewers Association, Fegley’s Brew Works ranked in the top 40 brewpubs in the nation, and the additional three tanks coming Wednesday will bring their brewing production to 5,000 BBLS annually. This will rank the family-owned Lehigh Valley brewery as one of the TOP 5 BREWPUBS in the Northeast United States.

BOULDER, CO –

The homebrewing craft has a long history in the U.S., dating back to the colonial era. However, an official organization for hobbyists was not established until 1978, shortly after President Jimmy Carter signed the bill that legalized homebrewing. Prior to that, the hobby was illegal thanks to a vestige of prohibition-era law. Buoyed by their newfound freedom, Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen founded the AHA that December with the first publication of Zymurgy magazine.

A division of the Brewers Association (BA), the AHA is the only national-level organization dedicated to promoting the community of homebrewers and empowering homebrewers to make the best beer in the world. In addition to providing valuable member benefits like eZymurgy and Zymurgy magazine, the Pub Discount Program, the AHA Forum and Rallies, the organization also hosts the National Homebrewers Conference. This annual gathering is growing and features seminars, social events and the National Homebrew Competition, which is the largest beer competition in the world.

Now, over three decades later, Papazian-currently president of the BA-looks back on the AHA’s inception with pride.

“I don’t think we realized how dramatically the American Homebrewers Association  would affect the beer world,” he explains. “Interest and participation in the AHA and the homebrewing hobby has resulted in the beginnings of most of today’s craft breweries, as well as events like the Great American Beer Festival® and, of course, many glasses of terrific beer.”

The AHA and homebrewing’s growth can be variable. For instance, membership numbers ebbed significantly in the 1990s, but all indications show that, for the time being, the hobby is growing steadily.

Looking ahead, AHA director Gary Glass says, “We do everything we can to provide compelling benefits to our members and hopefully that keeps them excited to brew beer and support our organization. Beyond that, I think that homebrewing fulfills a need in an era when we can lose our connection to what we eat and drink. Making your own beer inspires creativity and brings people together. Nowadays, it seems like Charlie’s [Papazian's] motto is really resonating: ‘Relax, don’t worry, have a homebrew.’”

The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 30,000 homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) organizes events including the National Homebrewers Conference and National Homebrew Competition. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy magazine. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association, whose Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

According to market research company Nielsen, the increase in sales revenue can be attributed to the high-end beer business. The sale of imports, crafts and above-premium beers sold off-premises was up nearly 3 percent.

“Beer continues to be the preferred alcohol beverage of Americans,” said Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute. “With sales exceeding $98 billion, the beer industry continues to enjoy the largest share of revenue and volume within the alcohol beverage sector when compared to wine and spirits. While many of our core consumers are still impacted by a slow economic recovery, we are pleased to see a bump in last year’s retail sales, driven by high-end premium domestic and imported beers.”

The total on-premise retail dollar sales increased more than 3 percent to exceed $55 billion in 2011. Off-premise retail sales also saw an uptick last year, growing slightly less than 1 percent to more than $43 billion.

“We are pleased to see retail sales grew last year. This positive trend is not only good news for brewers and importers, but also for the 900,000 men and women in this country whose jobs at supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, stadiums, and other outlets are supported by beer sales. We look forward to another year of growth, crafting a product so many Americans love and having a positive economic impact in communities across America,” said McClain.

According to the latest Beer Serves America study, the beer industry directly and indirectly supports approximately 1.8 million American jobs including those at our nation’s 547,000 beer-selling retail establishments.

The Beer Institute, established in 1986, is the national trade association for the brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. The Institute is committed to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.beerinstitute.org.

It’s a becoming a common trend. “Big beer” wholesalers sharing craft brands across multiple territories in an attempt to help small brewers grow their brands through a wider distribution network.

Last week, Evan Benn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that three of Missouri’s biggest Anheuser-Busch InBev distributors had reached an agreement to pool their collective craft portfolios together.

Today, the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance officially announced a similar partnership, albeit one that has been quietly operating in the Commonwealth for the past six months.

The alliance is a collection of five separate MillerCoors houses across Massachusetts and currently boasts a craft portfolio of five brands, including Midwest regional powerhouse Boulevard Brewing.

The players? Burke Distributing, Atlas Distributing, Merrimack Valley Distributing, Colonial Wholesale Beverage and Commercial Distributing.

And from the looks of it, the group is on the hunt for some more artisanal craft brands to fill out their book.

Below is the official press release from Massachusetts Beverage Alliance.

RANDOLPH, MA – Less than six months after its formation, the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance, LLC (MBA) has already brought beers from five unique craft breweries to Massachusetts. The Alliance was formed in 2011 to enable smaller breweries to easily ship their product throughout the five separate wholesale distribution territories in the Commonwealth, and is dedicated to helping the people of Massachusetts learn more about specialty craft and imported beers to which they might not otherwise have access.

Craft-brewed beer is the fastest growing segment of the adult beverage industry, and already represents an estimated 12% of beer sales in Massachusetts, more than 2.5-times the national average. Imported beer sales in Massachusetts represent over an estimated 15.5% of total volume, also more than 2.5-times the national average.

The recent explosion in the number of small breweries producing great product means that many such brewers don’t have the capacity to introduce their brews to wide audiences. Affiliation with the MBA enables specialty brewers to immediately offer their beers to everyone in Massachusetts.

The MBA is a consortium of five independently owned and operated wholesale beverage distributors, all committed to the common purpose of expanding access to and knowledge of craft beer, and which together serve all five geographic regions of the state. The Alliance supplies the five member distributors and the thousands of retailers, bars and restaurants they serve with unparalleled expertise regarding the dimensions of the craft beer industry. MBA staff provides tastings, wait-staff trainings, merchandising, and education, all supported by a passion for great beer.

The latest brewery to join the alliance is Notch Brewing, of Ipswich, MA, creators of a variety of surprisingly complex and flavorful low-alcohol content “session” beers. Notch joins a list that already includes Boulevard Brewing Co., from Kansas City, MO, the largest specialty craft brewery in the Midwest. Boulevard’s Smokestack series includes bold, complex ales and lagers, both traditional styles and daring experiments. Innis & Gunn is celebrated for its range of oak-aged beers brewed and aged in Edinburgh, Scotland. This Scottish brewer’s artistry is currently shown in Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask, aged in rare barrels that were previously used to mature Irish Whiskey. Backlash Beer Co. was founded in Boston last year, and is all about attitude. Backlash specializes in Belgian inspired ales with an American twist. And Baxter Brewing, from Lewiston, Maine, is the first craft-brewery in New England to embrace the concept of great beer packaged exclusively in cans and kegs, more portable, fresher and environmentally friendly than glass.

In order to ship beer state-wide in Massachusetts, breweries must develop a network that reaches into the five geographic territories into which the state is divided. The MBA has already done that, with affiliates including Burke Distributing, Randolph, MA (Boston and suburbs); Atlas Distributing, Auburn, MA (Worcester and metro west communities); Merrimack Valley Distributing, Danvers, MA (North Shore); Colonial Wholesale Beverage, North Dartmouth, MA (south shore, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket); and Commercial Distributing, Westfield, MA (Greater Springfield, Northampton, Amherst and the Berkshires).

The Alliance is completely and solely dedicated to supporting the craft beer community and to ensuring that as many Bay-Staters as possible can enjoy the newest and most interesting products the industry has to offer. The MBA and its member distributors are proud partners of the consumer driven Website/Network World Class Beer, visit us at www.WorldClassBeer.com.

ST. LOUIS, MO -

The Arnold facility produces aluminum cans for Anheuser-Busch and soft drink makers. This expansion, planned for completion in 2013, will add approximately 100,000 square feet to the warehouse and production areas, maintaining the more than 100 current jobs.

“The expansion of our Arnold MCC facility is one more example of our company’s dedication to the state, contributing to the economic stability of the region,” said Luiz Edmond,president of Anheuser-Busch InBev North America. “Through our strong partnerships with state and local leaders,we have been able to bring this valuable investment to our hometown.”

The facility expansion is made possible through a property tax abatement program in collaboration with the City of Arnold and Jefferson County. The bond program is designed to encourage business recruitment and expansion and provides incentives for a variety of industrial projects. Missouri Quality Jobs, the state’s Department of Economic Development program that helps create and maintain valuable jobs, also contributed incentives to this project.

“Anheuser-Busch and Metal Container are long-standing contributors to the region through good-paying jobs and taxes, and the City of Arnold is proud to invest in companies that invest in our community,” said the Honorable Ron Counts, Mayor, City of Arnold. “We’re excited that A-B will be adding positions and helping us report to the region that through the Missouri’s Chapter 100 Bonds program, Arnold is ‘Open for Business.’”

The project is part of Anheuser-Busch’s October 2011 announcement to invest $1 billion in its facilities nationwide over the next three years. In 2010 and 2011, more than $5 million was spent to modernize the Arnold can plant, which improved efficiencies and reduced its environmental impact.

Metal Container Corporation, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch, supplies more than 45 percent of the brewer’s beer cans and 55 percent of its lids for the U.S. market. The operation also produces cans and lids for major U.S. soft drink companies, including PepsiCo. and Monster Beverage Corporation. Can plants are located in Arnold, Mo., Jacksonville, Fla., Mira Loma, Calif., Newburgh, N.Y. and Windsor, Colo. Lid plants are in Oklahoma City, Okla. and Riverside, Calif.