Monthly Archives: September 2012

shmaltz brewing logo

Shmaltz contract-brewing its way to $3 million in revenue this year

Olde Saratoga now makes all 15 of Shmaltz’s varieties, which are available in 31 states, as well as Canada, Australia, and Japan. That’s wider distribution than established craft competitors such as Bell’s, Deschutes, and New Belgium. “[The brewmaster] and I collaborate very directly on the flavors of every beer we make, but the manufacturing nitty-gritty details are less romantic to me,” says Cowan, who expects $3 million in revenue this year.

More >> Businessweek.

 

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More on Brooklyn Brewery’s export strategy

 

Recall that Sweden is Brooklyn Brewery’s second-ranked market for sales.

Fifteen percent of Brooklyn Brewery beer is exported overseas, the largest percentage among craft brewers, according to Hudson. In fact, of Brooklyn Brewery’s top three market, two are overseas. The United Kingdom ranks third, ahead of New Jersey and Massachusetts, which rank fourth and fifth.

More >> CNBC.

 

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Captain Lawrence IPA

Captain Lawrence Brewing to introduce its first-ever IPA

 

Shared this article earlier in the week but missed this at the end of it…

The brewery has invested in some serious hardware: a pair of 160-barrel fermenting tanks from Portland, Oregon, and a thousand new kegs from Germany, to get the ball rolling on the inaugural Captain Lawrence India Pale Ale. “In almost seven years, we’ve never made an India Pale Ale,” says Scott. “We’re playing around with that now.”

More >> Captain Lawrence Notes.

 

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UK-based Nethergate rebrands as Growler Brewery

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Growler Brewery Old Growler Robust Dark BeerPress Release:

(Nethergate, UNITED KINGDOM) – Growler Brewery, Nethergate, the Good Pub Guide’s Brewery of the Year 2012, has unveiled a complete rebrand for its portfolio of award winning beers; Old Growler, Growler Bitter, Umbel, Lemon Head and Essex Border.

The team at Growler Brewery wanted to create a cohesive identity with bags of character…..plus a healthy dose of attitude whilst capturing and communicating its unique Essex location.

The focus for the new identity is the eponymous ‘Old Growler’ – a British bulldog who over the years has become synonymous with the beer and the brewery, having appeared in a number of guises. Now Growler has more personality and a quirky sense of fun appearing as the umbrella icon for the brewery and beers. Throughout all the designs a bowler hat has been introduced which balances gentle British eccentricity with personality and fun.

• The brewery’s 3.9% bitter, which has been renamed Growler Bitter as part of the rebrand, features Growler tossing his bowler hat into the air.

• The best quality Umbel Ale simply features Growler’s bowler hat resting on the last of the letter’s in its name; the simplicity of the image befitting the ale’s connoisseurs status.

• Being a blonde ale, the branding for Growler’s Essex Border depicts a stylised 1940s blonde bombshell, complete with stockings.

• The zesty, refreshing Lemon Head features a cameo of Growler the dog against a background of vivid citrus colours.

• Growler and his bowler hat are also featured on the brewery’s oldest beer IPA, now named in honour of Ian and Paul, the original and current head brewers, and depicted on a vibrant yellow background.

The new branding is being rolled out on both bottled and pump clips over the next month.

“We wanted the new identity to reflect the culture of the brewery, Growler Brewery is a mature business but we are young guys with plenty of energy and imagination. We take the craft of brewing very seriously but not ourselves, we wanted the branding to reflect the coming together of these qualities. We hope our publicans and drinkers like the new identity as much as they seem to like the beers.”

Nethergate has brewed traditional ales in the Stour Valley since 1986. Its beers have been recognised by their excellence, winning many awards, regionally, nationally and internationally. Growler beers are regularly stocked at in excess of 300 pubs regularly and as a “guest beer” as well as being available to in bottles at restaurants, hotels and selected retail outlets.

Note: Growler Brewery is imported to the U.S. by Artisanal Imports, a BeerPulse sponsor.

Heineken to acquire KPG’s stake in Asia Pacific Breweries for US$960 million

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heineken logo(Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS) – Heineken news just came over the wire…

Heineken N.V. (“HEINEKEN”) announces that Heineken International B.V. has entered into an agreement with Kindest Place Groups Limited (“KPG”) to acquire KPG’s 22,207,130 shares in Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (“APB”), representing 8.6% of the total issued share capital of APB, at a price of S$53.00 per APB share (“KPG Sale”). The completion of the KPG Sale shall take place by way of a married trade to be effected on the Singapore Stock Exchange at a date to be agreed, but not later than 1 October 2012.

Heineken also has an offer in for Fraser and Neave’s 40% stake in APB for US$6.3 billion which will be voted on by F&N shareholders later this month. APB’s primary asset for which companies have been clamoring recently is Tiger Beer.

SABMiller logo

SABMiller, scientists partner to develop plastic bottles for increased beer shelf life

Scientists at CRANN, a nanoscience institute based at Trinity College Dublin, have partnered with brewing company SABMiller on a project to increase the shelf life of bottled beer in plastic bottles. The new deal will see SABMiller invest in the project over a two year period.

More >> R&D Mag.

 

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Kiuchi Brewery, makers of Hitachino Nest Beer, exporting 4,000 barrels to U.S. this year

After being in the beer business for just 15 years, the company will produce more than 250,000 gallons of craft beer this year, earning about $8 million. Half of that is destined for pubs and supermarkets in the United States. Kiuchi Brewery is among scores of Japanese sake makers that have branched into craft beer. The most successful have seen year-on-year growth of as much 40 percent, in the face of a long, slow decline for sake.

More >> NPR.

 

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Budweiser Project 12 fall variety pack finalized, three winning beers announced

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budweiser project 12 sampler pack crop

Press Release:

(St. Louis, MO) – And then there were three.

“Project 12” started in the early spring when Budweiser’s 12 brewmasters across America were asked to write a unique beer recipe worthy of the Budweiser name. After internal discussion and debate, six of the recipes were chosen to be brewed in small batches. Now, after a summer-long nationwide sampling effort involving thousands of consumers at dozens of events, U.S. beer drinkers have provided feedback, which helped Budweiser decide which three beers would be available for sale in a limited-edition sampler pack this fall.

The “winning” recipes, named for the ZIP Code in which the beer was originally brewed, are from brewmasters at the Budweiser breweries in Los Angeles, St. Louis and Williamsburg, Virginia.

Tens of thousands of consumers tasted and gave feedback about the Project 12 beers. This included approximately 10,000 festival- goers to the Budweiser Made in America music festival in Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend, where Budweiser’s 12 U.S. brewmasters personally sampled the beers and asked for feedback. At other sampling events throughout the United States, brand ambassadors asked consumers to describe the taste, freshness, style and flavor of the six Project 12 beers, and to choose their favorites. Consumers also were able to enter feedback onsite via iPad stations.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Rob McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser. “With all this feedback from consumers, I guess you can call this the largest focus group in Budweiser history, maybe even beer history. There really were no winners or losers with Project 12, but we wound up with three great beers that slightly edged out the others.  It certainly wasn’t an easy choice. Best of all, we listened to what our beer drinkers told us and we let them help us make the decision about what to bring to stores.”

The limited edition sampler pack, available for sale starting on Oct. 29, is a 12-bottle package containing four each of the special “ZIP Code” beers. These beers are:

Budweiser Batch No. 91406 (Los Angeles):

  • A deep-amber lager with 6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
  • The beer was originated by brewmaster Bryan Sullivan in Los Angeles in collaboration with brewmasters Scott Ungermann in Fairfield, Calif. and Dave Cohen in Houston.
  • “Our collaboration team used caramel malt on Batch No. 91406, which gives the beer a deep amber color and a little more body,” said Sullivan, whose signature will be on the bottle. “It has a little bit more hop character than our flagship Budweiser lager, but like Budweiser it’s a very clean and refreshing beer.”

Budweiser Batch No. 63118 (St. Louis): 

  • A deep-golden pilsner with 6 percent ABV.
  • The beer was first brewed in St. Louis by brewmaster Jim Bicklein and was developed in collaboration with brewmaster Katie Rippel from Fort Collins, Colo.
  • “The original Budweiser brewery is, of course, here in St. Louis, so we wanted to honor our brewing heritage with a beer that uses ingredients that German immigrants, like our founder Adolphus Busch, would have used when they came to the United States,” Bicklein said. “In this pilsner we use the same types of Hallertau and Tettnang hops commonly used in St. Louis during the late 1800s.” 

Budweiser Batch No. 23185 (Williamsburg, Va.):

  • A bourbon cask lager with 5.5 percent ABV.
  • The beer is brewed by Daniel Westmoreland from the Williamsburg, Va. brewery and was developed in collaboration with brewmasters Mike Anderson in Jacksonville, Fla. and Dan Kahn in Cartersville, Ga.
  • “We took staves from fresh bourbon barrels and we aged the beer on those staves and spiced it with a hint of vanilla,” said Westmoreland, who has been a Budweiser brewmaster for more than 30 years.  “It’s an all-malt brew, and it has a perfect color that is similar to the color of bourbon itself. Batch No. 23185 has a nice vanilla aroma with a little oakiness on the end – it’s a great beer.”

Budweiser will continue to request feedback from beer drinkers on these three beers. Via a QR code on the package, as well as an in-pack flighting sheet, the brand is asking consumers their opinions of these three new Budweiser-inspired beers. The flighting sheet also includes tasting notes and details about each beer for in-home tastings.

OTHER PROJECT 12 BEERS
While not available in the fall sampler pack, the Project 12 beers developed in Baldwinsville, N.Y.; Columbus, Ohio; and Fort Collins, Colo. also received favorable feedback from consumers, creating a task for the team responsible for paring the six Project 12 beers to three.

All the beers developed for Project 12 pay homage to Budweiser’s clean and crisp taste by using the proprietary yeast directly descended from the original Budweiser yeast culture used by Adolphus Busch in 1876. The yeast is still used by Budweiser today.

“Budweiser is an exacting style of beer to brew,” said Peter Kraemer, a fifth-generation brewmaster who leads Anheuser-Busch’s brewing operations in North America. “Our brewmasters are responsible for one of the world’s most technically challenging beers and are able to make a high-quality beer that is consistent all over the United States and the world. Project 12 was a way for our world-class brewmasters to have fun experimenting with new ingredients, flavors and brewing processes to bring beer lovers some new options inspired by our flagship beer.”

Anheuser-Busch’s commitment to quality and its spirit of innovation have been defining characteristics of the company since its beginning.  This passion helped the company expand from a local St. Louis brewery to a leader in the industry.  Today, Budweiser’s recipe for success brings together its proud heritage and talented teams to brew, package and sell some of the most popular beers in the world.

For more information on Budweiser’s Project 12, visit www.anheuser-busch.com/Project12.

About Budweiser 
Budweiser, an American-style lager, was introduced in 1876 when company founder Adolphus Busch set out to create the United States’ first truly national beer brand – brewed to be universally popular and transcend regional tastes. Each batch of Budweiser follows the same family recipe used by five generations of Busch family brewmasters.  Budweiser is a medium-bodied, flavorful, crisp and pure beer with blended layers of premium American and European hop aromas, brewed for the perfect balance of flavor and refreshment.  Budweiser is made using time-honored methods including “kraeusening” for natural carbonation and Beechwood aging, which results in unparalleled balance and character.  The brand celebrates great times and has used the phrase “Grab Some Buds” in advertising since 2010.

Heineken takes lead in bid for Asia Pacific Breweries shares as ThaiBev bows out

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heineken logoHeineken, ThaiBev and TCC Assets jointly announced on Tuesday a compromise in the companies’ bidding war for Fraser & Neave’s stake in Asia Pacific Breweries, maker of Tiger Beer.

ThaiBev and TCC Assets now formally support Heineken’s bid for the stake provided that Heineken does not make an offer for Fraser & Neave itself.

The move sets the stage for Fraser & Neave shareholders to approve Heineken’s offer of nearly $5 billion. If approved, the acquisition will give Heineken a valuable asset (in Tiger Beer) with which to play in the Asian beer market.

Below is the original press release…if you can make any sense of it.

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Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (“ThaiBev”), TCC Assets Limited (“TCCA”) and Heineken N.V. (“HEINEKEN”) wish to announce the following in connection with the proposed disposal (the “Disposal”) by Fraser and Neave, Limited (“F&N”) of its interests in Asia Pacific Breweries Limited and Asia Pacific Investment Private Limited to Heineken International B.V. (as contemplated in Resolution 1 (“Resolution 1”) set out in the Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on 28 September 2012 (or any adjournment thereof to consider Resolution 1) (the “F&N EGM”), attached to the circular to shareholders issued by F&N on 6 September 2012 in connection with the Disposal):

ThaiBev irrevocably undertakes to procure that International Beverage Holdings Limited (“IBHL”) votes all the shares in F&N held, owned or controlled by IBHL at the time of the F&N EGM in favour of Resolution 1;

TCCA irrevocably undertakes to vote all the shares in F&N held, owned or controlled by TCCA at the time of the F&N EGM in favour of Resolution 1; and HEINEKEN irrevocably undertakes not to make a general offer for shares in F&N under the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers.

North Peak Hooligan Hoppy Pumpkin Ale arrives in bottles

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North Peak Hooligan Hoppy Pumpkin Ale

Press Release:

(Traverse City, MI) – The shenanigans continue as North Peak Brewing Company announces the return of Hooligan – a hoppy 5.5 ABV/35 IBU pumpkin beer, just in time for the fall harvest season. For the first time, Hooligan makes is arrival not only on draft but also in the brand’s trademark 12-ounce stubby-bottle 6-packs.

“It’s no trick. This brew delivers all the spicy pumpkin goodness one could ask for, along with a kick of hops,” says brewer Ron Jeffries, who along with brewer Mike Hall bring a combined 40 years of brewing experience to their North Peak beer recipes. “Hooligan is brewed with real pumpkin and fresh spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, oh my). And, did we mention…hops? Hooligan is brimming with locally-grown hops.”

So who is this Hooligan you may ask? He is a legendary and impish figure who appears but once a year on Devil’s Night, October 30 – the night before Halloween. He lurks through the darkness, traipsing in the shadows from house to house with a rogue gait and a devilish grin on his face. This scoundrel is more mischievous than wicked, yet his reputation for mayhem is wildly known. Anyone who has woken up on Halloween morning to find their pumpkins smashed or yard toilet-papered is familiar with the antics of the Northern Michigan Hooligan.

Hooligan is available now through October when the last pumpkin is smashed. Find it throughout Michigan and Ohio, wherever your favorite North Peak beer is sold.

The North Peak is part of Northern United Brewing Co., which also encompasses the Grizzly Peak and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales craft beer brands, as well as the Civilized line of spirits and Bonafide Wines. NUBC’s philosophy focuses on a dedication to conservation, inspiration and locally sustainable practices. All of the beers and spirits under these brands are produced at either its 5600-square-foot facility on Old Mission Peninsula adjacent to Mission Table (former Bowers Harbor Inn) restaurant or at the original Jolly Pumpkin facility in Dexter.

Find NUBC products at stores, restaurants, and bars all throughout Michigan, including: North Peak Brewing Company, Mission Table and Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, all in Traverse City; Jolly Pumpkin and Grizzly Peak, in Ann Arbor.

Fordham Rosie Parks Oyster Stout returning in November

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Fordham Rosie Parks Oyster Stout Label

Press Release:

(Dover, DE) – The Fordham Brewing Company has announced the November release of Rosie Parks Oyster Stout.

Making a triumphant return, the Oyster Stout was formerly in the Fordham Brewing portfolio and retains a loyal group of followers. Containing Chesapeake Bay oysters and shells, contributing to a slight briny taste in the beer, this stout contains pale, torrified wheat, caramunich, roasted barley and chocolate malt. In addition, it is hopped with Bravo and Glacier hops. Black and 5.2% ABV, this beer is very distinctive. It is designed to pair well with oysters.

Fordham Brewing made the decision to bring back their popular oyster stout recipe to promote an important cause. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) is in the process of restoring Rosie Parks, a skipjack that once dredged the Chesapeake Bay for oysters. Originally built by in 1955 by Bronza Parks, Rosie Parks is one of the least altered skipjacks still in existence. The decision to honor Rosie Parks and support CBMM with a portion of the specialty beer sales was easy.

Fordham and Dominion Brewing CEO Jim Lutz stated, “The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum approached the brewery at the beginning of the year with the request for local beer at their fundraising events. We decided to do them one better by using our beer and bottle artwork to bring attention to the Rosie Parks restoration project. It is important us that future generations understand the cultural history of our Chesapeake maritime community.”

Rosie Parks Oyster Stout will be available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft. She will be premiered at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Oysterfest on November 3rd.

Fordham and Old Dominion have been brewing high quality beverages in Dover, Delaware since 2003. They provide tours of the brewery (located at 1284 McD Dr., Dover, DE) and provide samples of their products, such as Scotch Ale, Oak Barrel Stout, Baltic Porter and Copperhead Ale every Wednesday at 5:00 and 6:00pm, Friday at 4:30 and 6:00pm and Saturday at 12:30 and 2:00 pm.

Merchant du Vin on gluten-free vs. gluten-neutered debate

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merchant duvin boxesWidmer Brothers’ introduction of the Omission series of beers has sparked some discussion from competitors on what constitutes “gluten-free” and what should be able to be labeled gluten-free. Harvester Brewing praised a TTB ruling in which beers like Omission with gluten removed could not be labeled as gluten-free. Steadfast Beer Co. called products like Omission “gluten-neutered.”

Today, Merchant Du Vin (which carries competing gluten-free products) jumps into the discussion via newsletter, albeit with a more subtle approach.

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Even before we started bringing Green’s gluten-free ales to the US in 2007, we kept an eye on news about gluten-free beer. We have also worked to keep in touch with the celiac community at local events, conferences, and retail tastings.

It has been interesting and at times rewarding. Celiacs – those who cannot consume gluten, a protein found in barley and wheat – have educated us, helped us make retail placements in stores, and have made Green’s one of our fastest-growing brands. We have witnessed changes: the first shipments of Green’s could not say “gluten-free” on the labels, even though they are made from all gluten-free ingredients; we’ve seen the number of gluten-free beers expand; we had celiac consumers point out to us that Sam Smith’s Organic Cider (introduced to the US in 2008) was naturally gluten-free.

Recently, beers have been appearing that are made from barley but then “de-glutenized” in a laboratory process. (They still can’t say “gluten-free” on the labels, because they are malt beverages regulated by the US Tax and Trade Bureau. The TTB does not allow a “gluten-free” claim on labels.) Green’s gluten-free beers are made from millet, rice, sorghum, and buckwheat (soba); neither Green’s nor Sam Smith’s Organic Cider are malt beverages so they are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration – and can say “gluten-free” on the label. (This is also why Green’s & Sam Smith’s Cider have a nutritional information panel on the label – something the FDA allows, but the TTB does not allow.)

To a celiac, avoiding gluten is more than a fad, or a concept, or an idea: it is a life and health issue. We have heard from some celiacs that “made from gluten free ingredients” seems safer to them, and we did hear of one new gluten test that may have raised a question of how well the de-glutenizing process works (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, late in 2011).

Massachusetts’ Newburyport Brewing plans to fire up 20-barrel brewhouse in December

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Newburyport Brewing Co. logoPress Release:

(Newburyport, MA) – The Newburyport Brewing Company™ announced today that it has chosen Smart Machine Technologies (SMT), a world‐class manufacturer of American‐made food and beverage systems, to build a 20‐barrel, three vessel steam‐fired turnkey brewhouse for the Company’s craft beer production facility headquartered in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

SMT will also provide the Newburyport Brewing Company with six 40‐barrel fermentation vessels, two 40‐barrel bright tanks, hot and cold liquor tanks, and a complete grain handling system. As part of the business partnership, the Newburyport Brewing Company will serve as a showpiece brewery for SMT and will welcome visits and inquiries from other craft breweries considering SMT brewing equipment.

“We evaluated competitive quotes from several brewhouse manufacturers and consulted with a number of craft breweries to make the best decision for our Company,” says Bill Fisher, co‐founder and chief operations officer.

“In the end, we chose SMT for their in‐house brewing expertise, ability to fabricate and customize a world‐class system designed for our specific brewing needs, quick turnaround, excellent customer service and attention to detail throughout our due diligence process.”

The Newburyport Brewing Company’s brewhouse includes a mash tun complete with rakes and steam jacket for step infusion mashing, an oversized brew kettle with whirlpool inlet, and a custom whirlpool vessel for rapid knockout and efficient double‐batch brew days. Forty‐barrel hot and cold liquor tanks, as well as a plate and frame heat exchanger gives the system outstanding heat recovery. Multi‐zone jacketed fermenters and bright tanks include screens for hops and spice additions.

“Most importantly, the system from SMT enables us to consistently brew the highest quality beer, while offering flexibility and efficiencies to brew a wide range of styles that consumers and contract brewers may demand in the future,” states Chris Webb co‐founder and chief executive officer.

Newburyport Brewing Company’s brewhouse is slated to arrive on December 10, 2012. After a three day installation, the Company will begin brewing its three flagship beers for New England consumers.

Elevation Beer Co. to more than double capacity, debut Downpour and Oil Man this fall

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elevation signal bottle picPress Release:

(Poncha Springs, CO) – Elevation Beer Company is announcing its first expansion just four months after opening its doors. The expansion will add two 60-barrel and one 30-barrel fermenters which will more than double brewing capacity at the brewery and includes the addition of a fully automated bottling line.

“We are absolutely shocked by the local community support for our brewery and we hit our current max capacity within just 3 months of opening,” Exclaims General Manager and Co-founder Carlin Walsh.

Elevation was planning on producing between 500-700 barrels of beer in its first seven months of operation, but due to overwhelming demand the brewery is looking to break at least 1100 barrels in its first year.

“We are all excited to see our local community and the greater Colorado beer community welcome us with such open arms.” Says Head Brewer Christian Koch, “This expansion will allow us to brew around 4,000 barrels a year and to keep up with our local demand and our demand for our barrel-aged and specialty beers across Colorado’s Front Range.”

Elevation has already ramped up production on its next two releases; Downpour, a hoptastic Double India Red Ale, and Oil Man, an Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels from Breckenridge Distilling.

“Downpour should hit Denver in mid-October, and will replace our Apis IV in the Black Series.’ Says Christian, ‘While Oil Man will be available come mid-November and will replace Signal de Botrange in our Double Black Series. We are very excited about these beers as they already are tasting pretty fantastic.”

With the increase in production and the expansion Elevation will look to have over 100 oak barrels for aging beer in their facility by the end of January, making their barrel room one of the larger in the state.

“This expansion will allow us to keep making big beers like Signal de Botrange, Oil Man, and Downpour,’ says Carlin, ‘We are excited to be one more example of what happens when people decide to drink locally and choose to support their local craft breweries.”

About Elevation
Elevation Beer Co. is an artisan microbrewery located in Poncha Springs, Colorado, just minutes from Salida, Monarch Ski Area, Arkansas River Headwaters, and over seven 14,000-foot peaks. Elevation specializes in brewing large adventurous beers for the craft beer fanatic, while trying to elevate the perception of what beer can be.

Cascade Brewing update: Kriek 2011, Straight Double Red, Black Cap Raspberry

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Cascade Kriek Ale label(Portland, OR) – Here is the latest from Cascade Brewing Co., courtesy of this week’s newsletter.

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Join us for today’s Tap It Tuesday at 6 pm for LIVE: Straight Double Red. This NW style sour double red ale was aged for seven months in French oak wine barrels. Aromas of dark red wine, raisins and red grape skins are noticed up front. Notes of sweet red grapes and caramel with hints of hazelnuts on the palate lead to a finish of bright red currants and cherries. Believe it or not, there is no fruit or spicing in this beer. 7.5% ABV, $6.5/glass.

If you can’t make it in person but want to check out our Tap It Tuesdays, follow Cascade Brewing Barrel House on Google+. Join the Hangout before with insights from Head Blender Preston Weesner, then watch the tapping broadcast live at 6pm. You can also check out past tappings on our YouTube channel – Cascade Brewing Barrel House.

Look for a possible release of Black Cap Raspberry later this week; this is a limited draft only release. Check Facebook/Twitter/Google+ for updates.

Kriek 2011 is bottle conditioning and we are looking for an early October release. The Noyaux blend is in the tank and undergoing final blending. There are still a few cases left of Figaro, but it’s going fast. 750 ml bottles sell for $25 and there is a limit of two bottles per person. There are NO online sales for Figaro due to limited quantities. It is only available at the Cascade Brewing Barrel House and the Raccoon Lodge.

Iron Hill Dark Humor All-Brett Porter bottle release party takes place next Thursday

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Iron HIll Dark Humor All-Brett PorterPress Release:

(Media, PA) – On Thursday, September 27, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., the region’s most celebrated brewery and restaurant, Iron Hill (30 East State Street, 610-627-9000), will toast their award-winning head brewer Bob Barrar’s 40th birthday with Dark Humor Rising, a tasting of rare and exciting iterations of his Dark Humor Porter.

Originally brewed in collaboration with brewer Jeff O’Neill then of Ithaca Brewing Company, now of The Peekskill Brewery, Dark Humor is a 100% brettanomyces-fermented porter that is luxuriously chocolate-y with an earthy, sour character. For Dark Humor Rising, Barrar brewed a fresh batch and aged the special beer in a variety of other spirit barrels. Draught tastes, large-format bottles and even an extremely limited quantity of the original vintage of Dark Humor will be available for sale.

“Working at Iron Hill has been a dream for me – I’m not only allowed but encouraged to create unusual and exciting beers that many other breweries would shy away from,” says Barrar, Iron Hill’s most decorated brewer who is now the owner of 23 medals, including nine from the World Beer Cup (WBC) and 14 from the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

“Dark Humor is a great example of why I’m proud to work for Iron Hill, and it is a pleasure to share it on this milestone birthday with the fans and friends who continue to make my job every day so great.”

Dark Humor beers available during Dark Humor Rising will include:

Vintage March 2011 Dark Humor (brewed at Ithaca)
Vintage May 2011 Dark Humor (brewed in Media)
Rum Barrel Aged Dark Humor
Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Humor
Sherry Barrel Aged Dark Humor
Tawny Port Barrel Aged Dark Humor
Ruby Port Barrel Aged Dark Humor

Quantities of this extraordinary beer are very limited and are expected to sell out. Guests will be able to enjoy Dark Humor in a variety of ways: on Draught, as a Sampler (tastes of all Dark Humor beers for $16); and in Large-Format Bottles, perfect to take home or give as gifts (750 mL for $29.95).

Crispin Cider Co. launches Crispin Bare Naked, Fox Barrel Pear Naked hard ciders

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Crispin Bare Naked and Fox Barrel Pear Naked Cider bottles

Press Release:

(Colfax, CA) – Crispin Cider Company is losing its inhibitions. The innovative hard cider maker proudly introduces Crispin Bare Naked and Fox Barrel Pear Naked.

“We wanted to explore creative ways of getting down to the true essence of our ciders, and we wanted to discover the core character of single-strength fermentation and then break loose with a secondary fermentation,” said Bruce Nissen, Head Cider-Maker, Crispin Cider Company.

Crispin Bare Naked and Fox Barrel Pear Naked, which are USDA Organic certified hard ciders utilizing a unique Double Fermentation process. Stripped down, “naked” ciders utilizing a natural fermentation without chaptalization. Fermentation leverages the natural sugar levels inherent in the raw, unpasteurized, fresh-pressed American organic apple and pear juice using a novel “Forbidden Fruit” wit yeast.

Following full fermentation, a second fermentation is initiated with the addition of new raw organic juice to the wine, and ferments again using a sparkling wine yeast.

The single-strength organic ciders are smoothed with pure organic apple or pear juice, and have no added sulfites, sugars, sorbate or benzoate preservatives.

Crispin Bare Naked – 6% ABV

Softly sparkling, dry but still approachable. Free-spirited and complex, without being complicated. A bright apple bouquet. A clean, stripped-down natural beauty.

Fox Barrel Pear Naked – 5.3% ABV 

Natural pearfection. A loose-limbed, uninhibited, fresh and lively natural pear cider. Softly sparkling with an authentic pear natural nose, and an off-dry clean finish.

“These are real boundary-breaking ciders in terms of both cider making technique and conceptual thinking, and they’re very small-batch in terms of early season organic fruit supply, fermentation process and our own ability to learn and explore the cider-making art,” said Joe Heron, President & CEO, Crispin Cider Company. “Initially, there’s not a lot out there, so it is in limited distribution, but we hope to have more in the future.”

About the Crispin Cider Company

The Crispin Cider Company produces natural hard apple craft ciders using fermented American unpasteurized fresh-pressed apple-juice in Original, Light and Brut varietals, and additional unfiltered Artisanal Reserves – Honey Crisp, Lansdowne, The Saint and Cho-tokkyu, and also imports a classic English Dry Cider, Crispin Browns Lane.

The Fox Barrel Cider Company is dedicated to the production of superior pure pear ciders, using American fermented fresh-pressed pear-juice. Available in Pacific Pear, Blackberry Pear and Apricot Pear varietals and additional unfiltered Cidery Reserves  – Ginger & Blackcurrant and Rhubarb & Elderberry. The company also imports a classic English Perry.  

Crispin and Fox Barrel ciders are all gluten-free.

The company is based in Chicago and Colfax, Calif. 

www.FoxBarrel.com & www.CrispinCider.com.

How I raised $1.25 million to start my brewery

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modern times beer logo

This editorial was contributed by Jacob McKean, founder of Modern Times Beer, a brewery-in-planning in San Diego. Previously, he was Communications Specialist at Stone Brewing Co., and he has also worked as a freelance writer for a smattering of beer publications. He’s a beer geek and occasional contributor to BeerPulse. Back in March, he penned, “Why I Think I’m Mostly Not Crazy for Opening a Brewery.”

You can follow the development of Modern Times Beer at moderntimesbeer.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

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I have finally, mercifully raised the money I will need to start my brewery, Modern Times Beer. As you’d expect, I’m incredibly excited and relieved, but the process of making it happen wasn’t at all what I expected.

If you love raising money, you probably do it for a living. For the rest of us, it’s not exactly a blast wave of glee. I’ve never heard anyone enthuse about the exhausting pitches, endless pleas for checks, or non-stop negotiating it takes to raise capital.

In the interest of helping other passionate beer geeks navigate the strange world of fundraising, I offer these hard-won lessons from my experience successfully financing Modern Times.

How Much Is Enough?

The first problem is figuring out how much capital you will need to build a brewery, hire the proper amount of employees, produce outstanding beer, distribute that beer and survive – all without asking your existing investors for more money or diluting their equity. This is necessarily an inexact science, and the number must be computed by determining what you need, what you can use, and how much you can realistically raise. Even if you do a ton of research, as I did, these variables will still be moving targets: the cost of buildings, equipment and ingredients will change; the opportunities will change; and the fundraising landscape will change, sometimes in dramatically unexpected ways.

So if you’re not a fan of the unknown–and I am very much not a fan of the unknown, especially in matters financial–calculating this number will be a real challenge. I arrived at $1.25 million by figuring out what I thought it would take to open the brewery plus a year of operating expenses and a substantial cushion for contingencies. I also asked other young breweries how much they raised and many very generously shared their numbers. Fortunately, several breweries similar to mine have opened recently with about the same amount of cash, so I feel very confident in my number. Nonetheless, cash anxiety is perpetual for everyone but the extremely wealthy. I figure I could profitably deploy about twice as much money, if I had it.

After settling on the fundraising goal and drawing up the necessary documents (no minor detail), I had to go about actually convincing people to invest.

What Could You Possibly Accomplish with Less Than $5 million?

The goal amount is partly a strategic choice with potential investors. Something unexpected I encountered was that quite a few people doubted that a brewery could be started for “so little money” (Modern Times will have a 30bbl system, but when most people envision a generic brewery, they’re thinking of a giant factory). I tried to put things in perspective for them, but it took a lot of convincing. Many professional investors are more accustomed to seeing deals for $5 million and up, making mine seem puny by comparison. How could it be worth their time? Wouldn’t I need to dilute them in the near future? In many ways, it would’ve been an easier sell if I’d asked for more.

You Won’t Make a Bazillion Dollars in the First 6 months?

Another thing they’re used to seeing are preposterously juiced numbers. Every start-up in the world is going to take over the world next year, if only you’d give them the $20 million they need. I kept my numbers conservative because I’d rather have my investors be pleasantly surprised than perpetually disappointed. I thought people would appreciate the honesty of reasonable numbers, but in the end, I think I would’ve had an easier time if I’d promised the moon and the stars.

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