Author: Professor Good Ales

Written by Chris Furnari for brewbound.com

Craft beer sales are quickly approaching $1 billion in U.S. supermarkets and the U.S. brewery count is climbing towards 2,000. It’s no secret that 2011 was a phenomenal growth year for the craft beer industry, and now we have some year-end Symphony IRI data to back it up.

The Brewers Association reported in January that 260 new breweries came online in 2011; nearly every brewery we’ve spoken with is reporting significant volume growth.

Speaking at the “Power Hour” hosted by the Brewers Association, IRI’s Senior VP of Beer, Wine and Spirits, Dan Wandel, discussed craft beers performance especially in U.S. Supermarkets.

Here are the most important takeaways:

Craft’s dollar share in U.S. Supermarkets was up 15 percent over last year to 10.8 share, the sixth consecutive year of growth. That’s double the share it held in 2006. These numbers prove why craft beer is the number one growing beverage-alcohol segment in U.S. Supermarkets

So what products are responsible for the growth? Wandel pointed to several areas. Variety and seasonal packages, IPA’s, large-format bottle offerings, the rise of canned beer and even private label brands (see below) are the major catalysts.

Top Vendors:

Boston Beer Co. continued to lead the way as the top craft vendor, generating $173 million in sales. Sierra Nevada and Craft Brew Alliance followed with $92.1 and $77.4 respectively.

But despite impressive dollar sales growth, seven of the top ten vendors actually lost a combined 4 share points of total segment dollars, no doubt because of the numerous emerging breweries earning more space on supermarket shelves. Only Bells Brewery and Stone Brewing Co. were able to gain a collective 0.2 percent dollar share.

Styles Driving Growth:
Continue reading “Craft Beer to Reach 12 Share at U.S. Supermarkets in 2012”

Written by Jeremy Pittari for picayuneitem.com

Note: the headline is a bit misleading. Craft beer IS legal in Mississippi, though homebrewing still isn’t. This mostly has to do with abv-PGA
PICAYUNE — A bill is moving slowly through the state legislature that would put Mississippi on par with every other state in the nation in terms of beer production and consumption.

Under current state law, alcoholic content of beer sold and manufactured within Mississippi can not exceed 5 percent. That law prevents craft beers — generally those manufactured by small breweries or in limited amounts by larger breweries — from being sold in Mississippi stores. In turn, residents who wish to purchase craft beers are forced to spend their money out of state, said Butch Bailey, who is the president of the self-proclaimed grassroots organization Raise Your Pints.
Continue reading “Craft Beer in Mississippi? Bills to Allow It Now in Mississippi”

Written by Emma Jacobs for npr.org

The year the Quidi Vidi Brewing Co. started brewing beer with iceberg water, a giant iceberg floated up against the cliffs around St. John’s, Newfoundland.

“It was a big berg and it jammed right across the harbor here,” says Charlie Rees, the brewery’s tour guide.
Continue reading “Newfoundland Gives Whole New Meaning To Ice Cold Beer”

Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales.net

Centennial? Nose is grapefruit and if not Centennial, various grapefruity hops. NICE nose. Some malt but way in background in the nose. Pure white pillow foam but some slight rock: long lasting; even in the small 4oz at best glass. Black with ruby highlights and clarity good.

Mouthfeel: grass and dark malt. A bit of an almost acidic tang to the roof of the mouth. Body moderate range.

Here’s the problem: the hopping. As far as I know: not fresh hop, but even if it is they’re usually not this “grassy.” The grass dominates and becomes a bit harsh. Could also be described as grapefruit rind-y. Too long of a boil on the hops may have added a bit too much astringency. After a couple small glasses the hops became annoying.

I love fresh hops, so either way there was a problem here and it didn’t taste like old, or infected, beer.

I have had few beers from Widmer that don’t have some stylistic problem. This is no change, unfortunately. But, if you don’t mind an over abundance of less than desirable grass sense that seems not all that fresh hoppy? Go for it.

Written by Rachel Forrest for seacoastonline.com

PORTSMOUTH — They came to taste one of the world’s best beers. The line to sip a glass of the Portsmouth Brewery’s 2012 release of Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout snaked outside and around the corner from the restaurant on Market Street beginning at 2:55 a.m. By 10:50 a.m. when the doors opened, it was close to 500 strong, at least double last year’s number.

The first fans in line were on a mission.
Continue reading “Beer Fans, Brewers, Celebrate Kate the Great Day”

ACBW 2012 is May 14 – 20

Posted by Stan Lee at tasteterminal.com

As microbreweries continue to grow, so do beer weeks all throughout the States, but no other beer week takes it to a national level like the American Craft Beer Week (May 14 – 20) organized by the Brewers Association; an organization that promotes micro and independent American brewers. The ACBW celebrates the delicate work by small American breweries to produce what goes in your glass by attending or hosting events involving brewers all across America. We connected with Brewer Association’s Craft Beer Program Director Julia Herz and asked her three questions about the beer industry, the beer week and how she’s going to celebrate it.

As craft beer producers continue to grow in the U.S., where do you see the industry going in the next five years?
Continue reading “Brewers Association’s Julia Herz tells How She Celebrates American Craft Beer Week”

Written for AP by Molly Dischner

KENAI, Alaska (WTW) — Gummy Bears aren’t just for kids anymore.

Kenai River Brewing Company is turning candy into beer, with the help of Abbey Ale yeast.

The new beverage is just one addition in the works at the Soldotna brewery. The other is an expansion to create a new seating area, set to open next week.

“It’s going to be just a nice sit-down taproom,” said Doug Hogue, brewery co-owner.

The new taproom will seat about 20 people. Hogue said the brewery won’t serve food, but will welcome people to bring their own meals.

“Our customers are very excited about it so we’re anxious to get it rolling,” Hogue said.

When the taproom opens, the brewery’s main door will shift, and the old room will be used for canning. That will alleviate some growing pains the brewery was feeling, Hogue said.

Want to read more? Please click…

HERE

For an official list of beer styles and links to descriptions of these styles, please click on the BJCP logo-PGA

Written by Tom Becham for professorgoodales.net

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am NOT a “Style Snob”. By that, I mean that I’m not the sort of person who turns his nose up at a beer because it doesn’t entirely fit the style the brewer calls it. For instance, I still somewhat like Shiner Bock, even though it most definitely is either an American Dark Lager or Dunkel by style and NOT a Bock. It’s still a decent beer. It’s just a really lousy Bock.

Which brings me to what beer styles are in the first place. A beer style is the general description of how a beer should look, smell and taste. It provides guidelines for brewers in determining what they wish to brew, and how successful their attempts have been. It provides the beer drinker with an idea of what qualities he will find in a beer before he ever buys it.
Continue reading “Beer Styles: What Are They, Why Do We Need Them, Where Are They Going?”