Press Release:

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The Wolverine State Brewing Company announces the general release of its second bottled beer. Wolverine Dark Lager will be available on store shelves in Southeast Michigan as of October 31, 2011. It will be available year-round.
Wolverine Dark boasts a smooth toasty maltiness balanced by a crisp finish, 5% alcohol by volume and a mild 19 IBU’s. It is the second best selling beer from the company, and joins Wolverine Premium Lager in bottles on the eve of their one-year anniversary as a commercial micro-brewery.

Wolverine State Brewing Co. is on track to exceed sales projections for its first year of operation and will announce expansion details on both production and retail sides of the business in the coming weeks. Preliminary plans include increased fermentation and storage capacities which will allow for much-requested additional distribution in Metro Detroit, development of a rental hall that will also be used as Tap Room spillover, along with offices and larger restrooms. Using primarily social-network driven word of mouth promotions and events, the Tap Room is standing room only on average five nights a week and wholesale numbers continue to climb.

The company is currently distributed in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties by Arbor Beverage. Distribution agreements are in place for the Kalamazoo (Imperial) and Grand Rapids (Kent) areas. Bottles can currently be found at all Ann Arbor area Kroger stores, several Meijer locations (including Jackson/Zeeb and Ann Arbor Saline roads) and most metro area Busch’s stores, plus several specialty beer and package stores. Many Ann Arbor area restaurants and bars serve Wolverine State Brewing Co. products including Zingerman’s Roadhouse, The Quarter Bistro, Carlyle, Ashleys, Connor O’Neill’s, Terry B’s, Ypsilanti Marriott and others.

The Wolverine State Brewing Company specializes in lagers and boasts seven of nine currently on tap: from premium and dark to pilsners, ambers, commons and several very hoppy options including The Gulo Gulo: a 7% 68 IBU’s India Pale Lager. The company plans to add Wolverine Winter Lager to its line up of bottled products in December 2011. It will represent the first of four seasonally available brews in bottles and will also be available on draft in the Tap Room. A true light lager—Bluewater —will be added to the year-round options beginning in late summer 2012.

The Tap Room is open Monday-Thursday 4 p.m.-midnight; Friday and Saturday noon-1 a.m.; Sunday noon- 10 p.m. Seven to nine different beers are always on tap, most available for growler fills. You can bring in your own food, order in from our “menu of menus” or check www.wolverinebeer.com for specific food vendors on certain days of the week.

The Wolverine State Brewing Company and Tap Room is located at 2019 West Stadium, Ann Arbor MI. The brewery number is 734-369-2990 but for rentals and other info please contact E.T. Crowe 734-277-7226. Follow the popular A2 Beer Wench’s blog: www.a2beerwench.com for brewing related rants, Wolverine updates or other randomness as strikes Her fancy.

Press Release:

(Seattle, WA) – Elysian Brewing and Tom Douglas Restaurants’ Prosser Farm have teamed up to create Saison of the Witch, a pumpkin saison–just in time for Oktoberfest activities and harvest pairings in the restaurants.

The brew was made from 120 pounds of roasted Baby Pam pumpkins, from just across the pass in sunny eastern Washington. Fennel fronds and bulbs also went into the mash to lend some aromatics and a soft herbal background. This saison will make an exciting showing with a medium amber-peach color and a 5.6% ABV.

The brew will be available at many of the Tom Douglas restaurants for the month of October (or as long as it lasts!). Customers can expect to find pairing menus and harvest celebration functions highlighting the close of the season at the farm, and the beginning of gourd-worship. The company-wide debut of the beer [was] Friday, October 2.

Prosser Farm is a 5 acre garden, managed and cultivated by Tom’s wife Jackie, her father and stepmother, and a team of amazing farmers, including a cook and server from the restaurants. The farm provides the restaurants with organically grown vegetables for six months out of the year, with the heavy-hitters being cucumbers, green beans, and heaps and heaps of tomatoes. This year to date, the farm truck has delivered over 12 tons of produce straight to the Tom Douglas kitchens. Along with being a home for family, friends, and staff, Prosser farm is a way to stay connected with our food (and beverage), from the time it goes into the ground until it reaches our customers. Tom Douglas Restaurants is proud to collaborate with the pumpkin masters at Elysian on this exciting project, and to use this produce in a new and seasonal way. Learn more about the farm here: http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=prosser-farm

Elysian Brewing Company operates three neighborhood brewpubs and a production brewery in Seattle. Known for variety, they have brewed more than 200 different beers from classic to experimental since opening in 1996. More info here: http://www.elysianbrewing.com

Press Release:

(South Bronx, NY) – The Bronx Brewery, a new craft brewery based in the South Bronx, NY, released its flagship brew, the Bronx Pale Ale last week in bars throughout New York City.

“We’ve worked hard over the past year to get our recipe right and now that it is, we’re proud to have it on tap in some of New York’s best craft beer bars and restaurants,” said Chris Gallant, The Bronx Brewery co-founder and General Manager.

The Bronx Pale Ale, developed and brewed by co-founder and Head Brewer Damian Brown, is a deep amber, American-style pale ale that is brewed with five different barley malts, generous additions of Cascade and Centennial hops, and a unique strain of yeast. It is dry-hopped, unfiltered and unpasteurized.

According to Brown, the Bronx Pale Ale is a unique version of the traditional American-style pale ale. “What really distinguishes the beer is its freshness, the strength and complexity of its caramel, biscuit, and nutty malt flavors, and its focus on hop flavor and aroma rather than the extreme bitterness found in many American pale ales and IPAs.”

“Pure Finesse! Finally a pale ale that tight rope walks the balance of hops and malt,” says Gianni Cavicchi, Beverage Manager and Sommelier at Café D’Alsace and founder of BeerSomm.com.

The Bronx Pale Ale is currently available in draft kegs, with 12oz and 22oz bottles to follow next year. It can be found at bars and restaurants in NYC, including:

Amity Hall (West 3rd Street, Manhattan)
Bronx Ale House (216 West 238th Street, Bronx)
Bruckner Bar & Grill (1 Bruckner Boulevard, Bronx)
Café D’Alsace (1695 2nd Avenue, Manhattan)
DBGB (299 Bowery, Manhattan)
Indian Road Café (600 W 218th Street, Manhattan)
Marshall Stack (66 Rivington St, Manhattan)
Rattle N Hum (14 East 33rd Street, Manhattan)

More locations throughout NYC are being added daily.

More information on early release events and where to get a taste can be found at www.thebronxbrewery.com. An official launch event for The Bronx Brewery will be held later this fall. Details will be forthcoming.

The Bronx Brewery was founded in 2009 by a small team with two things in common: a maniacal focus on creating high-quality beer and a passion for the Bronx. Its traditionally crafted ales use only premium and minimally processed materials to create fresh, bold beers from a borough known for its own bold individual character. Join the team in their journey as they bring the rich brewing tradition back to the Bronx and craft a beer that the people of the Bronx and New York City are proud to call their own.

(Canandaigua, NY) – Naked Dove Brewing Company is proud to announce the release of its newest beer, Hopulus Localus. Hopulus Localus is a wet hop beer made with Cascade and Columbus hop varieties from Pedersen Farms in Seneca Castle, New York. Brewmaster, Dave Schlosser describes the beer as having “a great hop aroma and flavor that builds and changes as you drink it.”

Wet Hop Harvest Ales are made from hops that are harvested and used in the brew the same day. Pedersen Farms supplies hops for Harvest Ales to breweries all over the Northeast; Naked Dove is located 8 miles from the hop fields which takes local to a whole new level! Naked Dove used a jaw dropping 10 lb/bbl of hops to make this 6.0% ABV beer. The name, Hopulus Localus is a play on the botanical name of the hop plant, humulus lupulus.

Naked Dove Brewing Company opened its doors in the fall of 2010 with Windblown Amber, 45 Fathoms Porter, Starkers IPA and shortly thereafter added the popular Berry Naked Black Raspberry Ale. A growler of any of these fine beers can be filled at the tasting room for $9.00. The Special Edition Hopulus Localus is available for $12.00. If you would like a commemorative Naked Dove growler the cost is an additional $4.00. You can find Naked Dove beers at over fifty local restaurants.

Naked Dove Brewing Company is located at 4048 State Route 5 and 20, Canandaigua, NY 14424-9591. Visit the Brewery on Tuesday 12-6, Wednesday 12-6, Thursday and Friday 12-7:30, Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12-5 for tours and tastings.

Press Release:

(Tygh Valley, OR) – The harvest season is over at the Rogue Farms Micro Barley Farm. Tests of Rogue’s GYO Certified Risk™ and Dare™ malting barley show the kernels met specifications for plump, protein and moisture.

Rogue plows, plants, grows and harvests 200 acres of Risk™ and Dare™ barley on its Micro Barley Farm in the terroir of Oregon’s Tygh Valley Appellation. Preparations are underway to seed next year’s winter malting barley crop.

But the harvest is just the beginning of the artisan, hands-on process of growing beer and spirits.

From the farm, the barley is bagged and divided into batches, some of which go to Rogue’s Micro Malting and Floor Malting facilities. Steeping, germinating, drying and roasting in small batches allows Rogue to ensure the quality, variety, roast and flavor of its micro and floor malts.

At the Rogue Brewery and Distillery in Newport, Oregon the Rogue Farms Risk™ Malt is milled, smoked, mashed and used to brew two unique products; Chatoe Rogue Good Chit Pilsner and Good Chit Whiskey, which is distilled, smithed, ocean aged and bottled by hand.

“Chit” refers to the start of the rootlets that emerge from the embryo of the kernel once steeping is complete and germination begins.

Located along the Oregon Trail – the Tygh Valley terroir includes 300 days of sunshine, cool winters, warm summers and fresh water from wilderness mountain streams. This virtually guarantees the Micro Barley Farm gets the right amount of sun, nutrients and moisture to produce world class crops of malting barley.

(Melbourne, FL) – The Florida Beer Company, Florida’s largest craft brewer has entered into definitve wholesale agreements with five distributors in the state of New York. Under these agreements, Florida Beer Company will enter the New York market with the assigned brands; Kelly’s Hard Cider, Florida Beer Swamp Ape IPA and the Key West brand family of Sunset Ale and Southernmost Wheat.

The wholesale agreements were made with a top-level distributor network of D. Bertoline & Sons Inc., Dutchess Beer Distributors Inc., R. Ippolito Distributing, Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service and Dana Distributors. The counties covered in these wholesale agreements include; Dutchess, Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Westchester, Putnam, Albany, Essex, Franklin, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Richmond.

“We are extremely excited about our brands being available in the New York market,” said V.P. Rick Clay. “This represents a tremendous opportunity for our company and brands moving forward. We feel very strongly about the relationships we have established with this accomplished distributor network.”

The Florida Beer Company will continue to explore further market expansion opportunities throughout the 2011 calendar year.

ABOUT FLORIDA BEER COMPANY

The Florida Beer Company, located in Melbourne, Florida, is the largest craft brewer in the state. Florida Beer Company is now the sixth largest Craft Brewer in the Southern U.S.

The Florida Beer Company portfolio consists of its flagship brand, Key West, Florida Beer Swamp Ape IPA, Hurricane Reef, Ybor Gold, Florida Lager, La Tropical and Kelly’s Hard Cider. Along with production of these equity brands, Florida Beer Company also produces a number of contract and private label craft beers.

(Fort Worth, TX) — North Texas’ award-winning brewery, Rahr & Sons, is topping off a banner seventh year with national accolades and an addition to its Fort Worth headquarters.

The new 10,000-square-foot building will primarily be used as an event space, available for rentals and also serving as the setting for the brewery’s increasingly popular Wednesday and Saturday tours. Slated to open September 17, the structure can accommodate up to 600 people, making it an ideal venue for weddings, corporate events, and other private parties.

The brewery expands following a year of notable growth in the face of adversity. Last winter, record-breaking snowfall caused the brewery’s roof to collapse, temporarily leaving Rahr without a headquarters and suspending operations. With the support of the local community, Rahr rebuilt and went on to experience banner growth in 2010 – doubling its barrelage and adding eight new Texas cities to its distribution list, including Galveston, Corpus Christi and Austin.

Along with larger distribution came bigger awards. Zymurgy, the American Homebrewers Association magazine, named Rahr the 2010 “Brewery of the Year” and fan-favorite Ugly Pug ranked top of its class at the 2011 U.S. Beer Tasting Championships. Fort Worth’s “little brewery that could” recently garnered national acclaim when its lagers were featured in The Wall Street Journal and GQ.

Rahr has come a long way since 2004, when owner Fritz Rahr decided to follow in his forefathers’ footsteps and pursue his passion for craft brewing. Initial production was small, but word of Rahr’s fine German-style craft beers spread, and a strong local following developed. Over the past seven years, Rahr has increased its brewing capacity tenfold, and its award-winning beers are now available in 15 Texas cities. In November, barrelage is expected to surpass the 20,000 mark with the addition of three new 100-barrel tanks.

“There’s no way we’d have made it this far without our talented brewmasters,” said owner Fritz Rahr. “The blend of science and artistry these guys bring to their craft is inspiring.”

Two of Rahr’s dedicated brewers – Austin Jones and Jason Lyon ­– studied biology in college before trading their beakers for barrels and steins. Jones, who has been home-brewing for six years, joined the Rahr Posse full-time in 2009. Louisiana native Lyons grew up touring breweries and distilleries and serves as Rahr’s resident handyman as well as a beer craftsman. The team added yet another talented brewer this spring when Craig Mycoskie came aboard. After discovering his passion for the American craft beer scene, Mycoskie attended Siebel’s World Brewing Academy in Chicago and Munich.

Rahr’s leadership credits the brewers as being as essential to Rahr as the beers themselves. “It’s always exciting to see what they’ll concoct next,” said Rahr. “We’re looking forward to many more years of innovative Texas brewing.”

About Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
With a brewing history dating back to 1847 Wisconsin, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. made its mark on Fort Worth in 2004, thanks to the hard work of Fritz Rahr and a large group of volunteers. Since then, Rahr has increased its brewing capacity tenfold to become Fort Worth’s local, award-winning brewery. For more information, visit www.rahrbrewing.com.

(Portland, OR) – In its first year of brewing, Breakside Brewery (820 NE Dekum) has developed a reputation for its creative beers and enthusiasm for collaboration brews. After working with numerous brewers and members of the beer community, Breakside brewmaster Ben Edmunds and owner Scott Lawrence are excited to announce the kickoff of new series of collaborations:

Beginning this month, Breakside will work with twelve of Portland’s top chefs to craft beers that are tailored to their restaurants’ food. Once a month for the next year, one of the chefs will join Edmunds in the brewhouse to get the hands-on experience of making a beer suited to their cooking. The first beer in the series is now on tap, and it is the brainchild of Wildwood sous chef Paul Kasten, whose beer pairing dinners have made him the top chef advocate for beer in the city. For his beer, Kasten chose to design an English-style old ale brewed with molasses and aged on oak. Part of the beer has also been reserved for aging in a bourbon barrel.

Following the Wildwood collaboration, Aaron Barnett of St. Jack will head over to Breakside in to concoct a dry-hopped golden farmhouse ale brewed in the tradition of an Uytzet. And in October, Rodney Muirhead of Podnah’s Pit will craft a strong Helles lager to complement his Texas-style barbecue. Other chef collaborators will include Andy Ricker of Pok Pok/Whiskey Soda Lounge, Gabriel Rucker at Le Pigeon/Little Bird, Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Cathy Whims of Nostrana, John Gorham of Toro Bravo/Tasty & Sons, Brian Spangler of Apizza Scholls, David Welch and Jenn Louis of Lincoln/Sunshine Tavern, and Andy Arndt of Aquariva.

“We are incredibly enthused about this project. We love eating and drinking, and we think this is a great way to bring the two together,” said Lawrence. “It is the first time anywhere in the country that a single brewery will work systematically with a city’s best chefs to create beers for their restaurants. It’s a testament to the great beer culture in Portland that chefs of this caliber are excited for an opportunity like this. Hopefully, it inspires other chefs to seek out breweries and elevate the way that top tier restaurants treat beer.”

Edmunds said that he is excited to work with the chefs to design their beers, many of which may run astray of traditional style boundaries, in order to make beers that complement their work . “Food-oriented beers are what I love; I think these beers afford us a lot of freedom to experiment and come up with beers based on flavor profile rather than on style guidelines.”

The chefs are looking forward to this as an opportunity to complement their menu in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Aquariva’s Arndt explains, “I’ll be able to add characteristics that I would like to see with my food at the restaurant, knowing the blend of hops, spice, yeast and final alcohol percentage.[On my own] I would never have the time to experiment to get the right flavor profile.”

When the series finishes next August, Breakside promises some sort of wrap up celebration, though no plans have been set yet. “We have a year to figure that out,” says Lawrence, “but we do plan to save some of each of the beers for some sort of gala event in 2012.” Kasten’s Old Ale is available at Breakside and will be released at Wildwood later this month. The bourbon-barrel aged version is likely to be released in time for a pairing dinner at Wildwood in early 2012. Likewise, beer lovers and foodies alike can expect to find all the collaboration brews at both the brewery and the chef’s restaurant(s). Limited amounts of bottles of each release will be available for sale as well.

Press Release:

(Lincoln, NE) – Beer from Nebraska’s oldest and largest micro brewery is now available in Colorado. Empyrean Brewing Co. of Lincoln has partnered with New Age Beverage to distribute its beers throughout the front range, including Denver and Colorado Springs, and everywhere in between.

“We’re excited to be available in Colorado,” says Empyrean Brewing Co. sales manager Ben Matya. “We’ve spent a year researching the market and looking at our distribution options. To finally have beer flowing West is really satisfying.” In addition to Colorado, Empyrean Brewing Co. brands are available throughout the states of Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Matya says, “Colorado is an exciting state for us to expand into because it’s filled with a large following of craft beer lovers–all anxious to try the next great beer.”

This week, Empyrean Brewing Co. releases four brands to the front range: Third Stone Brown, Burning Skye Scottish, award winning LunaSea ESB and Dark Side Vanilla Porter in both draft and 6-pack bottles. The first retailers to receive stock include Total Beverage, Applejack Wine & Spirits, Tipsy’s Liquor World and Old Chicago restaurants. The brewery’s winter seasonal, Winter Tilt Festiv’Ale, will follow in early November.

According to brewery folklore, since the dawn of time all people marveled at the mysteries of the universe, and brewed beer. These ancients sipped on their hand-crafted brews and dreamed of a paradise existing at the highest point in the universe; inside a fiery sphere they called Empyrean. It’s this legend that gave the brewery its name and tagline, “the taste of dreams come true.”

Packaging more than 5,500 barrels of beer each year, Empyrean Brewing Co. offers eight to ten varieties at any one time. Six of these are bottled on site and distributed year round, while seasonal and limited release selections are available on draught and bottled in 6-packs. Full descriptions of their various beer styles are available at www.EmpyreanBrewingCo.com.

(Baton Rouge, LA) – Tin Roof Brewing Co. is pleased to announce the launch of their canning line and the release of their flagship brew, Perfect Tin Amber Ale, in 12-ounce aluminum cans. Tin Roof, Baton Rouge’s only microbrewery, will be the first Louisiana brewery to launch a full scale canning line. Perfect Tin Amber Ale will begin being distributed this week in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and select stores on the Northshore.*

“Cans were the obvious choice for our first packaged product,” said Charles Caldwell, Tin Roof co-founder. “With all of the activities we love in Louisiana, such as parades, tailgating, festivals, and being outdoors in general, cans can go where bottles can’t.”

But that’s not the only reason for cans. “Cans are lighter than bottles, chill faster, require less fuel to transport, are more readily recyclable and protect beer from the degrading effects of exposure to light,” Caldwell said. “Extremely low oxygen pickup during the canning process helps extend shelf-life and ensures your beer is as tasty and fresh as the way it was intended.”

More and more microbreweries are turning to cans, threatening to break the reputation of glass as the only worthy container for a quality brew. Adding all of the environmentally friendly aspects to the quality beer they keep, all we can say is “YES we CAN.”

Tin Roof Brewing Company was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and began operations in November 2010. Tin Roof currently offers two flagship brands, Perfect Tin Amber Ale and Voodoo Bengal Pale Ale. Both brands are available on draft, and while Perfect Tin will be available in cans this week, Voodoo Bengal should follow in the coming months. Tin Roof plans statewide distribution by the end of 2011. Brewery tours are every Friday from 5:30-7:30. For more information, follow Tin Roof on twitter or facebook, or please visit www.tinroofbeer.com.

(Portland, ME) The D.L. Geary Brewing Co., Inc. is celebrating 25 years in business by releasing a “Silver Series – Master Brewer’s Selection”, brews that are created and brewed by Geary’s long time brew masters.

Geary’s is pleased to announce the second selection, Mullen’s American Wheat, created by brewer Thaddeus Mullen. Mullen’s American Wheat is deep gold in color with a bright white head. Mullen’s has a medium but firm body and moderate hoppiness, finishing dry. Brewer Thaddeus Mullen also gently dry-hopped his beer, adding to its unique character. Drink this one cold. ABV: 4.9%. Tap handles are an English style pub knob with a round badge that features the name of each selection and a large “25” on the top.

The D.L. Geary Brewing Company was incorporated in October, 1983 by David and Karen Geary who shared the vision of producing world class products on a small scale for local and regional consumption. At that time, there were only 13 so-called microbreweries in the United States, almost all of them in California and the Pacific Northwest. In the winter of 1984, David Geary began a period of training and research in Scotland and England. With the help of Peter Maxwell Stuart, a Scottish nobleman and brewer who arranged introductions and itineraries, he worked in a half-dozen small commercial breweries from the highlands of Scotland to the south coast of England.

During that time, the size and design of the brewery began to take shape; and most importantly, the recipe for Geary’s Pale Ale was created using classic elements from some of Britain’s best breweries. In the summer of 1984, Karen and David Geary began the long and difficult process of creating a business plan, finding appropriate real estate, specifying equipment and raw materials, designing packaging and raising the capital necessary to begin brewing. After nearly two years of planning and effort, construction began. Equipment was ordered, contractors were hired, and the brewery was ready for its first brewing the fall of 1986. On December 10, 1986, the first pints of Geary’s Pale Ale were sold; New England’s first microbrewery had arrived.

Since then, Geary’s has increased its product line to seven full time products and three seasonal specialties, all in various package sizes, and has spread distribution to fifteen states along the eastern seaboard and as far west as Ohio. David and Karen still work at the facility as does their daughter, Kelly Geary Lucas.

The Geary Brewing Company is recognized as a pioneer in America’s brewing renaissance and as a model of quality and excellence for the industry.

(Chicago, IL) – “Craft beer without the craft price.” That’s the message behind Bomb Lager – a new craft beer from Bomb Beer Company that has launched in Rexam 12 oz. cans.

Bomb Lager is a traditional Bavarian Helles made from the finest imported barley malt, noble hops and lager yeast. Each batch undergoes a long, cold fermentation process to produce a delicate and smooth flavor profile with a beautiful head that provides delicate yet firm lacing on the glass.

Bomb Lager is committed to building a brand that embodies artistic expression and creativity, as well as easy drinking. Every production of Bomb Lager will feature a new can design developed by a local street artist. East Village artist Billy Miller (billyartnyc.com) came up with the unique graphics for the inaugural can.

“We are excited to offer consumers a craft beer for the masses. Bomb Lager is a beer with a subtle complexity that is inviting, rewarding and a perfect fit for everyone’s table,” said Pat Carney, partner, Bomb Beer Company. “Along with creating a quality product, Bomb Lager is about artistic expression, so we wanted a package that people would want to see and be seen drinking. In fact we placed our recently updated recipe in Billy’s “Black Can” design which is as refined and exciting as the beer within it. Our Rexam cans are the perfect canvas, and we look forward to utilizing our partnership with them to build our brand and our business.”

Bomb Beer Company chose to launch their beer in aluminum cans because they offer the best canvas to display the artwork that is a key part of its brand. In addition, cans completely block out light which helps beer stay fresh longer, are more widely accepted at outdoor venues and are the best environmental and sustainability choice with a recycle rate at more than double any other beverage package.

“We are pleased to work with the team at Bomb Beer to help them bring their unique beer and unique street art labels to market,” said Andre Balbi, president and CEO, Rexam Beverage Can Americas. “Our aluminum can is a great packaging solution, enabling their artistic brand design to stand out on retail shelves while delivering superior recycling benefits, as well as distribution and retail display economics.”

Bomb Lager is currently available in select retail locations in New York State, with plans to expand distribution throughout the year.

About Bomb Beer Company
Bomb Beer Company is committed to delivering quality beer made from only the best ingredients. With headquarters in New York City, the company hopes the artistic vision behind its inaugural beer will help inspire drinkers to express themselves. For more information, visit bomblager.com.

About Rexam
Rexam’s vision is to be the best global consumer packaging company. We are one of the largest beverage can makers in the world, and a major global player in rigid plastic packaging. We are business partners to some of the world’s most famous and successful consumer brands as well as young, entrepreneurial start-ups. We offer a broad range of packaging services and solutions for different industries, using different materials and technologies. Three things characterize us – leadership in our industry, our commitment to innovation and our passion to deliver exceptional value. Rexam’s sales from ongoing operations are approximately euro 4.8 billion. We employ some 22,000 people in more than 20 countries and are a member of the FTSE 100. Rexam’s ordinary shares are listed with the UK Listing Authority and trade on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol REX. For further information, visit Rexam’s website at www.rexam.com.

SOURCE Rexam

Press Release:

(Mukilteo, WA) – Looking ahead to cooler weather and falling leaves, Diamond Knot Brewing Co. is bringing back its Vienna Ale. Starting in September, this fall seasonal beer will be available on draft and in 22-oz bottles at retailers in throughout Washington, Oregon and through Total Wine & More.

“This is an exciting time of year for our brewery, we have a lot of fun brewing this beer and it’s greatly anticipated by many of our customers” explains Brewmaster Pat Ringe. The Diamond Knot team has been working hard to prepare for this release. “We have presold a large portion of our first production run. That says a lot about our customers and the state of craft beer.”

The Vienna Ale is a German style ale that is reddish in color and has a bright, crisp flavor with a bold, malty finish, making it quite easy drinking. Its complex flavors make it a great beer to celebrate the bounty of fall or to enjoy while tailgating, and it perfectly complements the hearty foods of the season. Vienna Ale has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.8 percent, and 25 international bittering units (IBUs).

Diamond Knot bottles several other styles year around, including IPA, Industrial IPA and Brown Ale. Additionally they offer four seasonal beers in bottles: Slane’s Irish-style Red Ale, Blonde Ale and Industrial Ho!Ho! Winter Ale, and produces several draft only beers.

About Diamond Knot Brewing Co:
Founded in 1994, Diamond Knot Brewing Company, Inc. is a privately held company and is Snohomish County’s oldest continuously operating brewery. Hand-crafted Diamond Knot ales can be found in multiple states, both in bottles and on draft. Additionally, Diamond Knot operates three full-service restaurants; two in Mukilteo, WA and one on Camano Island, WA. The Camano Island location and the original alehouse offer a unique, interactive dining experience with StonegrillTM, in which customers are able to cook their meal right at their table. Diamond Knot prides itself in providing all their customers with the finest foods and beers, all while being integral, productive and charitable members of the communities in which they operate.

(San Francisco, CA) — MateVeza has released Morpho Herbal Ale, an organic ale brewed with yerba mate, hibiscus flowers and bay leaves. A collaboration with Mill Valley Beerworks, MateVeza’s newest limited release is an ode to the Morpho butterfly of South America. With hints of tropical flora from hibiscus, the lemony herbal notes of bay leaves, and an earthy dry yerba mate finish, this ale is pure rainforest refreshment.

Morpho Herbal Ale is part of a new chapter in the lost art of unhopped ales called gruits that originated in the middle ages. Gruits rely on a mixture of herbs to provide the bitterness resulting in zero hop bitterness. Morpho Herbal Ale’s bitterness is provided entirely by the yerba mate and bay leaves, providing a completely new and refreshing take on the style.

After discovering their mutual appreciation for Stephen Harrod Buhner’s book “Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers,” MateVeza founder Jim Woods and Mill Valley Beerworks cofounder Justin Catalana discussed collaborating on a gruit with yerba mate. Catalana brought his experience brewing with bay leaves and Woods his experience brewing with yerba mate. After their first batch, Woods suggested hibiscus flowers for an added citric acid tartness and tropical aroma.

“In a craft beer climate dominated by ales that push the limits of hop bitterness, Morpho Herbal Ale is a rare creature,” said Jim Woods, founder and president MateVeza,“After receiving rave reviews of the beer’s unique melange of flavors from the customers of Mill Valley Beerworks, we knew we were on to something.”

Catalana and Woods decided to bottle their exotic creation and the Morpho butterfly was chosen as the perfect flag-bearer. Native toSouth America, where yerba mate is grown, the iridescent blue Morpho butterfly flutters through the rainforest in search of fermenting fruit. The beer’s tropical aroma and striking red color make it an apt expression of the Morpho butterfly’s beauty.

Morpho Herbal Ale was made possible by a loan from The Boston Beer Company’s new microloan program for craft brewers, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream. After he was unable to secure additional financing from traditional banks, Jim Woods applied for a Brewing the American Dream loan, and received the necessary working capital to undertake Morpho Herbal Ale project.

Morpho Herbal Ale will be available in 22-ounce bottles and draft in select locations throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. For more information, sales information and high-res imagery visit www.mateveza.com.

About MateVeza:

MateVeza (Mate + Cerveza) markets and sells organic, naturally caffeinated beers brewed with yerba mate, the South American herbal tea. MateVeza’s award-winning beers, including Yerba Mate IPA, Black Lager, and new Morpho Herbal Ale are brewed and bottled in Ukiah, California by Mendocino Brewing Company. MateVeza is USDA certified organic by CCOF. More information about MateVeza is available at http://www.mateveza.com

About Mill Valley Beerworks:

Mill Valley Beerworks is a brewery and beer cafe located just north ofSan Francisco. The brewery specializes in creating a variety of unique botanical beers brewed with juniper, bay leaf, redwood tips and other unorthodox ingredients. Botanical beers as well as house-crafted adaptations of classic ales are featured alongside a large selection of imported and craft microbrews. For more information, visit: http://millvalleybeerworks.com

Seattleites can enjoy the first Fresh Hop of the season beginning September 2; a taste of fall is soon to follow with the release of Heart of Darkness CDA and Pumpkin Spice Ale

(Seattle, WA) – Claiming its spot as the first fresh hop style brew released in Seattle, Two Beers Brewing is proud to announce the arrival of its Fresh Hop 2011. Hop-enthusiasts can enjoy their first taste of this long-awaited beer beginning September 2 at the Two Beers Brewing tasting room, with Fresh Hop hitting shelves in 22-ounce bottles and appearing on tap across the Pacific Northwest beginning September 5. Accompanying Fresh Hop 2011 as Two Beers Brewing’s seasonal offerings are its Heart of Darkness Imperial CDA and Pumpkin Spice Ale.

“This is our favorite time of year,” said Joel VandenBrink, Two Beers Brewing founder and head brewer. “There’s nothing like the flavors of fall and what better way to welcome in the season than with a delicious, handcrafted local beer.”

First brewed in 2009, Fresh Hop enters its third season on the brewery’s fall lineup. This Northwest-inspired brew’s strong citrus aroma – featuring hints of grapefruit and passion fruit – can be attributed to the freshly picked, Yakima Valley-grown Centennial hops used to create it, harvested from Puterbaugh Farms, the family hop farm of Assistant Brewer Tyler Pickel. Copper in color with deep caramel malt tones, Fresh Hop 2011 settles in at 6.2 percent ABV resembling an aggressively dry-hopped mid-range IPA, but packing the punch only fresh hops can deliver. In addition to Centennial hops, this beer features locally grown Amarillo, Simcoe, Nugget and Columbus hops, helping this popular beer achieve its bright and delightfully bitter flavor.

“The creation of this beer is an annual tradition for the Two Beers Brewing team. We get a call that the hops are ready and by that night, we’re in the field pulling the vines down ourselves,” laughed VandenBrink. “We enjoy the work that goes into this beer, as well as the tribute it pays to Washington-grown hops and their important role in our industry.”
“This is an exciting time of year for consumers and pub owners because it’s when you get to experience beer at its best,” said Bob Brenlin, part-owner of Latona Pub, Fiddler’s Inn and Hopvine Pub, all known for their outstanding craft beer selection. “The aromas and flavors created by using freshly picked hops are like none other and the Two Beers Brewing Fresh Hop really delivers – so flavorful and aromatic, it’s as if there are hops just floating in your beer.”

Also joining the Two Beer Brewing tap list in September is the highly anticipated Heart of Darkness Imperial Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA). First brewed this spring as a limited release with help from the crew at LOT No. 3 – a Bellevue-based restaurant owned by the Heavy Restaurant Group – the Heart of Darkness Imperial CDA will be available on tap only at the Two Beers Brewing tasting room and in 22-ounce bottles at select retailers. An imperial version of the emerging “Black IPA” style, the Heart of Darkness Imperial CDA mixes dark roasted specialty malts with highly citrus and floral hops, and is then dry-hopped with Columbus hops for a smooth finish. Flavors of molasses, dark cherry, oak and chocolate will grace the palate of all those that enjoy this unique, handcrafted brew.

Last but not least is the brewery’s popular Pumpkin Spice Ale, expected to hit taps throughout the Northwest beginning October 1. This perfectly spiced, deep copper colored ale – brewed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice – was met with great interest for its complex flavors and aroma during its first run in fall of 2009. Malt forward with a nutmeg and clove aroma, drinkers of this fall-focused brew will enjoy cinnamon and ginger lingering on the tongue, with allspice rounding out the back end of the palate.

Two Beers Brewing will continue to distribute its five year-round offerings this fall, as well as a host of packaged products. In addition to Fresh Hop 2011 and Heart of Darkness Imperial CDA, craft beer enthusiasts can pick up Persnickety Pale Ale and Evo. IPA in 22-ounce bottles. Also available are Two Beers Brewing’s new 12-ounce cans – sold in six-packs at select retailers including Whole Foods and Central Markets – featuring Panorama Wheat, Evo. IPA and Trailhead ISA.

Offering twelve beers – including five year-round, seven seasonal and a host of intricate infusions – Two Beers Brewing also offers pints, growlers and kegs-to-go in its 4,800-square-foot SoDo brewery and tasting room, in addition to being available on tap in more than 300 restaurants and bars in Washington and Idaho. For more information, be sure to follow Two Beers Brewing on Facebook or visit www.twobeersbrewery.com.

About Two Beers Brewing Co.

Two Beers Brewing Co. – makers of Evolutionary IPA and a host of Northwest-inspired beers – began operations in a small Seattle basement in 2007. Today, Two Beers Brewing produces twelve unique beers including five year-round, seven seasonals and a host of intricate infusions in its 4,800-square-foot SoDo brewery. Two Beers Brewing distributes to Seattle-area bars and restaurants, with tastings kegs, and growler fill-ups available at their tasting room located at 4700 Ohio Ave. S. (Unit A) in SoDo, open weekly Wednesday – Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon – 4 p.m. (summer hours). Select brews can also be found in 22-ounce bottles and 12-ounce cans through local retailers. With a strong belief in supporting the local economy, Two Beers Brewing takes pride in using Washington ingredients to create all of its handcrafted beers. For more information, visit www.twobeersbrewery.com.

(Davis, CA) – UC Davis, a world leader in brewing science and education, and Sudwerk Restaurant and Brewery of Davis have entered into a licensing agreement that will offer Aggie Lager on tap at Davis eateries and generate an estimated $25,000 a year for scholarships, campus officials announced.

Sudwerk is brewing the beer, which is currently on tap at its own restaurant, Hallmark Inn, The Davis Graduate, 3rd and U Café, Woodstock’s Pizza and Original Steve’s. UC Davis and Sudwerk are looking to put the lager at other Davis establishments too.

Under a one-year agreement, UC Davis has licensed the use of its name and athletics trademark for Aggie Lager to Sudwerk, which has a long association with the brewing programs and the Department of Athletics at UC Davis.

The agreement will provide the equivalent of one full year’s scholarship for an in-state student-athlete at UC Davis — support that interim Director of Athletics Nona Richardson said is critical to recruit and retain top players as the Aggies develop their program in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

In addition to raising funds for intercollegiate athletics, campus officials said the agreement will help to build awareness of the university in general and its world-class brewing programs.

“The Aggie Lager project is an innovative collaboration between campus and community that highlights a distinguished academic program through the broad portal of intercollegiate athletics,” said Cindy Spiro, senior associate athletics director for external affairs and resource development.

Teaching and research in brewing science have been integral components of the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology since 1958. Charlie Bamforth, the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences at UC Davis, says hundreds of students have progressed from the undergraduate and master’s programs to senior technical positions in the brewing and brewing-supply industries in North America and beyond.

“Aggie Lager is an exceptional lager that shows off the brewing talents of our alumni and carries our name with pride,” Bamforth said. “I am delighted that the sales of beer will support sports on campus.

“In all my teachings I stress the role that beer can play as a worthy component of a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle when treated, as in all things, mindfully.”

UC Davis Extension, the continuing and professional education division of the university, also offers popular and respected brewing programs, including an eight-week Professional Brewers Certificate Program, an 18-week Master Brewers Program and short courses in home brewing.

Jay Prahl, masterbrewer at Sudwerk and a UC Davis alumnus, describes Aggie Lager as “a rich golden lager, complex and artfully balanced and reminiscent of Bavaria’s most popular style — the Munchener helles or the Munich light lager.” The 100 percent malted beer is mildly hoppy, crisp and clean, he said.

The lager was first presented under the Aggie name nine years ago at the annual Aggie Auction fundraising event for Athletics, where cases of bottled lager continue to be offered for auction. Aggie Lager has also been poured at some small VIP events before or during halftime at football and basketball games.

UC Davis has a close association with Sudwerk, which has produced award-winning lagers sold in California, Arkansas and Pennsylvania. Prahl graduated from the Master Brewers Program in 1995 and is a guest speaker for Introduction to Brewing and Beer, the second-most popular course on the UC Davis campus. He and Sudwerk’s other brewers, who graduated from the same program, support the teaching of UC Davis Extension brewing courses, which are held in a classroom above the Sudwerk brewing facilities.

Although the association of a university’s name with beer is not unprecedented, it is also not without controversy at institutions that work to reduce high-risk drinking among their students.

“UC Davis is proud of its academic programs in and contributions to brewing, winemaking and viticulture,” Spiro said. “We are using the utmost care in the association of the university’s name with alcohol.”

Michelle Famula, executive director of Health and Wellness at UC Davis, says she appreciates the university’s long commitment to excellence in fermentation science, viticulture and enology. “I join the university community in the expectation of safe and responsible consumption of Aggie Lager and all alcohol products,” she added. “For those who choose to drink, UC Davis advocates that they do so legally and safely.”

UC Davis continues to promote its Safe Party Initiative, a collaboration with the city of Davis to reduce problems associated with drinking among college students and to support party safety. UC Davis’ Student Health and Counseling Services offers assessment and intervention services for alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues. The campus provides leadership to the community’s Davis Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Group.

UC Davis does not sell alcohol at regular concessions at its athletics facilities; the consumption of beer and wine is permitted in some designated tailgating areas before Aggie football games.

About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget that exceeds $678 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

The Ithaca Beer Co. is excited – at long last – to announce it [has] officially [broken] ground [on its new brewery as of] Friday, August 26, 2011 at 4:00PM.

Dan Mitchell, Founder of Ithaca Beer, along with brewery employees, shareholders, family, Chamber of Commerce and city officials standing by will dig into a 10-acre site on 82 acres of land Mitchell purchased over a year ago just behind the existing brewery facility. Recently, Mitchell was unanimously approved by the Ithaca Town Board to go forward on plans to build a new brewery for Ithaca Beer.

The new brewery will include a brewing facility able to accommodate growth up to three times its current production. Ithaca Beer will brew and bottle 180,000 cases of beer this year. The new facility will have enough space to brew and bottle about half a million cases per year. Ithaca Beer anticipates steadily growing production up to this amount over the next five years.

The new brewery will also include a tasting room, brew pub serving pints and flatbread pizzas, and outdoor beer gardens for patrons to enjoy good beer, good food, good scenery, and hopefully some Partly Sunny weather!

Drawings of the new facility are on display inside the Tasting Room at Ithaca Beer, and they will remain up for the next couple months. Ithaca Beer plans to have the production facility up and running by early spring, and the offices, tasting room, and brew pub open around early summer 2012.

Ithaca Beer is a craft brewery, started in 1998 by Dan Mitchell. Ithaca Beer has grown into a nationally recognized, award-winning craft brewery. Ithaca Beer brews and bottles nine different year-round and seasonal beers and also makes a line of high-end, limited batch, bottle-conditioned ales known as Excelsior! beers.

(Sackets Harbor, NY) – Harbor Brewing Company, Inc. is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Sackets Harbor Brewing Company, recently acquired over 1,000 new kegs as well as commercial keg cleaning and sanitization equipment that will allow the company to commence internal production and kegging of its draught beers for distribution and consumption.

The newly acquired kegs, both 1/2 and 1/6 barrels, were purchased from Pottstown, PA–based Geemacher, LLC (www.geemacher.com), and the keg cleaning and sanitization system was manufactured by Escondido, CA –based Premier Stainless Systems, LLC (www.premierstainless.com). Together these purchases, which totaled close to $150,000, will save the company over $60,000 per year in keg rental fees and will increase the Company’s gross margin profits from about 45% per production batch to over 70%.

Thomas W. Scozzafava, Chairman and CEO of Harbor Brewing Company, stated, “This is a tremendous next step for our company. Now that Sackets Harbor Brewing Company finally has the ability to itself produce its beers for distribution, releases will be more frequent and in smaller batch sizes. As a result the consumers will enjoy fresher product as well as a wider variety of our products.” Mr. Scozzafava continued, “And while typically smaller means more costly, that is not true in this case. Producing ourselves will result in increased profitability per keg, and owning our own kegs entirely eliminates the ‘keg rental’ expense line item from the income statement. This investment will pay for itself in relatively short order.”

About Harbor Brewing Company, Inc.
Harbor Brewing Company, Inc. owns and operates brewing, baking, restaurant and real estate assets. In the brewing industry the company develops and acquires craft brewing companies and select craft beer labels. The company’s holding, Sackets Harbor Brewing Company, develops, produces, and markets microbrewed beers such as the award winning “War of 1812 Amber Ale,” “Thousand Islands Pale Ale” as well as “Railroad Red Ale”, “1812 Amber Ale Light” and “Harbor Wheat” specialty beers. Its “1812 Amber Ale” is the company’s flagship brand and was the winner of a Silver Award at the World Beer Championship.

Alteri Bakery, which has serviced the northern New York region with quality baked goods since 1971, produces the area’s only “true” Italian breads and specialty pastry items, such as cakes, cookies, muffins, bagels, and specialty gift baskets. Alteri’s products can be found at local restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and its own store. Harbor Brewing also owns the popular dining establishments Sackets Harbor Anchor and Sackets Harbor Brew Pub (www.sacketsharborbrewpub.com).

(Fort Collins, CO) – Hoptober Golden Ale, New Belgium Brewing’s fall seasonal, is ushering in the cooler fall months with its complex hop profile and depth of flavor. Hoptober, which New Belgium originally introduced in 2009, is a medium-bodied ale that brings five hops and four malts together to create a creamy mouthfeel.

Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette and Glacier hops form a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers and a bold finale in this multifaceted fall seasonal, which also combines pale and wheat malt mashed with rye and oats.

“Hoptober embraces the shift to fall with an abundance of flavors,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium spokesperson. “The variety of hops make it a great fall beer, with the perfect balance to quench your thirst after a fall bike ride.”

Hoptober, with 40 IBUs and six percent ABV, is available through October in most states where New Belgium is sold. To locate Hoptober in your area using New Belgium’s Libation Locator or for suggested food pairings and additional information about Hoptober, visit www.newbelgium.com.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Amber Ale and other Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces eight year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit, Trippel and Ranger IPA, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

(Norwalk, CT) – GUINNESS & Co. is proud to announce its nationwide launch of GUINNESS® Black Lager this September. This new beer perfectly combines the refreshing taste of lager with the unique character and flavor of GUINNESS and marks an exciting new addition to the GUINNESS family.

The Guinness Master Brewers have used the finest lager hops, yeast and traditional cold brewing methods, with their signature roasted barley, to create a truly original black lager with a deliciously distinctive flavor .

“With Guinness Black Lager we really wanted to build on all the elements that people love about Guinness. We take immense pride in the quality of our product and ensured that we built on the Guinness legacy when creating this distinctive and refreshing lager. I have no doubt that Guinness and lager fans alike will enjoy this unique tasting new lager,” said Guinness Master Brewer Fergal Murray.

The refreshing and flavorful taste is locked in by the bespoke amber Guinness bottle. The contemporary packaging design combines premium, detailed silver and blue color with hallmark symbols of Guinness’ brewing provenance and heritage. The lager should be chilled and enjoyed responsibly straight from the bottle.

“The U.S. beer market is evolving and we believe this is the right time to introduce a lager to meet consumers’ needs,” said Doug Campbell, Brand Director, GUINNESS. “GUINNESS® Black Lager will appeal to a range of drinkers; those who want a refreshing tasting beer with real character, and our loyal GUINNESS consumers, who want a variety of unique experiences from GUINNESS and a refreshing taste profile for certain occasions.”

Available in 11.2oz bottles (4.5% ABV) at a price comparable to other Premium Imports, GUINNESS Black Lager is now being launched across on and off-premise outlets nationwide and will be supported by television, radio and online advertising, sampling and point of sale materials.

As always, whether enjoying new GUINNESS® Black Lager at a bar with friends, at a restaurant with a meal or at home in front of the game, GUINNESS encourages all consumers to drink responsibly.

About GUINNESS®
GUINNESS® enjoys a global reputation as a uniquely authentic Irish beer and the best-selling stout in the world. Famous for its dark color, creamy head and unique surge and settle, this distinctive beer has been brewed at the St. James’s Gate brewery in Dublin, Ireland since 1759. Over 10 million glasses of GUINNESS beer are enjoyed every single day around the world, and 1.8 billion pints are sold every year. GUINNESS is available in well over 100 countries worldwide and is brewed in almost 50. Also from the makers of GUINNESS, SMITHWICK’S, Ireland’s oldest and best selling ale and HARP Lager, whose name pays tribute to the GUINNESS logo and the national symbol of Ireland. Additional information about GUINNESS can be found at www.guinness.com.

About Diageo
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

(Hayward, CA) – Buffalo Bill’s Brewery issued a recall today for Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom Cream Ale sold in six-pack bottles.

The recalled product was shipped between January and July 2011. The company has issued a nationwide recall for all Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Orange Blossom Cream Ale.

The product is being recalled because contents of several bottles have been found to be fermenting, which causes additional pressure in the bottle. This may lead to sudden popping of the cap or rupturing of the bottle, which could pose a hazard from breaking glass. Immediate and careful disposal of the product is warranted. People who have already consumed the product are not at risk of illness or bad effects. Consumers may receive a full refund for any unused product by calling toll free at 1-(855)-890-3290.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery has taken corrective action to prevent future occurrences. The recall does not affect other bottled or draft products from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery. For more information, please call 1-(855)-890-3290.

(Newport, OR) – Micro batch testing of the Rogue Floor Malting system at a SECRET LOCATION at 1001 SE 9th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97214 has concluded and the Floor Malted barley is being used to brew Chatoe Rogue’s Good Chit Pilsner.

Good Chit Pilsner is made with Rogue Farm barley that we Floor-Malted in small batches. Floor Malting is an, old fashioned, 8 day process that includes steeping, germination, raking, roasting, bagging and hands on love 24 hours a day. “Chit” refers to the start of the rootlets that emerge from the embryo of the kernel once steeping is complete and germination begins.

Floor-Malting is an extension of Rogue’s commitment to knowing and letting others know the Terroir, Province and Origin of its ingredients by Growing Your Own (GYO). Floor Malting in micro batches allows the Maltsters and Brewers to control variety, roast and complexion of their ingredients. The end creation is unlike anything available on store shelves.

Rogue is dedicated to saving the terroir of Oregon hops and barley, one acre at a time, by growing its own. The Rogue Grow Your Own (GYO) Micro Barley Farm is located in Oregon’s Tygh Valley Appellation and Rogue’s 42 acre Micro Hopyard is located in Oregon’s Wigrich Appellation.

Good Chit Pilsner will be on shelves on October 1st, 2011.

(Victor, ID) – Grand Teton Brewing Company, known throughout the West for their exceptional craft brews, will celebrate the release of Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter at their pub in Victor, Idaho on Friday, August 26. Wake Up Call is the autumnal brew in their 2011 “Cellar Reserve” series of specialty beers.

Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter has a distinct and robust coffee flavor that blends harmoniously with the roasted malts. Caramel, chocolate, and black malts give this ale its dark color and overtones of caramel and a cocoa-like sweetness. Only very gently hopped, the addition of coffee shines through, providing a delicious accent to this brew.

Grand Teton Brewing Company used well over a pound per barrel of Triple Certified Espresso beans from Caffe Ibis Coffee Roasting Company in Logan, Utah. This specialty dark roast has caramel sweetness with hints of dark chocolate and nuts and a smooth clean finish. While the focus has been on finding the perfect mate for this seasonal porter, it is no coincidence that the choice of beans also supports social justice and sustainable agriculture.

Caffe Ibis is a locally owned and operated 35-year-old award winning Green Business and custom roasting house. It specializes in Triple Certified, Organic, Fair Trade, and Smithsonian Shade Grown “Bird-Friendly” coffees from around the world. Reuter’s Triple Pundit called it “The World’s Most Sustainable Coffee.” Over the years Newsweek Magazine, The Wine Spectator, and Sunset Magazine have all added to the chorus singing praises to the remarkable cup quality of Caffe Ibis Coffee.

Porter was the first industrial beer, brewed for the laborers of England’s Industrial Revolution. Technological advances of the 18th century–such as the thermometer and hydrometer–allowed brewers to refine the brewing process. These changes allowed for brewers to create consistent batches of beer, and that beer was nearly always porter.

The addition of coffee to porter is an even more recent creation, with craft brewers of the past 30 years embracing the enhancement that coffee makes to the flavor and body of dark ales.

The coffee flavors in this ale pair exceptionally well with meaty entrees: drink this Imperial Porter with grilled steak, barbequed spare ribs, or portabella mushrooms sautéed with soy sauce. The toast and chocolate-like flavors of the dark malt complement sweet confections. Any dessert that you would take with coffee will be a fine accompaniment to this ale. We recommend tiramisu, hazelnut scones, and German chocolate cake.

If stored appropriately, this beer should stand up to the test of time. The roasted coffee and rich maltiness will mingle together and mellow with age; but at 7.5% alcohol by volume, we don’t recommend you cellar it for much more than a year.

The Cellar Reserve series of beers are unique, different even from other craft beers. Grand Teton Brewing Company’s Cellar Reserves are brewed with specialty hops and malts and unique strains of yeast. Most ales and lagers are produced in 2-4 weeks. However, up to 8 months are spent on each of the Cellar Reserve specialty brews. They are also bottle-conditioned, which produces natural carbonation that will blend and smooth the flavors with time. Proper aging of many of these bottles creates beers to be cherished.

Grand Teton Brewing Company will release three specialty brews in the Cellar Reserve line for 2011. The production quantity for each brew is very limited.

Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter is available at select locations in California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming! Call the brewery at 1-888-899-1656 for information and availability on this exciting new product.

Grand Teton Brewing Company was founded in 1988 as the first modern “micro” brewery in the state of Wyoming. Today, Grand Teton Brewing Company is in the Brewer’s Association’s “Top 100 Craft Breweries in North America.” Their premium microbrews include the 9x gold-medal-winning Bitch Creek ESB, the 2009 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal Winner (American Pale Ale) Sweetgrass APA and the favorites of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks; Old Faithful Ale (pale golden), Howling Wolf Weisse Bier (hefeweizen) and Teton Ale (amber.) From their production facility in Victor, Idaho, Grand Teton Brewing Company beers are hand-crafted from only the finest ingredients, including locally-grown grains and pure Teton mountain spring water.

Grand Teton Brewing Company is a green company utilizing environmentally conscious and sustainable practices whenever possible. Grand Teton Brewing Company is also the inventor of the modern glass growler, which is estimated to have saved over one billion bottles and cans from entering the ecosystem to date. Discriminating beer drinkers can find their favorite Grand Teton Brewing Company brews on tap and in bottles throughout California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

(Seattle, WA) – SBS Imports and the Seattle Beer Collective are pleased to announce the second annual edition of Cider Summit Seattle. The event will be on Saturday, September 10, 2011 from 11am-7pm at Discovery Center Park in South Lake Union near Westlake & Denny Way.

Last year’s inaugural Cider Summit was the area’s largest-ever tasting of artisanal ciders with over 50 elegantly crafted products from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, California, England, and France. “We received an enthusiastic response from both the producers and attendees,” noted SBC’s Ian Roberts. “We are very excited to be back for year two and reach an even wider audience of cider enthusiasts.”

The owners and cidermakers will be on hand to inform and guide guests through the samplings which will be available in 3-ounce and 6-ounce portions. Each featured cider is made from 100% pressed apples (or pears) and is made without concentrates or other additives. In addition to the superb range of ciders, the event will feature food from Brave Horse Tavern,ongoing demonstrations of apple pressing courtesy of Ryan’s Juice, live music, and even bottle sales to go.

“We believe we’ve created a unique event,” added event co-founder Alan Shapiro of SBS Imports. “The cider selection will be even more diverse this year and the vast majority will be available to taste at $2.00. It should be a great opportunity for attendees to sample many of the best ciders available in the United States if not the world.”

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 (cash only) at the door and are available online via Brown Paper tickets and at many of the area’s leading bottle shops. Admission includes a tasting glass and 10 drink tickets. From 11a-12n arriving guests will receive 2 additional “happy hour” tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for sale onsite at $2 per ticket. The event is 21 and over only. Dogs will be allowed on event grounds. For more information including a list of participating ciders please visit www.cidersummitnw.com.

Cider Summit Seattle benefits Northwest Cider Association (www.nwcider.org) and The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org). The Northwest Cider Association promotes awareness of artisan produced ciders among the general public and fosters cooperation within the industry for all producers. IMBCR is one of the world’s leading independent research organizations developing effective therapies to increase the quality of life and longevity of myeloma patients. Cider Summit sponsors include Brave Horse Tavern, Click Distributing, Seattle Weekly, and KMTT.

(Indianapolis, IN) – Fall is nearly here and Sun King Brewing is celebrating the coming season with the release of Oktoberfest, our take on the classic German lager.

Oktoberfest will be tapped on Thurs., Sept. 1 and the tapping will be accompanied by live music from Alpine Express and food from King David’s Dogs. The tapping ends at 9 p.m. but the party will extend well into Sept. as Oktoberfest is the first seasonal beer to be canned by Sun King Brewing Co. During the second week of Sept., cases will be delivered to select Indianapolis-area liquor stores as well as the coolers in Sun King’s Tasting Room. Sun King will publicize these locations via the company’s official Facebook and Twitter profiles.

Sun King’s Oktoberfest has a clean malty start with a slightly spicy hop note and a crisp, dry finish.

WHO: Sun King Brewing Co.
WHAT: Oktoberfest Tapping
WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m., Thurs., Sept. 1
WHERE: Sun King Brewery, 135 N. College Ave., (317) 602-3702, http://www.sunkingbrewing.com.
COST: Free to adults of legal drinking age.

About Sun King Brewing Co.

Founded in 2009 by two award-winning commercial brewers, a mechanical engineer, and a veteran of the food distribution business, Sun King Brewing Co. won Indianapolis’ heart in 2010 with its lineup of stellar house beers (Sun Light Cream Ale, Wee Mac Scottish Ale, Bitter Druid ESB, and Osiris Pale Ale) and artfully crafted seasonal and specialty Lagers, Pilsners, Porters, Stouts, American IPAs, Belgian Wits, American Wheat beers. Less than two years after rolling the first full keg out the door, Sun King has grown into the third-largest beer brewer in the state of Indiana. The company’s commitment to handcrafted seasonal and specialty beers has been rewarded with multiple medals at the Indiana Brewers Cup, Great American Beer Festival®, and World Beer Cup® competitions.

(Gorham, ME) – Sebago Brewing Company is pleased to announce the release of their Single Batch Series Beer, The Hoppy Homunculus on Monday August 29th.

The Hoppy Homunculus (6.3% ABV, 55 IBUs) is a medium-bodied American IPA. Originally conceived as a test batch to experiment with new hop varieties, this beer became a favorite among the brewery staff. After several revisions, our brewers perfected the hop blend which includes Centennial, Cascade, and Citra hops.

The Hoppy Homunculus boasts an assertive aroma of tangerine and grapefruit, with a slight minty finish. The citrusy hop flavor blends flawlessly with a subtle caramel sweetness, producing a well-balanced, drinkable IPA. The Hoppy Homunculus pairs well with spicy Asian foods and the beautiful Maine summer.

The Hoppy Homunculus is a limited release, available while supplies last on draft only all Sebago Brewing Company locations and select bars and restaurants in the state of Maine.

About Sebago Brewing Company
Since its creation in 1998, Sebago Brewing Company has been brewing unique, high quality craft beers. Originally a single brewpub, Sebago has grown to include four brewpubs and to package beer distributed throughout New England. Sebago Brewing Company continues to tempt and arouse the palates of New England’s beer lovers. Sebago Brewing Company uses all American malt, hops and crisp water from Sebago Lake.

(Lewiston, ME) – Baxter Brewing Company of Lewiston, Maine, providers of Pamola Xtra Pale Ale and Stowaway IPA, and the first brewery in New England to package all its beer in kegs and cans, shipped the first truckload of its beer out-of-state today.

“Our beer has been available on Amtrak’s Downeaster train for some time, now,” said brewery founder and president, Luke Livingston, “but this is the first full shipment to leave Maine.” Until a recently completed increase in production capacity, Baxter had been barely able to meet demand in Maine, where it has been described as among the fastest growing craft beers ever introduced in the state.

As part of a new alliance between Baxter Brewing Co. and Burke and Merrimack Valley Distributors, of Randolph and Danvers respectively, Baxter’s beers will soon be available throughout the Boston area and North Shore of Massachusetts (with distributing throughout the remainder of Massachusetts slated for early 2012).

Located in a renovated corner of Lewiston’s historic Bates Mill, Baxter is the first new manufacturer in that space in more than 100 years. Other shipments from the mill included textiles used to outfit General Grant’s Grand Army of the Potomac, as well as the world-renowned Bates bedspreads.

Baxter shipped its first beer in January of this year and the brewery itself has become a destination for visitors to Maine, attracting fans from 44 states and more than a dozen foreign countries for tours and tastings. Many of those guests have been asking when the beer would be available closer to home.

“We had been shipping the equivalent of about 4,500 cases a month,” Livingston said, “and demand, just here in Maine, has been growing well beyond that. In fact, we’ve just learned that in addition to our existing strong network of hundreds of retailers, bars and restaurants statewide, some 70 Rite Aid stores have been authorized to stock our beer beginning this fall. But,” Livingston added, “our new capacity will enable us to meet the demand here at home, and begin shipping to Boston. We are also on-track to introduce a third variety of beer, coming this fall.”

While the list of locations where Baxter beer will be available in the Boston area is still being assembled by the distributors, Livingston explained that “Our Website includes a button labeled Can Finder that lists retail and on-premise locations by zip code and town. We’ll be adding the Massachusetts locations as soon as they are established. Or, even better, our friends in Massachusetts can simply ask for Baxter anyplace great beer is sold or served!”

(Boston, MA) – Boulevard Brewing Company, one of the largest craft brewers in the Midwest, is preparing to dip its toes into the Atlantic, with a September rollout planned for the state of Massachusetts. Boulevard has enjoyed success in the Pacific Northwest, and seeks to balance the geographic scales by introducing the brewery’s Smokestack Series – a line of small-batch artisan beers – to part of the Northeast.

“Adding an East Coast market to our distribution portfolio is a big step for the brewery,” said John McDonald, Boulevard founder and president. “The craft beer movement in New England continues to gain momentum, and we are eager to see how our brands will play in that part of the country.”

All year-round, seasonal, and limited-release Smokestack Series beers will be available, some in 750ml bottles and others in 12-ounce four-packs. Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale will also be sold in five-gallon kegs, providing bars and restaurants the opportunity to serve a domestically produced Belgian Saison-style beer on tap. Boulevard will be widely distributed throughout Boston, and will be marketed statewide through the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance (MBA).

“We are very excited that Boulevard Brewing Company has chosen us to represent their brands,” said Bill Burke, president of Burke Distributing of Boston. “They are the first supplier to sign on with MBA, our recently formed distributor network, and we are fully committed to their success. Working with an organization like Boulevard, known for their integrity as well as their fine beer, is a real honor for us, and we look forward to a long relationship.”

While Boulevard looks east, back home in Kansas City the company is set to embark on another brewery expansion in October. A six-month, $3 million project will remove six original 105-barrel fermentation tanks, replacing them with eight 300-barrel vessels built in neighboring Springfield, Missouri. Upon completion, Boulevard’s annual fermentation capacity will jump by approximately 20 percent, to wellover 200,000 barrels per year.

About Boulevard Brewing Company

Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to be one of the largest specialty brewers in theMidwest, dedicated to the craft of producing fresh, flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. Boulevard’s portfolio of year-round and seasonal beers is available in fourteen states, primarily in the Midwest, with select offerings distributed in an additional six states. For more information about Boulevard visit www.boulevard.com, facebook.com/Boulevard, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Boulevard_Beer.

(Boulder, CO) – In recent years, residents of New Mexico have been refining their palates with an ever-increasing selection of craft beers. Greater demand for quality beer has helped to bolster the state’s own craft industry, as well as to open the door for distribution of product from other states.

In August of 2011, New Mexicans will be treated to yet another option from their neighbors to the North. Twisted Pine Brewing Company out of Boulder, Colorado is excited to begin distributing their award-winning ales in the land of enchantment. “The cultures in New Mexico and Colorado share so much. We’re very eager to extend our efforts to customers who will truly appreciate and enjoy them,” declares Jody Valenta, General Manager of Twisted Pine.

A little over a year and a half ago, few people outside the state of Colorado knew of Twisted Pine Brewing Company and the high-quality, hand-crafted beers produced there. Fewer still could brag of ever having tasted the skillfully brewed ales created by this small Boulder brewery. Since that time, Twisted Pine has plunged into the national craft beer picture, creating quite the ripple.

New Mexico marks the seventh state in which the Twisted ales can now be found. Distribution of Twisted Pine products will be handled by L&F Distributors based out of Roswell. Beer-loving New Mexicans should start noticing at least a half-dozen varieties on the shelves between the middle and end of August. Calle McCann, Sales Representative for the brewery and a former New Mexico resident herself, is especially enthusiastic about how one particular Twisted Pine offering will be received. “Our Billy’s Chilies will definitely find a lot of fans there,” predicts McCann. A wheat ale infused with 5 different types of peppers, Billy’s Chilies certainly appears to be the perfect fit in a state that is world-renowned for its cultivation of green chile, one of the ingredients used to flavor the unique ale.

Information on Twisted Pine, along with beer descriptions, can be found online at the brewery’s website, http://twistedpinebrewing.com.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado Twisted Pine Brewing Company has been handcrafting beer since 1995. They are the brewers of such favorites as “Hoppy Boy IPA,” “Raspberry Wheat Ale” and “Billy’s Chilies.” The Ale House is a very popular local hangout and boasts 17 taps, 5 rotating. Twisted Pine is active with local charitable organizations and a strong believer in sustainable business practices. You can find more information at www.twistedpinebrewing.com.

(Portsmouth, NH) – Redhook is bringing back one of his favorite fall seasonal ales, Late Harvest, for his East Coast fans. Redhook Late Harvest is a great beer to celebrate the bounty of fall and enjoy while tailgating, sitting around a bonfire or recharging after raking up the leaves in the front yard. The seasonal ale is an easy-drinking, robust, full-bodied brew with a rich flavor. Late Harvest will be available August through September in grocery stores in 12-ounce bottles and on draught throughout Redhook’s East Coast markets.

“Late Harvest is one of our more popular brews in New England,” said Andy Schwartz, brewmaster at Redhook’s Portsmouth, N.H., brewery. “We have a lot of fun brewing this beer. It uses four different malts to really bring out a distinctive flavor while maintaining a smooth, bold profile.”

Redhook Late Harvest features a deep chestnut color and roasted malt aroma and flavor. Its rich taste is the result of using the different malts, yet the robust profile remains balanced. Late Harvest has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.9 percent, 32 international bittering units (IBUs) and 194 calories per 12 ounces. Late Harvest will retail for approximately $8.99 per six-pack.

About Redhook
Redhook was born out of the energy and spirit of the early 80’s in the heart of Seattle. While the term didn’t exist at the time, Redhook became one of America’s first “craft” breweries. From a modest start in a former transmission shop in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard, to the current breweries in Woodinville, Wash., and Portsmouth, N.H., Redhook has become one of America’s most recognized craft breweries. While Redhook has “grown up” over the past 30 years, one thing has never changed – it’s still brewing great beers like ESB, IPA, Copperhook, Pilsner and seasonal brews. Most importantly, Redhook makes sure it has fun doing it. Redhook’s beers are available in both draught and bottles and are distributed nationally through a network of wholesale distributors. For more information, visit www.redhook.com.

(Providence, RI) – The Famous Narragansett Beer today announces the return of its Oktoberfest brew. Narragansett Fest, introduced last year for the first time since the brewer’s revival in 2005, received critical acclaim in its inaugural season. At the Beverage Tasting Institute’s 2010 World Beer Championship – America’s oldest international beer competition – Fest was awarded the silver medal in the Vienna Marzen Lager category.

Based on the positive response both from consumers and industry experts, Narragansett has expanded availability of Fest beyond New England into two new markets this year: Southern New York and Philadelphia. Available on draught and in Narragansett’s signature 16 oz. Tallboy cans, Narragansett Fest can be found in leading bars, restaurants, and package stores.

Brewed under the supervision of award-winning Brewmaster Sean Larkin at Cotrell Brewery in Pawcatuck, CT and the award-winning High Falls Brewery in Rochester, NY, Narragansett Fest is a traditional amber-brown German Oktoberfest style beer, perfectly balanced with four varieties of malts and two styles of hops. Pilsner, Vienna, and Light & Dark Munich malts make up the backbone of the Fest, creating a rich taste profile, and Northern Brewer and Tettnanger hops give it a crisp, subtly balanced flavor. Narragansett Fest is 5.5% Alcohol by Volume and 22 IBUs.

Narragansett Fest echoes the brand’s rich heritage. Founded by a group of eight German immigrants, Narragansett’s Cranston, Rhode Island brewery held elaborate annual events to celebrate Oktoberfest up until the 1970s. Further, King Gambrinus, the Patron Saint of Beer – who is featured on the 1940s-style classic Fest packaging – also stood as a statue welcoming guests to the Narragansett brewery for decades.

For further information on Narragansett Fest, or to find a retailer near you, visit: www.narragansettbeer.com/products/fest.

ABOUT NARRAGANSETT BEER:
Narragansett Beer…Brewed since 1890. ‘Gansett is a straightforward, quality beer that has been a New England tradition for generations, producing a classic family of award-winning American lagers & ales. Today, ‘Gansett is produced at top-rated breweries in Rochester, NY and Latrobe, PA, with craft brews being produced in Providence, RI and Pawcatuck, CT. Narragansett Lager is available for purchase in local restaurants, bars, and liquor stores throughout New England, Florida, Southern New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

Thirsty for more? Visit: www.narragansettbeer.com.

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. has released its newest beer, commemorating a decade and a half of brewing excellence with the Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA.

The name—besides being a mild-yet-necessary chore for dutiful writers, dedicated retailers and enthusiastic publicans to write out in its entirety—is Stone Brewing President & co-founder Steve Wagner’s chuckling jab at those looking to lay territorial claim to the Black IPA style.

“There’s this small faction of people that seems to think it can call Black IPAs ‘Cascadian Dark Ales,’ historical accuracy be damned,” Wagner explains. “So, we thought we’d lightheartedly lay claim to our own style, dubbing it ‘Escondidian,’ both as an homage to our hometown of Escondido, CA and as a gentle ribbing to those Black IPA fans worshipping a false Cascadian idol.”

And while this point of contention may only be of import to 0.01% of craft beer fans, what is important is how the beer looks, smells, and ultimately tastes. “Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA pours thick and opaque, with a deep brown head of foam,” boasts Brewmaster Mitch Steele. ”Intense herbal and piney hops are followed by roasted malt notes redolent of coffee, anise, and cocoa, all coming together to form one of the darkest, hoppiest and most colossal beers we’ve ever brewed.”

“To those confused few still sipping a Black IPA by any other name, I hear your argument… that Black India Pale Ale is a bit oxymoronic on the surface,” adds Wagner. “But as an English Major, I can firmly stand behind the term Black IPA. At its core, language is all about one thing: conveying meaning. And there’s no doubt what Black IPA means: an IPA that’s black. Elementary, my dear Watson!”

Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

• Availability: 22oz bottles, on draft, and a limited number of 3L bottles.
• Vital stats: 10.8% abv, 100 IBUs
• Malt bill: Pale Malt, Cara-Bohemian, Carafa III Special, and Chocolate Malt
• Hops bill: Columbus (bittering), Citra (flavor/aroma). Dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Pacific Jade.

The Stone Blog: Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine - TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrew.com for more information.

• Appetizer/Main course: BBQ ribs, raw oysters, seafood cocktail, nachos, French onion soup, chili, porterhouse steak, lamb/wild game, merguez sausage, Portobello burgers
• Desserts: Tiramisu, plum tart, strong dark chocolate, Fig Newtons
• Cheeses: Aged Gouda or English Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Maytag Blue, Gorgonzola Dolce
• Cigars: Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial, Juan Lopez Selección No. 2, CAO LX2 Toro, 601 Blue Box-Pressed Maduro Toro

(Papillion, NE) – Nebraska Brewing Company today announces the bottling of the first barrel-aged Craft Beer in its newly formed Inception Series.

Aptly named due to the experimental nature of these beers, Inception Series beers are expected to be one-off, very small batch bottlings bottled in 22 oz. bombers. These beers will be sold at a lower price point than Nebraska Brewing Company’s Reserve Series beers. Inception Series beers are expected to be sold only in the brewpub in Papillion, NE due to the very limited supply.

It is likely that some of these beers may graduate into The Reserve Series line at some later date should they be deemed worthy of the stature of this line. At this time, all beers currently targeted for the Inception Series are aging in barrels with some going through an extended maturation and souring process.

Paul Kavulak, President of Nebraska Brewing Company stated: “Quite some time ago, we finished experimentation on a very small batch of Missouri Oak Aged Rye IPA. At the time, we felt the beer was a good beer, but weren’t sure we could include it in the Reserve Series Line and we had no other bottle format for sales back then. It wound up in a bomber, without a label and was consumed inside the brewpub only. It was later awarded a medal at the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers. It became clear these beers needed a formal production process.” Adding further, “We’ve since laid down a number of barrel aged experiments and when they emerge, they will now find themselves in the Inception Series as their first appearance for Nebraska Brewing Company.”

The first beer in this series, Toasted Barn, is a Smoked Porter aged in Stranahan’s Whiskey barrels. When originally brewed, Toasted Barn had a robust smoky character through the addition of 35% Smoked Briess Malt. It seemed a fitting combination at the time to send this beer through extended aging within the Whiskey barrel program used for other beers such as Black Betty RIS, and Fathead Barleywine. The resultant beer is one with a mellowed smokiness, vanilla aromatics, and oak tannins which elevate the finish into a very remarkable beer. Bottling has recently been completed and its anticipated release date is August 26, 2011 at Nebraska Brewing Company in Papillion.

Nebraska Brewing Company was formed in November of 2007 and has established itself as a Midwest Innovator of quality Craft Beers and artisanal Barrel-Aged Products. Building on a reputation for quality, flavor, and creativity – Nebraska Brewing Company strives to be a stand-out in an ever growing field.

Nebraska Brewing Company is proud to be a locally owned and locally operated brewpub in Papillion, Nebraska. Small, independent, and pushing the envelope.

(Harrisburg, PA) – When it comes to “beach beers,” Corona has the sleepy, laid-back approach down to a science. That’s fine if your idea of a good time is a beach chair and a good book, but the brewers behind Carib – a leading brand on its home island of Trinidad and the Caribbean’s most widely distributed brand – have other plans.

Brewed since 1950, Carib has enjoyed huge success in the Caribbean and in recent years has begun focusing more attention on the American beer market, beginning with Florida and later in New York. Florida was a market that seemed like an ideal launching pad and a natural fit for a beer that prides itself on embracing the outgoing, high-energy Caribbean lifestyle. To help speed the transition from homeland beer of choice to mainland import, Carib has partnered with food and beverage marketing agency Pavone.

The main objective for Pavone: Make a bigger splash in Florida and then introduce the original island favorite to beer drinkers beyond the Sunshine State. As the current buzz surrounding Carib continues, that introduction should come easily. A recent FoxNews.com review called it “the quintessential beach beer” and “confident it’ll beat Corona every day of the week and twice on Sundays.”

“Carib is a household name in Trinidad and throughout the Caribbean, but that recognition took many years to develop,” said Carib Beer USA President Jean Theuvenin. “We don’t expect to duplicate that success overnight here in the United States, but the time is definitely right for us to grow the Carib brand in America.”
The Pavone marketing campaign will include on-premise promotions and events, traditional advertising, and supply channel outreach with distributors.

The campaign kicks off this summer and is focused on the test market of South Florida. The Pavone team created a campaign for Carib based on what the Caribbean is all about – adventure and excitement. The region is credited as the originators of carnival, a festive period of costumes, dance, music, street parties and parades which has been adapted by cities around the world.

“Despite what other beer brands might want you to believe, the Caribbean is much more than just relaxation and quiet beaches,” said Pavone President Michael Pavone. “It’s a very active and outgoing culture, and this campaign will bring that culture to life and give American beer drinkers a taste of an authentic Caribbean experience.”

Carib is truly Caribbean with breweries in Trinidad, St. Kitts and Grenada, producing a variety of lagers, stouts and its flagship brand, Carib.

ABOUT PAVONE:

Pavone, a full-service marketing agency specializing in food and beverages, creates award-winning campaigns using a variety of disciplines including advertising, digital media, promotions and public relations. Our food and beverage strategists develop an annual food trends study that is presented to global food brands and at national marketing conferences throughout the year. Pavone works with national and international clientele including Turkey Hill Dairy, Campbell’s Soup Company, Pennsylvania Winery Association, The Hershey Company, The Apure Foods Company, Utz Quality Foods, D.G. Yuengling & Son and the National Watermelon Promotion Board. To learn more about Pavone’s food and beverage experience, please visit pavonefood.com.

ABOUT CARIB:

Carib Lager is the authentic, original, unique and defining icon of being young, modern and fashionable in Trinidad and Tobago. Launched on May 16th , 1950, this full bodied, clear and refreshing lager with 5.2% ABV is the flagship brand of Carib Brewery and the preferred brew of Trinidad and Tobago. Carib Lager is deeply rooted in the way of life of the Caribbean people, the environment, and the distinctive and refreshing culture associated with the region – its Carnivals, music and sporting events. The brand is fashionable and youthful and very today, just like the people it represents, a people with vision for and of the future. This brand has stood the test of time and has grown from strength to strength both in the Caribbean region and internationally. Carib’s vision is to become the most sought after Caribbean beer in the international market place. This will serve as a platform for achieving brand internationalization

(Boston, MA) – Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth) responding to a recent advisory from the Alcoholic Brevages Control Commission (ABCC) has filed legislation protecting Massachusetts brewers.

(Photo courtesy of Ferrariguy90 on Flickr – creative commons)

The advisory sent August 1st, explains the ABCC interpretation of Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) chapter 138, §19C which indentifies farm-brewers. In its decision, the Commission held that each applicant for a Farmer-Brewery license must document that it grows cereal grains or hops of at least 50%, in the aggregate, of the quantity of cereal grains and hops needed to produce the gallonage of malt beverages estimated to be produced by the applicant during the license term.

The interpretation by ABCC appears as an attempt to force small brewers to obtain the more complicated manufacturer’s license, which also cost far more than the “Farm-Brewer” License.

“At a time when industries are struggling, forcing small brewers to obtain high cost licenses seems counter-productive,” said Senator Hedlund, “what we should be doing is creating a streamlined licensing process using these low cost licenses as an incentive and actually grow an industry in Massachusetts as opposed to destroying one.”

The legislation filed by Hedlund Senate Docket __, filed August 4th, creates a new license in the alcoholic manufactures license law for craft brewers. Brewers still have the option of operating under newly interpreted “Farm-Brewer” definition or utilize the new craft beer license the legislation creates. Rather than paying the $6,000 – $10,000 for a manufactures license, this new license makes it affordable for craft brewers producing less than 200,000 barrels per year. The legislation also protects the self- distribution and retail sales components of the “Farm Brewer” business model.

Craft Brewers producing less than 5,000 barrels pay a fee of $22
Craft Brewers producing 5,000 barrels to 20,000 barrels pay a fee of $44
Craft Brewers producing 20,000 barrels to 100,000 barrels pay a fee of $82
Craft Brewers producing 100,000 to 200,000 barrels pay a fee of $110

With 28 members of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild and breweries ranging in size from Harpoon, to Idle Hands the legislation could be a means of attracting even more brewers to Massachusetts and employing even more Massachusetts residents.

“Craft brewers already must deal with many disadvantages, from our archaic regulatory structure to the outdated 3 tiered distribution rules to competition from international conglomerate brewers. We should be creating incentives to promote this industry not hamstring it,” said Senator Hedlund.

(Middlebury, VT) – Bret Williams, President and CEO of Green Mountain Beverage, recently announced that the hard cider company is changing its name to Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC, effective August 1, 2011.

The name change comes at a time when the hard cider category is experiencing significant growth in the United States. The company produces the nation‟s number one cider – Woodchuck Hard Cider, which is available in all 50 states and is currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011!

In June 2003 when Williams put together the deal to buy the company, the legal name became “Beverage Acquisition Group, LLC” with Green Mountain Beverage as the d/b/a. At the time, it was uncertain if the company would survive, let alone be able to sell hard cider exclusively. Over the years, the Woodchuck Brand has grown three-fold and has enabled the company to remain solely focused on the hard cider category.

“The name “Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC” better reflects who we are and what we do,” Williams said. “Vermont, as well as our Company stands for good people doing good things in a good way.”

Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC will continue to operate in its current facility on Pond Lane, while actively pursuing expansion options in the Middlebury area.

About Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC
Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC, located in Middlebury, Vermont, is the leading hard cider producer in the United States, which includes the nation’s number one cider – Woodchuck Hard Cider. Having won 16 IMPACT Hot Brand Awards, Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC is recognized for its superior cider brands. Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC handcrafts and manages all levels of quality control in a state-of-the-art cidery in Middlebury, VT by employing a team of cider makers with over 30 years of combined experience directly in cider making and a team devoted exclusively to producing, marketing, and selling hard cider. More information is available at www.woodchuck.com.

(Lincoln, NE) – On August 1st, Empyrean Brewing Co. began packaging their second-ever seasonal beer, an Oktoberfest named Aries Märzen.

Empyrean’s Oktoberfest was brewed in March, to follow the tradition of the Bavarian Märzen beers of Germany. Named Aries, for the spring sign under which it is brewed, Empyrean cellared this lager in cold tanks all summer long for enjoyment in the fall. The extended stay produces an exceptionally clean flavor with a smooth mouth feel. With its pronounced malty “Vienna bread” sweetness and herbal Nobel hop finish, there’s an Oktoberfest in every sip. That’s something worth waiting for.

Malts: Vienna and Caramunich
Hops: Perle and Tettnanger
Yeast: Lager
Original Gravity: 13.7
IBUs: 28
Alcohol: 5.3% abv
Availability: Limited Seasonal, August–October, 6-packs and draught

(New York, NY) – Shmaltz Brewing Company, ringleaders of the sideshow-inspired Coney Island Craft Lagers®, is excited to announce the release of Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead®.

Weighing in at 10% ABV, this burly Imperial American Bock has aged over five months in first-use Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Barrels. While Human Blockhead® originally was conceived as a Tough-as-Nails strong lager, Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is the evolution of a true professional, bearing the signature richness of Munich and Vienna malt but emerging from the barrel softened and silky, with hints of maple, caramel, and vanilla. With approximately 500 cases produced, Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is as rare and special as it is highly coveted.

Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® joins the Shmaltz line-up as the third member in the Limited Engagement Barrel-Aged series, which also includes 2010 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medalist HE’BREW R.I.P.A. on Rye; 2011 World Beer Championships Gold Medalist HE’BREW Vertical Jewbelation; and HE’BREW Genesis 15:15, a 15% ABV barleywine brewed with grapes, figs, dates, and pomegranates, which will be released Fall 2011. The Limited Engagement Barrel-Aged series not only represents some of Shmaltz’s most decorated beers, but also boasts the highest consumer ratings from BeerAdvocate.com and RateBeer.com. The latter recently ranked Shmaltz Brewing as one of the “Top 100 Brewers in the World” for 2011. With the release of Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead®, Shmaltz Brewing continues to design unique and sophisticated beers that can stand with the world’s best specialty beverages.

In a fusion of Old World brewing tradition with bold, flavor-driven American ingenuity, Coney Island Human Blockhead® and Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® are examples of how Shmaltz has elevated lagers to the creative peaks ales have enjoyed in the American craft beer movement. After selecting Coney Island Craft Lagers® as “Best in Show” at their inaugural BevStar Awards, Beverage World Magazine noted that “in a segment largely dominated by ales… Shmaltz has demonstrated how creative one can be when pushing the limits of lager.” The Chicago Tribune also praised Shmaltz’s artistic vision and pioneering spirit in a recent article, declaring that “the Coney Island series has put [Shmaltz] on the leading edge of craft lagers.” Not surprisingly, Coney Island Human Blockhead® has garnered top awards across the country since its debut in March 2009. In its first bout against other strong lagers at the 2009 United States Beer Tasting Championships, Human Blockhead® took home the Gold Medal and then was designated the Bock/Doppelbock Grand Champion the following year at the World Beer Championships.

Like the other beers from Coney Island Craft Lagers®, Human Blockhead® pays tribute to the eclectic performance culture of Coney Island, New York. The Human Blockhead stunt, developed by renowned musician and sideshow entertainer Melvin Burkhardt, is kept alive today by Donny Vomit, whose persona is captured on the Human Blockhead® bottle label. Known for spellbinding stage antics with his trusty hammer, sixty-penny nail, and occasionally a power drill, Donny is thrilled to be featured in the Coney Island Craft Lagers® line. “As a kid, I always thought it would be cool to have an action figure made after me, but having a kickass beer is a whole lot better,” says the man behind the mustache.

Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is nationally available in 22 oz. bottles and limited draft at specialty shops and select bars from August – October 2011. A portion of the proceeds of Coney Island Craft Lagers® help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit, fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island neighborhood.

About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Shmaltz Brewing Company was recently named “Best American Craft Brewer” and won the “Best In Show 2010″ title by Beverage World Magazine, after being named “Breakout Brand” for 2009. Shmaltz was also included in the “Top 50 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies” by San Francisco Business Times, and is a recipient of the “Distinguished Business Award” by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Established in San Francisco in 1996 with the first batch of 100 cases of HE’BREW Beer® bottled, labeled, and delivered by hand, Shmaltz has sold more than ten million bottles of beer to date. Along with their acclaimed line of HE’BREW Beers®, Shmaltz introduced its new line of sideshow-inspired Coney Island Craft Lagers®. Proceeds help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island neighborhood.

Shmaltz offerings are available in more than 25 states through 30 wholesalers at more than 3,000 retail specialty shops across the U.S., including Beverages & More, Whole Foods, Total Wine, select Krogers and Cost Plus.

Shmaltz Brewing beers have appeared in such distinguished media outlets as The New York Times, CNN Headline News, The Onion, Beer Advocate Magazine, Celebrator Beer News, Ale Street News, NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” New York Magazine, Newsweek, Men’s Health, BUST, Playboy, Associated Press, Reuters, MSNBC, San Francisco Magazine, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, Washington Post, MAXIM, Forbes.com, Smartmoney.com, Entrepreneur.com and Epicurious.com.

For more information, please visit www.shmaltzbrewing.com

(New York, NY) – Shmaltz Brewing Company, ringleaders of Coney Island Craft Lagers® and HE’BREW – The Chosen Beer®, heralds the opening of Coney Island Brewing Company – the World’s Smallest Brewery – with the World’s Smallest Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 5:30 pm.

Please join the cast of Shmaltz Brewing for a raucous celebration featuring one-of-a-kind beers, sideshow freaks, live music, and luminaries from Brooklyn and the Coney Island community. A VIP press-only beer tasting will be held onsite from 6 pm – 7 pm. Shmaltz Brewing proprietor Jeremy Cowan is available for interviews. Additional details will follow announcing the final line-up of public speakers and live entertainment appearing at the event.

Fully-licensed as of June 24, 2011, Coney Island Brewing Company is officially the smallest commercial brewery in the world with a production capacity yielding approximately one gallon of beer per batch. Along with special guest brewers, the CIBC brewing staff will craft three original beers each week to be bottled and sold at the brewery in collectible Coney Island Brewing Company packaging. All recipes brewed at CIBC are exclusive releases inspired by the local artistic and gastronomical landscape. Recent batches include a Pumpernickel Bagel Porter; a Red, White, and Blueberry Hefeweizen; and a Caramel Apple Ale. Shmaltz Brewing’s Coney Island Craft Lagers® and HE’BREW Beers® are also for sale at the brewery, and a limited amount of beer sampling will be available on premise.

Amid the controversy, chaos, and uncertainty surrounding the future of Coney Island, Shmaltz Brewing Company is proud to both honor the history and to participate in the ongoing evolution of America’s Playground. A recipient of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s “Distinguished Business Award” and recently named “Best American Craft Brewer (2010)” by Beverage World Magazine, Shmaltz continues its ambitious efforts to bottle Coney Island’s unique culture and ferment excitement for the neighborhood’s regeneration through the opening of Coney Island Brewing Company.

Coney Island Brewing Company’s storefront was made possible by a fellowship from Coney Island USA as part of their small business incubator program, which runs through 2011 and up until December 2012. Although the “World’s Smallest Brewery” will remain in operation as a permanent wonder and curiosity in Coney Island for many years to come, Shmaltz Brewing is looking forward to future expansion plans for the brewery to a larger location in the summer of 2013.

Coney Island Brewing Company will be open for business during the summer through Labor Day Weekend and likely until Halloween, and the hours of operation are: Thursday – Sunday, 12 pm – 6 pm. The brewery is located at 3008 W. 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11224, directly adjacent to the Coney Island Circus Sideshow and Museum.

About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Shmaltz Brewing Company was recently named “Best American Craft Brewer” and won the “Best In Show 2010″ title by Beverage World Magazine, after being named “Breakout Brand” for 2009. Shmaltz was also included in the “Top 50 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies” by San Francisco Business Times, and is a recipient of the “Distinguished Business Award” by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Established in San Francisco in 1996 with the first batch of 100 cases of HE’BREW Beer® bottled, labeled, and delivered by hand, Shmaltz has sold more than ten million bottles of beer to date. Along with their acclaimed line of HE’BREW Beers®, Shmaltz introduced its new line of sideshow-inspired Coney Island Craft Lagers®. Proceeds help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island neighborhood.

Shmaltz offerings are available in more than 25 states through 30 wholesalers at more than 3,000 retail specialty shops across the U.S., including Beverages & More, Whole Foods, Total Wine, select Krogers and Cost Plus.

Shmaltz Brewing beers have appeared in such distinguished media outlets as The New York Times, CNN Headline News, The Onion, Beer Advocate Magazine, Celebrator Beer News, Ale Street News, NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” New York Magazine, Newsweek, Men’s Health, BUST, Playboy, Associated Press, Reuters, MSNBC, San Francisco Magazine, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, Washington Post, MAXIM, Forbes.com, Smartmoney.com, Entrepreneur.com and Epicurious.com.

(Portland, OR) – There is no rest for the weary in the craft beer world these days! After a busy and successful Oregon Craft Beer Month, Breakside Brewery (820 NE Dekum, Portland, Oregon) is taking on August with even greater gusto and will be releasing ten new brews over the course of the next four weeks.

To kick off the month, brewers Ben Edmunds and Sam Barber tapped a special version of their Gose, aged on Japanese salt plums. “Instead of adding salt to the finished beer, we pushed some of the beer over to a conditioning vessel filled with ume, or salt plums, which are intensely salty,” explains Barber. The finished beer has all of the saltiness of a gose with just an extra hint of brine and fruit character. Also on tap now is Breakside’s Ahtanum pale ale. This is the same beer that was chosen as the People’s Choice during Breakside’s Night of the Dry Hops back in April. Given Portlanders’ love of hops, this beer is likely to go quick.

Two barrel-aged beers will make their debut this month as well both on draught and in 750 ml Champagne-style bottles. Gin-Barrel Double Wit is a strong Belgian wheat ale that was aged in an Old Tom gin barrel inoculated with lactobacillus. This beer will debut this Saturday at Bailey’s Taproom’s Fourth Anniversary; it will go on draught during a bottle-release at the brewery on August 17 as well. And Bourbon-Barrel Aztec, debuting Aug 31, is a barrel-aged version of the brewery’s signature strong ale; the flavors of chocolate, coconut, vanilla, and chile marry beautifully in this complex brew. Draught of both these beers will be extremely limited; however a good quantity of the bottle-conditioned versions will be available at the pub for consumption on site or to go.

Though it’s still full on summer, three dark beers will make their way out of the Breakside cellar in August. Oude Noire is an American dark farmhouse ale with orange peel; Tony’s Oatmeal Stout is a velvety English-style stout brewed to celebrate owner Tony Petraglia’s wedding; and Breakside and Upright Brewing are teaming up to brew a collaborative Smoked Porter due out at the end of the month.

Variations on these dark beers will make a special appearance during Portland Beer Week on August 25th for Breakside’s Breakfast Beers Night. For one night only, the brewery will tap a Breakfast Stout with coffee and a Whiskey for Breakfast Porter. Additionally, Edmunds and Barber are planning a number of other experiments and surprises for the evening.

Finally, Breakside is planning a bottle release of its India malt liquor, which is exactly what it sounds like: a hopped up version of an American malt liquor. The beer will be available exclusively in 40 ounce bottles for sale at the brewery.