New beer labels, part 1…

Cigar City Sugar Plum: “Cigar City Brewing’s official celebration of Christmas. A rich-bodied brown ale forms the stage for holiday flavors which dance a festive ballet highlighted by pirouetting leaps of Christmas inspired spices. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, rose hips and chamomile compliment the subtle chocolate and light coffee notes of the malt and the addition of roasted carob and chicory complete the performance. Brewed once a year to celebrate the Christmas season. Pair with fresh cracked nuts, fruit cake and share with friends and family.”

Piwo Grodziski by Dr. Fritz Briem: Grodziskie or Gratzer is a Sour Smoked Wheat Ale that was brewed in the 1900x in East Prussian and dates back to as as the 15th century. It was named after the Polish town of Grodzisk Wielkopolski or Gratz in German. Our historic version is brewed according to the German Purity Law with air-dried barley malt and beech smoked wheat malt and hopped with Perle and Saaz. A sour mash is created using the old and forgotten technique called “Digerieren.” Finally a three month aging and maturation process creates a complex sour, smoky and heavily hopped wheat ale.

Others…

Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale (12 oz)
Bierwerk American Stout by Afrikan Ales
Mons Abbey Blonde by Belgh Brasse
Mons Abbey Dubbel
Atwater Grand Circus IPA
Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale (new label)
Little Mountain Irish Red
Shock Top Wheat (16 oz)

(Tampa, FL) – Despite Cigar City‘s latest attempt to make drinkers go blind, I’ve done the legwork and transcribed the entire label for you. Enjoy.

This beer will be available on draft in addition to 750s (as seen here).

Auld Alliance Scotch Ale label copy:

Dunedin Brewery is Florida’s oldest Craft Brewery. Cigar City Brewing is one of the youngest. In fact CCB’s founder got his start int he craft beer business as a sales rep for Dunedin brewery.

Started in 1996 in the Scottish Heritage town of Dunedin, GL, Founder Michael Bryant and his staff at Dunedin Brewery displayed a tenacity that resulted in a staying power many breweries opened in the 90s were unable to match. It also resulted in a lot of really good local beer! 15 years of it in fact.

OVer the years, Dunedin has had a major impact on the Florida beer scene and served as an inspiration for those that followed it. In its role as Elder Statesman, Dunedin has both inspired and provided a model and it is in that spirit of cooperation and guidance that we present Auld Alliance.

Auld Alliance (vielle Alliance) was the alliance of kingdoms between Scotland and France from 1295 and 1560 which profoundly shaped the legal, military, cultural and even culinary makeup of both countries. It also provides a good historical analogy for the spirit of cooperation possessed by so many who work to create hand-crafted beer.

Auld Alliance is a Scotch Ale reflecting the Scottish contribution to the Alliance fermented with a Saison yeast strain thats origin is traced back to France.

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Brewing announced details for the Barrel Aged Hunahpu‘s release

Per the brewery blog…

Saturday, September 24th we are selling three different bottled barrel-aged variations of Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, only at the brewery.

The tasting room will open at 11am as always, but the sales for the bottles will start at 1:00PM.

New beer labels…

Peaotch by Terrapin Beer Co., Left Hand Brewing: Midnight Project Series Brew Four. Label copy…”Yep, we brewed a beer with Georgia and Colorado peaches. We tried to tell the peaches to get out of the way, but they wouldn’t. Ludicrous, we know. – Spike and Ro”

Others…

Terrapin So Fresh and So Green, Green (now with Challenger hops)
Two Beers Fresh Hop Ale
Big Dick Beer (punch line: Goes Down Smooth)
Meantime IPA
Meantime London Porter (label re-designs for 33cl bottles)
Little Mountain KGB Russian Imperial Stout
Little Mountain Saint Graal Belgian Style Ale
Mile Marker Zero Kolsch-style Ale
Keuka Local Mocha Stout
Rust Belt Blast Furnace Blond Ale
Lost Rhino RhinO’fest Marzen Amber Lager
Crabtree Syzygy Black IPA

(Dunedin, FL) – Seventh Sun Brewing Company is preparing to open this fall in Dunedin, Florida.

After three years planning, Seventh Sun owners Devon Kreps and Justin Stange have purchased equipment and begun the build-out process for their fledgling brewery.

Kreps and Stange both come with industry background: After finishing a Food & Fermentation Science degree at Oregon State, Kreps began work at Anheuser-Busch, until she left to become Production Manager for Sweetwater Brewing Company in Atlanta. Stange began volunteering at McGuire’s brewpub in Destin, was later hired on as a brewer at Sweetwater, and now brews for Cigar City in Tampa.

The pair started out with plans to open a much larger, 15-barrel, production facility but decided to scrap their plans when faced with the reality of finding funding in a struggling economy. “At the end of the day, we re-evaluated the plan and came to the realization that not only was a small project affordable, but it would allow us to have more flexibility with the style of beer we want to brew,” says Kreps.

The brewery will offer Belgian style ales and a variety of experimental IPA’s from their 3-barrel system as well as occasionally offering limited barrel-aged releases.

You can find Seventh Sun Brewing at 1012 Broadway near the intersection of Skinner Blvd (State Rd 580) and Broadway (US Alternate 19) in downtown Dunedin; projected to open this fall pending licensing approval.

(Atlanta, GA) – SweetWater Brewing outlines its plans for expansion…

Per the brewery’s latest blog post:

“We’ll have much more to share with you as the pieces get put into the place, but for now we wanted you to know some of the stats about what is happening down here on Ottley Drive!

Brewery construction is being led our founder Freddy Bensch and our Brewmaster Mark Medlin

• Construction on the new building (center of the photo) began in July and should be finished by November
• Expanding from 26,000 square feet to 114,000 square feet
• An additional 400,000 barrels capacity, taking us from 100,000 this year, to 500,000 once we are finished
• in 2010 we sold 77,000 barrels and this year we are on pace for well over 90,000 barrels sold
• on the roof will be a 157 KwH Solar Array, the largest private system the city of Atlanta – reduces the need for over 300,000 lbs of CO2, 19,000 gallons of gas, 176,000 lbs of coal per year – and the ROI in this should be within 3 years
• new building in the center will house – new packaging hall, new QA lab, new keg filler, new offices, outdoor deck, new machine shop, and an additional event space
• new packaging hall will feature a brand new 550 btl/min krones filler and bottling line, along with a brand new keg line, all to increase the quality of our packaged beers
• we are building an actual merchandise shop where our current maintenance room is, just behind the wall of the existing t shirt stand
• Trails for access from the street to the Beltline will be built next to our building.  SweetWater sits at the end of one of the spurs to this proposed and in the works “necklace” of parks, trails and green spaces that will circle Atlanta
• And this is phase 1 of the plan – phase 2 will be the addition of more fermentation and brite tanks, most will be 1000 bbls tanks
• phase 3 will be the installation of a new 250 bbl brew house to supplement the existing 50 bbl system we are brewing on 24 hours a day 6 days a week currently

“

(Winston-Salem, NC) – Big beer release news out of North Carolina…

Here is the lowdown via Foothills Brewing‘s newsletter:

“It’s almost time for the third annual release of the famous collaborative brew Olde Rabbit’s Foot, appearing in bottles on Saturday, August 13.

For those who don’t already know, the Olde Rabbit’s Foot is a truly unique brew crafted from the labors of three different NC microbreweries. Duck Rabbit, Olde Hickory, and Foothills each contributed the wort from their signature imperial stouts; the combined brew was then aged in Pappy Van Winkle barrels with honey and cocoa nibs to produce a libation guaranteed to sweeten your countenance and enhance your reputation.

The bottles are 22 oz. and $20 each, and will go on sale at 10am. As with past bottle releases, we do recommend being very early to wait in line– there is a limit of four bottles per person, but supplies are still limited, and we cannot guarantee or reserve bottles for anyone.”

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

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

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

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

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

(Longmont, CO & Athens, GA) – Another pull-out and some new brews…

News trickled out earlier this summer that Left Hand Brewing has pulled distribution from Nebraska. The brewery has withdrawn distribution from a number of markets over the past year as demand in core markets has soared.

Atlanta Beer Master reports that this year’s Fade to Black release will be Chili Porter, due out in November.

Collaboration time with Terrapin Beer Co…here is the latest from Terrapin’s newsletter:

“The magic between Terrapin and Left Hand began in 2008 after a beer festival, around midnight, when the two companies decided to do an annual collaborative brew. This July we are once again teaming up to create the next volume of the Midnight Project series. This year’s collaboration has an agricultural theme featuring a product both states are known for…peaches! The ‘Peaotch‘ is a peachy ale that is sure to please.

Terrapin hosted the crew from Left Hand in Georgia this month for the brewing of ‘Peaotch.’ Left Hand Brew Master, Ro Gunzel, and Spike commenced to brewing late one night and we’re looking forward to another amazing beer this year!”

Finally, Terrapin’s Reunion Ale collaboration just debuted this past weekend:

“Reunion Ale ’11- A Beer for Hope is almost ready! This collaboration with Shmaltz Brewing Company is a Dark Ale brewed with cocoa nibs (from Olive and Sinclair), vanilla and chili peppers! Support the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research July 29 & 30th with two percentage nights featuring the release of the 2011 Reunion Ale! This will be the first chance to try this year’s brew and a chance to help us support a great cause! Our friends at The Beer Experience documented the brew day. Watch for these 22oz bottles soon.”

Saturday label update…

Cigar City Guava Groove: Bringing back the 80s. “Giant cell phones. White pantsuits. Reagonomics. The 80′s was all about excess. We tip our neon trilby hats to mentality with this beer. Not satisfied with the amount of guava in our Guava Grove saison, we doubled the amount of fruit in Guava Grove to create a truly radical beer fit for any dude or dudette. Totally tubular!” Bottled in 750s.

Others…

Gritty’s Halloween Ale
Blue Hills Oktobrau
Throwback Fat Alberta
Harmon Stryker Stout
Chardon Brew Works Pride of Geauga Maple Porter
Flat Earth Red Cape Ale
Karbach Sympathy for the Lager
Coors Light (Dallas Mavericks NBA Championship Tribute)

(Copenhagen, DENMARK) – Mikkeller has a couple new releases coming this fall.

Before we go any further, please note that these labels are not yet finalized or approved by the TTB. Sentence Beer was actually the first to reveal them earlier this week and I contacted Mikkeller artist, Keith Shore, to get more information about them.

Swinging Harry Tropical Quad:

“The Quad is a Belgian-Style Ale made in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing. It was brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops and aged in Grand Marnier barrels with papaya, mango and Brettanomyces claussenii. It will be released in 500 ML bottles.” The beer was brewed at Amager Bryghus in Denmark.

Mikkeller Happy Lovin’ Christmas:

“The Holiday IPA will be released in 750 ML bottles with a cork and foil top and is brewed with Ginger and Pine.”

These will both be released in the US and Europe. They will be imported to the U.S. by the Shelton Brothers.

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

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

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

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

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

(New Orleans, LA) – The Abita Brewing Company is pleased to announce it plans to offer three of its flagship brews in cans: Amber, Purple Haze and Jockamo I.P.A.

Abita Quality Always Comes First

Abita Brewing Company President David Blossman said, “The canning technology is something that we’ve been researching and investigating for a long time. We feel confident that today’s cans are a quality solution that will preserve and protect the flavor of Abita.” Continued Blossman, “For many years people associated craft beer with glass bottles only, but the perception and the technology of the aluminum beverage can has really changed.”

The new Abita cans will be coated with a special water-based lining to protect and preserve the great taste of the beer. This lining insulates the beer from the can’s interior surface. Canning also limits exposure to UV light and oxygen, two elements that can damage the taste of beer.

Abita Goes Where You Go

“You can take cans to the places we love in Louisiana where glass might not be convenient or allowed…parades, fishing, tubing, golfing, the beach,” said Blossman. “Louisiana is the Sportsman’s Paradise, Mardi Gras central and we’ve got the most dedicated tailgaters anywhere. We’ve made it even easier to bring Abita to the party, wherever it’s happening.”

“Cans go where glass bottles sometimes cannot–think about Louisiana’s 3,000 miles of coastline, over 400 annual festivals, 194 golf courses and 22 state parks. It all adds up to plenty of good reasons to put Abita Beer in cans.”

“Of course, I always preach the right way to drink a beer is to pour it into a proper glass. It’s the full sensory experience.” Blossman concluded.

Recycle and Renew, That’s Louisiana True

Aluminum cans are environmentally friendly. They are easy to recycle, weigh less to ship and the average new beer can is made of 40% recycled aluminum. “Abita has always been committed to a greener environment. We conserve energy and water, create our own bio-gas and drive greener vehicles. We use recycled content in our bottles and packaging materials. Aluminum cans are one more way Abita is working to keep our part of the world green and clean.”

Abita will offer the canned product in six and 12 packs and expect it to reach store shelves early in 2012. The canning will be based at the brewery in Abita Springs and Abita will also continue packaging in glass just as they have since they began brewing in 1986.

About The Abita Brewing Company

The Abita Brewing Company was founded in Abita Springs, Louisiana in 1986 and is the
oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast. Abita is the 30th largest commercial
brewer by production volume in the nation and the 17th largest craft brewer in the United States. Sales for the company should exceed 130,000 barrels this year.

Abita Brewing Company produces seven flagship brews year-round: Abita Amber, Golden, Light, Turbodog, Purple Haze, Jockamo I.P.A. and Restoration Pale Ale. Abita also offers five seasonal beers, three Harvest brews, three Big Beers and a draft-only series of Select beers.

(Atlanta, GA) – Friday was Demolition Day at SweetWater Brewing.

(Above: SweetWater Brewing Company demolished a building, clearing the site for their continued expansion which includes a new event space, new lab, and expanded outdoor area, on track to be complete in November 2011.)

As reported by the Atlanta Beer Master back in March, SweetWater is in the midst of an expansion that will bring annual capacity from 100,000 barrels to 400,000 barrels. The project is expected to be completed this coming November.

According to The New Brewer (BA, May/June 2011), SweetWater produced just over 70,000 barrels last year.

Here is the press release that went out Friday.

It was a “hoppy” morning for the Atlanta based craft‐brewery, SweetWater Brewing Company, as they watched Atlanta Demolition tear down their neighboring building just after 8:30am. “We have the opportunity to expand and grow, but we’re still the same people,” said SweetWater Brewery’s Minister of Propaganda Steve Farace.

“The expansion will mean more upgrades and more space to continue serving the community. It’s all about the quality of our beer, and the more beer we can sell in our backyard the better.” Staying true to its environmentally friendly roots, nearly 98% of the building that was destroyed this morning will be recycled.

About SweetWater Brewing Company: SweetWater Brewing Company is an Atlanta‐based craft brewery specializing in aggressive West Coast style beers. SweetWater’s brews are unpasteurized and designed to be consumed fresh so distribution is limited to the Southeast. The award‐winning lineup of year‐round brews includes SweetWater 420, IPA, Sch’Wheat, Blue and Georgia Brown. SweetWater also features a Catch and Release series of beers available on a limited basis throughout the year, and an experimental, one‐time‐only Dank Tank series. The SweetWater Brewery, open for tours every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5:30‐7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30‐4:30 p.m., is located at 195 Ottley Dr NE, Atlanta GA 30324. For more information about SweetWater Brewing Company, please visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

(Miami, FL) – Bacardi U.S.A. today announced the introduction of the newly-crafted HATUEY® – the legendary beer originally brewed in Cuba in 1927 – that will be available beginning this summer at bars and restaurants throughout South Florida.

The roots of HATUEY date back more than 80 years when it was first brewed by Cerverceria HATUEY in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Recognizing the opportunity to offer a premium beer to the Cuban market, the Bacardi family contracted a well-known German brewer to open Cercerceria HATUEY to produce and market a great tasting, premium beer. In the 1930s another family member, Joaquín Bacardí, traveled to Copenhagen to learn the art and science of brewing. He became HATUEY beer’s first Brew Master. He is credited, in large part, with HATUEY beer’s tremendous success. By the late 50s HATUEY had gained enormous popularity and became the number one premium beer in Cuba.

“We’re excited to bring back to this community a premium beer with so much history and tradition,” said Anler Morejón, project manager, Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. “Our new HATUEY micro-brewed ale follows the traditional craft beer brewing technique and is now brewed in smaller batches, in a family-owned, independent brewery, making for a perfect tasting beer with a great legacy,” Morejón added.

The new HATUEY Cuban Style Ale is made with malted barley, hops, yeast and water following traditional small-batch brewing techniques with fewer than 800 cases produced per batch. It is double filtered for optimal quality and has a golden, straw color and an airy mouth feel that finishes with a cool and crisp effect. The sweet malt combined with just enough hops adds character to the refreshing, light-bodied beer best served in a classic pilsner flute or a handled glass stein.

HATUEY beer, named after the Indian Chief Hatuey who led the Taino tribe resistance in the 16th century, captured Cuba’s essence and became the country’s most popular beer, selling 12 million cases in 1959. The enormous success of HATUEY can be credited to a fantastic beer combined with innovative marketing techniques for the era. When first introduced in 1927, with modern refrigerators not yet available, every case came with free block if ice to ensure consumers could enjoy a great tasting ice cold beer.

“There is tremendous legacy associated with HATUEY and Bacardi is proud to introduce a premium beer that is authentic to the brand’s history,” said Patricia Suau, company archivist.

HATUEY is proud to join with Eagle Brands Sales as exclusive distributor of HAUTEY in South Florida.

About HATUEY
Originally brewed in the Cervecería HATUEY in Santiago de Cuba in 1927, HATUEY was Cuba’s first premium beer. Joaquin Bacardi, a Harvard graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering, was sent to Copenhagen in the early 1930s to learn the art and science of brewing, and became HATUEY beer’s first Brew Master. Named after the Indian Chief, Hatuey, – the leader of the Taino tribe of Indians who lived in the early 16th century, from the island of Hispaniola- HATUEY originally sold 12 Million Cases. Expanding to meet the ever increasing demand for HATUEY, the Cervecerria Modelo in Havana opened in 1947 and had such success that the expansion continued with a state-of-the-art brewery, Cervecería Central, that went on line in 1953. By the late 1950’s, HATUEY was the number one premium beer in Cuba and dominated the Cuban beer market. Today, the craft, Cuban-style premium ale is brewed in small batches at a family-owned brewery in the United States following the traditional craft beer brewing technique, inspired by the authentic Cuban taste.

About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.
Bacardi U.S.A. Inc., is the United States import and distribution arm of one of the world’s leading spirits and wine producers. The company boasts a portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the United States including BACARDÍ® rum, the world’s favorite and best-selling premium rum, as well as the world’s most awarded rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top-valued and fastest-growing premium gin in the world; CAZADORES® 100 percent blue agave tequila, the number-one premium tequila in Mexico and a top-selling premium tequila in the United States; MARTINI® vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading and emerging brands. For additional information, visit www.bacardiusa.com.

(Tampa, FL) – The artist known as Gunhaver is keeping busy at Cigar City Brewing.

New labels are in for barrel-aged versions of Big Sound Scotch Ale. Only the Bourbon barrel version shown here has been previously bottled (with a different label) but the Rum and Whiskey labels are new. No details available on these yet…

Cigar City got similar approvals recently for Barrel-Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout.

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Oak-Aged Jose Marti Porter…label approved.

I know a little more about this beer than I’m letting on…more details to come very soon. It will be bottled in 750s and hits 8% on the ABV scale.

Other notes from Facebook….

• Cigar City is proud to present: the Transmogrify Series! We all have a little kid in us that likes to experiment and form unique creations, like taking existing things and turning them into something different. That’s what the Transmogrify Series is all about. We’re going to take some of our beers and change things up with them to turn them into something totally unique, such as use a completely different yeast strain or drastically alter the hop bill. Stay tuned for updates, as we will be serving a couple very soon in the tasting room!

• The brewery announced that this week’s Firkin Friday release will be White Chocolate Cream Ale.

• Monday was a big brew day for Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout.

(Athens, GA) – Terrapin Beer Company‘s Spike Buckowski traveled to Europe this past winter to collaborate with BFM.

(Photo Credit: Terrapin Beer Co. on Flickr)

“Gebraut nach dem Deutschen Reinheitsgebot”

Southern Brew News reported in its April/May edition…

Terrapin brewer, Spike Buckowski and Dustin Watts, were excited to be in Jura, Switzerland, late last February for a collaborative brew with Jerome Rebetez of Brasseries des Franches-Montagnes (BFM). The intriguing rye barleywine, destined to be aged in rum barrels, will come through BFM’s distribution for a limited release in the states. This strong ale with 20% rye created a challenging mash during an almost ten hour brew day. Buckowski states, Brewing at BFM was an extra special experience. For one, starting the brew from an iPhone is just ridiculous, but cheese fondue for lunch in the brewery…come on!”

The B. United International site indicates that it was supposed to be shipped in 11.2 oz. bottles and kegs in late spring but with label approval just coming through (keg only so far, see below), that is obviously going to be delayed a bit. The beer will eventually be released later this summer.

Here are some photos from the trip to Switzerland.

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Brewing has received label approvals for Barrel Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout.

There are three variations featured: 1) Four Roses Bourbon barrels, 2) Flor de Cana Rum barrels and 3) Stranahan’s Whiskey barrels. No info is available right now on the release of these beers. Up to this point, the regular version of the beer has been released in March with a one-day special event. Each label is for a 750ml bottle.

(Atlanta, GA) – Red Brick Brewing sent out a newsletter today with information on a new release and a returning release.

Red Brick Double IPA

Our Brick Mason Series picks back up this month with our 2nd release. Red Brick Double IPA. This limited release is a hoppy brew that is sure to please your senses and assault your taste buds…in a good way, of course! Here are some stats:

- To give this brew that extra “hoppiness” Brewmaster Dave brewed with 5 different hops: Apollo, Bravo, Columbus, Centenial and Cascade

- 90 IBU’s (International Bittering Units)

- This Brew is a doozie with a potential ABV of 9%

- Target release date: First week of June. Contact your favorite local retailer for details.

Red Brick Oktobeer Fest

Scheduled to hit the shelves during late summer, this German Style lager is sure to bring life to your football parties this fall! So get ready for a Red Brick touchdown cause this brew is sure to keep you cheering all season!!

Color: Light copper with a thick white head.

Nose: clean, malty aromas with noble hop flavor

Palate: This is a tgry German lager with a clean, sweet, malty flavor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cigar City Brewing: Saturday saw the release of Nielsbohrium.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Nashville, TN) – BountyBev President and Better Beer Guy, Kurt Strickmaker, dishes on the Tennessee beer scene, the nutty local laws with which he has to work and the latest developments with Sierra Nevada and Senate Bill 1224.

1)      Give me the Bounty Beverage story in one paragraph.

BountyBev is Tennessee’s American Craft-only distributor and it’s our passion to educate consumers and help them in the discovery of U.S. independent or family-owned breweries. Quality is of the utmost importance to our team and our retail relationships afford greater choice and selection as a result of our commitment to better beer.

2)      What brands do you carry?

As true brand builders, we have been blessed with a growing and balanced portfolio mix. From the oldest micro-breweries in PA and WI, we’re lucky to distribute Stoudts and Sprecher in Tennessee. BountyBev represents brands from Oregon to New York including (but not limited to!)  Caldera and Butternuts Beer and Ale. We also service our local and regional brewery partners like French Broad, Moerlein, Chattanooga Brewing and Jackalope. Other fantastic and award winning breweries include Fort Collins Brewery, Lucky Bucket, Buckbean, and Ruckus.

3)      How do you pitch a craft brewery to come to Tennessee over another state?

The Southeast is the fastest growing Craft market in the U.S. and Nashville specifically is a thriving city. The main reason for these happenings points to us as being slightly behind neighboring states because of the fewer number of breweries and brand offerings. Now is the perfect time for us to strategically partner with the right breweries before the market hits any form of saturation, which is years away. Our consumers are hungry and savvy and therefore support the cause. We operate out of Nashville and service both the Knoxville and Chattanooga markets which in turn builds brands in the music industry, several major universities, and with the outdoor recreational enthusiasts. It is our sole mission and purpose to advance our state and position us as a reputable Craft market leader in the growing Southeastern quadrant.

4)      How do you pitch a craft brewery to go with you over one of the bigger TN distributors?

All the big boys want to get into Craft nowadays. I always chuckle at the many blue blazers during the annual Craft Beer Conference while I meet and greet in my flip flops and better beer guy shirt! We’re different; in more ways than one. At BountyBev, we don’t just believe in our suppliers or retail partners. We see the system all the way through and consider the consumer the most important component of our model. If the end-consumer isn’t satisfied, neither is the retailer or brewery. Quality is critical and we clean our draft lines every two weeks.

We build OUR brand (the Better Beer Brigade) using the brands of our supplier partners to engage the consumer in a credible relationship. We utilize social media and other means to create a one to one connection that the large distributors won’t tackle. We tweet, create viral videos, post on BA, and generally go above just delivering and rotating stackers. We’re swift and mighty and operate with little red tape. We are not the Wal Mart of distributors and we don’t want to be anything other than specialists in our category. People thank us for bringing better beer to Tennessee and in turn lean to us for what’s next.

5) Jackalope Brewing is the first new start-up brewery that you’ve added to your portfolio. Who approached who and how did that partnership come about/what did you like about them?

Thankfully we’re in the business of people and as all good things in life go, the stars were aligned on this one. Through a mutual connection named Jack (kind of ironic!) he introduced me to the Jackalope gals a year before they even found a physical brewery location. They are Nashville’s newest entrant and will be brewing on a 15 bbl system and launching draft only. But the coolest thing about them is they are Tennessee’s first female-duo to operate and own a brewery in our home state. Robyn and Bailey are amazing spirits and bring such light to the world around us. I know they’ll do the same with their beer and all while having fun. We are huge advocates for women in this business (insert shout-out to Denise Jones here!) and hope more female brewers expose their brewing talents in the near term.

6) What are some of the more common mistakes that you see young craft brands making in your market or elsewhere?

It’s no secret that a distributor can make or break your brand. The most common mistake a brewery can make is selecting the wrong partner to grow their brands locally. In fact, I know an award winning brewery who selected a distributor without proper due diligence. They awarded their draft beer brands to the entire state and the distributor didn’t even have refrigeration or at the very least, a temperature controlled warehouse. My unsolicited advice, you say? This is a marriage, people! Spend the money and take the time to survey the market. Ask the top 20 Craft or specialty stores both on and off-premise who the best distributor is for the category. Only then can you make a truly confident decision. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to know the distributor’s portfolio so as a brewery you can understand where you will fit in and if there are competing brands that might take the top spot over your own.

7) My understanding of Title 57 is that a brewery is allowed to self-distribute in Tennessee but only within its own county. In general, do you think that a brewery should be allowed to self-distribute to wherever it wants?

We believe in a marketplace where consumers dictate available offerings and Tennessee is growing wildly in Craft. I’m sure most distributors would not agree with me, but I believe small brewers should be allowed to self-distribute wherever it makes sense for THEIR business. I’m a realist and understand a small brewer deserves to control their brand from the get-go and make as much margin as possible to reinvest in their business. But again, as a realist, it only makes sense to partner with the RIGHT distributor so the brewer can focus on their core competency; brewing. Distribution is controlled chaos and can detract from the most vital aspects of a small brewery’s business.

8- Does TN have a lock-in rule between breweries and distributors or are breweries able to leave if not happy with a distributor?

We are a franchise state but BountyBev is different. We truly want to bring a fresh perspective to the second tier and demonstrate the integrity of our country’s strong distribution system. Too often I’ve seen ‘squatters’ on brands, ‘land-grabbers’ if you will. We believe that if a brewery chooses to partner with a distributor and they aren’t getting the job done, they should be able to easily find a partner who can. If we are ever in a situation where our supplier partners aren’t happy with our performance we will gladly let them choose an alternative partner with fair compensation. We exist to add-value to the American beer business and limiting its growth by tying down brands just so another distributor can’t represent a particular brewery is criminal.

9) How does the law (and the taxes) work with any beer over 5% alc. by weight being considered either a wine or a spirit?

Well let me first say that Tennessee does not have an income tax. But we do have some of the highest wholesale taxes in the country. I pay 17% of the actual wholesale price to the local city where that beer is sold and delivered. For instance, if BountyBev sells a keg for $100 to a licensed permit holder in Franklin, TN, I would cut a check to the City of Franklin for $17 the following month. Ouchie, as that comes right off the top!

We also have an interesting law where BountyBev can only sell beer up to 5% by weight (roughly 6.3% by volume). Therefore, in order to best serve our supplier’s brand portfolios we had to form a second company, BonusBev. With the addition of Bonus, we can now sell beer over 6.4% abv but they operate as two totally separate companies. Bonus leases space from Bounty in the warehouse even. In fact, we are required to separate all high and low-alc beer in our warehouse with a fence and we do the same on our trucks. Apparently, the big and little beer tend to fight at night or cross pollinate when no one’s watching. Oh, and it’s interesting to note that the TN Alcoholic Beverage Commission treats big beer as a distilled spirit and the TN Department of Revenue treats it as wine! We’ll get there one day…

10) What are your thoughts on all the talk around SB 1224 and Sierra Nevada considering Tennessee as a possible location for its east headquarters?

We discovered last Thursday that a bill had been passed in the House allowing only 3 permits in all of TN to brew beer over 5% by weight. Our position is that we felt it was anti-competitive, unfair, self-serving, and monopolistic. I’m proud to say that over 400 emails and letters were sent to the Governor and many people contacted their Senators as this bill would soon be proposed and voted on Tuesday (today). This legislation had taken everyone by surprise but now, as I write this, the bill has been referred back to committee. Although this bill had some harmful language which would limit small business in the Tennessee brewing industry, there are some very positive strides being taken in this legislation.

The bill proposes treating high alcohol beer (over 5% by weight) as BEER (novel concept) whereas now it’s treated as a spirit (yet it’s not distilled and it’s a naturally occurring fermentable malt beverage…of moderation!).

The speculation that surrounded this bill was that Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is considering building a facility in East TN which would be AMAZING for us and our craft beer culture. I simply want the following on the record and I speak on behalf of the craft beer community: We hope and pray that SNBC will have the ability to brew beer over 5% by weight and will select our state to form a working relationship, all while giving small brewers the same ability to purchase a license of equal stature. SNBC is a true pioneer in craft and we as Tennessee residents can’t fathom the good that would come out of them selecting a site to do business in our State.

Thanks, Kurt.

You can follow the tribes and tribulations of Kurt and Bounty Beverage on both Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. For the recently-started Bonus Beverage side of the business, here is a fresh link for the new Twitter account.

(Chico, CA) – Here is Sierra Nevada Brewing‘s response to the legislative limbo in Tennessee.

….as sent by Communications Coordinator, Bill Manley:

———————————————————————

It is true we are looking for a new facility in the East, although, no final decisions have been made as to whether we ARE in fact going to build. Nevertheless, we’ve narrowed our search down to a handful of locations and we are doing our due diligence in finding the best spot for our company moving forward.

That said, one of the requirements for us in any site is to be able to brew and sell the full lineup of our beers. All of the states on our final lists either A) Have laws that would already allow us to do what we are doing here in Chico or B) Are working on amendments to state laws that would allow us to brew and sell our beer.

Sierra Nevada does not employ lobbyists in any of the states we are considering for a potential eastern location, and have had little-to-no input on any of these potential bills moving through state governments. We are in the business of brewing beer, not writing legislation. We have no interest in excluding craft brewers, nor limiting the favorable business environments that allow the craft brewing community to thrive. At the end of the day, we have very little control or involvement over the legislation in question.

As it currently stands, Tennessee state laws would make it impossible for us to brew beer above 5% ABW (6.25% by volume) and it would also be impossible for us to sell beer out of a potential gift shop at a future site located within the state.

When we were first considering sites to locate a potential brewery, we had “The ability to brew our full lineup of beers” on our list of requirements before any considerations could be made. We assume this current Tennessee law was designed to accommodate this requirement and to make that state a more attractive candidate for us in our search for a new brewery. This bill is an attempt to make that state more attractive as a potential site for our Eastern facility.

The bill itself is very fluid, and a current “work in progress.” It has come to light that as the bill currently stands, it could potentially harm the craft brewing community in Tennessee. We have communicated to Tennessee officials encouraging them to take a “do no harm” tactic in allowing craft brewers across the state, wherever they may be, to brew whatever type of beer they see fit. Sierra Nevada has always supported the notion that what’s good for craft brewing is good for us all. We want to ensure the craft brewing environment across the country is healthy, vibrant and strong.

———————————————————————

Photo Credit: Buy the ticket, take the ride. (Creative Commons)

(Alcoa, TN) – Sierra Nevada Brewing has selected a site in the Volunteer State as a potential location in its search for a new facility.

Tennessee isn’t normally the center of attention on these pages though it finds itself on the front page today with the news that Sierra Nevada is looking at a location in the eastern part of the state. More specifically, the small town of Alcoa with a population of less than 8,000 people (2000 Census).

…but not without lots of complications…

In February, State Senator, Ken Yager introduced Bill 1224, a harmless one-pager reducing residency requirements for liquor store applicants as regulated by Title 57. An amendment was later added that makes some administrative changes with respect to fees, etc.

The second amendment to SB 1224, introduced last week, is what is creating so much buzz.

Beer Law Blog lays out a few of the nutty liquor laws in Tennessee including one that requires a brewery to also hold a second license as a distillery in order to produce beer greater than 5% alcohol by weight. Nashville-based Yazoo Brewing, which got its license last summer, is the only brewery to hold a distillery license and City Brewing, which just purchased the old Coors plant in Memphis, is rumored to be another candidate for the license.

Amendment 2 both re-defines beer (“high alcohol content beer”) as having an ABW cap of 20% and introduces a pilot program in which a brewery wouldn’t be required to hold a distillery license to produce these beers. The crux of the argument among locals is that only one brewery will be allowed to participate in this proposed program in each of the state’s three grand divisions. Here is a copy of the amendment which perversely establishes the rules in each division. One brewery will be in Memphis, one will be in Nashville and another in that tiny town of Alcoa.

Why Alcoa? Senator Yager answered that question in his comments on the new amendment.

This is where it gets good.

I certainly appreciate the patience of the members of the committee as we have worked our way through these amendments. [They] are admittedly very technical and frankly somewhat confusing and that is probably because we had twenty lawyers and as many lobbyists working on these.

Let me try to put it in perspective as I ask for your support on this. We have a very serious industrial prospect for the city of Alcoa and Blount County which Senator Overbey brought to my attention which resulted in amendment two. We discovered that there was an unintended consequence that might have an adverse effect on a concern in both Memphis and in Nashville hence these amendments to make sure that existing activities in those communities were, in no way, harmed.

The thrust of the amendment and the intent originally was to ensure the city of Alcoa’s competitive place in securing a very significant industrial prospect and I certainly appreciate the committee’s patience in going through all of these technical amendments but that is what it is all about.

After news of the amendment spread, Yazoo Brewing was questioned as to whether it was part of a lobbying effort for getting this proposed exclusivity around “high-gravity” brewing rights. Yazoo Brewmaster, Linus Hall, responded to the questions on his blog on Friday.

[...] I got a call last Friday afternoon from a lawyer who helped us get our TN ABC distillery license last year. He told me that there is a certain nationally distributed brewery who was looking to set up another brewery location in either eastern TN, Virginia, or North Carolina. They want assurances from TN that, if they chose TN for their new brewery, they would be able to brew high-gravity beer, and to serve it at an on-site restaurant. So an amendment was added to an unrelated bill, that would create a new definition of “high alcohol content beer” and authorize the ABC to issue licenses to brew it. But then the state-wide definition was narrowed to only allow this particular brewery to qualify. Why, I don’t know.

At the same time, the group who purchased the old Coors brewery in Memphis got wind of the amendment. We were going to join with them, to lobby for the bill to include all breweries in TN, but then found out they wanted to go it alone.

We don’t have the resources to hire lobbyists. I started calling and emailing our senators. I talked to our distributor, asking them to try to contact the legislators and lobbyists crafting the bill. We have had ZERO input into the wording of this bill.

If Virginia and North Carolina sound familiar in that (underlined) context, it is because those two states were already rumored to be among the east HQ candidates for Sierra Nevada.

On a phone call this afternoon, Sierra Nevada Communications Coordinator, Bill Manley, confirmed that Alcoa, TN, was among a short list of locations that the company was considering for its East Coast headquarters.

Sierra Nevada has received dozens of emails and phone calls since the Tennessee situation erupted late last week. While the company does provide a list of criteria to interested East HQ locations, Manley said that the company does not hire lobbyists and has had no input in the drafting of this bill. This has caught everyone at the brewery by surprise.

He noted that Sierra Nevada has heard that the amendment is going to be re-worked later this afternoon.

It is slated to be voted on this Tuesday though that may be up in the air.

Alcoa is an attractive site for a number of reasons. Manley mentioned Alcoa’s similarity to Chico, the quality of life, the town being a relatively convenient location for shipping and the community’s green focus. On that note, the town announced the birth of Pellissippi Place late last year, a business development park that sits at the entrance of a major highway, is only a few miles from a commercial airport and requires all businesses that develop there to be LEED-certified.

Manley could not confirm the site within Alcoa at which they were looking.

As for Senate Bill 1224, we should have a clearer picture of what is happening over the next 24-36 hours.

Update I: Via Art Whitaker on Facebook…”I received an email from Senator Bill Ketron this morning saying he will move in committee to remove amendment 2 from the bill calling it ‘a terrible amendment.’”

Update II: Via Nashville Beer Geek‘s Sean Smith…”Email from Senator Johnson: ‘I have spoken with Sen. Yager regarding your concerns. He has assured me that he will remove any language that is harmful to current or prospective brewers. I will continue to monitor the legislation to be sure. Thanks for the email.’”

Update III: Via Marble City Brewing Co-Owner, Johnathan Borsodi, on Facebook…”Per Mark Cate, Special Assistant and Policy Advisor to Gov. Haslam, ‘We agree that the amendment as written will not work and are working to find a better solution.’”

—————————————

Photo credit: naslrgoues on flickr (creative commons)

(Athens, GA) – Here is the label for the new Reunion Ale ’11: A Beer for Hope.

It reads:

Teaming up with Shmaltz Brewing for the first time, Terrapin Beer Co. returns for a third year as a production partner for Reunion ’11. We brew Reunion each year in memory of our dear friend and partner in this venture – Virginia MacLean. Virginia lost her battle with Multiple Myeloma in 2007. It was her wish that we continue to raise funds an awareness on behalf of The Insititute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org).

This year’s beer is a dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs [from Nashville-based Olive and Sinclair], vanilla and chili peppers. It was inspired by a fantastic dessert that we used to share with Virginia at our favorite restaurant. This brown ale leads with a sweet and subtle spicy aroma. The flavor begins with complex malt overtones and quickly gives way to a chocolate and vanilla mix of satisfying bliss. Just when you thought it was over, the heat from the chilies sneaks in and coats your tongue with tantalizing heat.

Many thanks to all who have supported this project and have helped us honor Virginia’s memory.

Cheers – Pete [Slosberg] and Alan [Shapiro]

(Tampa, FL) – A few more updates to report with respect to Cigar City Brewing…

Per Joey Redner, “110K+OT Batch #4 is tentatively scheduled to go on sell at the brewery late next week. Batch #4 has a new label and that new label is the only thing that identifies it as being the new batch. Past batches had a batch # sticker, future batches will have batch #’s printed on the label. #4 is a hoppy, high gravity red ale (10.2% abv). It is based on our Tocabaga Red Ale but ratcheted up a bit. We tried to make it stand out from Batch #3 by actually attenuating it ”

On Imperial Milk Porter, Redner says that the brewery hopes to bottle it this week and that it will be probably be released two or three weeks after bottling.

Per the Mikkeller blog, CCB Head Brewer, Wayne Wambles, is travelling to Denmark this week for a collaboration brew. “We will bring Wayne to Amager Bryghus where we will brew a new collaboration between Cigar City and Mikkeller. It will be a quadruple which will be aged on Grand Marnier barrels with some exotic fruits.”

Last but certainly not least, the brewery just received its new brewhouse. More CCB beer is coming in the future…

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Brewing will debut another new brew (maybe a couple) in 750s.

Update: Will hopefully be bottled this week and released by early June…

Cigar City Imperial Milk Porter is a riff on Puppy’s Breath Porter according to secondhand info on RateBeer. A small amount of an un-barreled version was sent off to Dark Lord Day but most the batch ended up in barrels. “The majority of it went into Flor de Cana Rum and Stranahan’s Whiskey Barrels,” says CCB Owner/Founder, Joey Redner.

Guru of CCB Graphics Marketing and Media, Geiger Powell, added, “We did a few versions of Imperial Milk Porter. We plan to bottle two versions of IMP, one in Stranahan Whiskey barrels, the other in Four Roses Bourbon barrels.”

On a side note, 110K+OT Batch #4 was bottled in 750s yesterday. Cigar City also hinted on Facebook that it brewed (or will brew) another batch of White Oak Jai Alai IPA.

(Birmingham, AL) – Tallgrass Brewing Company is proud to announce that its family of beers will be on the shelves and on tap in Alabama the first week of May. Although Tallgrass is only a few years old, it has secured many loyal followers and captured some national awards with its attention to taste, quality, and innovation.

Tallgrass was founded by recovering geologist Jeff Gill, and his understanding wife Tricia. Jeff decided he liked making and drinking tasty beers more than he liked digging up rocks and in 2007 he made it official. With the help of friends and family Tallgrass brewed its first batch of Tallgrass Ale in 2007. In May of 2010 Tallgrass declared its “Canifesto” and gave up the bottle and began selling all of its fine brews exclusively in cans. Better for the beer. Better for the earth. Tallgrass Beer is brewed in the scenic Flint Hills of Kansas and is sold in cans and kegs in 12 states.

“We are excited about shipping Tallgrass beer to Alabama. The folks down there are both enthusiastic and knowledgeable about craft beer and they have been asking for Tallgrass ever since we came to Mississippi. I am glad that day has finally arrived. I can’t wait to go down there and pour a pint or two with our patient thirsty Alabama fans,” said Jeff Gill President of Tallgrass Brewing Company.

Tallgrass joins a growing list of craft brewers now offering exceptional quality specialty beers to an eager Alabama market place.

Alabamians will soon be able to purchase 5 Tallgrass Beers in cans and on tap:

Tallgrass Ale: First brewed as a 10-gallon homebrew batch. This beer is categorized as a brown ale, but has a smoothness and a sweetness that betrays its dark color. The beer has toffee and chocolate overtones with a sweet smooth finish.

Tallgrass IPA: A traditional IPA this beer has a robust flavor and a nice kick. IPAs (Imperial Pale Ale) have their roots in the zenith of the British Empire. IPAs were brewed using more hops and with a higher alcohol content to preserve the brew on its journey to the far-flung reaches of the realm, but soon this style became a favorite in the hometown pubs as well. It’s curious bitter bite and a nice punch gave this style beer a popularity that it still enjoys across the pond.

Buffalo Sweat: This sweet stout was originally intended as a winter seasonal release in 2009, but the beer became so popular, that it is now brewed year around and is one of Tallgrass’s signature beers. Although classified as a stout it should never be compared to its bitter cousins. It is brewed with roasted barley and milk sugar giving it a flavor more like chocolate espresso than a bitter dark beer. It is a favorite at tastings because of its creamy smooth drinkability.

Oasis: This beer is brewed for the “hop-heads”, those drinkers that like a big bite of hops in every sip. Classified as a Double ESB or Double IPA this beer adds an over-the-top dose of hops in the brewing process and steps up the alcohol content (7.2% ABV) as well . Despite its distinctive hops bite Oasis has plenty of flavor due the large quantity of select malts used to balance out its hoppy edge.

Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat: (limited release) Being from “the Wheat State” a lot pressure was put on Tallgrass to produce a wheat beer. They took a spin on the traditional American wheat recipe, added additional hard Kansas white wheat to give it an edge and letting the hops speak just a little more than expected. Halcyon is an unapologetic American-style wheat beer with a unique blend of flavors that seems to please casual beer drinkers and “beer nerds” alike. Halcyon is a limited seasonal brew and is only produced from equinox to equinox each year.

Tallgrass Brewing Company brews in Manhattan, KS and currently ships beer to Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia and now Alabama.

Craft Corner Consulting works as a shared regional sales rep for craft breweries in the market. CCC maintains distribution networks, shipping and logistic coordination, trains wholesaler staff and plans events. CCC serves as liaison to the market for craft brewers throughout the country.

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Brewing will release its fourth edition of 110K+ OT in May.

According to CCB Owner, Joey Redner, “110K+ OT [Batch 4] is fermenting now and should be ready in about two weeks if not sooner. It’s a hoppy high gravity Amber Ale.” The beer’s name comes from an old RateBeer thread in which someone bragged about their salary. Each version is completely different from the last one.

Also of note, you will probably see some more Cigar City labels popping up here though not necessarily for new beers. Redner said that the brewery is redesigning all of its 750s. Here is the first one to be approved: Humidor IPA.

(Tampa, FL) – Cigar City Brewing is running a contest to determine the label artwork for Tocobaga Red Ale.

I’ve attached the label artwork below for the ten finalists. 30 Tampa-area artists participated, contributing 60 labels according to the contest website. You can view all label submissions, even ones that didn’t make the final cut there.

The Tocobaga Release Party takes place on June 3rd at the Cigar City Brewing Tasting Room.

This vote has no say in who wins but I thought it’d be interesting to run a poll anyway.

(Cincinnati, OH) – Christian Moerlein Brewing Company of Cincinnati has announced plans to launch its craft Moerlein Lagers & Ales in Tennessee with craft beer wholesaler BountyBev of Nashville this Saturday April 9th at the East Nashville Beer Festival.

Moerlein Over-the-Rhine Ale (OTR) and Moerlein Northern Liberties India Pale Ale (IPA) will be the initial styles launched in the Tennessee market. Both will be available in draft and six pack packages and have a suggested retail for $8.99 per six packs.

Moerlein OTR is a unique presentation of an early settlers’ ale from an era when refrigeration was limited, the brewer was generous with hops for stability; a full malt character would then balance the flavor. Its rich copper color, 6% alcohol by volume (ABV), 40 units of bitterness, original gravity (OG) of 16.4 and infusion of hops make for a distinctive version of an American Pale Ale style.

Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA is a well-hopped India Pale Ale inspired by an area of Cincinnati known as Northern Liberties, an area prior to 1849 beyond the reach of municipal law and known for its tolerance of beliefs and behaviors. This free-spirited brew has 6.3% ABV, 55 units of bitterness, 15.5 OG, copper color and rich blend of Cascade, Centennial and Columbus hops.

Christian Moerlein a highly successful late 19th century Cincinnati brewer along with William Gerst an experienced Moerlein brewery manager purchased the Nashville Brewing Company and formed the Moerlein-Gerst Brewing Company in 1890. After three years, Gerst purchased the interest of Moerlein and renamed the brewery the William Gerst Brewing Company to great acclaim in Nashville and which operated successfully under his name till 1954.

Christian Moerlein started brewing traditions in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine Brewery District in 1853 and ceased operations in 1919 at the start of prohibition. In 1981, the Hudepohl Brewing Company looking to produce and sell better beers re-launched Christian Moerlein as a full flavored all-malt lager and was one of the first craft beers sold commercially east of the Mississippi during that time.

“We are proud of the relationship we have developed with BountyBev as we wanted a wholesaler who is as passionate about our beer as we are,” said Greg Hardman President and CEO of Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. “Moerlein was looking for a distributor who could hand sell the unique qualities of their beers to a selected group of customers, that’s what BountyBev does,” said Kurt Strickmaker President of BountyBev of Nashville, “Its really exciting and will be a real treat for Tennesseans when you have a brand like Christian Moerlein, a great pioneer craft beer brand of today’s craft beer movement coming to town, not to mention a brand that has direct ties to Nashville’s brewing history” continued Strickmaker.

For more information, visit the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company website at www.christianmoerlein.com or BountyBev website at www.bountybev.com.

Christian Moerlein Brewing Company is the brewer of handcrafted Moerlein Lagers & Ales including Moerlein OTR Ale, Moerlein Lager House, Moerlein Barbarossa Double Dark Lager, Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA, Moerlein Fifth & Vine Oktoberfest Marzen, Moerlein Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale, Moerlein Friend of the Irishman Stout, and Moerlein Emancipator Doppelbock. More information on Moerlein Lagers & Ales can be obtained at www.christianmoerlein.com.

(Kinston, NC) – Mother Earth Brewing, a 40 barrel craft brewery located in Kinston, NC recently announced that it is installing a state-of-the-art Cask brand canning line.

The canning line will occupy a space that is currently under renovation and adjoins the brewery’s present location. It’s is anticipated that the canning line will be operational this spring and the first canned Mother Earth Brewing beer will hit the market just in time for the active summer season.

The first two beers scheduled to be canned are new additions to Mother Earth Brewing: Second Wind Pale Ale and Sunny Haze, a Hefeweizen Style Ale. Head Brewer, Josh D. Brewer notes that “every beer the consumer can currently get in bottle form from Mother Earth Brewing will continue to be made; the cans are an addition to our line-up.” Canned beer was once thought of as inferior, and bottled beer reigned. But in the last decade, more and more craft breweries are canning some (or all) of their craft beers. President Trent Mooring explains “cans are lighter to transport, and there’s no fear of breakage, but it really gets down to taste- some beer enthusiasts simply prefer the taste of canned beer, believing cans preserve flavor and carbonation better than bottles.”

Mother Earth Brewery is a 40 barrel craft brewery that bottles and kegs beer for sale in its Kinston, NC Taproom, and for distribution in bars, restaurants and retail locations throughout North Carolina.

Photo Credit: jongela 19 on Flickr (creative commons)

(Memphis, TN) – One of the nation’s largest contract breweries is buying the same old Coors Brewing plant that Yuengling was going after last year.

Wisconsin-based City Brewing Company, LLC, is known for pumping out large volumes of suds for a number of companies. The La Crosse facility is capable of brewing seven million barrels of beer a year and the Latrobe facility up to 1.5 million barrels. With the announcement of plans to buy the Hardy bottling plant in Memphis, the contract brewer will be able to add a few more million barrels.

Here is the breakdown of the deal as first reported by The Memphis Commercial-Appeal:

— Blues City Brewery LLC will buy the Memphis brewery from Hardy Bottling Co. for $30 million.

— It is seeking a 15-year property tax freeze from the Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board.

City’s largest contracts include high-octane malternatives such as Four Loko and Joose.

————-

Photo Credit: Jongela 19 on Flickr (creative commons)

(Athens, GA) – Early last month, Dave Kesmodel of the Wall Street Journal/MarketWatch reported an interesting tidbit that went largely unnoticed by the craft beer community.

Here’s the quote:

Tenth and Blake‘s priority is to foster growth of the company’s own specialty beers, but it also will look at forming partnerships with other brewers in the fast-growing craft category, Mr. Kiely said. For instance, the company recently agreed to provide financing to help the founders of Georgia craft brewer Terrapin Beer Co. acquire control of the brewery.

Still, Terrapin Co-Founder, John Cochran, says that plenty of people told him about rumors that were spreading about his company.

“Oh, I heard you and Spike [Buckowski, co-founder] were selling the company and splitting up.”

Cochran squashed those rumors in private discussions but with today’s news about Goose Island Beer Co. being sold to Anheuser-Busch, Cochran found Terrapin’s name being lumped in with other recent small brewery acquisitions and decided to clear the air.

Terrapin Beer Co. remains an independent brewery today after receiving a loan from Miller-owned Tenth and Blake Beer Co. Equity was not part of the financing arrangement.

Cochran explains that the founders had philosophical differences with previous investors about the future of the business and that the two sides could not proceed forward without a change. He and Buckowski favored investing in the brand’s rapid growth which, despite the conflicts, reached 75% over the prior year up near 19,000 barrels. The duo eventually met with Tenth and Blake after being introduced by a local Miller distributor, Northeast Sales. Late last year, they arrived at a deal that allowed the company to buy out those investors. They are now seeking financing that will help one of the fastest-growing breweries in the country provide further access to supply across its nine-state market.

Cochran and Buckowski now own more of the company than they have in a long time but when MillerCoors is involved, rumors tend to spread quickly.

“When Tenth and Blake found out how fellow brewers were being treated, they jumped at the chance to help. People make assumptions because it’s Tenth and Blake though.”

Cochran asserts that there are no formal arrangements in place to work with Tenth and Blake or Miller in any capacity outside of paying back the loan. He sees it as a positive step forward for Tenth and Blake as the company furthers its learning of the craft side of the marketplace.

Tenth and Blake, MillerCoors’ craft and import-focused division, launched to much discussion industry discussion last summer. The division runs a number of brands including Leinenkugel’s, Blue Moon and Pilsner Urquell. Many on the craft side have been wondering when the company will get serious about investing in this market and whether that will mean development of Miller’s own portfolio or acquisition of craft brands.

The next 12-24 months should prove to be interesting.

(Tampa, FL) – A huge event takes place down in Tampa this Saturday.

Below are the beer details for this Saturday’s Hunaphu’s release. The beer list is impressive. For more on music, food and logistics, head over to Cigar City Brewing‘s blog.

Hunaphu Release Day Details

The first 750 people who receive a wristband will be able to buy Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout (up to 4 bottles) when it goes on sale at 6pm. If you are paying by credit card you will be able to pre-pay for your bottles immediately or throughout the day so that you can quickly get your bottles when they go on sale. If there are any bottles left after all 750 people have come to claim/buy their bottles OR 9pm (leaving a 3 hour window for you to claim your bottles if you have a wristband) the remaining bottles will go on sale to the public. Bottles will be for sale ONLY at the brewery. They will not go into distribution.

*Re-Entry is allowed throughout the day so you can come and get your wristband and come back later if you have something else to do, it is not required that you be here all day to claim your bottles at 6pm.

In addition to Hunaphu’s Imperial Stout, we will have other limited bottles for sale in the brewery:

Papaya IPA (Benefit beer for the Florida Brewer’s Guild)
Dirac Imperial Sweet Stout (Mikkeller Collab)
Bohr Imperial Sweet Stout (Mikkeller Collab)
Vuja De (St. Somewhere Collab)
Humidor IPA
Warmer Winter Winter Warmer
Guava Grove

Tap List-

(CC)
Jolly Guava 2011- Only 5 gallons of this one!
Bohr Imperial Sweet Stout – Conceived by Mikkeller, brewed at Cigar City with Wayne.
Dirac Imperial Sweet Stout – Conceived by Wayne, brewed at Cigar City with Mikkel of Mikkeller.
Nielsbohrium- A blend of the Collaboration beers we did with Mikkeller. This is the non barrel aged version, most of it went into Rum Barrels, except for this small amount. This non-rum barrel aged version will be released draft only and will only be available at Hunahpu Day.
Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout 2011
Vuja De’
Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout 2010
Brandy Barrel Aged Zhukov 2010
Red Wine Barrel Aged Vuja De’
Papaya IPA
Peach IPA
Pilot Series Imperial Milk Stout
Grandma’s Funky Sour Berry
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale
East India Dry Stout
East India Brown Ale
El Lector Dark Mild Ale
Jai-Alai IPA
Maduro Brown Ale
Cubano Espresso
Patio Tools Dry Irish Stout
Humidor IPA
More to come…

(Guest Taps)
Green Room Brewing- Head High IPA
Swamphead 10-10-10 Batch # 100 brewed with all Centennial hops
Swamphead Catherine’s Inspiration Imperial Stout
Funky Buddah Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
Dunedin Brewery Black Rye IPA
Shipyard Emporium TBD
St. Somewhere TBD
Sam Adam’s Revolutionary Rye
Everglades Pale Ale
Intuition Brewing Company King Street Stout
Bold City Chinook IPA
More to come…

Below is a list of special release growlers we will be pouring this Saturday during the event. Due to the crowds we expect, we will be pouring only the special release beers listed below in the brewery. Our regular offerings will be available on Friday and Sunday in the tasting room but we will not be filling growlers in the tasting room on Saturday.

Growler List:

Brandy Barrel Aged Zhukov
Red Wine Barrel Aged Vuja De’
Oak Barrel Aged Seabass
Oak Barrel Aged Vuja De’ – Only 5 gallons very limited.
More to come…

(Abita Springs, LA) – Some drama down in the Bayou.

Daily Report PM broke the news late yesterday that Abita Beer had sent a cease-and-desist letter to a local charity organizer for using the term, “pub crawl.”

Todd Owers III, an attorney with the New Orleans firm of Carver Darden, says Abita owns the Louisiana state trademark for “pub crawl” and that for Manu Kamat to use the term in referring to his events in downtown Baton Rouge is a clear infringement on the brewery’s rights. Kamat says he started organizing monthly bar tours across downtown Baton Rouge in December to benefit the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice.

After that report, dozens of people flooded Facebook to post that they were disappointed in Abita’s legal move. Over 100 people shared the news across Twitter and Facebook and someone even started a parody Abita PR Twitter account.

Earlier this afternoon, the brewery released a statement on Facebook that it had retracted the cease-and-desist albeit with a subtle note that the brewery still thinks it’s home to the original pub crawl. Abita will also be supporting Kamat’s next event. See more below:

———————————————————————–

Dear Friends of Abita:

Over the years thousands of you have attended amazing moveable parties known as Pub Crawls. It’s no small feat to put together events of this size and caliber. Our standards are high and we put a great deal of time, thought and effort into making Abita Pub Crawls well-run, fun events for you.

In the 1990s big corporate breweries began trying to mimic craft beers and take over the types of events smaller breweries like us had created. To protect the Pub Crawl for our fans we trademarked the name of the event in Louisiana only. Our intent was to prevent any confusion and to stop the big breweries from copying our success. Over the years, we’ve sent out letters asking others not to use the name Pub Crawl unless it is an Abita sponsored event.

We’ve heard from you today on this trademark issue and we agree. Your respect is far more important to us than two little words.

This morning we reached out to the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice and let them know we’ve changed our mind and our position on the trademark issue. We have offered and they have accepted our support of their next event, scheduled for March 25. Abita is proud of our history of charitable giving to our community through our fundraising brews and our commitment to non-profit organizations.

You may see more Pub Crawls in the future. Some of them may not be sponsored by Abita, but we’re confident you’ll recognize the original when you see it and have a great time.

Thank you for your support of Abita Beer.

Cheers.

David Blossman
President
Abita Beer

(Knoxville, TN) – When the Wild Wild West meets the Southeast…

Metro Pulse published quite the interesting story yesterday:

Prior to registering as a corporation, the pair did research whether anyone else had the name. They discovered there was a Marble Brewery in Manchester, England, and a Marble Brewery in Albuquerque, N.M. Since the British beers didn’t seem to be available stateside, and since the New Mexico beers were only available in New Mexico and Arizona, and since neither had City in the name, Borsodi says he couldn’t imagine how there could be any confusion over similar-sounding names. Especially, he notes, because the Marble Brewery in Albuquerque is so named because it’s on Marble Street, and its logo uses images of glass marbles, the children’s toy, not the stone.

But in October, Borsodi received a call from Jeffery Jinnett informing him that the name Marble City Brewing Company was a problem. Jinnett is the president of Santa Fe Dining, which owns and operates a number of restaurants in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, N.M., including Marble Brewery, which is a brewpub that also sells its own beer. Borsodi says he explained that he couldn’t see any possible confusion that would arise between the two breweries and declined to change the name. In November, Marble Brewery filed a lawsuit in federal court.

Oh, but that’s not all.

Marble Brewery beers are being distributed locally by Chattanooga’s MOLO-TENN Distributors. Owner James Sherrell says he was unaware of the lawsuit and he first heard about Marble Brewery from a friend who lives in Albuquerque. Sherrell was also unaware that Marble has no distribution outside of the Southwest, as was MOLO-TENN salesman Jeff Nunes, who has been pushing Marble locally.

“I heard there was a conflict over the name, and that’s all I heard about,” Nunes says, but notes he was unaware a lawsuit had actually been filed.

To summarize this report, Marble City Brewing declined to change its name so Marble Brewery sued them (in November) due to likelihood of public confusion. Marble (NM) then went and got a distributor contract with a Tennessee distributor, far out of its distribution zone of New Mexico and Arizona, to make its beers available in Marble City’s market just weeks before they were set to launch their brand. If that’s how it went down, then Marble essentially went out of its way to create a public confusion scenario after suing Marble City. In another conspiracy theory scenario, is it possible that MOLO-Tenn orchestrated this since Marble City signed on with nearby rival, Eagle Distributing?

According to this thread on Facebook, Marble City supporters were hitting the Marble Brewery Facebook wall with negative comments before Marble Brewery had to remove it (a “wall” is a central page where the brewery can post news and people can post comments on the brewery).

(Asheville, NC) – Highland Brewing Co. is releasing PSA Pilsner to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and generate funds to fight the disease that one in six American men will face.

Highland PSA Pilsner is a limited release lager created by Highland Brewer Joey Justice that will initially be available only on draught. PSA Pilsner will be tapped for the first time on March 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. during a special event at the Highland Brewing Tasting Room, 12 Old Charlotte Highway in Asheville, N.C. The beer will benefit Pints for Prostates, an awareness campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer. Highland Brewery will donate 50-cents from each pint sold.

The beer takes its name from the PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test, a critical tool in the early detection of prostate cancer. Highland PSA Pilsner is the latest addition to the Pints for Prostates campaign, which is designed to be a friendly and non-threatening reminder to men to take charge of their health.

“We have been working on developing a new Pilsner and want to get the reaction of our fans to the new beer at our tasting room. We thought this would be a great opportunity to raise awareness about prostate cancer,” said Oscar Wong, Highland Brewing founder and a prostate cancer survivor. “Pints for Prostates is spreading the word across the country and this is a perfect opportunity to bring this important message to Asheville.”

Pints for Prostates will have an information table at the event, along with t-shirts, hats and a raffle for a nine-night trip for two to Prague, Bamberg and Munich for Oktoberfest. The Tim Marsh Collective will provide live music during the release event.

“Pints for Prostates really appreciates the support of Highland Brewing and I am looking forward to tasting PSA Pilsner,” said Rick Lyke, a Charlotte marketing executive and beer writer who founded Pints for Prostates in 2008 after successful prostate cancer surgery. “Few people realize that men are 33 percent more likely to face prostate cancer than women are to develop breast cancer. With early detection and proper treatment, the disease is nearly 100 percent survivable, but last year 32,000 American men died from prostate cancer. Men need to take charge of their health and start having regular prostate health screenings and PSA tests at age 40.”

According to Justice, Highland PSA Pilsner reflects his love for great Pilsner. The recipe combines Best Maltz (Best Pilsen Malt) from Heidelberg, Germany, with Carapils and Vienna Malt from American specialty malt producer Breiss, with the wort nursed through an extended brewing, fermentation and conditioning cycle utilizing the yeast strain that created the Czech Republic’s reputation for producing the world’s greatest Pilsners. Classic Czech Saaz hops provide a modest IBU count and delicate effusive aromatics. This small batch Pilsner finishes clean and crisp, and at 4 percent alcohol by volume, can lay claim to being an honest, distinctly refreshing, and highly quaffable session beer, hand crafted with love of the brewer’s art.

“Prostate cancer is about 30 years behind breast cancer in terms of awareness and social standing. The pink ribbon can be found on everything from cat food to wine, but the blue ribbon for prostate cancer awareness is on very few products as a reminder to men,” Lyke said. “Having Highland PSA Pilsner on the market is a major step forward in raising awareness about prostate cancer. Highland Brewing is really stepping up to the plate to help guys.”

During the last two years more than 100 Pints for Prostates events have been held, organized by volunteers and often hosted on a local level at breweries, restaurants or brewpubs. Those wishing to organize an event can get information by visiting www.pintsforprostates.org.

About Pints for Prostates
Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men of the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 218,000 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2010. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

About Highland Brewing Co.
Highland Brewing Co. rolled out its first beer kegs in December 1994. Built almost entirely of retrofitted dairy equipment, the original brewery in downtown Asheville could produce up to 6,500 barrels of beer per year. In October 2006, the company moved to a larger, more efficient brewery in east Asheville with a 20,000 barrel capacity. Owner/founder Oscar Wong and Vice President/Brewmaster John Lyda have been at the brewery since its inception. What began as a three person operation has grown into a staff of 18. Currently, the Highland brand is sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. More information is available at www.highlandbrewing.com.

(Abita Springs, LA) – Abita Brewing has sent out its sales sheet for Vanilla Doubledog.

Received it this morning from a tipster who says that the 25th anniversary beer will be released in late June/early July. Look for it in 22 oz. bottles (sales sheet didn’t say whether it would be available on draft). Beer description:

Turbodog is the inspiration for this robust dark ale with rich flavors of chocolate, toffee and vanilla. It is brewed with generous amounts of pale, caramel and chocolate malts and Willametter hops. Whole natural vanilla beans are added during the aging process.

25 years ago, Abita Brewing was founded on a pristine artesian aquifer north of New Orleans. For a quarter of a century, Abita has proudly brewed full-flavored ales and lagers. We thank our loyal customers for their support and pledge to continue the tradition of brewing excellence.

It’s worth noting that Flying Dog has a well-established brand called Double Dog Pale Ale.

Abita announced earlier this year that it broke past the 100k barrel mark in 2010.

Sarasota’s own Jalehouse Beers launches new Lockdown Amber Lager at “Cell Block Party” official release event, Sat., March 5

(Sarasota, FL) – Introduced in early 2009, Jalehouse Beers are the only local recipe brews available throughout Sarasota. Starting at 8 p.m. on Sat., March 5 Jalehouse Beers will host a “Cell Block Party” at Shamrock Pub, Horsefeathers and Evie’s Tavern in downtown Sarasota to celebrate the launch of their newest brew, a premium amber lager called Jalehouse Lockdown Lager.

The craft lager, created by Jalehouse co-founder Brian Tresidder, pours an elegant copper color with good clarity and a rich head. “Lockdown Amber Lager is a great option for darker beer drinkers, and a perfect counterpart to our first beer, Jalehouse Light, a summer-style brew.

“This is really Sarasota’s beer,” continues Jalehouse co-founder Keith Redding, as the name “Lockdown Lager” was actually suggested online by the company’s Facebook followers. “It’s been awesome to see all the local support for our company, and we’re really happy to give the community a fun event to continue to be a part of it. We love that they’ve been so involved with us every step of the way.”

Thus, the guys are very excited to officially introduce Lockdown Lager to the city at the Cell Block Party on March 5. The festivities begin at 8 p.m. at the Shamrock Pub (2257 Ringling Blvd.), where Keith and Brian will be handing out free samples of the Lockdown Lager and hanging out to talk about the beers and the creation process.

The party continues over at Horsefeathers (1923 Ringling Blvd.), for a raunchy cop mustache party from 9 to 11 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to grow out or slap on their best bad cop mustache (ladies can participate too!). The sexy “Jalehouse Girls” will also be out all night, cuffing partygoers and leading them to their mobile jail cell for their very own mugshot.

The Naughty Cop/Convict contest at Evie’s Tavern (1989 Ringling Blvd.) starts at 11 p.m., with the competition at midnight. Entry is free and ladies are asked to register in advance by emailing jordan@eviesonline.com. Jalehouse Beers will be giving away $1000 in prizes with $500 cash going to the girl voted on by the crowd as the sexiest cop or convict of the night.

All three locations will be offering $2 Lockdown Lager and Lights bottles all night. The Jalehouse crew extends an open invitation to all of Sarasota to “party with us as we introduce our new brew to friends, family and all of Florida.” Learn more online at jalehousebeers.com

Jalehouse Beers’ Cell Block Party and Official Lockdown Lager Release Event, 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., Sat., March 5, downtown Sarasota: Shamrock Pub, Horsefeathers and Evie’s Tavern, jalehousebeers.com

ABOUT JALEHOUSE BEERS

Introduced in early 2009, Jalehouse Beers are the only local recipe brews available throughout Sarasota. Longtime friends and Florida transplants Brian Tresidder and Keith Redding got the idea to start a beer company in 2008 when Tresidder began making his own “bathtub brew” as a hobby.Realizing he was onto something after tasting the delicious fruits of his labors, Tresidder enrolled in brewing school in Chicago and enlisted Redding, who had previous distribution experience, to form Turtle Distributing, the parent company to retail their recipe: Jalehouse Beer.

The boys decided to focus on a light lager as their first brew because, even though it’s more difficult to produce, the refreshing flavor is perfect for Sarasota’s beach climate. They were also conscious of creating a light beer with a low calorie content while maintaining an above-average alcohol content — 4.5% to the standard light beer’s 3.5%. Now Jalehouse is adding a second beer to its product line, a premium amber lager named by followers of their Facebook page. The result: “Lockdown Lager,” a balanced and complex full flavored beer.

In the meantime, a bit of a legend began to grow up around the Jalehouse Beers story. Supposedly, a man known as “The Greek” was one of the most successful brewers in the northeast during the early 1900s. Refusing to stop providing his customers with his delicious hooch when prohibition hit, The Greek turned to bootlegging, and was sent to the slammer in 1922. The warden of the prison was a huge fan however, and kept The Greek brewing behind bars, eventually arranging for his escape in gratitude for all the delicious beer.

The Greek made his way to Florida, the historic haven for convicts, criminals and other misfits, keeping his recipe tucked into his vest until he could begin brewing again. No one knows exactly what happened to The Greek, but the legend has it, his recipe was passed on in secrecy, until Tressider and Redding got their hands on it and knew they had to bring it to the people. The accuracy of this tale has not been verified.

The team at Jalehouse Beers is also focused on giving back to the community by donating time, product and proceeds to numerous local charities like the Humane Society, The Boys and Girls Club and the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund.

Learn more at www.jalehousebeer.com or get social at www.facebook.com/jalehousebeers