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Alaskan beers headed to Minnesota

Alaskan Brewing will begin selling its beers in Minnesota in May. Original Gravity, a network of locally-owned craft distributors, to make the beer available in the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs.

“We have had a lot of interest in Alaskan Brewing and so have our customers,” Original Gravity’s Hans “Hanszee” Lofgren said. “We are extremely happy to be bringing their award-winning beers to market.”

This is the first new market entrance for Alaskan since entering Colorado in mid 2008. With the addition of Minnesota, Alaskan beer will be available in 11 states.

“Alaskans and Minnesotan’s have a lot in common – cold winters, a love of the outdoors and a growing appreciation for quality craft beer,” said Alaskan Brewing co-Founder Marcy Larson. “We’ve been getting letters, calls and emails from thirsty Minnesotans for years – we’re thrilled to finally be answering the call.”

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Redhook gussies up for 30th birthday

Red ESB through the years

Redhook Brewery is celebrating its 30th birthday by unveiling a new look, including bottles, labels, bottle caps and packaging.

A press release states the new look is all part of Redhook’s effort to get back to its roots. “There seems to be a movement within the craft beer community where a lot of breweries are trying to ‘out craft’ each other,” said Robert Rentsch, brand manager of Redhook Brewery. “Redhook isn’t about that. Of course we’re brewing great beer, but we’re just as interested in having a great time. We think our new look reflects our personality well.”

Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker (also co-founder of Starbucks) started Redhook in 1981 in a converted transmission shop in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. Of course the brewery — now part of the Portland-based Craft Beer Alliance — grew into a much larger operation, which plants in Woodinville, Wash., and Portsmouth, N.H.

The new look includes:

* Packaging/Labels: Every beer style is identified by a unique color scheme and Redhook’s has added “beer-o-meter” to guide consumers looking for particular flavors.

* Bottle/Bottle Caps: To go back to basics, Redhook created a no-frills bottle, while the bottle caps all depict iconic images and phrases of Redhook’s colorful 30-year history.

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Wynkoop, Breckenridge finalize joint venture

Wynkoop Holding and Breckenridge Holding have finalized the details for their previously announced joint venture.

Wynkoop Holdings is the parent company of Wynkoop Brewing Company and seven Colorado restaurants and brewpubs. Breckenridge Holding is owner and operator of Breckenridge Brewery and four Colorado brewpubs and taphouses. Many changes are already under way:

* Wynkoop head brewer Andy Brown has been working out on Breckenridge’s 50-barrel system, in preparation for brewing there later this month. The canned and kegged versions of Wynkoop’s Rail Yard Ale and Silverback Pale Ale will be brewed and canned at the Breckenridge facility in Denver.

* Soon both Breckenridge and Wynkoop microcanned beers will be packaged on new equipment. The collective has made its first joint purchase, a prototype automatic canning machine that will quadruple the breweries’ canning speeds. It will allow both breweries to add new canned beers this summer, including Breckenridge’s SummerBright Ale this summer.

* Wynkoop and Breckenridge staffers have also begun work on a collaborative beer that will reach the Denver area’s best beer establishments in May. The draft-only beer is a Belgian-style strong ale unlike any beer the two have made in the past.

* Breckenridge will open Amato’s Ale House, a beer-focused restaurant feature 40 beers, taking over a building that is a Denver institution. Amato, which sells concrete garden décor like fountains, statues, birdbaths and planters, has been in the same location since 1947. The family-owned business is moving up the street one block. “We want to keep the north Denver theme,” said Ron Piscitelli, director of restaurant operations for Breckenridge. Breckenridge will decorate the Ale House with fountains from Amato.

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Samuel Adams shipments up 12% in 2010

Boston Beer Co., brewer of the Samuel Adams beers, reported higher sales for the fourth quarter and all of 2010, although its stock was punished — the stock prices dropped 11% in after hours trading Tuesday — because it did not meet Wall Street’s expectations. Shares of Boston Beer (SAM) had more than doubled since the beginning of 2010.

Highlights of its report were:

* Depletions growth of 12% for the quarter and 11.5% for the year.
* Core shipments increase of 7% for the quarter and 12% for the year.
* Core gross margin improvement to 55% for 2010 from 52% in the prior year.
* Increase in the company’s investment behind its brands for 2010 of $14.1 million.
* Earnings per diluted share of $0.87 for the fourth quarter and $3.52 for the year.

Given that Boston Beer accounts for about one in five craft beers sold (according to the Brewers Association definition) this is one more sign that when the final totals are in for 2010 overall craft beer sales will likely be up about 11% to 12%.

Boston Beer founder Jim Koch, summarized the success for a press release: “We achieved depletions growth of 12% in the fourth quarter, and total depletions for the year grew 11.5% to 30.9 million case equivalents. This record total depletions for the fourth quarter and full year is attributable to our strong sales execution and continued support from our wholesalers and retailers. While we continue to see expanded distribution of domestic specialty brands and local craft brands, which is increasing competition in the category, we are happy with the health of our brand portfolio. After 26 years, we continue to grow our flagship beer, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, even as we continue to innovate and develop new beer styles, such as Samuel Adams Noble Pils, the Barrel Room Collection and Infinium.”

He announced the company will expand it Freshest Beer Program, tested last year with five wholesales, adding ten wholesalers in the first quarter. “This program substantially reduces both the time and the temperature our beer experiences at wholesaler warehouses before reaching the market,” he sad. “This reduction in time and temperature is not only great for our beer; we believe it will also be financially and organizationally beneficial to our wholesalers and in the long term good for our business.”

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SAVOR, now June 3-4, adds second session

The Brewers Association has announced SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience has added a second session. It will be held June 3-4 in the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Attendees may sample beers from 72 craft brewers, who team up with a duo of expert chefs to pair each beer with special dishes. Educational salons and private tasting salons will provide additional opportunities for attendees to interact with chefs and brewers.

Details from the press release:

WHY
In 2010, the event sold out in less than one day, which is why SAVOR has expanded to two nights for 2011.

TICKETS
SAVOR tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, March 3, at SavorCraftBeer.com. General Admission tickets for Friday, June 3 or Saturday, June 4 are $110 and SAVOR Salons are $30 per Salon.

NEW FOR 2011
Two Expert Chefs Orchestrate Pairings
This year’s menu items and pairings will be carefully designed by expert beer and food pairing chefs from both coasts: Adam Dulye of Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco and Teddy Folkman of Granville Moore’s in Washington, D.C.

Educational Salons and Private Tasting Salons
Nine ticketed Educational Salons, seating 90 people in an auditorium, will feature the culinary and brewing artistry of chefs and craft brewers along with in-depth discussions of flavor and pairings.

Full-Size Stemmed Glassware
For the first time, SAVOR attendees will receive full-size commemorative glassware for sampling at the event and later for personal use.

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Wake to honor Don Younger set for Sunday

The Horse Brass Pub announced today that it would be closed for regular business on Sunday (Feb. 13) for a wake to honor its owner Don Younger, who died last week.

Younger was one of America’s pioneering publicans, and is credited with helping turn Portland and the state of Oregon into “Beervana.” He operated the Horse Brass from 1976 until his death.

The “Celebration of Don’s Life” will be held from 2-6 p.m. at the Horse Brass. The back parking lot will be tented to allow for more people to attend.

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Molson Coors acquires Sharp’s, Doom Bar

Molson Coors in the United Kingdom today announced the acquisition of the award-winning Sharp’s Brewery, including Doom Bar — which is describes as “the UK’s most exciting cask beer brand.”

Molson Coors chief executive for the UK and Ireland, Mark Hunter, said: “The Doom Bar brand is modern and progressive. It has a loyal following and excellent reputation amongst consumers and customers alike and has the potential to become a truly extraordinary brand. We have a wealth of experience with this type of venture and an excellent track record of building brands across all markets. We respect and want to preserve the unique culture of Sharp’s Brewery and the special appeal of their brands to beer drinkers.”

Stuart Howe, head Brewer at Sharp’s Brewery, said: “We are delighted to be joining the Molson Coors team, all of whom are passionate about Sharp’s Brewery and committed to the Doom Bar brand. We are incredibly proud to be voted the best regional cask beer by our customers, with the support of Molson Coors we’re looking forward to being recognised as the best cask beer in the country.”

Founded in 1994, Sharp’s Brewery is in Cornwall and has grown rapidly to become the largest brewer of cask beer in the South West. Doom Bar is the No. 1 selling cask brand in the South West and Wales and the fastest growing cask brand in Greater London.

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Portland publican Don Younger dies

Don Younger

Don Younger, the pioneering Portland publican who opened the legendary Horse Brass Pub in 1976, has died.

Younger died early this morning, a day after John Foyston sent shockwaves through the American beer community by reporting Younger was gravely ill death due to “multiple health problems triggered by slipping and breaking a shoulder last week. He’s unconcious and on a respirator in the cardiac intensive care unit at a local hospital.”

Although Younger was best known for his role in turning Portland and Oregon into “Beervana,” his death inspired a particularly moving tribute from British author Pete Brown, which concluded:

I only met Don the one time and I’ll leave the proper obituaries to the people who were lucky enough to know him well.

But on the basis of one meeting, he was one of my favourite people in the beer world. Even if you didn’t know who he was till now, take a while to read about him, and raise a glass of your favourite US craft beer to him tonight. After all, there’s a good chance it may not have existed without his influence.

There are various stories about how Younger acquired the Horse Brass in 1976 — he had more than one version himself — but he pointed to a trip to Great Britain in 1977 as the reason the Horse Brass became what it was. “That’s when I knew,” he said. What, he wasn’t yet sure, “but I was going to do the pub thing.”

Reflecting on the first twenty years of business in 1996, he said: “We didn’t know we were making history, nobody does at the time, or we would have written these things down.” He talked about unopened bottles from New Albion Brewery in the pub’s basement. He remembered anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first beer from Portland’s Cartwright Brewing in 1980. “We had it one day,” he said, but it was too flawed to serve. “I’ve still got Cartwright T-shirts and coasters,” he said.

The first microbrewery beer he put on tap was Grant’s from Yakima, Wash., in 1982. “People (in Portland) were ready, the pipeline was here. All he had to do was make it,” he said. Soon he was serving Anchor and Sierra Nevada from California, then BridgePort Brewing opened in Portland in 1984. . . . The new breweries kept coming and Younger kept finding ways to showcase the most promising.

Meanwhile, publicans from across the country were always showing up at the Horse Brass, and Younger freely offered advice. In fact, he became part of a group of bar owners who called themselves the Publican National Committee. Both they and their establishments — Tom Peters (Monk’s Cafe-Philadelphia), Dave Keene (The Toronado-San Francisco), Chris Black (The Falling Rock-Denver) and Matt Bonney and Matt VandenBerghe (Brouwer’s-Seattle, Washington — are well known, yet they only hint at the extent of his influence.

For instance, when Deven Black opened the North Star Pub in Manhattan — now long gone, but an early beachhead for better beer in New York City — he consulted Younger. The list goes on and on. In the coming days those who Younger will tell endearing stories and reflect on how desperately they will miss him. In the coming years many more will hoist a glass of better beer and perhaps somebody will remind them Don Younger is one of the reasons they can.

More reading:

Celebrator Beers News interview (video).
Imbibe maganize profile.

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Foothills acquires Carolina Beer brands

The Triad area Business Journal reports Winston-Salem based Foothills Brewing has acquired the beer division of Carolina Beer & Beverage of Mooresville.

The acquisition includes the company’s equipment, trademarks and brands (the very popular Carolina Blonde and a variety of Cottonwood Ales).

Foothills Brewing will quadruple its brewing capacity and add 10 sales and production employees over the next year.

“We consider this strategic decision as very positive for the future of both our companies,” said Jamie Bartholomaus, president and brewmaster of Foothills Brewing, in a statement. “Carolina Beer wanted production of its beloved brands to be in North Carolina, and we are glad to accommodate.”

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New Belgium adds more East Coast markets

New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, has announced plans to expand the brewery’s market territory along the eastern seaboard. The Colorado brewer will open Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. in September of 2011. The added territory will bring the nation’s third-largest craft brewer to 29 states.

“We had significant expansion in 2009 when we added five states,” Joe Menetre, New Belgium sales director, said for a press release. “We wanted to make sure we had the capacity to keep up with that demand, so we expanded our fermentation cellar to address future growth as well.”

New Belgium currently distributes its beers in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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UK beer sales tumble; pubs hit hardest

Taxes are being blamed as beer sales in the United Kingdom, particularly in bars and pubs, continue to fall.

Total sales were off 3.9% in 2010, while pub sales tumbled 7.5%. Trade in supermarkets and stores rose .6%.

The totals indicate 333 million fewer pints were sold in pubs in 2010. On-trade beer sales have now fallen 20.2%.

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of British Beer & Pub Association, said the figures revealed the government was “cooking the golden goose” because lower sales meant the government collected £257m less in tax revenue.

She called for plans to further boost taxes to be abandoned. “Huge tax rises are having a big impact on beer sales,” she said. “The government should abandon plans for above inflation hikes in beer tax in the budget, as further rises are simply unsustainable.”

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Importer acquires Ontario’s King Brewery

Beer Barons, an importer of premium beers to Canada, has acquired King Brewery, a craft brewery based in Nobleton, Ontario, according to DBR.

The brewery has been in operation since 2002, and is known of its pilsner. King Brewery founder Phil DiFonzo will remain in his role as brewmaster.

DiFonzo said in order for the brewery to realize its full potential in Canada, it wanted to bring even more expertise to the table, and the management at Beer Barons will provide it with the necessary support to exponentially grow the business.

King Brewery’s lineup includes King Pilsner, King Dark lager, King Vienna and seasonally produces King Pilsbock.

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‘Small’ brewer just got a lot bigger

The board of directors of the Brewers Association has voted to change the BA’s designation of “small” in its definition of a “craft brewer,” boosting the limit from two million barrels annually to six million.

According to a press release:

In the BA’s craft brewer definition, the term “small” now refers to any independent brewery that produces up to 6 million barrels of traditional beer. The previous definition capped production at 2 million barrels. The changed definition is currently in effect and can be reviewed on the BA website, BrewersAssociation.org. The change to the bylaws went into effect December 20, 2010.

In the Brewers Association’s bylaws, two classes of membership (Professional Packaging Brewers and Associate membership) have been redefined with a qualifying barrelage of 6 million barrels versus 2 million barrels.

The association cited several reasons for the change, including the recognition that “small” is a descriptive term relative to the overall size of the industry.

“Thirty-four years have passed since the original small brewers tax differential defined small brewers as producing less than 2 million barrels,” said Nick Matt, chair of the Brewers Association board of directors and chairman and CEO of F.X. Matt Brewing Company. “A lot has changed since 1976. The largest brewer in the U.S. has grown from 45 million barrels to 300 million barrels of global beer production.”

Matt added, “The craft brewer definition and bylaws now more accurately reflect and align with our government affairs efforts.” On the legislative front in 2010, the Brewers Association supported H.R. 4278/S. 3339, which sought to update the cap on an excise tax differential for small brewers to 6 million barrels per year in production for their first 2 million barrels.

The industry’s largest craft brewer, The Boston Beer Company, is poised to become the first craft brewer to surpass 2 million barrels of traditional beer within the next few years. Loss of The Boston Beer Company’s production in craft brewing industry statistics would inaccurately reflect on the craft brewing industry’s market share.

In addition to Boston Beer, the current growth trajectory of other sizable BA member breweries places them on a course approaching the 2 million barrel threshold in the coming years.

Boston Beer accounted for 20.2% of “craft beer” sales in 2009.

“With this change to the craft brewer definition and BA bylaws, statistics will continue to accurately reflect the 30-year growth of market share for craft brewed beer,” Matt said for the press release. “Brewers Association statistics on craft brewers will continue to keep pace with the growth of the industry.

“Rather than removing members due to their success, the craft brewing industry should be celebrating our growth.”

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Pelican Brands acquires Napa Smith Brewery & Winery

An investment group led by J. Smoke Wallin has finalized the purchase of Napa Smith Brewery & Winery, making it part of a family of companies which includes Pelican Brands. Napa Smith Beer is currently in 17 states, and will be available nationally by the summer of 2011. Earlier this year, Napa Smith appointed Pelican Brands as its exclusive sales representatives in the United States.

For the press release announcing the deal had closed:

J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman & CEO of Pelican Brands and Napa Smith Holdings, said, “The craft beer business is the fastest growing category of beverage alcohol in America. Napa Smith has all the right attributes to become one of the few truly global brands of craft beer – amazing beer from one of the most respected names in the craft brewing industry, distinctive packaging, Napa terroir. These attributes combined with our Pelican Brands global distribution capability, experienced management team and our access to capital give us all the necessary elements to achieve great success.” Wallin continued, “This acquisition is a great strategic fit combined with Pelican Brands as we build a global sales and brand platform, of both owned and agency brands. We look forward to building Napa Smith into an iconic craft beer brand with President Steve Morgan and Master Brewer Don Barkley.”

Steve Morgan, President & COO of Napa Smith Holdings stated, “This is a very positive development for our business. In 2010 Napa Smith – through Pelican’s sales and distribution platform – has expanded into 17 states. With the capital, resources and relationships that Pelican brings to the mix, our beer will be available nationally by mid 2011. Napa has become known world-wide for great wines, and deservedly so. We are proud to hand-craft our beer here in Napa Valley with the same level of quality and attention to detail that built Napa’s global reputation.”

Don Barkley, Master Brewer said, “I’m doing what I love to do – brewing great beer. Smoke and the whole Pelican team are my kind of people. They appreciate the importance of brewing beer right. At the same time, they bring scale and resources that will help Napa Smith reach many more thirsty consumers, which is something I’m passionate about!”

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Chinese giant Tsingtao takes over another brewery

The Tsingtao Brewery — China’s largest — has agreed to buy the Shandong Yinmai Beer Co., the third brewery it has taken over in two years.

Wang Fan, vice chairman of Tsingtao Brewery, said the deal would consolidate Tsingtao Beer’s dominance in the market in Shandong amid fierce competition. Yinmai will continue to make Yinmai beer. This is different from Tsingtao’s takeover of two other local breweries of Yantai Beer and Baotu Spring Beer, whose trademark beers disappeared.

Tsingtao Brewery, which was founded in 1903 in Qingdao City, is best known for the internationally distributed Tsingtao beer.