Cigar City Brewing

The Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective today announced plans to open a brewpub — in Asheville, about 30 miles north of Oskar Blues’ production facility in Brevard. Dubbed “The Canarchy Collaboratory,” the new outpost will occupy the soon-to-close Lexington Avenue Brewery (LAB) space.

Florida’s Cigar City Brewing, which sold to the Fireman Capital-backed Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective in 2016, is quickly emerging as the consortium’s most promising brand. Growing at more than 60 percent year-to-date, the Tampa-based craft brewery has already shipped more than 107,000 barrels of beer through the first nine months of 2018 and is on pace to produce an estimated 143,000 barrels.

The craft brewing industry has reached its “most competitive moment,” but that’s not necessarily “a bad thing,” Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione said during a “state of the industry” panel discussion at the final Brew Talks meetup of 2018. Calagione, along with Revolution Brewing chief commercial officer Donn Bichsel and Canarchy Brewery Collective president and COO Matt Fraser, explained to more than 150 beer industry professionals how they’re navigating through the so-called “noise” in the space.

Drink beer and support Can’d Aid Foundation – this is the task set before you from CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective, who just released their VOL. 1 Mixed Pack of brews.

Cigar City Brewing’s rapid growth continues in 2018 with the addition of its first full-time international partnership in nearly eight years. CCB has partnered with Great Brands AB of Stockholm, Sweden, to distribute its portfolio of unique ales and lagers throughout Scandinavia.

This week’s Middle Tier Headlines include: Ska Brewing exits Texas; Cigar City begins exporting to Scandinavia; Maine Beer Company adds Georgia distribution; the NBWA releases the latest Beer Purchaser’s Index; and more news.

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation has partnered with 6 breweries throughout the United States to launch a new campaign, “Brewing Funds the Cure.”

Ready to enjoy a freshly brewed, limited-edition craft beer from Tampa’s renowned Cigar City Brewing before your next flight at Tampa International Airport? Well, the gateway to Florida’s west coast now offers this exclusive experience in Airside C at Cigar City Brewing, operated by global restaurateur HMSHost in partnership with Tinsley-Bridgeman.

Channeling his inner Justin Timberlake, Founders Brewing co-founder and CEO Mike Stevens told hundreds of industry professionals attending last week’s Meeting of the Malts gathering in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that “America forgot how to make beer sexy.” Stevens — who successfully avoided a wardrobe malfunction while participating in a panel discussion about the state of the beer industry alongside Victory Brewing co-founder Bill Covaleski, D.G. Yuengling & Sons chief administrative officer Wendy Yuengling, Yards Brewing founder Tom Kehoe and Cigar City founder Joey Redner — wasn’t calling for a return to the days of provocative advertising, however.

Midway through 2018, the Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective is outpacing the overall U.S. craft beer segment. The Brewers Association (BA) reported last week that growth for small and independent U.S. brewers had “stabilized,” with production growing 5 percent through the first six months of 2018. The Fireman Capital-backed brewery consortium — whose brands include Oskar Blues, Cigar City, Deep Ellum, Perrin Brewing, Three Weavers, and Utah Brewers Cooperative (Wasatch and Squatters) — is growing faster than the category, with off-premise sales up 15.4 percent in the total U.S. multi-outlet and convenience store channel year-to-date.

In this week’s Last Call: A look at California beer production; Sen. Schumer backs permanent excise tax cuts; TTB accepts $20,000 offer in compromise from Cigar City; and more beer industry news.

Texas’ Deep Ellum Brewing was sold to Fireman Capital-backed Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective for an undisclosed sum, founder John Reardon confirmed to Brewbound. The transaction, which closed on Friday, June 8, will give Dallas-based Deep Ellum a much-needed capital infusion to finish a $3 million expansion and immediate access to increased brewing capacity at Colorado-headquartered Oskar Blues Brewing’s satellite production facility in Austin, Texas.

U.S. beer dollar sales increased 4.1 percent as volume sales grew 2.1 percent through the four weeks ending May 20, according to retail data provider IRI Worldwide.

Cigar City Brewing’s rapid growth continues in 2018 with the addition of multiple markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.