Category: Beverage Industry News
- Business of Beer 854
- Commentary 160
- Crisis Response 194
- Distribution & Retail 230
- Industry Events 23
- International 272
MicroStar Offers Service to send Draft Entries to BIIA Awards
Throughout the 100-year-old history of the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA), draught beers have been ceremoniously judged by professionals from around the world. Now often dubbed the “Beer Oscars,” the competition reflects the vitality of the global beer market. Held in the UK and organized by Brewing Technology Services Limited, the BIIA Awards have become a esteemed event.
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Widmer, Redhook plan alliance
Widmer Brothers Brewing in Oregon and Redhook Ale Brewery in Washington have reached an agreement in priciple to form a joint venture, a separate company, that will manage the sales and marketing of both the Widmer Brothers and Redhook Ale beer portfolios in the Western United States. It is expected that this entity will be called Craft Brands Alliance.
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Carlsberg buys into Germany
Danish brewery giant Carlsberg has launched a billion-euro bid for Holsten, Germany’s second largest brewer. If successful, Carlsberg will become the third major foreign group to take a major stake in Germany. The Danish giant would become the fifth-biggest brewer in Germany and the leading brewery in northern Germany, it said.
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AOB Offers Booth Space for Brewers at Nightclub and Bar Trade Show
As part of a long-term program to create a greater promotional presence for craft beer at wholesale and retail beverage trade shows around the US, the Association of Brewers has negotiated an opportunity for member breweries to participate in the Nightclub and Bar Show to be held in Las Vegas, March 9-10. The show annually draws nearly 40,000 food and beverage buyers who are on the lookout for new and interesting products to include in their lineups.
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Pyramid buys Portland Brewing
Two of America’s first modern day craft brewers will soon be one. In what is easily the most important specialty beer story of 2004 and one of the biggest in the brief history of craft breweries, Washington-based Pyramid Breweries announced it will acquire the brewing and brewery-restaurant operation of Portland’s Portland Brewing. The deal will make Pyramid the third largest craft brewer on the West Coast, behind only Sierra Nevada Brewing and Redhook Ale Brewery.
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Alcatraz Brewing Assets to be Offered at Auction
Alcatraz Brewing Company in Tempe, Arizona has contracted with a food service equipment auction firm to liquidate the assets of the brewery and restaurant. Grafe Auction Company will be conducting an onsite public auction at Alcatraz on Monday, January 19, 2004 starting at 10:00 AM. Alcatraz closed their doors in November of last year after six years of business.
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Miller High Life Passes the Century Mark
Miller High Life, once the flagship brand of Miller Brewing, passed the
century mark on January 2nd. The venerable Miller brand has become
overshadowed by trendier drinks and pushed aside by light and low-carb
beers, but Miller Brewing’s former flagship brand is trying to revive
its heritage. High Life was the beer behind the “Miller Time” campaign
of the 1970s, when the beer was promoted as a reward at the end of a
long, hard day at work. The brand peaked in 1979; today, it’s the 9th
biggest brand in the U.S., eclipsed by other brands, including stable
mate Miller Lite. The High Life brand is Miller’s oldest, and made its
debut in 1903, about 50 years after German immigrant Frederick Miller
founded Miller Brewing Company. After Miller peaked in sales in the
1960s and 1970s, High Life sales, as well as sales of other aging
domestic brands such as Old Style and Old Milwaukee, have been in
decline over the last two decades. Now, Miller is looking to refocus on
a niche base of High Life customers. The brand’s current media
advertising spots feature the populist “high life man.” The marketing
strategy might even be paying off, even though High Life’s production
continues to be just a fraction of its peak; brand sales have stabilized
and even increased slightly in recent years. The brand may have hope
among younger consumers, too, if the rise in Pabst Blue Ribbon’s
popularity among the under-30 crowd is any indication.
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Another Day, Another New Low-Carb Beer – Molson unveils Ultra
Molson Inc. last week became the latest brewer to unveil a low-carbohydrate beer. “We’re just responding to evolving consumer needs,” said Rob Assimakopoulos, Molson’s vice-president of marketing innovation. “We think this could be a significant sub-category [of beer].” In an effort to differentiate its lower-carb offering, Molson said Ultra has a regular beer taste and 4.5% alcohol-by-volume — slightly higher than rivals’ products — with 2.5 grams of carbohydrates and fewer than 100 calories per bottle. That level of carbohydrates is about the same as eating a tablespoon of peanut butter or drinking a glass of wine. By comparison, regular beers have between 11 and 17 grams of carbohydrates, equivalent to 10 french fries or a slice of french toast.
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EU Clear Interbrew Spatan Deal
Interbrew, has received unconditional clearance to its strategic partnership with Bavarian brewer Spaten from the European Commission. The approval, the Belgian brewer said, is the first condition to be fulfilled and brings Interbrew one step nearer to closing of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2004.
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Siebel Offering Carbohydrate Test for Brewers
Low-carb beer is the emerging category (fad?) of the year and with more consumers watching their carbs, the question of “how many carbs are in this beer?” may become one of the most frequently asked question of your staff, especially in brewpubs.
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EU Win for Budvar
The European Union’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) has ruled in favor of the Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar (BB), allowing it to register its Budejovicky Budvar name as a European Community trademark, according to BB’s press department. An appeal that had been filed by U.S. brewing giant Anheuser-Busch was rejected; the American brewer was attempting to keep BB from registering the Budejovicky Budvar name within the EU on the grounds that it could be confused with its Bud trademark. But the Czech Republic (CR) is scheduled to join the EU soon, and the CR’s accession treaty with the EU protects the expressions “Budejovicke pivo” and “Ceskobudejovicke pivo.” Protection by the place of origin is guaranteed only for those products that are well known internationally through their long tradition and continuous level of top quality, says BB, which currently has about 380 trademarks registered in over 100 countries around the world, and is currently involved in more than 40 lawsuits and 40 other administrative proceedings at patent offices involving the trademark dispute with AB.
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Firestone Walker Develops Mild Ale for Sports Arena
Firestone Walker Brewing Company and the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, in collaboration with local distributor Valley Wide Beverage Company, have teamed up to launch Firestone Mild Ale, a special low-carbohydrate craft beer that will be served at the center beginning on December 15. Firestone Mild Ale will be the only all-malt craft beer served at the new sports and entertainment arena. “Ovations Food Services, the Save Mart Center’s concessionaire, wanted to offer patrons a flavorful complement and alternative to lighter, mass-produced beers-but they also wanted it to be the same lower alcohol level as the other beers on draft,” said Steve Almaraz, Firestone Walker’s vice president of sales. “Our brewmaster made a special beer that ended up being both lower in alcohol and carbohydrates – but still with a signature Firestone Walker ale flavor.” Crafted by Head Brewer Matt Brynildson, who was named Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewmaster of The Year at the recent 2003 Great American Beer Festival, Firestone Mild Ale is a medium-bodied, full-flavored ale that contains half the calories (99 calories/12 oz) and carbohydrates (5.4 grams/12 oz) found in most craft beers. Its alcohol level of 3.2 percent is also considerably lower than most craft beers. Firestone Mild Ale incorporates East Kent Golding and Cascade hops, as well as Munich, Crystal, English Pale and Chocolate malts. The Save Mart Center is a new multipurpose sports and entertainment facility that hosts the Fresno State University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the Fresno Falcons of the West Coast Hockey League. The center will also host events by leading musicians and entertainers such as Toby Keith, Aerosmith, George Lopez, and Stars on Ice.
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Chicago Real Ale Festival on Hiatus for 2004
Despite the best efforts of festival organizers, Chicago will not be having its well-known Real Ale Festival in 2004. A smaller, alternative celebration of real ale is planned for the weekend (March 4-6) on which the 2004 edition of the festival was originally scheduled. Festival organizers will announce details soon. The organizers had planned to run the festival in the Finkl building, at the site of a Chicago steel mill, where the festival had a successful run in 2003. However, City of Chicago authorities were no longer willing to grant special event licenses for the Finkl space, and the venue has no on-premises license of its own, and would not be likely to secure one in time for the planned weekend of the Real Ale Festival. Organizers hope to bring the festival back during the first March weekend of 2005, either at Finkl or some alternate location in or near Chicago. As an alternative, a real ale party has been planned for the weekend of March 4-6, 2004, open to any and all comers. Organizers hope to work with Chicago brewpubs and bars such as Goose Island, Rock Bottom, the Map Room, and other venues, to find homes for as many great real ales as possible. Organizers are also looking to run buses on a circuit to the various sites and create America’s biggest real ale pub-crawl. For further information and updates, see the festival web site at http://www.realalefestival.com/
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AOB to Offer Weihenstephen Course at Craft Brewers Conference
For those going to San Diego this April for the 2004 Craft Brewers Conference, the Association of Brewers will be offering AOB members the opportunity to take a 2-day Weihenstephan course on April 13 and 14. The course will be offered at the conference hotel. This is the first time a Weihenstephan course has offered in the US. More information at
http://www.beertown.org/events/cbc/attendee/wcourse1.html
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Tod Mott Joins Portsmouth Brewery
While much of New England s attention is focused on the Red Sox and their off-season dealings, the Portsmouth Brewery has signed Tod Mott on board to head up its brewing operations. “Having Tod join our staff is the brewpub equivalent of Curt Schilling signing on with the Sox,” says brewery founder Peter Egelston. Since his days as an apprentice at Vermont’s Catamount Brewery, Mott’s career has included stints as head brewer at Boston’s Harpoon, Commonwealth, and Back Bay Breweries, Quincy Ships in Quincy, and most recently at the newly opened Tap Brewpub in Haverhill.
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