New beer labels…

Victory Volver: “Volver is ‘to return,’ and we think you will, again and again, to this crisp, refreshing beer. Volver is a wheat ale with distinctive citrus sparkle. Volver a la vida is a beautiful Spanish phrase meaning ‘return to life.’ Volver was created in collaboration with Chef Jose Garces to bring you back time after time. Volver is to return again, perhaps to an old friend. Volver is that friend, and we hope you’ll share it with yours. Many happy returns.” I think I just typed “return” and “friend” a lot.

Others…

De Molen Amarillo
Long Trail Hit the Trail English-style Brown Ale
Greenbush Red Bush Wheat Ale
Greenbush Traktor Kitschy Kream Ale
Greenbush Distorter Porter
Greenbush Dunegras India Pale Ale
Greenbush Closure Ale
Palmetto Aftershock
Eddy and Iggy’s Wildcat Lager
Woodstock Inn Wassail Winter Seasonal Ale (22oz, 12oz)

Part I of today’s beer label update…

Southern Tier Unearthly Double IPA: 12 oz. bottle approval

Buckeye Cleveland IPA: Cleveland was among the area codes that Anheuser-Busch filed trademark applications for though Buckeye released this beer on draft well before that news came out. Still, don’t be surprised to see the “locally-themed” beer trend pick up in a big way in the coming months. Now that craft brewers know that AB sees the potential, there will be likely be a mad rush to get more ‘local’ beers out there.

Other approvals…

Big River IPA
Northshire Battenkill Ale
Taquesta Hop Scotch Ale
Sebago The Hoppy Homunculus Ale
Thomas Creek Octoberfest Lager
Eddy and Iggy’s Hop Fusion IPA
Eddy and Iggy’s Ranger Aid Ale
Eddy and Iggy’s Eagle Ale
Eddy and Iggy’s Scarlot Harlot Ale
Eddy and Iggy’s Blue Boar American Ale
Eddy and Iggy’s Amarillo Armadillo IPA
Roc Cullinan’s Revival Irish Style Red Ale
Fort Pitt Ultra Premium Lager

(Press Release)

(Downingtown, PA) – A batch of Victory Brewing Company’s signature Storm King Stout is waiting in oak bourbon barrels, slowly aging and picking up flavors of bourbon, vanilla, oak and spices. Those aromas and tastes transform Storm King Stout into something so dark and intriguing, that’s what we named it – Dark Intrigue.

Dark Intrigue will continue to age in barrels from Jim Beam and Heaven Hill Distilleries until October, when the contents of 150 bourbon barrels will be blended together, packaged in 750 mL corked bottles and left to condition in the bottle until November. It will be released to the public on Wednesday, Nov. 23, a day we are calling Dark Wednesday.

“Having never delved into a bourbon barrel aged offering before, we were tentative with our beloved Storm King in terms of how much of it we subjected to the treatment,” Victory Brewing Company President and Co-Owner Bill Covaleski said. “Our audience clearly approved of this delicious creation last year so we have lots more in production now.”

Cases of Dark Intrigue sold out at our retail location in Downingtown last year in just 43 minutes. This year we expect to have 3000 cases for sale, which will be available at our retail shop and in limited quantities at distributors in the region.

Dark Intrigue is made up of a variety of malts, along with American centennial, cascade and Amarillo hops. It is 9.2% alcohol by volume.

Press Release

Distribution plans include entering Montgomery County, MD, after New Belgium brokered a deal to meet the brewery’s quality standards

(Fort Collins, CO) – In just two weeks, New Belgium Brewing will enter Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., expanding the nation’s third-largest brewery’s distribution into 28 states and the District of Columbia. The expansion will bring New Belgium’s portfolio further north along the eastern seaboard with the initial launch of 22-oz. bottles of Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and fall seasonal, Hoptober Ale. Trippel and Lips of Faith beers will also be available in select markets with draft and 12-oz. packages to follow. These new territories will officially open on August 22.

“We couldn’t be more excited about these new territories,” said Bryan Simpson Media Relations Director for New Belgium Brewing. “Many New Belgium co-workers are from the East Coast, including our CEO and founder Kim Jordan who grew up in Maryland, so for many of us this expansion takes us back to our roots.”

Seventeen distributors will help broaden New Belgium’s reach, which now includes plans to distribute in Montgomery County, MD. At first distribution plans did not include Montgomery County because of logistical challenges. However New Belgium recently reached a deal that allows for distribution of draft and 22-oz. bottles in Montgomery County as well.

New Belgium, which is built around core values of producing world-class beer, environmental stewardship and having fun, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. In 2010 the brewery produced a little more than 660,000 barrels of beer, which is up about 12 percent from 2009.

To learn more about New Belgium Brewing go to www.newbelgium.com. To find a location near you to buy New Belgium beer check out our libation location tool at http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/finder.aspx.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of 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 seven year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, 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.

Nearly twenty new beer labels here…

Uinta Hyve Honey Ale
Stillwater Artisanal Mekong’s Phoson
Flying Fish Dublin Square Ale
Flying Fish Maxwell’s 35 Ale
Two Beers SoDo Brown Ale
Two Beers Immersion Amber Ale
Ventura’s Surf Surf Patrol Black IPA Style Ale
Piney River Missouri Mule IPA
Piney River McKinney Eddy Amber Ale
Crabtree Chunkin’ Pumpkin
Flat Rock Inclined Plane Ale
Frankenmuth Batch 69 IPA
Frankenmuth Red Sky
Frankenmuth American Blonde
Long Ireland Breakfast Stout
Little Mountain Hells Bells American Pale Ale
Little Mountain Mad Hornet American Pale Ale
Little Mountain Nine Tail Imperial IPA
Old Tom by Unicorn Brewery

New batch of beer labels…part two.

Stillwater Barrel Aged Cellar Door (brewed with white sage, aged in oak wine barrels)
Reunion Ale ’11 (label re-design)
Wolverine Dark Lager
Kinzua Dam My Hearts Content Amber Ale
Kinzua Dam General Joe IPA
Kinzua Dam Fish Tale Ale
Rumspringa Harvest Gold Ale
Rumspringa Steil Gehen Helles Bock
Rumspringa Wild Oats Stout
Full Pint White Lightning
Rising Tide Atlantis Black Ale
Four Friends Harvest Ale
Stegmaier Winter Warmer
Ename Abbey Ale (Cuvee 974)

Second set of new beer labels are in… all Eastern U.S. breweries in this one…

Long Trail Triple Bag: A high-malt version of Double Bag. Malty, full-bodied double Alt. Was supposed to be a one-off beer but surprise, surprise…

Highland Thunderstruck Coffee Porter: This robust porter has a full body with some hints of chocolate from the chocolate malt and midnight wheat. The mild noble hop aroma showcases the roasty flavors and subtle fruit and spice notes of the artisan-roasted Fair Trade/Organic coffee of Black Mountain, NC’s Dynamite Roasting Co.

Roanoke Railhouse Railhouse IPA: This is one hopped up beer. We use six different types of hops and our unique “hopburst” process to make this tasty IPA. Railhouse IPA has lots of wonderful hop aroma and flavor, subdued malt with balanced bitterness, with a stunning copper color.

Revival Chinook vs Sorachi Ace Double Black IPA / CDA
Blue Point Galaxy Far, Far Away Ale
Liquid Hero American Hero American Amber Ale
Liquid Hero Red Horn Ale
Liquid Hero Hero Weizen
Oxbow Original Saison
Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale
Oxbow Freestyle Ale
Wooden Shoe Minster Oktoberfest
Battlefield Bull Run Blonde Ale

(Easton, PA) – Another Pennsylvania brewery newsletter full of updates…

Here is the latest Weyerbacher update courtesy of Head Brewer, Chris Wilson:

We are full steam ahead on production of Imperial Pumpkin Ale and now, AutumnFest as well. Some of you may have actually seen these beers start to trickle out onto the shelves of your local store. The rest of you should see them sometime in August. We have increased production of Imperial Pumpkin Ale by a huge amount this year to TRY and keep up with demand, but I bet you’ll still want more. Don’t forget about AutumnFest either! If you are looking for a nice malty brew that’s incredibly drinkable, AutumnFest is your beer.

Hopefully, you’ve been keeping up with the IPA Project. Well, it’s time for another installment. We are calling it Crimson. Again, the name is random, so no, it is not RED! For the love of PETE, it’s random! You know, to avoid confusion from beer to beer! Arrrrggh…. “I have people skills!”

Well, this is one sticky hop concoction! A west coast-style IPA with big citrus and pine notes. Kettle hopped with Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial, and then dry hopped with more Simcoe and Centennial for an incredible hop flavor and aroma. If you like hops, Crimson is going to make you stand up and smack your mama!

August is also going to bring our next Brewer’s Select Beer, Romeo. We’re going to go Belgian with this one. It has not been bottled at the time I’m writing this, but I can tell that it will be an ~8.5% Belgian Red Ale. We are looking at around 35 IBUs and a nice dose of Hallertuaer and Saaz in the finish. Maybe you should consider a gift for your mama after what Crimson made you do.

I have one last little bit of information for you. We have two incredible beers that are coming up for release. It may be September or October, but they are awesome. Keep your ear to the ground for details that will follow shortly.

(Harrisburg, PA) – A Saturday morning newsletter filled with tons of Tröegs Brewing news…

I sliced and diced it a bit…

[On the new brewhouse that just arrived...] Our goal is to start test batches on the system in mid-September and to be brewing in mid-October, which is still on schedule.

Dead Reckoning Porter will be released in early August throughout our eight-state distribution network and should be on the street around August 15. It will be available in 12 ounce bottles and ½ kegs only.

Anthology 2, our much sought-after variety pack, gets a new twist this fall as Dead Reckoning Porter is added to the mix. The package will start shipping from the brewery the third week of August and will be in retailers by the beginning of September.

Beers included in Anthology 2 include: Hopback Amber Ale, Tröegs Pale Ale, Dreamweaver Wheat and Dead Reckoning Porter.

Later in the year, be on the lookout for Anthology 3 with a new beer line-up. Details will be announced closer to the release date.

Even with our current chaotic brewing pace, we are squeezing out one more release this fall – Perpetual IPA in 22 ounce bottles.

In our constant evolution as a brewery, we’ve developed on undying drive to meld the organic and the mechanical. Perpetual IPA utilizes our hopback and dry-hopping to engineer a bold Imperial Pale Ale. Perpetual IPA is 7.5% ABV and 85 IBUs. It features Bravo, Chinook and Mt. Hood hops in the boil, Mt. Hood and Nugget hops in the hopback and Citra, Cascade and Nugget hops in dry-hopping.

“Straw in color and bittered with an abundance of citrus and spicy hops, Perpetual IPA is a tribute to building our new brewery and our desire to continue exploring,” says John Trogner.

Perpetual IPA will be in wholesalers by the third week of August and should be available in retailers no later than Labor Day.

First up will be Scratch #45 – IPA. This is our 7th IPA in our continuing hops saga – which will culminate with the release of Perpetual IPA. (FYI, Perpetual IPA is not any one of these exact IPA recipes; the variations were an opportunity to test hop combinations.) To celebrate our first Scratch beer release in a few months, we will have a firkin in the tasting room bar on Friday, July 29, tapping at 12 noon. Cases, six-packs and growlers will also be available for take-out starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 29. There is a one-case limit/person or two six-packs and two growlers limit/person.

Scratch #46 – Naked Elf – will follow as soon as #45 sells out. An exact release date has yet to be been determined but keep an eye on our website and Facebook for details.

We are already looking toward the fall for more Scratch Beers with a Wit beer (featuring raw wheat from a local farm), and Oktoberfest, a Wet-Hopped beer (a similar recipe to last year, again featuring Citra hops), and an Abbey all slated for brewing. We will announce release dates when the beers tell us they are ready.

(Philadelphia, PA) – Today, we have twice the amount of great news to share with you. Bella Vista Beer Distributors is proud to announce that we have come to an agreement with both Telegraph Brewing Company of Santa Barbara, CA, and Iron Fist Brewing Company of San Diego, CA. This brings our California Brew Friends represented to ten which include prestigious brewers such as The Bruery and AleSmith.

We first caught wind of Telegraph Brewing back in 2008 while out at the CBC in San Diego. We brought back home with us a few of their offerings which included California Ale, a perfect example of a California Common. We fell in love, and simply tracked their growth for a while, and finally drew up enough courage to contact the guys there.

Iron Fist was something we knew about before they even brewed an ounce of beer. Having a bevy of brewers from San Diego County helps keep your ear to the ground out there for what to watch out for. Our California friendly market has become a second home to many brewers from the Golden State, and we hope these two suppliers will feel at home with their tremendous wares on our shelves. We hope to have beers from both brewers available by mid to end of August.

About Telegraph Brewing:
Early American brewers adapted traditional European brewing techniques to the unique ingredients, climates, and tastes of the New World. At Telegraph Brewing Co., our beers are handcrafted in that same manner at our brewery in Santa Barbara, California. Making use of as many locally grown ingredients as we can, Telegraph’s ales embody our philosophy that a local brewery should reflect the traditions of its region. Our goal is to produce uniquely American beer styles that are imbued with a spirit of invention and creativity, but always with a nod toward history.

Each of Telegraph’s brews is carefully crafted in small batches in our traditional copper-clad brewery. We respectfully employ brewing techniques proven over the centuries while eschewing modern shortcuts that might make our lives easier but inevitably lead to less distinctive beers. However, just like you, Telegraph Brewing Co. isn’t afraid of trying something new. That’s something you’ll discover on taking your first sip of our beer. We are proud to be a small part of California’s rich brewing heritage and we hope that with each pint you can taste the perfect blend of the past and the future.

About Iron Fist Brewing:
Iron Fist Brewing Company is a family owned brewery located in Vista, California, smack-dab in the middle of the exciting San Diego craft beer scene. Our passion for the best hand crafted beer prompted us to make a lot of it. However, we quickly realized we were making a bit more than we could drink ourselves, so we decided to sell whatever we don’t drink to you. So do yourself a favor; start a little revolution. It’s ok. We won’t tell on you. Put the 500 pack of light lager back with all its buddies and rule your taste with an Iron Fist!

About Bella Vista Beer Distributors:
Bella Vista Beer Distributors is a longstanding family business which has grown because of the sheer perseverance of not only family owners of Bella Vista but the entire staff. We are without a doubt THE go to beer distributor when it comes to the world’s most sought after and revered brewers and importers in the world. Our location in the heart of the city gives us an edge over all competitors both wholesale and retail.

Disclosure: Bella Vista Beer Distributors is a supporter and advertiser here on Beernews.org.

Part I of today’s new beer label update…east-based breweries and imports featured here.

Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail: “Did you like Before, During and After Christmas? Maybe you thought you poured brilliantly, and you loved how the arrogant amount of hops wowed you. This beer will knock your tongue off, essentially due to the obscene amount of hops that went down this explosive fella. It’s a tour de force in hoppiness and by far the craziest beer made by Evil Twin…but not the last.”

Westbrook IPA: “A base of pale, Munich and Carapils malts is just enough to contain the massive hop flavor and aroma packed into this delcious IPA. A blend of American hop varieties is added four times in the kettle and again in the fermentor for a complex and layered hop experience.”

Heavy Seas Hop Haarvest Ale: “Our special Hop Haarvest Ale is designed to showcase the special flavors derived from our locally grown Maryland ‘wet’ hops. The 2011 release is a 5% ABV porter in style.” Part of the Mutiny Fleet Series. Likely to be released in 22s in September.

Contessa Italian Pale Ale (Imported from Italy’s Birra Amiata by Vanberg and DeWulf)
Lava Smoked Imperial Stout (Imported from Iceland’s Olvisholt Brugghus by Vanberg and DeWulf)
Westbrook Amarillo Blonde Ale
Westbrook American Bitter Ale
Westbrook Saison
Buckeye Summer Girl Lager
Blue Ridge Blood Red Ale
Liebotschaner Cream Ale
Cape May Stout
Cape May Wheat
Cape May IPA

(Bloomington, IN) – Upland Brewing announces its next sour ale release…

Per the brewery blog post:

They’ve spent a year-and-a-half in the making, and now we’re welcoming back three of our favorite Belgian-style Lambics: Kiwi, Persimmon, and Raspberry.

A friend can pick up your bottle for you, but they must show a photocopy of your ID.

Saturday batch o’ beer labels…over a dozen featured…

Stillwater Barrel Aged Stateside Saison

Redhook Down Under Stout (Blueline Series)

Spike and Jerome’s Collaborator Ale

Widmer Brothers Steel Bridge Porter (Collaborator Series)

NOLA Blonde Ale (cans)

Rivertown Pumpkin Ale (new design)

16 Mile Harvest Ale

Theresianer Wit

(Crozet, VA) – Starr Hill Brewery will release a new beer in a few weeks.

Here is the scoop on Boxcar Pumpkin Porter straight from Lead Brewer, Levi Duncan…

So we had to change up our Fall seasonal offering this year as the popularity of Festie demanded that we make it a year-round brew. I couldn’t be more pleased because I really enjoy Festie, and I’m always sad to see it go away until next Fall. As usual, Mark was full of ideas back in February, and one kept creeping into our conversations concerning the new seasonal: a pumpkin porter. I, for one, never really considered doing a pumpkin beer, due to the fact that so many others do one, and I am never a fan of doing things others do. However, I had not tasted or even seen a pumpkin porter from others (though I know others are out there), and that made it different enough to get me excited to get started on a recipe!

I went through my pilot process beginning with testing spice mixes and trying pumpkin samples. My personal goal with this beer was to capture the flavor of pumpkin, the actual gourd, and not a heavy dose of spice. So we needed a smooth brown porter, with distinct pumpkin flavor, and enough spice to make it interesting—in that “Thanksgiving morning in the kitchen” kind of way. After clearing my vision with Mark, I began the process of writing recipes and brewing pilot batches with some success, but the first few were not quite right. We had a tasting panel here at the brewery, and I received enough feedback to know I was close. With the deadline closing in, I got some advice from our Master Brewer that helped me dial it in. This project was a true team effort and included nearly everyone in the brewery. I feel very lucky to have a team here that operates so well together! I decided to put the test batches in the Tasting Room here for folks to try, and the results were great! It seems everyone is in love with the new product. Look for Boxcar Pumpkin Porter to hit the shelves starting August 1, 2011!

On Monday, I made the first 25-barrel batch, and in two weeks I will make the first 100-barrel batch—wish me luck!

I’ve been on something resembling a “vacation” the past few days (that and I accidentally smashed my computer while doing plyometrics). Here’s to hoping we’re back on a normal schedule going forward…here are the new beer labels that recently came in…

Stillwater Barrel-Aged Existent: Oak bourbon barrels…here is the label description for the original beer…”Existent represents the philosophy behind Stillwater Artisanal. We strive to define ourselves through our passion and sincerity while accepting that not all aspects of life are readily explainable. To manifest this ideology, we present an ale of intrigue. Black as night though deceptively dry, braced by a firm yet not over-powering bitterness and accented by an earthy hop and mild roast aroma. This is an ale for you to define…’and if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.’ – Nietzsche”

11.2 oz. bottles / 44 cases arriving beginning in August per Atlanta Beer Master

Lavery Stingy Jack Imperial Pumpkin (new label)
Lavery Imperial Red Ale (new label)
Dunedin HopNOM IPA
Dunedin Tripppel (‘three-year aged tripel’)
Dunedin 15th Anniversary Imperial Bohemian Pilsner
Three Monkeys Tres Vaqueros Amber Ale

(Philadelphia, PA) – Returning this summer…now in bottles, too.

Per Yards Brewing‘s Steve Mashington, “[Cape of Good Hope] will be released in Philadelphia and a very miniscule amount in South Jersey on August 1.

We brewed 150 barrels of it this year. It is slightly different than from the last time in that we changed up the dry hops (Ahtanum and Nugget). We will alter this beer a little bit different each year in an attempt to create something special.

It is one of the few seasonal beers we do each year. This limited edition beer will be available at the brewery and at retail outlets. We anticipate it to sell out fast, so stock up when you see it.”

Sell sheet copy: “Cape of Good Hope Expedition 2011 is an unfiltered, uniquely aged Imperial Pale. Brewed with Nugget, double-dry hopped with Ahtanum and left to the forces of fate following fermentation, Cape of Good Hope is reminiscent of something you’d find solace in on a balmy, Indian evening far away from home. Beware of tigers…

Cape of Good Hope will mature well, but it will taste best fresh. ABV 8.3%.

Available in 1/2 and 1/6 kegs, and 4×6 12oz NR cases.”

A handful of new beer labels in…

Flying Dog Secret Stash Harvest Ale: Whether it’s a diet-breaking bag of cookies, dinner rolls in an 80 year old’s purse, or money in the mattress, everyone has a secret stash. For us, it’s the locally-sourced ingredients we use in our Secret Stash Harvest Ale. A celebration of Maryland’s agricultural roots, each year’s batch will be a little different. And we’ve found the perfect person to share out stash with. Brewed with honey and spices. 5% ABV / 12 oz. bottles

Blast by Colt 45: This label for a 7 oz. container shows 6% ABV. I wonder if this means that they have settled on 6% as part of the inevitable reformulation.

Others…

Uinta Anniversary Barley Wine
Brewer’s Alley 1634 Ale
Old Forge Endless Summer Ale
Fort Collins Sledge Hammer
Lazy Magnolia Ship Island Ale
Kane Afterglow Ale
Kane Head High IPA
Highland Hop on This, Honey
Beaver Boys at the Lab Series

…And now for a slight change of pace and some content that is a bit more behind the scenes and industry-related…

Bella Vista Beer Distributors has been around in Philadelphia for over 25 years. Brand Manager, Jordan Fetfatzes, answers a dozen questions on how one of the largest beer markets in the country works and what it’s like being the little guy among AB and MillerCoors distributors.

1) Give me the Bella Vista Beverage story in one paragraph. [or in Jordan's case, several...]

Bella Vista to Eastern Pennsylvania means an unabashedly and ferociously independent wholesaler who refuses to accept anything less than unbeatable service with great beer. Bella Vista Beer Distributors is a family run company built from the ground up in 1984 by Mario and Olimpia Fetfatzes that started out as a retail mom and pop operation. Over time, Bella Vista became a craft beer wholesaler due to three major reasons.

a) The current wholesale system was filled with holes regarding brands WE wanted to see in the market.

b) Our favorite and most recognized wholesaler had been bought out (Edward Friedland Co. We miss you!) and created a void in Philadelphia Proper for an Independent, craft-ONLY beer wholesaler.

c) Passion – the love of craft beer has led us down the path as a wholesaler for the world’s best brewers and importers.

Our first brand was Boulder Beer Co, and we have them to thank for us being in this game. It was down to the big Coors House or little ass Bella Vista Beer… four years later, we are Boulder Beer’s #5 wholesaler in the country out of over 30 markets covered by that brewer. We knew nothing about the wholesale aspect but, boy, did we learn fast!

Today Bella Vista is known nationally for having a truly highly regarded portfolio of beer from brewers and suppliers we call friends, share joy and tears with throughout the year. We bust on each other about sports and weather but we also feel their pain when we hear from them firsthand of devastating occurrences we see on TV. To have a familiar voice on the phone echoing what we just saw on the news in their area- fires, landslides, earthquakes- this craft beer business sure makes the world a much smaller place.

Bella Vista is the true David in a Goliath world of beer wholesale! We go out of our way to work with our brewer-friends. For example, we will grab cast iron tubs from North Philly for Sixpoint and get Apple Brandy barrels for the likes of Voodoo and Cigar City. Those are the things that makes Bella Vista who we are. We give a damn!

2) Pennsylvania is known to have some unusual liquor laws. Can you briefly describe how Bella Vista acts as both a wholesaler and a retailer and why that is?

Unusual? At least we don’t have crazy ABV caps or package size bans. However, we do have the case only law on the beer store front, and a maximum volume allowed sold by deli’s, bars, and restaurants.

As a wholesaler, imagine trying to get across to a potential supplier that what the mother carton looks like matters! They look at us like we have three heads sometimes. Then when we say, think of Pennsylvania with a bunch of mini Costcos or Sams Clubs. Then the light bulb goes on. “OH!!–then the puzzled response, “Really? you mean my beer will be sold in the original container it was packaged in? Even a case of 22oz Bombers?” That response never gets old, Then we get the, “Well how do you buy a single? And then we state, bottle shops, which are basically restaurants by definition that must have seating for 30 people and food ready for the same amount. They must then have an addition to their license which is primarily for consumption on premise first and foremost. All in all, it is confusing but it has worked for a long time. As far as we know, it won’t change any time soon. Hey, you out of state brewers eyeing up Pennsylvania, polish up that mother carton!

Another confusing word is “distributor.” In Pennsylvania, that is a catch-all phrase for both wholesaler and retail case stores. The only differentiation is whether or not they are an “ID” (importing distributor), a “D” (distributor) or BOTH! Many of us wholesalers in Pennsylvania are both, some only offering our brands at the retail venue and others offering beer they buy from other ID’s to bolster their overall selection. We are both an ID and a D.

Prior to the craft beer boom, there had always been some sort of movement to at least allow “D” distributors to sell 12-pks which has never come to fruition. Now with craft beer and smaller Pennsylvania brewers, the MBDA is making a push for 6-pack sales in the D’s so they can offer these products at a much more consumer-friendly and economically less-challenging package. We don’t have an opinion on the matter and all we can say to that is, “Whatever the law of PA is, is how we will run our business both as an ID and a D.” We do feel that some changes are needed to be more current with today’s way of life, both on the eating establishment licensee and the “D” level that is fair to both operations and works for the consumer. We all know that never ends up working.

3) Of the 100 or so beer brands in the Bella Vista portfolio, only five are based in Pennsylvania. What challenges come with carrying a largely non-local, niche portfolio filled with small breweries like AleSmith and Cigar City?

Hmmm…seems like you are asking us the hard questions!

Well, first off, we love our locals. We support them in our retail store. In fact, we have a PA-only designated aisle. We carry more local brands than most other local retailers believe it or not. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be all that credible. Our retail floor manager makes an emphasis on weekly samplings of local beers, working closely with brewery reps from the likes of Victory, Stoudts and others to make sure that we show them the love they deserve.

The main reason we dont rep that many locals is simple; we got in the game a little later than most. The bigger locals had established their wholesaler partners a few years prior to us getting in the game but it is never too late to add local credibility to your repertoire, something which we are working on now. We signed with Jeremy Myers of up-and-coming Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. out of Croyden (35 minutes from Philly!). Lavery out of Erie is an upstart but they make phenomenal beer and, in this crowded market, you better make good beer or you better get out of the way.

We have been approached by a few brewers in Pennsylvania that we’ve had to respectfully turn away due to our more discerning palates here at Bella Vista, and though they may not work for us, we wish them the most success and will help them by carrying their beer in our retail showroom. We also don’t leave them high and dry. We will usually send them a few more contacts for other wholesalers who may be interested in carrying their beer.

Some may call many of our brands niche, but we know other wholesalers would die to have the brands we have, and to be honest, there is a waiting list for lots of the niche beers, and allocations set forth for the brands like AleSmith and Cigar City. There just isn’t enough of this to go around, and we are happy they choose to send their beer to our region. Us being their voice, as an extended family member, is icing on the cake for us. Sometimes, we pinch ourselves when we start spouting off the brands we represent in one of the greatest beer centric regions of the world! Just an an FYI, if you pay attention to those beer rating websites, we distribute Voodoo Brewery, and Matt Allyn’s beers are some of the highest rated in all of Pennsylvania.

Part II of today’s double batch o’ beer notes. Interesting developments at Dogfish Head and some West Coast updates.

Boston Beer Co. /Weihenstephan: After receiving bottles of Infinium 2011 from Boston Beer Co., Brewbound reported that the beer will be re-released in November. Craft beer drinkers more or less voted Infinium as the biggest disappointment of 2010 so tread carefully with the 2011 version.

Dogfish Head: Beer Business Daily‘s Jennifer Litz enjoyed a canal ride with the Calagiones yesterday. After the voyage, she broke the news on Craft Business Daily that Tim Hawn, the former brewing manager of a MillerCoors plant that is apparently the epicenter of Blue Moon production in the United States, will take over the reigns as Brewmaster (thanks, Jack!). Here’s a pic of Hawn though admittedly not a great one. Floris Delée is no longer in the role.

With Head Brewer, Bryan Selders, leaving for web design earlier this year and Assistant Brewmaster, Jon Carpenter, leaving to be the brewmaster at Golden Road Brewing, that is a lot of turnover high up on the brewing team in a short period of time. You, too, can even be a manager on the brewing team now.

Meanwhile, the status of Brewmasters’ episode six is still up in the air. I get the vibe that Dogfish Head isn’t happy with The Discovery Channel at this point.

Deschutes / Boulevard: The video above features Brewmasters, Larry Sidor of Deschutes Brewing and Steven Pauwels of Boulevard Brewing, providing details on their upcoming collaboration beer, White IPA. I believe that the Behind the Pint Series has some affiliation with the New School Brew Blog (though I’m not positive). The beer will debut next month.

The Bruery: Was selling 100% Barrel Aged Cuir at Provisions yesterday (still available?) as well as Provisions Series Tart of Darkness. Oh, and…Project Quercus begins.

Lompoc Brewing: A couple interesting beers on tap per today’s newsletter…”Drunken Robin, our Condor Pale Ale fermented in bourbon barrels with 35 pounds of sour cherries; Lompoc Sour Draft, our LSD brewed in February 2008 then aged in Maryhill Winery Merlot barrels for two years. This sour ale has an oak aroma and lots of cherry and berry flavor; Sour Willy, a blend of 5 different beers for a light, complex, slightly sour beer with a fruity aroma and mellow cherry, oak flavors”

Cascade Brewing: More interesting Portland-area taps…from Cascade’s newsletter, “Summer Gose 2011: This NW sour beer is a re-creation of a historic German wheat beer style that was nearly lost to time. This light, slightly soured beer is spiced with coriander and sea salt. Soft creamy wheat and spice greet you in the nose, while a light spice bite and hint of lemon cross the palate. It finishes off with a soft lingering sour bite and just a slight dusty lemon note. 5.5% ABV, $4.50/teardrop glass.”

Anaheim Brewery: Will open this Friday

Note I: A creative example of marketing from Amstel Light. Free beer for the Boston Bruins player that ordered an Amstel Light as part of a $150k spending spree. No idea whether the player has been named yet.

Note II: Funny how the news gets reported (inaccurately) sometimes…hey, I’ve taken my bumps here on the blog, too.

Note III: Closing time for Barley Island in Broad Ripple and Muggsy’s Mug House & Don’t Know Tavern in Federal Hill.

(Bellaire, MI) – Surprise, surprise. Another Dogfish Head collaboration comin’ rrrrrright up!

Short’s Brewing announced DFH as a collaboration partner on its blog today. Here’s an excerpt from the brewery’s blog post:

The yet unnamed collaboration brew is a Baltic Porter featuring beach plums from Delaware, horehound from Michigan, and red popcorn (sent by Nick Floyd of Three Floyds brewery in Indiana). The resulting brew will resonate strongly with those who love Short’s Black Cherry Porter. It is delicious.

Short’s is releasing the test batch of this beer at its Pub on July 4th. Then, on Wednesday July 6th, Joe and Sam will host a public reception at the lobby of the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa from 5-6:30 p.m. That evening, Sam will dine with the Short’s crew at the Aerie Restaurant on the 16th floor of the tower. Special kegs of Short’s and Dogfish Head will be featured at Aerie that night (a tap takeover to remember!). Short’s Brew will also be featured at Jack’s Sports Bar, which is located near the hotel lobby.

Meanwhile, during the first week of July, the brewers of Short’s and Dogfish Head will be brewing a batch of the collaboration beer in Elk Rapids that will be bottled and distributed throughout Michigan later this year. We’ll continue to keep you posted on the bottle release details.

(Chico, CA) – A few details on the Life and Limb 2 collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing and Dogfish Head…

The first collaboration took place during the hot summer of 2009. There was a ton of buzz around the original project with many stores (most? all?) getting only one case if any.

The 2011 collaboration took place around May 2nd and, this time, they’re doing it bigger. First, the obligatory label stuff…

Front label:

LIFE – this living ale is naturally carbonated to enhance complexity, refinement, and to encourage aging

LIMB – for the birch and maple trees, whose syrup gives this ale its unique flavor and symbolizes the collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head. We are proud to share our Life and Limb with the thousands of other branches who collectively comprise the craft brewing family tree. Sip slowly with friends and loved ones; savor – because one could do better than be a swigger of birches.

Back label:

Our decision to make this ale together comes from a shared passion for bringing natural beauty into the brewing process. Both of our families own and operate independent breweries and our co-workers, who share this passion, are an integral part of our extended family.

LIFE – For the living brewer’s yeast in every bottle working in vibrant unison to enhance complexity, refinement, and to encourage aging.

LIMB – For the two syrups used in making this ale (maple and birch) which contribute to its unique flavor profile and symbolize this collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head.

This ale is dedicated to the family of craft-brew drinkers worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the craft-brewing community. We are proud to share our two branches with the thousands of other vibrant branches – those of fellow brewers – who collectively comprise the craft-brewing family tree.

Sincerely,

Sam Calagione and Ken Grossman

The 2011 Version:

Here is what we know at the moment…

- it looks like late August/early September for distribution per Sierra Nevada tweet

-last batch brewed in 2009 was released in 24 oz. bottles whereas this label approval is for 750ml bottles / perhaps we will see this packaged in the same fashion as the SN 30th Anniversary beers?

From Dogfish Head blog post:

- once again going to be sold only through Sierra Nevada network

- “much bigger batch” than in 2009 / for context, Mutineer Magazine reported that 400 barrels were produced in 2009 with only 3,000 cases being bottled (in barrel terms, a little over 200)

I’ll see if I can get for hard numbers on the 2011 batch and report out…also, look for updates on the official Life and Limb website (not yet updated for ’11) over the coming weeks and months

(Downingtown, PA) – On October 15, beer enthusiasts will have a new reason to celebrate. Otto, a new Belgian-style, bottle conditioned dubbel ale from Victory Brewing Company, will be available in 750 ml corked bottles.

Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, Victory co-founders, developed the recipe for the new smoked malt dubbel based on their experience with the style during a trip they took to Bamberg, Germany in 1987. In order to create a deliciously palatable smoked beer, Bill and Ron decided to combine the sometimes-overpowering qualities of the smoky rauch style with Belgian caramel malt, which yields a perfectly harmonized final flavor.

“The complimentary flavors of smoked malt and Belgian yeast seemed like an obvious combination,” said Bill. “As far as we know, no one has bothered to put them together until now.”

Otto is made up of smoked, Munich and Belgian caramel mat, German hops and Trappist yeast. Alcohol by volume is 8.1%.

Victory Brewing Company is a privately held microbrewery located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Started by Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, childhood friends who met on a school bus in 1973, the brewery formally began operations in February of 1996. Now, Victory beers can be found in 29 states. Victory’s full-flavored, innovative beers meld European ingredients and technology with American creativity. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company visit us on the web at www.victorybeer.com.

SOURCE: TMR ZOO / Victory Brewing

New batch o’ beer labels…

Victory Otto Ale: In 1987, when we arrived in Bamberg, Germany for the first time, St. Otto was not there to greet two thirsy travelers in a rented Fiat. He’d been dead for 848 years but we were alive, and our recent visit to the Belgian brewery of Orval only fanned the flames of our desire for fermented pleasures. The smoked malt (‘rauch’) beers of this lovely town where St. Otto was once Bishop were our siren song, luring us into deep, exotic flavors that we never before imagined in beer. Three decades later we wondered what smoked malt might add to a Belgian-style dubbel ale. Here is it, an Otto revival of sorts. We hope it helps rejuvenate some of our brain cells that were martyred in Bamberg so long ago. – The Brewmasters of Victory

750s / 8.1% ABV / Bottle conditioned

Other labels:

Boulder Park Hefeweizen
Kissmeyer Pale Ale (Denmark, Imported by Shelton Brothers)
La Mummia Sour Ale (Italy, Imported by B. United)
Rush River Lyndale Ave Brown Ale
Rohrbach Pineapple Wheat
Sill House Tripel
Rockyard Wildcat Wheat Ale
Yosemite Falls IPA

(Press Release)

(Fort Collins, CO) – New Belgium Brewing is pleased to announce that it has signed contractual agreements with 17 distributors in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. areas. The freshly inked deals will broaden New Belgium distribution to 28 states and the District of Columbia when those territories officially open on August 22nd, 2011. Of the 17 distributors, seven are in the Miller/Coors network, nine are Anheuser Busch/Inbev and one is independent, Specialty of Virginia out of Richmond, VA.

“We are, of course, very excited to be working with the highest caliber distributors in such an incredibly competitive market,” said New Belgium’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, Neil Reeve. “It was a difficult decision in that there were no bad options. In the end, we chose a healthy mix and we simply could not pass up the opportunity to partner with an independent house and help them grow their business as well as our own.”

The Specialty of Virginia deal will help to create new positions within that company and put New Belgium at the center of their craft-centric portfolio. New Belgium plans to roll into all new markets with 22-oz Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and the fall seasonal, Hoptober Ale. Trippel and Lips of Faith beers will also be available in some markets with draft and 12-oz packages to follow.

No deal has been signed for Montgomery County, MD at this time though there are plans to open that area eventually. As the county operates independently of the three-tier system, there are logistical challenges to storage, QA standards and services that need to be addressed in a creative way.

“New Belgium would like very much to be in Montgomery County,” said Reeve. “We are simply trying to figure out how to make it work to our standards in a way that is respectful to the distributor, New Belgium, our retailers and our beer drinkers.”

The Current Distributor Appointments are as follows:

Maryland(10)

Bond Distributing (MC)
Katcef Brothers (ABI)
Premium Distributors of Maryland (MC)
Bob Hall (ABI)
Kelly Distributing (ABI)
Eastern Shore Distributing (ABI)
Guy Distributing (ABI)
Sentman Distributors (ABI)
Western MD Distributing (MC)
Lohr Distributors (MC)

D.C. (1)
Premium Distributors of D.C. (MC)

Virginia (6)
Blue Ridge Beverage Company (MC)
Premium Distributors of VA (MC)
Specialty of Virginia (Independent)
Hoffman Beverage (ABI)
M Price Distributing (ABI)
Wendell Distributing (ABI)

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of 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 seven year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, 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.

Part II of today’s double batch of beer notes…

Dogfish Head: The big news of the day…120 Minute IPA is back in bottles. Per the brewery blog, the 100 bbl batch will be 100% bottled and allocated across certain states (list available here). “We did keep some cases for sale from our Brewery and Brewpub. Our 120 Minute IPA bottles will go on sale on Friday, June 24 2011. Due to the limited availability and our ‘share and share alike’ view on this beer – we are limiting sales to one 4-pack per person. We will sell them for $30 per 4-pack.” This is the first bottling in 20 months.

The brewery also recently reported having shipped more than 50,000 barrels through May but didn’t reveal the same 2010 comparison.

…And there is some kind of beer with strawberries coming soon to Rehoboth Beach.

Yazoo Brewing: Per Vanderbilt University, a fun project for the kiddies: “Yazoo Brewing Company brews high-quality craft beer and sells it primarily in the Southeast. The company has recently seen unprecedented growth – swelling last year to 45 percent. Now Yazoo is turning to students from the Vanderbilt Accelerator Summer Business Institute to explore what is driving Yazoo’s growth. The company is considering expanding its manufacturing capacity and needs to know if the current growth in demand is sustainable and a forecast of how big the local and regional market will be in the next five years in order to decide how much additional capacity it should build.”

Harpoon Brewery: Has launched a new website to celebrate its 25th year in business.

Arcadia Brewing: Whitsun cans debut this week.

Tröegs Brewing: Pic of the new brewhouse under construction in Germany.

Sun King Brewing: Johan the Barleywine cans are finally being filled this week.

Mother Earth Brewing: Is canning Sunny Haze today and it will be available in stores beginning next week.

East End Brewing: Monkey’s Uncle will be released on June 18th.

Jackie O’s Brew Pub: June 25th release info…

Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition ~300 bottels – $16/bottle – 2 bottle limit
Brandy Barrel Dark Apparition ~300 bottles – $16/bottle – 2 bottle limit
Dark Apparition ~300 bottles – $12/bottle – 2 bottle limit
Kentucky Monk ~ 300 bottles – $16/bottle – 2 bottle limit
Hocking Triple ~ 300 bottles – $12/bottle – 2 bottle limit

Another surprise double batch of beer notes (lots going on this week apparently!). Part I….

Photo credit: Betsy Weber on Flickr (Creative Commons)

New Belgium: From Craft Business Daily, “CBD has learned that New Belgium will hit the Washington DC area with a motley crew of distributors: Reyes Family are in for Northern Virginia and D.C. (Premium Beverage) and in 49 counties in Central and Southwestern Virginia (Blue Ridge Beverage Co.) according to a Truth Squadder. But they didn’t only stay with MillerCoors houses, for A-B house M. Price Distributing confirmed that they’ll bring the item in/ around Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg toward the end of August. We’ve heard whispers of independent houses too in the area, but no confirmations. There have gotta be some overlapping territories. An interesting strategy for sure that will be explained come official announcements.”

Port Brewing: The La Cruda Porter recipe… “Each NHC attendee will receive a bottle. This Friday we’ll be posting a video of the story behind La Cruda Porter and the people who made it. In the meantime, if you’re a homebrewer and you’d like to give the beer a whirl, you will find the recipe scaled down to five gallons below. And if you’re not a homebrewer, you can still try the beer just by dropping by our tasting room where it’s on draft and available in 22 ounce bottles (there’s only just 70 cases though, so if you want some in bottles, shop early).”

Oakshire Brewing: Per the brewery blog, “The next of our Single Batch Beers has arrived and is currently pouring at the tasting room. Blind Date is a Belgian-Style Brown Ale made with Organic Dates. We made Blind Date especially for the first annual Portland Fruit Beer Fest and it was met with amazing compliments. This newest beer is a light bodied brown ale with mild roasty notes from the use of toasted oats. Raisin and date flavors intermingle with the fruity Belgian-yeast strain providing exceptional balance for this 5% abv ale. As always, single batch beers are limited in quantity and draft only.”

The Bruery: Just released its collaboration with Lawson’s Liquids, Acer Quercus, at the Provisions shop.

Sierra Nevada Brewing: A pleasant surprise showed up at the brewery gift shop this week: Beer Camp #13 Old Cantankerous Stock Ale…in bottles.

Jester King Craft Brewery: Further updates on its funk project and the arrival of 60 barrel tanks…

Choc Beer Co.: Wild Brew 2011 bottles are now available.

Rubicon Brewing: Owner, Glynn Phillips, says that “outside sales” have grown 20% annually over the past four years.

Bonus: A relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners is into homebrewing to the point he wants to eventually start a brewery with his brother near his home in Virginia. NBC Sports also picked up the story.

(Pottstown, PA) – Sly Fox Brewing makes a morning announcement.

I’m getting a database error on their website so here is the statement in full (via a Tuesday AM newsletter)

——————————————

Sly Fox Brewing Managing Partners John and Peter Giannopoulos said today that the family-owned company, which opened its first brewpub in Phoenixville in December 1995, will open a large production brewery in Pottstown later this year.

As a first step, the company is selling the restaurant side of Sly Fox Brewery & Restaurant located at 312 N. Lewis Rd. in Royersford, which opened in November 2004, to a long time employee and her husband.

The 30,000 sq. ft. new brewery, situated on six acres at 331 Circle of Progress in the Pottstown Airport Business Center, has housed the brewery’s executive offices and been serving as a warehouse since the beginning of this year when Sly Fox took possession. In addition to the new brewery, a tasting room/pub will eventually be added if a zoning variance is granted by the township.

The brewery will feature a fully automated 50-hectoliter BrauKon brewhouse from Germany which is expected to arrive by November and be up and running by the end of the year. Production capabilities will be tripled with the new brewhouse. Currently, Sly Fox can brew 25 hectoliters twice a day but will be able to brew 50 hectoliters three times a day at the Pottstown location.

The company will purchase three new 150-hectoliter fermenters from JV Northwest and will move eleven 50-hectoliter fermenters from the Royersford location to the new plant. “We’ve already raised the roof over a 1,000 sq. ft. section of the new building to accommodate the bigger tanks,” John Giannopoulos said. A 2,500 sq. ft. cold storage box is already in place.

A new rotary Cime canning line from Italy will complete the Pottstown production facilities. That equipment, which will fill 60 cans per minute vs. the 28 cans per minute done by the existing line, will actually go on line in Royersford next month and then be moved to the new plant. The current brewhouse, several 25-hectoliter fermenters and the existing canning line will be sold when the new plant goes on line.

Peter Giannopoulos said that the sale of the restaurant will enable the company to concentrate on its core business and take advantage of emerging opportunities. “We have to be able to make more beer in order to meet the demand and we also want to grow the business in both our present markets and look to expand into some new markets. We want our focus to be entirely on beer going forward.”

The new owners at Royersford will be Bryan and Stacey Hebert. “Stacey has been part of the Sly Fox family for nearly ten years,” said John Giannopoulos, “and one of our best and most trusted employees. She started at Phoenixville and is currently the general manager in Royersford and she knows the business from every perspective. Best of all, she is a familiar face to all the regular customers and will maintain a sense of continuity for the restaurant. Under our agreement, Sly Fox will still operate the restaurant until the liquor license has been transferred and we will continue making beer in our brewery in the rear of the building until our new plant is operational, which we hope will happen before the end of the year.”

In a joint statement, the managing partners agreed that “building the new brewery is a major step forward in Sly Fox history and will give us the capacity to continue to offer the great beers produced by Brewmaster Brian O’Reilly and his team to the consumers who have been supporting us every step of the way and to also introduce those beers to new audiences. Between this new facility and Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery in Phoenixville, where it all started, we plan to continue being a major player in what we believe is the best beer market in the entire country.”

(Placentia, CA) – Some collaboration news just arrived in the inbox.

According to The Bruery Manager of Sales and Marketing, Benjamin Weiss, the beer will be distributed through The Bruery’s network on a limited basis in 750s. Here is the email he sent out about ten minutes ago…

What happens when you combine two brewers with a love for experimentation on a single beer recipe?

Made with ingredients such as nori, chili peppers, sesame seeds and kumquats and then fermented with a sake yeast, the yet to be named collaborative beer will certainly be something that furthers each brewery’s style-bending reputation and hopefully raises quite a bit of money to help out our fellow beer lovers in Japan by donating a portion of the proceeds from every bottle sale.

A beefy Friday edition of beer notes that had to be split into two parts. Here’s Part I.

New Belgium: Trouble for one of the nation’s top-selling craft brands and one of the reasons that the East expansion will be very important… Craft Business Daily reports, “We’ve heard a lot of concern about craft consumers’ promiscuous palates this week, and industry consultant Bump Williams’ latest client letter just sharpens them. Some of the top craft brands seem to be losing a bit of share — Bump pinpointed Fat Tire shrinking in core markets in particular. And Boston Lager may be going through a ‘maturity cycle more than anything else,’ though Boston is doing well with their seasonals and Brewmaster’s Collection.”

Flying Dog Brewery: In an interview with Chris Spradley, General Partner and CEO, Jim Caruso, says that the Michigan Liquor Control Commission attempted to settle with the brewery out of court over the Raging Bitch lawsuit but the company balked on principal. The brewery wants to see the process through so that other alcoholic beverages containing the word, “Bitch,” in the name are allowed into the state, citing a strong belief in these companies’ First Amendment rights.

He also said that Flying Dog is doing a pumpkin beer this year for the first time and is adding a Christmas beer as well. Not certain whether any changes are coming with respect to K9 Cruiser, a winter warmer.

Victory Brewing: Following the news of Flying Dog easing off its distribution of Raging Bitch due to the hop shortage, Jack Curtin reports that Victory had to make a similar decision with Headwaters Pale Ale. “[Co-Founder Bill Covaleski] said that Headwaters Pale is selling almost as fast as the brewery’s flagship HopDevil Ale, which is to say, very rapidly indeed. The potential problem is that the centerpiece of the beer is Citra hops and, due to its contracts with suppliers, Victory cannot obtain more of those before next October. ‘We still have some Citra in house, but less than we wish we had. We’ve made all the inquiries that we could think of to try and get more, but to no avail.’”

Dogfish Head: Debuting a new beer called Ardent IPA on tap at Rehoboth Beach…”Fortified with sixty pounds of local wildflower honey from our neighbors at S&S Apiaries in Dover, this Brewpub Exclusive is a super-hopped IPA fermented with French Saison yeast. The name is a nod to the enthusiastic and passionate spirit of the team of our wholesale/distributor partners who helped brew this beer…”

Flossmoor Station: From earlier this week, “Also coming along is our Summer of Sours. Mark pulled together a nice blend this afternoon, featuring a sour with over 55 lbs of peaches that has soured away for over 2 years, blended with just a touch of apricot. The sweetness of the fruit helps to balance the tartness, but is mellow enough not to be at all dominating. That’ll be on tap once our Bare Brett kicks, so please come out and tell us what you think!”

Founders Brewing: Bottling Blushing Monk

Half Acre Beer Co.: There was a big line earlier today for the Small Animal Big Machine release. Brewery only and probably* already sold out.

Breaker Brewing: Once again, as reported by Jack Curtin, the brewery is moving to a new home.

Bonus I: Tyranena Brewing provides a great summary (pdf) over what is happening in Wisconsin with potential legislation that could harm small breweries. Think Progress and several other ‘mainstream’ outlets are also reporting on this.

Bonus II: Zythophile rips into CAMRA chairman, internet riot ensues.

Bonus III: The wacky Hahn commercial that has been floating around the beery part of the interwebs this week.

(Baltimore, MD) – DuClaw Brewing Company, a leading Maryland-based craft brewery, announces the launch of its 12-ounce bottled beers, which are now available in six-packs at area retailers.

Four popular craft brew styles kick-off the new line, including Sawtooth, a Belgian White Ale; Venom, an American-Style Pale Ale; Black Lightning, an American Black Ale, and 13 degrees, a German Hefeweizen. DuClaw has partnered with distributors to have its six-packs available for sale in liquor stores throughout Maryland, Washington D.C. and northern Delaware.

“We’re excited to continue to grow our brewery with the launch of our line of 12-ounce bottles” commented Dave Benfield, founder and president of DuClaw. “DuClaw is known for our passion for the craft, which we demonstrate in our award-winning craft brews. I’m confident that our six-packs will introduce a vast new audience to the DuClaw brand and allow them to experience and enjoy some of our boldest and most popular flavors.”

Each week DuClaw Brewing Company is adding more locations to its roster of retailers who carry the six-packs. Consumers are encouraged to request the beer from store owners if it is not yet stocked at their location. For additional information, visit the new page, DuClaw Beers on Facebook.

About DuClaw Brewing Company
DuClaw Brewing Company is a leading craft brewery founded in 1996. Initially based in Bel Air, Maryland, the company has moved its brewery to a facility in Abingdon, Maryland to keep up with growing demand for barrels of its growing line-up of specialty brews. The company also has pub restaurant locations in Hanover, Bel Air, Bowie and BWI Airport; each location serves DuClaw’s award-winning craft beer on tap.

(Frederick, MD) – It has been a busy week of Flying Dog Brewery news.

Update: Unrelated to this Raging Bitch story, the brewery is halting distribution of all its products in what is now 13 states.

First things first, it appears as though Monday’s report about Flying Dog withdrawing from a handful of states was incomplete. Nebraska Beer Blog reported over the weekend that the brewery is pulling out of Nebraska as well. That would make the actual withdrawal count a total of six states, not just five.

There is yet another change to report for the brewery and it has to do with Flying Dog Raging Bitch.

According to a second letter sent out from President, Jim Caruso, “Raging Bitch Belgian IPA is Flying Dog’s #1 selling beer but, for the next 18 months, the amount we can produce is limited by the availability of a proprietary hop variety that is one of the beer’s ingredients. As local demand for Raging Bitch continues to soar, we are concentrating our distribution of Raging Bitch in our home markets and Raging Bitch will not be available in your territory for some unknown period of time.”

The beer uses Warrior, Amarillo and Columbus hops per the brewery’s website.

This past harvest’s hop shortage has received much less attention than it did a few years ago despite the USDA estimating that the most recent harvest was down by 31%. According to Beer Business Daily back in January, “Especially screwed now are those brewers relying on smaller-yield, aroma-centric American hops to make mainstream-barreling IPAs, since Simcoe, Citra and Amarillo are largely (if not totally) sold for the year.” Bandwagon Brew Pub posted in February that they were unable to get Amarillo hops for some of their beers. The USDA report also identified Columbus and Warrior production being way down.

Flying Dog is also currently waging a legal battle against the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, which is currently banning the brewery from selling Raging Bitch there.

(Easton, PA) – Here is a Weyerbacher newsletter update from mid-late May that I never got around to posting.

Despite being sent out on May 19th, plenty of relevant news…

————————————————————
New Beer Releases

We have several to announce this time around. First up, Blasphemy releases this Saturday, May 21 at our Visitors Center. Now in cork n cage and bottle conditioned, Blasphemy is our QUAD aged in bourbon barrels, a beer we have not made in 3 years. Next up is our 3rd entry in the IPA project, called “North”. North is expected to be on tap around the 20th at the same accounts that have been part of our IPA project all along. Chris has much more info on this beer below. Last, and certainly not least, Sixteen will make its debut at the Visitor Center on Saturday, June 4. Chris also has the scoop on this beer as well. Hope you get a chance to try all of these beers and post your feedback on our website, we’d love to hear from you.

Cheers, Dan W.

Head Brewer Chris Wilson:

The third beer in our IPA Project will be called “North”. I would say it’s closer to an India Brown Ale or maybe an India Dark Mahogany Ale, whatever. While the combination of Pale, Munich, Biscuit and CaraAroma malts forms a nice bready base, this beer is dominated by a heavy dose of Centennial, Chinook and Columbus hops that lend a distinctly spicy and citrusy flavor and aroma. It’ll be 5.7% and 53 IBUs. If you live in NJ or Philly, please check out the list of participating bars and go out and try it. After you try it, visit our site and let us know what you think or fill out the survey right at the bar.

We will be ramping up production this month for June. We will see a few more new beers including the fourth entry in the IPA Project, as well as Que¿beck which will be the next release of the Brewer’s Select Series. As you know, the naming system for the BSS is based on the NATO phonetic alphabet. You may not know that the TTB will not allow a brewery to name a beer the name of an existing place if the beer is not made there. So Quebec (pronounced “ka-bec” by the locals there) is out and Que¿beck is in. We have not brewed it, but I can give you an idea of what to expect. We are looking for a nice summer refresher with a crackin’ hop character. It should be 5 to 5.5% ABV and around 20 IBU. It’’l be finished with Cascade and Sorachi Ace hops which will deliver a nice citrus, lemon character. A lot of summer beers call for a slice of lemon, lime or orange. We hope to brew it into the beer for you.

We will also be releasing our sixteenth anniversary beer. Sixteen will be a dark braggot made with 1,440 pounds of honey per 40BBL batch or over 18.5 oz. per gallon!! That is truly ABSURD! It is an impressive beer. We say it for all of the Anni beers, but this one is going to be fun to cellar. I think it is going to be really interesting to see how this beauty changes over time. Here is some marketingese to get you salivating.

Sixteen
Caramel, crystal, munich and chocolate malts form a rich foundation for this dark and complex ale. Brewed with an absurd amount of honey from Pennsylvania bees, this braggot has a profound honey character and a nice warming finish. It is the perfect beer to celebrate our sweet sixteen.

Here’s the first batch of two label updates.

Yards Cape of Good Hope Imperial Pale Ale: Beer description from when it was originally introduced on draft only…”Philly’s Yards Brewing Co. is introducing an intriguing twist on their flagship India Pale Ale dubbed Cape of Good Hope IPA, the new beer’s production process was decidedly old-school. Originally brewed to withstand the epic voyages from the shores of England around the African Cape of Good Hope to the Indian Subcontient, the India Pale Ale has always been a beer for the adventurous soul.”

A note on the brewery website reads, “Expedition 2011. Coming in August.”

Other new beer/new label approvals…

Urban Chestnut Half Crown Session IPA
Urban Chestnut Bap Kolsch Cologne Style Ale
Urban Chestnut Holzrauch Smoked Lager
Lost Rhino Dam Lager
Lost Rhino Face Plant IPA
Lost Rhino Chasers Pilsner
Flying Bison Aviator Red
Flying Bison Rusty Chain
Flying Bison Buffalo Lager

(Milton, DE) – Dogfish Head is the latest to throw its hat in the ring of big investment announcements.

(Photo Credit: mattohara on Flickr – creative commons)

The industry was abuzz late last week with the news that Dogfish Head plans to invest $45 million over the course of three years. The project could help push the brewery closer to a half million barrels annually. All that the brewery has said for now is that the expansion is part of The Brewers Association’s plan to achieve 10% market share. Expect to see more about both of these ‘plans’ in the coming weeks and months.

How is Dogfish getting there?

In a video interview with Eater Magazine this past March, Founder and President, Sam Calagione, championed growing independently without the aid of big brewers. The company has been a thriving example of such growth.

Revenue has grown from $3.6 million in 2003 to $12 million in 2006 to $28 million in 2008. As of December, revenue projections were $41 million for 2010 and $52 million for 2011.

Dogfish Head’s growth plan is only one of several in the works for the nation’s top regional craft brewers…

Stone Brewing announced a $26.6 million project just last week. A portion of that investment will push annual capacity to around 500k barrels.

Last fall, Bell’s Brewery announced a $52 million project that will take place over the course of several years.

Lagunitas Brewing is undergoing a $9.5 million expansion that will increase capacity to 600k barrels.

With Minnesota’s governor signing off on law changes this week, Surly Brewing can now pursue building its $20 million dream brewery.

Sierra Nevada Brewing is searching for an east location that, according to the brewery’s Bill Manley, could lead to around $70-75 million in investment.

New Belgium Brewing is also looking for an east location though it hasn’t made any formal statements on the search.

If all of these projects go through as planned (and when tallying these with other projects by Shipyard, Smuttynose, etc.), we are looking at more than $250 million in investment by the nation’s top craft breweries in a relatively short timeframe.

That kind of investment may be the best argument that breweries can make as they lobby for a reduction in excise taxes, an effort that is ongoing.

On the flip side, what does this mean for the future of startup breweries and small microbreweries? As has been brought up before, some distributors face obstacles in handling the proliferation of brands. It’s certainly more manageable to handle a smaller portfolio of established brands, each of which can consistently provide a lot of product to sell.

Meanwhile, Mercury Brewing President, Rob Martin, predicts a shakeout of some of the smaller breweries, citing the perceived need (and challenge) to reach 10,000 barrels production annually. Whether or not you agree with that assessment, as larger craft breweries spread their distribution further across the U.S. and deeper into existing markets, it will likely expedite the inevitable shakeout.

That said, we could still be a ways away from that point. Though there are some ‘mature’ markets where craft’s share of beer sales is already well above the 5% national average, there are many more under that marker. Smaller crafts may have some difficulty gaining traction in these mature markets in the future but under-served areas like the Southeast provide a lot of potential.

The third (and largest) part of today’s batch of beer notes updates is here…

(Photo credit: MHT/Harlan Turk via Brooklyn Brewery newsletter)

Sierra Nevada Brewing: Following up on recent reporting here on SN’s East Coast HQ search making its way into Tennessee…

Erick Schelzig of Knoxnews.com reports that Sierra Nevada may invest $200 million in its new facility. Erm, 200?! (Update: I’ve been told that number was reported in error and that it is more in the $70-75 million range).

In addition, another Knoxnews report says, “[Alcoa City Manager, Mark] Johnson said the company isn’t set to make a decision until about the middle of the summer. ‘My gut feeling is once we get through some of these obstacles we have to get through in order to do what they want to do here, that they’ll make an announcement,’ he said.”

The Tennessee House passed a measure modernizing some of its liquor laws late last week which will help the state’s position in lobbying for Sierra Nevada to open a new facility there. It awaits the Governor’s signature as of Monday.

Sixpoint Craft Ales: Per today’s email blast, “The Bengali Tiger and Crisp are on trucks for delivery as of this morning. Sweet Action will be hitting our wholesalers’ warehouses in New York and Massachusetts by Wednesday in time for deliveries for Memorial Day weekend. And Righteous Ale will be on the trucks the following week.” Here is the Timeout Mag interview with Shane Welch.

Cigar City Brewing: Saturday saw the release of Nielsbohrium.

Portsmouth Brewery: Is releasing a 20th anniversary beer for its June 1st bash. There are 20 malts…and 20 hop hops? Did I hear that right?

Coast Brewing: Released Old Nuptial American Barleywine this past weekend. It had been aging in bourbon barrels for 18 months.

Sweetwater Brewery: Waterkeeper Hefeweizen made its debut this past week.

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project: Fieldmouse’s Farewell makes it return for Pretty Things.

Flying Dog Brewery: From the latest newsletter, “Single Hop Imperial IPA with Centennial will be hitting draft lines and Alpha Collection variety packs in the mid-Atlantic this month.”

D.C. Brau: The Washingtonian has a clip inside the first production brewery to open in D.C. in over 50 years.

Clown Shoes Beer: Per the blog, “In about one month we will be sending small amounts of Clown Shoes to SC, DE, NV, AZ, FL, TX, and NJ. A new product, Lubrication, will be a local only release as a bomber toward the end of June, and then shortly after that we will do a national release in four packs. Clementine will be available in four packs as well.”

Sebago Brewing: Per a newsletter, “Trekker Pale Ale (6.1% ABV) is a classic American pale ale. It is light bronze in color, with a moderate malt character up front that gives way to an increasing hop aroma with a clean dry finish. Available starting Friday May 25th on draft and in 22oz bottles at all Sebago locations as well as throughout New England. Ask for it at your favorite bar, restaurant, or beer store.”

Great South Bay Brewery: Per Craft Cans’ Facebook page, Great South Bay will start canning four of its beers.

Fegley’s Brew Works: Will increase its production from 2700bbl to 4100bbl this year according to a recent news release.

Grey Sail Brewing: Got its Brewer’s Notice approved by the TTB.

(Milton, DE) – Dogfish Head is currently on the hunt for a new brewmaster.

As first reported by The Brew Lounge last week, the brewery is looking for a replacement for Floris Delée.

Here is Vice President, Mariah Calagione’s comments:

“We knew when embarking down the Brewmaster path with Floris the biggest challenge we’d all face was the commute (he was physically here every two weeks and in Colorado with his family every other week). After a year, we all determined that it wasn’t the best scenario for either Dogfish or for Floris. Before Floris became our full-time Brewmaster he consulted with Dogfish for two years. We fully expect to continue working with Floris on some of the many projects we have in the pipeline.

Interviewing candidates now … we have no hard timeframe … when we have the right person, it’ll happen. In the meantime, our team of twelve brewers are keeping busy and we’re still making beer around the clock!”

Floris Delée had only been in the role for a little over a year.

Dogfish Head is the 11th-ranked craft brewery in the country (by production) according to The Brewers Association. The brewery pumped out over 120,000 barrels last year.

Another batch of new beers…

Table for Two: A collaboration between Flying Dog and The Brewer’s Art, the beer will be available in 12 oz. bottles (not sure what size pack) / 5% ABV

Thomas Creek Banana Split Chocolate Stout: Part of the Atypical Series, this beer is brewed with dried bananas – it will be released in 750s / 7.5% ABV

Weyerbacher Que¿beck: Interesting spelling, I wonder if this was on purpose or if the TTB wouldn’t allow them to put “Quebec” as the name since the beer wasn’t made there. No info on the beer style available at the moment.

Sixpoint Brevity Wit: keg approval only, appears to be a riff on the phrase “Brevity is the soul of wit”

Russell A Wee Angry Scotch Ale: Imported in 22 oz. bottles by Russell USA

Marble Manchester Tripel: Uh oh, looks like there is going to be a third brewery with “Marble” in its name distributing around the U.S. This one is based in the U.K. and is imported by Twelve Percent L.L.C..

Lager Heads Tyranny Pale Ale: in 22 oz. bottles

(Milton, DE) – Some notes from a couple Dogfish Head blog posts yesterday…

Per a distribution summary from Sales Manager, Adam Lambert (what a name):

• Dogfish Head sales are up 25% over Q1 2010. The brewery is hoping to keep year-over-year growth near 20%, making things more manageable for them than in prior years when growth was between 30% and 50%.
• In Q1, 25 states were up in sales and two came close to last year (the latter because Dogfish Head had challenges in getting them supply). I wonder what states those were?
• Robert Johnson’s Hellhound On My Ale has surprisingly already shipped to wholesalers. There is already a bottle on eBay, too. The beer has its own dedicated website that is not yet live.

Meanwhile Sam Calagione blogged about an upcoming draft-only release that I posted here a couple weeks ago, Black and Red:

• “Black & Red is a velvety smooth dry-minted stout with a serious fruit problem! The huge portion of heavily roasted grains brings a rich, chocolaty character which contrasts it’s sweet fruity full-body. As you tilt your glass, you’ll notice that the black color you are perceiving is actually a very deep reddish hue and the rich creamy foam has a tinge of pink to it. Black & Red starts off roasted and warming with a robust mintiness from 100 lbs of organic mint (from our friends at Washington’s Green Grocer) added to the secondary fermentation and finishes out sweet and smooth. It’s Darn-right pudding-like in it’s depth an chewiness. Best enjoyed 6 ounces at a time from a sniffer in lieu of a banana split.”
• Also of note, the brewery is installing, “four new 600 bbl bright tanks, two new 600 hundred barrel fermenters, and a sweet new mill that takes our daily brewing capacity from 700 barrels to 900 barrels” according to Calagione. They aren’t expanding into new markets anytime soon though.

Finally, a glance at DFH’s Facebook and Twitter pages show that the brewery fielded over a dozen questions about 120 Minute IPA on Tuesday (and that doesn’t include phone calls). There is still no update on that beer as of this morning but it won’t be shipping this month. One beer that recently did ship is Black and Blue.

(Delmarva, DE) – Here is the info on two new releases coming from Evolution Craft Brewing Co..

This comes from Founder, Tom Knorr…

1. Menagerie No. 5: 5 month bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout. 10.5%abv 22ounce. 70 cases Brewery only for Menagerie.

2. Migration Spring 2011: 7 month Cruzan Rum Barrel aged Strong Golden Ale. 10%ABV. 750ml. Virginia, Delaware, DC, Maryland distribution. Only 100 cases.

(Wilmington, DE) – On Friday, April 15, the East Coast’s fastest growing collection of brewpubs, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, will donate all proceeds from the sale of their popular Rising Sun IPA to the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Pacific. The beer, brewed with a Japanese strain of hops known as Sorachi Ace, will be available on draught at all eight Iron Hill locations throughout the region beginning at 5 p.m., and 100% of sales will go directly to support American Red Cross disaster relief efforts.

“Like so many people, we watched in horror as the earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated the nation of Japan, and we knew right away we wanted to do something to help,” says founding partner Kevin Finn. “This fundraiser is especially dear to us because our popular Rising Sun IPA is brewed with Japanese hops – and we think it’s fitting that we give back anything we can as the resilient Japanese people work to overcome this crisis.”

Rising Sun IPA is an American-style India Pale Ale, brewed with 100% Japanese Sorachi Ace hops, which give the beer its signature spicy citrus character. The beer will cost $5.75 a pint and it will be available from 5 p.m. until the kegs are kicked on Friday, April 15 at every Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

Founded by home brewers Finn and Mark Edelson and restaurateur Kevin Davies in Newark, DE in 1996, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is the region’s fastest-growing restaurant group, blossoming from one restaurant and brewery to eight locations across the mid-Atlantic. Each is dedicated to producing and serving top-quality hand-crafted beers and cuisine in a warm and hospitable setting, and all are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Their acclaimed beers have accumulated a wealth of awards from the nation’s top beer festivals, and their restaurants have earned more than 100 “Best of” nods from local and national publications.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant’s eight locations include (click for Web sites): Newark, DE (147 East Main Street, 302-266-9000); Wilmington, DE (710 South Madison Street, 302-472-2739); Media, PA (30 East State Street, 610-627-9000); West Chester, PA (3 West Gay Street, 610-738-9600); North Wales, PA (1460 Bethlehem Pike, 267-708-2000); Phoenixville, PA (130 East Bridge Street, 610-983-9333); Lancaster, PA (781 Harrisburg Pike, 717-291-9800); and Maple Shade, NJ (124 East Kings Highway, 856-273-0300). Their ninth location, in Chestnut Hill, PA, is projected to open in 2011.

For more information about Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant or the Rising Sun IPA fundraiser, or to make a reservation at any of their locations, please visit www.ironhillbrewery.com. You can also follow them on Twitter (@ironhillbrewery). For more information on Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Japan, or to make a tax-deductible donation to the cause, please visit www.redcross.org.