Craft beer industry news.
Many within Boulevard Brewing Company believed Jeff Krum was preparing for retirement. Krum, Duvel USA’s vice president of corporate affairs and a 22-year Boulevard veteran, had spent 18 months months away from the brewery’s day-to-day operations after being assigned to complete special projects, such as a new visitors center and beer hall, which opened in July on Kansas City, Missouri’s Westside.
There’s bad blood brewing in Minnesota. Summit Brewing Company is suing two former employees, accusing them “of conspiring to sell the company’s confidential trade secrets to high-level executives for ‘a direct competitor,’” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Dogfish Head is kicking off the New Year with a throwback release of one of its most popular seasonal beers. Olde School Barleywine, a classic, ageable ale, will be reintroduced into the world starting January 3, 2017, bringing unfiltered depth and fruity righteousness to worthy beer lovers across the universe, aka the clever 31 states + D.C. that sell delicious Dogfish Head Craft Brewery beers.
Bell’s Oatsmobile is heading to the canning line in 2017. Beginning in the spring, Bell’s hop-forward American Pale Ale will transition away from bottles as existing packaging materials are used up.
Fremont Brewing of Seattle, Washington will launch a new Spring Seasonal called Lush IPA on January 2, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Fremont’s Urban Beer Garden. Lush IPA will be on draft and there will also be a Citra hop infusion, a Mosaic hop infusion, and a Lush IPA cask.
Beer distributors have been adapting to changes in the marketplace, on one level or another, for decades. When retailers asked distributors for greater levels of service, the merchandising department was created. As on-premise accounts added more draft lines, distributors were asked to clean the lines and assist with repairs or new installations. So what makes the SKU proliferation of the past decade, and the level of associated changes, different from the above-mentioned service layers?
Red Hare Brewing Company’s new Gem City Classic Craft Light Lager – or “Classic” for short – is brewed to drink easy and finish clean. The use of Citra hops in a light beer is very unique; and by adding Hallertauer Mittelfrüh hops the crisp quality of this beer is complemented by fragrant aromas with no overpowering bitterness. At just 4.2% ABV and only 140 calories per can, Classic is the perfect beer for sports fans to drink while enjoying a game. “Inspired by Marietta’s reputation as the Gem City of the south, we set out to create a beer that reaffirmed the heritage of our Gem City,” says Roger Davis, Red Hare Founder and Managing Partner.
If the walls could talk at the historic Riverbend Mill, they would tell a whole lot of stories about the variety of industries that have worked there: timber, cotton, wool, linen, flax yarn and much more. Now, the 209-year-old mill site welcomes another historic trade that dates back thousands of years, as far as the Mesopotamians — brewing.
Charlottesville-based Champion Brewing Company is celebrating its fourth anniversary while looking ahead to an ambitious 2017. The company will begin the year by opening a taproom in downtown Richmond, Virginia. In February, Champion will open a combination brewery and restaurant on Charlottesville’s historic downtown mall.
Craft Brew Alliance has appointed two Anheuser-Busch InBev executives to its board of directors, according to a press release issued last week.
Hi-Wire Brewing will be releasing four beers in early January 2017 that span every section of their portfolio, including two new seasonals, a limited specialty beer, and a release from their Sour & Wild Ale program.
Popular craft beermaker Trillium Brewing is planning to relocate its original brewing facility in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston to a larger space just a few blocks away, Brewbound has learned. The new space, according to brewery co-owner Jean-Claude Tetreault, will span more than 15,000 sq. ft. and will include a full-scale restaurant as well as outdoor patio seating. The company is also looking into the feasibility of building a roof deck bar, Tetreault added.
Cigar City Brewing Company Announces 2017 Distribution Portfolio Cigar City Brewing is excited to introduce its 2017 Distribution Portfolio filled with CCB fan favorites and exciting new additions. The calendar includes: Cores, a Nitro Series, and Special Releases poised to hit CCB’s entire distribution footprint. This new line-up launches in January with the Nitro Series release of El Coco Coconut Flan Ale and the Special Series release of White Oak Jai Alai.
Kary Shumway is the founder of Beer Business Finance, an online resource for beer industry professionals. He has worked in the beer industry for over 20 years as a Certified Public Accountant and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Clarke Distributors, Inc. in Keene, New Hampshire. In part I of his two-part column for Brewbound Voices, Shumway describes the inner workings of a beer distributor and begins to explain how these organizations are evolving to accommodate an onslaught of new craft SKUs.
