Reuben's Brews Debuts Bloody Good Cans on February 20th

Courtesy of Reuben's Brews

SEATTLE, Wash. (Feb. 18, 2016) Reuben's Brews is adding something new to its beer family – cans! Chosen to provide another packaging option for on-the-go beer lovers, last month Reuben’s installed its brand new American-made canning line built by Colorado’s Wild Goose Canning at its 5010 14^th Ave location. This new system will initially allow production of 70 cases an hour, with future upgrade capabilities.  The brewery worked closely with its long-term design partner Blindtiger Design on the can labels and is incredibly excited to get these good-looking cans filled with beer!

“People have been asking us to can for some time, and we’re excited to finally be able to do it,” says Adam Robbings, co-founder and head brewer. “Cans are a perfect way to take our beers with you wherever you go. They are also great for the environment and for the beer!”

On February 20, 4-packs of 12oz cans of the brewery’s award-winning Gose will be released at the taproom and will start being distributed throughout Western Washington the following week. Gose (“GOES-UH”) is a traditional German sour ale. Once almost extinct, this beer is brewed with lactobacillus, salt and coriander to make a refreshingly crisp brew with lemon notes and a vibrant salinity. It comes it at 6 IBU and 4.3 percent ABV.

“We like being a little different, so that’s why we chose the Gose to be our first canned beer,” says Robbings. “Our Gose is crisp and refreshing – which I think makes it ideal for cans.”

Robbings initially worked on the Gose recipe on his home system, brewing three different test batches to perfect the process before brewing it at the brewery.  Not only was it popular among beer fans, but the first commercial batch took home the Gold Medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival and a silver medal at the 2015 World Beer Championships, and most recently it took home Gold at the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards.

The brewery plans to can the following beers in 2016:

• Year-round: Gose (February)
• Year-round: Crikey IPA (debuts in early July)
• Seasonal: The Daily Pale (mid-April until it’s gone)
• Seasonal: Summer IPA (mid-May until it’s gone)

The 22oz bottles are not going away! Crikey and Robust Porter will continue to be available year-round, and the seasonal varieties will be rotated in every few months, as they are now.  Bottles allow for smaller production batches than cans, so they continue to allow the brewery to do what it likes best – brewing different styles!

Reuben’s is hosting a party to celebrate its introduction of cans and the Gose release at their taproom on Saturday, Feb. 20 beginning at noon. Because it coincides with the annual Washington Beer Open House, the brewery will be offering special beers, brewery tours and more!
 

Courtesy of Reuben's Brews

About Reuben’s BrewsReuben’s Brews, makers of “Bloody good beer,” is a small, family-owned brewery located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Since opening in 2012, Reuben’s has won Gold and Bronze medals at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival, over 30 World Beer Championships medals and was named Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Washington Beer Awards. Its expanded taproom and production brewery opened in May 2015. For more information, visit www.reubensbrews.com or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Firestone Walker Releasing Luponic Distortion A New Series Of Rotating Beers

Courtesy of Firestone Brewing CO

Paso Robles, CA: You could say that Brewmaster Matt Brynildson has been waiting his entire career for a mandate like this: to riff freely in the brewhouse without formal recipe or restraint while plundering the many marvels of the hop revolution.

This mandate has begotten Luponic Distortion—a new series of rotating beers built around experimental hops, with each release designed to showcase the possibilities of pure hop aromas and flavors without any assist from adjuncts. 

“Every time someone goes to drink a Pivo or Easy Jack or other Firestone beer, it should taste the same every time,” Brynildson said. “That all changes with Luponic Distortion.” 

Remixed Every 90 Days

Luponic Distortion is not a single beer, but rather an ongoing series of beers that will evolve and revolve approximately every 90 days. It all kicks off with Revolution No. 001 in March, to be followed by Revolution No. 002 and so on. Luponic Distortion Revolution No. 001 will be released starting next week in all Firestone Walker markets in cans, bottles and draft.

The base beer will remain the same with each new release, but the hop blend will change every time, so that no two releases will be exactly alike. As many as nine different hops will be included in each release, with up to six used in the dry hopping alone. However, with each release, the brewing team is going to turn up the volume a different featured experimental hop, which will be dry hopped in greater quantity than the others.

“We can completely evolve, change and redirect this thing as new hops come to us,” Brynildson said. “Luponic Distortion is this beer that can keep morphing and stay interesting and remain out in front of this crazy hop wave.”

Courtesy of Firestone Brewing CO

 Plugged In

Brynildson noted that the hop market was once largely controlled by industrial breweries. Then small craft brewers came along and expressed interest in hops that were better and different, opening the door to a spectrum of new possibilities. But since it takes a minimum of eight years to develop a single new hop cultivar from breeding through commercial availability, the full brunt of the hop revolution is only now being felt from the Pacific Northwest to Germany and beyond.

“The door is now being blown wide open on all of these insane new experimental hop varieties, and Luponic Distortion is our opportunity to plug into them.”

Accordingly, Luponic Distortion represents an intentional departure from the heavier style of many IPAs. Instead, it aims for a razor-like brightness, providing a clean platform for the hop aromas to pop as vividly as possible. 

“We’re going to be able to push aromas and flavors forward in this beer that might make you swear there’s a fruit adjunct in there, but we’re going to do it with pure hops,” Brynildson said.

 

Courtesy of Firestone Walker Brewing CO

Time to Jam

For Brynildson, Luponic Distortion is a dream come true, and the outcome of a longtime obsession with hops.

Brynildson’s first job out of college in the early 1990s was as a hop chemist. He has remained engaged in the hop industry ever since, and is today an international consultant for the Hop Growers of America.

Last fall, he traveled to Europe to deliver hop presentations at the Weihenstephan brewing institute in Germany and at Heriot-Watt University’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling in Scotland. Along the way, he did some exploring into new German experimental hops that he plans to incorporate into future releases of Luponic Distortion.

“I have been fascinated with hops and hop science my entire career, and I’ve been lucky enough to get to know hop breeders and growers all around the world,” Brynildson said. “These friendships have been a big part of what we do at Firestone Walker, but mainly in the context of developing formal recipes. With Luponic Distortion, we are doing away with the formalities—this is a beer that can pivot in real time with the newest hop cultivars.”

Brynildson also noted that his hop-savvy brewing team is equally excited.

“I always go back to music,” he said. “The best bands to see live may play their greatest hits, but they always pull out at least one song that they morph and jam on, and it’s never the same, and that’s what brings you back time and time again. Luponic Distortion is the culmination of this journey, where we finally just get to jam.”

For more info, check out the Luponic Distortion microsite: www.firestonebeer.com/beers/luponic-distortion.php

Deschutes Brewery Announces Additional Michigan Territory Assignments

Courtesy of Deschutes Brewery

February 18, 2016 – Bend, Oregon – Deschutes Brewery announced today its craft beers will be available in more areas of Michigan beginning March of 2016. The Oregon-based brewery will partner with H. Cox and Son for distribution in and around the Traverse City area, Griffin Beverage Company to fill out the eastern portion of Northern Michigan as well as part of the Upper Peninsula, and Eastown Distributors for Metro Detroit.

Jeremy Kieffer, expansion manager for the brewery, said, “Filling out the rest of Northern Michigan and downtown Detroit has been on our radar for a while, but it was a matter of finding the right partners.  H. Cox, Griffin, and Eastown are highly respected in their markets, and will play a pivotal role in our continued success.”

Deschutes Brewery first introduced its beers in Michigan in the fall of 2014 with distribution in the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Lansing area. Distribution to the suburbs of Detroit, Lakeshore region, and the Ann Arbor area followed in 2015. With these latest distribution agreements, Michigan craft beer fans in more than 25 additional counties in the northern Lower and Upper Peninsulas will be able to find Deschutes Brewery’s beers. Beer is set to arrive in stores as early as March 1^st in H. Cox and Son’s territory, and April 1^st in Griffin’s and Eastown’s areas.  Deschutes’s award-winning brews Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, Fresh Squeezed IPA and the brewery’s seasonal lineup will be available immediately in six-packs and on draft. In addition, Deschutes will offer their 12-pack variety packs.

Kieffer continued, “With the exception of one or two smaller markets that are still on our list, these new territories will largely round out our 2016 expansion plans for the state.  It has been a very fun state to open up due to how many craft beer fans there are. We’ve had a lot of new innovations happening recently, and it has been exciting to be able to time our launches to go hand in hand with them.  This year we’ll be adding a fourth brand to our seasonal lineup, and revamping some of the seasonal offerings we currently have.”


About Deschutes Brewery
Named as OUTSIDE’s Best Places to Work in for the last three years in a row and winner of the 2015 Oregon Sustainability Award, Deschutes Brewery was founded in 1988 as a brew pub in Bend, Oregon. Still family and employee owned 27 years later, the brewery is known for brewing a diverse line-up of award winning beers including the popular Fresh Squeezed IPA, Black Butte Porter, and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. From the beginning, the focus has been on crafting the best beer and food using only the finest ingredients.  In 2008, the brewery opened a second pub in Portland’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery now ships beer to 28 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world from its main brewing facility located on the banks of the Deschutes River.  To find out more, visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com.

New Belgium Brewing Named Platinum-Level Bicycle Friendly Business

Courtesy of New Belgium Brewing CO

New Belgium Brewing Once Again Named Platinum-Level Bicycle Friendly Business^SM
by the League of American Bicyclists

 In the brewery’s nearly 25-year history it has awarded more than $4 million for bicycle advocacy

 Ft. Collins, Colo., – February 18, 2016 – Bicycle advocacy has been part of New Belgium Brewing’s core from day one and as the brewery prepares to celebrate its 25^th anniversary, the League of American Bicyclists has once again recognized New Belgium as a platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB^SM). Platinum is the highest honor awarded.

“As a brewery founded on a bike ride ride through Belgium, bike advocacy is part of our DNA so this is a tremendous honor,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium’s public relations director. "Making the world a more bike-friendly place is core to our mission, from giving every co-worker a cruiser bike on their one-year anniversary, to including bike advocacy in our grants program and Tour de Fat.”

With the announcement of 73 new and renewing Bike Friendly Businesses, New Belgium joins a forward-thinking group of 1,132 businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies in 49 states and Washington, D.C., that are transforming the American workplace.

“The business community’s investment in bicycling is playing a central role in making the country a safer, happier, and more sustainable place to live and work,” said Amelia Neptune, League Bicycle Friendly Business Program Manager. “We applaud this new round of businesses, including New Belgium, for leading the charge in creating a bicycle-friendly America for everyone.”

Bicycle Friendly Businesses are corporations, organizations, nonprofits and associations that weave bicycling into their business culture and give employees and customers the opportunity to be active stewards of their personal and environmental health through bicycling. When bicycling is infused in an office or company culture, great things happen: reduced health care costs; more productive employees; improved worker and customer satisfaction; smaller carbon footprint; and increased corporate social responsibility.

To apply or learn more about the BFB program, visit the League online at www.bikeleague.org/business.

Courtesy of New Belgium Brewing CO

About New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews thirteen year-round beers; Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Slow Ride Session IPA, Snapshot Wheat, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel and a gluten-reduced line, Glutiny Pale Ale and Glutiny Golden Ale. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

About the Bicycle Friendly America^SM Program
The Bicycle Friendly Community^SM, Bicycle Friendly State^SM, Bicycle Friendly Business and Bicycle Friendly University^SM programs are generously supported by program partner Trek Bicycle Corp and Silver-level BFA Sponsor Planet Bike. To learn more about building a Bicycle Friendly America, visit www.bikeleague.org/BFA.

The League of American Bicyclists is leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. As leaders, our commitment is to listen and learn, define standards and share best practices to engage diverse communities and build a powerful, unified voice for change.

Ecliptic Brewing Receives Two Medals From 2016 Best Of Craft Beer Awards

Courtesy of Ecliptic Brewing Co

PORTLAND, Ore. (February 17, 2016)– Ecliptic Brewing received medals for two of their beers at the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards, as announced in early February.  Ecliptic’s Orange Giant Barleywine was awarded gold in the “American Barleywine” category, while Spica Pilsner took home silver in the “German Heritage Lager” category.

“Spica Pilsner was a beer that I had in my head for a long time, a spicy and herbal German Kellerbier,” said owner and brewmaster John Harris. “I am very excited to see this beer win a medal and for Orange Giant to take home a medal for the second year.”

 

Courtesy of Ecliptic Brewing Co

Orange Giant Barleywine

Gold Medal, American Barleywine

Named after the giant orange stars in the sky, this barleywine has a gratifying warming effect and drinks smooth.  Three malts create a hearty malt profile with robust character.  Copious amounts of Chinook and Nugget hops combine for a nice resin hop flavor.  Orange Giant is perfect for aging in your cellar.  This beer is available as part of Ecliptic Brewing’s Special Release Series.

ABV:  12.5%

IBU:  80

GRAVTY: 24°P

 

Courtesy of Ecliptic Brewing Co

Spica Pilsner

Silver Medal, German Heritage Lager

Spica Pilsner is brewed in the unfiltered Kellerbier style.  Exclusive use of Pale malt gives this lager a pleasing malt body and light golden color.  Sterling hops bring a rich herbal hop character and works with unfiltered yeast to end on a nice spicy flavor.  This beer is available year round as part of Ecliptic Brewing’s All The Time Series.

            ABV: 5.5%

            IBU:  38

            GRAVITY:  13°

For a complete list of the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards winners, visit here.

About the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards

The 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards celebrates and promotes the best of the best in craft brewing. The unique event is designed to provide greater national exposure to breweries through promotion in major beer magazines, including their name and winning beer mentioned in Draft Magazine’s Spring Issue.  Winners receive automatic entry for the following year. For more information, visit: http://www.bestofcraftbeerawards.com/.

Ecliptic beers are available at the brewery (825 North Cook St), in bottle and on-tap throughout the area, and distributed by: Maletis Beverage (Portland, Salem, Vancouver WA), Bigfoot Beverage (Eugene, Bend, Coast), Fort George Distributing (Northern Oregon Coast), Summit Distribution (Southern Oregon), Click Distributing (Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Northern Idaho), Dickerson Distributing (Bellingham), Crooked Stave Artisans (Colorado), and Freedom Distributors (North Carolina).

About Ecliptic Brewing

Ecliptic Brewing is a venture from John Harris, an Oregon beer icon whose background is steeped in the state’s rich craft brewing history. The name Ecliptic unites Harris’ two passions: brewing and astronomy, and as such, the brewery celebrates the Earth’s yearly journey around the sun through both its beer and restaurant menus. Executive chef Michael Molitor rotates his seasonally inspired menu every six weeks in accordance with the old world calendar. Harris’ signature beers include Spica Pilsner, Orbiter IPA, Phobos Single Hop Red Ale, and Capella Porter. For more information, visit: www.eclipticbrewing.com.

Summit Releases Unchained Series 21: Us & Them: A Two Thread Brewing Experience

Courtesy of Summit Brewing Co

An American IPA and Session IPA from Brewer Gabe Smoley

ST. PAUL, Minn. (February 17, 2016) – Summit Brewing Company today announces the release of Us & Them: A Two Thread Brewing Experience. The 21st beer in the limited-release Unchained Series will be available on draught and in mixed 12-ounce bottle six-packs the third week of February.

Brewer Gabe Smoley’s Unchained 21: Us & Them is a truly unique craft beer exploration. Gabe has deconstructed the mash of Summit’s popular Sága IPA recipe into two unique "threads" to forge two distinct beers: a hoppy and intense American IPA and a complex but subtle Session IPA. This unique brewing experience explores the two extreme flavor profiles and drinking differences you can discover in one package from one, original beer recipe. Also consider it an experiment in brewing psychology: which beer do you think is “Us” and which beer is “Them”? Which brew defines you? Unchained 21 six-packs include three bottles of each brew so you can compare them side by side.

“I wanted to do more with this project than just make a beer,” Smoley said. “I wanted to do something different. Something that legitimately offered our Summit fans a truly real craft beer drinking experience. The Us & Them project, for me, does just that. It takes something people are familiar with in our Sága IPA beer and pulls it apart into two polar opposites of itself. It’s not just another six-pack off the shelf. It’s an exploration of historic brewing ideas and practices like parti-gyle and multi-thread brewing that many people have probably never experienced or even heard of before. That, to me, is offering our drinkers something honest, something different, and something nobody else has given them.”

Join Summit and Brewer Gabe for events to kick off Unchained 21’s release:

Summit Beer Hall – 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Feb. 20

Muddy Pig – 4 p.m., Feb. 24

Pat’s Tap – 4 p.m.-7 p.m., Feb. 25

Golden Valley Country Club (members’ event) – 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Feb. 25

Keegan’s Irish Pub – 5 p.m., Feb. 26

Old Chicago Eden Prairie – 4 p.m., March 23

1^st Thread: American IPA Information

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Caramel

Hops: Horizon, Centennial, Amarillo, Citra, Rakau (dry-hopped with Rakau)
ABV: 7.2%
IBU: 90
Color: Saffron
Yeast: American Ale

2^nd Thread: Session IPA Information
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Caramel

Hops: Horizon, Centennial, Amarillo, Citra, Rakau, (dry-hopped with Citra)
ABV: 4.0%
IBU: 55
Color: Sunglow
Yeast: American Ale

Pairing Suggestions: Two extreme versions of your favorite dish, like aged Roquefort or mild Gruyere macaroni and cheese.

Available on draught and in mixed 12-ounce bottle six-packs.

For more information about the Unchained Series and kick-off events, please visit our website at http://www.summitbrewing.com/.

About the Unchained Series
The Unchained Series, which saw its first batch in 2009, allows each of Summit’s individual brewers to showcase their creativity by letting them break free from the norm and create their own beer. “We’re fortunate to have eight phenomenal brewers at Summit,” said Mark Stutrud, founder and president of Summit Brewing Company. “The Unchained Series is a way for our brewers to showcase their artistry. There are no budgetary restraints, no outside influences from a sales team, and the brewers are free to collect ingredients from anywhere in the world. As long as it’s legal, they have complete autonomy.”

Courtesy of Summit Brewing Co

Summit Brewing Company

Founded in St. Paul, Minn. in 1986, Summit Brewing Company has stayed close to its roots, serving the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Summit’s beers are currently available in 14 states including Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Arkansas and Wisconsin. Summit now produces 14 varieties of premium craft beer, including seven year-round, four seasonal beers, and the limited-release Unchained Series and Union Series. Since its inception, the brewery has been a consistent pioneer in the craft beer movement. For everything Summit Brewing, visit summitbrewing.com.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers to Release Cans of Double Daddy Imperial IPA with New Recipe

Courtesy of Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

San Francisco, CA - (February 17, 2016) Speakeasy Ales & Lagers will raise the stakes this spring by releasing cans of Double Daddy Imperial IPA, with a hoppy makeover. Brewed since 2003, Double Daddy has only been available on draft or in 22 oz. bottles. This April Speakeasy will start shipping six packs of 12 oz. cans to all its distribution territories. The beer’s hop profile has also been reformulated, giving it new complexity and punch. All just in time for summer at the beach or camping excursions.  

Speakeasy’s first foray into cans started with the Session Series in 2015. According to Speakeasy founder and president, Forest Gray, “At the time we decided not to put anything in a can that would be redundant in 12 oz. glass. So we created new beers optimized for cans, meaning low in alcohol for day drinking outdoors. After evaluating our objectives and sales data, the logical step was to start transitioning all our beers into 12 oz. cans, excluding those that are designed for aging. Double Daddy was at the top of the list.”  

In addition to the new package, Speakeasy decided it was time to reconsider Double Daddy’s recipe. “There are a lot of hop flavors and aromas that weren’t around 20 years ago. We want the beer to evolve, and at the same time, not disappoint people who are familiar with Double Daddy’s legacy,” said Forest Gray. After careful consideration, Speakeasy’s director of brewing, Kushal Hall, decided to substitute Nelson for Chinook hops in the whirlpool addition, and add Mosaic hops in place of Citra during dry hopping.

Courtesy of Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

The changes will be noticeable. Kushal Hall said, “Double Daddy is moving away from being all about hops that are citrus and pine focused. Nelson adds more complexity and diesel fuel components that are found in Southern Hemisphere hop varieties. Mosaic will give it more tropical and stone fruit character. Double Daddy will also showcase the enhanced hop character in our beers, achieved by using our new centrifuge, which retains a higher quantity of hop oils.”

Double Daddy Imperial IPA pours a fiery orange with a creamy white head. Dry-hopped with Amarillo, Nelson, Simcoe, and Mosaic, the aroma is lush and pungent, with notes of grapefruit, apricot, mango, tangerine, pine, and a hint of diesel fumes. Fresh pale malts deliver a touch of biscuit, orange marmalade, and push the beer to 8.5% alcohol by volume. Balancing the bold bitter hops that yield 85 IBUs.

Cans of Double Daddy Imperial IPA will be shipped to Speakeasy’s distributors in April. The beer will be available in California first, then head east to Las Vegas, New York, and Boston. The full distribution footprint is listed below. Speakeasy also plans on hosting a can release party at their Tap Room. The details will be finalized in soon.

 QUICK FACTS

Name: Double Daddy Imperial IPA
URL: http://www.goodbeer.com/the-usual-suspects/
ABV: 9.5%
Style: Imperial IPA
Malt: Two Row Pale, Light Munich, Crisp Dextrin
Hops: Apollo, Nelson, Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic
Availability: Year-round
Formats: Draft, 12 oz. cans, and 22 oz. bottles
Distribution: AZ, CA, DE, PA, MA, NH, NY, NJ, NV, OR, RI, VA, WA

Courtesy of Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

About Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

In 1997 a wily band of bootleggers led by homebrewer Forest Gray were inspired to bring their exceptional brews from the underground to the masses, defiantly producing small batches of beer in a secret warehouse in San Francisco. Starting with a single, iconic beer, Prohibition Ale, Speakeasy now brews a wide array of acclaimed beers including Big Daddy IPA, Payback Porter, Double Daddy, Scarface Imperial Stout and many more, which are distributed across the entire West Coast and other major U.S. markets.

Portland Beer Week Releases 2016 Dates and Events

Courtesy of Portland Beer Week

 The Grass-Roots Organization Celebrates Craft Beer Culture and Pushes New Boundaries

PORTLAND, Ore. (February 17, 2016) — This June, the City of Roses is poised to host the 6th annual Portland Beer Week presented by Portland Brewing Co. The 11-day festival runs from June 9th through the 19th and will feature breweries of every size from all over the nation. Portland Beer Week celebrates the city as a leader and innovative force in the beer world.The festival kicks off with a weekend dedicated to rye and fruit beers, offering a variety of educational seminars and engaging activities. The events aim to inspire the beer & food industry to push boundaries, while providing consumers with new knowledge and entertainment.

“Think beer at 360 degrees,” says Ezra Johnson-Greenough — co-founder of Portland Beer Week with Kerry Finsand and the man behind The New School, Portland’s leading voice for anything beer-related. “Alongside fun events open to the public, we have partnered with Oregon State University to offer industry folks a series of seminars, from beer-branding and marketing, to barrel-aging and sour and wild ale. We aim at providing a platform to unleash new ideas and learn from each other.”

To celebrate the spirit of cross-pollination between the food and beer worlds, Blue Star Donuts is releasing a special beer donut and Salt & Straw Ice Cream an official beer flavor. Each made with Portland Beer Week’s official beer, a collaboration between Double Mountain Brewing and Portland Brewing. More food and drink and pairing highlights and special collaborations await an exciting and packed 11 days of beer.

Many local businesses came on board to support the festival, among them are Columbia Distributing, Whole Foods, Society Hotel, Travel Portland, Double Mountain, Portland Brewing, Fort George and McMenamins.

Calendar:

June 9th: Kickoff Party

June 10th: Rye Beer Fest

June 10-12th: Portland Fruit Beer Festival

June 13th: New Oregon Breweries Showcase @ Bailey's Taproom

June 13th: Beer & Sushi Pairings @ Roscoe’s with Miyamoto Sushi

June 12-17th: Oregon State University Seminar Series

June 16th: Brewers and Their Bands Concert & Jam Session @ Ecliptic Brewing

June 17th: Women in Beer Event & ‘The Love of Beer’ 5 Year Anniversary Screening @ Mission Theater

June 18th: Portland Beer and Cheese Fest @ Wayfinder

June 19th: Snackdown: Top Brewers and Chefs pair bites and beers @ The Evergreen (above Loyal Legion)

For a full listing of Portland Beer Week festivities, visit http://pdxbeerweek.com/ or check the facebook page.

Left Hand Brewing Brings the Mountain To The People

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co

Hops + Handrails features Beer Fest & Board Competition

LONGMONT, CO • February 17, 2016 – Left Hand’s bringing the mountain to the people! In its fourth year, Hops+Handrails features the best of Colorado, pairing a 60+ craft brewery fest alongside a 40’ high snowboard ramp & rail jam competition! Returning on March 12^th to Longmont, Colorado, the unique hybrid event gives attendees a taste of what Colorado does best – craft beer and winter sports.  And this year’s event will close on high note, featuring bluegrass legend Sam Bush to headline the Hops + Handrails stage!

Doors open at 11am at Roosevelt Park, with riders starting their runs and the beer fest fully underway by noon! Guests can sample a 150 of the nation’s finest craft beer from over sixty breweries. A $30 sampling pass provides attendees unlimited tasting during the session. The rail jam will feature a four story ramp loaded with trick rails including a keg wall!  The competition will be fully underway by 1pm, with Colorado’s best riders competing in the Open and Women’s & Junior’s categories. The Hops + Handrails stage will feature headliner, Grammy Award winning Sam Bush, featuring his trademark bluegrass and jaw-dropping mandolin playing. Musical performances will also feature The Jeff Austin Band and Rapidgrass.

Hops + Handrails welcomes all ages. Want to get your little one on a board? Check out the Riglet Park, presented by Burton Snowboards & Satellite Board Shop, with junior boards and instructors on site. Local fare and vendors will also be available.  

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co

Tickets to the Beer Fest & Rail Jam are available online and day of. Event proceeds will benefit the Left Hand Brewing Foundation, SOS Outreach, and Chill. To date, Hops + Handrails has raised $75,000 for the community!

“Craft beer and snowboarding is a match made in Colorado heaven! It’s a stellar event and brings together two outstanding Colorado industries.” comments Josh Goldberg, Event Manager.

 

Awaken Your Palate with Spring Seasonals

Courtesy Craftbeer.com

Spring Seasonal Craft Beer Offerings from CraftBeer.com

 
Boulder, CO • February 16, 2016—Spring is in the air…and should be on your taste buds. To prepare your palate for the bright and invigorating tastes of the season, CraftBeer.com—the Brewers Association (BA) website for beer lovers—has compiled a list of spring seasonal craft beers from small and independent craft brewers.

“Spring craft beers truly bring the flavors of the season to life, offering a diverse and refreshing experience,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com. “The refreshing and pleasant flavors add to the already wide assortment of beers available at America’s 4,100+ craft breweries.”

Last year, in the 13 weeks ending May 17, seasonals were up 7.3% in dollar sales and 4.8% in volume sales based on IRI scan data. They represented 12.9% share of craft in dollar sales and 13.3% share of craft in total volume.

Savor the warmer weather and fresh floral air with some of these rejuvenating selections:

·         21st Amendment Brewery | El Sully Mexican-Style Lager | San Leandro, CA

·         Coppertail Brewing Co. | Captain Jack's Stone Crab Stout | Tampa, FL

·         Grand Teton Brewing Co. | Trout Hop Black IPA | Victor, ID

·         Half Full Brewery | Grapefruit Pale Ale | Stamford, CT

·         Hopworks Urban Brewery | Rise Up Red IRA | Portland, OR

·         MadTree Brewing Co. | Sprye | Cincinnati, OH

·         Omaha Brewing Co. | 5.56 Dry-Hopped Lager | Omaha, GA

·         Otter Creek Brewing Co. | Citra Mantra IPL | Middlebury, VT

·         Red Brick Brewing Co. | Hibiscuwit Belgian-Style Wheat | Atlanta, GA

·         Southern Prohibition Brewing Co. | Pow! Rye In the Kisser | Hattiesburg, MS

·         The Lost Abbey | Carnevale Ale | San Marcos, CA

The Perfect Spring Beer and Food Pairing

Enjoy this specially curated recipe from Chef Dulye that will pair perfectly with your choice of spring seasonals.

“The first hints of spring bring excitement into the kitchen like no other season, said BA Executive Chef Adam Dulye. “Dishes start to become lighter; vinaigrettes, citrus and simple sauces take over from the heavy reductions of winter. Lighter more crisp beers begin to shine with alongside fresh spring produce. There’s a reason saison means season. And that season is spring.”

Courtesy of craftbeer.com

 Visit CraftBeer.com’s 2016 Spring Seasonals for a more comprehensive list of craft beer spring seasonal selections and descriptions. To round out the experience, consider a tour of your local craft brewery.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup^SM, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America^®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, AHA National Homebrewers Conference, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.

Deschutes Brewery Donates Nearly $860,000 to Charitable Organizations in 2015; Triples Last Year’s Donation Amount

Courtesy of Deschutes Brewing Co

Deschutes Brewery is excited to announce that they were able to give approximately $860,000 to charitable organizations across their distribution area in 2015. Several different giving programs, including a few new ones, contributed to this amount, which was triple the amount donated in 2014.

• Ongoing commitment dedicating $1 per barrel sold to deserving nonprofits exceeded $335,000.
• Street Pub – a successful new event platform that traveled to seven different cities across the nation, setting up a “block party” for one day – donated 100% of proceeds to local nonprofit partners. In total, this new initiative raised nearly $400,000.
• Community Pints – a brand new program that takes place at the brewery’s public houses donates $1 for every pint sold on Tuesdays to a different charity each month.
• Sponsorships and in-kind donations to charity events both in Oregon and across the brewery’s distribution footprint.

Committed to building a healthier society, Deschutes Brewery distributed funds to hundreds of organizations that focused on the environment, youth & education, family services, animals and those supporting arts and cultural activities.
A cross-departmental team of passionate co-owners guide community giving for the company, carefully evaluating where donations can have the most impact. Employees are also encouraged to participate in volunteer opportunities each quarter.

 About Deschutes Brewery:
Named as OUTSIDE’s Best Places to Work in both 2013 and 2014, Deschutes Brewery was founded in 1988 as a brew pub in Bend, Oregon. Still family and employee owned 27 years later, the brewery is known for brewing a diverse line-up of award winning beers including the popular Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. From the beginning, the focus has been on crafting the best beer and food using only the finest ingredients.  In 2008, the brewery opened a second pub in Portland’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery now ships beer to 28 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world from its main brewing facility located on the banks of the Deschutes River.  To find out more, visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com

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Victory Brewing And Southern Tier Brewing Unite Under New Holding Company

Downingtown, PA (February 16, 2016) – Having just marked 20 years in the craft brewing industry, Victory Brewing Company (Victory) proudly announces a landmark alliance with Southern Tier Brewing Company (Southern Tier) under parent company Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV). As the first major transaction of 2016 within the rapidly evolving craft beer industry, this union presents a new model for craft beer partnerships by preserving brewery independence while pooling deep collective resources.

Bill & Ron of Victory Brewing - Courtesy Victory Brewing

This new strategic framework between ABV, Victory and Southern Tier provides capital, security and vision for the future. ABV, formed to unify independent craft brewers and distillers, embraces the collaborative craft spirit while administering crucial growth resources. As a key partner in this formation, Arlington Capital Advisors acted as exclusive financial consultant to Victory. The transaction is expected to close within the next 60 days.

Under the umbrella of ABV, Victory and Southern Tier will independently operate their breweries, commanding a joint capacity of over 800,000 barrels of potential annual production. This alliance creates one of the largest brewers in the Northeast and ranks within the top 15 craft brewing companies in the United States with combined 2015 shipments of over 250,000 barrels according to Brewers Association criteria. With a world-class roster of complementary beer brands and an even stronger standing in the marketplace, ABV will shepherd Victory and Southern Tier in collaborative sales and marketing efforts to strengthen, support and expand its distributor and retail partnerships. Victory and Southern Tier brands will become increasingly available to loyal and new consumers across their combined markets as a direct result of this union.

Sara & Phin DeMink of Southern Tier-Courtesy of Southern Tier Brewing Co

“The craft beer community is at its most critical moment since its inception as larger brewing corporations have bought into our grassroots movement, irrevocably changing the marketplace. Like-minded brewers such as Victory and Southern Tier can preserve our character, culture and products by banding together,” said Bill Covaleski, Founder and Brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company. “Allied we can continue to innovate and best serve the audience who fueled our growth through their loyal thirst.”

"Having gotten to know Phin, John and the whole management team, I am more excited than ever about the innovations that lie in our collective futures. One walk through their brewery and I knew that Southern Tier had the same belief in quality and excellence that has driven our culture for 20 years,” explains Ron Barchet, COO of Victory Brewing Company.

The Victory and Southern Tier leadership teams and employees will remain intact. Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet of Victory, who will become significant shareholders in ABV, will join the Artisanal Brewing Ventures’ Board of Directors. John Coleman, CEO and Bill Wild, CFO will lead ABV's management team.

John Coleman of ABV & Phin DeMink of Southern Tier

“This is exactly the kind of alliance we imagined when we created Artisanal Brewing Ventures in 2014,” said Phin DeMink, founder of Southern Tier Brewing Company and also a major shareholder in ABV. “This is a concept that was specifically designed by and for craft brewers, so we can focus on the things we’re best at while creating meaningful scale advantages. I’m proud to see this model validated and am grateful that my friends Ron and Bill have become our partners.”

“This is the ultimate craft beer collaboration. It is an honor to be associated with these pioneering entrepreneurs who have been contributing to the industry since craft’s early days,” said John Coleman, CEO of ABV. “I look forward to guiding these two truly great organizations forward as they collaborate, innovate and share best practices.”

“I believe this is a watershed transaction for the craft brewing world. This union of two great regional players preserves their independence and distinct cultures while sharing administrative and management functions to support deeper investment in sales, marketing and innovation,” commented Vann Russell, Managing Director and Founder of Arlington Capital.

About Victory Brewing Company
Victory Brewing Company is a craft brewery headquartered in Downingtown, PA. Founded by childhood friends, Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, Victory officially opened its doors in February of 1996. Victory’s second state of the art brewery opened in February of 2014 in Parkesburg, PA to serve fans of fully flavored beers in 37 states with innovative beers melding European ingredients and technology with American creativity. In addition to the original Downingtown brewpub, Victory’s second brewpub is in Kennett Square, while Parkesburg recently launched self-guided tours and the third brewpub. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company, please visit www.victorybeer.com.

About Southern Tier Brewing Company
In 2002 Phin and Sara DeMink founded Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, New York with the vision of reviving the practice of small batch brewing to a region rich in brewing tradition. Following several expansions from 2009 through 2013 Southern Tier now ships over 100,000 barrels annually to 33 states to meet growing demand for Southern Tier’s diverse portfolio of innovative beers that embody the spirit of American craft brewing. In 2015 Southern Tier Distilling Company was formed to create innovative small batch spirits using unique local ingredients under a New York farm distilling license. To learn more about Southern Tier Brewing Company, please visit www.stbcbeer.com.

About Artisanal Brewing Ventures
Artisanal Brewing Ventures is located in Charlotte, NC and was formed by Phin and Sara DeMink and Ulysses Management LLC, a New York based family office, with the vision of creating a home for like-minded, best-in-class craft breweries in close partnership with their founders. Ulysses Management was founded nearly 20 years ago by Joshua Nash as the successor firm to the pioneering investment firm Odyssey Partners, LP. Ulysses invests in profitable, well-established companies with tangible, competitive advantages with the goal to build long-term value that benefits all stakeholders while maintaining brand independence. To learn more about Ulysses Management, please visit www.ulyssesmgmt.com.

About Arlington Capital Advisors
Arlington Capital Advisors, LLC is a boutique investment bank that specializes in providing middle-market businesses with advisory services. Arlington focuses on providing strategic advice to our clients, including sell-side and buy-side mergers and acquisitions, sourcing growth capital and other capital- centric strategic alternatives for businesses across a wide array of industries including a specific focus and expertise in multi-unit consumer businesses. Securities offered through M&A Securities Group, Inc. M&A Securities Group, Inc. and Arlington Capital Advisors are not affiliated companies. For more information on Arlington Capital Advisors, please visit www.arlingtoncapitaladvisors.com.