Search Results for: canned craft beer

Posted in Press Releases

Tallgrass Brewing Releases Velvet Rooster

Craft Beer’s First Belgian-Style Tripel in a Can: Velvet Rooster

Manhattan, Kansas –  Tallgrass Brewing Company is releasing the industry’s first canned Belgian-style Tripel under the auspicious name of “Velvet Rooster.” Velvet Rooster began shipping this week in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans and in kegs.

“Andrew Hood, our head brewer, put together this amazing brew as his first test batch when he came to Tallgrass. I tasted it and wanted to can it that day,” said Tallgrass founder Jeff Gill. “Traditionally, Belgian-style Tripels take themselves very seriously, but we just couldn’t do that. We had to give it our Tallgrass-twist, and Velvet Rooster was born.”

Velvet Rooster being canned

Velvet Rooster is in the Trappist tradition of Belgian Tripels with sweet tones gently hiding its strong alcohol bite (8.5% ABV). The beer pours a golden straw color and is topped with a lofty pure white head that unveils the beer’s strong floral and fruit aromas.

“Velvet Rooster is in the Trappist tradition of Belgian Tripels with sweet tones gently hiding its strong alcohol bite (8.5% ABV). The beer pours a golden straw color and is topped with a lofty pure white head that unveils the beer’s strong floral and fruit aromas.”

The taste is clean but complex, starting with hints of fruit and sweet malt, with just a touch of candy sweetness at the end. The beer’s Champagne-like effervescence provides a crisp offset to its sweet finish.

According to www.craftcans.com, a website dedicated to promoting craft beer in cans, Velvet Rooster is the first of its kind. “As far as I know, Tallgrass’s Velvet Rooster is the first canned Tripel in the world,” said Craftcans.com co-founder Russ Phillips. “Tripels are usually in serious looking bottles with stuffy names. I wonder what the Trappist Monks would think of their heritage in a 16-ounce can with a psychedelic rooster on it?”

The first cans of Velvet Rooster were shipped this week

The Tallgrass website playfully says of their latest creation,”It is smooth and carefully crafted, like a fine velvet painting.”

In association with National Craft Beer Week in May, Tallgrass gave the public a limited preview of the brew. Velvet Rooster was a featured craft beer at select Old Chicago Restaurants in the Midwest. This small sampling left many people asking when they could take home a can of this amazing brew. The answer is now.

Tallgrass Brewing Company was started in Manhattan, Kansas, in 2007, by homebrewer/ex-geologist Jeff Gill and his wife Tricia. Tallgrass’s products include Velvet Rooster, Ale, IPA, Buffalo Sweat Stout, Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat, and Oasis. Tallgrass declared its “Canifesto” in May of 2010 and began exclusively using cans for its non-draft product. Tallgrass is now distributed in 15 states.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Maui Brewing Company

Maui Brewing Hits Maryland

Maui Brewing heads to Maryland…

LAHAINA, MAUI, HI – 19 October 2011 – Maui Brewing Co. (MBC) is proud to announce that a distribution agreement has been reached with Legends Ltd. Legends Ltd. is a Baltimore-based craft and specialty beer wholesaler, with distribution throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C., for more than 150 of the world’s most celebrated breweries.  “I was impressed with Erin and Legends Ltd. as a distributor.  They know how to treat craft beer and we felt comfortable entrusting our brand to them,” says Garrett Marrero of MBC.

Maryland is the tenth state where MBC’s Big Swell IPA, Bikini Blonde Lager, CoCoNut PorTeR and Mana Wheat can be found – now in addition to the states of Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Texas, Nevada and Arizona. Maryland is also the only east-coast state with distribution of MBC products.

Erin Tyler of Legends Ltd. comments, “The response has been great! We have sold through our container with just a few remaining cases. Accounts have been asking for more. It is great to have another all canned brewery that makes such quality products.”

“Folks have been writing us for some time now, asking when the east coast will get our craft beer and I am happy to finally be able to bring some product out that way.  Maui Brewing Co. is particularly proud to be the first Hawaiian-made beer to hit the Atlantic coast,” says Garrett Marrero.  He continues, “Unlike other breweries, Maui Brewing Co. will not contract brew because we are dedicated to continue to produce a truly Hawaiian beer.  You are guaranteed that all Maui Brewing Co. canned and draft beer received anywhere is made and packaged on-island.”

Maui Brewing Co. is one of only two truly local Hawaiian breweries, brewing and packaging 100% of product in the state. Maui Brewing Co. and Hawaii Nui (on the Big Island) are very proud to be wholly produced in Hawaii. Maui Brewing Co. has been recognized as Hawaii’s #1 craft beer since 2005 and the company has a strong commitment to the local economy, and the environment. MBC craft beers are packaged with the most eco-friendly materials. Although cans and bottles are both recyclable, bottles still break and pose a risk at beaches. The cans are manufactured on Oahu and designed by local Maui artists; they have the added bonus of protecting the beer in the best possible manner, protecting the product from both light and oxygen damage which can seriously compromise the taste. Plastic rings are dangerous to marine life and therefore, a unique, recyclable plastic carrying device is used to hold the products. The spent grain from beer production is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed and composting. Maui Brewing Co. is also very active in several local Hawaii 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.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Press Releases

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Comes Early

LONGMONT, CO — Oskar Blues’ Ten FIDY fans are cheering because the famed winter seasonal will be back on shelves a month earlier than last year. Ten FIDY continues to be primed with its latest accolade, named in the Top 51 “Best of the Best Beers” in Beer Magazine’s October issue.

The genre bending canned beer that has bulldozed beer connoisseurs began canning Ten FIDY on Monday! It will be available earlier than expected on October 1, 2011. This titanic, immensely viscous stout is 10% ABV, loaded with inimitable flavors of chocolate-covered caramel and coffee that hide a hefty 98 IBUs underneath the smooth blanket of malt. Get your orders in for first dibs.

Oskar Blues head brewer Dave Chichura lets it be known “Ten FIDY is no walk in the park to create; it’s a labor intensive beer.” Ten FIDY’s gargantuan grain bill is just short of 50 percent specialty malts that are packaged in 55 pound bags and loaded into the mill by hand.  The many bags of oats are poured directly into the mash tun. Oats and rice hulls are lugged up the 20-odd stairs to the top of the brew-deck to be placed near the mash tun. “We aren’t mashing it with a computer from a comfy control room. It takes hands-on craft brewing to make a big ‘ole can of eat-it-with-a-fork stout,” said Chichura.

In addition to this year’s Beer Magazine Top 51 list, Ten FIDY has been tagged with accolades that nearly stand up to the viscosity of the behemoth in a can:

  • #30 “Top Beers On Planet Earth!” by Beer Advocate
  • “The biggest, baddest, boldest beer in a can” — Celebrator Beer News
  • “2008 Beer of the Year” — The Denver Post
  • “100 Rating” — Ratebeer.com
  • “A-Rating” — Beeradvocate.com
  • “Top 25 Best New Beers In America” — MAXIM Magazine February 2010

Ten FIDY is conveniently packaged in 12-ounce cans and sold in 4-pack carriers. 15.1 gallon and five gallon kegs are also available. The suggested retail price of this limited release is $14.49 per 4-pack. Oskar Blues Brewery’s Imperial Stout accompanies an impressive line-up of boundary busting canned beer available in 25 states. For more information about where to purchase Oskar Blues beer visithttp://www.oskarblues.com/locations/.

Set in the heart of Colorado craft beer country, Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons began canning its beers in November of 2002 with a hand-canning line in the 60- year-old barn next door to their funky little brewpub.  Although it’s now a full- throttle canning operation that is quickly expanding its cult-like following across the nation, Oskar Blues remains true to its original mission of simply blowing minds with what can come out of a can of beer.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Sierra Nevada

Slight Delay In Sierra Nevada’s Canning Line

The world waits for Sierra Nevada Brewing’s cans.  Bill Manley, SN’s PR lead mentioned on Beer Advocate that 60% of the canning line has arrived, but the filler (the name tells you what it does) is delayed.  ETA now is January, 2012.

We have about 60% of the canning line here at the brewery, but there has been a delay getting the filler here as originally planned. (they’re now saying September.)

I would be surprised to see any cans on the market before January 2012. Once we get the line here and installed, we’ll need a few weeks/months of trials before going full-bore. After that I suspect we’ll do a soft release here in California and then move out to the rest of the country.

We’ll just have to be patient I suppose, although, I’m as eager as everyone else to get cans here ASAP… I love me some canned beer in the summer so we can’t get this up and running soon enough!

 

[Pic is a mock up via CraftCans]

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Abita Brewing, Beer News

Abita Brewing Starts Canning

Abita Brewing (Abita Springs, LA) joins the canning revolution. Abita plans on canning their 3 flagships beers Amber, Jockamo IPA, and Purple Haze. The cans will have a water based lining to preserve the flavor off the beer. From the press release:

Cans are easy to recycle, weigh less to ship and the average new beer can is made of 40% recycled aluminum. “Abita is committed to a greener environment. We conserve energy and water, create our own bio-gas and drive greener vehicles. We use recycled content in our bottles and packaging. Aluminum cans are one more way Abita is working to keep our part of the world green and clean.”

The brews will be sold in 6 & 12 packs, beginning in 2012.

 

Full Press Release

NEW ORLEANS, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Abita Brewing Company is pleased to announce it plans to offer three of its flagship brews in cans: Amber, Purple Haze and Jockamo I.P.A.

Abita Brewing Company President David Blossman said, “We feel confident that today’s cans are a quality solution that will preserve and protect the flavor of Abita. For many years people associated craft beer with glass bottles, but the perception and the technology of the aluminum beverage can has changed.”

The new Abita cans will be coated with a special water-based lining to protect and preserve the great taste of the beer. This lining insulates the beer from the can’s interior surface. Canning also limits exposure to UV light and oxygen, two elements that can damage the taste of beer.

“You can take cans to places where glass might not be convenient or allowed…parades, fishing, tubing, golfing or the beach,” said Blossman. “We’ve made it even easier to bring Abita to the party, wherever it’s happening.”

Cans are easy to recycle, weigh less to ship and the average new beer can is made of 40% recycled aluminum. “Abita is committed to a greener environment. We conserve energy and water, create our own bio-gas and drive greener vehicles. We use recycled content in our bottles and packaging. Aluminum cans are one more way Abita is working to keep our part of the world green and clean.”

Abita will offer the canned product in six and 12 packs and expect it to reach store shelves early in 2012. The canning will be based at the brewery in Abita Springs. Abita will continue packaging in glass just as they have since they began brewing in 1986.

The Abita Brewing Company was founded in Abita Springs, Louisiana and is the oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast. Abita is the 30th largest commercial brewer by production volume in the nation and the 17th largest craft brewer inthe United States. Sales for the company should exceed 130,000 barrels this year.

Abita Brewing Company produces seven flagship brews: Abita Amber, Golden, Light, Turbodog, Purple Haze, Jockamo I.P.A. and Restoration Pale Ale. Abita also offers five seasonal beers, three Harvest brews, three Big Beers and a draft-only series of Select beers.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Breckenridge Brewing, Wynkoop Brewing

More Cans & More Fermenters For Breckenridge

Breckbrew

Breckenridge Brewing celebrates 39% growth over the first half of 2011 alone.  When the brewery began, it produced a mear 3,000 barrels. Today Breckenridge produces 30,000 barrels a year.  In light of this growth Breckenridge is more than doubling it’s capacity.  By the end of 2011, the brewery will add 37,500 barrel to its current 30,000 for a total of 67,500 barrel per year capacity.  They aren’t stopping there either.  Breckenridge has paired up with Wynkoop Brewing on a canning line purchase.  This will boost the production of Avalanche Ale, Lucky U, and SummerBright cans.  This will also produce more of Wynkoop’s Rail Yard Ale and Silverback Pale Ale in cans.

PRESS RELEASE

Denver, CO — July 13, 2011 — Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado, LLC, announces momentous production growth of 39% in the first half of 2011 over the same period last year.  Production of all brands is up – across main line, seasonal and small batch offerings.  Outstanding performers (based on year over year barrels through June) are:

SummerBright — up 118%

Agave Wheat — up 88%

Vanilla Porter — up 78%

Sampler Packs — up 59%

Lucky U — up 76%

471 IPA — up 67%

“We’ve invested more than ever in sales, production, and marketing in the last 18 months, and we’re seeing real results” says Todd Usry, Brewery Director and Brewmaster.  “We expanded in the northeast this year, but we’re growing our existing markets as well.”

“We’ve seen a 35% increase in sales in Denver this year…that’s on top of double-digit growth in 2010,” says Scott Whitley, President of Coors Distributing Company, Breckenridge’s distributor for Denver, Colorado and surrounding areas. “Breckenridge will continue to grow this year, and its well-balanced portfolio of beers positions the brewery to keep growing at a steady pace for a long, long time. We are excited to have Breckenridge in our portfolio and to represent Breckenridge’s brands in its home market.”

Other traditionally strong markets for the brewery, like Texas, Ohio, and Illinois, are up over 50%.  Todd Thibault, Director of Marketing for the brewery, has focused the marketing strategy on organic growth as much as new market growth. “Our recent series of short spoof commercials [found by searching “Breckenridge Brewery pokes fun” on www.youtube.com] were a ton of fun and got some attention.  Those ads tied in nicely with our growing social media efforts, which are certainly contributing to our organic growth.”

The L. Knife and Sons Companies distribute into Breckenridge Brewery’s recently added northeast territory.  “We are excited to be partnering with the Breckenridge team,” says Michael Brazel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The L. Knife and Sons Companies.  “From the outset, the level of commitment and cooperation from the brewery has been as solid as we’ve experienced. As a result, our retail execution and sales results have exceeded our ambitious expectations. With that said, we still feel there remain enormous opportunities ahead for continued growth.”

To help manage its growth, the brewery is investing in infrastructure this summer and fall.

  • In partnership with Wynkoop Brewing Company, Breckenridge Brewery purchased the first automated canning line from Wild Goose Engineering of Boulder, Colorado. The new line, the first of its kind from a U.S. manufacturer, will dramatically boost the production of canned beer for both companies.  Within weeks Breckenridge Brewery will begin shipping Avalanche Ale, Lucky U, and SummerBright cans in volume.  On the horizon is a boost in availability of Wynkoop’s Rail Yard Ale and Silverback Pale Ale in cans.
  • Two new 300-barrel fermenters are scheduled to be installed later this month.  An additional three 300-barrel fermenters are scheduled to be installed in October.  The additional capacity, along with a ramped-up 7-day-a-week brewing schedule, will add 37,500 barrels to Breckenridge Brewery’s production capability.

“With these additions to our brewery, we can keep growing at an accelerated rate and still meet demand in our markets,” says Usry.

Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado.  In the past two decades Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer and restaurant companies in the nation. It now handcrafts well over 30,000 barrels of fresh beer annually and owns and operates five brewpubs and ales houses in the state of Colorado.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in 21st Amendment Brewing, New Releases

21A Hop Crisis Now In Cans

21st Amendment Brewing’s Hop Crisis is now available in cans.  Once a draft only product, first brewed a couple of years ago when hop prices were through the roof, this beer is the one of the hoppiest in cans yet.  Hop Crisis follows Monk’s Blood, both part of the Insurection Series by 21A. They are occasional releases.  It’s a huge imperial IPA, with oak aging to round things out.

[quote]“We really wanted to do something different with an Imperial IPA. Aside from the higher alcohol and intense hop bitterness, we felt aging the beer on oak would add some additional layers of flavor. Because oak can overwhelm the hops, we chose a light, subtle oak character to accentuate the dry hop bitterness and add a unique character to the beer.”[/quote]

Style: Imperial IPA

Taste Expectations: Full of hops: grapefruit, pine, citrus.  Hops are fresh & chewy. Oak & malt fight for dominance & add complexity.

Availability: 12oz/4pk cans. Draft. CA, OR, WA, AK, ID, MN, OH, MA, NY, NJ, DC, MD, PA, VA, and GA.

9.7% ABV

Pic: @AleYeahBeer


Full Press Release

(San Francisco, CA) — 21st Amendment founders Nico and Shaun need to break out of Alcatraz. And fast. The Hop Syndicate is hoarding hops in a remote warehouse, depriving the People of their right to hoppy, aromatic beer. This is Not Cool. Shaun and Nico have to do something. They need to Free the Hops!

21st Amendment Brewery today announced the release of Hop Crisis, an oak-aged Imperial IPA with big malt flavor at 9.7% alcohol by volume and 94 IBUs (International Bittering Units — that’s bitter!). A few years ago, when hop prices shot through the roof and many brewers were forced to skimp on hops, the folks at 21A decided there was only one thing to do. They made a bigger, hoppier IPA and then aged it on oak for good measure.

21st Amendment co-founder and Brewmaster Shaun O’Sullivan says of the idea behind the beer, “We really wanted to do something different with an Imperial IPA. Aside from the higher alcohol and intense hop bitterness, we felt aging the beer on oak would add some additional layers of flavor. Because oak can overwhelm the hops, we chose a light, subtle oak character to accentuate the dry hop bitterness and add a unique character to the beer.”

“The graphics on our four-pack box tell the story of convicts Nico and Shaun’s adventure to Free the Hops,” noted co-founder Nico Freccia. “A daring escape through the sewer pipe, surfing monster waves while being chased by a great white shark and a high speed getaway on the San Francisco cable car are all part of the adventure,” he adds. “We just really felt we had an opportunity to have some fun with this beer.”

Last year, Hop Crisis won the silver medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival in the “Imperial IPA” category against some stiff competition (the third largest of all categories with 96 entries).

Hop Crisis is the second installment (after the highly acclaimed Monk’s Blood) in the 21st Amendment’s Insurrection Series, a limited edition, once-in-a-while, four-pack release of a very special beer that rises up in revolt against common notions of what canned beer can be.

Hop Crisis is available in four-pack cans and on draft starting June 16 at better bars and stores in all fifteen of 21st Amendment’s current distribution territories, which include CA, OR, WA, AK, ID, MN, OH, MA, NY, NJ, DC, MD, PA, VA, and GA. For up to date availability, events and promotions, visit 21A’s website at www.21st-Amendment.com.
About 21st Amendment Brewery

Who the heck are these guys? Hey, we’re Nico & Shaun. We live for great beer. In 1920, there were thousands of breweries across America making unique hand-crafted beer. The passage of Prohibition wiped out this great culture. After thirteen years without beer, the states ratified the 21st Amendment, ending Prohibition in America. At the 21st Amendment Brewery, we celebrate the right to brew beer, the freedom to be innovative, and the obligation to have fun.


by Reid Ramsay