2008 March Brews News and Festivals -- Beer Info

Budweiser Brewery Tour

2008 March's Top Beer Stories

Drink Up: Laughing Buddha Pandan Brown Ale(March 31) - Seattle - The Pandan Brown Ale -- from Seattle's new Laughing Buddha Brewing -- is breaking new ground for pairing beer with Asian food. This ale is brewed with three types of malt, plus palm sugar and pandan leaves, which are two common ingredients used in Asian cuisine. Complete Story

Pub offers free beer for Earth Hour(March 30) - Australia - The Criterion Hotel in the north-central Victorian town of Tatura will be hosting a pyjama party, with a free beer on offer for those who bring a black balloon along – a symbol of an individual's carbon footprint. Complete Story

Point Brewery expands distribution, unveils "Nude Beach"(March 30) - Wisconsin - Last year, the Stevens Point Brewery celebrated 150 years of beer making in Wisconsin, but it was only six years ago that the brewery returned to local control. Joe Martino and Jim Wiechmann, both of who live in Milwaukee and commute to Stevens Point, purchased the brewery from the Chicago-based Barton Beer in 2002. Complete Story

Alabama beer fans wage battle of Bible Belt in effort to keep brewing(March 29) - Two dozen guys are crowded into a basement, talking loudly over Triscuits, when Scott Oberman breaks the law. In defiance of Alabama Criminal Code 28-4-20, he pours his buddy a beer. Complete Story

Man 'chose beer over dying girlfriend'(March 28) - Australia - A MAN attacked his girlfriend and then refused to go to hospital to see her before she died because he had not finished his beer, a Sydney judge has been told. Complete Story

Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week:" Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial Ale(March 28) - Illinois - Sometimes, in our constant tasting of beer, we come across some that make the mouth pucker as though we just sucked on a sour lemon. Then there are the beers that make us pucker because of all the hoppy goodness it contains. Complete Story

United Breweries Chairman Wants Back Heineken's Stake(March 28) - Forbes - Indian liquor magnate Vijay Mallya is reported to be eager to buy back the 37.5% stake in his United Breweries soon to be held by Heineken, reasoning that the Dutch brewer's interest in Tiger Beer may pose a challenge to United Breweries' Kingfisher Beer in India. Complete Story

New York Beer Makers Want More Respect from Albany(March 28) - With the cut of a ribbon, Rohrbach Brewing Company officially opened its new manufacturing facility Thursday at Rochester's Public Market.It's a sign of the success of small breweries in New York state. Complete Story

Bamboozleator Doppelbock from Ale Asylum(March 27) - Wisconsin - Ale Asylum on the north side of Madison currently has a great version of the doppelbock called Bamboozleator. It been out for just a few weeks and should remain on tap at the brewery's taproom for several more. Complete Story

Raise a glass to Beijing's Olympic beer(March 27) - Canada - The Import Vintners & Spirits Association featured Yanjing Beer, official sponsor of the Beijing summer Games, yesterday, during an exclusive tasting at the Pan Pacific Hotel. Complete Story

Hanami Ale (beer review) Very cherry, very scary(March 26) - Boston - Now I have no clue why I thought it would be a good idea to try Hanami Ale by the Smuttynose Brewing Company. It says right on the bottle that this beer was brewed using “cherry juice and other natural flavors”… a word to the wise, never drink a beer that has to use labeling reminiscent of a juice box. Complete Story

Try a Maple Oat Ale(March 25) - Vermont - Peak Organic Brewing, producers of gourmet, certified organic ales of Morrisville, is collaborating with Butternut Mountain Farms, producers of local, organic maple syrup, also in Morrisville, to brew a Maple Oat Ale. Complete Story

Georgia bar features personal beer taps(March 25) - MSNBC - March Madness was in full swing at the Atlanta sports bar, but fans huddled around the beer tap at their table —yes, at their table — were asking their own maddening question. Complete Story

Brewing Trouble: How to Drink Beer and Save the World(March 25) - California - Beer, like so many other products, is largely in the hands of giant corporations. Therefore, drinking beer can often enrich the same systems of power we as activists are fighting against. Fermenting Revolution: How To Drink Beer and Save the World by Christopher O’Brien is a book about how the people can take back the brew. Complete Story

Flossmoor Station Enters the Bottled Beer Game(March 25) - Illinois - Don't those bottles look pretty? We've been in contact with Andrew Mason, brewer at Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery has been keeping us abreast of some of the things that he brewmaster Matt Van Wyk has been working on since the start of the year. Complete Story

Take a Ride Through New Belgium Brewing’s New Virtual World(March 24) - Colorado - New Belgium Brewing invites the world to experience life at the brewery with the click of a mouse. Just log on to www.newbelgium.com, jump on the animated bike and take an interactive tour. Complete Story

Michigan brewers guild releases reformatted annual publication touting "The Great Beer State"(March 24) - Press Release - The Michigan Brewers Guild has just released “Michigan. The Great Beer State” – an annual marketing piece which spotlights the state’s microbreweries and brewpubs. The publication features a slick new look and loads of helpful information for novice and serious beer drinkers alike. Complete Story

Friends for Life thanks Six Rivers Brewery(March 23) - Illinois - The owners of Six Rivers Brewery gave a generous 10 percent of the day’s sales to help fund FFL’s Spay/Neuter Program. This donation will help us continue providing spay and neuter services for dogs and cats of families who need financial assistance. Complete Story

New Brewery Profile - Laughing Buddha Brewing Company(March 21) - Seattle - Here's an idea for a city that excels in Asian cuisine: Start a brewery that specializes in "Asian style" beers and sell them to all the local restaurants. Brilliant! That's exactly what Laughing Buddha Brewing Company is doing. What is an Asian style beer you ask? Complete Story

Anheuser-Busch introduces a Budweiser ale(March 21) - Missouri - Budweiser American Ale is meant to attract what A-B's marketing department calls "experimenters" -- drinkers who bounce around among various beers such as Yuengling, Fat Tire, Hoegaarden and Budweiser. Complete Story

Alabama Beer Drinkers Fight for Stronger Brews(March 21) - NPR - Seventy-five years after Congress repealed Prohibition, alcohol-related debates still flare up across the nation. In Alabama, it's illegal to drink beer with more than 6 percent alcohol. That means some of the most coveted brews in the world are off-limits. But that may soon change. Complete Story

Whitstable Brewery Oyster Stout(March 21) - Well Food Network - I was recently traveling with some friends in England, and happened to be passing through Whitstable, a seaside town well known for its oysters. In England the local beverage is often beer, and in Whitstable the local food is clearly going to be oysters. When we stopped into a beachside pub, and saw that one of their specialty ales was an “Oyster Stout” by the Whitstable Brewery, we clearly knew what to order! Complete Story

Portland's Hopworks brewpub is new, green and bike-friendly(March 20) - Oregon - Christian Ettinger's new beard is growing in nicely, but he'll be happy to shave Tuesday, when Hopworks Urban Brewery is scheduled to open after a 21-month gestation. When it opens, the brewpub will occupy 9,200 square feet of the former Sunset Fuel Co. building -- about half -- and will likely be Oregon's greenest and most sustainable. Complete Story

Four Peaks Brewery serves up award-winning beers(March 20) - Arizona - The Four Peaks Brewing Co. is an award-winning brewery and restaurant that has been in business in Tempe for 11 years and employs more than 100 people. Four Peaks began over a decade ago brewing one keg of beer at a time but has since become Arizona's largest brewery, producing nearly 34,000 kegs each year. Complete Story

Heavenly bock brewed by monks(March 19) - Canada - Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock comes from the Weltenburger brewery, which calls itself the oldest abbey brewery in the world, with brewing at the site since 1050. Complete Story

Moerlein beer tapping showcases links to the past(March 19) - Ohio - Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. will launch its latest beer with a ceremonial tapping of the first keg at Arnold's Bar and Grill downtown on Thursday. On hand to do the honors and mark the return of Barbarossa lager will be Bob Pohl, former president and CEO of Hudepohl Brewing Co. Complete Story

Gordon Biersch founder introduces new German style ale(March 19) - California - Co-founder Dan Gordon, a UC Berkeley graduate who went on to study brewing science at Weihenstephan Technical University in Munich, Germany, and five years later, in 1987, became the first American to graduate in more than 30 years. He brews some of the most authentic lagers this side of Munich: a classic Marzen and a stunning Blonde Bock. Complete Story

March Madness comes in a beer glass(March 18) - New York - It started with an idea two years ago — why not pay homage to the annual NCAA basketball tournament by having a tournament of our own? Our tournament would have a similar structure to the "Final Four" basketball tournament, but it would be all about beer. Complete Story

Beer Fights Cancer(March 18) - NewsMax - Researchers are always looking for the magic bullet to kill cancer, and now they may have found it in a surprising place – a glass of beer! (Who knew?) It turns out that hops, which is the flavor component of beer, contains a cancer-fighting compound called xanthohumol. Complete Story

Eight Healthy Reasons To Drink Beer(March 17) - Forbes - But a number of studies are showing that moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, can have similar heart healthy effects, including making men 30 to 35% less likely to have a heart attack than those who abstain. Complete Story

Bronze Age burial 'with beer mug'(March 18) - UK - Canterbury Archaeological Trust said the curled-up skeleton was an example of a "Beaker" burial because of the pottery vessel placed at its feet. Education officer Marion Green said the "beautifully decorated" pot could have been "a type of beer mug". Complete Story

Top Ten Irish Pubs in the United States(March) - Its time to start planning for St. Patricks Day. Check out Boston and Savannah for great St. Patty's Day parades and great pubs. Top Ten Irish Pubs

For Terrapin, happy hour has arrived(March 16) - Georgia - In February, when Terrapin Beer Co. poured the first batch of beer made at its new brewery here, partners John Cochran and Brian "Spike" Buckowski smiled and laughed — and then they breathed a long sigh of relief. Complete Story

Brew U: UW-Platteville may be the only college in the nation to own its own commercial brewery(March 15) - Wisconsin - At the Pioneer Haus Brew Pub, one of the nation's smallest commercial breweries, hops are measured in ounces, the brewmaster is a retired high school shop teacher and the German-made brew kettles are next to a pair of electronic dartboards. Complete Story

Beer-tinged delights for St. Paddy's Day(March 15) - Canada - Monday is St. Patrick's Day and what better way to toast the Irish than with an all-beer menu. Beers used to be pretty much the same, with comparable strength, colour and flavour. Complete Story

Two Beers Brewing Company(March 14) - Seattle - Despite the fact that we're in a rough financial period and the brewing industry is going through a raw material "crisis", there sure does seem to be a decent amount of interest in opening a brewery in this city. Complete Story

St. Paddy's Day means beer and music(March 14) - Seattle - Might have been the sound of an Irish beer being opened. Or, perhaps, the sound of an Irish pub being opened — they're sprouting like urban weeds around the Seattle area. Complete Story

Guinness and St Patrick’s Day help millions celebrate Irish heritage(March 14) - St Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on 17 March and it is a national holiday in Ireland to honor one of the country’s most famous heroes. With more than 60 million people worldwide claiming Irish ancestry including the 4.1 million citizens of Ireland St. Patrick’s Day is truly a global celebration. Complete Story

Duvel: A Smooth and Dangerous Ale(March 14) - Virginia - To commemorate the end of World War I, the Duvel Moortgat Brewery—founded in 1871 and located in Breendonk, Belgium—renamed their flagship beer “Victory Ale.” Complete Story

New Warrenville brewery and tap house pour it on with food and drink(March 15) - Chicago - Two Brothers has been brewing beer in Warrenville for more than 10 years. To address their growing fan base, Jim and Jason Ebel recently moved into a new Warrenville brewery, and, with their newfound and larger digs, have opened a tap house for beer lovers and bar goers alike. Complete Story

Point Brewery creates Horizon Wheat ale (March 11) - Wisconsin - Point Horizon Wheat, a new hand-crafted specialty beer, has been introduced by the Stevens Point Brewery. An unfiltered American-style wheat ale, it is sold in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles and kegs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. Complete Story

Sixpoint Craft Ales Brews "Hop Obama" Ale(March 11) - New York - Sixpoint Craft Ales today announced the release of the "Hop Obama" ale in both New York State and Massachusetts. Beginning next week, all supporters of the democratic process will be able to hoist a glass of this limited-edition beer that was brewed in tribute to the inspiration that has been Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Complete Story

Tri-City Brewing to Release Loons Summer Ale(March 10) - Wisconsin - To some fans over the age of 21, no baseball game is complete without that tall cup of fermented hops and barley. Beer has been helping fans stay refreshed while enjoying America's pastime for generations. Complete Story

Philadelphia makes its case as nation's best beer-drinking city(March 10) - USAToday - In fact, Philadelphia is the best beer-drinking city in America, argues Don Russell, also known as beer columnist Joe Sixpack. Complete Story

Beer battle brewing in Alabama(March 10) - UPI - Two dozen guys are crowded into a basement, talking loudly over Triscuits, when Scott Oberman breaks the law. In defiance of Alabama Criminal Code 28-4-20, he pours his buddy a beer. Complete Story

New Glarus Brewing Co. builds 2nd brewery(March 9) - Wisconsin - New Glarus Brewing Co. is not only building a new brewery, but it also is keeping the original facility open. Both are located in the village (population: 1,290) that provides the company's name. Complete Story

McConaughey to name baby after beer(March 9) - Hollywood - A source close to the actor said: "Matthew's older brother Michael named his second son Miller Lyte because he loved the beer so much. And Matthew loved the name so much he really wants to name his son after his favourite beer. He is thinking of going for Bud after Budweiser beer." Complete Story

Best American beer bars (March 9) - MSNbc - “The quality of the craft beer available around the country is better than ever,” says Matt Brynildson, head brewer at Paso Robles, California’s Firestone Walker Fine Ales, which crafts wood-cured double ales and mad-scientist experiments. Complete Story

Missouri Lawmaker Touts 'Bud' As State's Beer(March 8) - AP - A source close to the actor said: "Matthew's older brother Michael named his second son Miller Lyte because he loved the beer so much. And Matthew loved the name so much he really wants to name his son after his favourite beer. He is thinking of going for Bud after Budweiser beer." Complete Story

Beer Madness!(March 8) - Washington Post - Today we're revealing the 32 brews selected for the Sunday Source's second annual Beer Madness tournament. Did your beer make the tournament. Complete Story

Craft beer sales up 16% in 2007(March 5) - St. Louis - The craft beer market continues to grow as sales by independent craft brewers increased in volume by 12 percent during 2007, according to the Brewers Association. Barrels sold in 2007 totaled more than 8 million, up from 7.1 million barrels sold in 2006. Estimated sales in 2007 for craft brewers grew to more than $5.74 billion, up 16 percent from $4.95 billion in 2006. Complete Story

Raise a Pint with an Irish Beer Legend This St. Patrick's Day(March 5) - Ireland - On Monday, March 17, fifth generation legendary Irish brewer George Killian Lett will toast adult Americans in honor of St. Patrick’s Day from Enniscorthy, Ireland, the birthplace of the George Killian’s legend. Complete Story

Tampa's Cigar City Brewing Hires Award Winning Brewer(March 5) - Florida - Great American Beer Festival gold and bronze medal winner, Wayne Wambles will be the head brewer for Tampa's newest craft brewery, Cigar City Brewing. Beer writer and Tampa native, Joey Redner, founded Cigar City Brewing in October of 2007. Complete Story

Beer goes eco-friendly among the greenwash(March 5) - Australia - This week Australia got its first eco-beer, a new advertising campaign to promote the green credentials of natural gas, carbon-free rugby, a new eco-handbook for households and advice on how to barbecue meat with fewer greenhouse emissions. Complete Story

The Beer Geeks: Getting back to their roots(March 5) - California - People often ask how all the beer travel started. The answer is that it stemmed from my desire to be knowledgeable about beer. We were living in Oakland in the late '80s/early '90s, just when the craft beer industry was beginning to flourish. Complete Story

Philadelphia's beer week celebrates a sudsy heritage(March 4) - Pennsylvannia - Beer, said U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin, is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. If so, Philadelphia ought to be America's most contented city because it is about to launch the first week-long festival to celebrate its most famous son's favorite tipple. Complete Story

Anheuser-Busch Launch Sun Dog Amber Wheat(March 3) - St. Louis - For the past three years, Anheuser-Busch brewmasters have brewed special batches of beer crafted to complement the changing seasons. For the first time, there's a new addition to the familiar line of favorites. Sun Dog Amber Wheat joins the seasonal beer family this spring. Complete Story

Cape Cod Beer releases "Stellwagen" Stout for Charity(March 3) -ust in time for St. Patrick's Day, Cape Cod Beer has handcrafted a traditional Irish stout, which they are calling "Stellwagen Stout" - where a dollar from the sale of each new growler will go to support the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, an 842-square-mile marine protected area at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay. Complete Story

2008 Beer Drinker of the Year(Feb. 28) - Denver - Matt Venzke, an avid beer lover from Yorktown, Virginia, has been crowned the winner of Wynkoop Brewing Company’s 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year contest. Complete Story

2008 March Beer Festivals