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

Chocolate Beer Can Be A Treat(Feb. 28) - Connecticut - When the Boston Beer Co. introduced Chocolate Bock several years ago, it was well received but invoked primal grunts of disapproval from some aficionados and guzzlers of light lager alike. Chocolate beer may appear trendy, but the "trend" goes back 3,000 years.  Complete Story
 
Pizza Beer, The World's First Culinary Beer(Feb. 28) - Wisconsin - Pizza Beer will be available in 16 ounce bottles and retail for about $1.99-$2.49 per bottle. The Seefurth's plan to tour the area stores sampling their "World's First Culinary Beer."  Complete Story

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil(Feb. 28) - Toronto - When naming their beers, brewers often give clues to their hobbies or former professions. It's not too hard to guess, then, that the man who created Old Engine Oil spent a lot of time around cars.  Complete Story
 
Beer Here -- Black Bavarian from Sprecher(Feb. 27) - Wisconsin - The beers from Glendale's Sprecher Brewery are among the most distinctive on store shelves around Wisconsin. The brewery's 16-ounce bottles, sold in four packs, often stand out among a sea of six packs in your local liquor store. Complete Story
 
Iron will keeps brewery kicking(Feb. 26) - Norwood, MA - A few regional breweries did live to pour another beer, and one, the Iron City Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, is growing and will have its products on MetroWest and Milford-area store shelves for the first time in its 147-year history. Complete Story
 
Toasting Harry Caray with a 100-gallon beer(Feb. 24) - Chicago - It was a fitting tribute, one that even Harry Caray would have been proud of. A worldwide toast to the late Chicago Cubs announcer was held Thursday night. Complete Story

On a quest for the best beer(Feb. 23) - Canada - I'd never heard of CAMRA but when I mention it, a female colleague knows exactly what I speak of. My husband also knows exactly what it is, having been an expat in London. Complete Story

Schlafly brewer shares secrets of success(Feb. 23) - Missouri - Schlafly, a lawyer turned brewer, began his business in 1989 with his partner Dan Kopman, purchasing their brewery in 1991.  Complete Story

New Belgium Brewing's Springboard Returns(Feb. 22) - Colorado -Springboard, New Belgium Brewing's spring seasonal, welcomes back the warmer months for its second year. Beer lovers embraced its unique ingredients and full-bodied appeal in its 2007 debut across the west, and will be entering Illinois and Minnesota this season. Complete Story

Extreme brews go higher(Feb. 22) - California - Got a friend who's a lightweight, getting drunk on only one or two beers? Maybe it's not him; maybe it's the beer.   Complete Story

Beer Babes Have Particular Palate For Superior Suds(Feb. 22) - Philadelphia - Behind a Pabst sign in the window of a South Philadelphia bar, there are women who wouldn't dream of drinking such a thing. "I just, I love beer," said Christine Gumpper, a member of a beer club just for women. Complete Story

New label, same Alaskan flavor(Feb. 22) - Alaska - Alaska artist John Fehringer came up with the new design after conferring with owners Marcy and Geoff Larson. They sought something memorable but true to the Alaska fishing lifestyle.  Complete Story

All the president's porters(Feb. 21) - California - On some holidays, you know which beer to drink. For St. Patrick's Day there's Guinness, for Cinco de Mayo a Mexican lager and for Independence Day anything red, white and brew. But what about toasting George Washington's birthday?  Complete Story

Clipper City Brewing Co. beers bear nautical names(Feb. 21) - Maryland - The following trio comes from the brewer's Heavy Seas line, a hearty, high-quality group. Each beer undergoes bottle conditioning, a process that adds complexity and leaves a small amount of live yeast in each container for natural carbonation.  Complete Story
 
What's on Tap: Reunion beer: brewed for a cure(Feb. 20) - California - It was a beautiful friendship, and it started in Silicon Valley over a bottle of Pete's Wicked Ale. It lasted for nearly 20 years, and when the end loomed, the friends decided to create a legacy, a new beer to benefit medical research. They called it Reunion.  Complete Story

Michigan brewers, beer lovers converge at Winter Beer Festival(Feb. 20) - Michigan - Busloads of beer fans (say that five times fast) will be steaming toward Grand Rapids on Saturday morning for the Michigan Brewers Guild's third annual Winter Beer Festival at Fifth Third Ballpark.  Complete Story

Samuel Adams Irish Red(Feb. 20) - Boston - Way back in March 2007, we were invited to the Boston Beer Company in Jamaica Plain to conduct a special preliminary tasting for their 2007 Samuel Adams Beer Lover's Choice with Jim Koch and crew—a series of nationwide tastings, in which the voice of the consumer dictates which beer will eventually be brewed and released. Complete Story

Fathead IPA to meet beer challengers(Feb. 19) - New York - In last March's Final Pour, the Beer Buddies' blind taste-test tournament that takes place each year, Custom BrewCrafter's Monty's Fathead IPA was the overall champion. Now it has been selected by the Great Lakes Brewing News as one of 32 India pale ales to compete in the national IPA championship tournament.  Complete Story

Two New Beers from Otter Creek(Feb. 19) - Vermont - This week we're going to taste a couple of new brews from Otter Creek Brewing in Middlebury, Ve., brewers of some of New England's finest beers, including Wolaver's line of certified organic beers. From the OCB, we have complete opposites: a Kölsch and a Baltic Porter. Complete Story

Mayflower Brewing settles in Plymouth(Feb. 19) - Plymouth,MA - What do a startup microbrewery and the Mayflower have in common? A whole lot, if you ask Drew Brosseau.   As proof, he refers to the diary of William Bradford, who was aboard the ship bound for the New World in 1620.  Complete Story

The 2008 Harpoon St. Patrick's Festival Welcomes Beer Lovers(Feb. 18) - Boston -  Irish or not, if you like great local beer, rocking bands, and a festive celebration, then don't miss the Harpoon St. Patrick's Festival! More than 7,000 people are expected to toast the patron saint of Ireland with a wide selection of Harpoon's Boston-brewed beer, featuring the brewery's Irish-style seasonal, Harpoon Hibernian Ale. Complete Story

108-year-old who swore by Coors Light dies(Feb. 17) - Pennsylvania - Krieg was 108 when she passed away Thursday morning at Heritage House, Wilkes-Barre. Krieg had frequently credited drinking Coors Light as the key to her longevity.  Complete Story


Sam Adams Hop Sharing Program(Feb. 16) - Boston - For a couple of months now, we’ve all been facing the unprecedented hops shortage and it’s affected all craft brewers in various ways.  The impact is even worse on the small craft brewers--openings delayed, recipes changed, astronomical hops prices being paid and brewers who couldn’t make beer. Complete Story
 
Ommegang gets grant(Feb. 16) - Oregon - Brewery Ommegang of Milford has been awarded a $4,000 grant to help plan an environmentally responsible expansion project, according to Scott Fickbohm, manager of the Otsego County Soil and Water District.  Complete Story
 
Seattlest Beer of the Week: Rogue Chocolate Stout(Feb. 15) - Washington - If you can appreciate both a good stout and a good piece of chocolate, then you should dig the combination of the two in this beer from Rogue Brewing in Oregon.  Complete Story

Franconia Brewery sets up shop in McKinney(Feb. 15) - Texas - McKinney will soon be known for more than just its wineries. The Franconia Brewery is ready to sell beer made from scratch by German brew master Dennis Wehrmann. Complete Story

Coffee Girl Imperial Stout: A Labor of Love(Feb. 15) - Oregon - Astoria businesswoman Zetty McKay hasn't yet had a pint of Coffee Girl Imperial Stout, the beer her husband named after her and brewed in honor of their quicksilver romance and Las Vegas elopement last spring.  Complete Story

Strong Beer Fest gets a bit mild to strengthen appeal(Feb. 15) - Arizona - "People who drink craft beer have a more adventurous palette," Gantt said. "They don't always just drink the same thing. The Bud-Coors-Miller guys, they're pretty much a Bud guy or a Coors guy or a Miller guy. Complete Story

Celebrator Beer News turns 20(Feb. 14) - California - The ardent beer lovers that run the Hayward-based publication have been spreading the message of good beer for 20 years. And we can attest to their dedication - editor and publisher Tom Dalldorf never fails to send The Chronicle Wine section staff a note, sometimes including constructive criticism - after every beer story we run. Complete Story
 
Midnight Sun Brewing Is Filling a Hole(Feb. 13) - Alaska -  Midnight Sun Brewing Company needed a beer to round out its seasonal selections. Old Whiskers Hefeweizen is their spunky and chunky summer seasonal ale. CoHoHo Imperial IPA is their amped-up winter seasonal beer and Arctic Devil Barleywine assists in warming us up throughout the remainder of the winter at the beginning of each new year.  Complete Story

Micro Beers Brew Up Big Business(Feb. 13) - Businessweek -  In 1978 there were a total of 42 breweries in the U.S., including industrial breweries. Today there are 1,390 craft breweries, microbreweries, and brew pubs. They produced 6.736 million barrels.  Complete Story 
 
The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series "Steve Stewart's Firth of Forth Ale"(Feb. 12) - Boston - Stewart's Firth of Forth Ale is a dark, scotch ale that combines the best of the Scottish traditional malts with American grown hops. The result is a beer with a malty, roasted character that has caramel notes and a hint of chocolate without being too sweet. Complete Story

Anderson Valley Imperial India Pale Ale on its way(Feb. 11) - California -For many of us, Anderson Valley Brewing's familiar woodsy labels with their quaint Boontling names, drawn from the unusual dialect that evolved in remote Boonville in the 19th century, have always been part of our craft brew world. Complete Story

BeerAdvocate to Host the East Coast's Largest American Craft Beer Fest(Feb. 11) - Boston - Held on June 20 & 21 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, the first annual "American Craft Beer Fest" will feature 3-sessions, invite upwards of 75 breweries, and serve at least 300 craft beers with an expected attendance of 15,000 appreciators of beer.  Complete Story

Pope gets sample of Holy Grail(the beer)(Feb. 10) - Realbeer - When the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, went to visit Pope Benedict XVI in Rome he took him an unusual gift — Holy Grail, a beer brewed by the Black Sheep Brewery located in Masham, England.   Complete Story

The world's most expensive beer(Feb. 10) - Denmark - Legendary Danish brewery, Jacobsen Brewhouse, has already set a new record for producing the most expensive beer in the world. The crown jewel has been named Vintage Nr. 1, and comes corked and wax-sealed in a slender, misty green bottle, just like a bottle of vintage champagne.  Complete Story

Terrapin takes next step as it opens own brewery(Feb. 9) - Georgia -Like the tortoise of Aesop's fable fame, Terrapin Beer Co. partners Brian "Spike" Buckowski and John Cochran have taken a plodding and purposeful pace in pursuing their dream of opening a craft beer brewery in Athens. Complete Story
 
Anderson Valley Brewing Company Nearly Old Enough To Buy Beer- Celebrates 20th Anniversary(Feb. 9) - California - Anderson Valley Brewing Company will release their 20th Anniversary Imperial India Pale Ale (IPA) on February 2. This special brew, with its intense and complex flavors, is the proud result of decades of great beer-making, and comes in bottles and cases printed with a unique, colorful sunrise label.  Complete Story
 
Firestone Walker to Release Union Jack IPA(Feb. 8) - California -"Union Jack is an American-style India pale ale that represents a flavorful twist on our British brewing heritage, as well as our singular focus on pale ales," said Proprietor David Walker. "It also echoes some of the intensity exhibited by our recent limited-edition beers."   Complete Story
 
Rogue Releases Imperial Red Ale(Feb. 7) - Oregon - The recipe comes from Rogues Eugene City Brewery and is being produced in Newport for distribution initially in kegs only to JLS accounts. A 750-ml ceramic swing-top bottle will be released in 2008, along with draft. Complete Story
 
Shorts Brewing Company Announces Expansion(Feb. 7) - Michigan - Today Shorts Brewing Company (SBC) announced a $1.9 million expansion including upgrading and adding to its facilities. The expansion will be in two phases. Phase One will be to construct a new production facility in Elk Rapids, MI.  Complete Story
 
Clipper City Brewing Company Releases "Holy Sheet" Uber Abbey Ale(Feb. 5) - Maryland - Clipper City Brewing Company, the Maryland-based brewer of the Heavy Seas brand, announced today the seasonal release of "Holy Sheet" Über Abbey Ale. "We have a great deal of fun experimenting with different beer styles," said Hugh Sisson, founder and general partner of Clipper City Brewing Company. Complete Story

Golden West Brewing Announces Blue Marble Organic Pilsner(Feb. 5) - California - The first release will be "Blue Marble Organic Pilsner" which is a light bodied, all malt, Pilsner style beer with a crisp European hop finish, according to Mark Simpson, President of Golden West.  Complete Story

Breweries Using Solar Power To Make Beer(Feb. 5) - Even breweries are doing their part to protect the environment. The Lucky Lab Brew Pub in Portland is now brewing solar beer. The pub recently installed a solar thermal system. Complete Story

Vermont breweries want to expand market for high-alcohol beer(Feb. 5) - Wisconsin - Vermont's micro-breweries want permission to sell specialty beers with higher alcohol content at convenience stores and supermarkets. Right now, the high-test brews are only available at state liquor outlets.  Complete Story
 
Vitamin Beer turns your local bar into a health club (Feb. 4) - CTV - Coming up with a sensible excuse for your sweetie, before making a trip to the local watering hole to down a few cold ones, has never been easy. If Philippino inventor Billy L Lalang gets his way however, you'll soon be able to say that your just heading out for a cool healthy beverage.  Complete Story
 
The Perfect Dog: He Gets Your Beer!(Feb. 4) - St. Louis - Man's best friend can be trained to fetch just bout anything, sticks, tennis balls, the newspaper. But what about beer?  Complete Story
 
Santa Fe Brewing Still Growing After 20 Years(Feb. 4) - New Mexico -Santa Fe Brewing Company will be celebrating their 20th anniversary with a year's worth of special events and specialty beers. Established in 1988 as New Mexico's first microbrewery, Santa Fe Brewing Company began as a small family owned operation in Galisteo, New Mexico.  Complete Story

Miller, Bud join Mexican-style beer craze(Feb. 4) - Wisconsin - In 2007, Miller Brewing Co. introduced Miller Chill, described as "a Chelada-style beer" blended with lime and salt. It seemed curious at first glance, and then I remembered countless Corona bottles with lime wedges stuck in their necks. Miller Chill seemed like an acceptable alternative.  Complete Story

Leinenkugel's to bring back Northwoods Lager(Feb. 2) - Wisconsin - The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. said Monday that for a limited time it will bring back the Northwoods Lager brand of craft beer in February after a two-year hiatus in production.  Complete Story

Local lawyer buys Sacramento Brewing(Feb. 1) - California - And on Feb. 1, escrow closes on a deal that transfers ownership of Sacramento Brewing Co. from Capm Petersen to George Irwin. A 39-year-old attorney and eight-year resident of San Rafael, Irwin will take over Sac Brewing's brewpubs. Complete Story