News

BOULDER, Colo. — New Belgium Brewing co-founder and CEO Kim Jordan has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the Brewers Association’s 2013 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). The industry’s largest gathering—bringing together some 6,000 brewing professionals—CBC will be held in Washington, D.C. from March 26-29.

BOULDER, Colo. — As Team USA Rugby tackles the future of the increasingly popular sport and its increasingly successful national teams — the USA Eagles — the organization will have a new player on its team. American hard cider maker Crispin Cider Co. has signed a three-year agreement with Boulder, Colo.-based USA Rugby to become the official hard cider of USA Rugby.

REDLANDS, Calif.. — Alongside the San Francisco Bay area distribution expansion, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, one of the top 100 brewers in the U.S., is making its craft beer available in Sacramento and Napa county areas starting the first week of February. The initial release will include Orange Wheat, Alt-Bier Ale, Chocolate Porter and Double IPA along with its Seasonal offerings and Local Fields Series.

TAMPA, Fla. — World of Beer, a national craft beer tavern concept based in Tampa, Fla., announces the appointment of Paul Avery as President and Chief Executive Officer with controlling interest and ownership effective January 2013. Avery brings many years of restaurant industry experience to his new role. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at OSI Restaurant Partners, a casual dining restaurant company with a portfolio of brands consisting of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.

Knowing how and when to expand have become increasingly challenging issues for craft breweries looking to capitalize on growing consumer thirst for high quality beer. While the temptation to try and grow rapidly is undoubtedly a palpable one, Sean Wilson, founder and “chief executive optimist” of Fullsteam Brewery is focused on a slow and steady… Read more »

BEND, Ore. — Deschutes Brewery brings its Base Camp For Beer Fanatics campaign to Flagstaff, Arizona for an amazing series of specialty beer tastings, beer and food pairings, and appearances by Woody, the giant beer barrel on wheels. Deschutes brewers, ambassadors and fanatics will be on hand to provide some in-the-trenches insight into our courageously crafted brews.

PASO ROBLES, Calif. —Top brewers from around the nation and world will once again turn wine country into beer country with the return of the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest in Paso Robles June 1, 2013—featuring 40+ craft breweries, rare beers, live music, local chefs, brewer Q&A sessions and more.

Modern Times Beer and Helms Workshop are proud to unveil the stunningly gorgeous can designs that will represent the brewery on retail shelves in 2013. “Classic, vibrant, and oozing panache, these are the cans to drink while installing an Eames chair in your vintage Alfa Romeo lowrider. This packaging will upstage your favorite tiki mug. They are so devastatingly tasteful, a koozie would be a crime,” says Jacob McKean, founder of Modern Times.

HOOD RIVER, Ore. — Full Sail Brewing has just announced the release of their latest video “Full Sail Brewing: Beer, Water & Responsibility. A great brew begins with great water. Full Sail is located in Hood River, Oregon at the base of Mt. Hood, where pristine water literally flows from the springs on the mountain. The video was filmed at and around the brewery, celebrating both the breweries exceptionally low water use and the beauty of the environment that inspires this commitment to preserve this valuable resource.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The craft beer scene is literally exploding in the US. According to the Brewers Association, microbreweries are opening at a rate of 5 per week, most having 15 beers in their annual portfolio with countless experimental brews being released throughout the year. Likewise, craft beer focused bars and larger liquor stores are experiencing increased demand for the craft brews they have on their rotating taps.

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. — Victory Brewing Company brewmasters, Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski, are extending the family of Victory beers to include White Monkey, a white wine barrel aged version of the brewery’s popular Belgian-style tripel, Golden Monkey. This limited edition release, bottled in corked 750ml bottles, will be offered to the public starting March 2, 2013.

Despite declining performance for domestic and imported beer, the craft beer market has risen strongly and appears poised for even greater heights, according to a new report from market research firm Mintel. The report reveals that sales of craft beer more than doubled from $5.7 billion in 2007 to $12 billion in 2012. And the upward trend shouldn’t stop there; Mintel also forecasts that by 2017, craft beer sales will reach $18 billion.

SAN DIEGO — Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating 24 years of pioneering San Diego’s local beer scene. When the company first opened its doors on February 2, 1989, no one knew if craft beer would take off. Now, with Karl Strauss helping to lead the charge, San Diego has become internationally recognized as a hotbed for craft beer culture and innovation. Karl Strauss is celebrating this milestone with its third annual Changing of the Barrels event and the debut of its 24th Anniversary Flanders- style ale.

DOVER, Del. — One year after beginning to export their brews across the Atlantic to England, Fordham beers have found their way into Whole Foods Markets in London. Imported by Heathwick, LTD, American craft beers Helles Lager, Copperhead Ale, and Tavern Ale entered London to accolades, being sold in many local bars. It was only a matter of time until the ales and lagers entered grocery stores and this partnership with Whole Foods will allow more people than ever access to the handcrafted beverages.