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First Clothing Line Dedicated to Craft Beer
WASHINGTON – Craft beer is everywhere and now there is a fully dedicated clothing line just for craft beer enthusiasts to wear around town.

CraftBeerClothing.com, a new website launched this week is promoting and selling three t-shirt designs targeting craft beer lovers. The first design is a comical design with a play on a geometrical diagram describing the technical nature of a craft beer titled “Beerometry”. The two other designs are in the “Know Your Craft” clothing line and show a mixed list of words and phrases that are commonly found in the craft beer vernacular. “Several more designs are planned in the near future, but we first wanted to see how these three designs sold before committing to other designs,” said Jonathon Lunardi, founder of CraftBeerClothing.com.

Jonathon Lunardi started the website with co-founder Gavin Guest because there were very few t-shirt designs that captured the true spirit of the craft beer movement. “There are plenty of beer shirts available out there, but they focus on getting hammered, drunk, or on sexual statements, we wanted to do something different and more positive with CraftBeerClothing.com,” said Gavin Guest. The three initial designs cost $14.95 each and can be purchased online. “Sales are off to a good start already as many customers have bought shirts for Christmas gifts and we have had orders as far as Australia,” said Jonathon.

For those of you who want to purchase a shirt, there is a coupon code available for 10% off an order by emailing Jonathon or Gavin on the website – http://www.craftbeerclothing.com.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new business, Indie Hops, LLC.

Our mission is to supply 100% Oregon grown aroma hops to the craft beer industry. Everything we do will be driven by the need to serve craft brewers exclusively.

100% of our hops will be grown from acreage in the heart of the Willamette Valley, the finest terroir for aroma hops in the U.S. We will be working with heritage Oregon farmers who have a reputation for growing premium hops in a certified sustainable, Salmon Safe fashion. We are Oregon’s first and only hop pellet milling operation.

We are dedicated to learning from you, no matter how big or small your brewery, the varieties hops you need and want. The craft beer movement today is strong, thanks to the relentless pursuit of quality beer by craft brewers. To insure further gains in market share, that spirit needs to carry through to suppliers of key brewing ingredients as well.

We at Indie Hops are committed to coaxing peak quality out of existing hop varieties, and investing in the future to introduce new aroma hops for craft brewers to further showcase your skills. And we’ll do this using a sustainable, transparent and fair pricing structure.

SweetWater Brewery Partners with Whole Foods Market^® to Bake Beer Bread

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread Makes the Most of Local Flavor for Fall

ATLANTA (October 19th, 2009) – SweetWater Brewery has partnered with Whole Foods Market to create a beer bread baked at Whole Foods Market’s Bakehouse in Alpharetta. SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale bread is made from spent grains (barley) from the SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale brewing process.  This new bread will be offered in all stores throughout the Southeast beginning October 23rd and sells for $3.49 per loaf.

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale is SweetWater’s most popular local brew and is a tasty West Coast style pale ale with a stimulating hop character and a crisp finish. After brewing this award-winning beer at the Midtown Atlanta brewery, the grains used in the brew are delivered to the Whole Foods Market Bakehouse and used exclusively for the 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread. Pumpkin seeds and a rustic, nutty texture and crust round out the flavor profile.

Steve Schulte, South Region Bakery Coordinator for Whole Foods Market, said, “This is a great new bread for us and our bakers had a lot of fun developing a new recipe using SweetWater’s grains. Partnering with a local brewery is something we’ve talked about doing for some time now, and the result is a hearty, delicious, local bread that’s perfect for fall dinners and tailgating parties.”

Steve Farace, Minister of Propaganda for SweetWater Brewing, said, “It seemed like a natural partnership – we make fantastic beer but we have leftover grains, so why not work with Whole Foods Market and see what we can come up with to make sure this tasty stuff finds a good home. The result is delicious, and it’s all produced right here in Georgia!”

The 420 Extra Pale Ale bread bowl is ideal for tailgating, and pairs nicely with beer and cheese fondue, which also incorporates SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale. (Recipe follows)

Beer and Cheese Fondue featuring 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups, shredded sharp Cheddar
• 1/4 pound Gruyere shredded
• 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup SweetWater 420 Pale Ale
• 1 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• A few drops hot sauce or horseradish (optional)
• A few drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread – bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes.

Directions

• Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a small pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. When the cheese has been incorporated fully, stir in the mustard, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
• Hollow out the 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread to form a bread bowl. Pour the fondue into the bowl.
• Make cubes from the leftover bread that was hollowed, dip cubes into the fondue and enjoy.

For more recipe ideas or Whole Foods Market locations near you, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

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Reno, NV (September 2009)—As Reno gears up to host the first ever international canned beer competition, appropriately named CANFEST, the competition is unfolding into an event complete with enticing festivities for attendees, more than 25 breweries from all around the globe, and great ticket/room packages.

The competition will take place in the Grand Sierra Theater October 23, from 6:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m. Tickets are now available through the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino’s website for $35 per person. Special room rates for attendees are available at $35 per night. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Nature Conservancy and The Great Basin Bird Observatory.  Please visit the Grand Sierra’s website at www.grandsierraresort.com or call 1-800-648-3568 to book rooms and tickets using the promotion code CANFEST.

Among the festivities lined up for CANFEST, Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association, will be speaking on the history of American beer, craft beer, and the trend of canned beer. Ginger Johnson, founder of WomenEnjoyingBeer.com, will give a presentation on the reasons patrons enjoy canned beer, why women love beer, and the relationship between beer and the arts. A question and answer forum of canned brewery owners and brewers specifically intended to answer the public’s questions regarding beer and canned beer is another great addition to the competition.

A display of mobiles built by local artists entirely from recycled beer cans, a promotion that directly benefits Sierra Arts, a local non-profit that helps establish and spread arts programs in the Truckee Meadows.

Each brewery has been asked which cheese, chocolates and ice creams pair best with their individual beers. Many stations will feature exclusive pairings with these foods for the public to sample.

The following breweries have confirmed their attendance:

For more information, please contact Constance Aguilar from Abbi Public Relations at constance@abbipr.com or by calling 775.323.2977. Visit www.buckbeanbrewsnews.blogspot.com for regular updates and new information regarding CANFEST.

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ABOUT BUCKBEAN BREWING COMPANY:

Buckbean Brewing Company recently expanded into the Las Vegas and Northern California markets. The craft beer company produces its two signature beers, Original Orange Blossom Ale and Black Noddy Lager, in 16-ounce, environmentally-friendly cans, giving beer fans the opportunity to take their favorite brew with them hiking, biking, golfing and boating without the worry of glass breaking. www.buckbeanbeer.com

About Grand Sierra Resort and Casino:
Grand Sierra Resort and Casino (GSR) is in the heart of Reno/Tahoe – America’s Adventure Place. GSR is northern Nevada’s most complete resort destination with nearly 2,000 guest rooms and suites. The property offers a wide variety of accommodations for the everyday business traveler to the complete family vacation with amenities that include 200,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, branded retail shopping, headliner entertainment, a cinema, a 50-lane championship bowling center, outdoor thrill rides, aqua golf driving range, the largest casino north of Las Vegas with 24 hours of heart-pounding action plus so much more. GSR is a proud member of Summit Hotels and Resorts, a prestigious brand of Preferred Hotel Group. For more information, please visit www.grandsierraresort.com or to make reservations call 1.800.648.5080.

Who is the ideal audience for this News Release:
beer writers and patrons

Link to your website:
http://buckbeanbrewsnews.blogspot.com/ or www.buckbeanbeer.com

Fort Collins, CO – September 8, 2009 – Hoptober, New Belgium Brewing’s brand new seasonal, embraces autumn by offering a veritable cornucopia of flavors. With five hops and four malts, the result is a medium-bodied ale with a creamy mouthful. Now available in most New Belgium markets, Hoptober inspires a celebration of the season change.

The wide array of hops include Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette and Glacier hops, while pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats. The medley of ingredients sparks a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers and a bold finale.

“This beer is a Hop Lover’s dream within the Belgian idiom,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium spokesperson. “This beer is hop-forward but very well-balanced with generous mouthfeel.”

New Belgium, recognized for its watercolor labels, often has a tale to accompany their artwork. For Hoptober, the characters sparked some internal conversations. “The dancers around a bonfire originally seemed kind of pagan or Wiccan so we added a hula hoop and a unicycle – and voila – it was just the kind of party we like!” added Simpson.

Hoptober has 40 IBUs and is six percent ABV; available August through November.

About New Belgium Brewing Company

New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Amber Ale and other 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 seven year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, 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.

Portland-based artist, Eric Steen, presents an event that combines drinking beer and experiencing art. For one night only, you can sample three new beers from Laurelwood, Lompoc, and Lucky Lab Breweries at the Portland Art Museum. A brewer from each of the three Portland microbreweries received a tour of the museum’s collection, selected an artwork, and made a beer that will complement that artwork. This beer sampling is part of a one night event called “Shine A Light: A Night at the Museum”, an event that will host a number of performances, time-based art actions, music, and more. The entry fee for the event is $12 and will give you access to all the art and performances, the museums galleries, and unlimited sampling of the three new beers.

Reno, NV (August 2009)—Buckbean Brewing Company, Nevada’s largest production microbrewery, will bring to Reno this October the first ever CANFEST – Reno International Canned Beer Festival, the first international beer judging and tasting for canned beer, to take place at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Oct. 23, 2009.

Buckbean, a company that packages their beers in environmentally-friendly 16 ounce aluminum cans, hopes to shed light on the various breweries across the US that distribute their brews in cans and crush the many myths regarding beer in cans.  Proceeds from the event will benefit The Nature Conservancy and the Great Basin Bird Observatory.

Opening of Baltimore Beer Week

Baltimore Beer Week Starts Off With a Slugger

Boog Powell, one of baseball’s historic sluggers and a longtime friend of beer, will start Baltimore Beer Week October 8th with a mighty blow.
Powell, who socked 339 home runs in his 17- year career, will crack open a cask of beer aboard the USS Constellation in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The sold-out ceremony  will inaugurate the first Baltimore Beer Week — a 10-day celebration from October 8-18th of the region’s strong brewing culture.
“I am not sure whether I will use one of my old bats or a mallet to open the cask,” said Powell. “But I know I will make good contact.”
The ceremonial cask tapping is the first of a series of Beer Week activities that will include as many as 150 separate events held at taverns and restaurants around the Baltimore metro area.

Highlights of Baltimore Beer Week include:  the Brewers Association of Maryland Oktoberfest October 10th when 12 Maryland breweries pour some 75 beers at the Timonium Fairgrounds, the Society for Preservation of Beers from the Wood Chesapeake Real Ale Festival October 17th where some 30 cask-conditioned ales will be tapped, and a Baltimore beer pioneer’s lunch October 12 at Bertha’s where the city’s sudsy history will be discussed. Information and tickets for these and other Beer Week events are listed under Events on the web site baltimorebeerweek.com.
Powell, who played on World Champion Orioles teams in 1966 and 1970 and was the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 1970, has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with beer.  Powell played for the Orioles during the period when the team’s owner, Jerold C.  Hoffberger, also owned Baltimore’s National Brewing Company.
“At the start of a home stand every player would get a case of National beer,” Powell recalled. “Some players didn’t drink so, as a good teammate, I volunteered to relieve them of their beer.”  Shortly after he ended his baseball career in 1977, Powell appeared in popular national television advertisements for Miller Lite in which he, a number of former athletes, and an umpire, debated whether the brew tasted great or was less filling.  Now a fixture at Camden Yards where he presides over Boog’s Barbecue, Powell and his son J.W. also operate barbecue restaurants in Ocean City, MD.

“Baltimore Beer Week is shaping up to be one of the premier events for Maryland beer lovers,” said Joe Gold, chairman of the non-profit group that organized the week.
Sponsorship opportunities for sanctioned events on the Beer Week calendar are available, Gold said.  “We let the tavern owner or restaurateur pick what he wants to do,” Gold said.  “It could be as simple as matching beers with crab cakes.”

Additional information about participation and sponsorships, Gold said, is available at  sponsors@baltimorebeerweek.com.
Media Contact: Rob Kasper 410- 952 8402
www.baltimorebeerweek.com

Each Stone Vertical Epic Ale is brewed with unique ingredients that set it apart from previous editions. For example, we used coriander, alligator pepper, and dark roasted wheat in Stone 03.03.03 Vertical Epic Ale, and we used kaffir lime leaf and un-malted wheat in Stone 04.04.04 Vertical Epic Ale. Also, in Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale, we included ginger, cardamom, grapefruit peel, orange peel, and a blend of Glacier and Crystal hops.

See the full media release here: http://www.stonebrew.com/news/090813pr/

WINNER!
The Beer Connoisseur™
Wins One For Beer

The Beer Connoisseur Race Team competed in its first event this past Saturday and managed to take home the first place trophy! This is a huge win for beer.

It was the first time the Red Bull Soapbox Race was held in Atlanta, and the turnout was tremendous.

Before a crowd of nearly 50,000, the BC team kicked things off with a walk through the brewing process. The team members, decked out in traditional lederhosen and feathered caps, each carried one of beer’s four main ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast.

Dancing to the lilting sounds of yodeling, the team ended its 30-second skit by pouring the ingredients into the copper mash tun-themed racecar and sending it down the starting ramp with a push. The rest, as they say, is history.

BC scored the highest in overall creativity and was the second fastest down the course, beaten by only six-tenths of a second by a team called the Barby Doll Bandits.

It couldn’t have been a more beautiful day for this fun event. Thirty-nine teams participated in all, their cars careening down the track and whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Win or lose, the race was well worth the hard work that each team dedicated to making it a success.

Check out our race footage on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BeerConnoisseurMag#play/all/uploads-all/0/kd...

And visit our Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/beerconnoisseur

for more coverage of the event.

Who is the ideal audience for this News Release:
Beer Lovers, Beer Industry & Media

Link to your website:
http://www.beerconnoisseur.com