Topic Archives: Brewers Association

Boulder, CO – March 4, 2013–The Brewers Association (BA), the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers, released its 2013 Beer Style Guidelines. Updated annually, this year’s version defines 142 styles of beer, up from 140 in 2012.

Compiling the guidelines annually is a collaborative effort, and the 2013 version incorporates more than 100 suggestions from U.S. and international beer judges and experts, brewers and beer lovers. This year, Adambier and Grätzer styles were added for the first time. Both are historic pre-Reinheitsgebot styles that are making a slow revival among U.S. and international brewers. Adambier and Grätzer are historically smoky ales, with the former thriving in and around Dortmund, Germany, and the latter brewed primarily in Poland.

Changes were also made to the guidelines for American wheat ale, reflecting a growing trend in the craft brewing and homebrewing communities by which all-wheat grists are used in the brewing process.

As consumers and beer judges generally use their senses of sight and smell before they taste a beer, the descriptive text for virtually every listed beer style has been updated and reorganized to reflect the order of the beer sensory experience. The guidelines now focus first on appearance, aroma, flavor and finish, in that order. They also include vital statistics on each of the 142 styles including ranges for: original gravity/plato; apparent extract/final gravity; alcohol by weight/volume; bitterness and color.

“These guidelines are first and foremost an educational tool, but they also help to illustrate the United States’ role as a leading beer nation,” said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association. “The Brewers Association toasts America’s small and independent brewers, including homebrewing enthusiasts, who continue to push the evolution of style guidelines with their innovative brewing and ingredients.”

Since 1979, the BA has provided beer style descriptions as a reference for brewers and beer competition organizers. The beer style guidelines developed by the BA use sources from the commercial brewing industry, beer analyses and consultations with beer industry experts and knowledgeable beer enthusiasts as resources for information. Much of the early work was based on the assistance and contributions of beer journalist Michael Jackson and Fred Eckhardt. The guidelines are used in some of the world’s most prestigious beer competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival^® and the World Beer Cup^®.

The 2013 beer style guidelines are available for download at BrewersAssociation.org.# # #

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.

Boulder, CO – February 20, 2013–Got Spring Fever? America’s small and independent craft brewers have a cure. Showcasing innovation and imagination, CraftBeer.com –the Brewers Association (BA) website for beer lovers–released its list of spring seasonal craft beers produced by BA members.

“The first signs of spring come every year when craft brewers across the country announce their specialty crafted gems which take advantage of the springtime’s light, refreshing and thirst quenching flavors,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director of the Brewers Association. “During the season of renewal, these palate pleasers tease the taste buds and offer a newfound appreciation for the ingenuity of small brewers.”

Many of the spring seasonal craft beers featured on CraftBeer.com include ingredients like rye malts, wheat, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, flowers, and fruits such as watermelons, peaches and more

See what spring will bring with some of these refreshing offerings:

• ·         21st Amendment Brewery | Hell or High Watermelon — wheat beer | San Francisco, CA
• ·         Bayou Teche Brewing | Saison D’Ecrevisses  —  Crawfish Season Saison | Arnaudville, LA
• ·         Freak’N Brewing Company | Creme Brulee Double Yummee — imperial stout | Peoria, AZ
  • ·         Hangar 24 Craft Brewery | California Spring Beer — American pale wheat ale |  Redlands, CA
  • ·         Mother’s Brewing Company |  Spring Batch — farmhouse ale |  Springfield, MO
  • ·         RJ Rockers Brewery | Son of a Peach — American pale wheat ale | Spartanburg, SC
  • ·         Rogue Ales | MoM Hefeweizen Ale Brewed with Rose Petals | Eugene, OR
    • ·         Samuel Adams | Alpine Spring — lager: kellerbier/zwickelbier |  Boston, MA
    • ·         SanTan Brewing Company | Sex Panther — porter | Chandler, AZ
    • ·         Sawtooth Brewery | Sunnyside Ale — hefeweizen | Ketchum, ID
    • ·         Wicked Weed Brewing Company | Coolcumber — golden ale | Asheville, NC

Read CraftBeer.com’s “Hop On Board with Spring Seasonals” for craft beer spring seasonal selections and descriptions, and to round out the experience consider a tour to your local craft brewery.

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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.

Boulder, CO – February 5, 2013–Citing tireless work on behalf of America’s small and independent craft brewers, the Brewers Association (BA)–the not-for-profit trade group representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies–today presented two United States Congressmen with the organization’s Legislator of the Year Award.

Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) were recognized for their stewardship of the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act). The awards were presented at a ceremony today in Washington, D.C., by Bob Pease, chief operating officer of the Brewers Association; Jim Koch, co-founder and chairman of Boston Beer Company; and Bill Covaleski, founder and brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company and president of the Brewers of Pennsylvania.

“The efforts of Congressmen Gerlach and Neal reflect their appreciation for America’s small brewers and the significant economic contributions that these men and women bring to the national economy,” said Pease. “We recognize both of these leaders for their commitment to creating a level playing field for small and independent brewers in their home states and across the country.”

The Small BREW Act, introduced by Gerlach and Neal during the 112^th Congress and expected to be reintroduced in February 2013, aims to recalibrate the federal excise tax rate structure to further foster the growth of America’s dynamic craft brewing community. Currently, brewers producing less than 2 million barrels of beer per year pay $7 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels they brew, and $18 per barrel on every barrel thereafter. If the Small BREW Act is adopted, the rate for the smallest brewers and brewpubs would be $3.50 on the first 60,000 barrels. For production between 60,001 and 2 million barrels the rate would be $16.00 per barrel.  Any brewer that exceeds 2 million barrels (about 1 percent of the U.S. beer market) would begin paying the full $18 rate. Breweries with an annual production of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates.

“Small brewers provide a significant economic spark, creating tens of thousands of jobs and generating tens of billions of dollars in economic activity each year in Pennsylvania and across America,” said Congressman Gerlach, co-chairman of the House Small Brewers Caucus. “These independent and innovative small business owners often work just as hard at improving their communities as they do perfecting their world-class products. It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Brewers Association for my bipartisan work in Congress to help small brewers remain competitive and continue building upon the success of America’s craft-brewing revolution.”

“I am honored that the Brewers Association has chosen me as one of their Legislators of the Year,” said Congressman Neal. “As someone who represents many small brewers in Massachusetts, this award has special meaning for me. Craft breweries are locally owned, generate economic development and create good jobs. They also make distinctive products for passionate consumers. As a supporter of the industry, I have introduced bipartisan legislation that would give small brewers a substantial tax break. My plan would recalibrate the beer excise tax for America’s craft brewers, allowing them to reinvest in their businesses. With the help of Brewers Association, I believe this initiative can be approved by the House of Representatives during this session of Congress.”

Nationally, small and independent brewers are bolstering the economy in a significant way. These small businesses employ over 100,000 full- and part-time employees and generate more than $3 billion in wages and benefits. They also pay more than $2.3 billion in business, personal and consumption taxes. In 1976, there were approximately 30 small brewers in the United States. Today, there are more than 2,000.

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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.

Boulder, CO – January 28, 2013 — The Brewers Association (BA)–the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers–today launched KegReturn.com, a site that provides tools to help consumers, homebrewers, retailers, wholesalers, brewers and scrap yards redirect kegs back to the breweries that own the kegs.

Kegs are always the property of the brewery which purchased them and filled them with beer. Many kegs disappear as a result of accidental mishandling, while others go missing due to intentional misappropriation. KegReturn.com offers a convenient way for kegs to get returned to their proper owner.

“Craft beer sales have grown tremendously over the past decade, which means the number of kegs owned by brewers has increased as well,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Keg disappearances and the resulting profit loss are hindering opportunities for craft brewers. We must ensure kegs are returned to their owners, it’s the right thing to do.”

According to the Brewers Association, keg loss costs craft brewers between $0.46 and $1.37 per-barrel of annual keg production. Assuming 2011 craft beer sales of 11.5 million barrels, that is a total direct capital charge to craft brewers of $5.3 million and $15.8 million annually. Lost kegs act as an enormous additional and unintended tax on beer, ultimately having a direct impact on job growth and profit reduction for brewers, wholesalers and retailers.

“Understanding the issue at hand is a vital part of finding a solution,” said Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and BA Technical Committee chair. “The online resource at KegReturn.com allows people to contact the brewery or their local distributor to return kegs back to the brewery to be filled again with beer. We call on beer lovers and people in the trade to help reunite kegs with their owners.”

For more information on keg etiquette, the keg return program, or for registration, visit: http://www.kegreturn.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.