2009 January Beer News -- Beer Info

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Flying Dog - Garde Dog is Back!(January 31) - Wee wee...haw haw haw. Garde Dog Biere De Garde, our Spring seasonal beer, is a French style. But unlike the French themselves, this Biere de Garde won't surrender on taste. Complete Story

Dogfish Head Brewery's beer of the gods(January 30) - Dogfish Head Brewery proudly claims it offers "off-centered ales for off-centered people." Founder Sam Calagione said a rye porter -- designed to taste almost like pumpernickel is currently brewing at Dogfish. Complete Story

Schlitz being brewed in Milwaukee again(January 29) - Schlitz beer is once again being brewed and bottled in Milwaukee under a contract brewing agreement with MillerCoors, according to Pabst Brewing which owns the brand. Complete Story

Troops in Iraq get beer for the Super Bowl(January 29) - It took three planes to get free beer to troops in Iraq in time for the Super Bowl. U.S. troops in Iraq will be allowed to drink up to two 12-ounce beers apiece for the Super Bowl, after the U.S. commander in Iraq, Army Gen. Ray Odierno, issued a waiver of the U.S. military’s strict prohibition on alcohol imbibing in the war zone. Complete Story

Shmaltz Unleashes the Latest in Its Coney Island Craft of Brews(January 28) - New York - Last week, Shmaltz unleashed its latest of the Coney Island brews, the Coney Island Human Blockhead, labeled the “Tough-as-Nails Strong Lager.” It was quite a raucous evening, featuring Donny Vomit as emcee, hosting a feast of friends — freaks and burlesquers from the Sideshow. Complete Story

California couple finishes 'Year in Beer' tour(January 27) - USAToday - A California couple's "Year in Beer" is over. Chris Nelson and his wife Merideth Canham-Nelson of Carmel Valley, Calif., set out to sample great beer destinations and festivals around the world in a year. They visited 90 breweries in 15 beer destinations in 2008, from Anchorage's Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival in January to the Belgian Kerstbierfestival in December. Complete Story

Double Black Stout With Coffee will warm up a winter's day(January 28) - It's roasty, stouty, malty, warming and downright delicious. That's Redhook's Double Black Stout With Coffee in a nutshell.Coffee is the dominating flavor of this beer, giving it a strong bitterness, but not in an amount that causes your body to convulse - it's a pleasant bitterness such as from a good French roast. Complete Story

Full Sail releases Black Gold with two barrel-aged beer tastings(January 26) - Oregon - Full Sail's Black Gold Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout has a longer history than The Abyss, and this year's version (10.5 percent alcohol and 65 bitterness units) should be available now in 22-ounce bottles in stores and on draft at selected pubs. Complete Story

Samuel Adams Imperial White (January 26) - Boston - What is in a name? Many beer geeks will tell you that the "Imperial" designation within a beer name has something to do with the imperial Stouts that were brewed for Catherine the Great and predecessors alike. Complete Story

Stone Winter Storm - Tonight(January 25) - One month later, Stone delivers where Santa dropped the ball. Join us at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens for our third annual Stone Winter Storm. All 36 taps in the Bistro will be pouring an avalanche of year ’round beers, special releases, multiple vintages, barrel agings, brewer's one-off creations, casks and more bottles than could fit under any tree. Complete Story

Brew Pubs Gain an Unlikely Following in Utah(January 25) - IN the 1980s, a good beer was hard to come by in Utah. Although the state wasn’t dry, its alcohol laws were strict, a reflection of a traditional Mormon culture that frowns on drinking. Complete Story

Hook & Ladder Brewery fans the flame of charity(January 25) - Wisconsin - The Silver Spring, Md.-based Hook & Ladder Brewing Company made its way to Wisconsin in fall 2008 and perhaps you've seen it in the beer department at Whole Foods or on the shelves of the "Blatz Cave" at Blatz Market & Liquor, but have you tried it yet? Complete Story

Hofbrauhaus, Penn Brewery prepare for German beer battle in Pittsburgh(January 24) - Pittsburgh -After years of delays and doubts, the Hofbrauhaus is expected to open in February, bringing to Pittsburgh perhaps the biggest brewpub it has ever seen. Complete Story

For Karl Strauss, it's all home brew(January 24) - For nearly 20 years, kegs of Karl Strauss beer have been produced in San Diego. But every six-pack was brewed and bottled at an independent brewery 1,700 miles away in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Complete Story

2009 Left Hand Brewing Beer Releases(January 24) - Our limited edition Oak-Aged Imperial Stout is back for the 1st time in 2 years, but with a couple of new twists - instead of being aged in French Oak Wine Barrels, we opted to age it this year in Heaven Hill brandy barrels from the hills of Kentucky. Complete Story

Cape Cod Beer Predicts Cold Snap, Settles in with “Old Man Winter”(January 24) - Nothing braces you for a long cold winter like a robust ale and a roaring fire. At least that’s what the brew crew at Cape Cod Beer suggests – and they have just the beer for you. Complete Story

Double Trouble at Allentown & Bethlehem Brew Works -- They Go Extreme!(January 23) - There is a phenomenon happening the brewing industry that is well known to 'hopheads' (the moniker given to beer aficionados that like their beer strong and heavily flavored with hops). It is the fascination with just how 'big' your beer can be-- higher in alcohol and higher in IBUs (the scale for bitterness). Complete Story

The 50th Anniversary of the Aluminum Beer Can(January 23) - MillerCoors today celebrates the 50th anniversary of the seamless and recyclable aluminum can. After several years in development, the first can was introduced for use at the Coors Golden brewery on Jan. 22, 1959. Complete Story

Rogue Brewery Produces Limited Edition Jazz Guy Ale Bottles(January 24) - World class jazz calls for world class beer. So for the fourth year, Rogue Ales has produced a limited edition Jazz Guy Ale bottle for the Portland Jazz Festival. Complete Story

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale(January 22) - This is one of the best IIPAs I have had to date. I am very impressed and hope that I can find this at my local beer store. I enjoyed this during my beer tasting last month at the Toronado in San Francisco, CA. Complete Story

What's on Tap: Sierra Nevada Torpedo(January 21) - It's Torpedo Extra India Pale AleHHHH. It's a stunner and our Beer of the Week. Torpedo is 7.2 percent alcohol by volume and about 72 International Bitterness Units. By comparison, Coors is about 10 IBU, Guinness Extra Stout, 60 IBUs, Russian River Pliny the Elder, 100 IBUs. Complete Story

Kirin seeks 43 percent stake in San Miguel(January 20) - Japan's second-largest brewery, Kirin Holdings, said it plans to buy a 43 percent stake in the beer unit of Philippine conglomerate San Miguel Corp, in a deal that could cost over $1.26 billion. Complete Story

Redhook Brewery targets craft-beer market(January 20) - Redhook, a publicly traded company with plants in Portsmouth and Woodinville, Wash., merged on July 1 with privately held Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, Ore., maker of Widmer Hefeweizen. Complete Story

Kalamazoo bus trip to Michigan Brewers Guild's Winter Beer Festival is taking passengers(January 19) - Kalamazoo homebrewers Chet Emmons and Colt Dykstra are again organizing a bus trip to the Michigan Brewers Guild's Winter Beer Festival Feb. 28 at Fifth Third Ballpark. Complete Story

Diageo rethinks plan for new Guinness brewery(January 19) - Diageo said last year it would build a new brewery in Leixlip, west of Dublin, while cutting output and selling surplus land at St James's Gate in Dublin, where Arthur Guinness started brewing Guinness stout in 1759. Complete Story

Bell's Brewery Expands(January 18) - Expansion plans at the headquarters of Bell's Brewery Inc. are moving ahead with site plan approval for the project last week by the Comstock Township Planning Commission. Complete Story

Be a professional brewer for a day(January 18) -Fort Collins Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado is sponsoring a contest that could make you a Brewer for a Day. The winner of this contest will get to brew beer at the FCB brewery under the tutorage of a FCB Master Brewer. Complete Story

Rogue Celebrates Oregon’s 150th Birthday with Commemorative Ale(January 17) - Sesquicentennial Ale, dedicated to Oregon: The State of Beer, was designed by Rogue brewmaster John Maier to showcase Oregon-grown ingredients. Complete Story

Samuel Adams Imperial Series(January 17) - The Samuel Adams Imperial Series, brewed with an aggressive amount of ingredients in each beer, is set to push beer's boundaries even further. Complete Story

Stone tops Beer Advocate awards(January 17) - Until zymurgy spreads elsewhere in the solar system, Stone Brewing Co. will have to settle for this accolade: According to Beer Advocate magazine's annual survey, Stone is the top brewery on Planet Earth. Complete Story

Flying Dog Challenges Iron City Beer(January 16) - There’s nothing friendly about the long standing rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But this week, as the black birds of Baltimore prepare for their big game against their rivals to the west, Flying Dog Brewery has got something – well – brewing. Complete Story

Drinking in Boston: The Inaugural Beer(January 16) - Obama’s Inauguration day! Cambridge Common (which still appears to be the only home of Sixpoint Brewing’s Hop Obama) is holding a celebration on January 20th. Perhaps even more exciting than a pint of Hop Obama is one of Ommegang’s Obamagang Inauguration Ale that Cambridge Common hopes to be serving that night. Complete Story

New Belgium Releases Its First-Ever Sustainability Report(January 15) - The 2007-2008 report outlines New Belgium's "Triple Bottom Line" approach to business, measuring the environmental, economic and social effects of the brewery. It also highlights several of the brewer's unique environmental initiatives. Complete Story

Abita Brewery explosion rocks area(January 14) - “All of a sudden it felt like my entire trailer was crashing down,” she said. Wolf was one of several Abita Springs residents jarred awake Tuesday morning when a beer tank at Abita Brewery exploded, creating a huge hole in the ceiling and flinging huge shards of Styrofoam and aluminum siding skyward. Complete Story

What's on Tap: Alaskan Barley Wine Ale(January 14) - One of my favorites is Alaskan Barley Wine Ale 2008, from Alaskan Brewing in Juneau, Alaska. It was named the champion beer of the 2007 Barleywine Festival at the Toronado in San Francisco, but was difficult to find in the Bay Area — until now. Complete Story

Vanilla Porter by Breckenridge Brewery(January 14) - Herb spice beer. "It has the flavoring from vanilla beans, and when they flavor a beer with different ingredients besides the usual – barley, hops, yeast and water – they classify it as an herb or spice beer." Complete Story

SF Beer Week - A good excuse to go to San Francisco(January 13) - The 10-day celebration will showcase the Bay Area's brewing heritage with as many as 150 events. The week will be anchored by the Bistro Double IPA Festival, and the Toronado Barleywine Festival and will end with a new full-blown Bay Area Beer Festival.   Complete Story

Odell Brewing Releases an American-Style Red(January 13) - For several months, Odell brewers crafted different varieties of red ales on the brewery’s five barrel Pilot Brewing System. The test batches were served in the Odell Brewing Tap Room and evaluated by the entire brewery staff. Complete Story

Viking Brewing's Doppel Bock is back(January 13) - It's time for Invader! Doppel Bock is back.... You can start looking for it in a few weeks time as the distribution chain starts picking it up. Complete Story

Owner of new Smuttynose Brewery has 'green' dreams(January 13) - Smuttynose Brewery owner Peter Egelston is dreaming "green" when it comes to the construction of his new brewery and restaurant on Toll Farm Road. "Our goal in building a new facility is to build one that is sustainable, efficient and also beautiful," said Egelston.    Complete Story

Top 10 Beer Brands By Sales(January 12) - The road ahead for beer sales looks smooth despite the current bumpy economy, said Dan Roane, category manager of alcoholic beverages for Circle K’s southeastern stores.    Complete Story

World Beer Festival headed to Columbia(January 11) - South Carolina - All About Beer Magazine and Green's Discount Beverages will host the 2009 World Beer Festival on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The day is a celebration of the world beer culture, providing attendees a broad sampling of hundreds of beers from over 100 breweries, food from local restaurants, educational sessions by industry experts and entertainment by local musicians. Complete Story

A Celebration of Bourbon Barrel-Aged Beers at Iron Hill(January 11) - Delaware - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, the popular food and drink destination with seven area locations, announces Beers from the Barrel, a celebration of Bourbon Barrel-aged Beers, throughout February. All month, each Iron Hill location will spotlight two house brewed beers that celebrate this uniquely American style of beer. Complete Story

Barbara Imperial Doppelbock from Capital Brewery(January 10) - Wisconsin - If you are at all familiar with Middleton’s Capital Brewery and brewmaster Kirby Nelson’s ability to make a good bock beer, you likely won’t be too surprised to learn he’s pushing the horizon of the style. Complete Story

Bull Falls Brewery to introduce Midnight Star lager(January 10) - Wisconsin - Mike Zamzow, brewmaster at Bull Falls Brewery in Wausau, will take his new Midnight Star dark lager to Minocqua on Saturday for the Ice Cold Beer Fest. Complete Story

Portland Pilsner released Friday at Fulton Pub & Brewery(January 9) - Oregon - Limited-Edition Portland Pilsner tapped Friday, Jan. 9, at McMenamins Fulton Pub & Brewery. McMenamins brewer Alex McGaw will release a limited-edition Czech-style ale named Portland Pilsner.   Complete Story

Carolina Beer Company offering public a peek at brewery(January 9) - John Stritch and Mike Smith are bringing English ales closer to home with the Carolina Beer Company. Teaming up in 1997, the two created the company that now brews more than 65,000 barrels a year of their famous ales, such as Carolina Strawberry Blonde, touted as a summertime beer for its natural strawberry flavor. Complete Story

Guinness goes back to 1950s TV ads for birthday campaign(January 9) - Guinness is to repeat a series of its most famous TV ads including the first ever commercial run by the Irish stout brewer in 1955, as part of its 250th anniversary marketing push this year.  Complete Story & Commercial

PALM Beer Now in the U.S.(January 8) - Latis Imports announced today it has added PALM beer bottles to its import line-up. Bottles are available in select off-premise accounts in San Diego, Connecticut, New York City and Brooklyn, Orange County and Northern New Jersey. Complete Story

Big Beer fest in Vail(January 8) - Over 175 usually expensive, so-called “big beers,” at 7 percent alcohol by volume or more, along with Belgian style and experimental beers will be featured through Saturday afternoon. Complete Story

Blue Point Brewery warms up winter(January 8) - What has become an annual ritual has come again; Blue Point Brewery’s Cask Ale Festival, held this year January 24. The award winning microbrewery, profiled by LIBN, is boasting that to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the frozen blowout, they will tap the world’s largest cask filled with 10,000 pints of their scrumptious Rastafar Rye Ale.   Complete Story

Hoegaarden Names Amsterdam Worldwide Global Agency (January 8) - Hoping to capitalize on a growing market for wheat beers, Anheuser-Busch InBev today named Amsterdam Worldwide global agency of record for its Hoegaarden beer, following a review. Complete Story

InBev Belgium to hike beer prices(January 7) - InBev Belgium, the Belgian arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev (INTB.BR), the world's largest brewer, will raise beer prices by 3.5 percent from March 15, the group said in a statement on Wednesday. Complete Story

No More Free Beer At Busch Gardens(January 7) - Busch Entertainment Corp. said it will stop offering free samples of beer at hospitality centers at the parks. Beer will continue to be available for purchase. Complete Story

Full Sail wins small business sustainability award(January 7) - Full Sail Brewing Co. received the Governor's Sustainability Award for small business, an annual award for companies and organizations that demonstrate exemplary commitment to sustainability.   Complete Story

Oskar Blues planning Longmont restaurant(January 7) - Colorado - Oskar Blues plans to open a restaurant and tap house in the former home of the Silo Restaurant & Sports Bar sometime this spring, according to spokesman Marty Jones. The 6,400-square-foot building sits on the southwest corner of Hover Street and Colo. Highway 119. Complete Story

Beer of the month: Salvator Doppelbock(January 7) - What makes it special: This dark, rich, and deeply flavorful example of doppelbock-style lager is made by Germany's venerable Paulaner Brauerei. Doppelbocks were originally brewed by the Paulaner monks of Munich as liquid meals for consumption during Lent and are characterized by rich, substantial malt balanced by a modicum of hops. Complete Story

Terrapin Beer Co. introduces Side Project Volume Four--Dos Cocoas Chocolate Porter(January 6) - The "Dos Cocoas" is a traditional Porter with a chocolaty experimental twist. Brewer Brian "Spike" Buckowski incorporated two types of chocolate at two different stages of production to achieve the balanced chocolate flavors in the "Dos Cocoas". Complete Story

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Hometown Brewery Series(January 6) - Wachusett Brewing Company will be launching the “Hometown Brewery Series” in honor of their 15th Anniversary and the Town of Westminster’s 250th Anniversary in 2009. The four-beer series will feature a new release in January, May, September and November, and will kick-off with a California-Style IPA. Complete Story

Brewery Ommegang 2009 Specialty Beer Release Calendar(January 6) - For 2009 we’ve committed to a schedule designed to keep everyone informed well in advance of releasing specialty beers. Let us know what you think, if you so desire, and remember to take frequent breaks from the demanding job of journalism to enjoy a fine beer. Complete Story

Legend brewery to expand(January 6) - Virginia - Even with the economy in a downturn, managers at Legend Brewing Co. in South Richmond say they are forging ahead with plans to add production capacity at its brewing operation adjacent to its pub on West Seventh Street. Complete Story

Bull & Bones Brewhaus opens in Blacksburg(January 1) - Virginia - “It’s the first brewpub to have beer on draft in the New River Valley,“ said Co-Owner Mark Shrader. We have “great food and great service.“ Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill has the ability to brew up to seven types of beer. Complete Story