Craft beer industry news.
Boston Beer Company today announced that Frank Smalla, the former senior vice president of finance for Kraft Food Groups, Inc. will join the Samuel Adams-maker as senior vice president of finance on January 4, 2016. Smalla will assume the role of chief financial officer when current CFO, William Urich, steps down in 2016, the company said.
Anheuser-Busch has made its sixth craft brewery acquisition, today announcing the purchase of Four Peaks Brewing, the largest craft brewery in Arizona. Four Peaks will join a growing roster of craft brands, including Golden Road Brewing, Elysian Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing, Blue Point Brewing and Goose Island, all of which are now part of what A-B calls “The High End” business unit.
The Cicerone® Certification Program today announced that Tenth and Blake Beer Company’s Jason Pratt has become the eleventh individual to earn the title of Master Cicerone®. Pratt earned the certification through a series of exams culminating with two days of intense written and oral questioning about beer styles, draft systems, beer evaluation, brewing technology and beer and food pairing given on November 3 and 4 in Chicago.
Birmingham, AL – Alabama’s craft beer industry continues to expand as AlaBev, Alabama’s premiere craft beer distributor, releases the first brew in their Master of the Brewniverse series. The series provides homebrewers a platform to take their brew public through a bi-annual competition hosted by AlaBev. Each spring and fall, AlaBev will partner with a… Read more »
In a bold collaboration with Mother Nature, Rogue Ales announces the launch of its new Hop Family series of IPAs, celebrating all 8 varietals of hops grown at Rogue Farms.
Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing is reportedly for sale. Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter, said that the employee-owned brewery, the fourth-largest in the country, could be valued at more than $1 billion. The decision to explore a sale comes as sales of products like Fat Tire, the company’s flagship, and Ranger, its IPA, are waning.
After several months of research and public participation, Scarlet Lane Brewing Company is launching Tiberius Centurion IPA in January 2016. The double-IPA will join the year-round lineup of Scarlet Lane beers.
Kruger Brau brewery is now using a Cask Brewing Systems SAMS (Semi-Automatic Canning System) machine to package its beers in aluminum cans. Kruger Brau is Cask’s first South African customer and one of only two micro-canners in that nation.
Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced it would purchase Arizona’s largest craft brewery, Four Peaks Brewing. Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed and the deal is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016. First Beverage Group acted as the financial advisor to Four Peaks and Spencer Fane provided legal counsel.
Oregon’s own Ninkasi Brewing Company announces its year-round Flagship Series offerings for 2016. Starting January, Helles Belles, a Helles Lager, and Easy Way IPA, a drinkable India Pale Ale, join Ninkasi’s lineup of steadfast favorites available year-round in bottles and on-draft.
Asheville Brewing Company will release a new twist on the brewery’s seasonal Love Ninja Porter on January 1, giving Ninjas plenty of time to taste and share the love leading up to and on Valentine’s Day.
With the proliferation of grapefruit showing up in beer, consumers may be surprised to hear the brews on store shelves feature grapefruit juice, concentrate, and/or artificial flavorings—until now. Schafly Beer introduces Grapefruite IPA, fermented with all-natural grapefruit purée
For the first time in over a decade, Dogfish Head won’t experience double-digit production volume growth, founder Sam Calagione wrote to Brewbound. In an email, Calagione explained why the company would only be up single digits in 2015: Dogfish Head’s refusal to discount product, zero new market entries and an extended search process for the company’s new vice president of sales were all reasons, Calagione said.
Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) today announced the expanded distribution of their world-class, sustainably brewed beer into Utah. Hopworks is partnering with General Distributing beginning this month to supply 16 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles, and draft offerings throughout the Salt Lake City metropolitan region and outlying areas.
