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Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Headlines

Wild Heaven & Bulliet Bourbon release 5th collaboration

Wild Heaven 5 Points can

Wild Heaven Beer and Bulliet Bourbon release 5 Points Doppelbock, the fifth installment of their ongoing barrel-aged series.

Recapping the project, Bulliet Bourbon was always stingy with their barrels in the past. As Tom Bulleit told Beer Street Journal during an Atlanta launch event more than a decade ago, all the distillery’s barrels were sent to Scotland for whisky aging. At the time he seemed almost confused at the notion that America’s breweries would want empty bourbon barrels. That would all change in 2020.

Bulliet did a little quiet research, looking for breweries with not just a robust barrel program, but breweries that really cared about barrel aging. Georgia-based Wild Heaven stood out to the Bulliet team and ultimately the Beer and Bourbon Series was born.

The idea behind this project is simple. Wild Heaven creates a beer and Bulliet overnights freshly emptied (wet) barrels from the distillery 437 Miles South to Avondale Estates, Georgia. Fill the barrels, and wait for the magic to happen. During one of the worst years in human existence, 2020, 95 Shilling Scotch ale kicked off the series. The alcohol by volume in that beer could never have been high enough for us considering the times.

RELATED: WILD HEAVEN’S BULLEIT COLLAB WAS WORTH THE WAIT

As fall descends upon Atlanta, the latest emergence is 5 Points – a German-style Dopplebock, aged in Bulleit Rye barrels. Let’s get straight to the point, this beer- much like this series- just keeps getting better and better. A Doppelbock may be a rarer style in the craft brewing world, but Wild Heaven’s head brewer Josh Franks has created a perfect reminder of how damn good they are. “I think it really turned out quite well,” Franks tells us. You’ll never hear the guy brag, but the smile on his face after a few sips of 5 Points tells us everything.

The fresh barrels from Bulleit really make all the difference world here. Vanilla flavors from the rye bourbon-soaked oak in 5 Points are fresh and bold, almost to the point of decadence. The creamy toffee and raisin flavors notes the dopplebock round out this cool weather sipper. More proof that this duo knows what they are doing.

Wild Heaven 5 Points Dopplebock debuts this week in 16-ounce cans and draft. Wild Heaven and Bulleit are already working on their next project.

Style: Dopplebock (Barrel Aged. Rye Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.

Debut: October 2022

Posted in Maui Brewing Company, Headlines, Modern Times Beer

Maui Brewing acquires Modern Times

To the backup-bidder goes the spoils. Hawaii’s Maui Brewing acquires Modern Times

The fate of Modern Times has been up in the air for months now. In February 2022, the brewery announced the closing of four of its 8 taprooms, citing financial fallout from the global pandemic. Then in March, Modern Times was placed in receivership by lead lender California Bank and Trust. 

Maui Brewing was favored as the potential buyer in June, until “Brewery X,” an Anaheim-based brewery entered the bidding. 70 bids and 3 hours later, Brewery X won the auction, agreeing to pay $20 million for Modern Times. Additionally, Brewery X stated they would have the deal fully funded and close within two weeks. 

Except, that didn’t happen. Brewery X missed the closure and funding deadline, losing a $500,000 dollar deposit on the transaction. Maui acquired Modern Times for $15.3 million. 

Co-Founder Garrett Marrero was surprised when Mauil Brewing was back in play for Modern Times.”Given the surprising outcome of the auction, Maui Brewing Company was prudent in its decision to move forward, taking appropriate measures to evaluate and solidify details prior to the announcement for the sake of both the Modern Times and Maui Brewing teams,” says Marrero in his brewery’s official announcement. 

Currently, Maui Brewing produces 90,000 barrels (2.7 million gallons) of beer annually. Combined with Modern Times, that output increases to 125,000 barrels of beer annually – a production capacity that still will not allow Maui to be sold in all 50 states. 

The deal is expected to close in late October 2022. 

Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Headlines

Sapporo acquires Stone Brewing

Sapporo has reached an agreement to acquire Stone Brewing Company for an undisclosed sum. 

Sometime in 2021, Sapporo approached Stone Brewing in a bid to increase the production of Sapporo brands in the United States, using Stone’s Escondido and Richmond facilities. According to the official press release, “Sapporo gains major, high-quality brewing capacity on both U.S. coasts that will enable it to significantly increase production to meet the strong consumer demand of its Sapporo-branded beers for the domestic market.”

Sapporo intends to brew 360,000 barrels (11,160,000 gallons) of beer in the United States by 2024. Stone’s facilities will play a larger role in that goal. According to Sapporo, that will essentially double Stone’s production volume, which was ranked 9th nationally in 2021 amongst craft breweries. 

“This acquisition puts the resources and legacy of the largest Asian beer brand in America together with one of the most innovative and recognized craft beer brands in the world. It’s a perfect fusion of east meets west that is an ideal marriage for Sapporo’s long-term growth strategy in the U.S,” Kenny Sadai, Chairman, Sapporo U.S.A.

In addition to Stone’s two production facilities, all 7 taprooms and World Bistro & Gardens destinations and workforce will remain intact, run under the Sapporo business structure. 

According to co-founder Greg Koch, who has been an outspoken detractor of large corporate beer companies, said “This unique partnership allows us to preserve the Stone legacy that our fans know and love and will add exponential opportunities for growth, from production to more investment in people, equipment, sales, and marketing.”

In 2017, Sapporo acquired San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing.

Stone Brewing’s southern California distributorship is not included in the acquisition, which will be maintained by the current ownership.

Sapporo was founded in 1876 and is the oldest beer brand in Japan. The company has two breweries in North America, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Sleeman brewery in Canada acquired in 2006.

The transaction is expected to close in August 2022. 

 

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

Blackberry Smoke band has their own beer thanks to New Realm

Music collaborations are nothing new in craft beer but that doesn’t make each one unique. This is an either way it’s cool statement – New Realm Brewing is releasing a beer with the band Blackberry Smoke. If you know the band, you’re already excited. If you’re not there yet, their music is in the tv show Yellowstone. In yet? 

This collaboration comes from a mutual friendship between the band and New Realm Brewing that started back in high school. Here are New Realm, fresh cans of New Realm Blackberry Smoke Lager are being signed by Brit Turner, drummer. He greets me with a smile and a beard that literally says musican or craft brewer. 

Blackberry Smoke, a rock/blues/country band formed in Atlanta, Georgia 21 years ago. “The best way to celebrate your 21st is with a beer!” Turner jokes. “But really though, it’s the best way I can see. it.” He always hoped there would be a full scale band inspired beer, but getting one is harder than you think. Brewery capacity and distribution is a complicated thing. Turner says there was a small scale “Smoke” beer made in North Carolina a few years ago, that was available at one of their sold out shows. The band hoped the rest would be available in distribution later. Their rabid music and beer-loving fans managed to drink it all that night and there was none left over. 

“We knew a few of the New Realm Brewing folks as far back as high school,’ Turner says. We have basically have our own record label situation and making a beer with a craft brewer really made sense to us,” he adds. Blackberry Smoke started a year before the first iPod, a few years before YouTube and more than a decade before Spotify. “Our only choice was to tour,” say Turner. Craft beer has that “out of the garage” feel to it like a lot of rock bands. 

In preparation for Blackberry Smoke Lager, Turner sat down for a tasting session with brewmaster and co-founder Mitch Steele. “A lager just makes sense,” Steele tells me. “We made it with a touch of pilsner malt on top of 2-Row, so there’s a little bit of Europe in this lager.” It’s crazy how many bands we’ve interviewed lean towards the lighter side of beer like a pilsner or lager. Almost every time their reasoning is that they want to drink a few on stage and still be able to play. 

Over the course of a few hours with the band, Turner’s excitement was solely focused on what this beer means to their fans. Steele and Turner designed it with them in mind. “They got us where we are, and we wanted to do something for them,” Turner says. “I’m more excited to see them drink it then I am to have it.” 

Mitch Steele himself is a guitarist and music fan, making it easy to put a little extra musical passion into it. Both brewing and music require emotion and passion if you want it to be good. New Realm Blackberry Smoke is about both. 

Two decades ago Blackberry Smoke got together and started playing in bars. Not long after, they were performing with Guns N’ Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church, ZZ Top, and Zach Brown Band. 

Honestly, to Turner and the rest of the band, this might be more exciting. 

New Realm Blackberry Smoke Lager is available in 16-ounce cans and draft where ever New Realm is sold.  

Style: Lager
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. 
Debut: Late May, 2022

4.5% ABV

Posted in Pravda Brewery, Headlines

Ukrainian brewer releases recipes for international collaboration

Last week, Pravda Brewery, located in Lviv, Ukraine shifted from making beer to Molotov cocktails. As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the brewery has opened up their recipes and artwork to the world’s craft brewers. 

Pravda Brewery has made available the recipes and artwork of their award winning beers. The recipes include – Syla (Belgian tripel), Frau Ribbentrop (Belgian witbier), From San to Don (Ukrainian imperial stout) and Putin Huylo (a dry hopped strong ale). Incidentally, that beer name translates to Putin is a Dick. 

“Brewing in Lviv now sounds like a non-priority,” the company wrote on its website. “The city is bracing for a fight. Alcohol is forbidden, and we once in a lifetime support it. But brewing now – like giving birth or a marriage – is hope. Beer takes several weeks to be ready. We hope we win by then.”

Pravda Brewery hopes that a few of America’s nearly 10,000 breweries will brew some of Pravda’s beers. All the brewery asks if they do, they would make donations to their relief fund efforts. 

“As peaceful craft brewers, we want to return to the normal life asap and enjoy brewing and drinking. But first we must kick the cockroaches out of our land. No more Gulags, Holodomors and oppression. It’s a decisive moment for Ukraine, Europe and democracies of the world.

Soon will win this war and have a good beer. The Beer of Victory,” the post on their website ended. 

As of March 10th, the Russia invasion of Ukraine is now in its 15 day. According to Reuters, the death toll is more than 13,000, with 100 billion in property damage. 

Lviv, the home to Pravda Brewing is in western Ukraine near the border of Poland. The city has become a transit point for refugees fleeing the fighting.

Posted in Call To Arms Brewing, Headlines

Call To Arms Brewing cuts Putin from flagship beers

Putin is done at Call To Arms Brewing in Denver, Colorado. Effective immediately, Vladimir’s image and name have been removed from the brewery’s flagship beer Shirtless Putin Catching Rays Dark Czech Lager, as well as any other beer names in the series. 

The “Shirtless Putin” series debuted in 2016, when the internet was full of bizarre shirtless pictures of Putin, either on horseback or swimming in an icy lake. 

It was funny until Putin started killing Ukrainians. 

“The series’ original intent was to serve as a pointed criticism of Russian propaganda…The brewery does not want the name to be misconstrued in any way as supporting the Russian president or his actions,” says Call to Arms founder Chris Bell.

The series began with Catching Rays and Shirtless Putin Nuzzling with Dolphins Baltic Porter and grew to include Shirtless Putin on Horseback. All three beers will be renamed going forward. 

“While we often like to poke fun at ourselves, timely events, and cultural moments as a whole, at the core of Call to Arms, we stand behind human decency and condemn the action of Russia’s escalating aggression against Ukraine As a result, we no longer feel it is appropriate to reference Putin on our beers regardless of the original intent of the series.” – Chris Bell

A new name for the series has not been announced. In the meantime, Call to Arms has partnered with their Two Six Craft Beer Distributors to donate $1 of every Dark Czech Lager six-pack sold to UNICEF’s children of Ukraine Fund until all the inventory bearing the current imagery is gone. 

Posted in Hair Of The Dog Brewing, Headlines

Hair of the Dog to close after 29 years

Hair of the Dog Closing

Portland, Oregon’s Hair of the Dog Brewing, one of America’s oldest craft breweries will close sometime this summer. Founder Alan Sprints announced this week he will retire from the industry. The brewery opened in 1993. 

Sprints gave the brewery fans a bitter Valentine’s Day gift when he posted his retirement video to the brewery’s Facebook group page on Monday. 

Hair of the Dog has long been known for barrel-aged and strong ale offerings. Sprints went the strong beer route because he never liked feeling full on beer, saying on numerous occasions he wanted to drink two beers that make you feel like you’ve had six. His success is hard to argue, as some of  Sprint’s creations e sold for hundreds, and in rare cases- 1000’s of dollars in the secondary market over the years. “I was making barrel-aged beer when folks thought it was weird to do so,” Sprints once told Beer Street Journal. 

The brewery was originally built near the Brooklyn rail yards in 1993. In 2010, the brewery moved to Portland’s southeast industrial warehouse district, making Hair of the Dog more accessible to visitors and residents alike. 

Even as the brewery winds down operations near the 3-decade mark, Hair of the Dog still only produces just shy of 600 barrels (18,600 gallons) annually in a 4-barrel brewhouse. Sprits is still one of the smallest craft brewers in America.

“Beer has been very very good to me, I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend over half my life doing something I love so much,” Sprints said in his announcement video. A specific closing date was not announced, other than summer 2022. 

Additionally, Sprints said he is open to collaborating with other breweries in the future. Hair of the Dog itself will not be sold. 

Signing off, Sprints invites the public to come through before the taproom closes. “Please plan on coming down in the next few months, and help us celebrate the diverse world of beer that exists today.”