Press Clips: German Brewer Gilde Reveals US Expansion Plans

German Brewer Plans to Operate Large Manufacturing Brewery in Charlotte

German brewer Gilde has an ambitious plan to build one of the largest individual craft brewing facilities in the United States.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the company is looking into the possibility of eventually brewing upwards of 500,000 barrels annually in North Carolina, however the timetable for beginning that project is still nearly three years away.

In the meantime, Gilde CEO Karsten Uhlmann told the outlet that his company would begin by importing beer into the U.S. via Anheuser-Busch wholesaler Adams Beverages this month.

The Hanover-headquartered beer company — which produced 850,000 barrels of beer last year — then plans to open a 5,000 sq. ft. small-batch brewery called “The Embassy” before the end of 2019. Two-to-three years later, Uhlmann added, the company plans to open a 100,000 sq. ft. facility capable of being scaled to 500,000 barrels that will also feature a taproom, beer garden and kitchen.

According to market research firm Nielsen data, U.S. dollar sales of German imports declined 1.1 percent over the 52-week period ending April, 20, 2019. The news also comes about two months after Stone Brewing, which attempted to win over German drinkers with American craft beer by building a production facility near Berlin, offloaded that facility to BrewDog in April.

Other brewers with lofty expansion plans, such as Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery, have backed off similarly ambitious plans. Meanwhile,

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Lower Brewery Sales Tax

Pennsylvania lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday approved legislation (H.B. 262) to lower an impending sales tax on beer sold in taprooms, tasting rooms and brewpubs. In a press release, the Brewers of PA announced that after 18 months of negotiations with legislators and the governor’s office, an agreement had been reached.

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) was slated to begin collecting a 6 percent sales tax for every dollar of beer sold directly to consumers at brewery locations starting July 1. That tax would have been on top of an existing $2.48 per barrel state excise tax that Pennsylvania beer companies already pay.

However, H.B. 262 amends to the tax code to allow breweries to “pay 6 percent sales tax on 25 percent of the retail sale” of a pint. According to the Brewers of PA, that formula is in line with the wholesale price paid for beer by restaurants, bars and grocery stores.

In the release, Brewers of PA president Chris Lampe called the agreement “a big legislative win for BOP members and non-members across the state.” He added that the amended tax code brings “fairness and parity to sales tax collection among restaurants, taverns, grocery stores, and brewery taprooms across Pennsylvania.”

North Carolina Paves Way for Alcohol Sales at College Sporting Events

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill into law last week making way for public universities and colleges — such as the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State and East Carolina University — to immediately begin selling beer and wine at sporting events, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

The board of trustees at each university must now decide to approve alcohol sales and determine whether to allow beer and wine to be consumed in general seating areas, the outlet reported.

Fish Brewing Co. Owes Creditors Nearly $5 Million

“Unable to pay its debts,” 26-year-old Fish Brewing Co. has fallen into receivership, owing more than $4.8 million to creditors, according to the Olympian.

Citing Thurston County Superior Court records, the Olympian reported that the Olympia, Washington-based craft brewery’s assets were now under the control of court-appointed receiver McCallen & Sons.

In an email to the Olympian, Fish Brewing president and CEO Sal Leone wrote that the brewery is continuing operations as it tries “to refinance or find new ownership.”

Breckenridge Brewery Sues Landlord

Breckenridge Brewery is suing its landlord in an effort to maintain its 29-year-old namesake brewpub location, according to Denver alt-weekly Westword.

In June, the property’s landlord, Richard Squire, who founded the brewery before selling his ownership stake to Anheuser-Busch in 2015, gave the craft brewery notice to vacate the premises by the end of the month. However, Breckenridge will remain in the location while the lawsuit plays out, the outlet reported.

Although Breckenridge head brewer Jimmy Walker said the brewery “had an agreement” to extend its lease for five years, Squire disputes that there was ever a finalized arrangement.

Boulevard Parts Ways with Well-Known Brand Ambassador

Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing Company has parted ways with ambassador brewer Jeremy Danner after 11 years.

Danner, who started as a brewery at Boulevard in 2008, posted to various social media channels that his last day with the company was Thursday.

“Over the past 11 years, I’ve had the immense pleasure and amazing opportunity to travel the country sharing Kansas City’s beer with countless people,” he wrote. “During this time, I’ve enjoyed incredible beers, worked with super talented folks and have made lasting friendships. I can say with 100 percent sincerity that it was an honor to represent Boulevard and I thank all of you who raised a glass with me along the way.”

Danner added that his next move is unclear.

Boulevard, which declined to comment on personnel issues, shared that Danner’s exit from the company “was not a part of any larger round of departures.”

Bell’s Offers Employees Assistance in Obtaining GEDs

Bell’s Brewery is making an effort to help employees without high school diplomas to pass the GED (General Educational Development) test. The Michigan craft brewery is offering employees access to free tests, online study tools in and a personal advisor through the GEDWorks program.

“When we discovered a talent pool that was rich in passion and dedication, but didn’t meet the hiring requirements for some of our roles, we knew we needed to help fill that gap. GEDWorks has been nothing short of amazing,” Bell’s human resources services manager Emily Schuiling said in a press release.

Bell’s employs more than 550 workers across 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Rainier Launches New Ad Campaign to ‘ReWild the Rainiers’

In a callback to its 1970s-era beer ads featuring Mickey Rooney and Boone Kirkman, Rainier has launched a new campaign to “ReWild the Rainiers.” In the ads, Rainier employees attempt to capture and release the company’s can mascots into the wild.