What is a Craft Beer?
Craft Beer is an American term which is also common in Canada and New Zealand
and generally refers to beer that is brewed using traditional methods, without
adjuncts such as rice or corn, and with an eye to what's distinctive and
flavorful rather than mass appeal,
What is a Craft Brewery?
An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. Small: Annual
production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Independent: Less than 25% of
the craft brewery is owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry
member who is not themselves a craft brewer.
Beer Info - Brews News Service plus Craft Beer and Homebrew Library
Harriet Brewing ready to
tap into market(January 27) - When Paul Johnston flips a switch at
Harriet Brewing company, 600 pounds of malted barley make their way through
a grinder, up a tube and into a 15-foot-tall copper-plated vessel. In about
a week and-a-half, the barley will be beer.
Complete Story
Beer of the Day: Top Sail
Imperial Porter
Full Sail Brewing Hop
Tour
Sierra Nevada Chooses
Asheville Area for Eastern Brewery Expansion(January 26) - Sierra Nevada
Brewing Co. is pleased to announce that it has chosen a site in western
North Carolina for the future home of an East Coast brewery. The site,
approximately 90 acres in the Henderson County Town of Mills River— along
the French Broad River, 12 miles south of Asheville — will be home to the
new production facility, as well as a proposed restaurant and gift shop. “We
are thrilled to have found an ideal location in western North Carolina for
our second brewery,” says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada.
Complete Story
Breckenridge Brewery's
capacity closes in on 24 million beers a year(January 25) - The final
numbers are still being tallied, but Breckenridge Brewery saw close to 30
percent growth in 2011 -- about double the growth rate of the craft beer
industry as a whole -- which makes this week's installation of more brewing
tanks excellent timing.
Complete Story
San Diego bubbles over with
local brews(January 24) - Beer. It can be the remedy to a long stressful
day or the perfect addition to any meal. Regardless of what individuals
decide to pair it with, the abundance of beer in San Diego is vast and this
can only be attributed to the multitude of breweries that call San Diego
home. The city was ranked No. 14 in The New York Times’ “The 45 Places to Go
to in 2012” list, specifically because of its many breweries that pour a
diverse range of craft beers every day.
Complete Story
Dogfish makes gluten-free
ale(January 22) - Gluten-intolerant beer drinkers looking to enjoy their
favorite ale without the harmful side effects can now do so thanks to a
local brewer. Dogfish Head is set to release its latest seasonal beer,
Tweason'ale, later this month. The beverage, the first of four releases this
year, will sell for about $9.99 for a case of four bottles.
Complete Story
Crowd to craft beer via
Facebook goes(January 20) - Samuel Adams is giving its social network a
say in the brewing process by crowd-sourcing a beer. Using the “Crowd Craft
Project” app, Facebook fans can determine the color, clarity, body and
character of the malt, hops and yeast for the collaborative ale, which will
make its debut during the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin,
Texas.
Complete Story
Beer Here: Barley Wine from
New Glarus Brewing(January 20) - Barley wine is an ideal beer for
winter. Its rich, bold flavor is intense yet inviting. New Glarus Brewing
just released a barley wine as the latest in its limited Thumb Print series.
Brewmaster Dan Carey says his creation is a blend of the malty English
version of the style and the hoppy American rendition. Complete
Story
2nd Annual San Diego
Brewery Awards(January 20) - San Diego is highly regarded as a
destination city for adventures in craft beer. With over 40 unique breweries
located in San Diego County, deciding what to drink first can be difficult. Tap Hunter, a local organization that provides beer aficionados with updated
tap lists from all the hottest spots, seeks to delivery clarity and purpose
in hosting the 2nd Annual San Diego Brewery Awards. Complete Story
Delaware Governor Tours
Fordham and Old Dominion Brewery(January 20) - Delaware Governor Jack
Markell and Economic Development Secretary Alan Levin took a tour of the
Fordham Brewing Company and Old Dominion Brewing as part of their ongoing
effort to better understand Delaware businesses and promote tourism through
the Delaware Wine & Ale Trail.
Complete Story
Gather ‘round the Kettle:
Copper Kettle Brewing Company opens first brew-on-premises in Pittsburgh(January
19) - Beer connoisseurs of the ‘Burgh, unite. A new type of brewery is here
to help you and all your brew needs. Copper Kettle Brewing Company opened
Jan 4. in an old Greenfield hardware store and is a brew-on-premises shop
that is the first of its kind in Pittsburgh, according to Duquesne
University graduate Greg Hough, who runs Copper Kettle along with his
cousin, Jeff Medjimorec.
Complete Story
Frosted Glassware Is Not
Cool: Temperature Tips for Craft Beer Retailers(January 18) - Here is a
humble, but hopefully helpful cheat sheet for the tens of thousands of
retailers who are now serving craft-brewed beer from today’s small and
independent U.S. producers. This list specifically addresses temperature,
which is just one of the many components of delivering an amazing beer
experience. Bottom line: it is not enough to simply offer an expanded
selection of craft beer. Complete Story
Introducing New York City's
New Craft Brewery, Bronx Brewery(January 17) - What do you get when you
cross a beer-loving brewery consultant with a dedicated brewer? New York
City’s latest craft brewery. The Bronx Brewery released its first brew, the
Bronx Pale Ale, earlier last fall after more than a year of testing and
development by brewery partners Chris Gallant, Damian Brown, Steve
O’Sullivan, and Kirk Voltz. The brewery, located in the Mott Haven section
of the South Bronx, is the second brewery to open in the borough in recent
months.
Complete Story
Grand Teton Brewing
Releases First Cellar Reserve of 2012(January 16) - We are pleased to
announce the release of the 5 O’Clock Shadow Double Black Lager, the newest
of the Cellar Reserve series. Join us Wednesday February 1st in our pub for
the inaugural tapping of the first keg at none other than 5 o’clock.
Complete Story
Craft beer breweries get boost from state fee cuts in Ohio(January
16) -A new state law that cuts start-up costs for micro-breweries and makes
it easier for a growing number of craft distilleries and brewers to sell to
the public will trigger growth and expansion in the emerging industry,
promote tourism, create jobs and generate tax revenues, state and industry
officials say.
Complete Story
Okoboji Brewing to
celebrate Winter Games with special beer(December 15) - Iowa's newest
craft brewery is brewing up a special beer to mark the 32nd annual
University of Okoboji Winter Games later this month. Brewmaster Eric
DeKeyzer said last week a limited run of the Okoboji Brewing Co.'s Select 32
Stout will be sold only during the upcoming Winter Games festivities, or for
just a short time thereafter.
Complete Story
Yuengling named America's
largest independent beer-maker(January 14) - According to Beer
Marketer's Insights, based in Suffern, N.Y., Yuengling sold 2.5 million
barrels of beer in 2011, 17 percent more than in 2010. Previously, Boston
Beer, which produces Samuel Adams and has a plant in Fogelsville, held the
title. But in 2011, it sold 2.4 million barrels, according to the magazine.
Complete Story
Nano-Breweries: Talk of the Craft Beer Nation(January 14) -Nano-breweries,
a new and increasingly popular segment of the craft brewing world, are
intentionally kept very small. These breweries usually don't brew more than
one batch at a time, or desire to see their beer served at bars across the
country. They are taking producing and drinking craft beer locally to the
next level.
Complete Story
Why Women Are a
Critical Part of the Future of U.S. Craft Beer(January 14) - It’s time
for more women consumers to engage in American Craft Beer. Why? Well, if
you’re a woman who likes beer, let me answer that with a few questions. Do
you enjoy American craft brews? Do you know what "craft" means? If you do,
how often do you partake? What brands do you support and why? Do you recruit
other women to enjoy it too?
Complete Story
Peticolas Brewing Company
now open in Dallas design district(January 12) - It's another giant step
for beer in Dallas: the opening of Peticolas Brewing Company, our second
inner-city brewery coming on the heels of Deep Ellum Brewing Co. which
opened in Deep Ellum in December. Peticolas is literally a mom-and-pop: The
brewery is wholly owned by lawyer Michael Peticolas and his wife Melissa,
who are proud of their ownership and the fact that they don't share the keys
with investors big or small.
Complete Story
Barrel-aged beers are on
the rise at craft breweries around the country(January 12) - Jeremy
Marshall feels a sting of pain each time he sees an old wine barrel in
someone’s front yard, sliced in half, filled with potting soil, and planted
with some scraggly native weeds—because Marshall would rather see a barrel
filled with beer. Marshall is the head brewer at Lagunitas Brewing Co. in
Petaluma, and while this third-largest craft brewery in California sates the
collective thirst of its many followers with relatively conventional styles
of fresh beer—like the India Pale Ale—barrel-aged beers are becoming an
increasingly important part of the Lagunitas repertoire.
Complete Story
Tallgrass Brewing Company
Sweeps Craft Can Awards(January 11) - When the readers of the national
website, Craftcans.com, picked their favorite canned beers for 2011
Tallgrass was the top winner in 6 categories. Complete Story
Fountain Square Brewing Co.
Announces Its Grand Opening in Indianapolis(January 10) - Fountain
Square Brewery is pleased to announce its Grand Opening Winter Luau. The
grand opening will feature prizes for best dressed, hula hoop, and limbo
contest. The Brewery currently features 5 house beers on tap, and 3
seasonals. The tasting room provides an opportunity to taste a variety of
beer styles and visitors may also purchase growlers, kegs, and logo wear. Complete Story
Flying Dog releases a
‘Rarities’ collection(January 9) - According to brewmaster and chief
operating officer Matt Brophy, Flying Dog asked each member of its
production team to submit an idea for a limited-edition beer. The first,
Imperial Hefeweizen, debuted Jan. 5 at Max’s Taphouse in Baltimore. Brophy
describes it as pale in color, measuring 7.3 percent alcohol by volume, with
“a nice bit of spice” from a mixed fermentation.
Complete Story
Falling Sky Brewing opening
in Eugene Oregon(January 8) - Inspired by Munich’s beer halls and
London’s neighborhood pubs, Falling Sky hopes to become a local favorite for
handcrafted beers and sodas, barrel to tap wines and food, with a heavy
emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients. The business is the culmination of
the dreams of Jason Carriere, the owner of a local home brew shop; Rob
Cohen, a restaurateur transplanted from Ithaca; and Corey Wisun, a Eugene chef with a focus on local ingredients.
Complete Story
Copper thieves hit Red
Brick Brewing, put beer in jeopardy(January 7) - Red Brick Brewing Co.
staffers arrived at work Friday in northwest Atlanta to find a refrigeration
unit used to keep its specialty beer tanks cooled had malfunctioned. On
closer inspection, the staff at the brewery at 2323 Defoor Hills Road
realized an electrical box that powers the $100,000 “chiller” had been
stripped of its copper wiring.
Complete Story
Alchemy & Science Announces
Its First Foray Into the Brewery World(January 6) - Angel City Brewing
Company of Los Angeles, California, for many years LA's leading "hometown
brew", is now part of Alchemy & Science, according to an agreement effective
yesterday. Alan Newman, who founded Magic Hat Brewing Company in 1994 and
left that brewery in 2010, launched Alchemy & Science and joined forces with
The Boston Beer Company this past October. Complete Story
Brewing the Revolution: Mother Road Brewing(January 5) -
Entrepreneurial beer enthusiasts have been squeezing their way into the taps
and shelves of local bars and markets, slowly replacing the big three
brewers—in all their myriad
forms—with quality craft brews. Enter Mother Road Brewing Co. When Flagstaff
Live first sat down with Chief Beer Officer Michael Marquess and Head Brewer
Urs Riner back in March of
2011, they were in the midst of transforming facilities designed for an
early 20th century Route 66 laundromat into a brewery.
Complete Story
Dogfish Head's Lead Brewer Ben Potts: A Week In The Life(January 4) -
Ben Potts, 28, is the lead brewer at Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats in Rehoboth
Beach, De. After Ben discovered craft beer, there was no turning back. His
first forays into this world were Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Bigfoot
Barleywine, as well as Dogfish Head's Midas Touch and 90 Minute IPA. Talk
about full circle!
Complete Story
Mankato Brewery Rolls Out First Kegs(January 3, 2011) - Beer drinkers
will soon be able to drink a glass–brewed right here in Mankato. Mankato
Brewery will roll out its first kegs this Thursday. What started out as a
hobby for Tim Tupy and his partner Tony Feuchtenberger has turned
into something much bigger.Tupy says, "It is kind of surreal...there has
been all these momentous points throughout the process of opening the
brewery."
Complete Story
Tuckahoe Brewing Company gets started on first commercial beer(January
3, 2011) - Tim Hanna sees a good future for beer in Cape May County. He and
his friends Matt McDevitt, Chris Konicki and Jim McAfee founded Tuckahoe
Brewing Company, the second local brewery to gain state approvals in Cape
May County in 2011. So far, the company has not sold a single pint. The
business received its license in December; and work began on the first batch
of beer, which the brewery owners said will be available on tap at several
bars and taverns in Cape May County. The partners hope the first pints will
be pulled this month.
Complete Story
Anchor maintains holiday tradition with Christmas Ale(January 2) - Every
year since 1975, the Anchor brewery has released a Christmas ale, and each
year features a different recipe. I like that the beer is not just available
during the holiday season but also into February. Complete Story
Kodiak Brewing Company finding big business with plans to expand(January
1) - As soon as next month, longtime landmark store Cy's Sporting Goods
could be replaced by the booming Kodiak Island Brewing Company. "There's
been steady, steady growth over the years in demand both on the retail side
and on the wholesale side," said Ben Millstein, owner of the brewing company
now on Shelikof Street.
Complete Story