Press Releases

New Belgium Clips Of Faith Deadline 4/16/12

Ft. Collins, CO — April 13, 2012 — New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, encourages all filmmakers, beer-lovers and videographers to upload their films to New Belgium before it’s too late.  The deadline for submissions for the 2012 Continue Reading →

Saint Arnold Homefront IPA Collab (PR)

(Houston, TX) — Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is among the six craft breweries participating in “Hops for Heroes.” The initiative, which involves brewing and bottling Homefront IPA later this spring, will raise funds Continue Reading →

State Funds Help New Belgium Build Soon

RALEIGH, NC – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that New Belgium Brewing, the third largest craft brewer in the country and the maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, will build its East Coast brewery in Buncombe County.  The company plans to Continue Reading →

Fifty Fifty Brewing Futures On Sale In 5 Days

April 11, 2012, (Truckee, CA) – The highly anticipated release of FiftyFifty Brewing Company’s EclipseTM “Futures” program is just days away.  A one of a kind opportunity in the craft beer world, FiftyFifty allows beer fans to reserve bottles of their Continue Reading →

Lagunitas To Open Chicago Location (PR)

Petaluma, CA April 10, 2012 — The Lagunitas Brewing Company of Petaluma CA is moving forward with the construction of a second brewing facility in the crossroads of the US; Chicago Illinois. Carl Sandburg’s ‘City of Big Shoulders’ will be Continue Reading →

Posted in Press Releases

New Belgium Clips Of Faith Deadline 4/16/12

Ft. Collins, CO — April 13, 2012 — New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, encourages all filmmakers, beer-lovers and videographers to upload their films to New Belgium before it’s too late.  The deadline for submissions for the 2012 Clips of Faith tour (www.clipsoffaith.com) is Monday, April 16.  Now it its third year, Clips of Faith will travel to 18 cities this season, showcasing films and pouring some of New Belgium’s unique Lips of Faith creations.  Clips of Faith raises money for local nonprofits and has generated more than $91,000 since inception.

Over the last two seasons, New Belgium has received nearly 300 film submissions, with approximately 20 selections making each tour. This year, all selected entries will receive a custom gift from New Belgium, along with screenings in 18 cities.  Each stop along the tour will feature an outdoor showing of the collected films, a tasting of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith beers (http://www.newbelgium.com/beer) along with a few popular classics, and food from local vendors.

To enter a film, upload it by April 16 to www.clipsoffaith.com. The guidelines include:

  • The film must be no more than seven minutes.
  • Filmmakers must be at least 21 years old.
  • The film can cover any subject/genre, but extra points go to films that include craft beer, sustainability, whimsy, adventure, culture, art and/or fun.
  • Filmmakers must secure rights for all elements included in the film.

For the latest information on Clips of Faith, go to www.clipsoffaith.com and for more information on New Belgium Brewing, visit www.newbelgium.com.

CONTACT: Jenny Foust (w) 303-433-7020 (c) 720-244-4268  [email protected]
CONTACT at New Belgium: Adrian M Glasenapp | [email protected]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

Grand Teton Announces The Release Of Snarling Badger

Grand Teton Brewing Companyis pleased to announce the release of Snarling Badger Berliner Weisse next month.  As part of our Cellar Reserve Series, we have been brewing bold, flavorful beers and serving them from large, beautiful bottles since March 2004. On May 15th, please welcome Snarling Badger to the 2012 Cellar Reserve Series.

We’ve always intended these beers to be wonderful when fresh but also to be “cellarable”—to improve with months or even years of proper storage.  Over the years we’ve been happiest cellaring our strong malty beers. That’s made selecting styles for our summer Cellar Reserves a challenge, since the best beers for cellaring are not always the best beers to enjoy on a hot summer’s day.

In Berliner Weisse we think we’ve found the perfect style for our summer Cellar Reserve.  This north German wheat beer is traditionally brewed and released very fresh. It has a light body from the wheat and refreshingly tart acidity that make it a perfect summer thirst-quencher.

Its lemony tartness is provided by a secondary fermentation withLactobacillus, the same microorganism that’s responsible for yogurt’s tang. That tartness increases and improves with age, so the people of Berlin are known to buy extra bottles to bury in their gardens for two years or more.

As usual with our Cellar Reserves, we’ve taken a traditional style and added our own twist. In this case we’ve tripled the strength over the traditional beer, which should  increase its aging potential. For the primary fermentation we used traditional Bavarian hefeweizen yeast that produces soft notes of banana and clove. We followed that with Lactobacillus and six months in conditioning to create a complex fruity acidity that compliments the soft sweet malt tones and a unique ale that is both fulfilling and refreshing.

This summer time ale perfectly compliments spicy salmon filets from the grill and can wash down your savory BBQ pork ribs with ease.  Enjoy with a fresh arugula salad or salty french fries with blue cheese dressing for dipping.  For dessert try, grilled pineapple drizzled with honey.

ABV: 7.5%
IBUs: 15
Color: 5.9 Lov.
Original Gravity:  16.9

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heineken NV, Press Releases

Heineken: Voluntary Partial Recall Of Certain Mexican Beers

Defect Detected in 12-Ounce Brown Bottles for Six Packs and 12 Packs of Carta Blanca and Dos Equis Ambar as well as “Beers of Mexico” and “Best of Mexico” Pack Types

White Plains, N.Y. — April 11, 2012 — HEINEKEN USA today announced a voluntary recall of several products and packages in specific states due to a defect in the 12-ounce brown bottles used for certain batches of Carta Blanca and Dos Equis Ambar, which are available in 6-packs and 12-packs as well as “Beers of Mexico” and “Best of Mexico” pack varieties. Indio 12-ounce bottles, which are only featured in the “Best of Mexico” pack (available only in Texas), are also affected.

Dos Equis Lager green bottles and draught; Dos Equis Ambar draught; Tecate; and Carta Blanca 32-ounce bottles are not impacted nor are any other HEINEKEN USA brands.

The affected bottles were produced by a third party supplier and the defect was detected through our routine quality inspections. Due to this defect, there is the potential for small grains or particles of glass to separate from the inside lip of the bottle and fall into the liquid. The pieces may vary in size and some may not be easily visible.

Although it is believed that the number of affected bottles is significantly less than 1%, to protect the safety of our consumers, the company has made the decision to voluntarily recall certain batches of products as a precautionary measure. There have not been any reports of consumer injuries, and while the likelihood of a possible injury to a consumer is very low, the presence of small particles of glass in the bottle could pose a health risk.

The affected products include:

  • Carta Blanca 12-ounce brown bottles in 6-packs and 12-packs
  • Dos Equis Ambar 12-ounce brown bottles in 6-packs and 12-packs
  • “Best of Mexico” 12-pack variety package (which contains the impacted Dos Equis Ambar brown bottle and Indio 12-ounce bottles; this pack is sold only in Texas)
  • “Beers of Mexico” 12-pack and 24-pack variety packages (which contains the impacted Dos Equis Ambar brown bottle)

The above products are being recalled only in certain states. Please refer to the list of geographies impacted as well as the production codes below.

Affected Product by State

PACKAGE Dos Equis Ambar
(6-pk;12-pk)		 Carta Blanca
(6-pk;12-pk)		 Beers of Mexico
(12-pk)		 Beers of Mexico
(24-pk)		 Best of Mexico
(12-pk)
State 1. AL
2. AR
3. AZ
4. CA
5. CO
6. CT
7. DC
8. FL
9. GA
10.IA
11.IL
12.IN
13.KS
14.KY
15.LA
16.MA
17.MD
18.MI
19.MN
20.MO
21.MS
22.NC
23.ND
24.NE
25.NH
26.NJ
27.NM
28.NV
29.NY
30.OH
31.OK
32.OR
33.PA
34.RI
35.SC
36.SD
37.TN
38.TX
39.VA
40.VT
41.WA
42.WI
43.WV		 1. AL
2. CA
3. CO
4. CT
5. FL
6. GA
7. IL
8. KY
9. LA
10.MD
11.MN
12.MO
13.NC
14.NE
15.NJ
16.NM
17.OH
18.OK
19.PA
20.TX
21.WA		 1. AZ
2. CA
3. WA
4. OR		 1. AL
2. AZ
3. CA
4. FL
5. GA
6. IL
7. LA
8. MI
9. MO
10.NH
11.NY
12.OR
13.PA
14.TX
15.VA
16.WA		 1. TX

Affected Production Codes (refer to first nine digits of the 13 digit code on the bottle)

1. 2068484AC
2. 2069484AC
3. 2070484AC
4. 2071484AC
5. 2072484AC
6. 2073484AC
7. 2074484AC
8. 2075484AC
9. 2076484AC
10.2077484AC
11.2078484AC
12.2079484AC
13.2080484AC
14.2081484AC
15.2082484AC
16.2083484AC
17.2084484AC
18.2085484AC
19.2086484AC
20.2087484AC
21.2088484AC
22.2089484AC
23.2090484AC		 24.2091484AC
25.2092484AC
26.2093484AC
27.2094484AC
28.2095484AC
29.2096484AC
30.2097484AC
31.2098484AC
32.2099484AC
33.2100484AC
34.2068484FE
35.2069484FE
36.2070484FE
37.2071484FE
38.2072484FE
39.2073484FE
40.2074484FE
41.2075484FE
42.2076484FE
43.2077484FE
44.2078484FE
45.2079484FE
46.2080484FE		 47.2081484FE
48.2082484FE
49.2083484FE
50.2084484FE
51.2085484FE
52.2086484FE
53.2087484FE
54.2088484FE
55.2089484FE
56.2090484FE
57.2091484FE
58.2092484FE
59.2093484FE
60.2094484FE
61.2095484FE
62.2096484FE
63.2097484FE
64.2098484FE
65.2099484FE
66.2100484FE
67.2086484FE
68.2086484FE

“Our passion is to consistently deliver high-quality beer to our consumers, whose health and safety is our first priority,” said Dolf van den Brink, President and CEO of HEINEKEN USA. “We deeply regret this incident and are doing everything possible to resolve it quickly so that our consumers can continue to enjoy these products. We want every experience with one of our products to be flawless.”

Consumers should check to see if they have affected product by comparing the first nine digits of the 13-digit production code on the neck of the bottle against the list of impacted product codes above. Please refer to the visuals for further assistance in locating the production code.

Consumers who have product on this list should not consume it nor should they allow others to consume it. Anyone who has consumed beer from an affected bottle and becomes ill or shows signs of complications should see a physician immediately.

Consumers can obtain more information at www.heinekenusa.com, by calling 1-877-522-5001 or by emailing [email protected]. Refunds will be offered for affected product to consumers 21 years of age or older. In order to receive a refund, consumers will be asked to provide their date of birth, name, address, phone number and email. Refunds will be issued in approximately two to four weeks.

For more information, please visit www.heinekenusa.com.

# # #

About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation’s premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world’s most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken Lager, the world’s most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. HEINEKEN USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For a safe ride home, download the HEINEKEN USA -sponsored Taxi Magicâ„¢ application from your smartphone at taximagic.heineken.com. Please visit www.EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

Saint Arnold Homefront IPA Collab (PR)

(Houston, TX) — Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is among the six craft breweries participating in “Hops for Heroes.” The initiative, which involves brewing and bottling Homefront IPA later this spring, will raise funds for Operation Homefront. A creation of Major League Pitcher Chris Ray and Fremont Brewing Company, Hops for Heroes began last year in Seattle. In 2012, it expands into five new markets, including Texas: · St. Arnold, Houston, TX · Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA · 21st Amendment, San Francisco, CA · Cigar City, Tampa, FL · Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, MO Homefront IPA is a collaborative beer developed in 2011 by Fremont Brewing Company and Center of the Universe Brewing Company in order to raise money and awareness for Operation Homefront (operationhomefront.net), a charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. Aged on oak bats donated from Louisville Slugger, this IPA is more than just flavorful — it improves the lives of our soldiers. All proceeds from the sale of this beer will be donated to Operation Homefront. The expansion into these breweries and the support from our generous sponsors — Hops Direct, LLC, The County Malt Group, Louisville Slugger, Great Western Malting Co., Brewers Supply Group, and Rahr Malting Group — makes for a promising 2012. Baseball ambassadors and special events will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

State Funds Help New Belgium Build Soon

RALEIGH, NC – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that New Belgium Brewing, the third largest craft brewer in the country and the maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, will build its East Coast brewery in Buncombe County.  The company plans to create as many as 154 jobs and invest about $175 million over seven years.  The project was made possible in part by a $1,000,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.  The state grant will be based on the company creating 130 jobs and making $115 million investment over the five years of the project.

“New Belgium looked all around and chose North Carolina as the location for the company’s one brewery east of the Mississippi,” Gov. Perdue said. “A big factor in sealing this deal was that company leaders knew they can find a skilled workforce, thanks to our history of investing in education and job training. New Belgium’s expansion will enhance the craft brewery cluster that is growing here. The jobs and investment the company is committing will be a major boon for the region and for the state.”

New Belgium Brewing, headquartered in Fort Collins, Co., sold 712,000 barrels of beer in just 28 states and the District of Columbia in 2011.  Over 150,000 people visit the brewery in Fort Collins every year.  As part of the project in Asheville, New Belgium will be constructing a new state-of-the-art brewery and tasting facility that will be a destination for visitors of the emerging brewery cluster in Buncombe County and the surrounding western North Carolina region.

“After several years of searching we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville,” said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium. “From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we’ve been looking for in a location for our second brewery.”

Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs during the first five years of the project will be $48,222 with the average annual wage for all 154 jobs estimated at more than $50,000. The Buncombe County average annual wage is $33,800.

“New Belgium will provide a boost to Buncombe County’s economy, both in jobs and the tourism the new brewery will help attract,” said Sen. Martin Nesbitt, of Asheville. “This kind of major economic development is possible because we have invested in education and transportation, building a workforce and infrastructure that are second to none.”

“Buncombe County is quickly becoming a hub for craft brewing,” said Rep. Susan Fisher, of Asheville. “Companies like New Belgium are drawn here, not just because of our natural resources, but because of a top notch business climate created through years of forward-looking policies on education and support for business.”

The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds.  These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 60,000 jobs and $11 billion in investment have been created since 2001.  Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, AdvantageWest, Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, Golden LEAF Foundation and Progress Energy.

For more information about New Belgium Brewing, including job opportunities, go to www.newbelgium.com.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

Fifty Fifty Brewing Futures On Sale In 5 Days

April 11, 2012, (Truckee, CA) – The highly anticipated release of FiftyFifty Brewing Company’s EclipseTM “Futures” program is just days away.  A one of a kind opportunity in the craft beer world, FiftyFifty allows beer fans to reserve bottles of their highly coveted Eclipse Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout before the release, which often sells out within days.

Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts are noted for being very rich, substantial, and complex beers.  FiftyFifty’s Eclipse does not disappoint on this fact.  Eclipse is the result of taking the award winning TotalityTMImperial Stout and aging it in oak bourbon barrels for 6 months, and the accolades for both Eclipse and Totality keep racking up.  Totality Imperial Stout has taken home 2 international medals and 3 national medals, including medals at the Great American Beer Festival 3 of the last 4 years.  Eclipse also has numerous awards of it’s own, including most recently a Silver Medal at the prestigious 2011 European Beer Star Awards.  Eclipse was also named by Draft MagazineTM as one of the Top 25 Beers in the world in 2009.

Because of the extensive brewing and aging process, Eclipse is only released once a year in December.  This year’s batch will feature six different barrel types, one of which will not be distributed beyond the pub in Truckee, except thru futures reservations.

“Every year we age in a different variety of barrel types to make the Eclipse experience unique” says Brewmaster Todd Ashman.  “This year’s batch looks to be truly exceptional.”

Futures sales go live online on Monday, April 16th at 8:00am Pacific time, and allows purchasers to guarantee not missing out on their favorite styles.  Orders will only be taken on the website and are on a first come, first served basis.  Last year, several styles sold out on the first day, and they expect a similar response this year.

More details can be found at their website: www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com.  “We are really excited about this year’s futures program” says owner and Futures manager Alicia Barr.  “The response we get from the beer community is fantastic, and we love to share our passion of beer with everyone.”

About FiftyFifty Brewing Co.:

FiftyFifty Brewing Co.: Find Your Balance. Located in Truckee at 11197 Brockway Road, between Hwy 267 and downtown Truckee. Open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 2 a.m., FiftyFifty serves both lunch and dinner to complement their variety of beers brewed on the premise. FiftyFifty also features a full bar, seasonal outdoor seating on the patio and live music and entertainment.

www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in American Craft Beer Week, Press Releases

Lagunitas To Open Chicago Location (PR)

Petaluma, CA April 10, 2012 — The Lagunitas Brewing Company of Petaluma CA is moving forward with the construction of a second brewing facility in the crossroads of the US; Chicago Illinois. Carl Sandburg’s ‘City of Big Shoulders’ will be home to a new ROLEC-built 250 barrel kettle and 200,000 barrels of initial capacity. The brewery will be operating by the 4th quarter of 2013, and will occupy 150,420 square feet on the grounds of the CineSpace Movie Soundstage complex at 15th Street and Rockwell in Chicago’s Douglas Park neighborhood.

According to Lagunitas founder and CEO, Tony Magee, the idea got very real in the last 2 months. A few days spent with a calculator and a couple more visiting sites around the city crystalized the plan. “I was born and raised in Chicago so the siting questions were easy to figure out. But the real driver behind it all was two-fold; first, I realized that there was about 4 ounces of diesel in every 22oz bottle of our beer when enjoyed in Chicago, even more if you’re in NYC. Secondly, the future of Craft Beer is, we believe, local and we sure want to be a part of the future so the decision was easy. One of the best things about craft brewing is being close to the people who are digging it.”

Lagunitas is just finishing up a major expansion of its Petaluma home where it built a new brewhouse that will eventually enable it to brew more than four times what it brewed in 2011. The Petaluma brewery only has fermentation capacity to meet its needs through 2013. By building a second brewery in Chicago, Lagunitas will be adding that needed future capacity closer to where it will be enjoyed. According to Magee, “By the time Lagunitas Chicago is ready to mash in we will move about 140,000 barrels of production there. All the left coast and western states beer will still be brewed in Petaluma and life at the Petaluma brewery will be pretty calm, for a change, for a while…!”.

Lagunitas was founded in 1993 and shipped 161,420 barrels in 2011, up 61% from 2010. 2012 is expected to grow by another 55% to approximately 250,000 barrels. Lagunitas is working closely with Sterling Bank of Spokane Washington for project financing.

by Reid Ramsay