(Portland, OR) – MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co., recipient of the 2009 Great American Beer Fest Gold Medal for its near-mythic Amber Ale™, is poised to reveal its darkest thought yet: Inkblot Porter, the rich black liquid cipher whose mania of malts spills its secrets in every sensationally warming sip.
The latest beer to premiere in MacTarnahan’s Big Bottle Series of thankfully ample 22 oz. seasonal specialty beers, Inkblot is a deep, dark and delicious figment of brewing imagination whose smooth malt taste is ideal for blotting out autumn’s chill and warming conscious and subconscious minds alike. The brewer’s unique interpretation of history’s British Baltic Porters is created from Munich, Caramel, Special B, and Carafa malts as well as Perle variety hops, which provide a uniquely clean flavor and finish. What arrives in the glass at the start of your session is a picture worth a thousand words and a distinctively malt-focused abstraction of ale whose subtle notes of plum and cherry surround a round, velvety palate to provide the rich warmth demanded by cooler days.
Brewed as a public mental health service, Inkblot is scheduled to drive the psyches of Pacific Northwest beer aficionados mad with yearning from August through October at select social establishments and beverage agents in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. The full Inkblot test may be taken only at brewery alehouses in Portland, Seattle, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Sacramento, where Inkblot will appear on tap in its freshest form. The journey to this dark place, however, must be undertaken soon for only 477 cases of this insanely delicious porter will see the light of day.
MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. is the brewer of full-flavored specialty beers that come without regrets of any kind. Somewhat obsessively handcrafted at our brewery in Northwest Portland, Oregon, MacTarnahan’s ales continue to be venerated by consumers and experts alike. In 2009, MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale took the gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest, which named us America’s Mid-Size Brewer of the Year in 2008. (Nice laurels, but now is no time to rest on them…)
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(WOODINVILLE, WA) – Redhook Ale Brewery (NASDAQ:HOOK) has partnered with the University of Washington Huskies to become the Dawg’s exclusive craft brewery. The three year partnership kicks off this month.
“Redhook has been pouring craft beers in Western Washington since 1982 and we look forward to cheering the Dawgs on from The Zone.”
“As Seattle’s original craft brewer, we are thrilled to team up with the University of Washington to bring Husky fans a true taste of the Pacific Northwest,” said Greg Deuhs, brewmaster for Redhook Ale Brewery. “Redhook has been pouring craft beers in Western Washington since 1982 and we look forward to cheering the Dawgs on from The Zone.”
Through this partnership, Redhook will be the exclusive craft beer sponsor of The Zone. The Zone is a Washington Huskies’ game day experience that features entertainment, food, beverages and a place for Husky fans to socialize for three hours pre-game, during halftime and post-game. Additionally, The Zone offers custom suite rentals for first-class entertaining.
Redhook Ale Brewery was established in 1981 in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The brewery has gone on to be recognized as a craft brewing innovator with distribution throughout the U.S. Maintaining its Pacific Northwest roots, Redhook’s main brewery is located in Woodinville, Wash.
About Redhook Ale Brewery
Redhook Ale Brewery has been at the forefront of the domestic craft brewing segment since the company’s formation in 1981. Redhook brews a variety of craft beer styles, including: Long Hammer IPA, Redhook ESB, Copperhook Ale and seasonal offerings, Mudslinger Spring Ale, Rope Swing Summer Pilsner, Late Harvest Autumn Ale and Winterhook Winter Ale. Redhook beer is brewed in its breweries, one in the Seattle suburb of Woodinville, Wash., and the other in Portsmouth, N.H. Redhook’s specialty beers are available in both draught and bottles and are distributed nationally through a network of wholesale distributors. For more information, visit www.redhook.com.
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Sales-To-Retailer Trend Improvements Show Signs of Progress Behind Brand Innovation
(LONDON & DENVER, CO) – Despite volume headwinds which continue to affect the beer industry at-large, SABMiller plc (SAB.L) and Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP; TSX) reported double-digit underlying earnings growth for MillerCoors in the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.
“Now that we’re into the home stretch of the summer selling season, our results show some positive signs of progress”
MillerCoors second quarter underlying net income, excluding special items, increased 19.8 percent to $389.7 million versus the prior year comparable quarter due to strong innovation, solid price gains, delivery of synergies, and lower marketing, general and administrative costs, which were partially offset by soft volumes.
“Now that we’re into the home stretch of the summer selling season, our results show some positive signs of progress,” said Leo Kiely, chief executive officer, MillerCoors. “We grew profit by double digits in an unfavorable selling environment. A few of our key brands showed significant trend improvements from the last quarter, and the craft and import portfolio posted very strong results, driven by our investments in brand innovation.”
Key operating results for the second quarter are compared to the prior year comparable quarter and include MillerCoors operations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
(All amounts are in U.S. dollars and calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, unless otherwise indicated. )
Underlying net income, excluding special items, increased 19.8% to $389.7 million;
Total net revenue declined by 0.1% to $2.134 billion;
Domestic net revenue per barrel (NRPB), excluding contract brewing and company-owned distributor sales, increased 2.8%;
Cost of goods sold per barrel increased 1.6%;
Synergies and other cost savings were $72 million, bringing cumulative synergies and cost savings (including legacy cost savings programs) to $481 million since July 1, 2008.
MillerCoors domestic sales-to-retailers (STRs) declined 2.4 percent. Helped by MillerCoors premium light, craft and import brands, the second quarter showed a trend improvement from the first quarter, which was down 4.0 percent. Domestic sales-to-wholesalers (STWs) declined 3.5 percent in the second quarter, driven primarily by lower STRs.
Second Quarter Brand STR Highlights
In the Premium Light portfolio, Coors Light volumes were unchanged and MGD 64 was down low-single digits, while Miller Lite fell by low single digits and cut its decline rate by more than half since the last quarter.
MillerCoors Craft and Import portfolio grew double-digits in the quarter, driven by double-digit-growth of Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s and Peroni Nastro Azzurro. The Premium Regular and smaller domestic Above Premium portfolios experienced double-digit declines.
The Below Premium portfolio was down low-single digits due to Miller High Life which declined low-single digits and Milwaukee’s Best which decreased at a high-single-digit rate. Keystone Light grew at a low-single-digit rate partially offsetting the declines in the Below Premium Portfolio.
Second Quarter Financial Highlights
MillerCoors total net revenue declined 0.1 percent to $2.134 billion versus second quarter 2009. Excluding contract brewing and company-owned distributor sales, domestic net revenue decreased 0.8 percent to $1.980 billion, with NRPB up 2.8 percent, driven by firm net pricing and slightly favorable sales mix. Third-party contract brewing volumes were up 3.0 percent.
Costs of goods sold per barrel increased 1.6 percent, reflecting a significant trend improvement versus the first quarter. This increase was driven by higher freight rates, product mix and increases in promotional packaging, which were largely offset by the continued delivery of synergies and cost savings.
Marketing, general and administrative costs decreased by 9.3 percent primarily due to synergies and lower marketing spending.
Depreciation and amortization expenses for MillerCoors in the second quarter were $71 million, and additions to tangible and intangible assets totaled $58 million.
During the second quarter, special items reflect a benefit of $1.5 million driven largely by a reduction in estimates for integration costs as a result of the formation of MillerCoors.
Synergies and Cost Savings
MillerCoors remains on track to deliver $750 million in total synergies and other cost savings by the end of 2012. In the second quarter, MillerCoors delivered total cost reductions of $72 million comprising $63.8 million in synergies and $8.6 million in additional cost savings. These cost reductions were primarily realized from agency fees, media, regional tactical spending, inbound and outbound freight; and packaging and brewing materials.
Total synergy and other cost savings since July 1, 2008, now stand at $481 million, made up of $50 million in Resources for Growth (RFG) and Unicorn cost initiatives, $389 million in synergies and $42 million in additional cost savings.
Overview of MillerCoors
MillerCoors brews, markets and sells the MillerCoors portfolio of brands in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Built on a foundation of great beer brands and more than 289 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. Miller Lite is the great-tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to Rocky Mountain cold refreshment. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. The company also imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell, Grolsch and Molson Canadian and offers innovative products such as Miller Chill and Sparks. MillerCoors features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel’s craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and two microbreweries, the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America by driving profitable industry growth. MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.
Overview of SABMiller
SABMiller plc is one of the world’s largest brewers with brewing interests and distribution agreements across six continents. The group’s wide portfolio of brands includes premium international beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch, as well as leading local brands such as Aguila, Castle, Miller Lite, Snow and Tyskie. SABMiller plc is also one of the world’s largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products. In the year ended March 31, 2010, the group reported $3,803 million adjusted pre-tax profit and group revenue of $26,350 million. SABMiller plc is listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. For more information on SABMiller plc, visit the company’s website: www.sabmiller.com.
Overview of Molson Coors
Molson Coors Brewing Company is one of the world’s largest brewers. It brews, markets and sells a portfolio of leading premium quality brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Molson Dry, Carling, Coors Banquet and Keystone Light in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on Molson Coors Brewing Company, visit the company’s web site, www.molsoncoors.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws, and language indicating trends, such as “anticipated” and “expected”. It also includes financial information, of which, as of the date of this press release, the Companies’ independent auditors have not completed their review. Although the Companies believe that the assumptions upon which their respective financial information and their respective forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, they can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companies’ projections and expectations are disclosed in Molson Coors’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or in SABMiller’s annual report and accounts for the year ended March 31, 2010, and in other documents which are available on SABMiller’s website at www.sabmiller.com. These factors include, among others, changes in consumer preferences and product trends; price discounting by major competitors; failure to realize anticipated results from synergy initiatives; and increases in costs generally. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions. Neither SABMiller nor Molson Coors undertakes to update forward-looking statements relating to their respective businesses, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. Neither SABMiller nor Molson Coors accepts any responsibility for any financial information contained in this press release relating to the business or operations or results or financial condition of the other or their respective groups.
MillerCoors Results and Related Reconciliations
The table below reconciles net income attributable to MillerCoors, reported in accordance with US GAAP as used for inclusion within Molson Coors reported results, to MillerCoors EBITA as used for inclusion within SABMiller’s reported results in accordance with IFRS. Underlying net income and EBITA are non-GAAP measures. Management of both companies believes that underlying net income and EBITA provide shareholders with a useful basis for assessing the profit performance of MillerCoors. There are limitations to using non-GAAP financial measures, including the difficulty associated with comparing companies that use similarly named non-GAAP measures whose calculations may differ from the company’s calculations.
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(BENTON HARBOR, Mich) – In celebration of its 5th Anniversary, The Livery in Benton Harbor is hosting a gathering August 20-21, focused on hand-forged microbrews, a summer-style picnic and plenty of musical pickin’s for all to enjoy.
The festivities kick off on Friday, August 20 at 8pm with Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith playing throughout the night. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show and may be purchased online at www.liverybrew.com, by calling 800-594-8499 or at the brewery itself (cash only).
The fun continues on Saturday, August 21 when a “no cover” gathering will be held from Noon to 6pm, with a summer-style picnic featuring local fruits & veggies, beer brats, burgers and more; “old school” vinyl music with DJ DannyBoy (the brewer at The Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti) and beer samplings include six barrel aged brews and the release of the “Anniversary Ale” – an Imperial Black IPA.
This “Anniversary Ale” will debut at the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin on August 14 and will then be available at the anniversary party in Benton Harbor. It will be well worth the wait! In February, Brewmaster Steve Berthel and fellow brewers Jared Williamson from New Albanian Brewing Co. in New Albany, Indiana and Josh Davies from Arcadia Ales in Battle Creek, Michigan got together on Steve’s birthday weekend to brew a batch for the 5th anniversary celebration – an incredible Imperial Black IPA, with about 11.5% abv and well over 125 IBUs.
One hundred years ago, the building known as the Palace Livery at 190 5th Street in Benton Harbor provided a vital service making it a gathering place for residents and travelers to Southwest Michigan. Five years ago, the former horse stable and carriage shop was been brought back to life as “The Livery” – one of Michigan’s most exciting and unique microbreweries, featuring a diverse selection of beer styles, ciders and wines, an outdoor beer garden and a Cafe. All of the “Hand Forged Microbrews” are painstakingly created by brewmaster Steve Berthel on a 10 bbl. brewing system of his own design. Music and other live entertainment are regularly featured in The Upper Livery entertainment venue.
The Livery is one of some 70 licensed craft brewing operations in the state of Michigan – most of which are proud members of the Michigan Brewers Guild (www.MichiganBrewersGuild.org).
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Denver brewpub increases production nearly 20%, doubles staff, hits 100 accounts mark
(Denver, Colorado) – Wynkoop Brewing Company — Colorado’s first brewpub – is enjoying significant growth in the first half of 2010. The brewery produced 1602 barrels of beer in the first six months of 2010. That’s a 19.3 % increase from 1342 barrels for the first half of 2009. (A barrel of beer equals 31 gallons.)
This growth has been fueled by a successful hand-canning and self-distribution effort launched last fall. Wynkoop’s small-batch canned beers — Rail Yard Ale and the new Silverback Pale Ale — have quickly gained followers.
“Thanks to our cans,” says Wynkoop CEO Lee Driscoll, “our customers can enjoy our delicious beer when they aren’t fortunate enough to be in one of our restaurants. They get the Wynkoop beer experience at home, outdoors, in other establishments in the Denver area.” The brewery has also significantly grown its draft beer accounts in the Denver
area, adding 25 establishments to its list of five Wynkoop-owned restaurants. Wynkoop now services over 100 beer stores, bars and restaurants in the Denver metro area.
To meet growing demand for its beer, Wynkoop has doubled the size of its brewery staff from three to six fulltime staffers. Recent additions include assistant brewer Jason ZumBrunnen a 2010 Siebel Institute grad (and former frontman for touring act The Fairlanes) and Andrew Eaton, a Colorado beer sales veteran and former Wynkoop employee who is assisting with sales, production and promotional events.
Wynkoop Brewing Company expects to end the year with a production of approximately 3550 barrels of craft beer, up 25% from 2800 barrels in 2009.
Wynkoop beers are canned one can at a time on a tabletop machine from Canada’s Cask Systems.
Wynkoop Brewing Company was founded in 1988 by Denver mayor John Hickenlooper and a group of urban pioneers that included Mark Schiffler (current Wynkoop COO) and Ron Robinson, Wynkoop’s current GM.
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(Longmont, CO) – July 29th – Oskar Blues Brewery has announced its’ final of three planned expansions during a three month period. The status-quo-crushing brewery has increased its internal investments with two more massive 200-barrel fermenters to its ever-expanding arsenal. The new tanks will allow Oskar Blues’ most recent canned monstrosity, a 100 IBU and ten percent ABV Imperial IPA hop grenade, dubbed GUBNA, to go from seasonal to year-round status.
“It’s always been about pushing boundaries and providing the best possible beer experience” says founder Dale Katechis. The intense demand for GUBNA has led Oskar Blues to expand its offering from a seasonal brew to a year round go-to IPA. “We’re driven to continue to destroy the barriers of what folks expect from a canned beer,” says Oskar Blues head brewer Dave Chichura. “GUBNA’s intense demand is due to its unique take on the style and is no doubt the hoppiest beer in a can. GUBNA celebrates the simple complexity of each ingredient with a distinctly smooth mouth feel and crisp hop aroma.”
GUBNA emphasizes that complexity of character can arise from simple elements. This ale is made with three malts and one hop. Its light amber color and spicy malt character are derived from the use of German dark Munich malt and rye malt respectively. The GUBNA Imperial IPA greets beer drinkers with a pungent citrus blast, provides a spicy, yet round middle, and finishes with a brisk, clean bitterness. Charlie Papazian waxes poetic about GUBNA Imperial IPA: “Profound & Complex hop character engages philosophic and woozy reminders of the life’s joys.”
Check out the GUBNA Launch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMAtze-BAfM
Today’s expansion follows May and June’s, bringing the Oskar Blues tally to seven 200-barrel tanks in the last 60 days. Each 200-barrel fermenter adds 400 barrels of capacity per month and brings their current capacity to 5,500 barrels per month.
The additional infrastructure will enable Oskar Blues to continue its extreme growth trajectory that has crushed strong industry trends. 2010 production is anticipated to come in at 44,000 barrels, a whopping increase over the company’s 2009 production of 29,500 barrels.
Set in the heart of Colorado craft beer country, Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons began canning its beers in November of 2002 with a hand-canning line in the 60- year-old barn next door to their funky little brewpub. Although it’s now a full- throttle canning operation that is quickly expanding its cult-like following across the nation, Oskar Blues remains true to its original mission of simply blowing minds with what can come out of a can of beer.
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San Diego, CA – April 8, 2010 – After the successful launch of Big Barrel Double IPA last October, Karl Strauss fans have been clamoring for more. As the first installment of the company’s 22oz Coastal Reserve Series, Big Barrel allowed people to experience the edgier side of Karl Strauss’ beer offerings. The spring version of Big Barrel will hit shelves across Southern California in early April.
“It was great to see people respond so positively to Big Barrel. This is a huge, hoppy beer with a quickly growing fan base,” says Brewmaster Paul Segura. Big Barrel Double IPA has earned a loyal following with solid “A” scores on popular beer rating websites BeerAdvocate.com and Ratebeer.com.
Big Barrel is a bold double IPA characterized by the use of New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops, known for their tropical fruit flavor and aroma. “It is interesting to see how the hop character changes with each batch we brew. Hop varietals can vary based on weather and soil conditions and this batch leans more towards an earthy fruitiness,” says Paul. The finished beer has an intensely hoppy nose with hints of mango, pine, grapefruit, and orange.
Big Barrel Double IPA comes in at 9.0% ABV and over 90 IBUS. A blend of Marris Otter and Caramel malts provide the perfect balance to the bitterness. Fermented with Chico yeast, this beer finishes smooth and dry with a pleasant, fruity bitterness.
A limited run of Big Barrel Double IPA will be available in 22oz bottles and on draft across Southern California in early April. Look for the next installment of the Coastal Reserve Series, Whistler Imperial Pils, in July. For more information and a video about Big Barrel Double IPA, visit www.karlstrauss.com.
Specs:
9.0% ABV
90 IBU
15.4 SRM
Label Copy:
“To kick off this series of intense hoppy beers, we wanted to go big. Imported New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops provide a vibrant tropical aroma that raises eyebrows and expectations. Aggressive amounts of Warrior and Ahtanum hops produce an assertive bitterness that stands out against a firm malt backbone. Balanced even at 90 IBUs, Big Barrel leaves a considerable first impression that serves as a prelude of things to come.”
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About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
This year Karl Strauss Brewing Company turns the big 2-1, the most important year in a beer drinker’s life. This coming of age will be celebrated throughout 2010 with a diverse lineup of 35 beers, including 6 year-round favorites, 3 seasonal offerings, and a host of innovative special brews. Located in San Diego and distributed exclusively in Southern California, Karl Strauss currently ranks #39 on the list of Top Craft Breweries in the country. In addition to handcrafting quality beers, Karl Strauss is a leader of the beer and culinary connection at their six local brewery restaurants.
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Deschutes Brewery Releases Popular Summer Seasonal, Twilight Ale
April 7, 2010- Bend, Oregon– Deschutes Brewery releases its super sessionable summer seasonal, Twilight Ale, this month. This crisp and effervescent ale makes summer barbeques, trailhead gatherings, outdoor concerts and the like even more outstanding. Twilight Ale is perfect to enjoy just as the sun sets during those extended summer evenings.
While staying true to its roots, the Twilight Ale packaging has a slightly different look this year. The evolution includes a larger “window” to display the artistic interpretation of Smith Rock State Park, a world-class rock climbing destination not far from Deschutes Brewery headquarters. Yes, Twilight Ale is releasing a little earlier than usual this year (it usually hits the shelves and taps in May) because Deschutes’ spring seasonal, Red Chair NWPA, sold out in record time.
Twilight Ale is a straw-colored ale with a vigorous hop essence and a subtle, wafer-like body that complements the flavor of this special seasonal brew. It is a unique blend of four hops and malts: Cara-Pils and Carastan malts with the late addition of whole flower Amarillo, Cascade and Tettnang hops.
Deschutes Brewery’s Brewmaster, Larry Sidor, said, “Mother Nature has been good to us by giving us an exceptional harvest of Amarillo hops this year so Twilight should be doubly delicious.”
So start sipping the sunshine a little early this year by drinking some Twilight Ale and make some magic happen with a beer that’s brewed just for the long, lazy days of summer.
Twilight Ale will be available from April until September in 6-packs, 12-packs and on draft.
Beer Geek Information:
5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
35 International Bittering Units (IBUs)
Beer-Food Pairing:
The brewery team recommends pairing Twilight with picnic classics such as barbecued chicken and potato salads.
About Deschutes Brewery
Located in beautiful Bend, Oregon, Deschutes Brewery is in the business of daring people to expect more from their beer. That’s why we started off in 1988, on the banks of the Deschutes River here in Bend, Oregon, by selling Black Butte Porter at a time when others were sure a dark beer would never catch on. Our brewers love to push the envelope, especially if it makes someone nervous. But for us, the highest praise is a raised glass and a toast of “Bravely Done!” For more information about Deschutes Brewery and its courageously crafted beers, please visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com.
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2009 proves to be a year of firsts for Oregon’s brewing industry
PORTLAND, Ore. (April 7, 2010) – Oregon breweries reached a landmark in 2009, producing more than one million barrels, or roughly 260 million pints of beer. According to figures released today by the Oregon Brewers Guild, Oregon’s breweries crafted 1,050,000 barrels of beer, which represents an increase in production of 15.2 percent over 2008.
“The brewing industry is a major contributor to Oregon’s economy and a big supporter of our communities,” said Brian Butenschoen, Executive Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild. “In the last year alone our 74 brewing companies donated product and money equal to more than $1.25 million to local non-profits.”
Last year was a year filled with milestones for the industry – the first time craft beer production topped one million barrels, the first time Oregon’s brewers took home a record 24 medals at the Great American Beer Festival, the first time Oregon became home to more than 100 breweries and the successful launch of the first Zwickelmania brewery open house event. Oregon continues to take a leadership role in the national craft brewing scene as well, ranking within the top five for number of breweries, breweries per capita, total craft beer production and total craft beer consumption.
Oregon beer produced and consumed in state grew 7.8 percent by volume in 2009 to 358,000 barrels, outpacing the national craft beer growth rate of 7.2 percent by volume. Oregon’s breweries made 12.4 percent of the 2.894 million barrels of all beer – both bottled and draft – consumed in the state during 2009. For draft beer, that percentage is even higher, with Oregon breweries producing an estimated 38 percent of all draft beer consumed in the state.
Portland, Oregon currently has 32 breweries within its city limits, more than any other city in the world. The state of Oregon has 74 brewing companies operating 102 brewing facilities. Oregon’s brewing companies employed more than 4,700 people in 2009, with more than 400 people working in beer production. Retail sales of Oregon made beer sold in the state totaled approximately $230 million in 2009.
The Oregon Brewers Guild is Oregon’s non-profit trade association for the state’s independent breweries. The Guild, which receives no state funding, comprises 65 brewing companies, 32 associate or supplier members and more than 2,725 enthusiast members or S.N.O.B.s (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer). For more information, see www.oregonbeer.org.
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NEW BELGIUM BREWING PRESENTS RANGER INDIA PALE ALE
Ranger IPA Debuts with New Packaging, Launching New Belgium’s Explore Series
Ft. Collins, Colorado, January 19, 2010 – Ever met a New Belgium Beer Ranger? They are the friendly folks who ensure that New Belgium beers are available in local markets where the beer is served. Spanning 26 states from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Beer Rangers do their best to protect, to pour and to partake. Because of their selfless dedication to keep taps flowing and shelves stocked, New Belgium Brewing has created a beer in their honor: Ranger IPA. This year-round India Pale Ale is a unique addition to the New Belgium portfolio, and answers Rangers’ (and their local beer drinkers’) call for something new and hoppy in 2010.
While IPA is not technically a Belgian style, it was recently agreed upon that a hoppy offering from New Belgium was in order. Simcoe, Chinook and Cascade hops lead off the beer, with Cascade added again for dry-hopping. We’re talking three pounds of hops per barrel resulting in a bright, citrus blast of hops riding a substantial, malty base. Pale and dark caramel malts bring out the hop aroma and flavor from start to finish. Ranger IPA offers 70 IBUs and is 6.5% ABV.
“The Belgian tradition of thinking outside the box freed us up to create a beer we all love that falls outside a conventional interpretation of Belgian ‘style’,” said Assistant Brewmaster Grady Hull. “It was fun to play with some new elements – this is by far the hoppiest beer we have ever produced.”
The new offering, Ranger IPA, and its closest friends, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, are getting fresh, vivid graphics under the Explore Series. These four beers’ departure from New Belgium’s traditional watercolor packaging will make eyes pop and bottle caps fly. View imagery here.
Ranger IPA retails for approximately $7.99 and is offered in most states where New Belgium is sold.
About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces eight year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.
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