Beer News

Lagunitas Fusion Series On Hold

Lagunitas Fusion Series of draft only beers are currently on hold, pending the current expansion.    The series has been deamed “unnecessary” as the brewery grows.  Fusion VIII, an American IPA was close to release nearly 4 months ago.   Continue Reading →

Mother Earth To Distribute To Atlanta

Mother Earth Brewing (Kingston, NC) is very seriously looking at expanding distribution to Atlanta.

The brewery was founding in 2008 by Trent Mooring and Stephen Hill.  They are joined by their head brewer Josh Brewer. (His real name!)  Mother Earth is known Continue Reading →

Terrapin’s Tree Hugger Arrives In April

Terrapin Beer Company will release a draft only beer in April dubbed “Tree Hugger.”  There’s a little backstory on this one.

Terrapin’s Spike Buckowski got pretty friendly with the altbier style on a recent trip to Germany.  Altbiers originated in Dusseldorf, Germany Continue Reading →

Anheuser-Busch To Intimidate For Sales?

This should leave some sour tastes in peoples mouths.  The beer giant Anheuser-Busch might just have a new method to increase shipments and sales. (Which both have been falling for sometime now.)

Instead of changing with the tastebuds of the consumer, Continue Reading →

Posted in Beer News, Brewery Expansions, Left Hand Brewing

Left Hand Brewing Up 49.4%, Installing Bottling Line

2011 was another big year for Left Hand Brewing.  Today, Left Hand released their 2011 report, outlining production and growth.  Up over 49% over the previous year.   That’s 36,830 barrels (or 1,141,730 gallons of beer.)

Over the past 5 years, Left Hand has spent over $9 million expanding in order to keep up with demand.  In 2011, a new keg line was installed. In 2012, A new bottling line will be installed by the fall.  The price tag on that badboy will be close to $3 million.  The new line will fill bottles 4x faster.

2012
Currently Left Hand employs 63 awesome people, and will soon  look to be adding more to the team.  2012 looks to bring over 50% more growth – reaching 60,000 barrels by the end of the year.  That’s 1,860,000,000 gallons of beer!

Check out the full press release for even more nitty gritty info about your favorite milk stout maker in Longmont, Colorado.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Red Hare Could Be Georgia’s First Craft Brewer With Cans

Red Hare Brewing (Marietta, Georgia) the newest production brewery in the state will be receiving a canning in the upcoming weeks.  No date is set on installation, and first cans.

By all calculations, Red Hare will be the first craft/small brewery will cans in state of Georgia.   Closer to canning time, the can line up will be announced.  (You can probably place a safe bet on Long Day Lager.)

Also, expect the 3rd edition on the Rabbit’s Reserve Series to appear in May, 2012.  The yet to be named #3  follows Chocolate Porter, and Imperial Red IPA.

The brewery has only released draft offerings to date.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Lagunitas

Lagunitas Fusion Series On Hold

Lagunitas Fusion Series of draft only beers are currently on hold, pending the current expansion.    The series has been deamed “unnecessary” as the brewery grows.  Fusion VIII, an American IPA was close to release nearly 4 months ago.   Best estimates, it has yet to be released.

The Series  includes:

VII — American IPA, 6.8%
VI- Imperial IPA, 7%
V- American Strong Ale 14% ABV
IV — Imperial Pilsner, 9.7% ABV
III — Imperial Stout, 10.2% ABV
II — Black IPA, 6% ABV
I — American IPA, 6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Cool Stuff, Surly Brewing

Look For Surly At Minnesota Twins Games

Minnesota Twins baseball will be a bit tastier this season.  Some of Surly Brewing’s beers will be available at Target Field this summer.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Mother Earth To Distribute To Atlanta

Mother Earth Brewing (Kingston, NC) is very seriously looking at expanding distribution to Atlanta.

The brewery was founding in 2008 by Trent Mooring and Stephen Hill.  They are joined by their head brewer Josh Brewer. (His real name!)  Mother Earth is known for brews like Weeping Willow Wit, and Tripel Over Head .  They have 2 cans in their arsenal: Second Wind & Sunny Haze.  Easily one of their most sought after is Silent Night, a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with coffee.

It is rumored that the brewery has already signed with a local distributor.  More info to follow…

Update 4/2/12: Looks like a Late May launch.  The brewery has signed with United Distributors.

Update 4/3/12:  Look for events and parties starting 5/7/12.    Launch beers include (Click for more info):

Draft & Bottles – Weeping Willow Wit, Endless River Kolsch

12 oz cans – Second Wind, Sunny Haze

Georgia is Mother Earth Brewing’s 2nd distribution state, after their home of North Carolina.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Terrapin’s Tree Hugger Arrives In April

Terrapin Beer Company will release a draft only beer in April dubbed “Tree Hugger.”  There’s a little backstory on this one.

Terrapin’s Spike Buckowski got pretty friendly with the altbier style on a recent trip to Germany.  Altbiers originated in Dusseldorf, Germany and are malty-nutty in flavor.  Tree Hugger will play off this style, but a little hoppier.  A hoppy altbier.

Some of the proceeds of Tree Hugger will benefit Decatur Green Fest.   The fest is a free concert on the Decatur Courthouse Square featuring local and regional musical artists benefitting the Dogwood Alliance and the Oakhurst Community Garden Project.

Style: Altbier
Availability: Draft only
Arrival: April, 2012 (Tentative)

?? ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Anheuser-Busch, Beer News

Anheuser-Busch To Intimidate For Sales?

This should leave some sour tastes in peoples mouths.  The beer giant Anheuser-Busch might just have a new method to increase shipments and sales. (Which both have been falling for sometime now.)

Instead of changing with the tastebuds of the consumer, or even just accepting some loss due to a booming market and a wide range of choices, AB is taking the low road as it were.  Forcing wholesalers to pick sides.  A form of intimidate as it were.    The low road is two fold.  First – Ship 19 new brands this year – like Shock Top Shandy and Bud Light Platinum.  Secondly, urging wholesalers NOT to carry rival products.

…Bud has urged 500 wholesalers to distribute fewer rival beers, warning that it will act against those who don’t. An unapologetic Edmond says wholesalers must pick sides, and show “loyalty” to InBev.

Your immediate reaction to this is probably pretty predictable.  Deceitful. Underhanded, etc.  Beer giants like InBev have a “big beer” stigma attached to them.  They have been called evil before and it would be easy to call them evil now.  A question to you  – would you happier if it was  smaller brewery doing the same thing?  Is it just business and competition? [Newser]

by Reid Ramsay