Headlines

Hard Mtn Dew is coming in 2022

Coming in 2022 – Hard Mtn Dew. You 100% read that right. 

PepsiCo and Boston Beer Co. are currently working on the new alcoholic beverage, slated to be released in multiple flavors next year. 

This release is hot on the heels of Continue Reading →

PBR releases a 1,776 pack to celebrate July 4th

After 18 months full of words we are completely tired of hearing, like “social distancing,” “self isolation,” or “new normal,” Pabst Blue Ribbon is celebrating America’s Independence in the most PBR way possible…with a 1,776 pack of beer.

The freedom-inspired #1776Pack is Continue Reading →

Posted in Southern Tier Brewing, Headlines

Southern Tier Pumking is now a King & Cola cocktail in a can

Southern Tier Distilling, the spirits arm of Southern Tier Brewing, has launched three new RTD (Ready To Drink) cocktails offerings as summer winds down. One of them is a cocktail inspired the brewery’s popular pumpkin beer Pumking, dubbed King & Cola.

The story starts with Pumking, one of the most well-known pumpkin beers in the U.S, first released in 2007. Last fall, the distillery released Pumking Whiskey, a flavored whiskey based on the seasonal release. As RTD popularity rises, and very much inline with Southern Tier’s progression of their successful pumpkin lineup, King & Cola is making its initial debut.

The distillery calls this cocktail “crushable,” with a balance of pumpkin pie spices, and peppery cola (while the term “coke” has become colloquial, it’s trademarked by the big red Atlanta-based sugar giant.) We tried Pumking Whiskey last year, and was beyond surprised at the result. The whiskey really is  fall in a shot glass. It’s dangerously easy to drink, and one you don’t want to over do. 

RELATED: WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU SOUTHERN TIER WHISKEY, YOU MAKE PUMPKIN BOMBS

Arriving alongside King & Cola is Vodka Pink Lemonade, and Lime Agave Margarita.

Lime Margarita uses lime juice, orange flavors and Blanco Agave Spirits, which doesn’t appear on their distillery website. Pink Lemonade is your basic vodka and soda, with a touch of lemon thyme flavor, and fruit juice for color.  

Each of the new Southern Tier cocktails are 8% alcohol by volume, available in 12-ounce can/4-packs in the greater New York Area. 

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

Hard Mtn Dew is coming in 2022

Coming in 2022 – Hard Mtn Dew. You 100% read that right. 

PepsiCo and Boston Beer Co. are currently working on the new alcoholic beverage, slated to be released in multiple flavors next year. 

This release is hot on the heels of Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico Hard Seltzer that hit the market earlier this year, leveraging Topo Chico fame to grab some of the hard seltzer market. Energy drink maker Bang, as well as Four Loko have made hard seltzers, with Rock Star Hard Seltzer coming to market in the near future.  

At least three flavors of Hard Mtn Dew are planned, including Black Cherry, Watermelon, and regular Mountain Dew, each 5% alcohol by volume and boasting zero sugar. 

The announcement of Hard Mtn Dew comes just weeks after Boston Beer announced that hard seltzer darling Truly are down 26% – most likely due to an increasingly crowded seltzer market. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Headlines

Shake Shake founder mandates employee & guest Covid-19 vaccinations for Hospitality Group

Danny Meyer, founder of Shake Shack and Union Square Hospitality Group, is taking a hard line approach towards guests eating and drinking in their establishments. In-house guests will have to show proof of vaccination to get inside. 

Meyer made the announcement on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Thursday afternoon. According to the interview, the mandate will apply to their full service restaurants in New York and Washington D.C.

“We’re following the lead of city, state, and federal government, and we’re going to do this ourselves…. Our full service restaurants in New York City and Washington D.C. to require that all staff members be vaccinated, and also to require guests that want to dine indoors show proof they have been vaccinated.” 

When pressed on whether there would be potential legal backlash from employees that don’t want to be forced to get vaccinated, or whether it will motivate employees to leave work, Meyer stated “If that’s the case, that would be sad. We really tried to lead with a carrot for many many months now. It’s been about 150 days that we’ve been truly encouraging people. A vast majority of the Union Square Hospitality Group have been vaccinated. 

The Group has given employees 8 hours of paid time off to go receive the vaccination, as well has holding open vaccinations in the restaurants. 

However, Meyer alluded to an unemployment ultimatum for the employees not vaccinated within the next 45 days – “We are going to give our employee 45 days. Hopefully this is the incentive [the dual vaccination requirement] to say, “Now I’m going to do it.”

Meyer also went on to say that a Covid-19 vaccination is inline with other hygienic restaurant precautions like gloves and hand washing. 

Shake Shack has not made a similar sweeping employee and customer vaccine mandate. Union Square Hospitality Group does not have control of the burger franchise. 

“The is the most logical thing I can think of,” Meyer added. 

This mandate comes as Covid-19 Delta variants infections are on the rise, seemingly for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. 

Union Square operates Anchovy Social, Blue Smoke, Caffe Marchio, Cedric’s At The Shed, Ci Saimo, Daily Provisions, Gramery Tavern, Intersect by Lexus, Loball, Mailino, Manhattan, Marta The Modern, and Porchlight, Tacocina, Union Square Cafe, and Vini E Fritti restaurants. 

The vaccination mandate goes into effect starting September 7th, 2021.

Per Union Square Hospitality website

 

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

Atlanta’s SweetWater acquires Red Truck Brewing, announces west coast brewery

Atlanta based SweetWater Brewing Company has announced a new production facility, taproom, and restaurant in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This week, SweetWater acquired Red Truck Brewing, a Canadian brewery that bought the brewery from Fort Collins Brewing back in 2017. Red Truck closed its doors in March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, and never reopened. The amount of the purchase has not been disclosed.

The 32,450 square foot space will see brewing and packaging equipment upgrades, as well as a taproom and restaurant overhaul. 

Late last year, SweetWater was acquired Canadian based cannabis company, Aphria Inc., a sale highly motivated by the success of the brewery’s 420 Strain Series of beers.

Additionally, the Denver Airport will soon be home to a SweetWater airport bar location, joining Last Call Bar and Grill in Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport. 

SweetWater ranks 11th in overall production volume amongst craft brewers in U.S. for calendar year 2020 according to the Brewers Association, currently distributing to 34 states. 

The brewery opened in 1997. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Pabst Blue Ribbon, Headlines

PBR releases a 1,776 pack to celebrate July 4th

After 18 months full of words we are completely tired of hearing, like “social distancing,” “self isolation,” or “new normal,” Pabst Blue Ribbon is celebrating America’s Independence in the most PBR way possible…with a 1,776 pack of beer.

The freedom-inspired #1776Pack is being sent to four different groups the brewery loves – including Igloo (because cold beer), skateboarding podcast The Nine Club, comedian Ali Macofsky, and the band Hot Mulligan. Content on PBR’s social media channels will feature content from the preceding, presumably drinking all 1,776 beers. Probably not all at once.

America REALLY was meant to be. The 1776 pack contains 148 12-packs of PBR. If the Declaration of Independence had been adopted in 1775, you’d have 147 12-packs and one weird 11 pack. Or even worse, 1777, you’d have an extra beer rolling around in there. Perhaps it was part of the grand design all along.

Sadly, those thirsty for the 1,776 pack will have to resign themselves to buying all 148 12-packs separately and pretending. It won’t be publicly available. However the 99-pack is making a comeback in stores this July. You’ll only need 17.93 of those to equal 1776. You figure out what .93 of a beer is on your own.

“We figured the best way to honor the year America claimed its independence was to make a box that held that many beers – 1,776.  It’s the least we could do. I mean beyond making our beer can red, and white, and blue. Actually 1,776 is the most we could do because 1,777 seemed excessive.” – Nick Reely, VP Marketing – Pabst Blue Ribbon

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. (and a lot of beer.)” – Thomas Jefferson (mostly.)

Image: Pabst Blue Ribbon

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Highland Brewing, Headlines

Highland Brewing returns to downtown Asheville with 2nd taproom

Highland Brewing, Asheville’s oldest craft brewery will open a second taproom next week in their home city. The brewery got its start more than two decades ago in the downtown area, and starting next week will have a home in the center of the city once again.

The historic S&W Building in downtown Asheville, opened in 1929, is now home to the The S&W Market. Building owners Ellington Realty Group has partnered with five-time James Beard nominee Meherwan Irani, known for Chai Pani Restaurant Group and Spicewalla for five different internal food concepts. The space is anchored by a two floor Highland Brewing tap room.

📸Tim Robinson

Highland will have 18 taps on site, featuring small batch and barrel aged offerings. Patrons are free to drink, eat, work and wander through the hall at their own leisure.

The food tenants include Bun Intended, Buxton Chicken Palace, Farm Dogs, Hop Ice Cream S&W, and Peace, Love & Tacos. Adjacent to the S&W Building is The Times Bar.

The S&W Market is located at 56 Patton Avenue in Asheville, open to the public on June 16th.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Guinness, Headlines

Nick Offerman & Lagavulin unveil a Guinness cask finished whisky

Actor Nick Offerman, Lagavulin Whiskey, and Guinness are debuting a new partnership ahead of Father’s Day 2021. A combination of single malt whisky and beer – Meet Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish.

Offerman and Lagavulin began a partnership back in 2014. Offerman, probably most famously known as Ron Swanson on the tv show Parks and Rec, was often seen drinking Lagavulin Whisky and rare steaks throughout the show. Swanson (Offerman) even visited the distillery in Scotland in Season 6.

Created with Offerman’s father Ric in mind, Lagavulin took an 11 year Islay Single Malt and aged it for 4 months in Guinness casks from the brewery’s Open Gate Brewery in Maryland. The resulting flavor is describing as  ‘sweet peat’ – combining the intense peat and charred wood notes of the Lagavulin with the roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and sweet caramel notes from the Guinness casks.

Offerman’s entire Lagavulin: My Tales of Whisky, including a new episode for this new collaboration is available on YouTube.

Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish will be available in 750-milliliter bottles at select retailers starting in May, $79.99 each.

 

by Reid Ramsay