FiftyFifty Brewing will be reaching outside it’s home of Truckee, California to Chicago, Illinois. While no official press release has been issued on the distribution expansion, initial target for launch in December 2011.
FiftyFifty Brewing has gotten a lot of positive response Continue Reading →
Today is Bell’s Brewing’s official release day for Oberon – a much anticipated spring/summer seasonal. 6 pks & draft are arriving now everywhere Bell’s is sold. Mini kegs will arrive by Memorial Day, 2011.
Goose Island Brewing (Chicago, Il) dropped some pretty big news today. They have agreed to allow to be purchased by Anheuser-Busch/AB InBev.
Essentially, AB wil be fronting the money for Goose Island to grow and expand. Greg Hall, current brewmaster will be stepping down. Also, the 2 brewpubs are excluded from this deal.
Full Press Release: GOOSE ISLAND SELECTS CURRENT PARTNER ANHEUSER-BUSCH FOR GROWTH STRATEGY Chicago Small Brewer, Craft Brewers Alliance to Sell Stakes in Goose Island; Expansion of Chicago Brewery Planned
CHICAGO (March 28, 2011) — Chicago-based Goose Island, one of the nation’s most‑respected and fastest-growing small brewers with sales concentrated throughout the Midwest, today announced it had agreed to be acquired by Anheuser‑Busch, its current distribution partner, in a move that will bring additional capital into Goose Island’s operations to meet growing consumer demand for its brands and deepen its Chicago and Midwest distribution.
Goose Island’s legal name is Fulton Street Brewery LLC (FSB). Anheuser-Busch reached an agreement to purchase the majority (58 percent) equity stake in FSB from its founders and investors, held in Goose Holdings Inc. (GHI), for $22.5 million. Craft Brewers Alliance Inc. (CBA), an independent, publicly traded brewer based in Portland, Ore., that operates Widmer Brothers, Redhook and Kona breweries, owns the remaining 42 percent of FSB and reached an agreement in principle to sell its stake in FSB to Anheuser-Busch for $16.3 million in cash. Anheuser‑Busch holds a minority stake (32.25 percent) in CBA.
This spring, Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) is adding single hopped additions of their Latitude 48 IPA. Names for the 48th Latitude dubbed the “hop belt” of the Northern Hemisphere. The regular edition of Latitude 48 is a blend of Ahantum, Simcoe, & East Kent Golding hops. The new editions dissect the hops of the original Lat 48, plus a few extra. A bit like Mikkeller has done with their single hop IPA series.
What You Need To Know:
Latitude 48 will be available in 6 options. Regular Latitude 48. Single hopped editions, Adhantum, Simcoe, East Kent Golding, Zeus, Hallertau Mittelfrueh.
From the labels:
Hallertau: …Brewed only with Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble Hops, a traditional variety of Bavaria’s Hallertau in Germany… Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops contribute a soft bitterness, along with delicate lemony citrus and resinous pine notes, balanced by slight sweetness and full body from the five different malts.
FiftyFifty Brewing will be reaching outside it’s home of Truckee, California to Chicago, Illinois. While no official press release has been issued on the distribution expansion, initial target for launch in December 2011.
FiftyFifty Brewing has gotten a lot of positive response from Eclipse Imperial Stout, aged in various whiskey barrels. The brewery has recently mentioned on Twitter & Facebook that they are ramping up production of some of their popular brews. <Chicago Beer Blog>
This is my first Op-Ed on this site. (And probably my last.) A lot of people are probably going to hate me for saying this.
By now I’m sure you know the “news that rocked the beer world” aka Goose Island gets sold to AB Inbev. It’s big news for sure and it’s definitely something to talk about.
I’ve sat here most of the day reading Twitter, articles, and blog posts about the GI situation, and for the most part everyone is shocked.
Yes, dropping the name Inbev or AB or anything macro in the craft beer world is like ripping a wet fart during a pastor’s sermon in church. Shocking. Appalling, perhaps even disgusting. All are reactions the beer community is emoting as the story unfolds.
I’m going to skip straight to this. Idealism. Especially craft beer idealism. The beer scene in the United States is booming of course. And with it is a growing sense of elitism. More and more now I’m hearing “I am a craft beer drinker” or “I drink craft beer” said in a “I drive a hybrid, because I want to be part of the solution, not the problem” smug sort of way. I get it, you drink craft beer, but don’t start acting like the wine people do. That’s why we are beer people.
And listen, I actually AM a craft beer drinker… a constant craft beer drinker. Read: much more than I should. I love most everything about the beer scene in the US, except for this smug idealistic attitude that is growing rampant. I tell people I love beer. I drink beer. No need for “craft” or “micro.” You’ve seen me drink. You get it.
Macro money got to Goose Island. People are shocked. Dismayed. Upset. But for you, what has changed? The financial side? If that’s actually it — what are you upset about? Do the banking transactions actually affect what you taste in your beer? Are you so idealistic that you can’t lay lips to a Bourbon County Vanilla Stout because AB makes a light lager? Oooooookay.
Beer is a business as much as it is an artform. Plain and simple. I’ll happily say – true, IF there was money to be had from a non InBev source – perhaps it might have been a better option. But really, InBev makes an investment in a craft brewer, (especially when macro sales are declining) and you get up at arms like someone just sold children into sweatshop slavery. I’ve even seen people say they will never drink another Goose Island beer.
Fine. Keep your idealism. Hold your head high, for you are the champion of what is right for what’s in your pint glass. If the beer Goose Island will be producing after the check is written remains the same, I’ll keep drinking it. Take your idealistic stand. More for me.
Today is Bell’s Brewing’s official release day for Oberon – a much anticipated spring/summer seasonal. 6 pks & draft are arriving now everywhere Bell’s is sold. Mini kegs will arrive by Memorial Day, 2011.
About Oberon: Bell’s Oberon is a wheat ale fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas. The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it a classic summer beer.
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
Taste Expectations: Citrus, wheat. Malts are bready. Lemon.
Goose Island Brewing (Chicago, Il) dropped some pretty big news today. They have agreed to allow to be purchased by Anheuser-Busch/AB InBev.
Essentially, AB wil be fronting the money for Goose Island to grow and expand. Greg Hall, current brewmaster will be stepping down. Also, the 2 brewpubs are excluded from this deal.
Full Press Release: GOOSE ISLAND SELECTS CURRENT PARTNER ANHEUSER-BUSCH FOR GROWTH STRATEGY Chicago Small Brewer, Craft Brewers Alliance to Sell Stakes in Goose Island; Expansion of Chicago Brewery Planned
CHICAGO (March 28, 2011) — Chicago-based Goose Island, one of the nation’s most‑respected and fastest-growing small brewers with sales concentrated throughout the Midwest, today announced it had agreed to be acquired by Anheuser‑Busch, its current distribution partner, in a move that will bring additional capital into Goose Island’s operations to meet growing consumer demand for its brands and deepen its Chicago and Midwest distribution.
Goose Island’s legal name is Fulton Street Brewery LLC (FSB). Anheuser-Busch reached an agreement to purchase the majority (58 percent) equity stake in FSB from its founders and investors, held in Goose Holdings Inc. (GHI), for $22.5 million. Craft Brewers Alliance Inc. (CBA), an independent, publicly traded brewer based in Portland, Ore., that operates Widmer Brothers, Redhook and Kona breweries, owns the remaining 42 percent of FSB and reached an agreement in principle to sell its stake in FSB to Anheuser-Busch for $16.3 million in cash. Anheuser‑Busch holds a minority stake (32.25 percent) in CBA.
Goose Island sold approximately 127,000 barrels of Honkers Ale, 312 Urban Wheat Ale, Matilda and other brands in 2010. To help meet immediate demand, an additional $1.3 million will be invested to increase Goose Island’s Chicago Fulton Street brewery’s production as early as this summer.
“Demand for our beers has grown beyond our capacity to serve our wholesale partners, retailers, and beer lovers,” said Goose Island founder and president John Hall, who will continue as Goose Island chief executive officer. “This partnership between our extraordinary artisanal brewing team and one of the best brewers in the world in Anheuser-Busch will bring resources to brew more beer here in Chicago to reach more beer drinkers, while continuing our development of new beer styles. This agreement helps us achieve our goals with an ideal partner who helped fuel our growth, appreciates our products and supports their success.”
Hall will continue to be responsible for Goose Island beer production and the expansion of Goose Island’s Chicago brewery, where production will continue and its business will still be based.
“The new structure will preserve the qualities that make Goose Island’s beers unique, strictly maintain our recipes and brewing processes,” Hall said. “We had several options, but we decided to go with Anheuser‑Busch because it was the best. The transaction is good for our stakeholders, employees and customers.”
Anheuser-Busch has distributed Goose Island brands since 2006 as part of an agreement with Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. of Portland, Ore., a co-founder of CBA, that provides Goose Island access to the network of independent wholesalers that distribute Anheuser-Busch beers. Anheuser‑Busch also provides logistical support to all Anheuser‑Busch wholesalers distributing Goose Island and CBA beers as part of that agreement.
Wholesalers currently servicing retailers with Goose Island beers will continue to do so with no disruption in service.
“These critically acclaimed beers are the hometown pride of Chicagoans,” said Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “We are very committed to expanding in the high‑end beer segment, and this deal expands our portfolio of brands with high-quality, regional beers. As we share ideas and bring our different strengths and experiences together, we can accelerate the growth of these brands.”
Anheuser-Busch’s purchase of FSB is subject to customary closing conditions, including obtaining required regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2011.
The two Goose Island brew pubs are not part of the deal, but will continue in operation, offering consumers an opportunity to sample Goose Island’s award-winning specialty beers and food selections.
As part of CBA’s agreement to sell its 42 percent block in FSB to Anheuser-Busch, in addition to cash, Anheuser-Busch will provide enhanced retail selling support for CBA brands, will reduce distribution fees payable by CBA to Anheuser‑Busch and will provide CBA additional flexibility with respect to future acquisitions and divestitures.
Another beer joining The Bruery’s Reserve Society offerings is a spin on Mischief. They have taken the Belgian golden ale and added in brett.
From The Bruery Reserve email:
Mischief Gone Wild — Most of you have already had our hoppy Belgian-style golden ale, Mischief, and are already familiar with it’s unique character. Well, as you know, we at The Bruery get a bit bored of doing the same beers day in and day out, so we decided to introduce brettanomyces to the already mischievious equation and now, as they say, the beer has gone wild. Dryer, differently complex and really quite delicious, Mischief Gone Wild is unrestrained in just the right way.
Availability: 750ml bottles. Reserve Society members only. 4 bottle limit.
This spring, Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) is adding single hopped additions of their Latitude 48 IPA. Names for the 48th Latitude dubbed the “hop belt” of the Northern Hemisphere. The regular edition of Latitude 48 is a blend of Ahantum, Simcoe, & East Kent Golding hops. The new editions dissect the hops of the original Lat 48, plus a few extra. A bit like Mikkeller has done with their single hop IPA series.
What You Need To Know:
Latitude 48 will be available in 6 options. Regular Latitude 48. Single hopped editions, Adhantum, Simcoe, East Kent Golding, Zeus, Hallertau Mittelfrueh.
From the labels:
Hallertau: …Brewed only with Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble Hops, a traditional variety of Bavaria’s Hallertau in Germany… Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops contribute a soft bitterness, along with delicate lemony citrus and resinous pine notes, balanced by slight sweetness and full body from the five different malts.
Simcoe: …Brewed with only Simcoe hops from the Yakima Valley area of WA….Simcoe hops contribute a grippy bitterness and dramatic grapefruit peel and pine resin notes to this brew, with the slight sweetness and full malt body attempting to balance the concentrated hop character.
Zeus: …Brewed with only Zeus hops from the Yakima Valley area of WA…. Zeus hops contribute clean bitterness and intense, pungent resinous pine flavor to this brew. The balance of the brew leans strongly toward the hop character, but is softened by the malt sweetness and body.
Ahtanum: …Brewed with only Ahtanum hops, a newer variety from the Yakima Valley area of WA… Ahtanum hops contribute a balanced and typically “American” orange peel, piney, and floral flavor and aroma to this brew, balanced by the slight sweetness and full body from 5 different malts.
East Kent Golding: …Brewed with only East Kent Golding hops, a variety first selected in the 1700s in East Kent, England…East Kent Goldings contribute a mellow bitterness to this brew, along with earthy, floral, and apricot notes, balanced by a slight sweetness and full body from the malt blend.
Goose Island Brewing had an exhausting news day. Finally GI opened up a bit via Twitter with a few calming statements (listed by each tweet):
