Press Releases

The First Gene For Beer Foam Could Improve Froth (PR)

“Cloning and Characterization of the Beer-Foaming Gene CFG1 fromSaccharomyces pastorianus”
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

The yeast used to make beer has yielded what may be the first gene for beer foam, scientists are reporting in a new study. Published in ACS’ Journal of Continue Reading →

Bridgeport Crafts Fairy Tale “Enchanted” (PR)

BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY CRAFTS A FAIRY TALE IN ‘ENCHANTED’, A LIMITTED EDITION RESERVE ALE

New Bottle Aged Brew to be Released at This Year’s Great American Beer Festival, Oct. 11-13

PORTLAND, Ore. — October 10, 2012 — BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, Continue Reading →

Posted in Press Releases

The First Gene For Beer Foam Could Improve Froth (PR)

“Cloning and Characterization of the Beer-Foaming Gene CFG1 fromSaccharomyces pastorianus”
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

The yeast used to make beer has yielded what may be the first gene for beer foam, scientists are reporting in a new study. Published in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the discovery opens the door to new possibilities for improving the frothy “head” so critical to the aroma and eye appeal of the world’s favorite alcoholic beverage, they say.

Tomás G. Villa and colleagues explain that proteins from the barley and yeast used to make beer contribute to the quality of its foam. The foamy head consists of bubbles containing carbon dioxide gas, which yeast produces during fermentation. Proteins gather around the gas, forming the bubbles in the foam. Studies have shown that proteins from the yeast stabilize the foam, preventing the head from disappearing too soon. But until now, no one knew which yeast gene was responsible for making the foam-stabilizing protein.

The researchers identified the gene, which they call CFG1. The gene is similar to those already identified in wine and sake yeasts that also are involved in foaming. “Taken together all the results shown in the present paper make … CFG1 gene a good candidate to improve the foam character in the brewing industry,” they say.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Press Releases

New Belgium Releases Last Round of LOF In 2012 (PR)

Ft. Collins, CO (October 31, 2012) — New Belgium Brewing’s Lips of Faith Series (http://www.newbelgium.com/beer.aspx) is rolling out its fourth and final round of Lips of Faith beers for 2012. The selections are Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout and Biere de Garde, a collaboration ale with Michigan-based Brewery Vivant.

New Belgium recently began selling its products in Michigan, affording the opportunity to collaborate with Grand Rapids-based Brewery Vivant. The breweries first worked together to create Escoffier, which was met with high regard, and now they’ve created a beer for the Lips of Faith series. The bright and refreshing Biere de Garde ale has a citrus bite from the peels of oranges and bergamots, reinforced with Sorachi Ace hops. The copper-colored beer is brewed with pale malt, oats for creaminess, and a hint of clove from Vivant’s house yeast, which brings a spicy bite to the finish. Alcohol by volume: 9%.

To read more about the friendship that has formed between the breweries, visithttp://www.newbelgium.com/Community/Blog/12-09-13/Dear-Brewery-Vivant.aspx andhttp://www.breweryvivant.com/index.php/blog/.

Another match made in heaven — coffee and chocolate — is showcased in New Belgium’s other Lips of Faith selection, Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout. This strong stout is packed with Fort Collins’-own Cafe Richesse espresso, brewed with roasted barley and Midnight Wheat Malt, and spiced with fair trade cocoa nibs. The beer is an extra dark color with a mocha-colored head. Alcohol by volume is 10%.

“Lips of Faith has become a perfect venue for collaborating with brewing brethren around the country,” said New Belgium brewer Grady Hull. “We’ve always been inspired by Brewer Vivant’s beers and this collaboration speaks to our mutual respect.”

“Our Imperial Stout answers the call for beer drinkers seeking the rich, full character of a coffee stout,” added Hull. “The coffee and chocolate combine to offer a bold flavor with a warming brace of alcohol for those cold winter months.”

Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout and Biere de Garde will be available in November within select markets. Pricing varies by location.

The Lips of Faith series features New Belgium’s more esoteric and palate-elevating creations. The beers are only available in certain locations and for about three months, or as long as supplies last.

To find New Belgium beers in your area, you can use the New Belgium Libation Location tool:http://www.newbelgium.com/beer.aspx. You can also follow New Belgium on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/newbelgium and Twitter @NewBelgium.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces nine year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Ranger IPA, Belgo IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visitwww.newbelgium.com.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Odell Brewing, Press Releases

Odell Brewing Celebrates the 2012 Friek Release (PR)

Fort Collins, CO. — On November 10, 2012, Odell Brewing will release this year’s batch of Friek. The Kriek and Framboise hybrid returns for its third year.“Friek is certainly one of our most highly anticipated offerings in our Cellar Series,” said Jason Bowser,tap room manager for Odell Brewing. “Both our guests and our co-workers look forward to this beer, especially during the holiday season.”

An adaptation of a Lambic style ale, Friek is aged in oak barrels with cherries grown on Colorado’s western slope. It is then blended with Colorado raspberries. The result marries a subtle cherry tartness with a hint of sweet raspberry and a crisp dry finish. The slightly sour profile is derived from a combination of wild yeasts, lactobacillus, and pediococcus and will increase over time. Odell Brewing will celebrate the return of Friek with a tap room celebration on Saturday, November 10th.

Guests can enjoy samples of the beer, tasty local fare, and live music by Gypsy Fit from 4 — 6 p.m. Friek will be available in 750 ml cork and cage finished bottles throughout the brewery’s ten state distribution footprint.

Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-three years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand crafted, innovative brews. As a regional craft brewery, Odell Brewing is committed to serving the communities in which it distributes by sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was recently named a “Top Company of 2010” by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for Friek. 2010 North American Beer Awards — gold medal for Woodcut No. 3. 2009 BrewNZ Awards — gold for 5 Barrel Pale Ale. 2008 World Beer Cup® — gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® — gold medal for IPA.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Maui Brewing Company, Press Releases

Maui Hawaii 90 Wee Heavy Gets Gold! (PR)

LAHAINA, MAUI, HI – 26 October 2012 – Maui Brewing Co. (MBC) was very proud to accept a gold medal for their Hawaii 90 Wee Heavy Scotch Ale awarded at the recent Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, CO.  Wee Heavy won in Category 59, the Scottish-Style Ale category.  This year, 4338 beers were entered into the competition and 185 judges from 11 countries judged 84 categories of beers, covering 134 beer styles.  In total, 251 medals were awarded.

GABF is not only about sampling quality beer but is also a beer competition. Breweries enter their beers to be judged by the festival’s professional judges. Festival attendees can also sample many of the beers entered in the competition during the tasting sessions. Gold, silver or bronze medals are awarded and these are recognized around the world as symbols of brewing excellence. These awards are among the most coveted in the industry.  Five different three-hour judging sessions take place over the three-day period during the week of the festival. Judges are assigned beers to evaluate in their specific area of expertise and never judge their own product or any product in which they have an interest.

The GABF Awards Criteria is as follows:

Gold: A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specified style, displaying the proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance.

Silver: An excellent beer that may vary slightly from style parameters while maintaining close adherence to the style and displaying excellent taste, aroma and appearance.

Bronze: A fine example of the style that may vary slightly from style parameters and/or have minor deviations in taste, aroma or appearance.

 Maui Brewing Co. is a truly Hawaiian brewery, and proud to make 100% of their beer, canned and draft, in Hawaii. Recognized as Hawaii’s #1 craft beer since 2005, the company has a strong commitment to the local economy and the environment. MBC beers are packaged with the most eco-friendly materials. Cans are manufactured on Oahu and designed by local Maui artists. They have the added bonus of better protecting the beer from both light and oxygen damage which can compromise the taste. Plastic rings are dangerous to marine life and therefore, a unique, recyclable plastic carrying device is used to hold the cans. The spent grain from beer production is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed and composting. MBC is also very active in several local Hawaiian charities. Founder Garrett Marrero and his wife, Melanie, operate a 7-barrel brewpub at the Kahana location as well as a 25-barrel production brewery and canning facility in Lahaina. Maui Brewing Co. is a truly local beer as 100% of their products are made in Hawaii. Contact[email protected] for interviews, additional information, or media questions. To order for your retail/restaurant/resort establishment, contact [email protected].

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Press Releases

New Belgium Brewing Adds 10 hl Pilot Brewing System (PR)

New Belgium Brewing Adds 10 hl Pilot Brewing System
New brewing apparatus allows for small batch experimentation

Ft. Collins, CO, October 26, 2012 — New Belgium Brewing recently unveiled a new 10-hectoliter brewing system that will allow the Fort Collins brewer of Fat Tire to create small batch experimental beers. The new system is comprised of a two-vessel brewhouse with one mash/lauter vessel and one brew kettle/whirlpool. Four fermenters and two bright beer tanks for conditioning complete the facility, which will primarily be used for research and new product development.

“This size system really frees us up to experiment and play around,” said New Belgium Brewing Assistant Brewmaster, Grady Hull. “There are so many new hop varietals in development and flavors to explore that this allows us to do so with minimal waste and maximum creative freedom.”

In addition to research, there will be opportunities throughout the year to collaborate with other breweries, bars and restaurants to develop small batch beers. So far in the first month of production, New Belgium has brewed five batches of beer with a goal of producing 100 batches throughout the year. Each batch is eight barrels or around 250 gallons of beer. Many of the beers will pour only at the brewery’s tasting facility.

About New Belgium Brewing Company 
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces nine year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Ranger IPA, Belgo IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases.  In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship.  For more information, visitwww.newbelgium.com.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Bridgeport Brewing, Press Releases

Bridgeport Crafts Fairy Tale “Enchanted” (PR)

BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY CRAFTS A FAIRY TALE IN ‘ENCHANTED’, A LIMITTED EDITION RESERVE ALE

New Bottle Aged Brew to be Released at This Year’s Great American Beer Festival, Oct. 11-13

PORTLAND, Ore. — October 10, 2012 — BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, is set to premiere its newest beer, Enchanted, at this year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colo. The new, very limited brew is an aged version of the brewery’s ever-popular Stumptown Tart from 2010. Enchanted is a Belgian Style Framboise infused with 2,000 pounds of Oregon red raspberries and then aged for two years in oak barrels.

“This is a special one for our team,” commented brewmaster, Jeff Edgerton. “The 2010 Stumptown Tart was a favorite not only amongst our loyal BridgePort fans — but also amongst our brewers. The only way to up the ante on that beer was to let it age in oak barrels for two years. The result is something surprising and pretty unforgetable.”

Enchanted has been described by the limited few who have tried it as presenting with an obvious berry wine taste and then finishing with the mellow flavor of oak and some extra-sparkling carbonation. This reserve beer will be available in limited quanity in Oregon only.

BridgePort’s Stumptown Tart Stats:

IBU’s:      14             ABV:        7.7%        Color:       Reddish-Pink     OG: 17.6 

Ingredients:            Pacific Northwest pale malted barley, Pacific Northwest malted wheat, German hops, 2,000 pounds of Oregon Red Raspberries, Belgian yeast.  50% Belgian Tripel aged in wine barrels one year blended with Belgian Tripel and Raspberries.

Description:       A Belgian Framboise style Ale infused with Oregon Red Raspberries and aged in oak barrels for two years.   A strong, fruit driven Framboise with hints of raspberry, oak and spicy Belgian yeast flavors with a light, refreshing finish.

About BridgePort Brewing Company

Oregon’s oldest craft brewery continues to evolve from a microbrewery to a regional leader in the craft brewing market, while remaining faithful to its commitment to producing high-quality, innovative craft ales.  The BridgePort family of ales includes IPA, Hop Czar, Kingpin, Witch Hunt and a list of seasonal releases.  BridgePort Brewery is located at 1313 N.W. Marshall St.  For more information, call 503-241-7179 or visit www.bridgeportbrew.com. 

###

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Distribution Expansion, Press Releases, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Brewery To Start Flowing In Tampa on October 15 (PR)

SWEETWATER BREWERY TO START FLOWING IN TAMPA BAY AREA THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 15

The South’s second largest craft brewery announces distributors and launch festivities

 

ATLANTA (October 5, 2012) — Kicking off the week of October 15, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater natives will officially be able to get their hands on SweetWater Brewery’s lip-smackin’ lineup.

“After an arduous and comprehensive wholesaler assignment process, we are glad to announce that we’ve selected Pepin Distributing Company for the Tampa market, and Great Bay Distributors for St. Petersburg and Clearwater,” said Dave Guender, Director of Sales for SweetWater Brewing Company. “We are stoked to be adding these great markets to our distribution footprint, and the anticipation of our fine brews making their way further into southwest Florida has been fantastic.”

SweetWater is bringing “the beer you’ve been training for” to thirsty locals starting with 420 Extra Pale Ale on draft at bars and restaurants, following later in the week with distribution of SweetWater brews in 12-ounce bottles to include the following brands:

  • 420 Extra Pale Ale – SweetWater’s 420 Extra Pale Ale is a West Coast style pale ale with big hops and a crisp finish. First brewed on April 20, 1997, this beer has developed quite the following in the Southeast. 420 is extremely well-balanced which makes it a perfect introduction to a new town…that’s why we say “drink ‘em if you got ‘em!”
  • SweetWater Blue – SweetWater Blue is a unique, lighter-bodied wheat ale enhanced with a hint of fresh blueberries. This brew’ll give folks a good whiff of a blueberry influence, with a subtle taste and an extra clean finish. This ain’t no fruit beer, but it is our breakfast beer, and perfect for hanging outside in the Florida heat.
  • SweetWater IPA – This mammoth India Pale Ale (IPA) is dry-hopped to the gills delivering a kick-you-in-the-teeth hop chop. The brew is unfiltered and, like all of our beers, always unpasteurized to leave all the natural flavors intact. SweetWater IPA recently won first place in a blind tasting against 15 of the best IPA’s in the country held by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

 

Get in on the action! A crew from SweetWater Brewery, along with its Founder and Big Kahuna Freddy Bensch, will be flooding the market with sampling celebrations and sponsored festivities including:

  • Weds., Oct. 17 — Pub crawl featuring SweetWater samplings, specials and meet-and-greet with Freddy in Tampa (times/locations TBD)
  • Thurs., Oct. 18 — Pub crawl featuring SweetWater samplings, specials and meet-and-greet with Freddy  in St. Petersburg (times/locations TBD)
  • Fri., Oct. 19 — SweetWater’s presents Olde Bay Café’s Craft Beer & Crab Festival at Edgewater Park in Dunedin from 2-10 p.m.
  • Fri., Oct. 19 — Brews featured at Safety Harbor 3rd Friday in downtown Safety Harbor from 6-10 p.m.
  • Fri., Oct. 19 — SweetWater will be flowing at the JJGrey & Mofro show at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg at 8 p.m.

 

Online fans can wet their whistles too by following SweetWater’s Florida Facebook page at facebook.com/SWHeadyPeddlersFlorida for details on how to enter the “Catch a Trout Tap” con The challenge rewards the first 20 folks to spot, capture and post photos of the brewery’s iconic trout tap handles around town with SweetWater Schwag.

 

To learn more about SweetWater Brewing Company and its full lineup, visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

by Reid Ramsay