This Week's Brew News - August 22, 2007 -- Beer Info

Helping the Ocean One Beer at a Time(August 22) - Alaska - In 2006, poor water quality led to more than 25,000 beach closures or advisories throughout the country, 28 percent more than the previous year. Alaskan Brewing Co. wants to help reverse this alarming trend. Complete Story

Toronto’s Festival of Beer: It’s a Festival! With Beer!(August 22) - Canada - The 12th annual edition of Toronto’s Festival of Beer kicked off last night at Fort York with the Bowmans Ball, featuring a rousing live performance by Spirit of the West, a poker competition with the winner receiving a trip to Oktoberfest in Germany, and of course, plenty of beer. Complete Story

Shmaltz Brewing launches Coney Island Lager!(August 21) - New York - Inspired by the spirit, the history, and the future of the famed Brooklyn playground, Shmaltz Brewing Company proudly introduces the first act in its new sideshow of spectacular Coney Island Lagers. Complete Story

Beer of the Week

"Summit Extra Pale Ale"

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale and Sea Dog Bluepaw Win 1st Place(August 20) - Maine - Shipyard Brewing Company's Pumpkinhead Ale won 1st place in the Specialty Beer Category at the 13th annual California Brewers Festival in Sacramento, California. Complete Story

Stoney Age: 100 and still brewing(August 19) - Pittsburgh - The makers of Stoney's beer celebrated their centennial yesterday at the old brewery in Smithton, Westmoreland County, with an afternoon of memorabilia, food and, of course, beer. Complete Story

Missing Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. executive found dead(August 18) - California - Authorities retrieved the body of a missing Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. executive from the Sacramento River near Chico on Thursday, nine days after he was reported missing. Complete Story

Sales of craft beer bubble up(August 18) - Colorado - As summer begins to wind down and autumn colors appear, let Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale get you in the mood for the approaching crisp, fall nights. Whether you're planning to carve pumpkins or bake a pumpkin pie this season, Anheuser-Busch's fall beer offering is the perfect toast to the arrival of autumn. Complete Story

First Ever Female Head Brewer in the North(August 17) - UK - Brewster Michelle Bright has been promoted to the position of head brewer at Wentworth Brewery in South Yorkshire at the age of just 26. This makes her the only female head brewer in the North of England, and the youngest of her kind in the country to boot. Complete Story

World’s Largest Prehistoric Brewery Unearthed in Ireland(August 17) - UK - Our Bronze Age ancestors were really fond of alcohol, what with archaeologists having uncovered evidence of the world’s largest prehistoric brewery in Ireland. Complete Story

Spice Up the Season With Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale(August 16) - St. Louis - As summer begins to wind down and autumn colors appear, let Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale get you in the mood for the approaching crisp, fall nights. Whether you're planning to carve pumpkins or bake a pumpkin pie this season, Anheuser-Busch's fall beer offering is the perfect toast to the arrival of autumn. Complete Story

Wisconsin lawmakers show their love for beer through favorable legislation(August 16) - Wisconsin - Wisconsin lawmakers seem to love their beer. They've allowed grocery stores to hand out free samples, shunned a proposal to boost the tax on it and ensured that daylight saving time didn't hasten last call. Complete Story

Flying Dog Brewery’s “Dogtoberfest”(August 16) - Colorado - Denver’s Flying Dog Brewery is set to release their Fall seasonal Dogtoberfest. The Denver-based brewery’s third seasonal of the year is a traditional-style Marzen, brewed with 100% imported German ingredients. Complete Story

New Belgium Brewing's World Famous Cycling Circus 'Tour de Fat' Spins into Missoula(August 15) - Montana - New Belgium Brewing's annual Tour de Fat, a ballyhoo of bikes and beer, with environmental sustainability at the very heart of it all, is headed to Missoula, Montana once again. The cycling circus spins into town on September 1, 2007. The tour will hit 12 cities throughout the summer, while traveling on B100 biodiesel fuel. Complete Story

Brewery pushed Rizzuto into broadcast booth (August 15) - New York - The biggest Ballantine Blast may have been the old beer company's push to place Phil Rizzuto in the broadcast booth in 1957. The move, bold at a time when few inexperienced former athletes were hired as announcers, led to a 39-year career for the most popular Yankees voice in history. Complete Story

Pyramid reintroduces Broken Rake ale(August 14) - Oregon - Broken Rake has included Cascade hops in its new recipe. According to the company, this gives the mahogany-colored ale a more balanced flavor, while still maintaining its signature malty, sweet finish. Complete Story

F.X. Matt Brewery continues to expand product line(August 14) - Montana - From summer time's Pomegranate Wheat to soon to be fall favorite Pumpkin Ale, the Matt Brewing Company continues to add seasonal specialties to its existing Saranac line. Complete Story

German Kosher Beer Proves Popular(August 14) - Berlin - The first 30,000 bottles of Simcha pilsner -- a name that means "joy" in Hebrew -- have sold out since being put on the market at the end of April, said Wilfried Gotter, a spokesman for the new product. Complete Story

Beer Festivals

Art and Ale - Parker, CO - August 24
Beer from area breweries, food from local restaurants, and live music; ticket includes admission to museum galleries.

Sherwood Parks Beer & Wine Festival - Sherwood Park, AB - August 24-25
"A showcase of brewing history," hosted by Canadian brewmasters and wine connoisseurs; a wide variety of beers and wines; live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, beer- and wine-making seminars and wine tasting classes.

Blues 'n' Brews Festival - Westford, MA - August 25
Last year's event featured beer from dozens of area breweries; live blues music; barbecue and other food; raffles, games, and demonstrations; craft and vendor booths. Details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

Brew at the Zoo Louisville - Louisville, KY - August 25
A wide variety of microbrewed beers, food and live entertainment; proceeds benefit the zoo.

Great Eastern Invitational Microbrewery Festival - Adamstown, PA - August 25
Two tasting sessions, with more than 50 microbrewed beers and Stoudt's "Best of the Wurst" buffet.

Hops in Humboldt - Downtown Fortuna, CA - August 25
Beer from more than 25 northern California and southern Oregon breweries, homebrew demonstrations, food and live music, arts and crafts vendors, children's areas; proceeds go to charity.

Sierra Brewfest - Grass Valley, CA - August 25
Festival venue is shaded by tall Ponderosa pine trees; beer from more than 35 microbreweries; food, including sausages, barbecue, roasted corn, and ice cream; wine and non-alcoholic beverages; live music.

AleFest Dayton - Dayton, OH - August 26
More than 300 beers, including cask selections, from more than 50 world-class breweries; beer wearables and memorabilia on sale; local celebrity tasting panel; raffle and silent auction; expanded food and beer tents.

Beer of the Week