Hop Butcher For The World & Half Acre Beer Co. Reach Deal On Lincoln Ave. Facility
Hop Butcher For The World has reached an agreement with Half Acre Beer Co. to purchase its Lincoln Avenue brewery and taproom in Chicago.
The deal is expected to close later this year, allowing Hop Butcher to utilize the 13,000 sq. ft. production brewery, on-premise taproom, and retail space. Since its founding in 2014, Hop Butcher has tenant brewed at various Chicago breweries and self-distributed directly to retailers.
“The dream has always been to have a home to call our own,” Jude La Rose, Hop Butcher’s co-founder, said in a release. “Now, we’ll be able to tell people ‘Swing through. Stay awhile and we’ll rip hoppy beers along with you.’”
Half Acre has brewed and sold beer out of the Lincoln Avenue location since 2008, and will transition its operations to its second production facility on Balmoral Avenue.
“In beer, much of the language and the way of things is about movement and evolution. This transition allows Half Acre to keep moving, try new things and provide that very same opportunity to people we respect,” Gabriel Magliaro, Half Acre’s founder, said in the release.
“We look forward to highlighting and helping define what it means for two growing breweries to link histories in this way. The light for good beer will stay lit at 4257 N. Lincoln Avenue,” he continued.
Oktoberfest Canceled Over COVID-19 Concerns
Oktoberfest has been canceled for the second year in a row due to health and safety concerns caused by COVID-19.
“The situation is too uncertain,” Bavarian Premier Markus Söder said in a joint press conference with Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter on Monday. “In the classic beer tents at the big festivals, social distancing, masks and other measures are practically impossible to implement.”
The 187th Oktoberfest was scheduled for September 18 through October 3, 2021. Oktoberfest 2019 brought in an estimated $1.5 billion for the local economy, according to the German news outlet Deutsche Welle. The 2019 festival brought an estimated 6.3 million attendees from 55 different countries.
Germany is in the middle of a third wave of coronavirus infections, and has faced complications with vaccine rollout. Only 12% of the country’s population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to Aljazeera. The country has been in lockdown since November.
Keegan Ales Founder Tommy Keegan Dies, Age 50
Tommy Keegan, founder and owner of Keegan Ales, died of an apparent heart attack last week at the age of 50, according to the Daily Freeman.
In a Facebook post, the brewery said Tommy was “doing what he loved most in the world — riding his ‘Cappuccino Machine’ on the trails with his next motorcycle buddy when he suffered what appears to be a heart attack.”
Keegan opened his craft brewery in 2003, taking over an abandoned brewery in Kingston, New York. Over the next year he restored and began operating the building’s old bottling line. In 2007, he opened the Keegan Ales bar and restaurant
In a post on the City of Kinston Facebook page, Mayor Steve Noble shared thoughts and prayers for “one of [the] finest Kingston residents.”
“Tommy had a big heart, was a huge booster for this community, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him,” he continued.
Ward Todd, president of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, in a statement, called Keegan “a master brewer for some of the finest beers anywhere.”
“The whole community is morning,” he continued. Keegan Ales was awarded Small Business of the Year by The Ulster Chamber of Commerce in 2010.
CGA: On-Premise Average Check Value Up $5 vs. Pre-COVID-19
On-premise outlets’ are seeing average check value increase up to $5 compared to pre-COVID-19 averages, according to market research firm CGA’s latest channel strategy study.
The study, which explores 11 different on-premise channels, lists fine dining ($10 vs. pre-COVID-19) and neighborhood bars ($9 vs. pre-COVID-19) as having the biggest increases.
Consumers are returning to local and neighborhood restaurants as restrictions loosen and vaccination rollout continues nationwide. The study shows 59% of consumers plan to visit neighborhood restaurants in the next 12 months, while 52% plan to visit casual dining chains.
Neighborhood Bars are the No. 3 channel for expected consumer visits, despite a 7.2% decline in size since May 2020.
“Never have we witnessed such a dramatic change to consumer habits as we have in the past 12 months,” Scott Elliot, CGA’s managing director: Americas, said. “Beverage suppliers are aware that it is essential to have channel-specific tactics ready to employ if they are going to capitalize on the huge opportunity this market reopening represents.”
Consumer plans seem to be driven by a pent-up need to revisit frequent establishments from pre-COVID-19. This is reflected in channels with the heaviest restrictions — such as nightclubs and airport bars — being on the top of consumers’ minds, with ⅓ planning to visit these channels more often than they did pre-COVID-19.
Stadiums and casinos are also expected to see a higher frequency of visits (21% and 17%, respectively) as consumers seek out experiences they have missed during the pandemic.
CGA: On-Premise Is ‘Completely Open’
All states have restaurants open indoors and 98% of states have bars open indoors, with some remaining capacity measures in place, CGA reported. As such, the firm has labeled the country “completely open” again.
On-premise velocity in outlets currently trading is +225% compared to May 2020, according to CGA’s latest COVID-19 on-premise impact report covering the week ending May 1. Average outlet sales across the country were flat (0%) for the last week of April.
“The channel continues to roar back to life in the U.S, and it’s encouraging to see the market is in velocity growth again versus the same week in 2019,” Matthew Crompton, CGA’s client solutions director for the Americas, said. “With all states now offering indoor on-premise visits, we expect to be able to report further positive news moving forward.
“As we see shifts in operations of beverage suppliers from planning stage to execution, understanding the true intricacies of tracking performance by channel and by region has never been more important,” he continued.
Florida is seeing the most success in on-premise business, with sales velocity +294% year-over-year (the same week compared to one year prior), but remains flat over the past two weeks. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Monday suspending all local COVID-19 emergency orders.
Illinois has posted growth of +250% year-over-year, with Chicago alone up +4% in the last week of April. Illinois also saw +3% growth vs. April 24th, 2021. The state just entered its “Bridge Phase,” the final phase before the state fully re-opens, which officials estimate will begin in July.
California has struggled with easing restrictions, but shows “the best trends out of all states,” according to CGA. Sales velocity is +293% year-over-year, and +1% vs. April 24, 2021.
New York (+208% year-over-year) trended flat last week, despite growth the week before (+13%) driven by NYC’s +16% from April 18-24, 2021. Texas (+189% year-over-year) recorded negative trends last week, with sales velocity -1% vs. April 24, 2021.
Old Corner Saloon Owner Arrested For Selling Fraudulent COVID-19 Vaccination Cards
Agents of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) have arrested Todd Anderson, 59, the owner of Old Corner Saloon, for allegedly selling fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.
The ABC opened an investigation after receiving a complaint of fraudulent cards being sold at the Clements, California-based bar. The investigation resulted in undercover agents purchasing the fraudulent vaccine cards from the bar on “multiple occasions” last month, according to an ABC release.
Anderson was arrested Wednesday with charges including identity theft, forging government documents, and falsifying medical records, according to a statement from San Joaquin District Attorney Verber Salazar. He was also found in possession of a loaded unregistered firearm, a felony, during his arrest, according to the release.
While searching the bar Tuesday, investigators found “a number of other unfilled out COVID-19 vaccination cards, a laminating machine, laminate, and several other cards that were finished,” the ABC’s Luke Blehm told FOX40. “That we know of, this is the only case that’s ever been done — even nationwide possibly,” Blehm said of the bar card sales.
“It is disheartening to have members in our community show flagrant disregard for public health in the midst of a pandemic,” Salazar said. “Distributing, falsifying or purchasing fake COVID-19 vaccine cards is against the law and endangers yourself and those around you.”
The ABC is also filing disciplinary action against Old Corner Saloon, which may result in the suspension or revocation of its ABC license. Anderson has owned Old Corner since 2005.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned the public last month that selling or buying fake COVID-19 vaccination cards is a crime.