Headlines

Wicked Weed Brewing acquired by Anheuser-Busch

This might come as a shock for some. Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing has been acquired by Anheuser-Busch.

Walt and Luke Dickinson, along with Ryan Guthy, started work on a plan that would eventually become nationally known Wicked Weed in 2009. Continue Reading →

Founders is building a second brewery in Detroit

Grand Rapids, Michigan based Founders Brewing Company is building a second facility in Detroit.

RELATED: Founders to release a watermelon gose

The new fully operational brewery and taproom will be located in the lower Cass Corridor neighborhood in Midtown Detroit. Some of the Continue Reading →

Posted in Headlines

Lagunitas now “fully connected” to Heineken

In a new world of buy-outs and acquisitions (especially this week), there is more news. Lagunitas is merging the rest of their holdings into Heineken.

The original deal, announced back in 2015, was for a 50% stake in California born Lagunitas. The original stake purchase valued in the $100’s of millions was a cash generator for the brewery. At the time, the deal set the value of Lagunitas at $1 billion.

Since opening, Lagunitas has built a second production facility in Chicago, and a new Azusa, California production facility.

Today, Tony Magee announced the brewery will be “fully connected” with Heineken. The statement is a little vague on that remaining 50%, but we are assuming the remaining stake has been purchased by Heineken.

Magee says in a statement:

Today we’re announcing our decision to connect Lagunitas completely with Heineken. Some who don’t fully understand it all may say it is selling out. Truth is that we did then, and are now ‘buying in’… Money has value and equity has value too.

What we know. Tony Magee will still remain in the executive chair. He will still jump into the brewery at will, get involved on his choice of projects, name beers, design labels, and collaborate with brewmaster Jeremy Marshall.

For me it’ll be a chance to make new friends in the brewing world all over the world and to help inspire the efforts of the last great family-controlled global brewer in the world. This is the most humbling and simultaneously energizing ‘next-phase’ imaginable to me.

Heineken is the second largest brewery in the world, after A-B InBev merged with SABMiller.

Developing… 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Anheuser-Busch, Headlines

Wicked Weed Brewing acquired by Anheuser-Busch

This might come as a shock for some. Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing has been acquired by Anheuser-Busch.

Walt and Luke Dickinson, along with Ryan Guthy, started work on a plan that would eventually become nationally known Wicked Weed in 2009. The brewery started as small brewpub in downtown Asheville and eventually expanded into the all-oak wild and sour “Funkatorium.” Shortly after that build, the brewery added a full production facility just outside of Asheville. Then in 2016, Wicked Weed announced a second sour facility located near Asheville’s airport. That’s four facilities in nearly 4 years.

“This is an exciting time for the entire brewing team. Our ability to create a wide range of really well executed beers that are focused on creativity, quality and drinkability is what makes Wicked Weed great. We have chosen to partner with The High End to position ourselves to make Wicked Weed what we imagined it could be when we first sat at a craft beer bar and talked about opening a brewery. As a brewer, giving our team more resources to continue innovating our portfolio and the ability to reach more craft drinkers, allows us to keep putting the beer and the people first.” Co-founder Walt Dickinson

Today Wicked Weed Brewing becomes the next multi-million dollar acquisition by the world’s largest brewery Anheuser-Busch. Their purchase expands A-B’s “High End” division which includes Goose Island, Blue Point Brewing, Breckenridge Brewing, Golden Road, 10 Barrel Brewing, Elysian, and Four Peaks Brewing.

Plus… they just dropped over $104 billion on SABMiller.

Wicked Weed’s lineup will join the brewery’s ever expanding “High End” portfolio. Wicked Weed Brewing employs more than 200 people across their four facilities. According the brewery, the founding ownership will continue to lead the brewery.

Interestingly, the downtown brewpub is closed until 5pm today for “Staff Training”.

The sum of the deal was not disclosed.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Odell Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Odell Pryus & Prunus Pear & Peach Sour is coming to the sour & wild Cellar Series

Odell Pryus & Prunus Pear & Peach Sour is destined for the brewery’s Cellar Series this year.

The Fort Collins, Colorado based brewery is home to releases like Zard-Alu Sour Apricot Ale, Pina Agria, and most recently Dark Theory. The brewery’s love of fruits will be expressed once again with Odell Pryus & Prunus Pear & Peach Sour.

The base beer is a sour golden ale, brewed with hefty additions of fresh pears and peach puree, resulting in a bright, tart beer.

Pryus & Prunus is an oak aged sour golden ale brewed with heavy additions of pear and peach puree resulting in a full bodied, pleasantly effervescent, refreshingly tart ale. The two fruits work in harmony, as aromas of peach pie and fresh pear swirl from the glass. The tart complexity of the sour blonde marries with rip fruit flavors that burst forth with every sip. Enjoy.

Like previous series releases, Odell Pryus & Prunus Pear & Peach Sour will have limited availability in 750 milliliter bottles, and draft.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Peaches. Pears. Oak Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

6.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Terrapin Beer Company, Coming Soon, Headlines

Terrrapin Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Lime Gose will be Side Project #31

Terrapin Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Lime Gose is on deck in Athens, Georgia.

The brewery already has a winner in the gose style – Watermelon Gose. The beer tastes like summer feels. Joining the brewery’s Side Project Series is  Terrrapin Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Lime Gose, another warm weather/tropically inspired beer.

The name pretty much gives away the composition of this gose; nuanced with limes, pink sea salt, and coriander.

The Gose is made with mineral-rich Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and has flavors of fresh squeezed Makrut Limes and subtle hints of Coriander. Quench your thirst as you meditate on our latest brew.

Side Project #29 is hitting shelves now – Chubby Bunny, a decadent s’mores inspired imperial milk stout. Also preceding this release will be Side Project #30, Blueberry Thyme Saison.

Look for Terrapin Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Lime Gose in 22 ounce bottles and draft this summer.

Style: Gose (w/ Limes. Coriander. Sea Salt.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

4.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, Brewery Expansions, Headlines

Founders is building a second brewery in Detroit

Grand Rapids, Michigan based Founders Brewing Company is building a second facility in Detroit.

RELATED: Founders to release a watermelon gose

The new fully operational brewery and taproom will be located in the lower Cass Corridor neighborhood in Midtown Detroit. Some of the brewery’s strongest in-state support comes from east Michigan, making the build an even easier justification.

“It’s a hard working, no-nonsense, culturally diverse and musically-inspired town, which happens to have the best sports teams in the country. Some of our strongest support has come from the east side of Michigan, and we could not think of a better place to expand our taproom experience. We anticipate creating a taproom that is inspired by what we do in Grand Rapids, but unique in its own Motown way. We’re excited to be a larger part of ‘the D’!” – March Dorich, VP Founders Retail OpsFounders is building a second facility in Detroit

The Founders Detroit Taproom (seen above) will be located at 456 Charlotte Street. Construction begins this summer, with completion the following winter. The brewery did not comment on the cost of the build.

Founders has been based in Grand Rapids since they opened in 1997.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Campfire beer. New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores is coming soon

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores is coming to the coveted “Reserve” series in the near future.

By now, the Holland, Michigan based brewery’s Dragon’s Milk, an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels, is pretty iconic. For years, New Holland has been releasing a year-round imperial stout, which has garnered a bit of a cult following. For many, a barrel-aged imperial stout knows no season.

Rewarding that love of big stouts, the brewery created the Dragon’s Milk Reserve Series, a special series that takes Dragon’s Milk to new heights. Entries into the series include the ridiculously tasty Coconut Rum, Vanilla Chai, and hitting shelves now – Mexican Spice Cake. Soon, your campfires can be enhanced by S’mores Dragon’s Milk Reserve.

This future 11% alcohol by volume imperial stout boasts hints of toasted marshmallow and graham cracker (plus, it’s aged in bourbon).

Hints of toasted marshmallow and graham cracker compliment the chocolate character of Dragon’s Milk, giving this Reserve a flavor reminiscent of campfires and summer nights.

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores will be available in 12 ounce bottles and draft. The brewery has not yet announced this release.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Marshmallow, Graham Cracker. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

11% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Offshoot Beer Co., Headlines

The Bruery creates Offshoot Beer Co. and finally brews an IPA

April Fool’s Day 2017 has come and gone, and The Bruery’s “joke” has turned out to be not a joke at all. Offshoot Beer Co. is a very real thing.

Patrick Rue has said for years that The Bruery will never release an IPA. Technically he will always be right. The closest they’ve ever come is Humulus Lager, which is hopped like an IPA, but uses an lager yeast. Sneaky, sneaky. When Rue started The Bruery in 2008, the India pale ale scene was already crowded. He never saw the point in going down that route.

Nearly a decade later, the IPA still dominates craft brewing. Plus, the talented team at The Bruery most certainly has had an itch to go hoppy. Even if it is the time to release the venerable India pale ale, no amount of hops will make it fit The Bruery or Bruery Terreux’s branding.

Joel Kennedy, marketing manager for The Bruery tells Beer Street Journal that the big ideas around there usually come from Patrick Rue. Any IPA that was going to come from his team would have be from a different brand. Offshoot Beer Co. was born.

It wasn’t until the 2nd of April that fans of The Bruery started to realize this was no joke at all.

Offshoot Beer Co. is the third brand approach by the California based brewery and will specialize in IPAs. Initial releases like Perjury, Delayed Gratification, and Out of Context all got their start on the brewery’s 3 barrel experimental brewhouse, headed up by Andrew Bell.

Hazy IPAs, aka “New England Style IPAs” are hot right now, and that’s exactly where Offshoot Beer Co. begins their hoppy journey. “Fashionably Late,” and “Better Late Than Never,” each sport an 80’s theme and embody everything the haze fans crave. Those in 16 ounce cans, a first for The Bruery, thanks to mobile canning.

Offshoot Beer Co. shows off the the whimsical, playful side of The Bruery. If you can’t already tell, the names are poking fun at themselves from the get-go. Each month expect two new cans to surface. New styles, new names, even new themes. For now, you have to sign up on the interest list in order to get your hands on these cans, and even then, limited to pick up at the brewery (At least for the foreseeable future).

The Bruery and Brewery Terreux have always carried an air of class and sophistication. With Offshoot Beer Co., the weird (and hoppy) side of The Bruery we always knew was there is about to show, and starting this month – you’ll finally get to taste it.

 

by Reid Ramsay