Press Releases

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SweetWater Drops Anchor with Motorboat Seasonal This August (PR)

Award-winning brew revs up its engines to return to coolers, taps and Tackle Boxes through October

 ATLANTA (August 2013) — Motor Boat is cruising on back into SweetWater’s Catch and Release lineup in mid-August and will keep making waves through this fall. The two-time Great American Beer Festival medal winner is SweetWater’s titillating version of an Extra Special Bitter (ESB), naturally built for speed and comfort…for the old sailor in everyone.

“This was the first time we brewed the beer in our new brewhouse so we had the opportunity to play with the ingredients,” said Mark Medlin, Brewmaster at SweetWater Brewing Company. “We kept a similar grain bill, but modified the quantities to accentuate the hops.”

Brewers used previous Saaz and Sterling hops to bring back the familiar spicy and herbal aroma, but added new hop varieties in the whirlpool and dry hop stage including Columbus, Amarillo, and Styrian Golding to give the beer an extra citrus and floral kick. All in all, the unfiltered beer now finishes around 5.8% ABV.

Fans will find the decorated brew on draft and in six-packs, as well as featured in SweetWater’s Tackle Box variety 12-packs throughout the Southeast.  So batten down the hatches, prepare your party barges and drink up while you can, ‘cause Motor Boat will be sailing off into the sunset this October until its return again in next year.

For more information on Motor Boat and SweetWater Brewing Company, visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

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Sierra Nevada To Celebrate Hop Harvest with Festival (PR)

Chico, CA–August 7, 2013–Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., known for its allegiance to whole-cone hops and love of hop-forward beers, is highlighting the revered ingredient at its inaugural Single, Fresh, Wet & Wildâ„¢ Harvest Festival. On Saturday, October 19, more than 50 craft breweries from across the country will fill Sierra Nevada’s hop field in Chico, Calif., to pour a selection of their beers that will include at least one of the following:
  • Single hop beer: Showcases the nuances of only one hop variety
  • Fresh hop beer: Uses dried hops that are picked, shipped and added to the brew kettle within weeks of hop harvest
  • Wet hop beer: Uses un-dried hops that are picked, shipped and added to the brew kettle within days of hop harvest
  • Wild hop beer: Ventures into the unknown with hops found untamed in nature
The festival follows on the heels of the annual fall US hop harvest, a much anticipated and celebrated time for craft brewers. Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild is a joyful salute to harvest and the brewer ingenuity it inspires. The festival also precedes the February 2014 rollout of a series of Sierra Nevada large-format bottles that will feature these very beer styles including its established Southern Hemisphere Harvest®(fresh hop) and Northern Hemisphere Harvest® (wet hop).Festival tickets, on sale today at 10 a.m. PDT, include a 6-ounce commemorative taster glass and unlimited samples; a one-time stroll through tasty pub fare prepared by the Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant, including produce grown in the two-acre, onsite garden; and the awesome tunes of Seattle-based band The Cave Singers. All ticket proceeds benefit the California Craft Brewers Association, which champions the success of the more than 330 craft breweries in the state.

“Craft brewers get an extra dose of inspiration when the hop harvest rolls around,” said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder, “and we love the idea of seeing all of that hop creativity on display in one place. More and more, craft brewers are shaping the hop market, and this festival and its brewers will highlight why.”

Grossman has worked closely with hop breeders and growers since the late 70s; even before his first batch of Sierra Nevada beer, he was on the hunt for only the purest and finest quality ingredients. This past fall, Sierra Nevada was the first craft brewery to host the annual American Hop Convention. Now in its 58th year, the convention allows brewers to talk hops with those on the front lines. Their health ensures that of the craft beer industry, whose success merits a celebration like Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival.

Sierra Nevada is currently finalizing its featured breweries and aims to share the list mid-August atwww.sierranevada.com/SFWW where festivalgoers can find all of the event details.

Single, Fresh, Wet & Wild Harvest Festival overview:

  • WHEN: Saturday, October 19, from 1—6 p.m.
  • WHERE: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 1075 E. 20th St., Chico, CA 95928
  • TICKETS: $75 general admission. $30 designated driver. On sale Wednesday, August 7, at 10 a.m. online at www.sierranevada.com/SFWW. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and the finest quality ingredients. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada spans more than three decades, with innovation emerging from both the brewhouse and sustainability initiatives. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Torpedo®, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis®and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.

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Sun King Teams Up with Lucas Oil Stadium (PR)

un King is excited to announce our newest partnership with Lucas Oil Stadium! Starting today at the International Cup Championship Soccer match, fans attending events at Lucas Oil Stadium will have access to locally brewed beer.

Sunlight Cream Ale, Wee Mac Scottish Ale, and Osiris Pale Ale will be available on draft at two ‘Backyard Brews’ locations near sections 109 and 132 on the main concourse. 16 oz. cans of Sun King will be available at various beer stands, cantinas, grills, and popcorn locations throughout the venue, as well as, in the Club Level bars. Fans shouldn’t have to wander far to enjoy a Fresh-Local-Beer.

“Our goal from the beginning has been to become Indianapolis’ beer,” said Dave Colt, Sun King owner and head brewer. “With our beer now available at every major sports venue in the city, it feels like we are realizing a dream! Keep an eye out for Sun King wherever you frequent for concessions while visiting Lucas Oil Stadium and help support your local brewery.”

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Victory in Kennett: Downingtown—based Brewery Announces Second Brewpub Location in Kennett Square, Pa (PR)

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — Victory® Brewing Company (Victory) is pleased to announce that it will extend its craft beer experience in Chester County, signing a lease with Kennett Square Realty and committing to develop an upscale brewpub, with on-premise brewing and a takeout beer component, in Kennett Square, Pa.

“The announcement is a culmination of nearly a year’s worth of planning and effort, and we couldn’t be more excited than we are today to finally confirm for our excited fans, who have been asking, that yes we are in fact headed to Kennett!” said Matthew Krueger, Vice President of Retail Operations.

The nation’s 26th largest craft brewery, Victory’s second brewpub location will occupy all 8,234 square feet of the bottom floor of a four-story, luxury apartment building in Kennett Realty Group’s latest upscale townhome, apartment and retail community, Magnolia Place.  Kennett Realty is owned and operated by the Pia Group, who also own Kaolin Mushroom Farms Inc. and South Mill Mushroom Sales.

“We could not have found a better partner than the Pia family, a group that shared–and are now helping us realize–our vision to bring Victory to Kennett,” Krueger continued, a sentiment echoed by Mike Pia, Jr., developer with the Kennett Realty Group.

“Victory’s mission to provide high quality food, a family-friendly environment, and of course, delicious craft beer, all with a focus on community, ethics and environmental stewardship, made them an ideal partner for this project,” said Pia.  “We’re looking forward to the exceptional experience they’ll bring to the community of Magnolia Place and the greater Kennett Square area.”

Called Victory at Magnolia, the location will accommodate a 250-seat restaurant with space for outdoor dining, and boast a chef inspired menu, featuring some of the company’s signature dishes, including their Hand Tossed Pretzel and Wings of Victory.  The space also will be equipped with a five-barrel brew house to keep new, site-specific brews–along with Victory’s existing lineup of world-class ales and lagers–flowing.

Victory at Magnolia is targeted to open in the second quarter, 2014.  The brewery also is finishing construction on its second production brewery in Parkesburg, Pa., expected to be operational this fall.

Victory Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery headquartered in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Begun by Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, childhood friends who met on a school bus in 1973, the brewery formally began operations in February of 1996. Victory, Pennsylvania’s widely acclaimed brewery and restaurant, now serves fans of fully flavored beers in 30 states with innovative beers melding European ingredients and technology with American creativity. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company visit us on the web at www.victorybeer.com.

Kennett Square Realty is a second generation Real Estate Acquisition, Development, and Management Company. The Chester County-based firm is managed by Vice President Mike Pia, Jr.  Kennett Square Realty’s development is focused on infill projects in communities with vibrant downtown’s throughout Chester County. Magnolia Place is a 112 Unit Mixed-Use Townhouse and Apartment development located in the Borough of Kennett Square.

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Sierra Nevada Relishes the Dog Days with New Flipside Rye IPA

Chico, CA–July 30, 2013–Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has long embraced the unrelenting heat of Northern California summers. Its new seasonal, FlipsideTM Red IPA, is an adoring sendoff to those months of river days and porch-sitting nights. Available beginning in September in 12- ounce bottles and on draught, Flipside Red IPA ushers out the mild-mannered beers of summer with a deep ruby-red hue and hop vigor.

“As fall approaches, some folks gravitate toward expressive malts and others want hops to do the work. This year we have both groups covered: we’ve again produced Tumbler® Autumn Brown Ale and we’re introducing Flipside,” said Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. “When the Chico sun eases up and we drop below triple digits, I’ll take a Flipside onto the brewery patio.”

Flipside Red IPA prominently features tropical fruit and citrus hop flavors from the use of whole- cone Citra, Simcoe, and Centennial hops. These hops are used both as finishing additions and in the Hop Torpedo, a proprietary Sierra Nevada device that captures more hop aroma and flavor, but not bitterness, during the fermentation process. The interplay of pale, caramel, and chocolate malts firmly roots Flipside Red IPA and supplies its rich color. With just the right gusto–6.2 percent ABV and 60 IBU–this seasonal beer is perfect for the final flash of summer.

Following Flipside Red IPA in Sierra Nevada’s seasonal offerings is the 32nd annual release of Celebration® Ale, one of earliest examples of an American-style IPA.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

page1image15312 page1image15472 page1image15632Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and the finest quality ingredients. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada spans more than three decades, with innovation emerging from both the brewhouse and sustainability initiatives. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Torpedo®, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis® and a host of

Posted in Press Releases

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2013 Announcement (PR)

Chico, CA–July 18, 2013–Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is highlighting the best of its 2012 Beer Camp sessions with a new variety 12-pack featuring three hop-forward brews. Beer Camp is two days of hands-on beer education, recipe formulation and brewing in Sierra Nevada’s 10-barrel pilot brewery at its Chico, Calif., location. From skilled homebrewers to everyday fans, the campers work in conjunction with Sierra Nevada brew masters to create top-notch beers that are hits in the Sierra Nevada taproom but rarely travel elsewhere. The Beer Camp variety pack is a tasty snapshot of the spirited fermentation powwows.

“Beer Campers bring a lot of enthusiasm and ambition to the brewery, and we love sharing some of the great beers beyond our pub,” said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder. “As a brewery, we like to draw big character from whole-cone hops, and the three Beer Camp beers this year made impressive use of arguably our favorite ingredient.”

The Beer Camp variety pack lands on shelves beginning in August 2013:

  • #93 IPA–This IPA sacrifices nothing for its drinkability, flexing big time flavor and complexity. The light color disguises the depth of the malt backbone, a pillar that balances the potent whole-cones of the piney-citrus Cascade and tropical fruit-like Citra hops.
  • #94 Belgian-style Black IPA–This beguiling black IPA takes a tropical detour with a dose of new world hops, featuring lemony Sorachi Ace and fruity Nelson Sauvin varieties. A Belgian yeast works with the exotic hop profile, emphasizing its complex and fruity flavors.
  • #95 Imperial Red Ale–Our aggressive Imperial Red Ale is a massive mix of smooth malts and West Coast hops that have no patience for the lupulin leery. This crimson beer starts with caramel-like malt flavor that can’t suppress the assertive, citrusy hop finale.

Each year Sierra Nevada invites fans to submit videos for a chance to come to Beer Camp. The contest begins August 1 and runs through Labor Day, and the brewery encourages folks to bookmark www.sierrabeercamp.com and keep an eye onFacebookTwitter and Instagram for Beer Camp news.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and the finest quality ingredients. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada spans more than three decades, with innovation emerging from both the brewhouse and sustainability initiatives. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Torpedo®, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.

Posted in Press Releases

Wicked Weed Purchases Local Hops (PR)

Asheville, NC — “This is the largest fresh hop purchase I have had on my farm, and (from) talking to other hop farmers who have been farming for 3 or 4 years, largest they have ever had. They [brothers Luke Dickinson and Walt Dickinson] were pretty excited when they came out to the farm. When they saw the hops were really clean, it caused them to want to buy more,” said Josh from OBJoyful hop farm in South Asheville in reference to the recent July 12th purchase of 85 pounds of hops from his farm by Wicked Weed Brewing as well as the additional purchase being made this Tuesday, July 23rd.

Most beer that is produced in the country is brewed with dried hops, which come from large hop farms that can afford to have their hops processed. According to the Hop Growers of America, “The Yakima Valley contains approximately 75 percent of the total United States hop acreage, with an average farm size of 450 acres (182 hectares) accounting for over 77 percent of the total United States hop crop.“ But when brewers are looking to use local hops, dried hops aren’t an option. Small farmers in Western North Carolina have little access to any of kind of large scale drying facilities and local producers are only able to sell their fresh hops when picked directly off the vine, and then must be used very shortly after they are harvested.

“A lot of people are trying to get into the hop market but it has been tricky for anyone trying to get in it,” said Josh. “So much money is involved in getting hops to the third year that the expense of drying and processing hops is too high for us to be competitive with farms with the Northwest. Taking the hops straight from the field to the vat is the only way small farms can afford to make it happen.”

This produces a unique challenge for breweries who are trying to use local hops, but must schedule out brews weeks, if not months, in advance in order to keep up with the demand of the customers.

“You have to be a small enough brewery that can move its brew schedule around to be ready for when the hops are ready,” said Walt Dickinson, Head of Brewing Operations. “You can’t make fresh hops ready when you are. We are fortunate enough to be in a stage in our business where we aren’t distributing and haven’t promised beer that keeps us locked into a brew schedule. This allows us to be able to put aside a brew we have scheduled and instead brew a fresh hop beer when the hops are ready. When we distribute, this will change, but hopefully we will be able to keep our 15 barrel brewhouse solely supplying the brewpub and still have the flexible to work with farmers.”

Its only during a hop harvest that whole hop cone, picked straight from the vine, can be used in beer production. The essential oils in hop cones are so fragile that they must be dried immediately after picking to preserve them. Otherwise, the oils disipate quickly and much of the flavor that is so loved by hopheads will be lost.

“Essentail oils provide much of the character found in hops,” said head brewer of Wicked Weed Brewing, Luke Dickinson. “We brewed the beer the same day they were picked from the vine to ensure that  none of the flavors were lost, something which would have happened if we let the hops sit around for a few days.”

Wicked Weed Brewing, excited already by the early results of the fresh hops, has planned to gather another batch from OBJoyful farms this Tuesday, July 23rd and brew with them the same day.

“We would love for people to come out on brew day this Tuesday and witness the fresh hops being put into the beer,” said Luke. “It is one of the coolest things I have ever done as a brewer and I hope other people get to experience that with us.”

Both of these fresh hop beers are slated to be on tap for IPA day on August 1st.

Due to the ever changing nature of beer, check for updates on Facebook at wickedweedbrewing for actual availablity times or on the website at wickedweedbrewing.com

UPCOMING RELEASES

This Friday Wicked Weed Brewing will be releasing Transcendence, the first of their bretta series beers where all the beers are fermented 100% with the wild yeast, Brettanyomesous. Brettanyomesis is considered a cultured wild yeast traditionally found in belgian farmhouse ales and is a unpredictable cousin of traditional brewers yeast.

ABOUT WICKED WEED BREWING

Wicked Weed Brewing opened December 28th, 2013 in Asheville, North Carolina and has quickly become known for its creative and adventurous brewing style. Consistently having 20+ beers on tap, Wicked Weed’s flagship is its’ Freak Double IPA as well as it’s wide array of open fermented Belgian styles, including endless variations on the saison, as well as its’ barrel aged beers. The Black Angel Cherry Sour has become a staple sour in the Asheville beer scene.

Wicked Weed Brewing is currently a 15 Barrel Brewhouse with a sour production facility, the Funk House, behind its main building and a barrel aging site in Fairveiw, North Carolina. Wicked Weed is looking to become the regional leader in production of sour and barrel aged beers. Their faciltiy currently houses 250+ barrels of againg beer with a capacity of 400 barrels. They are slated to become the largest brewpub in the Southeast this year based upon the statistics which the Brewer’s Association releases every year.