Craft beer industry news.
In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, Chris Furnari, the editor of Brewbound, joins us to discuss his takeaways from the massive, 14,000-attendee Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America, including some of the factors that are enabling massive growth in the craft beer category.
Twisted Pine Brewing Company is getting out of the distribution business. The company today announced plans to cease off-site sales and instead focus on being a leading Colorado brewpub. Restricting the brand’s availability almost exclusively to the Twisted Pine Ale House, the 21-year old Boulder-based brewery has already started parting ways with wholesalers outside of Colorado and will ultimately limit any off-site sales to a few select retailers within its home state.
Hard Frescos is available in 16-ounce cans or 4-packs of 12-ounce bottles in retailers throughout the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas of Arizona, San Francisco, Southern California, and Northern California areas, with distribution expanding every day.
Officials from the United States Department of Justice are investigating Anheuser-Busch InBev over a controversial incentive plan aimed at rewarding beer wholesalers who focus on selling products from the world’s largest beer maker, according to the Reuters news agency. At the crux of the DOJ probe are anticompetitive concerns over A-B InBev’s Voluntary Anheuser-Busch Incentive For Performance (VAIP) program.
Fieldwork Brewing Company will open a taproom in Oxbow Public Market’s main market hall, offering a unique tasting experience of a rotating selection of craft beers produced at its Berkeley, California brewery. Fieldwork Brewing Company is known for the range and quality of its beers, and visitors to the Oxbow Taproom can expect an ever changing tap list of fresh releases to enjoy by sampler flight, beer by the glass, and fresh beer filled to go in growlers and Crowler cans.
Epic Brewing is pleased to announce its further partnership with Atlantic Importing and Distributing Co. who will now be distributing in Rhode Island.
Ballast Point today confirmed plans to purchase a massive 259,000 sq. ft. building in Botetourt County, Virginia, where it will build its first East Coast production facility. According to a press release from the office of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the company plans to spend $48 million to build the new outpost.
Summit Brewing today announced it has hired former J.J. Taylor Minnesota president Mike Bamonti as its new chief sales officer. Prior to joining Summit, Bamonti served as J.J. Taylor’s general manager for 12 years and helped oversee that company’s acquisitions of Day Distributing Co. in 2015 and Chisago Lakes Distributing in 2012.
Oskar Blues Fooderies, the purveyors of handcrafted food to pair with Oskar Blues Brewery’s handcrafted beer, has announced its third project in 2016, a joint restaurant and music venue in the historic Market Center located in the heart of Downtown Denver.
Another West Coast brewery is set to break ground in Virginia. The mid-Atlantic state has become an in-vogue region for fast-growing craft breweries, with Deschutes, Stone and Green Flash all turning to Virginia to open their East Coast manufacturing arms. And Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced last week that another is on the way. Visiting Boston on an economic development mission, he toasted New England companies and made it clear that an announcement naming the brewery is in the offing.
Over the past 5 years, PakTech has become the multi-pack solution of choice for over 1500 US breweries and cider makers using cans. With the canned beverage market quickly growing in Australia, PakTech is now offering rapid order fulfillment of 6Pak and QuadPak can carriers there. Containers of product are now warehoused in Sydney, available for immediate distribution.
Indeed Brewing Company is partnering with Dick Distributing, expanding its beer distribution territory to the Grand Rapids market. Distribution will begin June 1st, 2016. “Our arrival in north central Minnesota has been a long time coming,” says Nathan Berndt, co-founder at Indeed. “Dick Distributing represents an important piece of the Minnesota puzzle for getting Indeed beer to as many Minnesotan as possible. Indeed is thrilled to forge a partnership with Dick Distributing.”
Kona Brewing Company’s exotically delicious Lemongrass Luau (ABV 5%, IBU 20) just made its Mainland debut in time to quench the thirsts of blonde ale fans looking for a little zing and spice. A favorite thirst- quencher in Hawaii, Lemongrass Luau will be available in six packs and on draft. This unique blonde ale is part of Kona Brewing Co.’s Aloha Series – a special series, widely available throughout the mainland, which features seasonal craft brews made with island-inspired ingredients.
When River North’s fourth anniversary passed in February, the brewery was still readying its new facility. Now that the Washington Street location is open, it’s time for a belated birthday beer. On Friday, May 27th at 4pm, River North will release Anniversary Ale 4 ¼ (say “four-and-a-quarter”), an imperial saison aged in Manhattan cocktail barrels. The anniversary celebration will continue throughout the weekend with food trucks and River North beers both classic and new.
