Press Releases

Kim Jordan to Keynote 2013 Craft Brewers Conference (PR)

Boulder, CO – January 24, 2013– New Belgium Brewing co-founder and CEO Kim Jordan has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the Brewers Association’s 2013 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). The industry’s largest gathering–bringing together some 6,000 brewing professionals–CBC will be held Continue Reading →

Boulevard Irish Ale Returns (PR)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As luck of the Irish would have it, Boulevard Brewing Company today announced that Irish Ale, its most popular seasonal offering, is poised to return for its 23rd year. For beer lovers throughout Boulevard’s distribution territory, the Continue Reading →

Posted in Press Releases

The Fat Cat Beer Company welcomes Mike Keating as Georgia Supply Manager (PR)

Atlanta, Ga. — January 24, 2013 — The Fat Cat Beer Company, the makers of sessionable, handcrafted beer in a can, announced the addition of Mike Keating as its Supply Manager in Georgia.

In this role, Keating will be responsible for opening new accounts, coordinating distribution, conducting off premise merchandising and hosting on-premise promotional events at restaurants, bars, charitable events and tasting centers.

“Mike comes to us with an impressive background and proven record in on-premise operations and retail management. His relationships in the industry, and passion for customer service are unparalleled and will enable us to add market share and extend our footprint in Georgia,” said Bruce Taub, President of The Fat Cat Beer Company. “We’re excited to have him on board!”

Prior to joining The Fat Cat Beer Company, Keating worked at Taco Mac for nearly 10 years where he held numerous positions, including Manager of the Virginia Highland location, General Manager of the Decatur and Lindbergh stores, Regional Manager, Managing Partner of the Alpharetta location and Support Manager where he coordinated new store openings and special events in Georgia and North Carolina. He is also a retired member of the United States Navy.

“I’m looking forward to working with the Fat Cat team and expanding their presence,” said Keating. “There will be a lot of opportunities to increase our brand awareness through onsite events and it’s going to be a fun challenge given my experience and relationships in the industry.”

The Fat Cat Beer Company currently offers three distinctly different craft beers, including its Fat Catâ„¢ Lager, Sultans of Wheatâ„¢ and ShawShank’s Injunctionâ„¢ Pale Ale. The Beale Stâ„¢ Brown Ale will be released in February and an IPA is expected in late March.

About The Fat Cat Beer Company, LLC
The Fat Cat Beer Company, LLC is known for providing iconically packaged, handcrafted session beers that are complex in nature, but smooth in taste. Fat Cat beers are brewed under its proprietary statements of process and tested for quality assurance. The beers are currently available in four states, including Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Virginia, with expansion plans to other markets later this year. To learn more, visit http://www.fatcatbeers.com or follow them on Twitter @TheFatCatBeerCo or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheFatCatBeerCompany.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Press Releases

Kim Jordan to Keynote 2013 Craft Brewers Conference (PR)

Boulder, CO – January 24, 2013– New Belgium Brewing co-founder and CEO Kim Jordan has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the Brewers Association’s 2013 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). The industry’s largest gathering–bringing together some 6,000 brewing professionals–CBC will be held in Washington, D.C. from March 26-29.

Jordan presented the keynote at CBC in New Orleans in 2003, where she famously called for craft brewers to aspire to reach 10 percent of all U.S. beers sales. A decade later, Jordan will reprise her role to present an overview of the industry, how far small and independent craft brewers have come, her vision for the future of the craft brewing community and how her forecast fared. In 2011, the latest full year for which the Brewers Association has published data, craft brewing sales share was at 9.1% by dollars and 5.7% by volume, increasing more than half a point per year since 2003.

“The beer industry has changed significantly over the course of the last several years. Relationships among small brewers, large brewers, distributors, retailers and beer drinkers continue to evolve,” said Paul Gatza, director, Brewers Association. “Kim is a visionary and true leader in the beer community. Her insight, enthusiasm and vigor will be a welcomed inspiration as small and independent brewers gather together for a discussion on how to navigate the ever-evolving and thriving industry. We are pleased to have her back to the CBC stage.”

Jordan has cultivated her passion for social work, the environment and community to create one of the most successful and respected craft breweries in America. Under Jordan’s leadership, New Belgium has grown to the third largest craft brewery in the country.  She negotiated New Belgium’s transition to wind-powered electricity and has overseen the implementation of Colorado’s largest private solar array at the Fort Collins facility. Leveraging her expertise as a leader in sustainability, Jordan will also outline the key role craft brewers have in changing the relationship between the craft brewing community and the planet.

“The timing for a conversation about sustainability could not be better, as the Brewers Association plans to release sustainability manuals relating to energy, solid waste and water at the conference,” added Gatza. “Sustainability issues are at the forefront of New Belgium’s decision process. No leader in beer can deliver the message of sustainability as eloquently and credibly as Kim.”

In addition to her role managing day-to-day sales, branding, and strategic and organizational development at New Belgium, Jordan serves on the boards of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper’s Renewable Energy Authority, the Brewers Association and several Fort Collins community organizations. In her 20 years as an entrepreneur, Jordan has spoken to thousands of people in the business, nonprofit and academics worlds about how to create a vibrant and rewards work culture that enhances the bottom line.
About the Craft Brewers Conference

Presented by the Brewers Association, the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) is the largest industry event. Thousands of brewing industry professionals from the across the country will gather from March 26 through March 29 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. for over 80 seminars focusing on topics including sustainability, sales, packaging and export development, along with daily receptions, brewery tours and hospitalities. CBC also includes BrewExpo America®, the nation’s largest trade show for the craft brewing industry, featuring more than 400 of the top vendors in the industry. For more information, visit CraftBrewersConference.com

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About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America®, SAVORâ„ : An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

 

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases, SweetWater Brewing

Ninth Annual SweetWater 420 Festival Returns To Candler Park and Announces 2013 Lineup (PR)

ATLANTA (January 2013) — SweetWater 420 Festival, one of Atlanta’s most eclectic Earth Day celebrations, is slated to return again to Candler Park this April. Kicking off on Friday, April 19 and running through Sunday, April 21, the festival weekend is jam-packed with a diverse lineup of events the whole family will enjoy including: live musical performances, earth-friendly activities, stand-up comedy acts, food trucks, SweetWater brews, a new SweetWater Experience, artist market and so much more

“SweetWater 420 Fest is a unique opportunity for us to blend entertainment with environmental awareness for the entire community to come together and enjoy,” said Jennifer Bensch, Festival Promoter and Principal at Happy Ending Productions. “We’ve worked hard to organize an exciting array of talented performers who embody the SweetWater culture, plus an engaging lineup of eco-friendly activities that will include a little something for everyone.”

From regional touring artists to hometown favorites, fans can expect to get funky with the following artists: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic; Robert Randolph & The Family Band; Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk; Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Bears; Anders Osborne; Papa Grows Funk; Honey Island Swamp Band; The Mosier Brothers; Earphunk; Deep Blue Sun feat. Yonrico Scott; Blair Crimmins & the Hookers; The Bitteroots; Higher Choir; Cultivate Beats Winner; Music Matter Rock You Kids Bands — Endless Energy & Involution.

420 Fest will once again offer a variety of eco-friendly events and activities for guests of all ages. Planet 420 returns housing dozens of local, regional and national non-profit and environmental organizations offering exhibits and workshops promoting green practices for the home, as well as the opportunity to give back to for a cause.

Festival guests won’t be starved for food or culture either. The weekend will be packed with dozens of food trucks featuring Atlanta’s top eateries and an artist market showcasing creations from some of the regions’ most talented vendors. Back by popular demand returns Gas South’s free, weekend-long cornhole tournament.

Those with kiddos should keep an eye on the Kid Zone Saturday and Sunday which will offer craft workshops, a circus camp, moon jumps, a musical instrument petting zoo and more. For all the jokesters, the 420 Comedy Tent will return with live comedy shows and improv workshops throughout the weekend…family-friendly during the day, with adult entertainment starting after the sun goes down.

420 Fest is rolling out with a boatload of new experiences in 2013 as well. Fans can expect a festival first — VIP tickets, along with a Battle of the Bands competition hosted by Chipotle; a Silent Disco sponsored by Area 51; and The SweetWater Experience, a weekend long craft beer-centric event, presented by SweetWater, filled with presentations, specialty brews and look into the culture and history behind the brewery. Stay tuned for a detailed release with more information on each of these fresh offerings for 2013 and a full schedule breakdown.

Sponsors for the 2013 SweetWater 420 Festival include: Gas South, Chipotle, Creative Loafing, Digital Marketing Services, Mellow Mushroom, Coca-Cola, Circus Camp, and SweetWater Brewing Company and more.

SweetWater 420 Fest is a Happy Ending Productions event. For more information, please visit www.sweetwater420fest.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @420fest, or become a fan on Facebook.#

ABOUT SWEETWATER BREWING COMPANY:

SweetWater Brewing Company is an Atlanta‐based craft brewery specializing in aggressive West Coast style beers. SweetWater’s brews are unpasteurized and designed to be consumed fresh so distribution is limited to the Southeast. The award‐winning lineup of year‐round brews includes SweetWater 420, IPA, Exodus Porter, Blue, LowRYEder and Georgia Brown. SweetWater also features a Catch and Release series of beers available on a limited basis throughout the year, and an experimental, one‐time‐only Dank Tank series. The SweetWater Brewery, open for tours every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5:30‐7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30‐4:30 p.m., is located at 195 Ottley Dr NE, Atlanta GA 30324. For more information about SweetWater Brewing Company, please visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com. For more of a social relationship with SweetWater Brewing Company follow @sweetwaterbrew on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweetwaterbrew.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

Boulevard Irish Ale Returns (PR)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As luck of the Irish would have it, Boulevard Brewing Company today announced that Irish Ale, its most popular seasonal offering, is poised to return for its 23rd year. For beer lovers throughout Boulevard’s distribution territory, the appearance of the tawny ale is an early harbinger of spring, a sure sign that St. Patrick’s Day is not too far away.

“Irish Ale holds a special place in my heart,” said John McDonald, Boulevard founder and president. “One of the first beers we made, it’s our Midwestern tribute to the legendary red ales of old Ireland, a beer that lots of us look forward to every year.”

Six kinds of pale and roasted barley malts give Irish Ale its distinctively rich, toasty flavor. The beer will be available on tap at hundreds of fine bars and restaurants, and in six- and 12-packs of 12-ounce bottles. Alas, the popular ale is only around until St. Patrick’s Day, and that’s no blarney.

About Boulevard Brewing Company

Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become one of the largest specialty brewers in the Midwest, dedicated to the craft of producing fresh, flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. Boulevard beers are distributed in 24 states and in the District of Columbia.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Port City Brewing, Press Releases

TWO for Number 2 as Port City Celebrates its Second Anniversary (PR)

Alexandria, Virginia (January 15, 2013)–Bill Butcher, owner of Port City Brewing Company, located at 3950 Wheeler Avenue in Alexandria, VA, is pleased to announce that Friday, February 1, 2013 is the second anniversary of Port City Brewing Company. With it falling in the middle of winter, the darkest, coldest days in the Mid- Atlantic, he has brewed a strong, dark ale to warm beer lovers against the cold. The second anniversary ale is a very limited Smoked Imperial Porter, called TWO.  This Porter is a stronger, smoked version of Port City’s flagship Porter. It is dark brown, almost black in color, and has a smoky, roasted aroma and smooth, rich, complex smoke and chocolate flavors.

Port City’s brewers and the Tasting Room crew teamed up to mill in by hand 5,000 pounds of German beech wood smoked malt and 600 pounds of roasted malt. This was all done bag-by-bag over the course of an afternoon, truly a labor of love!  TWO will be available in Port City’s Tasting Room and with select accounts in DC, Maryland and Virginia during the month of February while supplies last.

Port City Brewing Company’s second anniversary celebration will take place in the Tasting Room on Friday, February 1st, from 3 PM to 9 PM. TWO will be tapped at 3:00 PM sharp. A draft 10-ounce pour will be featured for $5, and ½ gallon growler bottles will be priced at $19, with a refill for $14.  The Borinquen Lunch Box Food Truck will be on hand starting at 5:00 PM for hungry patrons.

 Port City Brewing Company wishes to thank all of its customers in Maryland, DC, Virginia and North Carolina for another incredible year of growth, and Butcher and his team will raise a glass of TWO to everyone to begin another year.  The 11,000-square-foot craft brewery is dedicated to bringing great quality, innovative, handmade craft beers to the DC and Mid-Atlantic market.  Port City produces world-class quality beer, brewing four year-round beers along with a rotating seasonal selection. Named by Washingtonian magazine as Washington, DC’s best brewery tour, Port City has also captured the following awards: Bronze Medal, Monumental IPA, 2012 Great American Beer Festival; Gold Medal, Monumental IPA, 2012 Virginia Craft Brewers Festival; Bronze Medal, Optimal Wit, 2012 Virginia Craft Brewers Festival; Bronze Medal, Porter, 2012 Virginia Craft Brewers Festival, and Wine Enthusiast Top 25 Beers of the Year, 2012: Optimal Wit, #14. Port City Brewing Company is located two miles from the King Street Metro at 3950 Wheeler Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304.  For more information please call (703) 797-2739 or visitportcitybrewing.com

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Alaskan Brewing Company, Press Releases

Alaskan Brewing Repurposes Spent Grain as Fuel Source (PR)

JUNEAU, AK – The Alaskan Brewing Company is now operating with a new fuel source: beer. More specifically, they are using the wet grain known as “spent grain,” left over from the brewing process, as the sole fuel source for their steam boiler. Alaskan is the first craft brewery in the world to use this brewing by-product in this way, reducing the company’s fuel oil consumption in brewhouse operations by 60-70 percent.

“We have the unique honor of brewing craft beer in this stunning and remote place,” explains Alaskan Brewing Co-founder Geoff Larson. “But in order to grow as a small business here in Alaska and continue having a positive effect on our community, we have to take special efforts to look beyond the traditional to more innovative ways of brewing. Reducing our energy use makes good business sense, and good sense for this beautiful place where we live and play.”

The brewery began the spent grain energy process in 1995 with the installation of a grain dryer. The equipment dried the wet, protein-rich spent grain in preparation for shipment to the lower 48 for use as cattle feed, due to the absence of farms or ranches in Southeast Alaska. Alaskan designed the grain dryer to use up to 50 percent of the grain as a supplemental fuel source to heat the dryer itself. This reduced the oil required in the drying process, and provided experience in burning spent grain that would later prove useful in designing the steam boiler.

In 2008, Alaskan became the first craft brewery in the nation to install an energy saving piece of brewing equipment called a mash filter press. The mash filter press, in addition to providing greater energy, water, and materials efficiencies, produces a lower-moisture-content spent grain than does the more traditional lautering process. This form of spent grain better lends itself to drying and for use as fuel for the brewery’s grain dryer and, ultimately, the new spent grain steam boiler system.

Over the latter months of 2012, Alaskan completed the final stage of the process with the installation and commissioning of the $1.8 million, custom-constructed spent grain steam boiler. This brewing byproduct is a unique and challenging fuel, so brewery engineers put their years of experience with drying grain to work with existing combustion technology to develop and fine-tune this first-of-its-kind process.

Alaskan expects that the new boiler will eliminate the brewery’s use of fuel oil in the grain drying process and displace more than half of the fuel needed to create process steam in the brewhouse. This translates to an estimated reduction in fuel oil use in brewhouse operations by more than half. With moderate growth assumptions, Alaskan expects to save nearly 1.5 million gallons of oil over the next ten years.

About Alaskan Brewing Co.

Alaskan Brewing Co. has been making award-winning beer in the remote, coastal community of Juneau, Alaska, since 1986. The Alaskan Brew Crew bottles the unique character of the Last Frontier with historic recipes, local ingredients, and glacier-fed water. The pristine location and popularity of Alaskan beer has inspired the brewery to apply innovative thinking and a respect for the local environment to their growth, making Alaskan an industry leader in sustainability. Alaskan Brewing handcrafts Amber, Pale, White, IPA, Stout, Winter Ale, Summer Ale, Black IPA, the award-winning Smoked Porter, and an array of limited edition beers in the Alaskan Pilot Series. Visit www.alaskanbeer.com to learn more and connect with Alaskan at Facebook.com/AlaskanBrewingCo and @AlaskanBrewing on Twitter.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Press Releases

New Belgium Brewing Becomes 100% Employee-Owned Company (PR)

(FORT COLLINS, CO) January 15, 2013 – New Belgium Brewing is excited to announce that the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) has purchased the balance of company shares, making it 100% employee-owned. New Belgium, brewer of a wide variety of award-winning beers including Fat Tire Amber Ale, has been a partial ESOP since 2000 with a controlling interest held by co-founder Kim Jordan and her family. This transition will put the company on a path to control their destiny into the foreseeable future.

“There are few times in life where you get to make choices that will have multi-generational impact – this is one of those times.  We have an opportunity to write the next chapter of this incredible story and we’re really excited about that,” said New Belgium CEO and co-founder, Kim Jordan. “We have always had a high involvement ownership culture and this allows us to take that to the next logical level. It will provide an elegant succession framework that keeps the executive team in tact ensuring our vision stays true going forward.”

Jordan plans to remain CEO for the long-term and the executive team at New Belgium will continue in its current form. The Fort Collins brewer is currently building a second facility in Asheville, North Carolina that will begin beer production in 2015. More than 150 additional hires are expected by full build out in Asheville.

New Belgium was advised by Eureka Capital Markets, a middle market investment-banking firm with expertise in both the food & beverage sector and ESOP transactions, which assisted in structuring and completing the second stage ESOP buyout transaction.

“It was an honor to work with a craft brewing leader like New Belgium and help them transition the ownership of the business to its tight culture of employee owners,” said Michael Harden, Managing Director.  “Given all of the consolidation occurring in the craft brew sector, we expect that many other craft brewers will investigate how using an ESOP might help them achieve their transition goals while enabling them to remain independent companies.”

The Fort Collins brewer is currently building a second facility in Asheville, North Carolina that will begin beer production in 2015. The transition to 100% ownership will enable New Belgium to include their future co-workers in Asheville, NC in the plan and will drive an even deeper commitment to progressive business practices for the company.  More than 150 additional hires are expected by full build out in Asheville.

The deal was completed on the 28th of December with a companywide announcement made during New Belgium’s annual winter retreat on the 14th of January.  All 456 employee-owners were present for the celebration.  Prior to this deal, New Belgium co-workers held 41% of the company’s shares.

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, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Ranger, Belgo IPA, Shift Pale Lager 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, visit www.newbelgium.com.


by Reid Ramsay