All the buzz in the UK is about the upcoming royal wedding. So exciting that England based Castle Rock is releasing “Kiss Me Kate” to honor the occasion. Brewdog Brewing is getting into the spirit too with a special Continue Reading →
Fifty Fifty Brewing’s Eclipse Imperial Stout is rapidly gaining national popularity. 5050 takes the stout and ages it in various whiskey & bourbon barrels. Starting at midnight last night the brewery starting taking email orders for the beer. The Continue Reading →
It’s hard to deny that fresh beer is definitely the best beer. We have all kept a beer a little long and it turned on us, or after a few weeks it’s just doesn’t taste like it did. Just Continue Reading →
Suck it Athens, Georgia. Atlanta finally gets growlers. Today Hop City becomes the first place to sell growlers, and the people love it. It looked like an iPhone launch for beer geeks.
The Brewer’s Association has released the top brewing companies by sales volume for 2010. There are 2 categories. Top 50 in the “craft” side of the business, and top 50 overall. <Brewers Association>
The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists reporting the top 50 brewing companies in the country, based on 2010 beer sales volume. The two lists are the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, comprising small and independent craft brewers,¹ and the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies. Thirty-six of the top 50 brewing companies are small and independent craft brewing companies.
“At more than 1,700, the number of breweries in the U.S. is higher than any time since the late 1800s,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Beer lovers’ appreciation for American craft brewers and their craft beers continue to grow.”
Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
(Based on 2010 beer sales volume)
Bell’s Brewing will start adding dates to their bottles this month. It’s not earth shattering news, as much as it is interesting. Currently, every bottle of Bell’s has a batch number that you can enter on their website and find Continue Reading →
Tonight was a big night for alcohol in Georgia. Sunday sales (SB 10) has passed by a vote of 127-44, allowing for the state to sell alcohol off premise on Sunday. If you’re not in Georgia, here’s a bit about Continue Reading →
Brewdog Looks To Keep Things “UP” For Royal Wedding
All the buzz in the UK is about the upcoming royal wedding. So exciting that England based Castle Rock is releasing “Kiss Me Kate” to honor the occasion. Brewdog Brewing is getting into the spirit too with a special release for the happy couple dubbed “Royal Virility Performance.” Limited to just 1,000 bottles, Virility is claiming to be full of plenty of performance enhancing additions. If you get what I mean. Brewdog’s take on the wedding hype:
A limited-edition beer containing Viagra to mark the forthcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29th. Brewed using various well known aphrodisiacs, the limited edition artisanal beer will only be available to buy from the BrewDog.com website. According to the specially commissioned label, the Royal Virility Performance contains Viagra, chocolate, Horny Goat Weed and ‘a healthy dose of sarcasm’. The beer is a 7.5% ABV India Pale Ale and has been brewed at BrewDog’s brewery in Fraserburgh.
With this beer we want to take the wheels off the royal wedding bandwagon being jumped on by dozens of breweries; The Royal Virility Performance is the perfect antidote to all the hype. A beer should be brewed with a purpose, not just because some toffs are getting married, so we created something at our brewery that will undermine those special edition beers and other assorted seaside tat, whilst at the same time actually give the happy couple something extra on their big day.
Bottles are about $16 U.S. dollars and ship on April 28th, the day before the blessed event. <Brewdog>
Fifty Fifty Brewing’s Eclipse Imperial Stout is rapidly gaining national popularity. 5050 takes the stout and ages it in various whiskey & bourbon barrels. Starting at midnight last night the brewery starting taking email orders for the beer. The inbox was full minutes later. Check out the 2011 list.
Announcing the limited release of futures for the 2011 Vintage of Eclipse Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout.
AVAILABLE AT 12:01AM PDT ON APRIL 15!
For a limited time only, you can reserve your bottles of 2011 Eclipse for a discount off the final retail price. 50% down at time of order, with the remainder due at product pickup. Limited quantities of the following styles are available as futures: Elijah Craig 12 year Barrel ($20/btl, $10 down, limit 24) Four Roses Single Barrel ($20/btl, $10 down, limit 12) Rittenhouse Rye Barrel ($20/btl, $10 down, limit 12) Elijah Craig 20 year Barrel ($22/btl, $11 down, limit 12) Brandy Barrel Blend ($22/btl, $11 down, limit 6) Buffalo Trace Barrel Blend ($22/btl, $11 down, limit 4) Brewmaster’s Grand Cru Blend — A blend from selected barrels of 2011 Eclipse chosen by the Brewmaster ($24/btl, $12 down, limit 2)
Futures can be ordered one of three ways: (1) in person at the brewery; (2) Call the brewery at 530.587.BEER (but please not during peak dinner hours on Friday/Saturday nights); (3) Complete the ORDER FORM and email to [email protected].
It’s hard to deny that fresh beer is definitely the best beer. We have all kept a beer a little long and it turned on us, or after a few weeks it’s just doesn’t taste like it did. Just published in the Journal Of Agriculture & Food Chemistry, scientists have discovered a way to extend the shelf life of beer. Fresher longer.
After analyzing multiple commercial brews fresh & after storage. (Brands not immediately disclosed.) Scientists have found 56 substances that contribute to the bitter flavor that some beers develop over time. These bitter agents actually come from hops called “prenylated polyketides.” The prevention or slowing of the development of these polyketides will prolong the fresh flavor of the beer overtime. This involves montoring the pH level & temperature of the beer. <ACS>
Suck it Athens, Georgia. Atlanta finally gets growlers. Today Hop City becomes the first place to sell growlers, and the people love it. It looked like an iPhone launch for beer geeks.
If you don’t know about growlers, its like this. $5 gets you a glass jug in which you pour draft beer into. It’s then capped, and you open it within a few days & drink it. Fresh from the tap to your house. Rinse it. Take the growler back & get it filled again..
Growlers are quite popular in other parts of the U.S. but those pesky antiquated state laws get in the way. Now you can. Hop City sells the growlers for $5 dollars plus the price of the beer. There are 16 taps to choose from, rotating constantly. Today’s first 16 included Wild Heaven’s Ode To Mercy & Invocation, Jailhouse Breakout Stout, Terrapin Moo Hoo & Rye Squared, Sweetwater Happy Ending 2010 & IPA, Red Brick 16th Anniversary, Stillwater, New Belgium 10-10-10 & Oh La La, Duvel Green, Lost Abbey Red Barn, Victory Braumeister Stout, Brooklyn Lager, & Southern Tier 2X IPA.
Red Brick blew first and was replaced by French Broad Anvil Porter. 5pm found a line out the door. Everyone was patient, especially as the new system gets polished up. Yours truly was the first in Atlanta history to get a growler. I’m drunkenly proud. The tap handles will constantly change as another beer runs out, so check the list everyday.
Sunday sales and growlers in the same week. Told ya Santa Claus was an alcoholic.
The Brewer’s Association has released the top brewing companies by sales volume for 2010. There are 2 categories. Top 50 in the “craft” side of the business, and top 50 overall. <Brewers Association>
The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, released its annual lists reporting the top 50 brewing companies in the country, based on 2010 beer sales volume. The two lists are the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies, comprising small and independent craft brewers,¹ and the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies. Thirty-six of the top 50 brewing companies are small and independent craft brewing companies.
“At more than 1,700, the number of breweries in the U.S. is higher than any time since the late 1800s,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Beer lovers’ appreciation for American craft brewers and their craft beers continue to grow.”
Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
(Based on 2010 beer sales volume)
Rank
Brewing Company
City
State
1
Boston Beer Co.
Boston
MA
2
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico
CA
3
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins
CO
4
Spoetzl Brewery*
Shiner
TX
5
Deschutes Brewery
Bend
OR
6
Independent Brewers United (IBU)*
Burlington
VT
7
Matt Brewing Co.
Utica
NY
8
Bell’s Brewery, Inc.
Galesburg
MI
9
Harpoon Brewery
Boston
MA
10
Boulevard Brewing Co.
Kansas City
MO
11
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton
DE
12
Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co.
Juneau
AK
13
Long Trail Brewing Co.
Bridgewater Corners
VT
14
Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido
CA
15
Abita Brewing Co.
Abita Springs
LA
16
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn
NY
17
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Petaluma
CA
18
Full Sail Brewing Co.
Hood River
OR
19
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Portland
ME
20
Summit Brewing Co.
St. Paul
MN
21
New Glarus Brewing Co.
New Glarus
WI
22
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Cleveland
OH
23
Anchor Brewing Co.
San Francisco
CA
24
Kona Brewery LLC*
Kailua-Kona
HI
25
Rogue Ales
Newport
OR
26
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Paso Robles
CA
27
Sweetwater Brewing Co.
Atlanta
GA
28
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick
MD
29
Victory Brewing Co.
Downingtown
PA
30
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.
San Jose
CA
31
BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc.
Huntington Beach
CA
32
Stevens Point Brewery Co.
Stevens Point
WI
33
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins
CO
34
BridgePort Brewing Co.*
Portland
OR
35
Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants
Louisville
CO
36
Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont
CO
37
Blue Point Brewing Co.
Patchogue
NY
38
Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe
Eureka
CA
39
Big Sky Brewing Co.
Missoula
MT
40
North Coast Brewing Co. Inc.
Fort Bragg
CA
41
Mac and Jack’s Brewery
Redmond
WA
42
The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc.
Maplewood
MO
43
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Cloverdale
CA
44
Karl Strauss Brewing Co.
San Diego
CA
45
Breckenridge Brewery
Denver
CO
46
Utah Brewers Cooperative
Salt Lake City
UT
47
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants
Chattanooga
TN
48
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Houston
TX
49
Real Ale Brewing Co.
Blanco
TX
50
Ninkasi Brewing Co.
Eugene
OR
*Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies notes: Spoetzl is part of Gambrinus Company; IBU January-August only prior to sale to North American Breweries (NAB); Kona January-September only prior to sale to Craft Brewers Alliance (CBA); BridgePort is part of Gambrinus Company.
Top 50 Brewing Companies
(Based on 2010 beer sales volume)
Rank
Brewing Company
City
State
1
Anheuser-Busch Inc.
St. Louis
MO
2
MillerCoors Brewing Co.
Chicago
IL
3
Pabst
Woodbridge
IL
4
D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc.
Pottsville
PA
5
Boston Beer Co.
Boston
MA
6
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico
CA
7
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins
CO
8
North American Breweries*
Rochester
NY
9
Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc.*
Portland
OR
10
Spoetzl Brewery*
Shiner
TX
11
Deschutes Brewery
Bend
OR
12
Independent Brewers United (IBU)*
Burlington
VT
13
Matt Brewing Co.
Utica
NY
14
Minhas Craft Brewery
Monroe
WI
15
Bell’s Brewery, Inc.
Galesburg
MI
16
Harpoon Brewery
Boston
MA
17
Boulevard Brewing Co.
Kansas City
MO
18
Goose Island Beer Co.
Chicago
IL
19
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton
DE
20
Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co.
Juneau
AK
21
Long Trail Brewing Co.
Bridgewater Corners
VT
22
August Schell Brewing Co.
New Ulm
MN
23
Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido
CA
24
Abita Brewing Co.
Abita Springs
LA
25
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn
NY
26
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Petaluma
CA
27
Full Sail Brewing Co.
Hood River
OR
28
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Portland
ME
29
Summit Brewing Co.
St Paul
MN
30
New Glarus Brewing Co.
New Glarus
WI
31
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Cleveland
OH
32
Anchor Brewing Co.
San Francisco
CA
33
Iron City Brewing Co.
Pittsburgh
PA
34
Kona Brewery LLC*
Kailua-Kona
HI
35
Rogue Ales
Newport
OR
36
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Paso Robles
CA
37
Winery Exchange Inc. / World Brews
Novato
CA
38
Sweetwater Brewing Co.
Atlanta
GA
39
Mendocino Brewing Co.
Ukiah
CA
40
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick
MD
41
Victory Brewing Co.
Downingtown
PA
42
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.
San Jose
CA
43
BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc.
Huntington Beach
CA
44
Stevens Point Brewery Co.
Stevens Point
WI
45
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins
CO
46
BridgePort Brewing Co.*
Portland
OR
47
Cold Spring Brewing Co.
Cold Spring
MN
48
Rock Bottom Brewery
Louisville
CO
49
Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont
CO
50
Straub Brewery
Saint Marys
PA
*Top 50 Brewing Companies notes: NAB includes IBU August-December; CBA includes Kona October-December; Spoetzl is part of Gambrinus Company; and IBU is January-August only (sale to NAB); Kona is January-September only (sale to CBA); BridgePort is part of Gambrinus Company. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for the Top 50 rankings.
The Association’s full 2010 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available May 18.
¹The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 6 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer’s brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.
Contact
Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program Director, [email protected], 303.447.0816 x113
Barbara Fusco, Sales & Marketing Director, [email protected], 303.447.0816 x152
Bell’s Adds Bottle Dating. No More Lonely Bottles.
Bell’s Brewing will start adding dates to their bottles this month. It’s not earth shattering news, as much as it is interesting. Currently, every bottle of Bell’s has a batch number that you can enter on their website and find out when the beer was brewed. This new system will still contain the batch code, plus a “shelf life” code. Speculation: Bell’s will issue a code chart corresponding to a suggested shelf life/cellar life. Bells:
Bell’s Brewery is proud to announce that we will begin printing packaging date information directly onto the labels of our beers in late April 2011. We have installed the necessary high-speed printing equipment and are currently fine-tuning the system and conducting final validation checks. This is a step that has been on our minds for some time now, and we are looking forward to having it fully operational soon.
We’ve elected to go with the actual date of packaging rather than a “best before” date.
Tonight was a big night for alcohol in Georgia. Sunday sales (SB 10) has passed by a vote of 127-44, allowing for the state to sell alcohol off premise on Sunday. If you’re not in Georgia, here’s a bit about the alcohol situation in the state. Sales of alcohol (wine, beer, liquor) were only permitted between 12pm & 12 am (2 am for some counties) for ON premise only. That means bars. Grocery stores can sell beer and wine in the state, but not on sunday. That goes for all package stores.
For the first time in 8 years, the State of Georgia has a governor that would sign Sunday sales into law. With Nathan Deal’s signature, each of the state’s 157 counties can hold referendums to decide whether to allow sales.
Until tonight, Georgia was one of only three states that does not allow Sunday sales. The others are Indiana and Connecticut. <AJC>
All the buzz in the UK is about the upcoming royal wedding. So exciting that England based Castle Rock is releasing “Kiss Me Kate” to honor the occasion. Brewdog Brewing is getting into the spirit too with a special release for the happy couple dubbed “Royal Virility Performance.” Limited to just 1,000 bottles, Virility is claiming to be full of plenty of performance enhancing additions. If you get what I mean. Brewdog’s take on the wedding hype:
