At this year’s Meeting of the Malts, three Pennsylvania legislators will be recognized for their commitment to Pennsylvania’s craft brewing industry!   Here’s the press release:
For Immediate Release
Contact Wayne Henninger – 570.573.6556 / [email protected]

Brewers of Pennsylvania Announce
Inaugural Legislative Awards
Three Supportive Pennsylvania Legislators
to Be Honored at Meeting of the Malts VI

HARRISBURG, PA (3.22.17) – The Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), the state’s official brewers guild, has announced the recipients of the inaugural Legislative Awards, an honor that recognizes a person or organization the BOP considers a partner in the industry, one who continually strives to promote and protect Pennsylvania’s craft beer industry. The three Pennsylvania legislators will be honored at The BOP’s popular annual event MEETING OF THE MALTS VI in Bethlehem on Thursday, March 30.

Receiving the 2017 Legislative Awards are Speaker Mike Turzai (Pa. District 28 serving Allegheny County), Rep. Mike Tobash (Pa. District 125 serving Dauphin and Schuylkill Counties), and Sen. Richard Alloway II (Pa. District 33 serving Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, York Counties).

“The three legislators the Brewers of Pennsylvania have chosen to receive this award are legislative champions with respect to the BOP’s initiatives of promoting and protecting the craft beer industry in the Commonwealth,” said Dan LaBert, Executive Director of the BOP. “With their dedicated work, particularly with the Malt Beverage Tax Credit, we know the Pennsylvania craft beer industry has a solid seat at the table in Harrisburg, and that’s important because BOP members employ an estimated 10,000 employees earning $296 million in wages and generating $1.1 billion in direct economic benefits to communities throughout the state.”

In July, 2016, Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Wolf, signed a $1.3 billion revenue package. Part of that package included a Malt Beverage Tax Credit not to exceed $5 million annually. The tax credit, matching equipment and facilities investments made by applicant breweries, has been one of the BOP’s top legislative goals since 2013. The BOP fully supports this tax credit measure, and considers it a major victory for all craft breweries in the Commonwealth, particularly smaller breweries as the benefits of the measure is capped at $200,000 per year, per brewery.

The three Pennsylvania legislators will be honored during the dinner portion of Meeting of the Malts VI, which will also include a panel discussion featuring a star-studded cast including Dick Yuengling (D. G. Yuengling & Son), Jim Koch (Samuel Adams), David Walker (Firestone Walker Brewing Company), and Eric Wallace (Left Hand Brewing Company). The panel discussion will take place from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on March 30, and will be emceed by industry icon, Bump Williams.

In 2016, to support the BOP’s legislative and advocacy initiatives, the association launched Brewer For A Day, a program designed to give state legislators a hands-on insider’s perspective on the brewing process, as well as further educate Pennsylvania Senators and Representatives on the direct economic impact craft brewers have on communities throughout the state. The following state legislators have participated in the Brewer For A Day program:

· Sen. Rafferty, Pa. District 44 – Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown 8/15/16
· Rep. Kurt Masser, Pa. District 107 – Old Forge Brewing Company in Danville 9/29/16
· Sen. Sean Wiley, Pa District 49 – Lavery Brewing Company in Erie on 10/5/16
· Rep. Harry Lewis, Pa. District 74 – Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown 10/14/16
· Chairmen of the Pa. House Liquor Control Committee (Rep. Adam Harris and Rep. Paul Costa) – Victory Brewing Company in Parkesburg 11/17/16

Meeting of the Malts VI, presented by Micro Matic USA, will take place Thursday, March 30 from 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. EST at Artsquest Center at SteelStacks, 711 First St., Bethlehem, PA.

In 2016, Draft Magazine named Meeting of the Malts as the #12 (out of 101) rated beer experiences on the industry bucket list. Meeting of the Malts VI, #supportPAbeer, will include panel discussions, keynote addresses, valuable networking opportunities, a silent beer auction, and the Pennsylvania BrewPub Festival. Participating BOP members in the BrewPub Festival include: Barley Creek Brewing Co., North Country Brewing Co., Covered Bridge Brewhaus, Boneshire Brew Works, The Proper Brewing Co., The Brewery at Hershey, Round Guys Brewing Co., Free Will Brewing Co., Yards Brewing Co., Berwick Brewing Co., Butler Brew Works, Zeroday Brewing Co., HiJinx Brewing Co, Sly Fox Brewing Co., and Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

About the Brewers of Pennsylvania – The Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), the state’s official brewers guild, brings together leaders of Pa.-based breweries in order to promote and protect the brewing industry in the state. A 501c6 trade association, the BOP is a strong and influential organization, serving the consuming public of Pa. by encouraging brand diversity in the market. BOP members employ an estimated 10,000 employees earning $296 million in wages and generating $1.1 billion in direct economic benefits to communities throughout the state. #supportPAbeer

###

On April 6, Sly Fox Brewing will release a collaboration beer with Barcade!  Here’s the press release:

SLY FOX AND BARCADE COLLABORATE ON CHESTNUT BEER:
‘CHEST BOCKWELL’ TO BE RELEASED ON Friday THURSDAY, APRIL 6
Dunkel Bock brewed with chestnut flour will be on draft at all six Barcade
locations, starting with an exclusive Sly Fox multi-tap event in Philadelphia

On Thursday, April 6, at 4 p.m. Sly Fox Brewing Company will debut Chest Bockwell, a German-style lager brewed with real chestnuts, at Barcade (1114 Frankford Avenue) in Philadelphia’s popular Fishtown neighborhood. Chest Bockwell, affectionately named after John C. Reilly’s fictional crime-fighting character in the movie Boogie Nights, is a traditional Dunkel Bock, with chestnut flour added to the mash, drawing on rich Vienna, Munich, caramel and roasted malts from Bavaria for a toasted flavor profile.

Barcade’s management staff visited Sly Fox in Pottstown, PA on February 8 to brew this special collaboration beer weighing in at 7.4% ABV; originally, they wanted to use whole chestnuts in the mash – until Sly Fox head brewer Brian O’Reilly warned of “evil forces” being locked inside the chestnuts. The two sides compromised and used chestnut flour, perfectly balancing the sweet and savory nuisances of the delicate fruit.

“Barcade has been a champion of craft beer for more than a decade, way before craft beer was cool, and brewing a beer for them is an honor,” says O’Reilly. “When we started discussing the brew with the group, the idea of a Chestnut Bock stuck out to me. It was a challenge bringing an unusual ingredient like chestnuts into such a traditional style, and I am proud to say we pulled it off. The chestnut flour really added an interesting depth to this malt-forward beer in a balanced and delicious way.”

In addition to Chest Bockwell, Barcade will be pouring a slew of Sly Fox drafts at the release party, including: 360 IPA, Helles Lager, Ichor, Odyssey, O’Reilly Stout, Phoenix Pale Ale, Pikeland Pils, Royal Weisse, Route 113 IPA and Saison VOS. Chest Bockwell will be available at all six Barcade locations throughout the region (Philadelphia, PA; Jersey City, NJ; Chelsea, NY; St. Mark’s, NY; Brooklyn, NY and New Haven, CT).

“We’re very happy to announce this collaborative beer, Chest Bockwell,” says Barcade President & CEO Paul Kermizian. “We have been great fans of Sly Fox for years, and have been talking about working on an exclusive with them for some time. We really enjoy traditional German-style lagers, but also beers with unusual ingredients. Here, we balanced those conflicting interests and developed a truly flavorful beer.”

Sly Fox is the latest craft brewery to collaborate with Barcade’s extremely limited one-off series, a project dating back to 2010. Over the years, Barcade has proudly served the following beers as part of their series (click here for complete list): Shmaltz Pastrami Pils, Captain Lawrence Simpsons Did It! IPA, Smuttynose Coily, Greenport Harbor Goth Logger, Climax Barcade Anniversary Abbey, Fisherman’s Pepper II, Captain Lawrence Black and White IPA, Victory Fall Bockwards, Harpoon Sriracha Blonde, Fisherman’s Clam Porter, Climax Bavarian Dark, as well as beers from the Sixpoint-Barcade Beer Project.

About Sly Fox Brewing Company…Since their inaugural brew in 1995, Sly Fox has crafted more than 100 different top-notch craft beers. Their critically acclaimed year-round line-up and highly anticipated seasonals are available in their brewpubs in Phoenixville and Pottstown, as well as top bars and restaurants in PA, CT, NJ, NY, MD, VA and Washington, DC. They were the first craft brewery in the mid-Atlantic to put in a canning line, adding it to their facility in 2006, and with it, earned the first-ever Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medal awarded to a canned craft beer, in 2007. They have earned GABF medals virtually every year since, and are widely recognized as among the region’s best and most enduring craft breweries.

Available for comment: Brewmaster Brian O’Reilly
Contact: Michael Greger / (215) 985-2106 / www.profilepr.com / Twitter%20Bird%20Grey @ProfileTip / instagram-xxl @profiletip

Check out this new growler from MiiR Lab – looks pretty solid, info below.   Then keep an eye on my feeds in April – I’ll be putting it through some rigorous testing!  Cheers!

“Just in time for the longer days, MiiR is introducing a brilliantly updated Growler making it easier to fill, pour, and carry your beer. New features include a lid that locks in place to stay open while filling and pouring, a secure buckle closure, and a built-in handle to support smooth pouring and transport.

Growlers can be pre-ordered at a discount for the rest of March via the newly launched MiiR Lab here.

The MiiR Lab will feature a new product nearly every month providing the opportunity for customers to pre-order and receive up to a 30% discount. The crowdfunded sales of each product will help determine if they eventually become part of the MiiR collection. MiiR will continue to give 5% of all revenue to trackable clean water and health projects, including those purchased through the Lab.

Growler – $59

Features

Thermo 3D™ Double Wall Vacuum Insulation Technology to keep contents cold for 24+ hours or hot for up to 12 hours and won’t sweat
18/8 Medical grade stainless steel that won’t transfer flavor or create a metallic aftertaste
Threadless lid to seal carbonation and prevent leaking, locks into place when open
Buckle closure
Built-in handle
BPA-free
64-ounces/4 pints
Available in stainless steel and three Hardshell™ Powder Coated colors (Black, Blue, White)

The Brewholder

Goose Island’s 2016 Bourbon County Stout will be released on Black Friday, and there are several events to celebrate the release this week. Check out the Goose Island press release below and hope to see you there…

Black Friday is quickly approaching and the countdown begins for the highly anticipated release of Goose Island’s 2016 Bourbon County Stout. With the first batch brewed in the early 90s, Goose Island is a pioneer in barrel-aged beer. The limited release of Bourbon County Stout has become a sought-after staple in the beer community, often selling out quickly, causing fans to create long lines for the chance to get their hands on the beer.

Beer lovers will be eager to learn that Goose Island will host two BCS release celebrations on Friday, Nov. 25:

· Beginning at 8 a.m., first come first serve get in line for the opportunity to purchase bottles of 2016 Bourbon County Stout Original, Coffee and Barleywine and 2015 Bourbon County Stout Rare and Regal Rye at The Foodery (837 N. 2nd St.)

· Beginning at 11 a.m., 2016 Bourbon County Stout Original, Barleywine and Proprietor’s and 2015 Bourbon County Stout Rare and Regal Rye will be available at City Tap House Logan Square (2 Logan Square)

In advance of the Friday release several locations throughout the city will begin offering draft pours of BCS on Wednesday, Nov. 23, including:

· Alla Spina (1410 Mt Vernon St.) – BCS Preview at 4:30 p.m.

Other locations throughout the Philadelphia area will also be selling BCS and its variants.

Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2016 – all rights reserved

Sterling Pig Brewery in Media issued a press release on November 1, 2016 announcing that they will be releasing their “Big Gunz” Double IPA in bottles on November 20.  The full text of the press release is here:

MEDIA’S STERLING PIG BREWERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE

BIG GUNZ, A BOLD NEW DOUBLE IPA,

WITH SPECIAL BOTTLE RELEASE PARTY ON NOVEMBER 20

Owner Loїc Barnieu and Head Brewer Brian McConnell will release 600 bottles of this extremely limited and “dangerously drinkable” double IPA on 11/20

 On Sunday, 11/20, at 11:20 a.m., owner Loїc Barnieu and head brewerBrian McConnell will celebrate Sterling Pig Brewery’s one-year anniversary with a special party and bottle release of Big Gunz, their “dangerously drinkable” double IPA brewed with Horizon, Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe and Citra hops. Sterling Pig fans and guests are asked to line up at the garage door in the back of their brewery in Media, PA to purchase this very limited bottle-conditioned version of Big Gunz, available in collectible 22-oz. “bombers” for just $12. Only 600 bottles will be made available, with a limit of three per person, while supplies last. 

In addition, Barnieu will be offering Sterling Pig’s reliably delicious menu of down-home barbecue and wood-fired pizzas, including: The Pera, with caramelized onions, fig sauce, pear and mozzarella; The Hawaiian, with BBQ pork, pineapple, red onions and sweet peach sauce; and The Crudo, with prosciutto, mozzarella and pecorino-romano. Sterling Pig’s shareableBBQ Combination Platters, featuring house-smoked pulled pork, beef brisket, ribs, pulled chicken and smoked sausage will also be served all day inside the taproom. Guests are encouraged to ask their server for food and beer pairings.

“We cannot wait to share our biggest and boldest beer with everyone,” says Barnieu. “Sterling Pig has been a labor of love from day one, and Big Gunz is our love note to the beer community. Brian and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Established in July 2015, Sterling Pig has quickly earned heavy praise and recognition as one of the most exciting new start-ups in the Philadelphia area’s rich craft brewing scene. The brand’s playful messaging belies their serious mission: creating drinkable, balanced beers that represent the best of small-batch ales and lagers. Anchored by The Snuffler, their easy drinking flagship IPA, with hoppy notes of citrus and tropical fruit, Sterling Pig offers eight house rotating drafts and seasonal releases on site. The brewery’s increasingly popular This Little Piggy series of experimental IPAs relies on a single hop varietal, allowing McConnell the freedom to showcase different hop profiles, and bring out their most interesting flavors and aromas.

About Sterling Pig… Accomplished chef and restaurateur Loïc Barnieu partnered with head brewer Brian McConnell to found Sterling Pig in July 2015. The brewery and restaurant has quickly earned a reputation for boldly flavored, playfully-named beers that are both a perfect pairing with their menu of wood-fired pizza and smoky barbecue and infinitely drinkable in their own right. Future plans include a canning line and greater distribution, though Barnieu and McConnell remain absolutely committed to the small-batch quality of their beers. Barnieu is also the chef-owner of La Belle Époque Wine Bistro and Diego’s Cantina and Tequila Bar, all in Media, PA. McConnell is an award-winning brewer whose work at John Harvard’s Brew House and Rock Bottom Brewery earned him multiple medals from the Great American Beer Festival and Real Ale Festival. 

Available for comment: Owner Loïc Barnieu; Head Brewer Brian McConnell

Contact: Michael Greger / (215) 985-2106 / www.profilepr.com /  @ProfileTip /  @profiletip

Cheers!

The Brewholder

Copyright 2016 – all rights reserved

Here’s some brew news that I’ve heard about recently:

The Pottstown Brew Fest is this Saturday – you can still get General Admission tickets online – www.pottstownbrewfest.com    Hope to see you there!

Winners from the Great American Beer Festival were announced on October 8 – here are the winners from Pennsylvania (in alphabetical order by beer name…) – congrats to all!

Antonym – 2SP Brewing Co. (Bronze)

Bridge Street Bock – Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Phoenixville (Bronze)

Love Stout – Yards Brewing Co. (Silver)

The Russian – 2SP Brewing Co. (Gold)

Croydon is Burning – Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. (Bronze)

Six Finger Sam Saison – Two Rivers Brewing Co. (Gold)

Churchville Lager – Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. (Bronze)

The Philly Beer Week’s “2017 European Vacation” Raffle is in full force!  Purchase a raffle ticket and win a trip to Belgium with your choice of a local brewer, and help brew the official Philly Beer Week 2017 Collaboration Beer!   Raffle will be held at the City Tap House, Logan Square on November 17, 2016 at 6pm.  Will you be the lucky one this year?  Purchase your tickets here:  https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1329615?utm_medium=bks

The last weekend of the Evil Genius Pop-up beer garden is happening this weekend; here’s the official announcement – “While the brewery is estimated to open in mid-November, get a chance to see the space as a pop-up one last time before it becomes a permanent fixture next year. On Thursday, October 20th, Home Brewed Events has partnered with FemALES on Broad: Barley’s Angels Philadelphia chapter to host a special ladies night at the Brew Garden. Learn how to homebrew while you sip on local brews from Evil Genius and Saint Benjamin. A special Halloween themed day will take place on Saturday, October 22nd from noon until 10pm. Attendees will enjoy happy hour pricing for anyone in costume, a special beer tapping, a Halloween costume contest and DJ ElectroBecker. Please let me know if you would be able to help spread the word about these two events and if you would be interested in attending either, we would love to have you as a guest. Cheers!”

Today Victory Brewing Company issued a press release that divulged “seven secrets about Golden Monkey…”  “Golden Monkey fans have supported, and love, the all-seeing, all-knowing, mystically spirited, metallic simian since its introduction in 1997 and have made it Victory Brewing Company’s number one selling brand ever since. In honor of the mystical monkey, Victory invites fans to vote for finalists in the ‘Monkey Tales’ contest at RespectTheMonkey.com, choosing creative or funny anecdotes, enlightening observations or extraordinary memories relating to the enjoyment of Golden Monkey. One photo grand prize winner will be announced on October 29, 2016.

Appropriately, the history of the Golden Monkey traces back to a celebratory occasion when Ron Barchet, Co-Founder and Brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company, and his wife were expecting their third child and wanted a great beer to cheer the occasion. It seemed only appropriate that Victory would rise to the occasion and so the smooth Belgian-style tripel, Golden Monkey, was born.

Below Ron Barchet reveals seven secrets of the Golden Monkey:

1. It had a name before it was born

Victory Co-Founder and Brewmaster, Bill Covaleski, conjured up the Golden Monkey name long before it was brewed. Usually, it’s the other way around: marry the name with the beer. “But Bill really cracks up when he sees monkeys, and somehow he came up with this clever and strange name—and it just fit,” Ron added.

2. Perfection pursued for 10 years

Ron tinkered with the recipe continuously for about 10 years for it to become the Monkey you know and love. Turns out, the original yeast from Belgium was good, but it wasn’t reliable, resulting in too much sweetness. In 2004, Ron was in Belgium and got his hands on one of his favorite brews, and that yeast became the inspiration for Golden Monkey. “That yeast worked so well to maintain flavor and make it a dryer, less sweet beer, just as I’d suspected,” Ron said. “We continued to work on it and since around 2008, the formula’s been the same.”

3. The Monkey and the Vine are just fine

Wine enthusiasts who claim not to like beer tend to enjoy Golden Monkey. Ron gives credit to one of their philosophies as brewers: drinkability. “We’re attenuating the beers (which is the percentage that measures the conversion of sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the fermentation process), so there’s not a lot of sweetness and carbs left,” Ron explained. “Most have a final gravity on the low side because most of the sugars have been fermented out. That makes for an easy drinking beer.”

4. It takes a really big tank to hold the Monkey

Golden Monkey is a bold beer coming in at 9.5% ABV. Thanks to the way it ferments the yeast—very vigorously—Victory had to purchase tanks to accommodate the 25–30 feet of foam. “That’s about 20 percent bigger than we need for other beers,” Ron laughed. “And that nets the same amount of beer. Completely worth it.”

5. Increase in population since the birth of the Monkey

Legend has it that the enjoyment of Golden Monkey has lead to an increase in population. Ron had some fun with math to see if he could ballpark Monkey-related births. “Even if just 1 out of 100,000 bottles results in a bundle of joy, that’s more than 100 births a year!” Consume The Monkey responsibly.

6. The Monkey is omni-present

Golden Monkey is available year-round in three different formats and on tap including 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans and 750 ml caged and corked bottles. It’s on draft at Victory’s three brewpubs—Downingtown, Parkersburg and Kennett Square—and at fine establishments near you. “We decided to can Golden Monkey because it’s really popular down south. It’s sold in convenience stores, and they prefer cans to stock their shelves. It’s turned out to be a really popular way to drink The Monkey—perfect for camping and other outdoor activities.”

7. The Monkey lives on and on and on…

Although the recipe has remained virtually the same since 2008, Victory finds new ways to experiment with Golden Monkey. In 2013, the golden elixir was aged in white wine barrels for three months and introduced as White Monkey. A seasonal iteration, Sour Monkey, is a sour Brett tripel, available in 750 ml caged and corked bottles. It’s a tasteful, tart twist with a citrus-laden tang. “We love sours, and this was a natural match,” Ron noted. “It brings a tart acidity and is an interesting combo.”

And finally – did you hear that AB InBev made another purchase? But instead of a small craft brewery, they are now going to the source – and gobbled up Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply.  According to Beer Street Journal, “Northern Brewer was founded 23 years ago by Chris Farley (not the actor). Since then the homebrew supply group has grown to one of the largest in the United States, posting $10’s of millions in annual revenue.”  http://beerstreetjournal.com/ab-inbev-acquires-northern-brewer/   As with most press releases from new AB InBev acquisitions, a blog post on Northern Brewer’s website dated October 14, 2016 (“Brewing An Exciting Future”) asserts that nothing “will fundamentally change.”  https://www.northernbrewer.com/connect/category/connect/   We’ll see.  

Have a great week!

Cheers!

The Brewholder

Copyright 2016 – all rights reserved

A few exciting things came across my radar this week, so I thought I’d spread the word!

Ommegang’s newest Game of Thrones inspired beer has hit the streets!  “Valar Dohaeris” – “All men must serve” – is a Belgian-style tripel ale…it will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft.  You can also find it in a gift set with Ommegang’s 2014 release “Valar Morghulis” (“All men must die”) and collectible glass.   My set is chilling in the fridge…but I’m still waiting for “All men must drink” – hopefully next year!

Stone Xocoveza is back!  It was released on 10/3 and will be distributed in 12 oz. bottles and on draft around the country!  Can’t wait to get my hands on this delicious “winter-spiced mocha stout” (translate = Mexican spiced chocolate stout) that was originally the recipe of Stone’s 2014 homebrew contest winner, Chris Banker!  Cheers to Chris – and Stone!

Magic Hat released a special brew, “Belgo Sutra,” a belgian-style quadruple dark ale, brewed with figs and dates.  According to Magic Hat, “Belgo Sutra honors Vermont CARES,  non-profit organization working for and with Vermonters affected by HIV/AIDS.”

Sierra Nevada announced in an October 3, 2016 press release that it will release two new beers in the first quarter of 2017.  “Sidecar Orange Pale Ale” and “Tropical Torpedo IPA.” Sidecar is described as “Made with orange peel and bold, citrus-heavy hops, this 35 IBUs and 5.3% ABV addition is a refreshing twist on the classic pale ale.”  According to Sierra Nevada, “Tropical Torpedo is prime for new drinkers entering the craft beer market via the IPA style.  ‘A lot of the excitement is coming from IPA styles utilizing intense aromatic hops that deliver notes of exotic fruits,’ says Brian Grossman, second generation brewer for Sierra Nevada.  ‘The rush of hop flavor and lush aromas of mango, papaya and passionfruit awaken your senses with our most adventurous IPA yet.’  This IPA has no fruit added and weighs in at 6.7% ABV and 55 IBUs, making it a truly sessionable beer fit for a variety of drinking occasions.

River Horse Cranberry Sour is back!  Starting  this Friday, it will be available for purchase  in 750ml bottles inthe River Horse tasting room  in Ewing, NJ.  Described as a “dry wheat ale is fermented with lacto and saccharomyces, then aged in oak barrels with brett and the best New Jersey cranberries to create a complex, tart, and refreshing beer for you to enjoy this season!”

For those of you who missed my Instagram post on September 10 – you have to check out Neal Brothers Kettle Chips.  I had four flavors – Maple Bacon, Pink Himalayan Salt, Spicy Sirachup, and Montreal Steak Spice – and they were fantastic with amber ale from Indiana-based Oakenbarrel Brewing.  They are perfect for nibbling during football games and can be found at Whole Foods Markets.

Ommegang and Anchor Steam wager on Baseball Wild Card Game – October 5, 2016 Press release:

Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY and Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, CA have agreed to place a friendly wager on the outcome of tonight’s MLB National League Wild Card game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. Sporting blue and orange, Ommegang President Doug Campbell challenged Anchor’s President Matt Davenport this morning on Twitter. Matt accepted, terms were drawn up, and a tweet-handshake sealed the deal.

The winner will send beer and a jersey of the winning team to the losing brewing, and the loser, decked out in said uniform, will serve the winning brewery’s beer in their tasting room. The losing brewmaster will also travel to the winning brewery to brew a collaboration beer in honor of the winning team and city. The beer will be available in time for Opening Day 2017.

“This game promises to be an epic matchup between two great teams and two great states,” says Campbell. “I look forward to seeing pictures of Matt serving our beer to Anchor fans in San Francisco. Here in Cooperstown, our roots run deep in both the national pastime and our home state, and we are exciting to raise our glasses to the Mets’ victory tonight.”

“Baseball and San Francisco have gone hand in hand for more than 100 years. With roots that date back to the California Gold Rush, Anchor has been intrinsically tied to the city, enjoyed by Giants fans for decades,” says Davenport, decked out in orange and black. “We look forward to sharing our beer with Ommegang fans in Cooperstown, as we send some tasty West Coast [read: Best Coast] brews to be enjoyed in their taproom. It’s an even year and we all know what that means.”

The Wild Card game will be played at Citi Field in New York City tonight, October 5, beginning at 8:08 PM EST. Regardless of the outcome of the game, the true winners will be fans of craft beer everywhere, who will get to taste a new collaboration beer from the two breweries regardless of who actually tastes victory this evening.

Have a great week!

Cheers!

The Brewholder

Copyright 2016 – all rights reserved

I’m very lucky for many reasons, but one for sure is that I share a birthday with my daughter.  This year she turns 11, which means that in 10 years she’ll be able to legally share the subject of my writing with me.  So today on her 11th birthday, I’m using my meager home brewing skills to craft a 10.2% ABV Imperial Russian Stout with cocoa powder, cinnamon and a touch of chili power.  Once fermentation is over, I will bottle it, cap it and wax seal it, and let them sit for 10 years.  Then we will enjoy them together when she turns 21.

Who knows how this beer will turn out, but it is a fun project dedicated to my amazing firstborn!  Happy birthday!

A beautiful birthday for brewing!

Cocoa, cinnamon, chili…get in my stout!

Extra dry malt = extra ABV!

We’re on the boil – and man does it smell great!

Cheers!

The Brewholder

Copyright 2016 – all rights reserved