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).

(Brooklyn, NY) – Two new beers coming out of Brooklyn Brewery…

Both in 750s. Beer descriptions:

Brooklyn The Companion

Produced in conjunction with The Oxford Companion to Beer and brewed by Garrett Oliver (Editor-in-Chief), Horst Dornbusch (Associate Editor) and Thomas Kraus-Weyermann (writer and master maltster), The Companion is a “wheat wine ale” made with 55% new wheat floor malts from Weyermann Maltings.

Brooklyn BAM Boozle

No, we are not foolin’ around. We have brewed a unique new beer commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. BAM, the oldest performing arts center in the country, started attracting audiences to Brooklyn before the Brooklyn Bridge was even open. Such historic figures as Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain, P.T. Barnum, and Sarah Bernhardt have all appeared on its stages. Today, BAM has established itself as the preeminent home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas…from around the globe and around the block. As a devout supporter and patron of BAM, I applaud theat kind of commitment. The Brooklyn Brewery will donate a portion of the proceeds to BAM from each case sold. Please join us in toasting BAM, a special treasure and a true Brooklyn original. – Steve Hindy, Co-founder and President

Now for the other dozen plus labels that came in today…

Sixpoint Diesel: Not approved yet but posted on Facebook by the brewery. This is a 6.4% ABV American Stout. Based on Sixpoint’s comments, the brewery hopes that its beers will be in CT by the end of the year (or at least in 2012).

Four Poco Loko: This appears to be a new product/branding thing which, in itself, isn’t terribly interesting to most readers here. Look closer at the label and you will see that there is a QR code. These are picking up steam in the beer world though I have yet to see a link to an app that could be as useful on a mobile device as this one. Nice job by the Phusion Projects team or whoever they outsourced the work to…worth looking at for breweries considering QR codes on their labels.

Grand Teton Wake Up Imperial Coffee Porter: Per the brewery website, this will be, “available on September 1st in bottle-conditioned 750mL bottles and on draft.” Description: “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.”

New Albanian Jaxon Barleywine
Beer Valley Delta 9 IPA
Two Beers Heart of Darkness Cascadian Dark Ale
Marshall Big Jamoke Porter (12 oz)
Marshall Oktoberfest
Mother’s Winter Grind (ale with coffee beans)
Coronado Bugger Brown
Coronado North Island Ale
Coronado Stoopid Stout
Northshire Chocolate Stout
Highland Black Ace IPA
Keuka Local Mocha Stout
Quimera Sparkling Ale

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

(Brooklyn, NY) – Brooklyn Brewery has another Brewmaster’s Reserve Series release coming in September.

Per the brewery blog:

“For the past four years, brewmaster Garrett Oliver has been working on a massive project. It’s the ultimate beer collaboration, but it’s not a beer. Published this September by Oxford University Press, it’s The Oxford Companion to Beer, the most comprehensive book on beer ever published, featuring 160 experts covering more than 1,100 subjects. It’s a momentous thing, so Garrett (Editor-in-Chief), Horst Dornbusch (Associate Editor, writer, scholar, man-about-town) and Thomas Kraus-Weyermann (writer and master maltster) hatched a plan. Together, they brewed our next Brewmaster’s Reserve beer, called The Companion.

Thomas created special new floor malts for The Companion, which is brewed in an old style called ‘wheat wine,’ a wheat-based equivalent to barley wine. The floor malts give this beer a juicy malt character of considerable depth, 55% malted wheat gives it a surprising lightness on the palate, while our house ale yeast lends a gentle fruitiness. The Oxford Companion will impart knowledge, while The Companion imparts conviviality. Maybe you really can have it all?”

Also of note, from their newsletter:

“The arrival of 17 new tanks – including a team of 200 barrel fermenters – is the last major step of our expansion here in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The completed new brewery is expected to be in full operation by the end of September. Click here to see photos of the project over the last year.”

(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.

Smuttynose Temporarily Looks Out of State to Meet Unprecedented Demand

(Portsmouth, NH) – These days, college students aren’t the only people saying, “Hey, we need more beer!” Smuttynose Brewing Company of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, recently shipped the first batch of its award-winning Old Brown Dog Ale brewed at F.X. Matt Brewing Company in Utica, New York, the first of four batches scheduled through the end of 2011.

The Utica-brewed Brown Dog will be put in six packs, twelve packs, and 1/6 barrel kegs. Regular Smuttynose drinkers will notice a slightly different look to the bottles, with a full-wrap neck label and more square bottle shoulders. 1/2 barrel kegs and bottles for Variety Packs will still be brewed at Smuttynose in New Hampshire.

Off-site production of Old Brown Dog became necessary due to unprecedented demand for Smuttynose beer. “We didn’t have enough tank space to brew everything we needed, but discontinuing brands or pulling out of sales territories were never options. After some analysis, we decided that this was the best option,” said Greg Blanchard, Smuttynose’s Head Brewer. Blanchard cited the ease of transitioning the beloved brown ale’s recipe to another brewery as well as its consistent ordering pattern as the main reasons for placing Old Brown Dog into the capable hands of Matt, which produces beer on behalf of many other craft breweries.

Shipments of Smuttynose beer are up 34% in 2011, more than double what was projected. Planning for a new, purpose-built brewery in Hampton, New Hampshire, is nearing completion and process improvements at Smuttynose’s current home have sped up operations, but these measures aren’t enough to quench the thirst of beer drinkers in the 19 states where Smuttynose is sold. The New York production arrangement is a temporary one; “Ultimately, we believe that every drop of Smuttynose should be brewed in our brewery,” said Blanchard, “and we plan to bring Old Brown Dog home as soon as we can.”

About Smuttynose Brewing Company: Smuttynose Brewing Company is New Hampshire’s leading craft brewery. Independently owned since its founding in 1994, Smuttynose brews over 20 different styles of beer for distribution in 19 states, including its best-selling Finest Kind IPA and international award-winners Robust Porter and Big A IPA. In 2010, the company’s 31 employees worked together to brew, package and sell nearly 30,000 barrels or 1,000,000 gallons of all-natural, unfiltered, honest-to-goodness beer from its brewery in Portsmouth.

(Maple Shade, NJ) – On Wednesday, July 27 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., two of the top brewers in New Jersey, Chris LaPierre of Iron Hill and Casey Hughes of Flying Fish, will join forces at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (124 East Kings Highway, 856-273-0300) to create Iron Fish, a Belgian black IPA sure to be known as one of the Garden State’s finest ales. This special collaborative beer will be released to the public on Saturday, August 27, and is a major brewing event that brings two renowned brewers together for a common goal: creating a flagship beer for the state they’re proud to call home.

“At Iron Hill, we’re proud to call Maple Shade our home, and I can’t wait to partner with Casey to create this tribute to all that’s good about New Jersey brewing,” says LaPierre. Adds Hughes, “Chris and I have wanted to create a special beer together for a long time, so Iron Fish is going to be very special – and only brewed in limited quantities, so be sure to experience it right away!”

Since opening, South Jersey magazine has awarded Iron Hill Maple Shade two “Best of the Best Awards” for Best Bar 2009 and Best Midnight Snack 2010. Visitors of OpenTable.com gave Iron Hill their coveted Diner’s Choice Awards for top ten Kid-Friendly Restaurant and Vibrant Bar Scene. Founded by home brewers Mark Edelson and Kevin Finn 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. A ninth location, in Chestnut Hill, PA, will open later this year.

Flying Fish was the world’s first ‘virtual’ microbrewery, establishing an Internet presence as early as 1995. That presence helped to generate press interest and woo investors to the fledgling brewery, which would not open for business until late 1996. Today, owner Gene Muller, head brewer Casey Hughes and their team oversee four full-time styles, as well as a variety of seasonal beers. Their brews have been featured at the Great British Beer Festival, Oregon Brewers Festival and Canada’s Biere de Mondial Festival. They have won medals at the Great American Beer Festival, Real Ale Festival and the World Beer Championships, and are the only New Jersey brewery featured in Best American Beers. Flying Fish was also named “Local Hero: Beverage Artisan of 2009” by Edible Jersey magazine.

For more information about Iron Fish or any of Flying Fish’s beers, please visit them online at www.flyingfish.com and www.exitseries.com, or call (856) 489-0061.

For more information about Iron Fish or Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, or to make a reservation at any of their locations, please visit www.ironhillbrewery.com. You can also follow them on Twitter (@IronhillNJ) and follow Brewer LaPierre on his blog http://ironhillbrewery.com/blog/mapleshade/.

Single-Hop Beers to Be Released Each Month Educate IPA Fans on Its Signature Spice

(Brooklyn, NY) — Brooklyn-based Sixpoint Brewery today announced the “Spice of Life” monthly series of single-hop small-batch beers to highlight the flavors of different hop strains. The beers are made as a single batch at its Red Hook, Brooklyn, facility and therefore are limited to very small quantities. The first beer in the series is made with Chinook hops and is available exclusively at select locations in different markets. The grain recipe for forthcoming Spice of Life beers will remain the same, with unique hop strains swapped in each month. As a result, the customer will be able to ascertain the influential character of different hop strains through a “controlled recipe experiment.”

“By maintaining the same exact grain bill, and only using one type of hop for an IPA, and rotating that hop strain throughout the year—well, that’s a recipe for fun!” remarked Shane Welch, the brewery’s Founder and President. “Since the hop is the featured component of this beer, every month that we rotate the hop strain the customer is going to have the spotlight shone right on this key ingredient. It is indeed the ‘spice of life’ for beer.”

Hops are a perennial herb and a quintessential flavoring agent in beer production, lending its bitterness to balance out the sweetness of malted grain. However, its flavor doesn’t end with just “bitter.” Brewers can choose from a selection of hops grown all around the world from any number of distinct strains of the wide-ranging plant.

“Chinook hops have a very signature flavor,” said Sixpoint’s head brewer Ian McConnell after brewing the first “Spice of Life” batch. “It’s sometimes described as oniony, grassy, and mineral-like.”

The brewery looks forward to future hop varietals in the series, which will include Cascade (grapefruit), Warrior (pungent) and Centennial (citrus, floral). The Sixpoint Brewers will also be working with more exotic hop strains, like Nelson Sauvin and Apollo. The flavors of each will be more evident to those looking to sharpen their hop palate thanks to the “Spice of Life” series’ static pale ale base ingredients.

“We wanted to highlight hops and all their wonderful variety for our fans and customers,” Welch remarked. “The history of hop cultivation is linked indispensably with beer production. Hops have natural antimicrobial properties, so when the first beers were made with hops in lieu of other bitter herbs and grasses, they were less inclined to spoil. They are a fascinating plant in their own right, and we felt them worthy of their own series.” Several varieties of hops, whose vines climb and twist around poles as they grow, have been growing on the roof of Sixpoint’s Red Hook brewery since last spring.

The Spice of Life beers will be served on draft only over the course of the next calendar year. They will be available at designated bars and restaurants in each market, which include but are not limited to franny’s in Brooklyn, Barcade in Jersey City, Dive Bar and Armsbey Abbey in Worcester, Massachusetts, and bars in the Philadelphia-metro area.

About Sixpoint Brewery:

Sixpoint Brewery was born out of an 800 square foot garage in Brooklyn, New York City in 2004 by homebrewer Shane Welch, who had amassed over 1000 individual homebrew recipes. The brewery’s name is derived from the ancient six-pointed brewers’ star, which had symbolically adorned the walls and equipment of ancient breweries since at least the Medieval period. Sixpoint’s motto is “Beer is Culture” to highlight the human trajectory—the earliest human civilizations were founded upon the cultivation of cereal grains for making beer. Sixpoint aims to perpetually inspire the art, creativity, and community generated through beer by acknowledging the history of the craft, while forging ahead to inspire culture in a modern setting.

With my computer and my bookmarks back, here is the long-awaited epic return of beer notes…

[Above: Autumnation label courtesy of Brew York New York]

Sixpoint Autumnation: Per Brew York, New York, “[...] their first seasonal canned beer. The new brew will be a wet-hopped pumpkin ale that clocks in at a comfortable 6.0% ABV. Sixpoint has experimented with pumpkin beers before, but this is a brand-new offering that’s never seen a can or a draft line before. Sixpoint says to expect these cans on shelves by September, so keep an eye out for them as the weather finally cools down. We’ll let you know where to find these bad boys as soon as they’re available.”

Smuttynose Brewing: …is taking a stand against “the West Coast attempt to appropriate the [Black IPA] style and name it ‘Cascadian Dark Ale.’” Smuttynose is honoring the late Greg Noonan, founder of The Vermont Pub and Brewery, Seven Barrel Brewery and Amherst Brewing Company, who many on the East Coast believe created the style. They’re naming their 12th Short Batch series beer after him.

Clown Shoes Beer: Per a recent blog post, “Muffin Top will be a Tripel IPA, built on the chassis of Tramp Stamp. The malt profile is less heavy than Tramp, but the ABV climbs to 10%, adding all sorts of candied sweetness. Muffin Top will be made two weeks from now, bottled in about five.” Also be on the lookout down the road for Blaecorn Unidragon Russian Imperial Stout, previously mentioned here.

White Birch Brewing: Per last Wednesday’s blog post, “Later this week we’ll have two new releases heading to our distributors. The first is our 2nd Anniversary Ale. This year we’ve brewed an Bourbon oak aged Belgian style dark ale packaged in 750 ml bottles, corked and caged. The second beer is Farmhouse Red. A red ale that has a balance of soft malts, delicate fruit esters, and subtle spicy notes.”

Hill Farmstead: Per Facebook, “900 bottles of Arthur and 800 bottles of Clara (Grisette) are packaged and naturally carbonating. Release date for our bottles is July 23rd….”

Trillium Brewing: Received this tip last week… “Universal Hub tweets that the Boston Zoning Board today approved Trillium Brewing Company’s planned brewery at 369 Congress Street in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston. The brewery’s planned yearly output is 1000 barrels of beer.”

Mayflower Brewing: New equipment on the East Coast…

Bonus I: Following the purchase of Goose Island, makers of 312 Urban Wheat Ale, AB InBev is applying for federal trademarks for area codes in fifteen locations. The process may be part of preliminary work into the development of locally-themed beers.

Bonus II: Sonoco, a giant gas station chain, is getting into the beer business.

Bonus III: Busch heirs looking to open new St. Louis-area brewery?

(Phillipsburg, NJ) – Craft-beer wholesaler Hunterdon Distributors has signed an agreement with Caldera Brewing Company from Ashland, Oregon. Consumers can expect to find a sampling of their products throughout New Jersey by the end of summer 2011.

Caldera Brewing Company was founded in 1996 and was a draft-only operation until 2005 when they became the first craft brewery in Oregon to brew and can their own beer. The brewery, located in Oregon’s Rogue Valley, is revered among craft beer enthusiasts for their dedication to using strictly whole-flower hops for their entire line-up of ales and lagers. In addition, their ten-barrel brew house ensures that only small-batch, high-quality beers are produced each and every time.

Caldera products are currently distributed in eleven U.S. States with East coast representation in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Products scheduled to be released in New Jersey will include three of their year-round beers: Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and Ashland Amber Ale.

This is the third brewery that Hunterdon will be representing from Oregon – a state known for its abundance of exceptional craft breweries and award-winning beers. Hunterdon is proud to be adding yet another top-notch craft brewery to their portfolio.

About Hunterdon Distributors
Hunterdon Distributors was founded in 1996 and has grown steadily over the years into a company with sixty full-time employees. Hunterdon has raised the bar for craft beverage availability and selection in the state by providing the most diverse and sought-after portfolio the market has to offer. The company currently represents over fifty domestic craft brands, hundreds of imports and a unique line of micro-distilled spirits, sakes and meads. Owners Mike Short and Dave Masterson continue to focus on bringing quality products to the New Jersey consumer.

Part II of today’s beer notes…

Brooklyn Brewery: “[Brewmaster Garrett Oliver] & his crew have a lot of tasty ideas. Lucky for us beer lovers, many of these imaginations come to full, vibrant fruition: we are debuting two new beers [Local 11 Nine Pin Brown Ale] and made for and sold exclusively at Eleven Madison Park, versions of Brooklyn Brown Ale and Local 2 aged on 20 year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels; we’re now serving Brooklyn High Line Elevated Wheat at the High Line’s Lot on Tap; and soon we’ll be sharing the results of aging our beer on wine lees (sediment) from local wineries.” More info here (sorry, no permalink).

In an interview on Snacky Tunes Radio, Oliver discusses a project that The Brooklyn Brewery has been working on with The Red Hook Winery. The beer is called Cuvee de la Crochet Rouge…

“We have been aging beers in barrels on wine lees. Lees are the sediment that fall out of wine at the end of fermentation. The sediment includes yeast but also a lot of other compounds from the wine. Because of these are naturally-made wines and they don’t include any lab yeasts, you are basically using the winery to collect the microflora from the atmosphere, which is in Long Island, and concentrating it all into these barrels. The result is something kind of on the border of wine and beer.”

Oliver also talks briefly about his music career while living in London. He mentions that he took The Ramones bowling. Oliver notes that he learned some of his brewing skills from former Brewmaster at Samuel Smith, Mark Witty. Then he drops this quote: “Mass market beer, as far I’m concerned, is not actually beer any more than Wonder Bread is bread.”

SweetWater Brewing: From today’s blog post, “Our next Dank Tank edition is locked and loaded as well – since we are having a hell of a time keeping up with y’all drinking habits this Brown IIPA will be draft only, and super limited supply. Malts: 2-row, Munich, & Midnight Wheat Hops: Over 5 lbs. per barrel Columbus, Amarillo & Centennial. Dry Hopped with Centennial & Columbus Beginning Gravity: 20.1 Plato Final Gravity: 4.5 Plato ABV: 8.5% IBU’s: 120 Available in 1/4 bbl kegs only.”

The Alchemist: Heady Topper update… “Things at The Cannery are progressing nicely. Our time line has had some adjusting, but we are not too far away from beginning our first batch of Heady Topper. The photograph is of my new kettle and mash tun, in place, and right on time. The fermenters and bright tanks are another story. Long story short, we are hoping to take delivery on these tanks right after the Vermont Brewers Festival. With this additional time, we will have everything ready to brew the day after they arrive, right around the middle of July. That will put the first cans for sale 28 days later. That is all of the basics, and I will certainly send out some new photos when I have something else cool to show you.”

Finch’s Beer Company: Per Facebook, kegs of Sapsucker California-style Rye Ale arriving soon. Unlike what the label pic suggests, there are currently no plans to can the beer.

Flossmoor Station: Per the blog, “For our less than hydrating beers, we have our Belgian Triple 15th Anniversary Ale coming along very nicely. It’s approaching the end of its fermentation, and (by the best of our abilities and calculations) has come to its full 15% abv. Surprizingly, the flavors are smooth and rounded without much heat or hit of the high alcohol levels. It’ll be released on July 8th, both on tap here at the Station and in bottles. Additionally to celebrate the day (which is the actual 15th Anniversary) we’ll be tapping into a few specialties of barrel aged beer and sours; but more on that is to come.”

Mother Earth Brewing: More info on its canning line, now in operation…

Bonus I: Are we getting a bit too elitist about good beer and those who should drink it?

Bonus II: The Pour Foul gets into it with Lew Bryson. Steve Beaumont chimes in as well.

New beer labels here…a bunch from the new Market Garden out of Ohio, a new strategy for Clown Shoes?, and a few new ones from White Birch.

Market Garden Market Centennial IPA
Market Garden Progress Pilsner
Market Garden Cluster Fuggle India Pale Ale
Market Garden Old School American Lager
Market Garden Test Market Ale
Market Garden Standard Scotch Ale
Market Garden Urban Garden Saison
Market Garden Boss Amber Lager
Market Garden Funeral Beer
Market Garden St. Emeric Stout
Market Garden Anniversary Ale
Market Garden Forest City Brown Ale
Market Garden Viking Pale Ale
Rivertowne RT Lager
Baying Hound Sarvara Black IPA
Sixpoint The Spice of Life Series
Clown Shoes Clementine
Clown Shoes Lubrication
White Birch 2 Anniversary Ale
White Birch Farmhouse Red
White Birch Birchwood Smoked Stout
White Birch Pilot Project Smoked Stout

(Mt. Pleasant, SC) – Total Beverage Solution (TBS), a beverage importer and supplier of fine wine, beer and premium spirits, reached an exclusive representation agreement with Southampton Ales and Lagers, named after the legendary Southampton Publick House located on the East End of New York’s Long Island. The Publick House has a rich history and a passion for brewing great beer since 1996.

Phil Markowski has been with Southampton since the inception of the brewery and serves as resident brewmaster. Markowski has been awarded and recognized with over 25 competitive medals and is one of the most honored and sought-after brewers in the craft beer industry. His small batch brews range from classic farmhouse styles to traditional beer styles made to be enjoyed year-round.

Current brand labels include Double White and IPA. Southampton also crafts a variety of seasonal beers such as Keller Pils, Biere De Mars, Imperial Porter and Pumpkin Ale and a 750 ml series that encompasses Saison Deluxe, Grand Cru, Cuvee des Fleurs and Abbot 12. TBS will initially represent and market the entire portfolio in roughly ten states with proximity to New York City through the balance of the year. TBS plans to begin expanding markets in 2012.

Southampton is one of the most award-winning breweries in America and has been ranked in the top 20 for GABF medals won by a brewery in the last 10 years. The Publick House was awarded Top Brewpub in 2003 by Beer Advocate magazine, ranked #8 Specialty Brewery in the World and had 3 Top 50 Specialty Brews in America by RateBeer.com in 2004. Southampton Publick House is located at 40 Bowden Sq, Southampton, NY 11968. For more information, visit www.southamptonpublickhouse.com.

ABOUT TOTAL BEVERAGE SOLUTION (TBS)

With an impressive portfolio of wine, beer and premium spirits, Total Beverage Solution supplies the US market with some of the world’s top brands. Founded in 2002, the company seeks to represent and own brands that have market presence but still have potential for growth. The company’s first sizeable supply contract was Greene King brewers, the producers of Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale. Today the portfolio includes such brands as Germany’s Weihenstephan Beer, the world’s oldest brewery; Birra Moretti, the beer in Italy; Affligem, a historic Belgian Abbey beer; Tohu Wines from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, the only Maori-owned wine company; Colombo, a D.O.C Fine marsala Wine, and Edradour Distillery, Scotland’s smallest distillery. Passionate about quality and craftsmanship, the company strives to work with producers who make the finest products and to create value and demand for each brand based on its unique qualities. With this philosophy, Total Beverage Solution has quickly earned a reputation for its market expertise and proven sales results. The company earned a prestigious spot on Beverage Industry’s June 2010 list of “Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2009.” Additionally, in the midst of another challenging year for the beverage industry, TBS surpassed $30 million in revenue in 2010. Total Beverage Solution is headquartered at 1671 Belle Isle Ave. Suite 125, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.

(Phillipsburg, NJ) – Hunterdon Distributors is proud to announce they are joining forces with Salt Lake City-based Epic Brewing Company. Craft beer enthusiasts in New Jersey can expect to see a sampling of Epic products in both bottle and draft by early July 2011.

Please see update below.

UPDATE:

The following Epic release parties have been scheduled! Please visit www.hunterdonbrewing.com for more information.

Wednesday, July 6th – UNO’s Chicago Grill – Maple Shade, NJ – www.unos.com
Thursday, July 7th – Good Night Irene’s – Wildwood, NJ – http://www.goodnightirenes.com/
Saturday, July 9th – Nip ‘n Tuck – Long Branch, NJ
Tuesday, July 12th – George Street Ale House – New Brunswick, NJ – www.gsalehouse.com
Thursday, July 14th – Barcade – Jersey City, NJ – www.barcadejerseycity.com

ORIGINAL:

Epic Brewing Company was founded in May 2010 by David Cole and Peter Erikson. Their portfolio includes twenty-six unique styles of ales and lagers that are categorized into three levels of increasing intensity: Classic, Elevated and Exponential.

Best sellers for the brewery include Sour Apple Saison, Spiral Jetty IPA, Brainless Belgian-Style Golden Ale, Imperial Red and 825 State Stout, which earned them their first Great American Beer Festival medal this past September. Epic’s passion and commitment to brewing only small-batch, high-quality products is why they are ranked third on the list of “Top New Brewers in the World” by Ratebeer.com.

New Jersey is the eighth market for Epic and only the third on the East coast after Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The decision to add New Jersey to their roster was made after hearing about Hunterdon’s impressive portfolio and the level of enthusiasm for craft beer throughout the Garden State. Sales manager Michael Malachowski states, “Hunterdon works hard, plays hard and gets the job done. At Epic Brewing, we are all about that and are very excited to team up to tackle the NJ market together.”

Hunterdon is honored to represent Epic Brewing Company for the state of New Jersey and looks forward to sharing that enthusiasm with retailers and consumers in the months ahead.

About Hunterdon Distributors
Established in 1996, Hunterdon Distributors boasts a portfolio with over fifty domestic craft brands and hundreds of imports across the globe from England to Japan. In 2005, Hunterdon joined forces with L. Knife & Son Companies, who was recently awarded “2010 Wholesaler of the Year” by Beverage World Magazine. Owners Michael Short and Dave Masterson take pride in having compiled one of the greatest craft beer portfolios in the country.

(Lake George, NY) – Just in time for the Lake George summer tourist season, The Adirondack Brewery has just released new packaging for its bottled beers and beer cases – eight new labels, each celebrating the iconic legends and tales of the Adirondack Region.

Tourists visiting the region will now have the opportunity to drink the finest ale brewed and bottled right in Lake George Village while learning about the great legends that have made Lake George the “Queen of American Lakes.”

From the award-winning summer favorite, Dirty Blonde Ale that highlights the tales of summer romance on the shores of Lake George to the light-bodied lager to the history behind the Iroquois Pale Ale, each craft brew uniquely unleashes the spirit of the Adirondacks.

The concept and design of the new labels is the brainchild of Linda Wohlers, who has a vast knowledge about the history of the Adirondack region. “I wanted to create labels that not only caught the consumers eye, but also told a unique story that was symbolic of the Adirondack region,” states Linda. Each beer label and packaging of the six-packs and cases not only tells a story but also promotes the entire region by offering a brief history and introduction to the Adirondacks,” she furthers.

Below is an explanation of a sampling of the new labels:

Dirty Blonde Ale – Recently named “3rd Best Craft Beer in the Hudson Valley” by TAP NY, Dirty Blonde Ale is an all-American wheat beer with a twist of grapefruit, making this brew light, refreshing and perfect for drinking in the summer. The new label for Dirty Blonde Ale is an ode to the many summer romances that have taken place on the shores of Lake George since the early 1800’s and showcases a voluptuous longhaired dirty blonde lounging on the shores of Lake George.

A majestic, crystal clear lake, Lake George has attracted thousands of tourists and second-home owners each summer season. Bringing together downstaters, upstaters and out-of staters, Lake George village becomes a haven for the young, beautiful and the restless, all sharing the same love of good ole’ Lake George. These crowds bring hundreds of bright-eyed young ladies and eager gentlemen who are antsy to fall in love and set their sails free, for a summer of romance.

Iroquois Pale Ale – A big American style India Pale Ale (IPA) with a deep orange color, and crisp citrus aroma, Adirondack Brewery’s Iroquois Pale Ale is dedicated to the Iroquois Nation – a powerful force that controlled most of the northeast United States and Canada abut made the land spanning from the Adirondacks to Niagara Falls, their homeland and their hunting grounds. The word “Adirondack” actually means “those who eat trees” in the language of the Iroquois.

During the early 1600’s the Europeans set foot on the region and soon encountered the Iroquois. A small fight began and the Iroquois people witnessed the French settlers shoot and kill two of their Chiefs; thus sparking the hatred of the French by the Iroquois, which eventually lead to an alliance between the British and the Iroquois. The Iroquois Nation was fierce, loyal, and fought alongside the British during the French and Indian War, which positioned the British as the dominant colonial power in the eastern half of North America. The Iroquois Nation to this day has an immense cultural influence amongst the land and the people in the Adirondack region.

Iroquois Pale Ale is dedicated to the powerful and peaceful Iroquois Nation.

Fat Scotsman Ale – This big rich and malty Scottish ale is a tribute to Lockhart Mountain in Lake George, which was homestead for the Scottish Lockhart Clan who emigrated from Scotland to Lake George region in the early 1800′s, where they settled on what would soon be called Lockhart Mountain. During the French and Indian War, members of the clan served as soldiers in the Scottish Regiments who fought alongside the British and the Iroquois. As history tells us, the Iroquois viewed the British as “wimps” and the Scots as fierce, proud, warriors who never backed down from a rowdy brawl! The Lockhart clan was rewarded from their service in the French & Indian War with a grant of land included all lakefront land on Route 9L north to Dunham’s Bay on the water, and over the Mountain to Route 149.

Fat Scotsman Ale is a tribute to the bold Lockhart Clan ad their proud Scottish traditions.

Headwater Hefe Beer – Headwater Hefe is Adirondack Brewery’s authentic Bavarian style Hefeweizen. Imported Malts and an Authentic German yeast strain give this lightly hopped wheat beer a refreshing flavor with hints of banana and clove in the finish.

Dedicated to Hudson River, a true symbol of New York State whose 315 miles of shoreline connects the largest state park in the country to the largest city in the country, Headwater Hefe Beer celebrates the origin of the Hudson River, which starts from the southwest slope of the tallest mountain in the New York, Mt. Marcy. At an elevation of a steep 4,293 feet lies Lake Tear of the Cloud, is a small tarn located in the town of Keene, in Essex County. It is both the highest lake in the state and the highest source of the Hudson River. We dedicate this beer to the river that links upstate to downstate, and urbanites to country folks, in one proud connection.

(Rochester, NY) – Genesee Brewing received a few label approvals donning the brand’s classic look.

Genesee announced a month ago that it would be bringing back its old packaging look across the brand portfolio. In the past week, approvals have come in for Genesee Lager, Genesee Cream Ale and Genesee 12 Horse Ale.

Genesee, owned by North American Breweries, was once a powerhouse brewery producing over one million barrels annually. Will this change help revive the brand to the production levels of old?

Note: approved labels aren’t always finalized

(Pleasantville, NY) – Sayonara, Pleasantville.

Captain Lawrence Brewing‘s Scott Vaccaro formally announced that CLB is expanding through an email to customers and fans this morning. The Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manor Patch broke the news late last week.

I am excited to announce that after five and a half years of brewing at our current location, 99 Castleton St in Pleasantville, New York, Captain Lawrence Brewing Company will be moving five miles down the road to a new home. With our distribution continuing to grow, and the tasting room busting at the seams, it is time to make a move to a facility that can sustain our growth for years to come.

We are hopeful we will have the Brewery up and running by late this year, and should be making the transition complete by year’s end. We will be sure to keep you all updated as the build out progresses and will be posting pictures and video on our website.

(Brooklyn, NY) – This week’s brewery event featuring The Tonic didn’t quite go as originally planned for The Brooklyn Brewery.

The brewery announced on Monday that the TTB denied the label for The Tonic. The TTB, the short name for an agency called the Federal Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, governs product labels for beer (bottles, cans and kegs), wine and liquor year-round.

This came not only after doing up all the artwork as The Tonic but running advertisements under the old name as well. Fortunately, this is a draft only beer so the cost of re-packaging is virtually nil aside from any point-of-sale materials like posters. In 100 years, those actually might fetch a pretty penny.

The new name for the beer, which was inspired by a cocktail called The Penicillin, is The Concoction. For what it’s worth, The Penicillin was also denied by the TTB, putting Brooklyn Brewery in rare company.

So why all the fuss over the old names?

They could mislead or persuade a prospective buyer into thinking there are health benefits into drinking the alcoholic product. The concept is far-fetched but could hypothetically prompt someone into abusing alcohol due to perceived health benefits.

The Concoction still has yet to be approved as well and the beer isn’t expected to be released until mid-June.

New beer labels from the East Coast…lots of New York in this one

Ommegang Aphrodite: Got all the details here. Available in August in 750 bottles and draft.

Captain Lawrence Limone Luppulo: Label copy…”Round two of the collaborative brewing series with our good friends at DeCicco’s Market. Brewed with the hot New York summer in mind, this beer combines the refreshing elements of wheat, U.S.-grown hops and our classic American Ale Yeast. Clean and crisp with hints of citrus from the late addition of hops and spices.” 750s.

Blue Point White IPA and West Coast-style Pale Ale: Keg approvals only. What are all these “White IPAs” springing up now?

Ithaca Rough Draft Ale: Like Hop Stash, another draft-only beer that has received label approval for bottles…not sure whether this will actually be bottled or if this approval is just in case they eventually bottle it.

French Broad IPA and Superhero IPA: Not sure how IPA is different from the brewery’s Easy IPA. Superhero is only a keg approval at the moment.

Rohrbach California-style IPA: 1/2 gallon

(Lakewood, NY) – The following Southern Tier Brewing news just found its way into my inbox…

—————————-
(Edited)

Southern Tier Brewing continues to grow at a rapid pace…through April, we have seen 122% growth YTD as a brewery.

Our plan was for 74% growth so, as you can see, we are way ahead of where we thought we would be. To compensate, we have been forced to make a few changes to the beer line-up. Here are the changes:

• Heavy Weizen will not be produced this year.
• Cuvee #1 will be postponed until October.
• Big Red will be suspended until further notice. (There are approx. 350 cases left on hand)
• Hoppe will be suspended until further notice. (There are approx. 180 cases left on hand)
• Mokah will begin to ship this week and will all be shipped by early June
• Farmer’s Tan will begin to ship in late May
• Crème Brulee will ship in late June

We just installed four new 200 BBL fermenters that are on line now and has an additional two new 200 BBL fermenters arriving in early July.

(Brooklyn, NY) – Some news and notes out of Brooklyn…

First off, Brooklyn Brewery just released Summer Ale in cans for the first time.

How about the next Brewmaster’s Reserve beer? Here is the brewery write-up on The Tonic.

————————————————————————

We spend a lot of time with our pals in the cocktail world, and they are constantly putting new flavor combinations in front of us. One of my favorites is a Scotch-based cocktail called The Penicillin. Invented by bartender Sam Ross at Sasha Petraske’s famous NYC cocktail bar Milk & Honey, the Pencillin is an instant classic. It combines peaty Scotch, ginger-infused honey, and lemon juice. It’s an improbable blend, but it’s delicious, and it’s also the inspiration for our next Brewmaster’s Reserve beer, The Tonic. The government wouldn’t let us call the beer “Penicillin”, we’re afraid. But friends, between you and us, this brand new Tonic will cure many of your ills. Now take your Tonic and text us tomorrow.

MALTS
English Peat Smoked Malt, English Pale Malt, German Pilsner Malt

HOPS
Willamette, Cascades, Fuggles, Kent Goldings, Simcoe, Citra, Sorachi Ace, Amarillo

ADDITIONS
Dried Lemon Peel, Minced ginger, NYS Wildflower Honey, Organic, Lemon Juice from Italy (Sicily)

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Brooklyn Brewery Marketing Chief, Ben Hudson, confirmed that kegs of this beer will start shipping out from the brewery during the last week of May. It will not be available in bottles. Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver, said in a recent interview with Beer Sweden (see below) that they used 500 kilos (1,100 pounds) of ginger in this beer. Sam Ross actually came to the brewery to help out on the recipe as well.

According to a recent brewery blog entry, “[...] Brewmaster Garrett Oliver has traversed the Atlantic to partake in an exciting collaborative effort that has sent 150 bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill Distillery to Sweden, along with the entire Brooklyn brewing team, to barrel the 175th Anniversary version of Carlsberg’s classic Carnegie Porter.” Per Hudson, “Only a small (tiny really) will be making it’s way across the shores to America. It will most likely be used for special tastings and beer dinners.”

Finally, CEO, Steve Hindy, has made another couple of appearances on CNN’s The Boss. Watch the videos here.

(Brooklyn, NY) – The Brooklyn Brewery’s fastest growing seasonal beer is for the first time available in cans. Purchasable as a compact 12-pack, lightweight and more easily recycled than bottles, canned Brooklyn Summer Ale is the perfect companion for summertime activities.

To celebrate the release of Summer Ale in cans, The Brewery is holding a series of Summer “CANibalization” Parties at three NYC venues on Thursday, May 19 from 7-10pm featuring $3 cans of Summer Ale and merch giveaways: Good Co. in Williamsburg (10 Hope St), with complimentary grass-fed hot dogs from The Meat Hook; Pub One DUMBO (5 Front St); and The Hill in Murray Hill (416 3rd Ave).

Brooklyn Summer Ale is a modern rendition of the “Light Dinner Ales” brewed in England throughout the 1800’s right up until the 1940’s. They were also called “luncheon ales” or even “family ales”, because they were refreshing and flavorful without being too heavy. Brooklyn Summer Ale is brewed from premium English barley malt, which gives this light-bodied golden beer a fresh bready flavor. German and American hops lend a light crisp bitterness and a citrus/floral aroma, resulting in a beer with a very sunny disposition.

(New York, NY) – The New York Public Library has teamed up with Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to create a beer fit for a Founding Father – a porter based on George Washington’s handwritten “small beer” recipe, which can be found in the Library’s extensive collections.

The two institutions are brewing a very limited amount of “Fortitude’s Founding Father Brew” to toast the 100th birthday of the Library’s landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street.

“This partnership is a fun and unique way to bring our awe-inspiring collections to life,” said Ann Thornton, Acting Andrew W. Mellon Director of the New York Public Libraries. “Not only will it give people a rare opportunity to experience history first-hand, but it will shine a spotlight on the incredible depth and breadth of our collections. We have a treasure trove of materials that can be accessed by the public and used to advance the worlds of scholarship, literature, invention, creation . . . or even beer-making. It’s a perfect message to send on the 100th birthday of our Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which houses millions of these precious items. Cheers!”

The brewery – maker of such craft beer favorites as Coney Island Lager, Sword Swallower and Freaktoberfest and a part of Shmaltz Brewing Company, the “Best American Craft Brewer” according to Beverage World Magazine – is creating the beer in collaboration with two local brewers, Pete Taylor and Josh Knowlton, using Washington’s own instructions, which he wrote on a small piece of paper.

“To Make Small Beer,” reads Washington’s recipe. “Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses (sic) into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank[et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask — leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working — Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed.”

The recipe sits along with Washington’s Farewell Address and other items belonging to him and his family in the Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division.

“What an incredible opportunity that the New York Public Library has offered Shmaltz Brewing Company,” said Jeremy Cowan, founder of Shmaltz. “A chance to bring history, culture, and the written word from revolutionary times into today’s craft beer evolution. We are thrilled to transform Washington’s recipe into an even more complex and flavorful robust porter using a delicious array of the best small batch dark malts and hop varieties to produce a truly spectacular celebration for the contemporary beer connoisseur. By adding Brown Malt to the grain bill and the additions of Northern Brewer hops and rich molasses to the boil we were able to produce a beer that is modern but with ingredients that have been a part of brewing for generations. The 100th birthday of the Schwarzman Building is such a monumental occasion, let’s toast to 100 more successful years as a true New York cultural institution.”

Tastings of the beer will be served to guests at the Library’s Centennial gala on May 23 — exactly 100 years after “The People’s Palace” opened in 1911. The press will have an opportunity to taste the beer at an event on Wednesday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Rattle N Hum, located at 14 East 33rd Street in Manhattan. The public will have a chance to get a free tasting of the special brew as part of an event by Shmaltz Brewing Company at 7 p.m.

About The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 with the consolidation of the private libraries of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox with the Samuel Jones Tilden Trust. The Library provides free and open access to its physical and electronic collections and information, as well as to its services. Research and circulating collections combined total more than 50 million items. In addition, each year the Library presents thousands of exhibitions and public programs, which include classes in technology, literacy, and English for speakers of other languages. All in all The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org.

About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Shmaltz Brewing Company was acknowledged by Beverage World Magazine as “Best American Craft Brewer 2010″ and won the “Best In Show 2010″ title, after being named “Breakout Brand” for 2009. Shmaltz was recently named one of the “Top 20 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 over 8 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® with seven featured attractions including Coney Island Lager®, Albino Python®, Sword Swallower®, Human Blockhead®, Mermaid Pilsner®, Freaktoberfest®, and Luna Lager(TM). Proceeds 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.

Three-story “beer” will show off new look on May 5; Classic packaging will appear on shelves in early May

(Rochester, NY) – Genesee Beer is taking cues from its past to build on its recent success. The Beer will soon return to the striking packaging it donned nearly 40 years ago. The white cans with red and black logos that first made Genesee a household name will begin appearing on shelves in early May. Rochester will get a first look at the packaging when a new tank wrap is unveiled at the Brewery on May 5, 2011.

“We’re celebrating our historic past and toasting to our continued success,” said Janine Schoos, brand manager for the Genesee family of beers. “Genesee Beer had double-digit sales increases in 2010, and Genesee is again a regional sales leader in the popular-price beer segment. Using the vintage packaging truly celebrates what the Genesee family is about—history, heritage and producing great, authentic beers.”

As Genesee Beer experiences a revitalized popularity, the brewery is capitalizing on its heritage, which dates back to 1878. The red and white packaging first appeared on shelves in the early 1970s, at the peak of Genesee’s success when the brewery famously shipped three million barrels of beer. Most recently, the 24 oz. cans, rolled out in September of 2010, donned the historic look.

“The response to the vintage packaging on the 24 oz. cans has been overwhelmingly positive and it’s another success story for Genesee,” said Schoos. “We’re getting back to our roots and reintroducing this packaging across the entire Genesee Beer product line—including the largest and most recognizable can of them all, our 35,862,784 ounce tank on the brewery grounds.”

The new tank wrap will be installed and available for public viewing on May 5, 2011.

Genesee prides itself on being an authentic, quality beer, known for its great taste and affordable price. That message is again resonating with consumers—since 2009, the Genesee Brewery and Genesee Beer have been on a growth path. The brewery recently announced plans to hire an additional 100 employees, continuing the trend started by the reintroduction of a third production shift. Nielsen data also shows that nationwide sales of Genesee Beer are up 35-percent and Genesee is returning to popularity in its hometown of Rochester.

The beer is also experiencing success outside of Rochester, with sales increases across the Western and Southern United States.

“Genny has really gained momentum in areas like Washington, Ohio, and Florida,” said Schoos. “It’s proof that being an authentic beer, with great taste and a great price is what consumers are looking for.”

“This really is a celebration of the hard work that got us here, and it’s only fitting to do so by giving a nod to our successful past,” said Schoos.

About The Genesee Brewery:

The Genesee Brewery, based in Rochester, New York, is one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in the United States and is part of North American Breweries. In 2010, the Genesee Brewery earned AIB Certification, a nationally recognized industry designation for quality excellence in food, beverage, and brewing manufacturing practices and product safety. The brewery makes the historic Genesee line of beers, Seagram’s Escapes, the Original Honey Brown Lager as well as Dundee Ales and Lagers family of craft beers. The Genesee Brewery also manufactures beer and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under contracts on behalf of other companies.

(Cooperstown, NY) – Brewery Ommegang has a couple new beers coming in the next few months.

The week of July 18th will bring a specialty draft-only offering called Belgian Independence Day Saison. The beer is a celebration of Belgium’s big day, July 21st. Marketing Chief, Larry Bennett, said that this will differ from the brewery’s year-round Saison, Hennepin, in that it will bring a more prominent spiciness due to the addition of white pepper.

The launch of this beer will take place at events throughout the country that week though it may appear at a couple limited special events before then.

Another upcoming specialty release, whose name is still being finalized Aphrodite, is scheduled to hit shelves and draft in August. Aphrodite is fermented with Brettanomyces and features raspberries and pears in fermentation.

For kegs, fermentation with Brett will take place over the course of two months. For bottles, an Ommegang yeast strain will be used in primary fermentation with Brett being incorporated in bottle-conditioning.

Bennett describes the concept as a light-bodied beer (uses Pils malts) that is dry and balances barnyardy notes from the Brett with sweet and tart notes from the fruit. The brewery is aiming for an 8% ABV target on this beer.

As noted in Ommegang’s 2011 schedule, Ommegang Adoration will return this fall.

(New York, NY) – Shmaltz Brewing will introduce a surprise beer in bombers this year.

I say ‘surprise’ because Hop Manna IPA was not on the 2011 schedule at the beginning of the year.

Label copy: In the book of Exodus, the ancient Hebrews survived 400 years of bondage before the ultimate supreme court dropped the 10 deadly Plagues on the land of the taskmasters and its head dictator, the Pharaoh. Even then, only begrudgingly, did he Let My People Go. The freedom ride across, nay through the sea left a band of wandering nomads broke and suffering, no doubt with a mighty thirst and a profound hunger. Enter the Manna: a glorious gift to nourish body and soul. Manna was said to combine the tastes of everything delicious to each person, depending on the desires of the one experiencing it. And as the Good Book says, Each shall gather according to one’s need and shall enjoy a double portion to get through thy chosen day of rest. Manna fed the entire tribe, but tradition suggests the righteous received manna ground in a heavenly mill, while the wicked had to grind it below for themselves. Perhaps we’ll let the brewers decide who’s been naughty or nice…

Hear o’Tribe of Shmaltz…Behold! A celebration of the flower of the craft beer revolution! A golden opportunity to feed your inner hop head and rejoice in Hop Manna, our newest delicacy of the modern He’brew Beer family. L’Chaim!

Beer Stats:

Malts: Specialty 2-Row, Rye Ale, Wheat Malt, Vienna
Hops: Warrior, Northern Brewer, Cascade, Amarillo, Crystal, Fuggle, Golding
Dry Hops: Cascade, Crystal, Amarillo

Format: 22 oz. bottles
6.8% ABV, 65 IBUs

(Ithaca, NY) – This hit my inbox just a half hour ago.

Some may recall the beer that Sierra Nevada brewed called FOAM for a Phish fest back in 2009. What is it about craft beer and Phish that just seems to go together?

Per the email:

Ithaca Beer Co. is chill to announce plans for another one-off beer coming out early June called Stash.

No coincidence, the aptly named Stash, is an homage to one of Ithaca Beer’s favorite jam bands, Phish. Also, no coincidence, Phish is coming to Watkins Glen International (practically our backyard) July 1-3, 2011. While you won’t likely see our homegrown tribute ale on the raceway grounds because it’s not The Official beer of Super Ball 9, you will find it on draft at a slew of craft accounts around the Finger Lakes leading up to the festival.

Stash will be a one-off India Pale Ale weighing in around 6.0% ABV. If your mouth isn’t watering already, you’re about to become a drooling mess when we tell you Chief plans to pull the dankest hops from his “hophead stash” for this IPA.

Available in draft only and VERY limited in distribution. All Stash inquiries should be directed to Ithaca Beer at #(607) 273-0766. Closer to the date, a list of places you can find Stash will be made available.

To find out more about this “Sensational. Mind-blowing. Fantabulous” Super Ball 9, check out the official phish website at www.phish.com …oh wait, we didn’t officially say that!

(Pleasantville, NY) – Per today’s newsletter, there is some new stuff coming from Captain Lawrence…

Here’s the update:

The Picnic table is back in business…..

Rosso e Marrone – Batch# 3

This is the third edition of our Gold Medal winning American Sour Ale. Put into the barrels in May of 2008 where it slowly aged for over a year with Brettanomyces before we added in freshly crushed Merlot and Zinfandel grapes. Another year and half in the barrel and it was finally ready to go. The flavors are funky, with notes of rich red grapes and oak with a nice sour twang. This is one of my favorite to date.

Production: approximately 1250 bottles
Packaging: 375ml bottles
Price: $15 / per bottle
Limit: 6 per customer

Release Date: Saturday, April 16th – 11:00 am

We are going to use the same procedure as we have in the past. We will put out the ticket counter at some point the night before. Grab a ticket and be on line at 11:00am for the release. Getting a ticket does not guarantee beer, but we should have enough to go around. We will not be selling on line, over the phone, or reserving bottles for people, so if you want beer you have to show up on the 16th.
See you on the 16th.

Beers in the works…..

Barrel Select #2 – sour brown ale, bottles only
Barrel Select – Raspberry, bottles only
Barrel Select – Cherry, bottles only
Saison – draft and bottle

We hope to have these beers ready to go sometime before July, but as we all know with the barrel aged beer, the beers tells you when they are ready, not the other way around. As details and release dates are available we will post them and send out an email.

(New York, NY & San Francisco, CA) – America’s smallest, biggest and most award-winning Jewish (and now Sideshow Freak) Beer Company, Shmaltz Brewing Company is proud to announce achieving over two and a half times the national average with nearly 25% growth over the past year. In 2010, Shmaltz sold more than 100,000 cases of HE’BREW Beer® and Coney Island Craft Lagers®, and projects its annual sales for 2011 at $2.75 million. With a staff of 10 employees, Shmaltz strides forward with a tradition of releasing exceptional specialty beers while producing jobs, marketing innovative label designs in a seemingly saturated beer market, and successfully maintaining a grassroots wholesale network of largely family-owned businesses.

Listed below is a round up of the top awards Shmaltz garnered in 2010, information about Shmaltz’s debut book Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah, and the forthcoming beer lineup for 2011.

Awards 2010
Shmaltz has received several distinguished beer and design awards marking 15 years of dedication to brewing up delicious beer and delicious shtick. Beverage World Magazine named Shmaltz “Best American Craft Brewer” for 2010, and recently awarded Shmaltz’s Art Director Matt Polacheck a Gold Medal at the Global Packaging Design Awards for his design of the Coney Island Variety Pack® (returning to stores in May 2011). Polacheck also took home two Gold Medals from The World Beer Championships Packaging Competition 2010 for his design of the Coney Island Variety Pack® and label artwork for HE’BREW’s Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA®.

At the Great American Beer Festival 2010 (Denver, CO), HE’BREW’s R.I.P.A. on Rye®, the debut release in Shmaltz’s barrel-aged series, won a Silver Medal in the Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer category, and received a Silver Medal at the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer 2010 (Chicago, IL). In January 2011, Ratebeer.com named Shmaltz one of the “Best 100 Brewers in The World.”

Shmaltz Proprietor Jeremy Cowan’s Debut Book
In fall 2011, Cowan will nationally release his debut book: Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How it Took 13 years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to make Shmaltz Brewing Company an International Success. In this small business memoir, Cowan divulges how he took on the craft beer world, and ultimately created one of the most respected brands in the country. Established in San Francisco in 1996, with the first batch of 100 cases of HE’BREW Beer® bottled, labeled, and delivered by hand, Shmaltz Brewing Company has sold over 8 million bottles of HE’BREW Beer® and Coney Island Craft Lagers® to date. Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah documents Cowan’s early days of delivering beers in his Grandmother’s Volvo, to winning awards 13 years later at top craft beer festivals around the country. This meaningful, relevant, and often hilarious memoir takes readers on a wild ride with the head of one of today’s most successful and award winning Jewish Freak Show Craft Breweries.

Beer Plans 2011
Shmaltz will release an unprecedented product line-up in 2011. From ambitious barreling aging projects and collaborations with other top breweries to releasing a limited edition beer for charity, Shmaltz is brewing some of today’s most outrageous craft beers in the industry. Here are the featured beers for 2011:

Vertical Jewbelation®
Currently on shelves nationwide, Vertical Jewbelation® (10% alc) marks the third release in Shmaltz’s barrel-aged series. A blend of all seven recipes of Jewbelation® (8 – 14) barrel-aged in Sazerac six-year rye whiskey barrels throughout 2010, Vertical Jewbelation® recently won a Gold Medal at the World Beer Championships 2011.

Barrel-Aged Coney Island Human Blockhead®
Next up in the barrel-aged series will be Barrel-Aged Coney Island Human Blockhead® (June 2011), which features eight specialty malts of barley, wheat, rye and oats, and six hop varieties ranging from European Noble roots to American Pacific Northwest new school flavors. An imperial American bock aged in fresh first-use Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels, Human Blockhead’s® enormously developed body is rounded out by flavors of oaky deliciousness.

Genesis 15:15®
The final barrel-aged release of the year will be Genesis 15:15® (September 2011). A barrel-aged imperial amber brewed with pomegranates, figs, dates and grapes, Genesis 15:15® comes in at a soaring 15% alc. In Jewish tradition, each of these fruits is a sacred species.

Coney Island Variety Pack® & HE’BREW Holiday Gift Pack®
Shmaltz will once again release their most innovative packaging designs to date. In May 2011, the Coney Island Variety Pack® (12 oz bottles of Albino Python®, Sword Swallower®, Coney Island Lager®, and Mermaid Pilsner®) will be available in stores across the country. Coming up for Chanukah 2011, Shmaltz will update the HE’BREW Holiday Gift Pack® to feature all eight recipes of the award-winning Jewbelation® series including Jewbelation 15® (15%, 15 malts, 15 hops) plus a bottle of a new barrel-aged Vertical Jewbelation®. The Gift Pack will include a custom glass, Chanukah candles and instructions on how to build your own beer menorah.

Reunion: A Beer For Hope®
In collaboration with Terrapin Brewing, Pete Slosberg (of Pete’s Brewing Company), Alan Shapiro and SBS Imports, Shmaltz will release the latest installment of Reunion: A Beer For Hope® (9% alc). Now in its fifth year of production, and with Shmaltz directly participating in the project for the first time, Reunion® is dedicated to raising awareness and funding for myeloma and bone cancer research. In tribute to the late Reunion® co-creator Virginia MacLean, Shmaltz is thrilled to help raise money for The Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research. An imperial brown ale, Reunion® is brewed with chocolate, vanilla and Mexican chipotle flavors to complement tales from the three namesakes of the beer.

Geektoberfest® & Coney Island Freaktoberfest®
For NY Craft Beer Week (September 16 – 25, 2011) and Halloween 2011, Shmaltz will release Geektoberfest® (a collaboration with Captain Lawrence and Ithaca Brewing) and Coney Island Freaktoberfest® (6.66% alc, four-packs). The 4th Annual Freaktoberfest Boutique Beer & Music Festival will take place in Brooklyn, NY on Friday, September 16, 2011, and for the second year in a row, it will mark the official kick-off event for NY Craft Beer Week. Event details will be announced in the coming months at www.freaktoberfest.blogspot.com.

The year 2011 is set to be an incredibly exciting one for Shmaltz Brewing. Come join the tribe for a delicious adventure your taste buds will never forget!

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 20 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 eight 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® with seven featured attractions including Coney Island Lager®, Albino Python®, Sword Swallower®, Human Blockhead®, Mermaid Pilsner®, Freaktoberfest® and Luna Lager(TM). Proceeds 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.

Shmaltz offerings are available in more than 25 states through 30 wholesalers at more than 1500 retail specialty shops across the U.S., including Beverages & More, Whole Foods, Total Wine, select Krogers and Cost Plus.

(Pleasantville, NY) – A few new approvals from Captain Lawrence Brewing.

A while back, Captain Lawrence got approvals for its first beer in the Barrel Select Series, a beer called American Sour Ale aged in oak barrels. Now there are two more coming in the series, American Sour Ale with raspberries and American Sour Ale with cherries. These beers have been in the barrel for over four years according to the labels.

The brewery also got approval for a Saison, dry-hopped with U.S.-grown hops.

All three beers will be packaged in 750s (and the Saison recently got draft approval).

(Shiner, TX) – The Spoetzl Brewery, the country’s fourth largest craft brewer and maker of the legendary Shiner Bock, will begin distribution in New Jersey April 1. The first public appearance will be at the 2011 Atlantic City Beer Festival, with distribution to retailers and on-premise locations across the state beginning the same week.

Shiner will be represented by five leading beer distributors in the state: Hub City Distributing Co. in Lawrenceville, Kohler Distributing Co. in Hawthorne, Kramer Beverage Company in Hammonton, Peerless Beverage Co. in Union and Shore Point Distributing in Freehold.

The people of Shiner are very excited to see their beer in New Jersey. Shiner has been produced since 1909 in the small Texas town (population 2,070) of the same name. Every drop of Shiner beer is still brewed in the town by only 66 brewery workers.

The brewery gets its name from Kosmos Spoetzl, the Bavarian-born and trained brewmaster who was brought to Shiner by the German and Czech immigrants who settled the town and missed the beer they had left behind in their home countries.

“We’re an independent brand with an obsession for quality and a love of our craft; it’s been that way ever since the brewery opened 102 years ago” said Jimmy Mauric, Brewmaster for Spoetzl. “We’re proud to now be in New Jersey.”

Shiner is known for crafting beers true to the brewery’s German and Czech roots but also for creating new brews combining that heritage with innovative twists.

The first Shiner beers in New Jersey will be Shiner Bock, one of the top selling craft beers in the country and the brewery’s flagship brand, first brewed in 1917 and Shiner 102, a unique double wheat beer that is this year’s special anniversary beer. Also available will be the Family Reunion – a variety pack featuring six different Shiner beers. Other varieties and seasonals will follow.

SOURCE: Spoetzl Brewery

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) The cheerful gnomes of Belgian farmstead Brasserie d ‘Achouffe dropped by the Brewery Ommegang farmstead brewery in the summer of 2010.

They brought with them a typically gnomic idea: why not co-create a totally new beer to bridge both farmsteads across the Atlantic Ocean? The beer happily evolved through multiple pilot brews and tastings, resulting in a strong Belgian Golden Ale using Chouffe yeast in the primary fermentation and Ommegang yeast in the secondary. The lushly fruity and spicy yeast is a signature found in every Chouffe beer, and the combination of their yeast, our brewing skills, and our own yeast yielded a unique, flavorful, and aromatic dose of brewing magic. The beer was deemed a big success by Chouffe gnomes and Ommegang alike, was christened Gnomegang, and went into commercial production as a Limited Edition Ommegang ale for sale beginning in the second quarter of 2011.

In appearance, Gnomegang is a rich, translucent gold, with a big, fluffy white head. The high-carbonation is readily apparent. The nose focuses on distinctive clove aromas, combined with yeasty fruitiness typical of Chouffe beers. Flavors include ripe fruit, clove, light caramel, non-cloying candy sweetness, smooth maltiness, and well-balanced hopping. Mouthfeel offers a big, round body with full, fine carbonation. The finish is dry and warming, lingering gracefully.

Gnomegang is available in 750ML corked bottles and 1/6 barrels. It is available all across the US, and ships beginning early March for sales beginning late March to early April. A limited number of bottle samples are available for review by e-mail request to larry@ommegang.com.

Gnomegang Specs:
Style: Belgian-style Strong Blonde Ale
Malts: Pilsner, Carapils, Flaked Oats, flaked Red Wheat, Special B
Hops: two Saaz varieties, hopped 3 times
Spices: none
Sugar: yes
Yeast: Chouffe yeast in primary fermentation, Ommegang yeast in bottle conditioning
OG: 19.9 o Plato
FG: 2.9 o Plato
ABV: 9.5% abv
IBU: 19
750 ml bottle: Bottle-conditioned with Ommegang house yeast
1/6 bbl keg: Forced-carbonation

Brewery Ommegang opened in 1997 to craft-brew fine Belgian-style ales. The brewery creates six ales year-round as well as an extensive range of limited edition ales. The beers have won national following by connoisseurs of fine beer and are distributed in over forty states. Ommegang production and sales continue to grow rapidly and the company is in the process of significant physical expansion to meet growing demand. The brewery is located on a 140-acre farmstead in Cooperstown, New York and offers free daily tours and tastings, as well as a well-stocked brewery store and an online store. Ommegang is open every day of the year except for Christmas Eve day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Year’s Day. For more info, contact info@ommegang.com, call 1-800-544-1809, or visit www.ommegang.com. Ommegang is a member of the Duvel family of fine beers.

SIXPOINT BREWERS LAUNCH MAD SCIENTISTS #2 – THE “BERSERKER BOCK” BREWED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDS FROM STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERS

(Brooklyn, NY) – The Sixpoint Brewers today announced the second incarnation of its Mad Scientists line of beers. This second offering in the ongoing series is named the “Berserker Bock” in reference to an obscure but significant cultural fact – beer played a significant role in the very influential Viking period in Medieval Europe. The “Berserkers” had brewers accompany them on their voyages, and the brewers would collaborate with local medicine men and forage for herbs, spices, and extra ingredients to place into their brews. In a similar analog, the Sixpoint Brewers of Red Hook, Brooklyn have also added a special additional ingredient – fresh roasted Guatemala Finca El Injerto beans from Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Red Hook.

The Guatemalan beans are a special varietal from the Huehuetenango region. This particular coffee-growing estate in Huehuetenango is managed by Arturo Aguirre and his son, Arturo Junior, and the duo have a scrutinizing eye for bean selection and quality control. Their commitment and passion to the coffee attracted Stumptown and convinced them to strike a relationship with them. Stumptown Founder and Owner, Duane Sorenson, is effusive in his praise of the Finca El Injerto varietal. “No one in their right mind would dispute it as being….totally radical” claimed Sorenson. Sixpoint Head Brewer Ian McConnell concurred. “That aroma is…intoxicating” remarked McConnell, as the rich smell of the Bourbon varietal was wafting below his nose while making the Berserker Bock.

Unlike most coffee beers, the Sixpoint Brewers decided to brew a lager beer instead of the traditional Coffee Stout or Coffee Porter for the Berserker Bock. One of the difficulties accompanying this decision is Lager beers are cold-fermented and therefore have a cleaner flavor profile, lacking the complex esters that usually accompany ale fermentation. This inspired Shane Welch, Sixpoint President and Founder, to utilize a “cold-brew” approach to the El Injerto coffee as well, under the suggestion of Sorenson. The cold-brewed coffee would then be infused into the cold-brewed Bock, and the result would be a cleaner-tasting coffee Bock beer rather than the traditional roasted, charcoal and intense acidic flavor of a typical coffee Stout or Porter. “Being able to share not only ideas and concepts for this collaboration, but actual production techniques, was one of the reasons why this collaboration was so much fun. We were able to share insights as to how to properly put together a novel beverage, based upon our respective experiences. That is the true essence of collaboration,” remarked Welch.

A full documentary of the Berserker Bock can be viewed on Sixpoint’s YouTube page. The beer is available for consumption at select bars in NYC, and will be available in Philadelphia and Massachusetts next week.

http://www.facebook.com/sixpoint

http://www.flickr.com/photos/-sixpoint

Shmaltz Brewing Releases Vertical Jewbelation, Limited Edition Seasonal
Featuring a Blend of All Seven Recipes of Jewbelation Aged in Sazerac 6-Year Rye Whiskey Barrels

(New York and San Francisco, CA) – America’s smallest, biggest and most award-winning Jewish (and now Sideshow Freak) Beer Company, Shmaltz Brewing kicks off 2011 with the special release of the barrel-aged Vertical Jewbelation® (10.5% alc). Vertical Jewbelation® is a very rare brew as it is a blend of all seven recipes of every past anniversary offering of Jewbelation® (8 – 14) barrel-aged in Sazerac 6-year rye whiskey barrels throughout 2010. Vertical Jewbelation® is nationally available in 22 oz. bottles and a very limited amount of draft for select bars.

Vertical Jewbelation® is the latest release is Shmaltz’s barrel aged series, and recently took home a Gold Medal at the World Beer Championships 2011. Beverage Tasting Institute, the host of the World Beer Championships, states, “Vertical Jewbelation® is a delicious beer to savor.” RateBeer.com currently lists a 99-rating overall.

HE’BREW’s R.I.P.A. on Rye®, the first in Shmaltz’s barrel aged series, won a Silver Medal in the Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer category at this year’s Great American Beer Festival (Denver, CO), and also received a Silver Medal at the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer 2010 (Chicago, IL).

Brewed with the same number of malts, hops and alcohol percent matching its anniversary year, since its inception in 2004, Shmaltz’s Jewbelation® series has been touted by critics receiving top accolades including “5 Stars” from Celebrator Beer News, “Best Holiday Beer” by Pacific Brew News, and Playboy Magazine pegging Jewbelation Twelve® as one of the “Best Winter Brews.” Imbibe Magazine named Jewbelation 14® one of the Top 50 Beers in the world. Jewbelation 14® (2010-11) even won “Best Christmas Beer” in a blind holiday tasting from Northern California’s, SF Weekly. A recent issue of Beer Advocate (Volume II, Issue VIII) commented, “Today, Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing Company is arguably making some of the best contract-brewed beers in America.” Shmaltz Brewing broke into the Top 100 Breweries in the World rankings (top 1%) this year in RateBeer’s annual survey.

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 20 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 over 8 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® with seven featured attractions including Coney Island Lager®, Albino Python®, Sword Swallower®, Human Blockhead®, Mermaid Pilsner®, Freaktoberfest®, and Luna Lager(TM). Proceeds 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.

Shmaltz offerings are available in over 25 states through over 30 wholesalers at more than 1500 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, The Today Show, Bravo, NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” New York Magazine, Newsweek, Elle, SELF, Men’s Health, BUST, Playboy, Associated Press, Reuters, MSNBC, San Francisco Magazine, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, Washington Post, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, MAXIM.com, Forbes.com, Smartmoney.com, Entrepreneur.com, and Epicurious.com.

(Providence, RI) – Iconic New England brewer, Narragansett Beer, proudly announces expansion into the New York City market. Narragansett, (affectionately referred to as ‘Gansett) is now officially available for purchase at Manhattan and Brooklyn-area bars and package stores.

As New England’s biggest ‘neighbor’, ‘Gansett is thrilled to introduce their award-winning beer to New York City’s enthusiastic communities of beer fans, from Coney Island and Columbus Circle to Williamsburg and Washington Heights. Both Narragansett Lager & Light, as well as the brewer’s winter craft offering, Porter, are currently available in a number of New York bars including Professor Thom’s, Union Hall, Rattle and Hum and Good Beer as well as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Narragansett’s additional craft brews, Bock, Summer, and Fest, will be offered seasonally in the spring, summer, and fall respectively.

“Narragansett’s expansion into New York is an exciting step for our company as we look to accelerate the growth momentum we’ve built over the past five years,” states Narragansett CEO Mark Hellendrung. “Supported by a solid team of business partners and New York-based ‘Gansett fans, we’re optimistic the brand’s rich character will be well received by the city.”

First brewed in 1890 by the “Original Six” team of founders, an entrepreneurial group of German immigrants, Narragansett was the largest brewer and top selling beer of New England for decades. During its glory days, the Cranston, Rhode Island brewery produced almost two million barrels of beer per year and employed roughly 850 workers. As the official beer of the Boston Red Sox for more than three decades, the brands ubiquitous slogan “Hi Neighbor! Have a ‘Gansett”, became well known to audiences far beyond New England through nationwide sports broadcasts.

Due to a series of acquisitions starting in the 1970s, relocation of ‘Gansett’s production to Indiana, and the eventual demolition of the original brewery in 1995, the brand quickly lost its market share along with its unique character.

In 2005, Mark Hellendrung, former President of Nantucket Nectars, was introduced to Narragansett after asking for something with a ‘little more character’ in a Newport, RI bar. That year, he and a group of enthusiastic investors purchased the rights to the company, and, ever since, have been working to rebuild the ‘Gansett name, creating the foundation necessary to reestablish Narragansett as a beloved brand once again.

Since that time, the company has marked major business milestones and gained much national acclaim for its family of straightforward, high-quality beers. Recent accolades include the World Beer Cup Bronze Medal for Best Lager, being named #1 Premium Lager by Beer Advocate, and beating out Sam Adams and Sapporo as Best Lager in the 18th Annual Great International Beer Festival.

In addition to New York, Narragansett is currently sold in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

ABOUT NARRAGANSETT BEER:

Narragansett Beer……Brewed since 1890, ‘Gansett is a straight-forward, 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 their 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, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Western North Carolina.

(Ithaca, NY) – Ithaca Beer Co. delves further into funkification.

More experiments coming out of northern New York (and NJ?)…here’s the latest from today’s newsletter:

Brewed in continuation of the theme of last year’s highly sought after collaboration brew, SF-IPA, Ithaca Beer announces plans to brew another collaborative all-brett beer in early March. This time, our sights are set on an all-brett porter!

Let us know what you think of the initial artwork above, and check in at Ithaca Beer soon for more release information and story behind the beer!

(Pleasantville, NY) – Captain Lawrence Brewing will introduce a new beer this weekend.

Here’s the latest from last night’s newsletter:

Espresso Stout
We are still pouring our Espresso Stout, brewed with freshly roasted espresso beans from our friends at the Black Cow Coffee Company in Croton on Hudson
www.Blackcow.com

Dark and rich with a smooth coffee flavor from the beans that we add to the whirpool before we cool it down for fermentation. 6.0% abv

Winter Rye
This is a onetime beer that we brewed using organic rye and crystal malt from our friends at Valley Malting Co in Massachusetts.
www.ValleyMalt.com

They are a micro maltster, one of only a handful in the county, and they are doing some cool stuff.
The beer is a draft only release and is on tap in the tasting room for growlers as well as in the better beer bars throughout the NY metro area.
Brewed with our German yeast stain and lightly dry hopped with US Goldings. 5.0% abv

5 Years Later
Our 5 year anniversary beer will make its debut this Saturday at the brewery in 750ml bottles. This is the biggest beer we have made to date using the most malt and hops we have ever put through our system!

It is black in color, a touch malty and loaded with hops the whole way through
Available at the brewery and throughout the NY metro starting next week. We filled a few kegs so be on the lookout for it at better beer bars.
10% abv

Mixed Cases
While they last we are offering mixed cases of 4 x Golden Delicious, 4 x Nor Easter and 4 x 5 Years Later for $144 each in the tasting room.