Victory will install a photovoltaic system on its roof that month because "it's just part of being a modern, responsible business," co-owner Ron Barchet told the Philadelphia Inquirer today. The project is being done under Pennsylvania's $100 million Pennsylvania Sunshine Rebate Program. The $415,000, 66.6-kilowatt system is expected to offset 5 percent of the brew pub's electricity use, reduce Victory's monthly electric costs by $1,000 - nearly 10 percent - and pay for itself in five years, Barchet explained.

Victory also announced last week that, for the fourth straight year, its brewers will once again collaborate with with Brewmaster Eric Toft of Schönrammer Brauerei in Germany and the German Hops Growers Association to produce five special beers to be poured at the annual Craft Brewers Conference, which will be held in Chicago, also in April.

This year's beers:

Saphir Tripel Ale – Belgian-style Tripel
Belgian Pale Ale brewed with Smaragd Hops
Belgian Pale Ale brewed with Hallertau Hops
Belgian Pale Ale brewed with Hersbrucker Hops
Bavarian Pale Ale – details still being formed

A new strengthened beer glass appears to be the answer, according to health authorities who claim that roughly 87,000 "glass attacks" in Britain cost the nation an estimated 2.7 billion pounds ($4.3 billion) annually.

The traditional British pint glass has been redesigned so it is harder to smash, said Design Bridge, the company behind two prototypes. "And even if the new models are smashed, the dangerous shards of glass are held together by a layer of resin," according to a spokesperson.

Talks are currently under way with pub chains about trying out the glasses and a pilot scheme will be launched within a year as things now stand.--JACK CURTIN

Rt. 113 joins Pikeland Pils, Phoenix Pale Ale, Dunkel Lager and Royal Weisse in the can lineup. It will be a year-round release and eventually be part of a variety 12-pack, along with the also year-round Pikeland and Phoenix, as well as standard cases. The othetr two canned beers are seasonal releases.

Until now, Rt. 113 has only been packaged in 22oz bottles. "The bottles will stay in the portfolio, at least for now," promises brewmaster Brian O'Reilly. "They're selling better than ever, just not as fast as do the canned beers. So long as sales hold up, we'll be happy. I really like the 22oz size, but it's a little tougher sell in a case state like Pennsylvania. On the other hand, we've just reopened the Pittsburgh market and that should help maintain and probably grow sales levels."

Rt. 113 IPA has been beer most requested to be made available in cans by customers, O'Reilly said.

A photograph of the new can can be seen here.--JACK CURTIN

Miller has dedicated a separate space on the chalkboard and website of his popular venue---which appears regularly on those lists of best places to drink craft beer in the region which pop up every now and then---to five to seven local beers which are featured on tap.

The idea, Miller says, is to escape from the "unsustainable business model" of always chasing the next hot and difficult to get beer. "this is a way to show how much the regions local breweries have to offer at the same time boosting the bottom line. These beers are easily attainable and reasonably priced. I can't take credit for the idea, though. I stole it from Arthur Etchells at Foobooz.com--with his permission---after I read a comment he posted at Brian Koelsar's brewlounge.com website."

Miller says he contacted brewers within a two and a half hour drive of his restaurant and asked them to provide him with two or three sixtels each month of their freshest beers and he would showcase them. The program began during the first week of January.

"Sly Fox, Yards and Stoudt’s were the first shipments. Those stocks were supposed to last through the month but have already been depleted and re-stocked. We just got in a shipment from Troegs, Flying Fish, Dogfish Head, Heavy Seas, Philadelphia Brewing Company & Lancaster. In all, besides what is currently on tap, there are about 35 sixtels waiting in queue for the rotation. At the rate we’ve been going through them that should take us only to the end of February."

Miller says the program is also helpful in introducing novices to the world of craft beer. "When someone new to the beer revolution looks at a chalkboard with 24 names they’ve never heard of before. it can be daunting. Local beers are recognizable for even the newest craft beer drinker. It makes a decision easier for them."--JACK CURTIN

The cult favorite beer, created by Bob and Ellie Tupper, disappeared from the market two years ago when the Old Dominion Brewing Company, which had contract brewed Hop Pocket since 1994, was sold. The new brewer is St. George Brewing Co. of Hampton, VA and they are fermenting the beer in the same tanks as previously, tanks they bought when Old Dominion went out of business.

Hop Pocket is brewed with four separate additions of hop pellets and fermented atop a bed of hop cones for three weeks. It was one of the first big, hoppy beers which have become a trademark of the craft brewing industry.

The Tuppers are well known in the beer community, not least for their personal tasting log that now numbers more than 18,500 brews sampled and recorded.--JACK CURTIN

The Headhouse will be a new venture for Bruce Nichols of Museum Catering Company in partnership with landlord Madame Saito Ai. The space has 20 taps on two floors and they're looking at a March opening.

Nichols, a founder of Philly Beer Week together with Monk's Cafe's Tom Peters and Russell, was instrumental in making the late Michael Jackson a fixture in Philadelphia every March for the long-running The Book & The Cook, bringing the famed beer writer in to host a series of tutored beer tastings at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology for 18 straight years.

That popular event, always sold out, will be reinvented this March, by the way, with U.S. beer writer Randy Mosher as the tutor.--JACK CURTIN

The trio was detained after, according to news reports, hey accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. The peaceful region is increasingly popular with Western tourists. MOre details can be found here/

Josh Fattal graduated from Cheltenham High School and his parents live in Elkins Park, explains Baker, "and his mother approached us and said that good friends of Josh come into Earth regularly and maybe we could help get the word put about the efforts to get him and his friends freed. I figured we could do something more than that, since they and the other parents have a lot of expenses involved with their efforts. We want to raise some money to help with that."

The next beer in the EB+B pipeline was a tank of Scotch Ale, originally to be named Velvet Underdog ("A great beer name," says Baker). It has been renamed Free The Hikers Ale and $1 is being added to the prices of 12oz glass, %.50 to the price of a 20oz glass until the tanks is kicked. Those additional amounts are customers' contributions; EB+B will add one-third of the total sale amount for the tank to the total. "It should work out to about $2500 to $3000 that we raise," according to Baker.

In other EB+B news, Baker says that assistant brewer Jon Defibaugh, who also doubles as a baker for the pub, has created his first beer, a Saison which he brewed with the help of EB+B regular Ryan Michaels, head brewer at McKenzie Brew House, who contributed DuPont yeast and some herbs to the project. --JACK CURTIN

ORIGINAL STORY: Industry veteran Bill Moore has been named Brewmaster at Lancaster Brewing Co. and will oversee all brewing operations, the company announced on Dec. 31.

"I am proud to be leading brewery operations," Moore was quoted in the news release. "Brewing exceptional craft beers is what I live for, and being able to do it here is really something special."

Moore has worked in the craft brewing industry for over 20 years, starting at Stoudt's Brewing in the late 1980s. The brewery garnered 14 GABF medals, seven of them Golds, during his tenure. He left Stoudt's in 1994 to a partner, with Bob Connor, in the new Independence Brewery in Philadelphia.Independence's big, beautiful plant proved to be too large for the company to support and a series of bad decisions and acquisitions doomed the enterprise from the start. The doors shut in 2000.

After an interim stint at Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery, he began brewing at the brewpub at the historic Sunnybrook Ballroom in his home town of Pottstown. He went fulltime at the latter in 2001. When that business collapsed, he brewed for the management team which ran the operation for the bank and then for Henry Ortlieb, who bought the place in 2003 and created Ortlieb's Brewery & Grille. That constantly struggling business shut down for good after Ortlieb's death in a boating accident in the summer of 2004. Moore began contract brewing beers for the new Legacy Brewing Company in Reading at Ortlieb's during that final year. He signed on as brewer at Lancaster in 2005.

Also joining the LBC team as Marketing Director is Patrick Casey, who brings over 25 years of advertising, sales and management experience to the LBC family. "I look forward to growing sales and building the brands for the brewery. They have an impressive line of craft beers and a strong number of loyal fans including myself," said Patrick.

Irene Keares, President of the company stated her objectives for the brewery’s future growth in the release. "My mission is as much about creating the best team as it is about brewing the best beer and that is why I am honored to have Bill and Patrick on the LBC team. Both are key to the brewery’s future success and our ability to grow to the next level."

LBC currently produces four flagship beers year round (Hop Hog IPA, Milk Stout, Strawberry Wheat, Amish Four Grain Pale Ale), along with popular seasonal beers including Oktoberfest, Winter Warmer and Rare Rooster Rye Ale, all available in bottles and kegs. The brewery also produces twenty different styles of craft beer throughout the year in kegs only. --JACK CURTIN

The brewery is preparing a request for proposals to get ideas and bids for where to place the brewery or refurbish an existing brewery, Koch said, stressing that the project was only in the investigative stage at present.

"This decision is in line with the Stone's philosophy of ensuring fresh beer in the marketplace, and reducing their carbon footprint for distribution," he added. "To the best of our knowledge, Stone is the first American craft brewery to consider opening a brewery in Europe."

Stone sold 99k barrels in 2009 and is currently distributed in 34 states in the US. The brewery has averaged a 49% average annual increase in production since it was founded in 1996 and has limited distribution overseas to Japan, England and Sweden at present.--JACK CURTIN

In March, 2010 the brewery will release the first of four beers in a series of collaborative projects with Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing; McAuliffe, and authors, homebrewers, and beer advocates Fred Eckhardt, and Charlie Papazian. "Together, this group is credited as `the men who launched a thousand breweries'" and without them, our current day craft-beer-renaissance might never have happened," SN said in a press release.

"We wanted to pay tribute to the original pioneers who helped me and hundreds of others get started," said Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman in that release. "Few people in the craft-brewing world have accomplished more than these guys, and we thought it might be fun to get the original crew together and make something special."

The project will begin where craft brewing started, at Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco; Anchor's purchase of that business in 1965 is consider by many to be ground zero for the craft beer revolution in America. In December 2009, the four pioneers gathered at Anchor to catch up, reminisce about craft beer’s beginnings, and share their vision for the project. "I feel honored to sit at the table with these guys," wrote Grossman. "Without them, who knows what American beer would be today?"

The beers will be released periodically throughout the year, starting with the first release in March, and continuing until Sierra Nevada’s 30th Anniversary on November 15. These limited-release 750ml cage-and-cork bottles will be available at select retailers and beer-centric bars. Proceeds from the project will go to benefit select charities chosen by the four pioneers.

You can follow this collaboration of pioneering brewers online.--JACK CURTIN

Glissade (6% abv) is hopped with German Magnum & German Perle (bittering) and German Spalter, Slovenian Aurora & Styrian. Malts used in the brew are Two-row Pale, Europils, Munich and Crystal. It will be be available in 6-packs, 24-ounce bottles and on draft starting in January, 2010.

"We have been making versions of bock beers for our local fans for years, and with every release we get people clamoring for us to make it more widely available. Spring for us is the season for bocks, so we finally decided to do it," said brewery founder Ken Grossman in a press release. "Glissade is something new for us—and something different from the other bock beers out there. We’re using the best German malts we can find, together with interesting and flavorful European hops."

Sierra Nevada will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and is planning to mark the occasion with several special events and specialty beer releases.--JACK CURTIN

Originally aired in 1965, the special created by Charles Schulz has become among the most popular holiday programs in television history. The music, written by acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi, is the best-selling Christmas recording of all time. The Cartoon Christmas, formed in 1995, performs each song from that classic TV special, using the exact instrumentation Guaraldi specified in his original compositions, to transport listeners back to the nostalgic world of Charles Schulz’s beloved cartoon. Throughout the month of December, the group will perform at each of Iron Hill’s eight award-winning locations. Performances will begin at 7pm and run approximately two hours. The schedule is as follows:

Iron Hill Newark on Tuesday, December 15

Iron Hill Lancaster on Wednesday, December 16

Iron Hill Phoenixville on Thursday, December 17

Iron Hill North Wales on Friday, December 18

Iron Hill Media on Sunday, December 20

Iron Hill Maple Shade on Monday, December 21

Iron Hill Wilmington on Tuesday, December 22

Iron Hill West Chester on Wednesday, December 23

Finally, the Trio will return to Iron Hill Newark on Sunday, December 27 for its first-ever post-Christmas performance.--JACK CURTIN

One of the factors in making the changes is that the Phoenixville location will be celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2010, wrote brewmaster Brian O'Reilly. The primary consideration, however, was to maintain better control of the Sly Fox brewing schedule.

"We're not cutting out the Hop Project so we can make less beer; we're cutting it out so we can make more beer." he said. "To make the Hop Project work, we had to commit to have 12 beers (the varietals and Odyssey) available for release at exactly the same time every month. That meant that sometimes we couldn't do other things because we had to be sure we had the kegs and the tank space ready at just the right time. We often had to push the filtering and packaging of other beers back a week as a result. It was a monthly roadblock we had to work around."

O'Reilly also cited the planned move of the Phoenixville pub to a new location across Rt. 113 from its current one as a reason for creating the new Anniversary Day event, noting that "our need to make this change to improve our brewery operations ties in nicely with our history."

Hop Project Day, which is also the day Sly Fox releases its Odyssey Imperial IPA, has become something of a beer holiday for both local and traveling beer aficionados. The series began in 2004 with the brewing of single-hop IPAs and continued that series through last year; varietal Pale Ales were the focus this year.

The complete Sly Fox Newsletter, which went out today, is now available online.--JACK CURTIN

Here's what writer Lauren Buzzeo had to say about DFH Festina Peche:

An unbelievably refreshing Berliner Weisse-style beer fermented with fresh peaches, this tart expression is somewhat difficult to come by with only a handful of producers still making the style. Beautiful aromas and flavors of fresh peaches, sour Granny Smith and hints of resiny oil promise pure refreshment. The vibrant acidity and effervescence only further compliment the palate, resulting in a wonderfully crisp and enlightening drinking experience.

And here are her thoughts on Victory Festbier:

A golden russet color with a frothy toffee colored head. The nose offers aromas of cream, sweet bread, lime pith and roasted nuts. The mouth is medium-weight and malty, with subtle coffee notes, floral hops, and notes of cinnamon. A balanced brew with a long, lingering finish that veers towards hoppy bitterness.

Perhaps surprisingly, as shown by the two local selections, the list is not dominated entirely by high alcohol beers, since conventional wisdom holds that those are what attract the wine crowd. Ten of the beers listed have an ABV under 6% and about half of those would qualify as session beers in most estimations.

The beers were apparently chosen only from those tasted by the magazine in 2009 and other considerations beyond just quality played a role in the final decision. Wrote Buzzeo in her introduction:

The beers listed here represent the most diverse and dynamic offerings that were tasted this year. They are beers that offer extraordinary quality at prices that still represent affordable luxury. In compiling this list, I had to go beyond simple evaluation of numeric scores and pricing and also consider availability, buzz and balance. With so many selections currently available to the American beer consumer, it was important to showcase a wide range of styles produced in various countries and regions at all price points.

One might argue with "buzz" and "pricing" as standards, but the real message here is that this is yet another indicator of the growing interest in craft beers by wine enthusiasts.

The complete list is available here.--JACK CURTIN

Putting its spent grain to good use is a green initiation which craft brewers take great pride in, but leave it to Delaware's Dogfish Head Craft Brewery to expand the possibilities by barking up a different tree.

DFH and Bella’s Cookies, both located in Milton, are teaming up to create Dogfish Dog Bark, a healthy dog treat which uses the spent grain. Until now, nutrient-rich byproduct has been given to local farmers to use as feed for their cattle.

"Brewery employees spent lots of time testing the treats with their dogs," explained Dogfish Head’s Mariah Calagione, "and one hundred percent of the feed-back was tail-wagging."

Dogfish Dog Bark is also made with eggs from Delaware hens, organic flour, and all-natural peanut butter. it will be available at the brewery in Milton and Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in Rehoboth Beach, online from both companies and a select few local pet shops.--JACK CURTIN

Otto wants some samples--MATT GUYER

" Beers will be judged on the subjective flavor criteria of our panel of judges, rather than how well they fit to style," says Olson. "Entries should be limited only in that the brewer would describe them as Belgian. In fact, 'Out-of-style' Belgian Specialty ales are highly encouraged."

Deadline for submissions is February 15, 2010. Submission must be accompanied by an entry form and delivered to the pub at 451 Wilmington West Chester Pike/Rt. 202. Olson said that entries forms and more information will be available soon on the McKenzie website and that interested homebrewers can call him at 610.361.9800 with questions if need be.--JACK CURTIN

Well, the definition of "moderate" just became a lot more realistic.

This is the opening sentence of a story in the The Independent of London yesterday, written by Health Editor Jeremy Laurance: "Drinking a bottle of wine a day, or half a dozen beers, cuts the risk of heart disease by more than half in men, it has been shown."

It appears under this headline, "Drink half a dozen beers every day and have a healthier heart," and this subheading, "Teetotallers more likely to have heart attack than drinkers, study shows."

The study was conducted by researchers from the public health department of the Basque government in San Sebastian, "a region with one of the highest drinking rates in Europe," and as conducted among 15,000 men and 26,000 women aged from 29 to 69 who were followed for 10 years. There is the usual caveat, of course--"alcohol caused millions of deaths a year around the world from other causes and their findings should not be taken as a licence to drink to oblivion"--and various British scientists disagreed with the conclusions, saying the work was "biased" or overlooked other alcohol-related diseases which might occur.

Researchers said that their results showed that "those who drank a little--a glass of wine or a bottle of beer every other day--had a 35 percent lower risk of a heart attack than those who never drank. Moderate drinkers, consuming up to a couple of glasses of wine a day or a couple of pints of ordinary bitter, had a 54 per cent lower risk...The surprise was that heavy drinkers consuming up to a bottle of wine or six pints of ordinary bitter had a similar 50 per cent reduction in risk of a heart attack to moderate drinkers. Those drinking at even higher levels were still half as likely to suffer a heart attack as the teetotallers."

It should be noted that they were talking about 5% or lower ABV beers, not higher alcohol styles.

You can read the entire Independent story here.--JACK CURTIN

The Green Business award, sponsored by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), will celebrate the accomplishments of Yards and nine other Excellence Award winners. "While the winners’ business models may vary, they share a similar passion, determination and drive to succeed, Yards’ story is an excellent example of that formula," said the Chamber in a press release.

Tom Kehoe and then-partner Jon Bovit founded Yards Brewing Company in 1994 and it has grown from a garage-sized brewery in Manayunk that produced 30 kegs a week into its current 26,000 sq. ft. location in Northern Liberties, capable of producing 70,000 kegs a year. Since moving into its new plant on Delaware Avenue last year, Yards has made serious effort to to become a model of efficiency and sustainability.

Among other features, the brewery integrates natural lighting, recycled concrete floors, waste water management, water and heat reclamation. Cardboard and glass are recycled through Pedal Co-Op — taken to the local recycling plant by bicycles with trailers. Even its spent grains are reused as feed for local livestock. And, in January, Yards became the first brewery in Pennsylvania to run entirely on wind-power.

A new tasting room also follows a sustainable model, with a bar top made from old bowling alley lanes, floors treated with a sustainable soy compound, and walls coated with an earthen clay layer that is sustainable and eco-friendly.--JACK CURTIN

A total of 379 beers from 137 breweries were examined across 14 different beer categories in the judging. The USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, Midwest, Rockies/Southwest, California and Northwest/Pacific.

Weyerbacher Brewing matched Sly Fox with double wins for its Double Simcoe IPA (Imperial IPA/Red Ale) and Riserva (Fruit Beer), while McKenzie Brew House took top honors for its Wicked Will's Pale Ale in that category and an Honorable Mention for its Wit (Belgian Wit). Top regional honors also went to Victory Brewing's HopDevil Ale in the IPA category and The Lion Brewery in Golden Ale/Kolsch for Liebotschaner Cream Ale. Barley Creek took an Honorable Mention for its Navigator Golden Ale in that latter category and Stoudt Brewing Gold Lager won Honorable Mention in the Dortmunder/Helles category.

The USBTC competition is held in multiple stages. Sequential field trials are conducted wherein judges evaluate beers and select the best to advance to subsequent rounds, allowing beers to be judged in relatively small flights. All beers were tasted blind.--JACK CURTIN

The sale of its SeaWorlds and Busch Gardens to Blackstone, part of an ongoing process of shedding assets, brings the company's divestments to some $6.5 billion, well within range of the $7 billion ultimate target. Financial analysts suggest that just one further sale should allow them to get there, the most likely being divesting itself of 11 breweries in seven central and eastern European countries.*

Those same analysts also expect AB InBev to forgo making any further takeover forays in the near future in order to focus on integrating their company, squeezing out costs from Anheuser operations and increasing the dividend.

* UPDATE: From today's New York Times: "Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beverage company, said Thursday that it would sell its operations in eastern and central Europe to the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in a deal that may be worth more than $3 billion..." Full story here.--JACK CURTIN

"Matt Nienhuis had been our operations manager in charge of distribution since 2004," co-owner Bill Barton told the Beer Yard, "and when he got married and had a child, he and his wife decided to return to her home town of Pittsburgh and both we all saw an opportunity there.

"All breweries in Pennsylvania are automatically licensed for two additional facilities anywhere in the state as part of their licenses, and we decided one of ours would be in Pittsburgh. I don't know if anybody's ever done this before, but when we filed the paperwork, I was told by a guy handling it that he'd never seen this kind of move in 20 years on the job.

"We bought Matt a truck and rented space in the old Dusquesne brewery, which is owned by a company called U.S. Cargo. They ship the beer our from here every week from their facility in Plymouth Meeting."

PBC brands became available in Pittsburgh last month, sold and distributed by Nienhuis.

"Young single guys who live around the corner start working here, then they get married, have a kid and move away," laughs Barton. "It happens all the time. This time, that turned out to be a very good thing for both parties."--JACK CURTIN

As detailed in our earlier Delaware Valley report, 13 of the Pennsylvania medals came from the Philadelphia area, with Troegs Brewing Co. winning three. Fegley Brew Works, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant and Triumph Brewing Co. garnered two medals each, while McKenzie Brew House and Stoudt's Brewing Co. each took one. Erie Brewing Company's medal completed the state's total. That same story noted other Delaware Valley wins: three Delaware medals, all by Dogfish Head Craft Brewing, and two in New Jersey for Flying Fish Brewing Co. A third NJ medal was taken by Long Valley Pub & Brewery in North Jersey.

New York's nine medals included two Gold, three Silver and Three Bronze, with double wins for Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Great Adirondack Brewing Co. and Saranac/FX Matt Brewing Co., and singles for Blue Point Brewing Co., Brooklyn Brewery and Southampton Publick House. In Maryland, in addition to the impressive Flying Dog performance, single medals were won by Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery, Clipper City Brewing Co. and DOG Brewing Co.

Boston Beer Company and Harpoon Brewery each won a medal in Massachusetts, while Allagash Brewing Company and Cambridge House Brew Pub medaled in Maine and Connecticut respectively.

Finally, in an update to this earlier story, the National Beer Wholesalers Association reported post-GABF that Gretz Beer Co., Philadelphia's third major distributor, was also a finalist in the national awards given annual by NBWA and GABF in which Origlio Beverage took top honor and Muller Inc. was third. Three wholesalers in the top five in the country is about as clear evidence of the vitality and professionalism of the local beer scene as you're like to find.

Details on these and all the GABF results around the country can be found here.--JACK CURTIN

Triumph Brewing was the only local brewery to achieve double Gold, for Philadelphia's Patrick Jones in the Session Beer category for KinderPils and New Hope's Brendan Anderson for Hefeweizen in the German-style Wheat Ale judging.

DFH won Gold for Chateau Jiahu and Silver for Palo Santo Marron in the Specialty Beer Category and Bronze for Midas Touch in the Specialty Honey Beer Category. Troegs took Gold for Troegenator in the Bock category, Silver for Dead Reckoning Porter in the American-style Stout category and Bronze for Sunshine Pils in the German-style Pilsener category. That last win marked the third straight year a local pils, each from a different brewery, has finished in the top three.

Other Golds were won by Casey Hughes at New Jersey's Flying Fish Brewing Co. for Exit 4 in the American-Belgo Style Ale category; Tim Stumpf at Iron Hill Phoenixville for Schwarzbier in the category of the same name (his second straight), and Ryan Michaels at McKenzie Brew House for Saison Vautour in the Belgian-style Saison category, a second gold for that beer.

Beau Baden at Fegley's Allentown & Bethlehem Brew Works, who is becoming a regular in the winner's circle, won a Silver for Bagpiper's Scotch Ale in that category and Bronze for Rude Elf's Reserve in the Herb and Spiced Ale judging. And Iron Hill added a second medal, a Silver for its Raspberry Torte, an American style Sour Ale brewed in its Media pub by perennial medal winner Bob Barrar. Gordon Grubb at Philadelphia's Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant completed the region's Silver haul with George's Fault in the Specialty Honey Beer category (a second for that beer) to go along with a Bronze for Phruit Phunk, a wood and barrel aged sour brew.

Additional Bronze medals were won by Flying Fish Hop Fish (Classic English-style Pale Ale) and Stoudt Brewing Company's Stoudt Kolsh (German-style Kölsch). In all, the region won seven Golds, five Silvers and Six Bronzes. Thirteen of the medals came from Pennsylvania (which won a 14th with Erie Brewing's Railbender Scotch Ale). DFH accounted for Delaware's three wins, while Long Valley Pub & Brewery brought NJ's overall total to three, adding a Bronze for Lazy Jake Porter to the pair of Flying Fish wins.--JACK CURTIN

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Pizza Port Brew Guys

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Dry Dock Brewing Company, Aurora, CO
Dry Dock Brewing Team

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Robert Malone

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO
Dr. David Ryder

Origlio Beverage, founded in 1933, was named Wholesaler of the Year, based upon its 35% growth in the craft area and its many promotional efforts aiding in the marketing of crafts.

Muller Inc., founded in 1938, received the Recognition Award for its 25% growth in craft sales.

The awards are given annually as a joint recognition by the Brewers Association and the National Beer Wholesalers Association.--JACK CURTIN

The top ten bars in the ranking, in order, were: Standard Tap, P.O.P.E. (Pub on Passyunk East), Monk's Cafe, Southwark, Good Dog Bar, Grace Tavern, South Philadelphia Taproom, Sidecar Bar & Grille, Tria Washington Square West, and Royal Tavern.

Teresa's Next Door in Wayne, the top suburban location chosen, was #32. The Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern was #45 and TJ's Restaurant & Drinkery in Paoli came in at #47.

The entire list is here.--JACK CURTIN

In 2008, General Lafayette Inn owner and brewer Chris Leonard used the hops he picked to make a low alcohol seasonal beer; this year it was Iron Hill's turn.

Iron Hill brewer Jean Boillet told the story on the Iron Hill West Chester blog:

The first round came from our friend, Matt Guyer, over at the Beer Yard. Behind his store grows a surprising amount of wild hop vines. They have been happily growing there for as long as he can remember, which is great for us, as they are well-established and literally dripping with sticky lupulin magic.

About two weeks ago, I arrived at his store early in the morning, yanked all of the vines down and tossed ‘em in the back seat of my car. Once loaded up, I drove straight to the brewery, where a team of eager servers helped us separate the hop cones from the vine. My car was drenched in grassy, floral hop aromas; sure glad I didn’t get stopped by the fuzz on the drive back.

All day, we yielded a bit more than two pounds of bright green hoppy love, and within hours, we had filled 4 firkins of our Ryesing (Yye Pale Ale) with half-a-pound of fresh hops shoved into each cask.

News about both these new releases first appeared on My Beer Buzz, a beer blog focused on Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Farther west, news that Troegs Brewing will add a new bourbon-barrel-aged series in very limited release leaked out yesterday on Beer Advocate.

In a posting in that thread, Troegs' Ed Yashinsky explained that the new series will be available only at the brewery, in the same fashion as the Scratch Beer series. "Splinter is a brewery-only series, very limited," he wrote. "There's approximately 300 bottles of the first two and two more to be packaged. Labels just approved by feds and waiting on [printed] labels. We will announce all details closer to release dates for each one in the series."

The first two barrel-aged beers in the series are reportedly Mad Elf and Scratch #3, a tripel.

Troegs has already announced another new beer, Java Head Stout, a coffee-based beer in 22oz which is currently available for pre-order from the Beer Yard.--JACK CURTIN

Demaria of East Norriton says he will be introducing the first beers from his new Prism Brewing Company into the Philadelphia market this fall. The initial releases, an IPA and an Irish Red Ale, will be draught only and contract brewed at General Lafayette Brewery & Inn; the inn's owner and head brewer Chris Leonard will create the beers based upon recipes developed by Demaria.

Each of his beers is "made with twist," he says. "I don't mimic any beers out there. HIPA is an IPA made with about 25% honey malt to offer some sweetness as well as hop bitterness. Red Rocket is an Irish Red Ale brewed with pharmaceutical grade caffeine, taurine and vitamin B, which are used in energy drinks, and is looking to be the younger beer drinker's Red Bull and Vodka, if you will. A third beer we will add next year, a Belgian White, is brewed with chives."

Demaria, who is Director of Enterprise Learning Strategies and Innovation for Merck, says he has already laid a lot of the ground work for launching his brand. "I'm talking with one distributor to see what we can work out but plan to self-distribute the initial batches. We don't have an established brand so it is going to require at lot of personal attention and hand-selling. I have a sales rep already hired who will help with that.

"We've registered the business and the Federal license is in process. Once that's completed, I just have to submit it for the State license. Since there are no labels involved and I don't have to submit brewery plans or anything like that, I hope that will all go smoothly and quickly. My goal is to be ready to start marketing the beers in September or so."

He has one account for sure. "Chris will be putting the beers on at General Lafayette," Demaria promised.--JACK CURTIN

HopDevil turned up on many taps around the area in those early days, the one craft beer that a lot of old-line bars and taverns were willing to pour.

Another beer citation in this year's Best awards went to Teresa's Next Door, the N. Wayne Ave. Belgian-themed restaurant whose menu and notable beer list continue to draw attention both locally and nation-wide. TND was selected as the Best Beer Bar in the region.--JACK CURTIN

The Philadelphia Folk Festival is a three-day festival of folk music that has been held in Schwenksville since 1962, following a brief run in Paoli. It is conducted by by the non-profit Philadelphia Folksong Society.

Tom Kehoe, Yards co-founder and brewmaster, said that "it is an honor to be taking such a prominent role at this event. I feel very privileged that we'll be able to share our craft with many of the country's most recognized musicians as well as the Festival's loyal followers."

"We will be pouring Philadelphia Pale Ale, Brawler, ESA and IPA," said brewery operations manager Steve Mashington. "Last year was the first time the festival allowed beer sales. We contacted them about being a part of the event, but they had already lined up Victory as the only brewery at the festival/ This year they contacted us and informed us that they were interested in working something out with respect to being a beer sponsor/vendor and told me that according to their surveys, our beer was the most requested. We've negotiated a good working partnership that we hope will continue on for several years."

Yards Brewing Company is also taking a less official but equally important role at the event, working with event organizers to ensure the Festival is as environmentally responsible as possible. All of Yards beers will be draught only and concertgoers will be encouraged to reuse their cups as much as possible or risk additional charges. Yards will also be managing its own recycling efforts throughout the weekend.

"We're really trying to lead by example. Everything we're doing is just a common sense way of showing or respect for our planet and environment," said Mashington, noting that Yards is Pennsylvania's first 100% wind-powered brewery Yards is working with the Philadelphia Folksong Society to curate a number of concerts to be held at the brewery later this year. The first of those concerts will be held on August 2, featuring several bands from the festival. Details should be announced later this week.

"Our new brewery wasn't built simply to increase production," said Mashington. "We wanted to create a venue for community, where people can come together and have a good time. We'll be hosting music, movies…it's going to be really exciting." -JACK CURTIN

The Cleveland brewery reached a final agreement today with Origlio Beverage to distribute its beers throughout the five-county Philadelphia market. The first beers will be released on Monday, July 27. Their five year-round beers are Burning River Pale Ale, Commodore Perry IPA, Dortmunder Gold Lager, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and Eliot Ness Amber Lager. Popular seasonals include Blackout Russian Imperial Stout, Nosferatu Stock Ale and Glockenspiel Weizenbock.

Great Lakes Brewing was established in 1988 and was Ohio's first microbrewery. It is now the heart of an historic six-building complex which includes the brewery, a brewpub, banquet facilities, and gift shop. Great Lakes, which produces 70,000bbl annually, is considered one of the nation's foremost environmentally and socially brewers.--JACK CURTIN

The concept, named Collaborative Evil by founding brewers Zac Triemert of Lucky Bucket Brewing Co. La Vista, NE, Matt Van Wyk of Flossmoor Station, Flossmoor, IL and Todd Ashman of FiftyFifty Brewing, Truckee, CA, was first tried in 2008 by the three of them.

The base style for this year is a Belgian-inspired Strong Pale. The six new participants include Valley Brewing, Stockton, CA.-- Steve Altimari, Brewmaster; Sacramento Brewing, Sacramento, CA.-- Peter Hoey, Brewmaster; Fatheads Brewery and Grill, Cleveland, OH. -- Matt Cole, Brewmaster; Flossmoor Station, Flossmoor, IL -- Bryan Shimkos Brewmaster; Oakshire Brewing, Eugene, OR -- Matt Van Wyk Brewmaster; Silver Peak Brewing, Reno, NV -- Brandon Wright, Brewmaster, and Speakeasy Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA.-- John Gillooly, Brewmaster.

"Each brewer is asked to create a beer based on the style and then make it uniquely their own within the parameters of Belgian-inspired Strong Pale," explained Ashman. "This was important because it demonstrates what people think of when you mention a style. Because one of the things we focus on in Collaborative Evil is entering the respective beers in the Great American Beer Festival, and since entry guidelines forbid entering the same beer, we took the approach of creating a theme and allowing each brewer participating to spin-off his own beer based on our base style."--JACK CURTIN

More beers (2,129 are expected, an increase of about ten percent). More people (ticket sales will be increased slightly). And offsetting that last increase, more space. GABF floor space will expand by 33%, providing more elbow room.

The total number of breweries participating will be about the same as in 2008, somewhere over 450 of them.

As usual, a sellout is expected. Ticket sales are strong, according to Cindy Jones, Brewers Association Marketing Director. "We've sold twice as many tickets in comparison to where we were last year this far out from the fest."--JACK CURTIN

“Stiff competition, limited resources, and the failing economy have contributed to a steady decline in revenues over the past 16 months,” Leonard wrote. “While beer sales have remained relatively stable, our food, wine and liquor sales have decreased to the point that we can longer maintain operations. Past due mortgages, property taxes, payroll taxes, and accounts payable to vendors have pushed the General to the precipice. Unless we raise significant funds in the next two months - to get current with our debtors, improve facilities, increase wholesale beer production, and increase our marketing efforts – closure is imminent.”

In his letter, he talked about offering stock options and minor partnerships and the formation of “The Friends of the General Lafayette Inn Society,” 150 members paying $1,000 each for $275 house accounts for the next five years. In a separate email to The Beer Yard, he wrote that “we do not intend to close, do not want to close, are not currently being pressured to close, do not want to sell, etc... We continue to do everything possible to carry on.”

The General Lafayette is the fifth oldest tavern in the U.S. and was taken over by Leonard and his family in 2004, following the death of the original owner. Leonard was the brewer there at the time.

Leonard’s open letter can be read here.—JACK CURTIN

The panel, moderated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN and a practicing neurosurgeon, will also include participants from South Africa and China.

The event, which be held in Dublin, Ireland, August 23-26, will include government agencies, advocacy grouns and individuals from around the world.

Lyke is the founder of Pints for Prostates campaign which uses "the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message regarding the need for regular prostate health screenings and PSA blood testing." The campaign was founded in 2008 after Lyke had successful prostrate cancer surgery.

You can get more information about Pints for Prostates at here.--JACK CURTIN

The enterprising and energetic duo will sign a lease today for a new venture on the site of the former Yello Bar at the corner of Grays Ferry Avenue and Catharine Street and hope to renovate and redecorate for a September opening.

The name will be Resurrection Ale House and, Maida told the Beer Yard early this morning, "we're focused (as always) on a stellar craft beer list, but we're equally focused this time on the dining side of things as well. For now we're sort of working under the term 'beer bistro' as a guiding principle, for the menu, the decor, the over-all vibe of the place. We're hoping for the same kinds of laid back, food and beer savvy, mixed-bag of cool guests that we get to meet at Memphis and Local 44."

If nothing else, three new locations in less than two years ought to earn then a place on everybody's publicans of the year lists...maybe even of the decade.--JACK CURTIN

The original brewhouse will be moved to the new site, which will feature three handpumps pouring real cask ale and an automated growler filler which should insure perfect fills and longer shelf life in customers' refrigerators.

No date for the move has been set but "three months or so" are what insiders told The Beer Yard today.

Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery opened in December 1995 and is operated by the Giannopoulos family. Sly Fox also owns a restaurant and production brewery in Royersford, established in November 2004.--JACK CURTIN

"Yards Brewing is close to taking a giant step across the Delaware, with a new brewpub in the Camden County borough of Merchantville, N.J.

"The brewery, Philly’s largest, is in talks with the borough to open the pub in the old PNC Bank building (below) at 9 S. Centre St. The borough purchased the 80-year-old building earlier this year through a $1.2 million bond issue, and holds a liquor license for the property.'

Negotiations are still underway to make the deal official, Russell writes, noting that "The big plus is that the borough holds the necessary liquor license, which is always a huge impediment for would-be restaurant and tavern developers."

For Yards, which doesn't even distribute in the Garden State at the moment, this would be a massive step in terms of growth and local identity.--JACK CURTIN

"Many of our customers have requested Yuengling beer on board," reported Bill Grobasky, the airline's director of sales.

The new venture gives Midwesterners who live outside Yuengling's normal distribution area the chance to sample the beers. "For people flying out to the tropics, drinking one of our beers will be their last taste of home. And on the way back, it'll be their first taste," says Lou Romano, the brewery's marketing manager.

Romano added that taste may be all they'll get for now yet, stressing that while "we're still opening up our market on the East Coast, including parts of Georgia and West Virginia," expansion beyond that is not in the cards."Our growth is controlled and disciplined because owner Dick Yuengling will not contract out to have our beers made. Because we make all of our own product, our capacities in Pottsville, and at our Florida brewery, limit us."--JACK CURTIN

North American Breweries of Canada says it will pour $10 million into the brewery on repairs and new equipment this year and next. NAB will also embark on a big marketing push for Genesee, Genny Light, and Genesee Cream Ale in the Northeast and Midwest, where Genny has traditionally had a stronger presence.

From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle yesterday:

"When we do blind taste tests (against other beers), we win," said North American CEO Rich Lozyniak. "We just have to get people to try us. We have a great product, but we have to reposition it."

[ ... ]

The $10 million will pay for mechanical upgrades in the steam house and packaging area and in process controls that will help with waste reduction and quality issues, Lozyniak said. According to North American, the company expects to save upward of $1 million annually on its electricity and water bills.

North American and its parent company, New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners LP, continue to look for other regional beer brands or breweries for purchase, Lozyniak said. KPS formed North American in February after purchasing High Falls; Labatt USA, the Buffalo-based importer of Labatt beer for the U.S. market; and the rights to the Seagram's Escapes line of wine coolers. With the purchase, KPS instantly became one of the nation's larger brewers. High Falls in 2008 was the ninth-largest U.S. brewery based on sales.

Head brewer Chris Wilson says, "this is a very significant release for us as well as the beer community out there," says head brewer Chris Wilson. "Zotten is very sessionable beer with significant flavor, complexity and hops to satisfy the most discriminating palate."

The new beer (the name rhymes with verboten) is bottle-conditioned, has a small amount of yeast sediment and carries the distinctive flavors of the house abbey yeast strain that Weyerbacher uses for its Merry Monks' Ale.

Zotten is Flemish for "fools." The name originates from a time several hundred years ago when an Austrian king, visiting Brugge, Belgium witnessed a parade through town to honor him. Many were dressed as court jesters and king was heard to say, "Brugge is a town full of zotten." An earlier version of the 6% brew was released in June 2008 under the name Alpha; it was the first beer in the brewery's ongoing Brewer's Choice series of small match one-offs.

In the Lehigh Valley, PA, Weyerbacher's home, Zotten will debut on draft at Pearly Bakers' Ale House, Porters' Pub, Starters Riverport, Liberty Street Tavern, Tally Ho, Blue Monkey and Bear Creek on June 3. In the Philadelphia market, it will pour at Craft Ale House, Theresa's, TJ's, Capone's, Spinnerstown, Ortino's, The Belgian Café, South Philly Tap Room, Johnny Brenda's, Standard Tap, Grey Lodge, Brigid's, Hulmeville Inn, Old Eagle Tavern and Race Street Café.

Zotten will also be available at all four Sharpe Edge locations in Pittsburgh, seven pubs in Baltimore and three in Washington, DC.--JACK CURTIN

The staff at Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephaner (Home of the famed the German brewing school) report the complete destruction of hop fields in the region. Reports from other areas are not nearly so back, some saying that only 25% of their region were damaged.

In an email to Bill Covaleski of Downingtown's Victory Brewing, which has exclusive contracts with several German brewers, Thomas A. Seton of Simon H. Steiner, an international hops dealer which has been in business for almost 165 years,reported

On 26th May gale-force winds and hailstorms caused serious damage to the Hallertau and Tettnang hop growing regions. This is our damage estimate, based on the information currently available:

Hallertau: the storm hit the southern part of the Hallertau, especially affecting the Pfaffenhofen, Au and Nandlstadt areas. Affected acreage: 3500-4000 ha (approx. 25% of the total acreage), 1.000 ha of hops have been completely destroyed. We estimate a shortfall of approx. 116.000 ztrs., roughly equivalent to 19% of a normal crop.

Tettnang: Affected acreage: 500 ha (40% of total acreage). We estimate a shortfall of approx. 8.500 ztrs., roughly equivalent to 25% of a normal crop.

He closed with a gloomy prediction for brewers and beer lovers alike: "Prepare for a spike in pricing for German hop varieties."--JACK CURTIN

Marty Friedland was the first US importer on the East Coast to bring Bass Ale and Guinness to the market and specialized in imports when few other distributors did. He was the founder of Edward I. Friedland, which became Philadelphia's craft beer specialty house in the '90s. In 1994, he decided to devote his time to his other enterprise, EFCO Importers, and Edward I. Friedland was operated by his wife Edith and son Ed from then until its purchase by Kunda Beverage in 2007.

Friedland's acquisition of distribution rights for Yards ESA in late 1995 and its role in the subsequent placement of British beer engines (hand pumps) throughout the area were major factors in local crafts getting a foothold in the region. The company was also the original distributor for Victory, Dogfish Head, Weyerbacher and other now familiar brands and an early source of Belgian beers for what was to become the best U.S. market for those brands.

Origlio Beverage acquired the Friedland brands in January 2008 through its purchase of Kunda. Both Eddie Friedland and his daughter Katie, Marty's granddaughter, are currently part of Origlio's craft beer team.

Contributions in Martin Friedland's memory may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.--JACK CURTIN

The movie stars Second City TV alums Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis and is loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, with the McKenzie Brothers taking the roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

The event is BYOC (bring your own chair) and there should be space for about 400 people. Seating begins around 6pm and seating will be closed when the site is filled. The movie will projected on the side of the building starting around dusk (approximately 8:15) and runs for 90 minutes. The first 100 attendees will each receive one free jelly doughnut. There will be popcorn, food and beer concessions available from 6pm until the end of the movie.

The 12th Annual ArtsFest Film Festival, free to all audiences, will draw thousands of film enthusiasts to multi-genre film screenings at multiple venues around the capital city of Harrisburg. It runs May 22-25.--JACK CURTIN

Dixie owners Joe and Kendra Bruno know about floods.

Hurricane Katrina seriously damaged the historic old Dixie plant in New Orleans in 2005 and looters did the rest, stealing anything that wasn't nailed down in the aftermath of that tragic storm. Dixie beers are now contract brewed in Wisconsin and there is serious doubt that the original brewery will be rebuilt, even though the Brunos pledge that it will. Someday.--JACK CURTIN

Up in Maine, the most cantankerous of states, they've gone one better and upped the ante to a state-wide effort.

The Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Brewers’ Guild announced the creation of the Maine Beer Trail this week, to "spotlight the high quality and creative diversity of fresh, hand-crafted, Maine-made beer. The purpose of the Trail is to attract visitors to Maine to enjoy the vibrant micro and craft brewing industry found throughout the state."

According to the Brewers Association, Maine ranks fourth in the nation for the number of breweries per capita, with one brewery for every 42,000 residents. The state is home to New England’s first microbrewery, D.L. Geary Brewing (1986) and Gritty McDuff’s, the first brew pub to open in Maine since prohibition (1988). The industry has grown to include dozens of breweries and brew pubs statewide.

"From The Shipyard Brew Pub in Eliot, to Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor, to Kennebec River Pub & Brewery in The Forks," said a news release, "visitors are attracted to fresh, locally brewed beer and the Maine Beer Trail provides an easy to follow brochure that can be used throughout the state to find nearby pubs and breweries."

The Maine Beer Trail brochure is a guide to more than a dozen of the state’s breweries and brewpubs; it will be available at state Visitor Center and participating breweries and pubs and can be download Brochures can be downloaded from the Maine Brewers’ Guild website Main Brewers' Guild website.--JACK CURTIN

In what might be his riskiest and most intriguing experiment to date, Potts has introduced Dunkel Berliner Weisse, a hybrid of two traditional German styles.

Berliner Weisse, a rarely brewed style which has come back into favor in U.S. brewpubs (inspired, it should be noted, by its reintroduction a few years back at Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant) is a light colored, high carbonated beer fermented with Lactobacillus bacteria to give it refreshing acidic tartness. To create a Dunkel (or "dark") version, Potts replaced the usual pale pilsner malts with darker ones, including chocolate and carmelized malts. The beer was fermented with Dock Street's house yeast.

The result, according to a news release from the brewery, "is a beer that harkens back to the rustic early days of brewing. It presents delicate aromas of earthy hops, raw wheat, dark fruits, figs, berries, currants and cocoa. The flavor follows suit – earthy and spicy hops, bready malts, raw grain, apple pie and currants, with hints of cocoa. It has a clean lingering acidity - all at a modest 3.85% abv."

Dunkel Berliner Weisse is a available on draught at the West Philadelphia brewpub and selected other locations in the city.--JACK CURTIN

The news was announced today on the website of Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell, one of the founders of the ten-day celebration of craft beer (with Tom Peters of Monk's Cafe and Bruce Nichols of Museum Catering Company).

Russell cited conflicts with other events, ranging from the Philadelphia Flower Show and the Zythos Festival in Belgium to St. Patrick's Day and the "Erin Express" (massive pub crawl on that date) as reasons for the move. He also noted that better weather would be a significant benefit and open the possibility of more outdoor events.

You can read his full posting here.

Philly Beer Week was begun in 2008 and has become one of the major beer celebrations in the nation and been imitated by several cities across the country.--JACK CURTIN

Penn Brewing Kaiser Pils, Troegs Sunshine Pils, Sly Fox Pikeland Pils and Stoudt's Pils also finished in the top ten in the judging.

Prima Pils, which the panelists described as "Crisp, floral and wonderfully refreshing with a lively, lingering bitterness," just nudged Kaiser Pils, which also receive three-and-a-half stars. Sunshine Pils earned three stars and was third in the judging, while the beers from Sly Fox and Stoudt's were given two-and-a-half stars and finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Asimov has been conducting regular beer tastings for the last few years, with panels consisting of him and NYT food writer Florence Fabricant, together with guest panelists. --JACK CURTIN

"We will do a Debut Draft Night in the five-county Philadelphia market and in the Lehigh Valley at a whole bunch of places," Weirback said, "and possibly in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Boston as well. We're still in the process of setting all that up. The reason we're doing all this is that we think this can be a very important brand for us going forward and we want to give it a good solid launch."

Zotten ("fools" in Flemish) was originally released in June 2008 as the initial beer in Weyerbacher's ongoing Brewers Select series of one-offs, under the name "Alpha." It is the second one-off to became a part of the brewery's standard portfolio, joining "Charlie" from September 2008 which was released as Fireside Ale, Weyerbacher's new January seasonal earlier this year. While the new Belgian Pale is being released as a June seasonal at this point, Weirback and his team clearly have hopes that it can grow in something more than that.

The recipe for Zotten was developed by assistant brewer Jeff Musselman.--JACK CURTIN

The Dogfish Head application argued that steady sales growth averaging 40% since the Milton brewery went online in 2002 means that they need additional tanks and more office space.

Phase 1 plans, presented by Dogfish Head brewery Chief Operating Officer Nick Benz,are for a two-story wood, glass and metal office space which will have a visitors center and tasting bar on the first floor similar to the current facility.The new second floor would have space for administrative, marketing and executive offices and overlook an outdoor pedestrian plaza.

Plans for Phase 2 would include plans for adding six of an eventual 18 fermentation tanks, each 46 feet high, which would line the front of the new facade.

After a three-hour discussion, the local zoning commission unanimously approved preliminary site plans under the condition that seven-foot tall leyland cypress trees would be planted on the property to help shield a neighboring residential neighborhood before expansion begins.

The brewery currently produces 75,000bbl annually and employs 70 people, including 26 added this year.--JACK CURTIN

The series, the brewery's first major release of 750ml bottles, is a tribute to the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State. The first in the series, Exit 4 American Trippel, a Belgian-style bottle conditioned ale, has just been released. It is named for the exit nearest Flying Fish Brewing Company’s headquarters. The bottle-conditioned ale will be available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Future Exit Series Big Bottles will be named for other exits, chosen based on videos, photos and testimonials submitted to Flying Fish by fans. Submissions can be made here. The series will continue with three or four beers a year and eventually encompass all turnpike exits.

"We were among the first craft breweries to commit ourselves to using the Internet to build and enhance our business, and this new site allows us to reach out to our fans in a tangible way," says brewery founder Gene Muller. "New Jersey is great because the people here are great, and we want to make sure that they can participate in this special series of beers."

Flying Fish was one of the first craft brewers to create Belgian-style brews. Casey Hughes is head brewer.--JACK CURTIN

the program is seasonal and "residency" applies to beers not the actual brewer. There will be rotating brews from a visiting brewery on tap, as many styles as possible, and maybe some bottles as well. During rhe residency there will a beer dinner with beers from the General and the visiting brewer and/or a Meet the Brewer night, And a collaborative beer will be creates.

"The way the economy is going, I believe that anything we can all do as a community to help promote each other, the better it will be for everyone," Leonard explained. "I don’t see any reason we can’t keep that great feeling of Beer Week going all year long."

First one in the barrel is Philadelphia Brewing Company, running from April 2, when Walt Wit and Newbold IPA went on the draft lines. Their collaborative beer will honor the Art Museum residency with GLI/PBC Paul Saison. The beer will be brewed this month and available in May. Dates for the dinner and other promo events will be announced later.--JACK CURTIN

In addition to being honored as the best of all the breweries present, Lancaster also took three medals in the Friday night judging.

Hop Hog won its second straight Gold Medal for best IPA and Bronzes for Strawberry Wheat (in the Wheat Beer category, having won Gold in the Specialty category in 2008) and Milk Stout, which won Gold in 2008 in the Porter Stout category.

Lancaster's John Franz, after passing on the Atlantic City results to the Beer Year today, added that he was equally excited to report that "we've hired a new sales rep at last, who will cover Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, Delaware and New Jersey." Actually, the "hire" is more a shift in responsibilities since Angela Bauman is already employed by Lancaster. The 24-year old Millersville graduate is relocating to Philadelphia,her primary market area, in what Franz calls "a big step for Lancaster Brewing and one that is long overdue."

Lancaster's sales were up 36% in 2008 and Franz is projected 30% growth this year, "even in this economy. The economy will not affect us adversely at all, that's my vow." He said Lancaster will settle on the 90,000 sq. ft. building which will be the site of its new production brewery "in roughly six weeks. Then we start gearing up to buying equipment and setting things up. I'd guess it'll be another two years before we're operational."--JACK CURTIN

"This is something we've wanted to do for a while now and when we found a location as perfect as this one and then saw the magnificent structure, we knew this was the time and the place," said a Wegmans spokesperson.

In a sense, nothing will change as Mini-Wegs are designed solely for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and will only sell beer. "It's such a pain in the veggie aisle to get through all the red tape in this state just to sell beer that we decided to cut out everything else and go with the flow," the spokesperson continued. "By shrinking down to a smaller size and a single product line, we save more money than most of you will ever see in your lives. And by buying what is essentially a turnkey operation--I mean, this place rocks, from the lighting to the decor to the simple yet elegant presentation--we can just walk in and start doing business."

Beer Yard owner Matthew J. Guyer would not reveal how much he was paid for his business (he just laughed and laughed when asked), but acknowledged that he had signed a non-compete contract with Wegmans (laughter again) and was also on retainer as a consultant. "I promised to stop by whenever I'm in town for drinks at Teresa's," he said.

Guyer's right hand man, Mark Sauerbrey, has opted to stay with the new owners as director of customer service and will also be in charge of the weekly Friday Night Samplings which will continue under the Wegmans' banner. "I wouldn't have stayed if they had given me Friday nights," Sauerbrey admitted. "They've always been the highlight of my week, talking seriously about beer with people who are really serious about it and sharing my serious thoughts with them."--ZACK HURTIN

You know their names. You love their beers. And soon you'll be able to revel in their adventures on the big screen.

Mountebank Productions, a consortium of independent Hollywood producers who all started out as homebrewers, has purchased the movie rights to "The Brett Pack," a treatment and screenplay submitted by the pseudonymous "Joe Sixpack" and will rework it into a high budget action film for release in 2011.

In what is planned to be the first in an ongoing series of thrillers, the Brett Pack will battle their deadliest enemy, a fifth column which has infiltrated the United States brewing industry and calls itself Super Extraordinary Special Spies in our Nation (S.E.S.S.I.O.N.).

"Hey, we'd really like to respect the work of the writer," said C. B. DeShill, leader of the consortium, while explaining the revisionist tale, "but the truth about these fellas, except for that Calagione guy and the Avery one now and then, just don't cut it. I mean, they got wives or business plans or both. Boring. We need some juice here so we turned them into a band of international adventurers out to spread the cause of truth and justice and maybe a little hops here and there."

No actors have been cast for any of the roles as yet because there is strong consideration being given to a major change for some of the characters. "You gotta have a broad or two," DeShill explained, "so maybe we play a little switheroo and there's a Tammy Tod or a Teri Arthur on the team, we dunno yet."--HACK MURTIN

As a guy who had brewed at The Lion in Wilkes-Barre and Dixie Brewing in New Orleans, not to mention two weeks or s at the short lived Franconia Brewery in Mt. Pocono (1999-99), however, Hagner has found it difficult to keep his dreams simple.

Once you've seen the lights of the big city...

It was announced today that One Guy will be the host brewery for Berwick Beer Week, April 17-26. It will in fact be the only brewery participating, after a rumored partnership between sandwich shop kings Five Guys and Downingtown's Victory Brewing Company, under which the latter would operate "a really small brewpub" inside a new Five Guys store on the site of an historic old barbershop downtown, fell through when an unnamed investor in the brewery filed suit claiming "it's just too damned far for me to drive every day." The details became known when that same investor spammed 42,873 people with a copy of his complaint along with three links to videos making fun of women drivers.

One Guy will maintain its regular Thursday-Sunday schedule during the big celebration, but will add several "Meet Guy, the Brewer" sessions each day, as well as "Dinner with Guy," pairing One Guy beers with pizza, hot dogs and potato chips on both weekends. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Hagner will "do some stuff at the gas station and the hardware store, maybe bring some growlers to a few folks at their homes."

Hagner also said that famed beer writer Lew Bryson, who does wild game dinners during Philadelphia Beer Week, would do the same on Wednesday night of Berwick Beer Week, beginning with hunting and killing the meal earlier that day, then skinning and cooking it outside the Berwick Theater, which will have a special showing of "some movie with a lot of beer in it."

"We don't know how many people will come to town for this," Hagner admitted, "but I'm confident it will all work out. And next year I hope to spread out to the suburbs, maybe Helms or Mifflinville, or even Hazelton and Bloomsburg." --LACK CERTIN

Browne said this week that h he is working closely with Wallace on the new venture. "Our plan is to offer two or three themed beer tasting and homebrewing classes of varying technical depth each month initially, then build that up to more in-depth brewing and beer sommelier training."

Four classes have already been conducted, three during Philly Beer Week, and the next one, "Belgian Beer & Brewing Class," will be held on Thursday, March 26.

Browne, a native of Toronto, has been brewing professionally for 20 years. He began as a homebrewer in his home town because the price of beer on the shelves was higher than he was willing to pay. He worked at Yards Brewing for several years after coming to Philadelphia, When owners split up in late 2007 opted to stay with Bill and Nancy Barton and their new Philadelphia Brewing Company.

Three years ago Browne also took on the job of head brewer at the Porterhouse Brewpub and Restaurant in Lahaska, a post he still holds.--JACK CURTIN

"declare their independence by supporting breweries that produce fewer than 2 million barrels of beer a year and are independently owned...[by signing] a Declaration of Beer Independence."

The BA is asking brewers to encourage craft beer enthusiasts to sign to the document online and to post copies in their brewpubs for patrons to sign.

Among others, New England beer writer Andy Crouch was struck by some of the terminology in the document. He was especially curious about a line in the document which reads...

"I declare to practice the concept of ‘Informed Consumption’ which has me deserving to know if my beer comes from a small and independent brewer or if it is owned by a mass production brewing company.

The contretemps is similar to one which developed a few years ago when the BA created a new definition for "Craft Beer" which eliminated some breweries from the category.

BA officials say that knowing who makes a beer, where it is made and who owns the company is important information which cannot always be found on beer labels. The fundamental counter argument is that the various rules about size and ownership create unnecessary distinctions and conflict and focus on extraneous matters rather than the quality of the beer itself.

The Declaration of Beer Independence can be found here.

Crouch's column on the issues, plus comments by readers, can be found here.--JACK CURTIN

The new venture will not be in the former Pomeroy's department store as original planned but will be opened across the street in former Weller Health Education Center. Both sites are located on Northampton Street adjacent to Easton's Centre Square.

From Duck's story:

The brewpub "really fills a niche that's not there right now" in Easton's growing restaurant scene, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said, adding that the establishment would be aimed at young professionals and the thousands of young families that visit the nearby Crayola Factory.

Art Schmidt Sr., co-owner of the Farmhouse, said plans to put the establishment in the Pomeroy's building evaporated months ago because the project had stagnated. The Weller building will also require much less renovation than Pomeroy's, which has been vacant since 1977...

The brewpub's backers envision it as a 300-seat restaurant offering pub food as well as pool tables, shuffleboard tables and a video arcade. The $3.5 million project could be completed as soon as this fall, said Farmhouse co-owner Art Schmidt, Jr.

Ticket purchases and more information are available here or by telephone at 215.580.7800.--JACK CURTIN

The event is sponsored by Main Street Phoenixville, the local business organization and will run from 1-5pm.

Participating locations include Pickering Creek Inn, 101 Bridge Restaurant, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Columbia Bar & Grill, Molly McGuire's Irish Restaurant & and Pub, P J Ryan's, all located on Bridge Street, and the Epicurean Restaurant & Bar and Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery on Rt. 113.

Fergal Murray, brewmaster at Ireland's famed Guinness Brewery, will be at Molly McGuire's 1-3pm, followed by Victory brewmaster Bill Covaleski 3-5pm.

Weyerbacher Brewing's Chris Lampe and a brewer from Dogfish Head Craft Brewing will be on hand at Pickering Creek and Southampton Publick House's Spencer Neibuhr will appear at 101 Bridge. Resident brewer Tim Stumpf and some of of his fellow Iron Hill brewers will be at Iron Hill Phoenixville. Lancaster Brewing's Bill Moore will hold court at the Columbia Bar & Grille and a brewer from Troegs Brewing and Drew Perry of Flying Fish Brewing will be at P.J. Ryan's.

Brewers from Stout Brewing and Yards Brewing will be at the Epicurean Restaurant & Bar, while William Reed of Philadelphia's Standard Tap, who formulated and helped Sly Fox brewmaster Brian O'Reilly brew their annual Philly Beer Week release, Standard Ale, will be at Sly Fox.

Beers from the participating breweries will be on tap at the venues where they appear.

Pub Crawl organizers Mark Edelson, director of brewing operations for Iron Hill, and O'Reilly say they hope to make the event an annual affair and add shuttle transportation between the various locations in the future.

"Phoenixville has built up a great reputation as a destination town for beer lovers," said O'Reilly, "probably the best local in the region outside of Philadelphia itself. We want to build on that and and continue to draw in visitors to support our local merchants."--JACK CURTIN

Intriguingly, that new beer already has a Great American Beer Festival Bronze Medal to its name from its previous one-off appearance and a provenance which stretches back to before Troegs even started.

The Flying Mouflan was #4 in the "Scratch Beer Series" begun by John and Chris Trogner and their brewing staff in 2007, producing one-offs based on recipes the brothers developed in the mid-'90s when they were considering opening a brewpub rather than a production brewery. The medal-win in Denver last October convinced the brothers to make the barleywine-style ale the first beer to come out of the Scratch program and be added to the production roster.

"It has a nonsense name, a creature we just made up," said John Trogner, talking about Flying Mouflan's initial incarnation, "reflecting that we weren't quite sure exactly what style beer it was. It was fresh and delicious when we released it and when we opened some year-old bottles when we sat down with the brewers to choose what to send to Denver, we unanimously agreed it had aged into a classic barleywine."

Chris Trogner added that "after it won the bronze medal John and I felt it was important to release this beer. It is the first release in what will become a new Troegs line of 22-ounce seasonal brews."

The Flying Mouflan (9.3%) will make its first appearances at numerous events during Philly Beer Week, the brothers said, and be available in 22oz bottles at bars and retail stores in mid-March.

"We classify this beer as pushing Nugget Nectar off the side of a cliff," said John Trogner. "It is bold and intense--think hops dipped in candied sugar and rolled in dark chocolate nibs. Put away and allowed to over time, it transforms into lush raisin and chocolate overtones as the hops subside and the rich barley flavors come out in the beer."--JACK CURTIN

WildDevil Ale first appeared, draft only, in a test batch when Victory reopened its expanded and refurbishing Downingtown brewpub in May 2008. It was a major success, says brewery co-founder Bill Covaleski. "Given that HopDevil is 40+% of our overall sales, we were nervous of our loyal audience’s reaction," he admitted. "Fortunately, our local audience has a great capacity to appreciate the nuanced flavors we create here and they embraced WildDevil with great enthusiasm."

WildDevil is fermented with Brettanomyces and brewed with the same American hops that give HopDevil its grapefruit, citrus and pine flavors. The addition of a signature Belgian yeast strain contributes a funky, sharp tang to produce a more worldly ale, in which German malts, American whole flower hops and Belgian yeast combine.

Brettanomyces (or Brett) yeast strains are completely separate species from the Saccharomyces yeast strains used to brew most beer and are thought to be closer to strains found in the wilds of nature. Of the several Brett strains that Victory had to choose from out of its arsenal of yeast strains, the particular one used for WildDevil was chosen due to its unique characteristics in relation to this recipe, according to a company press release.

"This strain produces a spicy complexity that interplays profoundly with the intense hop character of the HopDevil recipe," Director of Quality Assurance Dr. Tim Wadkins is quoted. "It sits somewhere near the middle of the range as far as the funkiness it can produce, giving the final product a surprisingly refreshing and unique imprint on the palate."

The Brewer's Plate, to be held at the University of Pennsylvania Museum for the first time, is considered Philadelphia prime-time beer and food pairing event and is one of the headlined showcases of Philly Beer Week. It is a more than appropriate venue to release a new Victory beer since Covaleski is the person credited from creating the event four years ago, as a fundraiser for Fair Food, an organization dedicated to bringing locally grown food into the Philadelphia marketplace and promoting a humane, sustainable agriculture for the Greater Philadelphia region.

Following its debut, WildDevil will be available throughout Philly Beer Week (March 6 – 15) at various locations throughout the city and the suburbs, both on draft and in 750mL bottles. Thereafter it will be available year-round in 750ml corked bottles. Kegs will also be available during the initial release. --JACK CURTIN

KPS is also is among the final bidders for Labatt USA; Anheuser-Busch InBev has been ordered to divest itself of that importing firm by the Department of Justice. A sale is expected soon. C2 Imports, a small importer led by former A-B exec Charlie Cindric, is also bidding for Labatt.

KPS hopes to combine High Falls and Labatt USA, both based in upstate New York, and explore other transactions in the industry, which is undergoing rapid consolidation.--JACK CURTIN

This was the ninth awards listing from RateBeer, the result of what the site claims is "the largest beer competition in the world--over 1.97 million reviews of 91,000 beers from over 8700 brewers worldwide. A particular emphasis was placed on tastings from the last year's performance. Additionally, brewpubs, bottle shops, restaurants and bars around the world were awarded prizes."

The RateBeer judgments are not based on any formal event and are determined by a compilation of reviews by the site administrators, so there are no set standards against which beers and beer locations are judged and the results are essentially based upon the opinions of a wide range of participants with varying degrees of beer knowledge. "RateBeer is now home to the most experienced beer critics in the world," the site claims. "with three master beer tasters having over 11,000 documented beer ratings. Additionally, over 2700 RateBeer members have over 100 ratings each." The report summary notes that 90% of the top ten raters are from outside the United States. The list of Top Brewpubs had Victory 21, Dogfish Head 25, Stoudt Brewing Company 40, Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery 45 and Triumph Brewing's Princeton location 50. Eulogy Belgian Tavern in Philadelphia was tenth on a list of Best Beer Restaurants. The complete results are available here. --JACK CURTIN

Beer memorabilia, that is.

"I'm trying now line up vintage beer or breweriana collectors who might interested in selling items such as signs, coasters, vintage beer or bottles, whatever they have," says Leigh Maida, who operates the popular new Kensington pub with husband Brendan Hartranft. "We want to make the event as large as possible."

The event will run from Noon to 3pm in the lot adjacent to the Taproom. There is no fee for sellers to participate but space is limited so interested parties should contact her soon, Maida said, adding that "This is a chance for seasoned collectors to buy/sell/swap treasures and an opportunity for the rest of us to try to get hold of rare or never seen beer and beer related stuff."

Madia can be contacted via email here.--JACK CURTIN

The pass will be sold at most SEPTA locations starting January 30. A complete list of sales locations, including the opportunity to purchase, is available here (click on travel).

The pass is valid for unlimited rides, all day long, until the end of service, and will feature a festive, specially designed PBW 2009 logo to signify SEPTA’s partnership with Philly Beer Week and their unified commitment to the safety of participants. Passes are not valid on Regional Rail Trains arriving in Center City before 9:30am, nor for travel to or from stations in the State of New Jersey.

"We are delighted to be able to offer this affordable, convenient alternative to driving to ensure that Philly Beer Week is not only fun but also responsible," sais PBW co-chair Don (Joe Sixpack) Russell.--JACK CURTIN

There is no indication that the order of the list has any significance but the Weyerbacher beer was listed fifth and the Dogfish one was seventeenth, for what it's worth.

This what was written about each:

Blasphemy by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Belgian specialty ale
Blasphemy is appropriately named: The brewers took their rich, complex QUAD beer and aged it in American bourbon barrels. Experimental, fringe and, yes, even blasphemous, it doesn’t really matter; this beer is unforgivably delicious.
Tasting Notes: This is a full-bodied brew with a modest alcohol presence in the aroma and flavor. The barrels impart subtle notes of vanilla and orange to an already complex beer with fresh cracked pepper spice and bold caramel sweetness.

Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Brown ale
Dogfish Head is proud of its off-kilter ways and big beers with a lot of attitude. In 2008, the brewery installed the largest wooden vats in the nation since Prohibition, made from a hardwood most people associate with flooring, then aged this impressive brew inside. The results were amazing, as these potential floorboards lend an excellent flavor addition to a big ABV beer.
Tasting Notes: The beer has a sharp wood character that tastes like new American oak, only stronger. Layers of malt sweetness and a peppery hop presence balance the flavor.--JACK CURTIN

Siembora is the first to showcase her art work at the new venue at the recently renovated Dawson Street Pub. The space was the former home of the "infamous" Cloak and Dagger Room murals created by Washington D.C.-based artist Mark T. Smith but will will now feature a rotating collection of work by local artists.

The Back Room Gallery Opening will run 1-6 p.m. A craft show will be held in conjunction with the opening, featuring jewelry, screen printed tee shirts, bags, wire glass art, hats, scarves, mosaics, frames, magnets, votives, books and more.

"Bring your appetite and thirst; savory delectables and seasonal beverages are available at the Pub," says owner Dave Wilby in a news release today.--JACK CURTIN

All month, each Iron Hill location will spotlight two house brewed beers that celebrate this uniquely American style of beer.

"In the past, our bourbon barrel- aged beers have only been available sporadically and in small quantities," Director of Brewing Operations Mark Edelson explained. "With this month-long event, guests will experience a variety of these special beers on draught as long as supplies last."

The Iron Hill program include bourbon barrel renditions of Pig Iron Bourbon Porter served on nitrogen, Russian Imperial Stout, Barleywine, Tripel, Wee Heavy, Baltic Porter, and Dubbel.

American brewers started aging beers in bourbon barrels in the early 1990s. Bourbon can only be aged in new oak barrels by law and then the barrel must be put to other use or destroyed. Often, other alcohol producers, including brewers, use those barrels to add a special character to their products.

The aging process gives beer a distinct flavor of bourbon, oak and vanilla and is ideal for adding depth of character to heavier brews.--JACK CURTIN

From early reports, both enterprises have been welcomed by steady streams of local craft beer fans.

The website for Craft Ale House (at least for now) is located here and includes contact information, hours and an updated on tap list.

The website for Local 44 is located here and includes the same information (you'll have to click various links to get it).

Both sites have been favorably reviewed by local beer writers. Lew Bryson visited Local 44 on opening night and recorded his impressions here and my own Liquid Diet report on opening day at the Craft Ale House are here. --JACK CURTIN

For craft beer lovers, regardless of politics, that was a golden moment.

And that moment and the beginning of the Obama Presidency will be marked at Allentown Brew Works on Inauguration Day with both a Buffet Luncheon and evening Inauguration Party ( see the Beer Yard calendar for details and a link).

Beer was a factor throughout the 2008 election campaign, with sen. John McCain's wife Cindy being the owner of one of the nation's largest Anheuser-Bush distributorships and sen. Hillary Clinton doing shots and beers in Indiana.--JACK CURTIN

Local 44 at the corner of 44th & Spruce Streets in West Philadelphia, the new enterprise by Brendon Hartranft and Leigh Maida, of Memphis Taproom in Kensington, will open for business at 5pm on New Year's Day.

Both locations will feature local and national craft beers and quality imported brands and have been eagerly anticipated by the local beer community.--JACK CURTIN

The pub flourished (a case be made that it was the first "extreme" brewpub ever with its wide range of styles) and the Amber continued as a contract brew, along with the popular seasonal Illuminator Doppelbock.

The beers disappeared for a while at the turn of the century as a result of the collapse of Ortlieb Brewing, which had licensed the rights to the brand when Ware and Certo sold the brewpub to investors in 1998 (it closed in 2001). Certo resurrected the brand in 2004 after re-acquiring rights and then opened Dock Street Brewery, a West Philadelphia brewpub, in August 2007.

For now at least, however, Dock Street will cease making a packaged beer. After struggling to find a niche in a changed and much more competitive and crowded market, Dock Street Amber will no longer be contracted, Certo told the Beer Yard last night.

"I hope we can bottled our RyePA ast some point in the future as part of a bigger Dock Street future than I can foresee," she said, "but until then we will be concentrating on the brewpub and draught distribution in the Philadelphia area."

RyePA has been the breakout beer at the new brewpub, a hoppy IPA (described as a Pale Ale on the pub website) made with 20% rye, It will be joined by three new brews from recently appointed head brewer Ben Potts for the holiday season, Certo added.

"Man full of Trouble Porter, a nod to the only pre-revolutionary tavern still standing in the city, is brewed with old-world style in mind. It's brewed with black and chocolate malts and a blend of American Centennial and English Fuggles hops," she said. "Our Prince Myshkin’s Russian Imperial Stout (9.5%) is brewed with a large percentage of roasted and chocolate malts and then aged on oak chips for added depth and complexity. And finally, Hop Garden Double IPA (9%) is based on Ben's 'Best of Show' award winning homebrew recipe and contains 12 different hop varieties; it is also dry-hopped in the bright tank with a special blend of hops."

Man Full of Trouble Porter will join the basic Dock Street lineup while the other two beers will be rotated in the specialty beer lineup.--JACK CURTIN

January will see the release of the new Fireside Ale (a 7.5% dark ale made with 10% smoked malt which was part of the 2008 one-off "Brewers Choice" series, and two barrel-aged perennials, Heresy and Insanity, will be the February releases (no Blasphemy in 2009). Slam Dunkel, now in 12oz four-packs rather than large bottles, will be released in March.

April will see Blanche and May's release will be Muse, both standard spring seasonals, while June will be marked with another new beer coming out of the one-off series, a 6% Belgian Pale Ale as yet unnamed. The 14th Anniversary Beer will be released in July (not yet determined). Autumnfest and Imperial Pumpkin will come out in August as usual, while Harvest Ale, introduced last year and brewed with hops grown on the Weirback farm, will return in September. "We will brew enough this time to serve all our markets," Weirback stressed, "all 14 states."

Winter Ale will be the October beer, Quad will come out in November and a December beer is still undecided.

At least four different Brewers Choice one-offs will be made in 2009, Weirback added, "draught to a few additional markets as well as those from last year and a limited supply of bottles at the brewery. We will also have about 300-350 cases of Riserva, our Brett beer, in 2009, in 75oml, corked and caged bottles, released somewhere between April and June. Plus we did our Merry Monk's Ale in the 750 size last year and will do some other beers in the size, maybe an unfiltered version of Double Simcoe IPA and possibly Blithering Idiot or Quad."

Welcome news for consumers was part of Weirback's message as well. "Our dollar sales were up almost 30 percent this year and unit sales about 15 percent. Given that, and since we took our big hit on hops prices in 2008 and weathered the storm, we will be holding the line in 2009. Our prices will not change at all next year."--JACK CURTIN

The jury is still out on that one, but Mullin did tell the Beer Yard from his office this morning that "we are indeed releasing Torpedo Extra IPA early next year as a 12oz, year round, bottle only product. Although it will be released from the brewery on January 15, it is not expected to be available in this market until Monday, January 29."

He added that "Torpedo Ale has been available seasonally on draft for the last four years and the recipe has changed slightly with each release. The new bottle format will brewed according to yet another new, unique recipe. No one outside of the brewery has tasted this new recipe yet."

Packaged Torpedo Extra IPA is brewed with a new hop varietal called Citra, which is said to have a strong fruit flavor and aroma profile "leaning toward pineapple, mango, papaya and other tropical fruit."

It has been a popular misconception that Torpedo is a different version of Celebration. In fact, the beer's name comes from a cylindrical stainless steel vessel packed full of whole cone hops used for dry-hopping which brewery co-founder Ken Grossman and the brewers came up with several years ago. The device harnesses the essential oils and resins in hops, without extracting bitterness and was originally used to dry-hop Celebrator. Sierra Nevada has since gone back to traditional dry-hopping methods for that brew. --JACK CURTIN

The two alarm fire apparently started in the kitchen of the restaurant, and made its way into the duct work in the ceiling and upper floors of the building. The cooks extinguished the original fire but the fire in the duct burst a sprinkler in the offices above and the rain began to fall through the dining room down into the Steelgaarden.

Everything has been cleaned up and is ready for some minor repairs to the Steelgaarden and some major repairs in the kitchen, according to the Bethlehem Brew Works website.

The building was safely evacuated and no one was injured in the fire.--JACK CURTIN

John Mallet, production manager for Bell's, will travel to De Proef in Lochristi, Belgium, in March to brew the as-yet-to-be determined beer in March. It will be released to the USA market in September 2009.

The initial beer in the series was Signature Ale in 2007, brewed by Naudts with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing/Lost Abbey. Jason Perkins of Allagash collaborated in 2008 on Les Deux Brasseurs. Both beers have been exceptionally well-received by beer enthusiasts. Signature Ale has since been released a second time, a solo brew by Naudts.

"Each year it is my pleasure to invite a noted American brewer to participate in this series," noted SBS Founder Alan Shapiro. "I am thrilled that John Mallet & Bell's have agreed to be the 2009 partner." Mallet noted that "I am really looking forward to this project. I have several family ties to the area which makes this invite to brew with Dirk Naudts at De Proef even more special."

De Proef Brouwerij of Lochristi, Belgium was created in 1996 by Naudts, a highly regarded brewing engineer and professor, Dirk Naudts. The ultra-scientific brewery blends modern equipment and technologies with both traditional and new world brewing techniques. SBS Imports was created in 2002 by Shapiro, a specialty beer industry veteran. In addition to the DeProef brands, SBS represents Aspall Cyders from Suffolk, England and Batemans beers from Wainfleet, England.--JACK CURTIN

Kreik de Hill, Framboise, Cassis and straight Lambic are Iron Hill’s most awarded varieties. The Lambic won Gold medals in 2003 and 2008 at the Great American Beer Festival, Kreik won a Gold in 2005 and a Bronze in 2007, while the Cassis took a Bronze in 2008. Framboise also won Bronze in the 2004 World Beer Cup.

"It takes three to four years to make one batch of lambic beer," explained Director of Brewing Operations Mark Edleson, "and in the past we’ve only offered these beers at special events for the most part. We are excited to now be able to make them available to everyone who appreciates these great beers."

The first release party will be at Iron Hill Wilmington On December 6, 2-5pm, where Brian Finn will have all four of the beers available for sale in 750ml bottles. The following Saturday, December 13, 2-5pm, at Iron Hill Iron Media, brewer Bob Barrar will have the Lambic available for sale in 750ml bottles and Kreik and Framboise in a smaller, 375ml size.

The 750ml bottles will cost $24.50, while the 375ml bottles will cost $13. The lambics will only be available in those sizes and will be sold only at those two locations. Supplies are limited.--JACK CURTIN

"The unlikely partners realized by working together, they could affordably promote their town, its sound, and their favorite brew to an important audience," according to a press release from the tourist bureau.

"Philly is an incredible market for us to test something like this," said Dan Mitchell, president of Ithaca Beer. "It’s one of the smartest beer towns in the country, there’s an incredible music scene and Philly consumers are passionate about what they like. We know if we make it in Philly, we can make it anywhere."

The heart of the promotion is "14 Reasons," a CD that includes new songs by roots-rockers Donna the Buffalo and The Horse Flies, along with an eclectic mix of tunes from another dozen Ithaca-based artists. The disk is inside specially marked variety packs of Ithaca Beer, the brewery’s most popular product. "We never heard of anyone trying anything like this before," said Fred Bonn, director of Ithaca’s visitors bureau. "We’re able to really engage people at a sensory level—see it, taste it, hear it. That’s pretty cool, especially in a big market like Philly."

The Ithaca variety case includes Nut Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Gorges Smoked Porter and CaskaZilla Red Ale. Ithaca Beer was voted New York’s top craft brewery at the 2008 Tap NY Festival. I-Town Records, A cooperative label, has produced quality independent music since 1996.--JACK CURTIN

"ABC's Trail Blaze Brown Ale is now certified by PA Certified Organic and USDA Organic for production in our Harrisburg brewery," reports new Sales & Marketing Manager Brian Whetstone.

"We installed a separate organic ingredient handling system and brewed the first batch of Trail Blaze in October. This fine beer is currently conditioning in our tanks and will be ready for next month's release. Look for this product at all ABC locations, fine area pubs and beer bars, and distributors throughout the region."

Appalachian describes Trail Blase as a "deep copper colored American Brown Ale which has smooth roasted caramel flavors balanced by an evident hop bitterness and aroma."--JACK CURTIN

And if you think he's kidding, get this:

"We are putting some of this year's Holiday Warmer into two oak barrels and will age it and then tap it next year for our Oktoberfest celebration," he said. "This is new ground for us, but the great thing is that we have a lot of brewers in this area who are very helpful. Bob Klinetob, our master brewers, makes some phone calls and get help and suggestions to help us along."

Orlandini also said that The Lion has receive "countless telephone calls and emails and letters asking us to bring Liebotschaner Cream Ale back so we made a corporate decision to do just that, in both bottles and kegs, probably in the first quarter of 2009. And we're talking about Summer Stock Lager returning as well. Bob and I always thought that was a wonderful beer, but for whatever reason, it didn't sell locally. We kept hammering and hammering the ownership, every opportunity we got, saying we've got to bring this back.

"The great thing with our new owners (The Lion was purchased by two formed Coca-Cola executives, Ron Hammond, who is now CEO, and Cliff Risell, who is now the company president, in November 2007) is that they're really receptive to that sort of thing. We should see that next summer."

He added that it hasn't been decided yet whether it would replace Midsummer White in the Stegmaier lineup or be added to the current lineup.

Other plans include renaming the anniversary Steg 150 Stegmaier Amber Lager; that will be introduced under a new label either late this year or early in 2009. Lionshead Pilsner will also be getting a label upgrade.--JACK CURTIN

"We just auctioned off all the assets we acquired from the Italian restaurant with the building last week and will begin gutting inside in two weeks," he said. "We bought the old Independence Brewhouse and will install that. We have not chosen a brewer yet but will before the opening. It is likely to be done internally from one of our current brewing staff." The new site is scheduled to open in May.

As for the Lambics, Edelson said they will be bottled and released for the holidays with the date and scheduled release date to be announced this coming week. "We have six different medals now, between GABF and World Beer Cup, for our Lambic ales so I think there is demand for them among the real beer connoisseurs."

Iron Hill plans to open six additional pubs by 2011, according to a news release sent our vie email last week. Edelson acknowledged to The Beer Yard today that "if it wasn't for the current economic situation and our need to remain cautious, I could tell you right now that we would be opening a second site in 2009. For the moment, we'll see how the fourth quarter goes and them make a decision."

He added that a Philadelphia Iron Hill is not out of the question but unlikely at this point. "If the right situation or deal presented itself, we would certainly look at it. But, to be honest, because of the price of real estate and the opportunities to become a real part of the community, the suburbs fit our business model just right."--JACK CURTIN

The results from Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey are here and account for 21 of the region's 40 overall medals.

New York's total of ten included two medals each for Captain Lawrence Brewing and Ithaca Beer Company:
Gold: Kick-Ass Brown, C.H. Evans Brewing at the Albany Pump Station, Albany; Whiteface Black Diamond Stout, Great Adirondack Brewing Co., Lake Placid; Xtra Gold, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville;
Silver: Brute and CascaZilla, Ithaca Beer Co.; Saratoga Lager, Olde Saratoga Brewing Co., Saratoga Springs;
Bronze: Black Hole XXX Stout, Chelsea Brewing Co., New York; Golden Delicious, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.; Rare Vos, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown; SMP, Sixpoint Craft Ales, Brooklyn.

Maryland breweries took six medals, two Golds, three Silvers and a Bronze, with there breweries splitting the total evenly:
Gold: Dogtoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick; Highland Courage, Rock Bottom Brewery, Bethesda;
Silver: Old Scratch Amber Lager, Flying Dog Brewery; Right On Rye , Rock Bottom Brewery; Clipper City Pale Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co.
Bronze: Clipper City MarzHon, Clipper City Brewing Co.

A Gold and a pair of Bronzes were garnered by Massachusetts breweries--Gold to Arquebus from Cambridge Brewing Co. and Bronze to Ameherst Brewing Co.'s Ryeteous Red and Samuel Adams Utopias 2003. Connecticut was the other Northeastern state to win a medal, Silver for Spanish Peak Crystal Weiss from Spanish Peaks Brewing Co. of Stamford.--JACK CURTIN

Appropriately enough, and impressively as well, six different brewers accounted for the Iron Hill medals, under the guidance of director of brewing Mark Edelson: The four Golds: Chris LaPierre, Saison de Hill (West Chester); Bob Barrar, Lambic de Hill (Media); Tim Stumpf, Roggenbier (Phoenixville); Justin Sproul, Vienna Red Lager (Newark); Silver: Larry Horwitz, Cherry Dubbel (North Wales); Bronze: Brian Finn, Cassis de Hill (Wilmington).

Iron Hill's headquarters are located in Newark, Delaware and another Delaware beer producer, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery of Milton, did a complete three-medal run: Gold for Red and White in the Specialty Beer category, Silver for Pangaea in Herb and Spice or Chocolate Beer competition and Bronze for Palo Santo Marron in that same category.

Gold Medals were also won by Brian O'Reilly of Sly Fox Brewing in Royersford for his Rauch Beer in the Smoked-Flavored Beer category and Ric Hoffman of Stewart's Brewing (Bear, Delaware) for Wind Blown Blonde in the German-Style Kölsch category.

Flying Fish Brewing of Cherry Hill, NJ, won its first GABF medal ever with a Silver for Abbey Dubbel in the Belgian-Style Abbey Ale. Casey Hughes Is the brewer. Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant of Philadelphia and brewer Gordon Grubb took Silver for Saison, finishing second to Iron Hill in the French and Belgian-Style Saison judging.

Troegs Brewing Company of Harrisburg took home two Bronze medals, for Dead Reckoning Porter in the American-Style Stout category and Scratch #4 -The Flying Mouflan in the Barley Wine-Style Ale competition. (For those to whom the first of these medals raises a question, note that stouts and porters have much the same profile in GABF beer categories and brewers may select to enter their beers in any category they choose).

Other regional Bronze medalists were Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works and brewmaster Beau Baden for Bag Piper’s Scotch Ale (Strong Scotch Ale) and Victory Brewing Company of Downingtown and brewmaster Ron Barchet for Prima Pils (German-Style Pilsener).

Other Pennsylvania breweries winning GABF medals included Bullfrog Brewing of Williamsport(Gold for Beekeeper in Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer), Erie Brewing Company (Bronze for Railbender Ale) and Pennsylvania Brewing Company (Gold for Kaiser Pils; Bronze for Oktoberfest).

An overview of East Coast GABF wins will be posted in the near future.--JACK CURTIN

Carolyn "The Beer Fox} Smagalski, Marnie Old and Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell have each won one of the three annual beer journalism awards previously (the other categories are electronic media and consumer print media). That run covers the entire history of the Jackson awards.

Bryson's win also extended a streak for All About Beer, which has had a winning piece among the awards over the past few years. He is the author of Pennsylvania Breweries (now in its third edition) and several other beer travel books and managing editor for Malt Advocate magazine and a contributor to a wide range of beer and spirits publications on a freelance basis.--JACK CURTIN

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: Pyramid Breweries Inc.; Simon Pesch;

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: AleSmith Brewing Co.; The AleSmith Brewing Team;

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Rock Bottom Brewing; Rock Bottom Brewing Team;

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Redwood Brewing Co.; Bill Wamby.

That should increase the already srtong demand for the popular seasonal from the Harrisburg brewery. It is already appearing in several markets in an 22oz packaging and should be in all markets by the end of the month. The classic 101 ounce bottles start shipping the week of October 27 and draft will be released the week of November 17.

Russell's book, released in late September, looks at the 2,000-year-old worldwide tradition of brewing and drinking festive ales and lagers during the winter holidays, and lists the 50 Best Christmas Beers Ever. There are reviews of 150 plus Christmas brews; and provides home brewing recipes for ambitious readers who want to try their hand at the winter warmer brewing tradition.

"It is the first comprehensive collection of information about the 2,000-year-old worldwide tradition of brewing and drinking festive ales and lagers during the winter holidays," according to a news release from the publishers. That release quotes Russell explaining how he wrote the boook. "I have had the privilege of traveling around the world in search of great beers, and whether in Austria or Norway, crafting a strong drink to celebrate the winter solstice is a universal tradition. This book covers this lovely custom from its early origins to modern innovations. Christmas beers are more of a tradition than Christmas itself, spanning a huge range of cultures and practices."

The press release added that Russell will host a Winter Warmers on December Tasting at West Philadelphia’s Armory as part of the promotional effort. It will include "classroom-style instruction on the qualities of Christmas beers, information that is taught at only one other place in the country" and will cost $75. There is no indication exactly where that "one other place in the country" is.--JACK CURTIN

The awards ceremony itself will begin at 3pm and the first beer awards will probably be made around 3:30 and the live videocast will begin then.

The annual GABF gathering in Denver honors the best in American brewing with gold, silver and bronze medals winners in more than 75 categories. "Every year, we send our best beers to compete in the GABF," says Director of Brewing Operations Mark Edelson. "With this event, we’re thrilled to invite our guests to experience the nail-biting excitement of the awards announcements alongside us, as we enjoy some of the great beers we entered this year."

Iron Hill North Wales is located in The Shoppes at English Village at 1460 Bethlehem Pike and is one of seven Iroh Hill locations in the region. Head brewer at North Wales is Larry Horwitz.

UPDATE: A late email to The Beer Yard this afternoon reports that Stewart's Brewing, located at 219 Governor's Square, in Bear, Delaware will also stream the videocast. Join the fun there as they bite their nails over the fate of the six Stewart's beers entered in the competition. --JACK CURTIN

Owner/operators Tom Baker and Peggy Zwerver closed their Heavyweight Brewing Company in the summer of 2006 to pursue their brewpub dreams. It took roughly a year to find the new location, which was formerly home to the Anglesea Pub; construction and a lengthy licensing ordeal stretched out the process even farther.

EB&B will feature flatbread and Baker's beers, along with guest craft beers. More details to follow.--JACK CURTIN

Twelve General Lafayette beers will be on draught for the opening. An official Grand Opening is scheduled for October 20.

The new venture is on the ground floor of the CityView Condominium at 2001 Hamilton St. between 20th and 21st streets; between Spring Garden and Callowhill.

The Tiedhouse will have a full wine list and bar and feature an internationally-inspired small-plate menu (albondigas, tandoori chicken wings, olives de provence, cheese) along with a few sandwiches and bistro-style entrees (short rib, chicken paillard, scallops), which they hope will encourage sharing and multiple food/beverage experiences. --JACK CURTIN

The results are in today's paper.

Thomas Hooker Octoberfest took first place in the voting and Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen was third. All three top finishers scored three stars from the panel. Stoudt Brewing Company's Oktoberfest finished tenth in the judging, rounding out a competition in which seven of the top beers were from the U.S.

After the top three, the beers, in order, were Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen, Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest, Mendocino Oktoberfest, Harpoon Octoberfest, Beck’s Oktoberfest, Brooklyn Oktoberfest and Stoudts.

Joining Asimov on the panel were Florence Fabricant of the Times, a regular participant in the paper's periodic beer tastings, and guests Richard Scholz, an owner of Bierkraft in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and local beer and spirits writer Lew Bryson of Newtown.--JACK CURTIN

Covaleski's statement:

Though Ed Sieger wrote a good article and all of my quotes are accurate, I just had to write him and admonish him over the definitive tone of his misleading headline. There was no "one way or another" quote from me. All quotes are otherwise accurate. We WANT to be there. We require an appropriate building and the one that we first ventured into Easton over looks like it has no future. Therefore, we are investigating others.

Original Story (27 Sep 08):
For the first time, Victory Brewing Company, in the person of co-founder Bill Covaleski, has spoken on the record about the various stories which have appeared over the last year and a half about its intentions of opening a pub in Easton.

They're coming. [EDIT to remove "one way or the other."].

From today's Express-Times and reporter Edward Sieger:

Victory Brewing plans to move to Easton regardless of Ashley Development's plans to renovate the Pomeroy's building
EASTON | As Ashley Development Corp.'s plan to rehab the former Pomeroy's department store languishes in financial uncertainty, a co-owner with Victory Brewing Co. said the company remains interested in moving to Easton.

"We were very enthused by the building, the space, the opportunity," Bill Covaleski said. "We really wanted to be part of the project and situation."

The Chester County-based brewery was to anchor revitalization efforts of the long-vacant Pomeroy's building in the 300 block of Northampton Street. Arthur Schmidt, co-owner of the Farmhouse restaurant in Emmaus, planned on partnering with Victory to open the Victory Square Brewing Co. on the building's first floor.

But the housing market tanked and Ashley Development shelved plans to build for-sale 30 condos on the upper floors. The project languishes as Ashley searches for a way to finish it.

Covaleski said last week that he and founding partner Ron Barchet were excited about situating themselves below 30 condominiums. He also affirmed Victory's remaining interest in two area locations, including one in Downtown Easton.

"We're kind of without a home," Covaleski said, acknowledging Ashley is at the mercy of a bad economy. "We're not in the driver's seat."...

[ ... ]

Mayor Sal Panto confirmed Thursday that Victory has considered at least one other Easton property. "Art Schmidt and Victory Brewing are committed 150 percent to the project," he said.

"We’ve never tried to be cool, we just try to provide a friendly atmosphere, a great regional beer selection and reasonably priced food," says co-owner Chris Mullins, whose family has owned McGillin’s for 50 years. Originally called The Bell in Hand, the tavern opened in 1860 inside a small row house. The laborers who frequented the place just called it McGillin’s after William McGillin, the Irish immigrant who owned the bar and raised his 13 children upstairs.

The other bars designated by Gourmet magazine editors as the coolest in the U.S. include Bemelman’s Bar in New York City; Tujague’s in New Orleans, Tosca Café in San Francisco; The Green Mill in Chicago; Huber’s in Portland, OR; Frolic Room in Hollywood; Formosa Café in West Hollywood, CA; Heinold’s First and Last Chance in Oakland, CA; Napoleon House in New Orleans; Pete’s Tavern in New York City; Shinnick’s Pub in Chicago; Sultana Bar in Williams, AZ and The Tap Room of the Griswold Inn in Essex, CT.--JACK CURTIN

Two other local breweries finished with Honorable Mentions in each catergory, Sly Fox Brewing with Pikeland Pils in the first and The Lion Brewery with Midsummer White in the latter.

Sly Fox won a Regional Championship of its own with Saison Vos in the Belgian/French Specialty category, with McKenzie Brew House taking Honorable Mention for its Saison Vautour. McKenzie won another Honorable Mention for Unicorn Amber Ale in the Amber/Red Ale judging.

Troegs Brewing won the area's fourth Regional Championship for Dreamweaver Wheat in the Wheat Beer category, giving the Delaware Valley a total of eight awards.

A total of 398 beers from 133 breweries were examined across 13 different beer categories. Within each category,the USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: 1) Northeast, 2) Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Rockies/Southwest, 5) California, and 6) Northwest/Pacific.

The Grand Championship beers were Ale Founders Centennial IPA, Old Dominion Pale Ale, Eugene City Track Town 100 Meter Ale (Amber/Red), Grand Teton Bitch Creek ESB, Schlafly Bier De Garde, Allagash Wit, Schlafly Golden Ale (Kolsch), Capital Brewing Autumnal Fire (Bock/Doppelbock), Mendicino Red Tail Lager (Pilsner), Two Brothers Dog Days Dortmunder, Sand Creek Woody's Wheat, Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale and Port Brewing Cuvee de Tomme.--JACK CURTIN

The restaurant and bar are will be approximately 2100 square feet with seating for twelve and tables for 50 additional customers with room for future expansion.

"We want to feature the whole microbrewery range," Gary Fry told The Beer Yard this evening. "We want to support our local brewers, of course, but we will also bring in the best beers from around the country and the world.

"We will be meeting with the person who will do our draught system on Tuesday and think we will be able to start with ten to 12 taps and perhaps add a beer engine for cask ales later."

Gary Fry has a purchasing job currently but has been a bartender in the area in recent years. "Most people will remember me from Sunnybrook and later Ortlieb's," he says, "and I did a brief stint at Sly Fox in Royersford when they first opened. Overall, though, I've been in the restaurant business on and off since 1990."

Melissa Fry, who has also worked in the restaurant field, is a teacher of autistic children.

Permits have been submitted to the state and to Limerick Township, Fry said, and their approvals will determine the opening date. Currently the duo has just begun the clean-out of the former deli fixtures and equipment.

He added that they will hire a head chef and that the menu will be "pub fare with a creative twist," citing Philadelphia's Standard Tap and South Philadelphia Taproom as venues he would like to emulate. "We want to be something of a gastropub," he laughed, "but we won't use that terminology out here."--JACK CURTIN

Anheuser-Bush, on the eve of finalizing its acquisition by Belgium's InBev to create the world's larges brewery, no longer makes the world's top selling beer.

Snow Beer, a Chinese brand marketed by a joint venture between SABMiller and China Resources Enterprise Ltd., either has or soon will become the best-selling beer in the world, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday.

The information was confirmed by the U.K.-based market-research firm Canadean Ltd. According to the WSJ, "about 51.2 million hectoliters, or about 1.35 billion gallons, of Snow were consumed last year, compared with 48.4 million for Bud Light as a stand-alone brand, the firm says." Another U.K. research firm, Plato Logic, still has Bud Light on top by a slim margin which seems unlikely to hold up.

From the WSJ: "Snow's production was less than one-tenth of its current level six years ago, when the regional brewer started developing a now-extensive national distribution network and began buying competing brewers in the fragmented Chinese market. That helped it tap China's growing ranks of beer drinkers...Though the Chinese drink less beer per person than Americans or Europeans, China's beer market has been the world's largest for the past six years and is growing 10% a year, according to Euromonitor. Snow's rapid growth illustrates the promise of China's vast consumer base."

the story also noted that SABMiller and China Resources are working to create a more upscale image and appeal to a wealthier clientele with new releases such as "Snow Draft, Snow Super Premium and a beer marketed as 'The Great Expedition,' which is linked to an advertising campaign focused on outdoor adventure sports such as whitewater rafting and mountaineering and which targets younger, higher-income customers. They are pushing for more urban consumers in places like Beijing and are updating the look of the product with smaller bottles similar to the kinds imported beers come in." --JACK CURTIN

The move will bring A-B's various craft-style beers under the Michelob umbrella, including Shock Top Belgian White; organic Stone Mill Pale Ale; and seasonal beers Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale, Sun Dog Amber Wheat and Beach Bum Blonde Ale. They will join Michelob, Michelob Light, Michelob AmberBock, Michelob Honey Lager and Michelob Porter and the new Michelob Dunkel Weisse and Michelob Pale Ale as part of the line.

All the beers will be available year round and will be packaged in the brand’s signature brown bottle and gold label.

A-B says that the Michelob brand is designed "to give even more autonomy and creative license to [our]skilled brewmasters to brew their interpretations of classic styles."--JACK CURTIN

The site is currently home to a restaurant called Pasta Vino. and will accommodate 280 guests.

The new restaurant will join other Iron Hill outlets in Newark, DE; Wilmington, DE; Media, PA; West Chester, PA; North Wales, PA; Phoenixville, PA and Lancaster, PA.

Iron Hill management has long wanted to move into the New Jersey market. There was a tentative deal for a location there several years back which fell through, leading to the opening of the Wilmington location instead. Ironically, it was Wilmington where the company first wanted to open when it was founded in 1995, but the inability to find an appropriate site there led them to debut in Newark instead.

“We are so thrilled to open our eighth restaurant in lovely Maple Shade. We hope that New Jersey will be as delighted with our house-brewed beers and delicious cuisine as Pennsylvania and Delaware have been,” says Iron Hill founding partner Kevin Finn in a news release to be sent out later today. Kevin Davies is the third co-partner in Iron Hill, along with Davies and Edelson.

An executive chef and brewer for Maple Shade have not yet been selected.--JACK CURTIN

Brendan Hartranft and wife Leigh Maida , the two most visible partners in the recently opened and very successful Memphis Taproom in the city's "Port Fishington" (Port Richmond and Kensington) section will be opening Local 44 on 44th Street in West Philadelphia.

Hartranft, who became a local beer celebrity while bartending at Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant on Sansom Street, will run the beer program and Maida will be the on-the-scene manager.

Details can be found here.

"Philadelphia’s Tria, Eulogy Belgian Tavern, Monk’s Café and the Standard Tap made the list of the top 100," the emailed announcement said.

The news release explained thta "a wide array of beer bars, gastropubs and shops were nominated both by Imbibe staff and Imbibe readers, with 100 making the final cut onto the list of 10 categories: Best Draught List, Best Bottle List, Best Locally Brewed Offerings, Best International Selection, Best Places to Geek Out, Best Irish-Style Pubs, Best Beer Shops, Best Belgians, Best Gastropubs and Best-Kept Secrets."

"This has been one of Imbibe’s most ambitious features,” senior editor Hannah Feldman was quoted as saying. "We had to weigh the respective merits of hundreds of beer lists and venues to narrow things down to our top 100. But it was energizing to see how many great beer spots there are in America today—wherever you are, there’s probably a fantastic beer list a lot closer than you think."--JACK CURTIN

Beers from Yards Brewing Company, the city's oldest production brewery which first began producing beers in 1995, will be pouring at the gathering, which is put on by Democratic mayors.

Yards sent out cases of Philadelphia Pale Ale, which will be enjoyed with soft pretzels and cheese steaks by the attendees. No word whether Barack Obama, who quaffed a few craft beers in Bethlehem during Primary season, will be on hand (actually, he probably won't even be in Denver until Wednesday).

One has to assume Budweiser will be the beer of choice at next week's GOP convention; putative nominee John McCain's wife is an Anheuser-Busch heiress. --JACK CURTIN

The venue is a huge, 15,000-square-foot hall and there will also be a tented outdoor area. German-style food, live music and a beer education session will be offered with a focus on regional, American and German craft beer, including at least five of the authentic Munich Oktoberfestbiers.

in a broader sense, the massive event (the organizers hope to attract 3,000 or more attendees) expands the annual activities which help defend the city's argument that it is the Best Beer Drinking City in the nation (part of the proceeds will support Philly Beer Week 2009); in a smaller sense, it is a replacement for the popular Oktoberfest held by the now defunct Ludwig's Restaurant.

A significant public relations campaign is planned to promote Philly Oktoberfest. Spaten USA an Origlio Beverage are major sponsors. Tickets will be available online soon. --JACK CURTIN

Beers from two New England breweries finished second and third, Mayflower Brewing Porter and Cambridge House IPA respectively.

Alton's Pride, a 3.8 percent best bitter made by Triple fff Brewery from Four Marks in the south coast county of Hampshire, was named the Champion Beer of Britain 2008 in blind tastings by the judges. Head brewer and proprietor Graham Trott, 55, who started Triple fff in 1997, told the local press that winning the accolade was "everything I've strived for."

More than 750 different beers, most of them British cask ales but also ones from breweries as far afield as Japan, South Africa and Australia as well as the U.S., are being featured at Earl's Court in London in the famed international event which started yesterday and will run though Saturday.

Three local breweries, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Sly Fox Brewing Company and Victory Brewing Company, also have beers pouring at the Bieres Sans Frontieres bar. Seventeen U.S. breweries in all shipped 57 beers to the GBBF through the Brewers Association Export Development Program, comprising the largest number of American beers in the event's 31-year existence.--JACK CURTIN

Artisanal Collaboration. New Belgium Brewing Company and Elysian Brewing Company have worked out an agreement to use one another's breweries, saying it is a matter of "increasing efficiency and encouraging creative experimentation." New Belgium, which is based in Fort Collins, Colo., will brew small-batch and experimental beers in Elysian’s Seattle brewery; Elysian will brew large batches in Fort Collins. This arrangement takes the collaborative brewing concept (usually one or more famous brewers getting together to make a special beer) one more logical step.

Beer Batters Wine.The latest Gallup Poll, released last Friday, shows that beer has a double-digit lead over wine as the beverage of choice among US drinkers age 30-49. Data from 2004 to 2005 concludes wine and beer were almost equally preferred and most of the "experts" ignored the craft beer explosion since then and kept repeating the "conventional wisdom" ever since. But wine actually peaked at 39 percent in 2005 and has since slipped to 31 percent, according to the new poll. Beer is now chosen first 47 percent of the time. Next thing you know, somebody will tell us that beer is just as beneficial as red wine for health reasons, maybe even more so. Oh

And The Winner Is....Harry Schuhmacher"s always thought-provoking Beer Business Daily talks this morning about how some industry folks are worried that the fact that all three of the Big Blands will soon be foreign-owned might drive the NASCAR crowd into the arms of another brewer and sums it up like this:

And it's not just A-B distribs that are worried. One blue-silver distributor out west made the excellent point that if this foreign-ownership thing with A-B InBev gets wings in the mainstream culture, it will shine a light on all three brewers' American pedigrees, or lack thereof. The winners: American regional brewers like Yuengling and Pabst, and craft brewers. Of course, when it comes to NASCAR fans who care about this American stuff, not many craft beer drinkers there, or at least that's the popular perception. Who would have thought that the machinations of the global beer industry would ultimately help PBR?

BA figures showed that during the first half of 2008 the volume of beer sold by craft brewers grew by 6.5% totaling an estimated 4 million barrels of beer compared to 3.768 million barrels sold in the first half of 2007. Harry Schuhmacher of Beer Business Daily stated, "Crafts have really taken pricing this year given high input costs, and yet it is still driving volume gains faster than the beer category."

Not unexpectedly, the figures did not reach the growth levels of the previous year. During the same period in 2007, dollar growth was 14% over 2006 and volume increased 11%. Factors such as a soft economy and rising costs of materials (hops, malt, glass et al) and the concurrent higher price for craft beers, plus the fact that the base from which the percentages are derived is larger than ever, likely account for the lower, but still impressive, growth figures.--JACK CURTIN

The "Best of the Main Line and Western Suburbs" annual issue also made note of craft beer excellent in three other categories.

Main Line Today said that TJ’s Restaurant & Drinkery in Paoli has the "Best Main Line Beer List...with more than 200 beers from far and wide, paired with a staggering 20 varieties on tap. Local and regional greats like Victory, Stoudt's and Sly Fox are well represented, as are lesser-known selections like Boulder Brewing Co.’s Sweaty Betty Blonde."

The Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern was named :Best Neighborhood Bar/Tavern" because it attracts "beer aficionados from near and far with its vast and impressive selection of more than 140 bottles and 20 brews on tap."

Sly Fox Pikeland Pils was named "Best Microbrew," the magazine noting that "it recently won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest in Denver."

While not specifically craft beer selections, the region's "Best Happy Hour" is at Flanigan’s Boathouse in Malvern, while Molly McGuire's Irish Restaurant and Pub is the "Best New Bar" in Phoenixville as judged by the MTL list.

In Philadelphia Magazine's annual "Best of Philly" issue, just out on the stands, Pikeland Pils came up a double winner for Sly Fox, being named "Best Beer" on that list as well on the Main LIne one.

Teresa's Next Door on N. Wayne Avenue was selected as "Best Beer Bar," Philly Beer Week as "Best Event" and Standard Tap as "Best Gastropub" in other PhillyMag beer awards. --JACK CURTIN

The executors of the estate of the late Michael Jackson have donated the contents of his office to the University. Also known as "The Whisky Chaser," his books on beer and whisky have sold over three million copies worldwide and in fifteen languages.

The contents of the office, to be known as The Michael Jackson Collection, comprise 1,500 books from the expert’s personal library on beer and whisky, as well as 300 copies of his own books. There is also much research material, hand-written notebooks, a selection of awards including four Glenfiddich awards for food writing, as well as photographs, press and book reviews.

Don Marshall, of Oxford Brookes University Library, said: "We are very excited to receive this gift of the books and papers of 'The Beer Hunter.’ The Michael Jackson Collection will work in parallel with the National Brewing Library, already located in Oxford Brookes University Library and jointly managed by members of the Library and the Institute of Brewing & Distilling. It will also complement other special collections in food and drink - one of the key areas of research excellence in the University."

Frances Kelly, Michael Jackson’s literary executor and agent, said: "The executors are delighted that this material will now be stored, organized and made available, as is their wish, for research by a new generation of whisky and beer writers, students and the drinks industry."--NEWS RELEASE

Festival organizers received the approval of the Upper Salford Township board of supervisors to apply for the license during a meeting last week."We thought about it and saw the potential for an added source of revenue for us," said festival Chairman David Baskin told the local press. He said things looked promising and he expected the state to approve the application.

Baskin wouldn't discuss details of the plans, only that festival organizers are working with a microbrewery they want as a vendor. "We're going to rely on their expertise," he said.--JACK CURTIN

This marks a triumph of sorts for the A-B board which, as Schuhmacher notes, "was often vilified in the financial press for stubbornly refusing InBev's advances, [but] at the end of the day allegedly captured another five billion in value as well as other 'soft' concessions like what to name the company, the management structure, and the protection of distributors, allegedly. Was this their masterful intention all along? If so, I wouldn't want to play poker with them." Whatever their original intent, the board managed to get InBev to raise the original offer by $5 a share.

The new company would be the largest brewing entity the world, passing SABMiller. Still up in the air, apparently, is what becomes of A-B's 50-50 ownership deal with Mexico's Grupo Modelo, a "hole card" it was using to fend off the original InBev offer.

According to earlier reports, A-B InBev wil have its headquarters in St Louis, Missouri. The two companies already work together in America under an agreement under which A-B distributes some of InBev's brands, including Beck's, Bass and Stella Artois.--JACK CURTIN

"We're creating Bierista, a high end coffee shop which will offer up to 800 world class beers for takeout," Longacre told The Beer Yard during a visit to SPTR on Tuesday. "It's at 1900 S. 15 Street, right down the block from here."

The new business will be open by summer's end, assuming everything goes right. "It took us over a year and a half to get the permits to expand this place," he said, waving an arm toward the new dining area behind the bar, "but we have all the permits for this one and construction is already underway. I don't know very much about coffee so we'll hire somebody knowledgeable to run that end of the business, with an emphasis on free trade and local to the degree we can pull that off. The beer side will essentially run as an extension of SPTR."

The arm wave this time centered on Joe Bedia, who last brewed at Yards Brewing Company at the old Kensington location which is now home to Philadelphia Brewing Company, left to learn the restaurant business as part of the waitstaff at Tria in center city, tried to set up his own brewpub, a deal which fell through, and has resurfaced as the "beer guy" at SPTR after a brief foreign adventure. He's been on the job for two weeks, he said, and still getting a feel for what he wants to do to expand and improve the existing beer offerings.

"This is a new concept and I'm not sure how it will work out," Longacre acknowledged, "but I think we are building an audience in this part of the city who can and will support lot. It's a whole new ballgame down here since we opened up, with a lot of new places opening. Instead of an oddity, SPTR is now the standard. We were the first one, but we're no longer the only one."

Longacre also said that SPTR has a new chef, Michael Zulli, "who has a real feel for what we want to do with the menu" and that he is always looking for other locations for similar ventures. He noted that SPTR's third annual wheat beer festival on April 28 was a huge success and the cornerstone "of our best week ever, second only to Philly Beer Week, which was the high mark before that because we were packed every night. There had to be more than 1,000 people here, the pub was filled, the street outside was filled and the crowd stretch down the block. It was absolutely fantastic."--JACK CURTIN

The party was held in a huge tent erected in front of the brewery and featured Koch tapping of the first keg of Samuel Adams Lager made there under the new ownership (Sam Adams products were contract brewed there from 1994 to 2001, when the brewery was owned by Pabst ); that initial keg came off the line at 11:13am on June 23.

The first kegs from the Lehigh Valley shipped out June 30 and the first bottles shipped on Tuesday, July 1.

Boston Beer actually took possession of the facilities on June 2 but last Friday marked the public celebration of the new ownership.

The brewery, which began as a Schaefer Beer facility in 1972, was purchased by Diageo in 2001 and used to make Smirnoff Ice, the beer-based, citrus-flavored "malternative." Boston Beer paid $55 million for it and will invest another $50 million in upgrades and renovations by the end of the year. All 21 Samuel Adams beers will eventually be brewed there for the Northeast market.

"This facility is one of the last of the great old traditional breweries built in this country," Koch said yesterday, "and it is perfect for making our beers. I am most happy for the people who work here, many of them from the beginning and many who returned after our acquisition. They took great care of the brewhouse when it was shut down because they believed somebody would come and make beer here again. And they were right."

Koch said that Boston Beer had looked at the site before but wasn't large enough at the time to buy it and had instead stayed in periodic contact with Diageo. The acquisition last summer came in lieu of building a brewery in Massachusetts for $200 million that would have had only half the capacity of this one.--JACK CURTIN

Iron Hill hasn't.

The chain announced yesterday that it has renewed its lease at the original pub for the next 15 years and will do a major facelift on that flagship site.

"Newark is our home," says co-founder Kevin Finn. "We started out here and it’s been the foundation for all of our subsequent success. We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be staying here for a long time to come." The planned $100,000 renovation will bring a new host stand, flat-screen televisions and updates to the kitchen, he added. "With this renovation and the renewal of our lease, we remain committed to Newark, to this community which has been so good to us."

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has seven locations across Delaware and Pennsylvania, including one in Wilmington. The company was named "Large Brewpub of the Year" at the 2005 Great American Beer Festival and their hand-crafted beers have received a total 33 medals from the GABF, World Beer Cup and Real Ale Festival.--JACK CURTIN

Morrison says that he is turning his attention to his long-time dream of setting up his own production brewery and is currently investigating the possibilities in Chester, about five miles from his Swarthmore home. "I like the convenience and I like the town," he says. "I've talked to some of the local politicians and people involved in the city and there is some enterprise zone money and grants available. I going to try to pull off getting a building in the city which will be large enough to handle what I need now and for the foreseeable future. It's a high threshold, but my aim is to get to up and running and get to 10,000bbls as quickly as I can."

What finally got him in gear, Morrison said, was knowing that Fava was ready to step in at Dock Street. "If they haven't already announced he's taken over, they should. Mike is a good guy and I think he's really going to do well. For myself, I'm glad I went back for a while; it was the right move for me (Morrison helped Dock Street get off the ground by setting up their brewhouse and formulating and brewing the original beers, then returned after the first brewer hired by owner Rosemarie Certo didn't work out). The problem was I was getting too comfortable and that wasn't very helpful in trying to get this new thing going."

Another motivating factor is that he has a lot of money tied up in brewery equipment which "isn't doing me any good sitting in a warehouse," he explained. "I already have a brewhouse, grain mill, grist case, keg washer, four 34bbl fermenters, two bright tanks, a 16-head bottling line and maybe 100 each sixtels and half-kegs. I just need to get a boiler and a glycol chiller and that's pretty much it to start." Scott Morrison, the Once and Future Dude, paused and laughed. "Oh, and a building to put it all in."--JACK CURTIN

The takeover offer would be in the range of $46 Billion and, says the Alphaville posting, could" herald the long-awaited end-game in global drinks industry consolidation.'

InBev’s aim is to create the fifth largest consumer products group in the world, the report continued, explaining that "Putting the two companies...together would create a business capitalised at close to $100 Billion and would constitute the most ambitious piece of corporate consolidation since the onset of the credit crisis last summer. Anheuser and InBev together would be almost equally balanced between developed and emerging market operations across the globe, pumping out around 350m hectolitres of beer and other beverages annually. Annual revenues would be around $20 Billion, producing earnings of close to $6 Billion."

Similar stories have appeared in the past (interestingly, the original ones had A-B acquired InBev), but this time the reports appear to be more substantial and fact-based. Some analysts have consider A-B to be "trapped" in its domestic market, as opposed to SABMiller which has used acquistions to access new and growing foreign markets. The growing craft beer niche, while still a miniscule portion of the overall U.S. beer market, is cited as part of the reason for A-B's stagnation in recent years.

Anheuser-Busch representatives have so far refused to comment on the story.--JACK CURTIN

UPDATE: Further background on this story has been posted here.

The three new beers are Thirteen, this year's Anniversary Ale, a Belgian style Imperial Stout; Riserva, an American Wild Ale fermented with Brettanomyces yeast and aged with red-raspberry puree in Oak barrels for over a year, then bottle conditioned in champagne bottles, and Alpha, a Belgian style Pale Ale which is the first beer in the brewery's Brewer's Choice series of one-off brews. The fourth beer will be a caged and corked release of Merry Monk's Ale in 750ml bottles.

Merry Monk's is shipping to wholesalers currently and Alpha made its debut at both Drafting Room locations on Thursday, May 15, but Thirteen and Riserva will be available for sampling and purchase for the first time. Bring your wallet if Riserva is you choice, as it will be sold only at the brewery at a price of $145 a case. The brewery also notes that only 20 cases of Alpha will be available.

The event runs from 5-8pm.--JACK CURTIN

The company, founded by Mario Fetfatzes in 1984 and currently operated by his sons, Jordan (31) and Chris (26), will move from its present location at 738 South 11th Street to 755 South Street in September, giving the 38,000 square feet for their combined operations, about triple the current size.

"We are basically going from a warehouse to a supermarket in both aspects of our operations," said Jordan Fetfatzes. "Philadelphia is a wonderful beer market and we believe it has been underserved to this point. We hope to rectify that by providing a full-service source for some of the world's best beers for both our wholesale customers and our retail ones."

Bella Vista began as a retail store and moved into wholesale distribution in 2004. "I think it's fair to say we might still be here today if it werent' for Matt Guyer and the Beer Yard," Jordan said. "Matt was our very first customer and got us on our way. He's one of the real pioneers of the beer scene."--JACK CURTIN

The historic St James's Gate site near the River Liffey where Arthur Guinness started brewing his stout beer in 1759 after purchasing the dormant brewery with 100 pounds he had been left in his godfather's will will continue to make beer, at least for now.

Diageo, which owns the Guinness brand, had talked of closing the downtown brewery and developing the sprawling site because Ireland's economic boom has increased the value of Dublin real estate, has announced that, while they will spend millions on a new brewery near Dublin, Guinness fans in Britain and Ireland will still get their dark beer from the historic brewery in the heart of the Irish capital.

"The London-based beer and spirits maker said today it will renovate its central Dublin brewery at St James's Gate to supply local and regional accounts, but will close two smaller sites by 2013 and cut its Irish brewery workforce by more than half," said the ProBrewer report.

"We did some research, we listened to our consumers, we heard what everybody said and we understand the importance of St James's Gate," David Gosnell, Diageo's global supply director, told a Dublin news conference.--JACK CURTIN

Victory began extensive renovations in February of this year and closed the bar area completely at the beginning of April for the final stages of the reconstruction.

The completely redone public area of the facility, which also houses the 50,000bbl brewery, includes a brand new kitchen and bar and extended seating, booths in the main dining area and a common room with long tables adjacent to the bar. The greatly expanded kitchen features an in-house smoker.

Victory will begin serving lunch and dinner daily as of the opening and will add a Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Hours will be from 11:30 to midnight on weekdays, 10:00 ti midnight on Saturdays and Sundays.--JACK CURTIN

The finalists finished in a dead heat in the original championship heat, which featured the winners of the original six heats. A record 42 goats were entered in the competition this year with the races run before the largest crowd ever, estimated at 2,900 attendees by The Phoenix, the local daily newspaper.

Entrekin has taken a second and two thirds in previous races and last year’s winner, Sundae, took bronze with a third-place finish.

Chris Eckerd, who raced Jasper, said that he and his wife have five goats and had heard about the Sly Fox races for several years and finally decided to enter the competition. "We had a great time, the beer is wonderful and it was just an amazing afternoon," he said. Alycia Eckerd summed up the entire experience as "surreal."

The seventh annual bock fest featured two 30'X60' tents erected in front the brewpub for the first time due to the threat of rain in early forecasts. Instead they provided shelter against a blazing sun on one of the finest days of the year.--JACK CURTIN

"BOCK FEST & GOAT RACE UPDATE
"The event will go on, rain or shine, and several last minute changes have been made to deal with possible bad weather and the parking situation.

"Two 30' X 601 tents have been rented and will be erected directly in front of Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery to provide a total of 3600 square feet under cover. Cover has also been provided for the band so that they can perform in comfort.

"Also, in a last minute arrangement made possible by the sale of the lot adjacent to the Pikeland Village Square parking lot, free parking will be available there as well as the Kimberton Fire Company Fair Grounds a mile west on Rt. 113 (with shuttle buses running from 10:30am until 6pm). Sly Fox extends its gratitude to STS Tire & Auto Centers, the new owners, for their cooperation and generosity.

The party will go on. See you there."--JACK CURTIN

Brewers Choice beers, one-off brews produced every other month or perhaps even monthly as the brewing schedule permits, will be released on draught in the Pennsylvania market and in a limited number of bottles sold at the Easton brewery. "We have purchased a small in-house label printer and will bottle and label roughly 50 or 60 cases of each to be sold here at the brewery during Saturday Tour hours," Weirback said. He added that plans are being formulated for a Friday night launch event brewery to mark the release of each new beer.

The series concept, he said, "is to give our brewers a chance to experiment, be creative. Also, doing full batches is a good way to market test new products because it lets us see how they will really turn out. It's really hard to brew a prototype small batch and scale it up and be sure you'll get the results you want."

Alpha is based on a recipe by assistant brewer Jeff Musselman, according to Weyerbacher head brewer Chris Wilson, who stressed that the beer's name has "nothing to do with alpha acids or anything like that." He added that "the beer will be keg and bottle conditioned and should have a nice full body with a yeast character and a nice bitter complement. Jeff describes it as `a bitter pale ale brewed with Belgian yeast and a taste of heaven' and I kinda like that."--JACK CURTIN

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant's Vienna Red Lager, a recent addition to the chain's standard house beers at all seven locations, and Iron Hill Wee Heavy each won a Silver Medal.

Troegs Brewing Company of Harrisburg also won two medals, both Bronze, for its Troegenator and Sunshine Pils. Other regional medal winners were Dogfish Head Midas Touch and Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works Framboise, each with a Bronze.

Results were announced in San Diego last night at the close of the 2008 Craft Brewers Conference.

Bend Brewing Company of Oregon was named the Small Brewpub champion, making brewer Tonya Cornett the first woman to win in that category. Pelican Pub & Brewery and brewer Darron R. S. Welch won in the Large Brewpub judging; Tomme Arthur's Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey topped the Small Brewing Company list; Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH and brewer Peter Bucher won the first ever championship for a German brewery in the Mid-Sized Brewery category and Blue Moon Brewing Company and brewer Warren Quilliam took Large Brewing Company honors.

Brewers from five continents earned awards in the seventh bi-annual World Cup competition, with medals going to brewers from 21 countries ranging from Australia and Italy to Bolivia and Japan. 644 breweries from 58 countries and 45 U.S. states vied for awards with 2,864 beers entered in 91 beer style categories. Brewers from the United States won 185 of the 268 style category awards and four of the five Champion Brewery/Brewer awards. --JACK CURTIN
NOTE: The original version of this story did not include the Stewart's Brewing Gold Medal which was inexplicably missed by our crack research team. Our apologies.

The beers were a collaborative effort between Eric Toft, American-born, German-trained Brewmaster of Private Landbrauerei Schonram, and Victory's brewing team, with Toft formulating the recipe using hops provided by the Association and Victory doing the actual brew. Select Pils (5.3%) was crafted with a mix of Hallertau and Spalt Select Hops. Tettnanger Pils (5.3% abv) was brewed with only Tettnang Hops from German farmer Herr Georg Bentele, whom Victory Brewing founders Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet visited while touring Germany in 2007 with 23 thirsty Victory fans. Sapphire Belgian Strong Ale (10.5%) was brewed with a Hallertau-grown variety hop named Safir, using a Trappist yeast.

Barchet and Steve German, Victory Brewing national sales manager, will present the beers in San Diego.--JACK CURTIN

Some Yakima Valley hop growers in Washington state are pulling other crops to plant hops and planting new acreage as well in response to the world-wide hops shortage, according to an Associated Press story on Wednesday.

After a decade of excess supply caused low prices and shrinking acreage and extraordinarily low crop yields in 2007 exacerbate the problem and sent prices rising to historic levels, growers are responding by reconditioning existing crop fields and adding news ones in the nation's leading hop-producing region (Washington is the nation's largest supplier of hops, followed by Oregon and Idaho), which produces as many as 30 different varieties.

"Northwest hop acreage, which expanded by about 2,000 acres last year as the lack of supply became apparent, could grow by another 5,000 acres this year," the AP story says. "Ralph Olson, general manager of grower-owned HopUnion of Yakima, a buyer who deals primarily with smaller craft brewers, thinks the figure may be closer to 8,000 acres by the time all is said and done. That would be a jump of nearly 25 percent in acreage in one year."

On the other hand, this is just in from the "behind every silver lining is a dark cloud" department:

New Zealand scientist and climate expert Dr Jim Salinger says a warmer, drier climate resulting from global warming could cause a significant decline in malting barley production. New barley varieties are in development to tray and keep pace with the changing climate, but a spokesman for South Australia's Joe White Malting, acknowledges that it's not a rapid process. "The process normally takes maybe seven, eight or nine years, and over that time you might start off with 10,000 to 30,000 different breeding lines," Dr. Doug Stewart said, "and end up with one winner."--JACK CURTIN

The change was necessitated, according to a news story posted on the Sly Fox Beer website, because of crowded conditions and traffic issues on Rt. 113 in front of Pikeland Village Square, and also to alleviate overflow parking in the Maple Lawn Shopping Center on the other side of that road.

Only short-term parking for customers of other businesses at Pikeland Village Square will be permitted. All those attending the popular and growing festival which marks the release of the brewery's annual Maibock (with the beer named in honor of the winning goat in the afternoon races at its tapping) will be redirected to the Kimberton Fire Company Fairgrounds, roughly one mile west of Pikeland Village Square on Rt. 113. There will be a $2 donation to the Kimberton Fire Company required. Shuttle buses will run throughout the day between there and the pub, starting at 10:30am.

The festival begins with a beer brunch, starting at 11am and runs throughout the afternoon, drawing a huge crowd, estimated at 2500 by the local newspaper last year. All of the Sly Fox bock beers are on draught, as well as the Maibock and a German band entertains throughout. Last year's winning goat was Sundae, owned by 12-year old Alyssa Zawislak, a member of the local 4-H Goat Club which has been a prominent supporter of the Sly Fox event from its beginning six years ago.--JACK CURTIN

The Brewers Association announced yesterday that U.S. craft breweries’ charitable contributions are estimated to be more than $20 million for 2007.

"In addition to being recognized for making world-class beer, independent craft brewers are amazing community citizens," said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for BA. “They donate to everything from fire departments, disaster relief efforts, local events, educational fundraisers and so much more.” --JACK CURTIN

The only other Delaware Vally brewer to make the craft list, Victory Brewing Company of Downingtown, Penna., is 35th among Craft Brewers and 50th among all brewers. D.C. Yuengling of Pottstown, Penna., is sixth among all brewers, just behind Boston Beer and ahead of Sierra Nevada and and New Belgium, ranked seventh and eighth.

The top five craft breweries are Boston Beer, Sierra Nevada Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner) and Pyramid Breweries.--JACK CURTIN

Peacock told BrandWeek's Mike Beirne that nation's largest brewer "is moving away a little bit from creating brands to creating extensions of existing brands or megabrands. That's really what this whole thing is rooted in-a mega-brand strategy. We've got two megabrands in Bud and Bud Light, and we're seeing that we can go different directions with those megabrands because we can appeal to two different consumers. He specifically mentioned the new Bud Light Lime and Budweiser Ale as part of the strategy and promised new packaging and "a draught program where we'll be doing a lot to enhance the availability of Budweiser draught beer."

In other mainstream brewing news, analysts are noting a steady increase in both volume and market share for Coors Light and Bud Light, while Miller Lite remains flat.--JACK CURTIN

Michelob beer was created in 1896 as a "draught beer for connoisseurs" but has never really moved to the forefront of the A-B family. According to beer industry analysts, given that the Michelob beers became all-malt products last year and the manner in which the St. Louis brewery has been trying to position them within the craft segment, the move makes perfect sense from a marketing perspective.

In addition to basic Michelob and Michelob Light, The Michelob brand appears on a Porter, Marzen, Pale Ale, Wheat, Honey Lager and AmberBock. All of them, plus seasonals Sun Dog Amber Wheat, Beach Bum Blonde Ale and Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale will be part of the new division. Other styles, such as the already scheduled for release Michelob Dunkel Weisse and Michelob Pale Ale and several draught products which have already received brand approval (which does not mean they will actually see the light of day)---Michelob Brown Ale, Michelob Red Ale, Michelob Bohemian Pilsner--are also included.

The move is said to have begun with the reintroduction of Michelob's trademark teardrop bottle last year and A-B is making no secret of the fact that the approach is aimed squarely at the craft beer market and its demand for more variety and flavor than its standard lineup offers. That is probably why Michelob Ultra, a brand clearly aimed at the mainstream market, will not move to the new Michelob division.

The newspaper story, by reporter Jeremiah McWilliams, quoted Nathaniel Davis, brewmaster at Michelob Brewing, saying of A-B's Research Pilot Brewery in St. Louis, which will come under the purview of the new company, is "a very experimental place; it's a playful place," with both the description and the fact that someone would say it being a far cry from the buttoned-up corporate image that A-B has maintained for decades.--JACK CURTIN

The suit also argued that members have been reduced to posting their beer reviews around the clock in order to "regain our mojo" and have lost all opportunities for sexual congress as a result. "And not just with congress, with governors too," CAMRA spokesperson Kenzo4life told the press.

Russell, whose Joe Sixpack's Philly Beer Guide was recently published to rave reviews, created the "Joe Sixpack" column for the Philadelphia Daily News in 1996 while still a staff reporter. After accepting a massive buyout package a few years ago which made him independently wealthy, he continued the column on a freelance basis, frequently winging his way around the world in his private jet, "Gotcha," to conduct interviews or sample hard-to-find brews.

The pseudonymous columnist acknowledged, in his own tearful press conference, that his fame actually is based upon a heinous act, but then argued that he has suffered enough for his transgressions. He said that he has been in a state of massive depression for almost a decade because the end result of what has been considered his greatest achievement as a beer writer, a 1998 expose about how beer vendors at the old Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia were shorting customers, resulted in larger quantities of bland American lagers and light beers being sold to those customers at lower prices.

"I keep arguing that Philadelphia is America's best beer-drinking city," said the choked-up newsman, "and yet I've always known that I did more than anyone to keep more bad beer flowing here. I am so ashamed."

In related news, Camino books, Russell's publisher, announced this morning that they would do a second printing which will feature a new chapter in which Russell will discussion consortium or the lack thereof and the proper beers for either situation. "Since those CAMRA guys brought sex into the conversation, we were also going to include a section about the best beers for trysts, based on Don's personal experiences," said a Camino spokesperson, "but we quickly realized nobody was gonna buy that for a minute."--ZACK HURTIN

"Our interests and those of the foundation meshed on the big philosophical issue," explained brewery founder Dan Weirback, "which is the right to build things pretty much anywhere which isn't in our own neighborhoods. Given that, this just seemed like something we needed to do, especially since I was getting antsy because we weren't planning to brew and bottle a new beer this week. I hate it when that happens. We've purchased a really tacky pre-fab building and a brewhouse that the mysterious local brewery broker known only as `Larry H.' has been hawking and expect to begin production immediately."

Pressed on the reason for choosing the unusual site, Weirback became agitated and started screaming at interviewers. "This has nothing--Nothing!--to do with the fact that we keep reading stories in our local newspaper about a Victory brewpub coming to downtown Easton," he said, gesturing wildly. "We don't care about that! We don't take any notice of that kind of thing! Even when people keep coming in day after day, after day, after day, asking us about it! We! Just! Don't! Care!" Fearing that their founder would suffer a seizure or worse, his associates carefully led him away and had him consume several glasses of barrel-aged water.

Once calmed, Weirback, who will be working within a few yards of where he was inspired to create his popular Blithering Idiot Barleywine when he opens the new pub, also explained that, "since we are totally out of hops and have no hopes of ever getting any more, Dan's In-Your-Face Brew House will only produce a single beer which will be brewed without any hops whatsoever. We'll use lots of malt, tons of brett and, you know, whatever. We're counting a lot on ambiance, to tell you the truth. Hey, that worked in our original pub back in the day."

In other local brewing news, Flying Fish brewer Casey Hughes, questioned about his emergence as one of the most visible and popular brewing super-stars on the Philadelphia scene, explained that "when I tilt my head to the side ever so cutely the way I do, I am irresistible." Asked to substantiate his argument, Hughes smiled and replied cryptically , "Gene."--LACK CERTIN

After nearly a year of a multi-million dollar surveillance program designed to uncover the person behind an ongoing series of "mean and not nice" emails to local beer writer Lew Bryson had uncovered not a single clue, the Homeland Security Department finally found the culprit right under their noses when an agent entered the supposedly empty Bryson residence to use the bathroom.

The evil emailer turned out to be a year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi who has been living with the Bryson family since last March. Because of his age, the accused's name is being withheld. It is not clear whether the Corgi, who apparently used Bryson's own computer to carry out his nefarious campaign when no one was home, was merely a friend of the family, a pet or filled some other function. "I am very sorry for what I did," he was quoted in an apologetic statement released by his lawyer, "but I was under incredible stress. You have no idea just how loud that man is and what it sounds like to my sensitive doggie ears."

Bryson, who is generally acknowledged to be the World's Loudest Beer Writer, has not made any public statements and is said to be distraught and under the care of sound management specialist. In a revelation sure to titillate the beer community, the Corgi's statement revealed that "[Bryson] actually practices that laugh of his in front of the mirror when nobody's around. Slaps his fedora on his head and just stands there posing while he laughs and laughs as loud as he can. That, and the madrigals he insisted on singing with lunch, were driving me mad."

In related news, a Lancaster area school teacher, John "Woody" Chandler, called a press conference to announce that he would claim the World's Loudest Beer Writer mantle if Bryson was too broken up to carry on, but nobody showed up. "That guy is really weird and dresses funny," explained a Wall Street Journal stringer.--HACK BURTIN

Boston Beer founder Jim Koch announced in February that his company, the largest craft brewer in the country, would make available at cost 20,000 pounds of hops, equally split between East Kent Goldings from Britain and Tettnang Tettnanger from Germany, to brewers who might need help in the Great Hops Crisis of 2008.

More than 300 requests for nearly 100,000 lbs. were received as of early March. The final day for filing a request was this past Saturday and a random drawing was held on Sunday, filling requests until all the hops were distributed. Brewers were able to request a maximum of six boxes, or 528 pounds, with an option of ordering less in 88 pound increments. The price for the Tettnangs was reported to be $5.42 per pound, plus $.75 per pound for shipping and handling. The hops, all part of the 2007 harvest and scheduled to arrive in the U.S. this month, would be worth three to five times those prices on the open market.

Winners should receive their shipments by the end of April.--JACK CURTIN

The Malt Beverage Distributors Association of Pennsylvania immediately filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court to have the decision voided or reverse the decision.

Wegmans applications are still pending to sell beer in Downingtown, Mechanicsburg and yet another Erie location. Presumably, a similar filing will be made for the Collegeville store currently under construction.

Because Pennsylvania's liquor laws impose conditions for certain categories of licenses, such as requiring food to be sold on the premises and minimum seating capacities, Supermarkets, with a few exceptions, have not sold beer. Wegmans' supermarkets,however, have cafes that qualify for "restaurant" licenses, allowing beer, wine and hard liquor to be sold for consumption inside the eating establishment, and the equivalent of 12 16-ounce containers of beer for takeout.--JACK CURTIN

The new location will now be known simply as "The Tiedhouse" and will still carry, as originally announced, General Lafayette and other craft beers. General Lafayette owner Chris Leonard will no longer be part of the ownership team for the Tiedhouse. Original Story - 5 March 2008
"I have a draft lease agreement to open a new location in Center City in hand," General Lafayette Brewery and Inn owner and head brewer Chris Leonard told the Beer Yard exclusively today. "We are still negotiating, but we do now agree on the base terms. I have no reason to believe it will not happen."

The site is on the ground floor of the CityView Condominium at 2001 Hamilton St., "between 20th and 21st streets; between Spring Garden and Callowhill."

The General Lafayette Tiedhouse will open by this summer, perhaps earlier, and "will not be a brewpub," Leonard stressed. "The Tiedhouse will be an upscale gastropub specializing in General Lafayette beers (anywhere from 6-10 on tap and in bottles) - along with other craft beer - mostly local and draft. We will also continue our focus on fresh food made with as many local ingredients as possible. We will offer dinner, weekend brunch, and outdoor dining."--JACK CURTIN

" We’ve been able to obtain 3000 lbs of Simcoe Hops," Weirback wrote. "After lengthy searches we were able to obtain this quantity, which added to our current inventory should last us ’til the end of 2008 or early 2009, at which time the 2008 crop will be in. It’s not yet certain that we’ll get all we asked for of the ’08 crop, but for now Double Simcoe keeps on pouring!"

The single varietal IPA is one of the brewery's, and the region's, most popular brews and Weyerbacher was left scrambling in the wake of the current hops shortage. Until now, that is.

Weirback also noted that his QUAD, }the only US beer to make the top 10 picks in a blind tasting by a NY Times panel of 40 Belgian-style and Belgian beers," is back in stores for a limited time and that the bourbon-aged version, Blasphemy!, is also hitting the shelves.

The new Weyerbacher bottling line is finally up and running and producing 200 cases an hour, just in time for the introduction of the brand into Florida this summer. The brewery will be installing additional fermenters in the near future, Weirback said.--JACK CURTIN

The beer is one of the many throughout history which were considered appropriate for medicinal purposes, according to brewery owner Rosemarie Certo.

"We first brewed the Viscount’s Ale in 1997 at our 18th Street brewery," she said, "with the aim to faithfully reproducing the original ale rather than trying to adapt it to any contemporary expectations regarding taste or drinkability. Our intent is the same today."

A strong Ale is brewed as the basis for the recipe and the sweet wort is spiced with the herbs called for by the Viscount: Sarsaparilla, Sassafras Wood, China-Root, White Saunders, Chamomile, Mace, Cowslip Flowers, Hops, Wormwood, Sage, Oregano, Balm Melissa, Wood Betony, Rosemary and Mugwort, Certo said.

"China-Root we learned is wild yam, (Dioscrea Villosa) and White Saunders is Sandalwood," she explained. "Many of the herbs used in The Viscount’s Ale have long been believed to have curative properties. In the Middle Ages, Mugwort was considered a magical protective herb, a branch of it kept in the house would scare off witches and the devil, while a pillow filled with Mugwort would cause one to see their entire future in their dreams.

"Wormwood was a principal ingredient in the infamous drink Absinthe, long outlawed because of its supposed hallucinogenic qualities! Balm Melissa has been prized for its ability to soothe and calm the nerves. And many believe that Rosemary is able to strengthen the memory, repel evil spirits, induce a couple to fall in love and even ward off old age. A 17th century English botanist claimed that an assiduous use of Sage would render one immortal."

In recent years, brewers at Delaware's Dogfish head Brewing Company have taken a similar approach, collaborating with Dr. Patrick McGovern at the Penn Museum to recreate a series of unusual beers based on ancient recipes.--JACK CURTIN

BA estimates were that the actual dollar sales figures from craft brewers were than $5.74 billion, up from $4.95 billion in 2006. Sales in barrels equaled 8,011,141, up from 7,147,050 barrels in 2006. The 2007 increase totals 864,091 barrels, the equivalent of 11.9 million cases or 285 million 12-ounce bottles of beer.

BA annually polls the country’s craft brewers to estimate the total volume of beer sold by brewpubs, microbreweries, and regional craft breweries in the United States, and uses scan data to estimate sales. Results show that the U.S. had 1,449 total breweries in operation in the U.S. during 2007, including 1,406 small, independent, and traditional craft brewers. Nearly 70 percent of craft breweries are brewpubs that sell most or all of their beer on-premises.

"Since 2004, dollar sales by craft brewers have increased 58 percent,” said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association. “The strength of this correlates with the American trend of buying local products and a preference for more flavorful foods and beers."

[ORIGINAL STORY, Earlier Today.]
While most of the news has been dire in the craft brewing world of late--rising prices for hops, malt, kegs and glass; shortages of most of the previous items; predictions that a struggling economy might cause beer drinkers to opt for cheaper brands over quality brands--the good news is Really Good.

Information Resources(IRI), the leading provider of enterprise market information, announced last week that craft beer sales in the off-premises segment rose 16.7 percent from $493 million in 2006 to $575 million in 2007, marking the second straight year of double-digit increases. The report also indicated that craft beer is also off to a strong start this year, with off-premises sales up almost 16 percent in the first four weeks of this year compared to the same period in 2007. IRI cautioned that price increases across the industry were mostly introduced in late January or early this month, so the February figures and especially March figures, will offer a clearer picture of how that factor is affecting sales.

A more extensive 2007 report, from the Brewers Association, which tracks sales across all retail sectors, will be released this week.

There is also hopeful news on the hops front. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, overall production in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 2007 totaled 60.3 million pounds, up four percent from the 2006 crop of 57.7 million pounds and 14 percent above 2005 production of 52.9 million pounds. Acreage in 2007 was up in all three states with a five percent increase overall.

Washington growers produced 77 percent of the U.S. hop crop for 2007. Zeus, Columbus/Tomahawk, Willamette and Galena were the leading varieties in Washington, accounting for 71 percent of the State's hop crop. In Oregon, Willamette and Nugget were the major varieties, accounting for 79 percent of the State's hop production.--JACK CURTIN

Bill and Nancy Barton formed Philadelphia Brewing last fall after dissolving their partnership in Yards Brewing Company. Under the agreement, Yards retained use of the Kensington brewery until the end of the year. Yards is currently in the process of putting together a new brewery on Delaware Avenue and The new company began brewing at the old location earlier this month after a complete refurbishing of the building and brewhouse.

Philadelphia Brewing arrives just in time for Philly Beer Week and will be represented at The Brewers Plate on March 9 and will do " Meets & Greets" and promotional events at various venues during the 10-day beer extravaganza.

The four new beers will be available in bottles within a few weeks, Nancy Barton said.--JACK CURTIN

"We have the financing approved for a small bottling line and we expect its delivery in two or three months," Leonard said in an exclusive interview. "Our initial production is expected to be approximately 250 cases per month total, with the beers self-distributed in Montgomery and Chester counties and by Bella Vista in Philadelphia...and maybe montco/Chesco too, if we get too busy."

Should demand warrant it, Leonard acknowledged, "we might look at contract brewing or a facility expansion down the road, but, for the foreseeable future, our business model/plan is to bottle small quantities in house."

Leonard said that the public should start looking for General Lafayette on the shelves by June if all goes well.--JACK CURTIN

The pub would be on the first floor of a 30 condominium unit on Northampton Street, formerly home to Pomeroy's Department Store, part of long-stalled project by Bethlehem-based Ashley Development.

Reporter Edward Sieger's story in the Easton Express-Times last Friday said that a meeting between Ashley president Lou Pektor and Easton Mayor Sal Panto has resulted in an agreement with which will allow the developer to renovate the building's exterior and open the brewpub while building the condominiums as they are sold rather than having the entire project completed before opening.

Victory Square Brewing will be a partnership between Arthur Schmidt, owner of The Farmhouse restaurant in Emmaus, and the Downingtown brewery (which is itself currently undergoing major renovations of its restaurant area). The brewpub has already been received zoning approval.

Under a certificate for occupancy now issued for the first floor, Ashley can build two condominiums there and construct the brewpub. Plans call for another 26 two-bedroom condominiums on the second and third floors and four private lofts on floors four through seven.--JACK CURTIN

Standard Ale will be a cask-conditioned ale which will be poured exclusively on a handpump at Standard Tap. "Exclusive" is a relative term in this instance, according to O'Reilly, who promises that a few kegs will also find their way to the handpumps at Sly Fox's Phoenixville pub.

"It will a copper color, cask-conditioned ale," O'Reilly says. "It will be neither American nor British in style, it will be its own beer. It will be...Standard."

Standard Ale will be officially released at Standard Tap on Friday, March 7, the first night of PBW, in ceremonies attended by both Reed and O'Reilly.

Many people are unaware that Reed was the brewer at the Samuel Adams Brew House on Sansom Street from around 1994 until its closing in the late '90s.

The Sam Adams pub had an extract brewery so this will be Reed's first opportunity to brew in a full-scale brewhouse. He says that before landing that professional gig, he learning about homebrewing on the cheap at Home Sweet Homebrew, the city's best known homebrew shop.

"I used to go there, never buying anything, and just sitting on sacks of malts and hops and reading all their books," Reed recalls, laughing. "George (Hummel) and Nancy (Rigberg) were very nice to me and I eventually bought my first homebrew supplies from them."--JACK CURTIN

"A big key to our performance was the change in wholesalers to Origlio here in the Philadelphia market and Manhattan in the New York City market, two of the largest and best wholesalers in the East," said managing partner John Giannopoulos, adding that "we have no plans to enter any new markets in 2008...we want to do it right and not overreach our capabilities to meet demand. Our long term goal is to be at 10,000 barrels by 2010, which means maintaining about the same rate of growth we had this year."

Brewmaster Brian O'Reilly and director of brewing operations Tim Ohst confirmed that approach, noting that the brewery, with the addition of two 40bbl fermenters and three 40bbl brite tanks, has grown to include nine 40bbl fermenters and six 20bbl fermenters along with the three brites. They said that often cramped brewery space will be alleviated greatly by a new off-site 7,000 sq. ft. warehouse which includes a large cold box, a used unit which the company purchased and refurbished.

The popular year-long IPA Project will continue, despite the hops shortage plaguing the industry, Ohst said, and it will even involve more bars and taverns in New York even though the same amount of beer will be brewed as in 2007. "We've switched from half kegs to sixtels to allow more rotations to participate," he said.

O'Reilly acknowledged that testing has begun for packaging Sly Fox's flagship O'Reilly's Stout in 16oz nitro cans, adding that bringing such a project to fruition is a good way down the road. "The big issue is getting the amount of nitrogen in equal proportions into every can using our canning line. Even if we can achieve that, it would take a really large investment of funds. I'd say this year would be a long shot for that project, but we want to do it if we can pull it off."

The complete story can be read here. --JACK CURTIN

Kirsten Henri reported officially at Foobooz yesterday that Vintage owner Jason Evenchik will take over the site and operate it as a new restaurant called Time. Vintage is a wine bar and bistro so it's likelh the new place will not be beer-oriented.

Given the lager and German-style beer tradition of the region, the fact that there is no longer a Bavarian focused beer bar within Philadelphia city limits seems an unlikely situation indeed and a business opportunity to be taken advantage of by a creative restaurateur. --JACK CURTIN

"Our barrelage was up 34% last year," Weirback said. "We brewed over 5300 barrels of beer, up from 4002 in 2006. That's pretty impressive, considering that the only new territory we added was Maine. And we had $1.7 million in sales, a nice jump from $1.2 million in 2006, the first time we topped the $1 million mark."

The new sales manager is Bob Fauteaux, who held the same title at Kunda Beverage for the five-county Philadelphia area. "Bob brings a depth of knowledge and experience in both beer and sales management to the company," Weirback noted. "Up to this point, our marketing effort has been me on the phone with our wholesalers, and Dick [Lampe, one of Weirback's partners} contacting retail accounts. And none of that will change, really. Bob's primary task will be working with our wholesalers to help their sales reps achieve better distribution of Weyerbacher in all our existing markets. On an immediate basis, he'll spent some extra time with Origlio to help smooth our transition into their system."

A new Krones bottling line, purchased last November, is just about set up and should be operating at full-scale by mid-February; a Krones rep is flying in from Germany next week to help with the first run. This line can handle almost 300 cases per hour at top speed and will not only increase bottle capacity significantly but also reduce oxygen uptake levelsm which should mean higher quality and longer shelf life for Weyerbacher bottled products, Weirback said.

Other new equipment which has just arrived are a corker and cager for use with 750ml bottles in which Weyerbacher plans to release its Merry Monk's Abbey Tripel and its new Brett beer later in the year. The latter is "still maturing," Weirback explained, and will be a small release of only about 100 cases. He add that "numerous experimental beers, specialty beers and exotic one-offs," will be released in the 750ml format.

One of the new beers promised for 2008 will be the 13th Anniversary brew, style still undecided. Another will be Slam Dunkel Ale, a 7% Double Dunkelweizen which was a draught-only one-off last year, will be released in June in both bottles and draft.--JACK CURTIN

The event will feature firkins of cask ale from local (and perhaps so not-so-local) breweries and will run from 1-4PM. Ticket prices and other details not yet available.

This event has been updated on the Beer Yard March Calendar, your most up-to-date source for Philly Beer Week event news.--JACK CURTIN

"This allows us to add additional distribution coverage for brands we don't have in all five counties," said Donnelly. "For example, we now have the Sam Adams brand in all the counties and Heineken in four of the five. We will be in a better position to serve our customers and our brands as a result."

Industry insiders have been awaiting this next logical step since Origlio acquired Kunda Beverage late last year, a deal that went into effect January 1.--JACK CURTIN

The first keg' a traditional German wood barrel, will be tapped at 1:00pm at the brewery location on 328 W. Front St. It is a former bakery which has been turned into a tiny brewpub with 2-barrel system.

One Guy Brewing was founded by beer industry veteran Guy Hagner, who is the enterprise's sole employee. Hagner was brewmaster at The Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre, Dixie Brewing in New Orleans and his own Franconia Brewing in Mt.. Pocono over th years.

"This business is a dream come true," Hagner says.

All brewery sales initially will be conducted at the brewery’s on-site taproom. Customers will be able to purchase growlers as well as enjoy a pint or two in the pub.--JACK CURTIN

The IPA Project is a series of monthly single hop IPAs which are released on the second Friday, February through November. It culminates in IPA Project Day each December at which all the varietals are on draught and Odyssey Imperial IPA, made with all the hops, is released. Sly Fox claims it is the world's largest IPA event featuring the beers of a single brewery.

"We don't have all the hops in house yet, but our suppliers have contracts for them and we in turn have contracts with them," said Ohst. "Unlike previous years, we won't be able to list in advance which beers will be released which months, but we fully expect to be able to produce ten varietals in 2008."

Sly Fox had hoped to double production this year in order to meet the demand from new accounts in the New York City market, but that is impossible given the amount of hops they were able to purchase, he explained. "I've suggested that, while we can only give our NY distributor the same amount of beer as last year, we could possibly break it down to sixtels instead of halves so that more accounts can still participate. We'll see if that flies."

The first varietal will be released on February 8 at Sly Fox's Phoenixville location, Ohst said. --JACK CURTIN

The official statement:

"Please pardon appearance as we bring you a bigger and better Victory.

"It's our goal to minimize any inconvenience to our customers during this transition. For a portion of our construction time we will be reducing seating by 80% and offering an abbreviated menu. The pool tables and video games will not be available during this period. Partial shutdown is anticipated to be from February until April. The retail center will be open during this time.

"Total shutdown is anticipated to be from April until May. We expect to re-open in May.

"Some of our new features will be: a brand new kitchen with an authentic wood smoked barbeque pit (can you smoked Rainbow Trout), copious booth seating, a 15-ft projection TV, two 60-inch LCD TVs, a state of the art tap beer system and full size pool tables that will be available free to the public Monday thru Thursdays."--JACK CURTIN

In an email, Mullin cited a desire for new challenges and a job that would allow him to spend more time with his wife as reasons for the change, saying that "my last 9 1/2 years at The Drafting Room have been joyous and rewarding."

More details are available here.

When retailers John Beljan and Chuck Greenstreet decided to take the wholesale leap into what they perceived as an under-served craft and high-end import beer segment just about four years ago, they told anyone who asked that their philosophy was that "putting a human face on the beer makes it a lot more special." That hands-on approach has been the driving force behind the growth of Stockertown Beverage Co. into an increasingly important player in Eastern Pennsylvania.

The wholesaler now represents 20 craft and nearly 150 import brands (most of the latter from the eclectic Shelton Brothers portfolio) and serves accounts in 26 counties, extending as far west as Harrisburg. Stockertown has added craft brands like Breckenridge (Colorado), Founders (Michigan) and Hopping Frog (Ohio) this year, to go along with Lancaster (their flagship local craft), Thomas Hooker (Connecticut), Middle Agesand Southampton (both New York). They will be adding a full-time Philadelphia sales representative in January.

The Bear Republic contract is for nine counties in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley markets with plans to expand as sales warrant. The California brewery is also expected to sign with Pittsburgh wholesaler in the near future to establish a firm foothold in the Commonwealth.

Getting the brand was a long-term project. "I talked to them for two years," says Beljan. "The way we work is we research the best brands, not necessarily household name brands, but beers of good quality from a great brewer. We search online and in the beer magazines, and we look to our retail customers for guidance about which beers they can't get and want to get. Matt [Beer Yard owner Matt Guyer] has been fantastic in that regard and pointed us in several directions.I contacted Bear Republic and made us part of their thinking as they were getting ready to come into Pennsylvania. After that, it was a lot of hard work and personal contact because there's a lot of competition for speciality beers these days. I was out at GABF this year and was standing right there when they won a Silver medal for the Big Bear Black Stout."

Stockertown's size and commitment make them an increasingly viable choice for newcomers into the market, Greenstreet argues. "Specialty beers don't generally lend themselves to being part of the broad sales approaches employed by big, national brand wholesalers," he suggests. "They need to be hand sold, to be given individual attention and care. The kind of personal representation we offer is needed more than ever these days."

The folks at Bear Republic obviously agree.--JACK CURTIN

That link is to an online sub-feature to Clemons' story, a slide show presentation called "Web Selling--What's Smart, What's Dumb<" and is in the "Smart" category. Clemons is taken with the fact that each beer listing on this site has a link to RateBeer site and links his readers to the The Beer Yard so they can see what he means.

He writes:

The relationship between the Beer Yard and Ratebeer is nothing short of brilliant...it is probably a harbinger of relationships between sellers and independent, user-generated content, reviewing sites.

HB 606 currently has an amendment attached which specifies a 66oz package as the minimum size for beer packages in the state. That 66oz figure is to accommodate some import beers, primarily Belgian, which come in 11oz bottles; the basic 720z sixpack fits under that guideline but would be excluded under proposals making larger sizes the smallest allowable package.

According to Dan Weirback of Weyerbacher Brewing Co. in Easton, speaking to The Beer Yard on behalf of the Guild, "some other interests out there" are pressuring legislators to raise the minimum size to 12 packs or larger because it would be exclusively to their benefit were that to happen.

"Making a six-pack the minimum package would bring Pennsylvania into line with every other state in the union," Weirback said this morning. "In all 49 other states, that is the basic package for beer. Making 12, 15 and 18 packs the norm would only benefit the large mainstream brewers, who are poised at our borders to bring those packages into the market. And it would place a serious burden on in-state craft brewers who would have to invest in additional packaging options and maintain an inventory of additional packaging sizes in order to compete and would not be able to respond quickly to a changed landscape.

"More importantly, surveys have shown that Pennsylvania consumers, up to 85 percent of them in one survey, prefer and want the six-pack size available to them. The six-pack is the most consumer-friendly option because it allows buyers to try new beers at less cost-an important factor with beer prices rising because of the hops and malt crunch-and to enjoy a wider variety of beers within their budgets. The size also benefits retailers, allowing them to display more brands in less space and appeal to a wider range of customers. And even Mothers Against Drunk Driving has come out in support of the six-pack option in Pennsylvania because it limits the amount of beer a consumer is required to purchase.

"Understand, a six-pack minimum would not preclude the 12-pack or other larger packages for craft brewers or anyone else; it would just insure that Pennsylvania will enjoy a full range of packaging options for beer which is consistent with what exists everywhere else in the United States."

HB 606 is a Liquor Control Enforcement bill and not the massive legislation which was much discussed in the press last summer and which provided for not only new options for current beer retailers but also expanded sales to additional venues outside the existing distribution system. That legislation has been tabled, apparently permanently, according to Harrisburg insiders. The new six-pack amendment was one of several added to 606 on December 4 by the Senate Law and Justice Committee, presumably because it was least controversial aspect of the proposed changes in the earlier bill and enjoys strong public support. From public reports, Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest brewer, appears to favor the six-pack minimum, while Miller Brewing and Coors Brewing are supporting the larger packages.

In an emergency meeting held in Harrisburg on Wednesday, the Brewers Guild drafted a letter to legislators arguing that a sudden influx of additional packaging options will be an unfair burden to in-state breweries because "our businesses have been forced to compete in packages of cases (264 fl. oz.) and sixpacks (72 oz.) since the inception of the Pennsylvania Liquor Code" and that adopting the six-pack minimum would mean that "Pennsylvania retailers will avoid the burden of new product deluge as the 24 count carton that they currently stock can be divided, as their option, into more consumer friendly retail packages."

"We need consumers to push for this amendment to go through as it is currently written, immediately and loudly, by calling their state senators and assemblymen," says Weirback, "so that we can offset the lobbying efforts of the other side. If they don't, it very likely won't get through. The Brewers Guild by itself doesn't have enough clout compared to the other lobbyists. We want to mobilize everybody we can in support of six-pack legislation."

Consumers can go the Pennsylvania General Assembly online and enter their zip codes to get the names of their senate and house representatives. Clicking on the representative's name brings up telephone, mail and email contact options. "Tell them that you support the amendment to HB 606 which makes a six-pack the minimum size for beer in Pennsylvania," Weirback stresses. "Make it clear that you want package reform to go to six-packs, not 12, 15 or 18. Be clear and be firm."

The Brewers Guild was reformed roughly 18 months ago to represent the state's craft brewers and brewpubs in the area of legal reform. Artie Tafoya of Appalachian Brewing is president, serving with an executive committee which includes Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing (vice-president), Sean Casey of Church Brew Works (secretary) and John Trogner of Troegs Brewing (treasurer).-JACK CURTIN

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery was one of eight "Brewery Supporters" of the Brewers Association's new event which will also be pouring, for a total of 48 breweries.

Winning breweries were contacted by email yesterday and a press release sent out today.

Breweries had to sign up for the lottery to have chance and the were randomly chosen from eight regions across the nation. were entered into the drawing - 40 breweries from 8 regions were randomly selected for participation. Additionally, eight spots were reserved for Brewery Supporters (sponsors), for a total of 48 breweries participating at the event.

Tickets for each of three sessions will be limited to the first 700 purchasers. The $85 ticket will include a commemorative tasting glass, souvenir program and Craft Beer Taster's Commemorative Journal, food and craft beer pairings, seminars and two-ounce samples of specially selected craft beer.--JACK CURTIN

He and another informed beer industry observer, both of whom choose to remain anonymous, also agreed that they expect Harvard's Pittsburgh pub to suffer the same fate in the near future.

"In fact, I suspect that the Boston Culinary Group (which bought the John Harvard chain in 2005) will eventually close all the pubs except the original one in Cambridge, Ma., which is hugely successful, and do so sooner rather than later," said one.

Most employees appear not to have been forewarned of the closing, but brewer Brad Basile, who was an assistant brewer at Manayunk Brewing for the past year-and a-half and stepped into the brewer’s post at the closed location at the end of October, was apparently given a head's up by one of our sources a week ago.

ORIGINAL STORY No one is answering the phones for the location as of this evening and the location has disappeared from the Harvard's website as a Pennsylvania location.

The Wayne John Harvard's opened with a big splash in in February 1997 and proved to be the first of several tenants to make a go of it at what would appear to be a very desirable location which was originally home to a classic old Main Line watering hole and dining spot.

The Harvard's location in Springfield closed nearly two years ago and other sites around the country have been shuttered in recent years, so a closing would not be a major surprise.

Further information as it becomes available. --JACK CURTIN

ORIGINAL STORY 12-6-2007
Tom Baker told The Beer Yard this morning that the brewpub he and wife/[partner Peggy Zwerver promised to open when they shut down Heavyweight Brewing last year will be located on Germantown Avenue in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia and that he hopes to open the doors by the end of March 2008.

"We have a signed lease and will be moving our equipment into place as soon as possible," Baker said. "We also plan to relocate our residence to the area and hope to become a part of the neighborhood and a destination site for beer lovers."

The new pub, to be named Earth. Bread & Brewery will feature flatbread and Baker's beers, along with guest craft beers. "We have a full liquor license but won't use that right off the bat. We'll take things slow and get them right."

Earth, Bread & Brewery will be located at 7136 Germantown Avenue, a few blocks south of McMenamin's Tavern.

More details to come.--JACK CURTIN

It's all been worked out," Friedland said. "Yards is happy, Kunda is happy, Origlio is happy, Muller is happy and I'm happy. In fact, the next time you see me, I'll probably be drinking a pint of Yards at the bar."

ORIGINAL STORY 12-5-2007
The distribution rights for Yards Brewing Company now belong to Muller, Inc., a reliable source told The Beer Yard late tonight.

Muller is a Miller Brewing affiliated wholesaler located in Northeast Philadelphia. The story is still unconfirmed but it is an arrangement which had been widely anticipated in local beer circles in recent weeks as the likely next shoe to drop in the series of distribution shakeups in the local market over the past two years.

Yards has been self-distributing since the acquisition of its original wholesaler, Edward I. Friedland, by Kunda Beverage of King of Prussia in 2006. Yards refused to accept the transfer of its rights and claimed that it had always designated first distribution rights to itself. The matter has been in the courts ever since, with Yards winning at each level.

In a deal announced in November, Kunda Beverage's wholesale contracts have all been acquired by Origlio Beverage, the region's largest wholesaler and a Coors house, as of this January.

Yards itself underwent a major change this past summer when co-founder Tom Kehoe split with his partners and set in motion a process which will see the brewery moved from its Kensington plant to a new location on the Delaware River waterfront in January.

How all of this sorts out and whether this move resolves the legal and related issues is not clear at this point. More details will be posted here as they become available.--JACK CURTIN

Hoptimus Prime this beer is a Double IPA brewed with seven different hops and then dry hopped to boot. Euphoria is a cult-favorite Belgian-style Strong Ale. Both beers have only been available on draught to date.

The newsletter also said that Legacy Nor'Easter Oatmeal Stout, just out in draught,will be also available in 22oz. bottles sometime in January and that the brewing staff is formulating a new Belgian-style Dubbel.--JACK CURTIN

Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Baldrige, Franklin & Marshall Vice President for Administrative Services and External Affairs Keith Orris and James Street Improvement District Deputy Director Marshall Snively will join the Iron foundes in pouring the first beer from the award-winning brewery.

The restaurant will then open for business at 5 pm.--JACK CURTIN

"Prima won the Bronze medal there in 2004 and we didn't enter in 2005 or 2006, " Victory's Bill Covaleski told The Beer Yard. "And our Storm King Imperial Stout took a Bronze in that category the first time it was entered."

The Beerstar medal topped off a productive fall awards season for the brewery's flagship pilsner, which also garnered the Silver Medal in its category at the Great American Beer Festival in October.--JACK CURTIN

"SABMiller sees significant potential across Africa and Latin America, where the premium segment is still in its infancy, and in the more developed markets of Central and Eastern Europe," said a corporate press release. "South Africa represents a key opportunity and with the addition of Grolsch, SABMiller will have a particularly strong portfolio of highly differentiated premium brands in that market." No changes to existing distribution arrangements in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States are anticipated at this time, although SABMiller Chief Financial Officer Malcolm Wyman said at news conference that the new owners would "seek to enter into discussions with Anheuser-Busch after the deal is closed." A-B acquired distribution rights for Grolsch in the US last year.--JACK CURTIN

In effect, Redhook is buying the privately held Widmer Brothers, issuing 8 million new shares and paying about $50 million. Anheuser-Busch, which currently owns roughly one-third of each of the two merging companies, will hold the same ownership in the Craft Brewers Alliance. That entity already exists as a sales and marketing joint venture between Redhook and Widmer and has a distribution agreement with A-B.

In addition to the Redhook and Widmer brands, the new alliance will include the Kona and Goose Island brands, based on minority ownerships in both currently held by Redhook. It will have annual shipments in the 600,000 barrel range according to The Seattle Times. Beer Marketer's Insights reports that Widmer shipped 269,000 barrels and Redhook 168,000 in 2006, for a total of 467,000 barrels.

Kurt Widmer, co-founder of Widmer Brothers, will be chairman of the combined Pacific Northwest companies, while Redhook founder Paul Shipman will be chairman emeritus.

The deal had been rumored for some time and the two brewers acknowledged last January that they might merge.--JACK CURTIN

Did this mean that Pabst had acquired some or all equity in the respected Long Island brewpub? Would the beers be mass brewed at one or more of the various contract breweries which produce the Pabst brands? What would become of Phil Markowski, the award-winning Southampton brewer who is considered one of the nation's best?

Not to worry, said Southampton owner Donald Sullivan in an email to beer writer Stan Hieronymus which was published on the latter's AppellationBeer website yesterday: "Pabst has not bought any percentage of SHB. Southampton stays independent. The strategic alignment is affording SHB a well established distribution network with full sales and marketing and marketing support while allowing PBC to begin to offer it’s distributors a specialty brand that has legitimacy in terms of quality and reputation. SHB receives economies of scale with market penetration equal to most or all of regional/national competitors while PBC is able to access and offer the myriad of styles available through the SHB license agreement."

In an earlier posting, Hieronymus (who was all over this story) reported that Markowski would remain the man in charge of overseeing all Southampton beers which will continue to be brewed at three locations; the brewpub itself (mostly for on-premise consumption though a few batches are sometimes bottled); Sly Fox Brewing in Royersford (750ml corked bottles) and, replacing Old Saratoga Brewing in Saratoga Springs, NY, The Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre (year-round and seasonal beers in 12oz bottles).

"I have the intention of being totally hands on,' Markowski told Hieronymus. "There is no thought of changing the product or the integrity of the product," noting that the lines between "craft" and "contract" beers are blurring as the industry matures. "Some of subjectivity is coming out of it," he argued. "It’s more, ‘How does it taste?’"

Southampton is one of the most-honored craft brewers of the last 10 years and was awarded a Silver medal for Double White Ale and a Bronze medal for Saison farmhouse-style ale at the recently concluded 2007 Great American Beer Festival® in Denver, CO. Since opening in 1996, Southampton has won 14 GABF medals.

The agreement with Pabst is expected to take effect by year's end with shipments to commence in the second quarter of 2008.--JACK CURTIN

News of the sale, which has been rumored since August, was first broken on Seen Through a Glass, Lew Bryson's website, early yesterday.

Ohio-based Blue Point Capital Partners is backing Ron Hammond, who will be CEO ,and Cliff Risell, will be president.

According to the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, Hammond said today that employees should not be affected by the change in ownership and that former owners Chuck Lawson and Patrick Belardi would continue to be involved.

While The Lion itself came into existence in 1901, it can trace its heritage to pre-Civil War days because it absorbed the Stegmaier Brewery in 1974 and that establishment was founded in 1857. The Lion was operated by the Smulowitz family from 1933-1993, when it was sold to a group of private investors. Lawson and Belardi, members of that investment team, then purchased the business in 1999.

The Lion is a Wilkes-Barre landmark which brews both Stegmaier and its own line of Pocono Lager beers along with contract and private label beers, as well as a variety of sodas. Beginning in 2005, it has produced a quarterly Stegmaier special release aimed at the craft beer market. The Winter 2007 release, just out, is Stegmaier Winter Warmer Olde World Ale. The brewery celebrated Stegmaier's 150th anniversary this year with the new Steg 150, a Vienna lager which proved to be so popular that it has been added to the brand's year-round portfolio. --JACK CURTIN

Dixie’s brewery was filled with up to nine feet of water during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and severely looted in the weeks thereafter. All the copper piping and a classic old copper kettle, along with 50 or more ancient wooden tanks make of cypress, were cut up and taken by looters, making one of the few remaining regional breweries and the only remaining privately held regional brewery in the South a disaster area.

Dixie opened its doors on October 31, 1907, 100 years to the day from last week's celebration.

In an unpublished interview with The Beer Yard from October 2006, just over a year after Katrina, Joe Bruno extended an invitation to “our 100th Anniversary Celebration next year…it will happen and it will happen right here in New Orleans at the brewery.” Last Wednesday night, he and his wife made good on that promise as costumed revelers enjoyed mini-Muffalos and other local cuisine, danced to New Orleans jazz and quaffed Dixie’s three flagship beers, which are currently being contract brewed by Huber Brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin. Long-time Dixie brewmaster Kevin Stuart treks up to Wisconsin for each brewing cycle.

“It took me six months to get back here to New Orleans after Katrina,” Stuart said. “We had 17 feet of water at our home in Mississippi and I was living in a tent with my wife and five dogs, trying to get things together. But I knew I’d come back and I knew I wanted to help Joe and Kendra in whatever they chose to do. I’m glad they want to try and bring Dixie back and I want to be part of it.” As for doing the beers at Huber for now, Stuart said “we did have to tweak things a bit because of a different brewing system and differences in the water used, but I think we’ve captured the original flavors.”

The original Dixie rollout has put the beers into Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, Colorado and Massachusetts as well as Louisiana at this point. A second rollout is planned for this month to Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Expectations are that the three beers will be nationwide in time for Mardi Gras 2008 in February. If sales warrant, Joe Bruno said, the popular Crimson Voodoo may also return during the contract brewing phase.

Reconstruction plans call for installing a state-of-the-art 50bbl brewhouse in the first level of the existing building and the creation of an “authentic old-world beer garden” on the roof in the shadow of the famous silver dome which will offer panoramic views of the city, with a target date of 2010 for completion.

That will be a daunting task with the odds stacked against it happening. Then again, a 100th birthday party this year was a real long shot too.—JACK CURTIN

Appalachian Root Beer is specially brewed with a "unique blend of honey, vanilla, pure cane sugar and a whole lotta fun," according to brewery press release, and now, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture's PA Preferred Program, Appalachian Root Beer will some be coming to the shelves of a Giant Food Store in your area.

If the brand shows a solid sales trend, it is likely to be given a permanent slot at Giant and open the doors to other venues.--JACK CURTIN

Three other Pennsylvania breweries, all local, took various honors in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast regional judging in the competition.

Victory Brewing of Downingtown took two firsts and an honorable mention in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast region, Sly Fox Brewing of Royersford earned a first and an honorable mention, General Lafayette Inn of Lafayette Hill won a first and McKenzie Brew House of Malvern won two honorable mentions.

Victory's two championships were for Prima Pils and HopDevil India Pale Ale, while Victory Saison was the honorable mention beer behind the top-ranked Sly Fox Saison Vos in that category. Sly Fox's honorable mention was for Phoenix Pale Ale. General Lafayette won in the Fruit Beer category for Lafayette Biere de Framboises. McKenzie's honorable mentions were for Unicorn Amber Ale and Shane's Gold, a pilsner.

Victory, Sly Fox and McKenzie were also multiple medal winners at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in Denver this month.

USBTC examined a total of 421 beers from 169 breweries across 12 different beer categories. Within each category, the USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: Northeast, id-Atlantic/Southeast, Midwest, Rockies/Southwest, California and Northwest/Pacific, along with an honorable mention beer when merited.--JACK CURTIN

The return engagement was first reported here yesterday in story which also noted that recently hired head brewer Julius Hummer was let go by Dock Street Saturday night after less than two months on the job.

Morrison, who set up the Dock Street brewhouse and brewed the pub's first beers, is returning for an indeterminate stay. "It will be at least a month," Certo told The Beer Yard today, "or maybe longer. Six months or so would be ideal. Scott still wants to do his own thing, but he's with us for now and he's welcome to stay as long as he wants to. It's a good relationship. He's happy and we're happy. We had a major reunion this morning and it was like he never left."

Morrison will be assisted by Mike Fava, who is sort of the "Jack of all trades" for Dock Street. "Mike has been with us for two years and he's a very key person," Certo said. "He has his hands in everything around here. He does managing, he does wholesale sales from the brewery and he brews. he helped set up the brewhouse and did a lot of brewing with Scott the first time around. Scott will be both directing and training Michael as part of his job, but Michael already knows a lot. He transferred beer yesterday without Scott being here, for example. We'll obviously still be looking for a brewer, but if Scott is here for an extended period of time, it's certainly possible that Michael could be ready to take over after he leaves."

Morrison says that training Fava to perhaps follow in his footsteps is something he figures is right up his alley. "Hey, I did okay with the last guy I trained, didn't I?" he asked, laughing. Ryan Michaels, Morrison's assistant brewer before he was let go by McKenzie Brew House, won two medals, including a Gold, at GABF 2007 last week.--JACK CURTIN

"We just signed the papers,"a relieved Kehoe said in a telephone call. "I've been working on this deal for over a month. Now we have a lot of work to do and that starts right away. We will clean the place up and move the brewhouse in next week and begin building platforms and doing the plumbing work to turn it into a brewery."

The new location has been empty for the past few years after having been a skateboarding facility in its previous incarnation. It has an interior loading dock which is accessible from a side street, Kehoe said, simplifying the process of loading and unloading trucks in that busy section of the riverfront.

Kehoe and former partners Bill and Nancy Barton split up this past summer. He has continued to operate Yards out of their Kensington plant under a lease which runs until the end of the year. The Bartons are in the process of creating Philadelphia Brewing Company, which will begin producing beer at the site after Kehoe and Yards leave.

Kehoe says that, as far as he is concerned, brewing positions at the new facility "belong to the Yards brewers, the guys who are producing the beer now. They've said that they want to stay with me and I've told them the jobs are theirs, but I will need a formal commitment soon."

That conflicts with what Bartons told The Beer Yard last month, that the brewing team would all be joining their new company. If that should happen, Kehoe said, "I have plenty of applications from people wanting to brew for Yards, more than I can handle, in fact."

"We'll no longer be hidden away in a dark corner of the city," Kehoe added, laughing, "but right out there on the Delaware River with great exposure to the public. We'll have a lot of architectural work to do, a lot of construction and plumbing, but I believe we will at least be in position to brew at some level by January, assuming we've gotten all the permits. I'd guess we'll be very heavy on draught when we start up, then move back into regular bottling schedules."

To the extent possible, he added, he will try to stockpile as much packaged beer as he can through the rest of 2007 to keep as strong a Yards presence in the market as possible through the changeover.--JACK CURTIN

Multiple sources have confirmed the broad outlines of the apparent sale for The Beer Yard Monday evening. The deal was the subject of countless telephone calls in local beer circles after it broke late yesterday, continuing well into the evening and early morning hours.

Insiders say that Origlio is also expected to make at least two more wholesaler acquisitions in the next few months. Conjecture is that these would be businesses located in the western and northern suburbs.

The move will add most of the major local and U.S. craft beer brands currently in the five-county market and an impressive array of high-end Belgian imports to the wholesaler's portfolio.

Origlio signaled its interest in becoming involved in the craft beer segment last year when it sought and acquired the rights to the Sly Fox brand from Kunda. The presence of some of the company's key sales personnel at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver last week added further evidence of that interest.

Local craft brands currently distributed by Kunda in addition to Sly Fox include Dock Street, Dogfish Head, Legacy, Stoudt's and Weyerbacher. Major West Coast brands such as Port, Stone and Russian River are also in its portfolio, as are several other well known crafts from across the county and many of the best known and highly prized Belgian and German labels.

A source familiar with the negotiations said that Kunda, which pulled off a major acquisition of its own in 2006 by purchasing Edward I. Friedland, Philadelphia's major distributor of craft and Belgian beers, pulled the trigger on the sale at this time to insure that its personnel would have seniority in the event of any future takeovers by Origlio.

Kunda will keep its retail outlet in King of Prussia and its importing subsidiary.

Whether Origlio will choose to keep all the Kunda brands or whether any of the breweries might object to the shift of its brand to a new wholesaler is unknown at this point.

The impact on the overall wholesale picture for the five-county region will be, at the very least, one less distribution option for breweries seeking to enter the market. In addition, an eventual shuffling and swapping of brands among wholesalers is not unusual following a restructuring as major as this one will be.--JACK CURTIN

Award-winning filmmakers Roger Sherman and Jesse Sweet were honored by the Brewers Association (BA) as recipients of the Beer Journalism Award in the Electronic Media category for "The American Brew," an hour-long film commissioned by Anheuser-Busch’s "Here’s To Beer" industry-development campaign. It first aired in April on the A&E channel and is now available on DVD. The film celebrates the rich history of "America's favorite beverage of moderation" and chronicles the evolution of beer throughout the centuries and up to the present day.

Writers Julie Johnson Bradford and Marnie Old were given Beer Journalism awards for their work in print. Bradford, editor of All About Beer, was the Trade and Specialty Beer Media winner for "The Men in the Tall Rubber Boots," which appeared in the magazine's May issue. Old won in the Consumer Print Media category for "Beer Takes the High Road," published in Santé magazine in June 2007.

BA was joined by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) in presenting three new awards to wholesalers. The Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award, which recognizes the beer distributor in America who does the most to market, sell and promote craft beer in its market, went to Monarch Beverage Co. of Indiana. The Craft Beer Distributor Achievement Award went to Louis Glunz Beer Co. of Illinois, and the Craft Beer Distributor Recognition Award went to Cavalier Distributing of Ohio.--JACK CURTIN

Victory Brewing, Sly Fox Beer and McKenzie Brew House each won two medals, including a Gold each, and Troegs Brewing and Rock Bottom King of Prussia accounted for the other two Golds in the standard beer judging. Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works received a Gold in the Pro-Am competition. In addition, Stoudt Brewing Company won two medals and Iron Hill one, for a state total of six Golds and 12 overall wins. Pennsylvania finished fourth among the states in total wins, behind California (46), Colorado (28) and, just barely, Wisconsin (13). Oregon was fifth with 11 wins; even if the Allentown/Bethlehem Gold in the Pro-Am competition is discounted by purists, the state was at worst tied for the fourth slot.

Overall, East Coast breweries won 32 medals, three less than in 2006, but they outperformed last year by 11 Gold Medals to seven. In addition to the Pennsylvania wins and two in Delaware (details on both states' medals can be found in our story posted yesterday), medals were garnered by breweries in New York (6), Maryland (5), Maine (2), Massachusetts (2), Virginia (2) and New Hampshire (1).

In New York, Captain Lawrence took a Gold for Cuvee de Castleton, Southampton Publick House won a Silver for Double White Ale and Bronze for McHenry Lager, Blue Point won Silver for Toasted Lager, and Chelsea Brewing (Hop Angel IPA) and Olde Saratoga Brewing (Kingfisher Premium Lager Beer) each won Bronze. The Olde Saratoga win gave the region a clean sweep in the German-Style Pilsner category, behind Gold for Sly Fox Pilsner and Silver for Victory Prima Pils.

In Maryland,Rock Bottom-Bethesda had a trifecta--Gold for Brown Bear Brown, Silver for Firechief Ale and Bronze for Right On Rye and Clipper City Brewing won Gold for BaltoMärzHon and Bronze for McHenry Lager. A bit further south in Northern Virginia, Great American Restaurants won Gold for Crazy Jackass Ale and Capitol City Brewing Co. received Bronze for Milkman Stout.

Boston Beer Company won the only Gold in the New England states, for Samuel Adams Double Bock (in a category when Sly Fox Instigator was the Bronze); a second Massachusetts win came from Cambridge Brewing Co., a silver for Cambridge Amber. Allagash Brewing Co. took a pair of Bronze Medals for Maine, winning with beers named Victor and Four. And Portsmith Brewery of New Hampshire won Silver for Wheat Wine to round out the East Coast totals.

In the brewery and brewpub awards, Pabst Brewing and brewer Bob Newman were the Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year, Firestone Walker Brewing and brewer Matthew Brynildson were the Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing and Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey and Tomme Arthur were the Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year. The Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year were Redrock Brewing Company and Kevin Templin; the Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year were Montana Brewing Company and Travis Zeilstra.

GABF sold out completely for 2007 and a record-breaking attendance figure topping last year's 41,000 is expected to be reported when everything is tallied up. This year, 107 certified judges from seven countries tasted 2832 beers which were entered by 474 breweries in 75 style categories and 222 medals were awarded. There were 408 breweries on the festival floor, pouring 1884 beers, an estimated 25,000 gallons in all.--JACK CURTIN

GABF results by state were calculated based upon statistical data organized by Bryan Kolesar, proprietor of The Brew Lounge.

The medal total included six Gold Medals and two medals each for Victory Brewing Company of Downingtown, Sly Fox Beer of Royersford and Phoenixville, McKenzie Brew House in Chadds Ford and Malvern, and Stoudt's Brewing of Adamstown.

Victory took Gold for Victory Festbier and Silver for Prima Pils, behind Sly Fox's Gold for Pikeland Pils. Sly Fox also won Bronze for Instigator Doppelbock. McKenzie won Gold for Saison Vautour and Bronze for Wee Heavy. Troegs Brewing Company of Harrisburg won a Gold in the Doppelbock category for Troegenator Doppelbock and the Rock Bottom Brewery location in King of Prussia won Gold for its Broad Street Barleywine.

Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works received a Gold Medal in the Pro-Am Beer Competition, along with AHA member Chris Bowen. Pro-Am entries are brewed by professional craft brewers based on award winning homebrew recipes from American Homebrewers Association (AHA) members.

Stoudt's Brewing Company of Adamstown won Silver for its Weizen and Bronze for its Ofest. Iron Hill Media won Bronze for its Kriek de Hill. Stewart's Brewing of Bear, Del., earned a Silver for its Oktoberfest and Dogfish Head of Milton, Del., won Silver for Midas Touch.

Additionally, Philadelphia writer Marnie Old won the Beer Writer of the Year award in the Consumer Print Media Category in the Brewers Association Beer Journalism Awards competition.

Storylines for the event including Victory's first ever GABF medal, McKenzie Brew House winning a Gold and a Bronze the year after the dismissal of perennial medal winning brewer Scott Morrison and Troegs winning medals two years in a row for Troegenator (Silver in 2006).

Here are the winners by category:

Category: 9 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale - 39 Entries
Silver: Midas Touch, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 17 Aged Beer (Ale or Lager) - 30 Entries
Gold: Broad Street Barleywine, Rock Bottom Brewery - King of Prussia, King of Prussia, PA

Category: 21 German-Style Pilsener - 47 Entries
Gold: Pikeland Pils, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Royersford, PA
Silver: Prima Pils, Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA

Category: 28 Vienna Style Lager - 37 Entries
Bronze: Stoudts Ofest, Stoudts Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA

Category: 29 German Style Märzen - 58 Entries
Gold: Victory Festbier, Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA
Silver: Stewart’s Oktoberfest, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE

Category: 34 Bock - 23 Entries
Gold: Troegenator, Tröegs Brewing Co., Harrisburg, PA

Category: 35 German Style Strong Bock - 22 Entries
Bronze: Instigator, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Royersford, PA

Category: 55 South German Style - 60 Entries
Silver: Stoudts Weizen, Stoudts Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA

Category: 58 French- and Belgian Style Saison - 35 Entries
Gold: Saison Vautour, McKenzie Brew House, Malvern, PA

Category: 60 Belgian-Style Sour Ale - 28 Entries
Bronze: Kriek de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media, Media, PA

Category: 71 Strong Scotch Ale - 28 Entries
Bronze: McKenzie Wee Heavy, McKenzie Brew House, Malvern, PA

More Beer Yard GABF Coverage will be posted Sunday or Monday.--JACK CURTIN

NOTE: An earlier Flash News Report said that Stoudt's Brewing also won a Gold Medal and did not include either Rock Bottom or Dogfish Head as medal winners. We apologize for the errors.

Pliny the Elder, arguably the nation's most popular and sought-after double IPA ,comes in at 100 IBUs and registers 8.0% alcohol by volume.

The Alpha King competition is sponsored and was created, by Hop Union, Yakima, WA, a major supplier of hops to craft brewers; the Northwest edition of the national Brewing News chain and White Labs, San Diego, a supplier of yeast to craft brewers.

The 2006 winner was Boundary Bay Imperial IPA brewed by Ed Bennett.--JACK CURTIN

The closing transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2007 and MillerCoors is expected to have have combined net revenues of approximately $6.6 billion and beer sales of 69 million U.S. barrels (81 million hectoliters). SABMiller and Molson Coors will have a 50% voting interest in the joint venture and five representatives each on its Board of Directors. SABMiller will have 58% economic interest and Molson Coors will have 42% economic interest.

The new company, MillerCoors, will be headed by Molson Coors Vice Chairman Pete Coors as chairman and SABMiller CEO Graham McKay as vice chairman. Molson Coors chief executive Leo Kiely will be the CEO of the joint venture, and Tom Long, Miller CEO will serve as president and chief commercial officer.

From the press release: "MillerCoors will build on the unique attributes of both Miller Lite and Coors Light to ensure compelling differentiation. The new company will also be better positioned to meet the increasingly diverse demands of U.S. beverage alcohol consumers through imports like Peroni, Molson and Pilsner Urquell; craft varieties including Leinenkugel’s, Blue Moon and Henry Weinhard’s; and specialty beers like Miller Chill, Killian’s and Sparks. MillerCoors will have more flexibility and resources for brand-building initiatives and increased levels of innovation in taste, product attributes and packaging."--JACK CURTIN

The action, which is only part of what Norman said he hopes will be "a major announcement" in coming weeks, will be taken because long lines at brewery stands this past weekend led some attendees to offer complaints at the BeerAdvocate website yesterday. Norman replied almost immediately with his own posting, writing that "I hear you all loud and clear and can assure you that my committee has as well in an email I sent this morning at 8 am."

Including 300 tickets for the limited attendance Connoisseur Tasting before the four-hour main event, more than 3000 tickets were sold for this year's festival, which featured the beers of 47 breweries. Everyone who purchased tickets online will receive a follow-up email explaining the restriction on sales for 2008, Norman said.

"With nine more breweries this year we spread the site out and I thought we had enough space. Actually, I guess we did, but I obviously miscalculated for the brewery lines. I’ve fired the first shot across my committee’s bow and, in no uncertain terms, have guaranteed that this won’t happen again," he stressed.

The ten-year old festival, which has grown into one of the region's largest and most popular, attracts brewery participation from as far away as California and attendees from several surrounding states. Norman said that it is the "financial life blood" of Historic Kennett Square, a non-profit organization "whose mission is to actively support and enrich the community vitality and pride, to help preserve the historic district and small-town atmosphere of downtown Kennett Square."

Norman had some words of praise for attendees at the event. "I think most people had a great time and that the crowd was well behaved even with the heat. Everyone who made a comment about the lines has been civil and I’m hoping that's because we’ve earned that over the years. I think it's fair to say too that the Connoisseur portion was was great and that the bathroom situation, which we'd had some problems with last year, was good, because we added additional facilities. I’d appreciate it if you focus on those two aspects of the event," he laughed.

Overall response in the BeerAdvocate thread was indeed favorable. In addition, several posters praised the Connoisseur session in particular and some of those pouring the beers as well as attendees made a point of commending the festival staff for its help and good humor.--JACK CURTIN

Mullin wrote that he was told by Victory sales director Steve German that the originally planned 750ml bottles arrived "3mm out of spec and cannot be run on the bottling line with the same crowns. [A]decision was made to switch to 22oz bottles, change labels and change boxes." The latter two items have, fortunately, not yet been printed.

No new release date has been set, Mullin said.

Baltic Thunder is Victory's reformulated version of Heavyweight Brewing Company's Perkuno's Hammer, a Baltic Porter which was one of the favorite releases of the closed New Jersey brewery. The brewery was closed by Tom Baker and Peggy Zwerver in 2006 so that they could pursue other ventures. Victory founders Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski were such fans of the brew that they licenses the rights to recreate it from the Heavyweight founders. The name change resulted from a legal conflict over distribution rights to the brand name.

The Drafting Room's "One Final Victory for Heavyweight" event on Saturday, October 20 has been canceled for now. It was to have featured the draught release of Baltic Thunder and "the last known keg" of the original Perkuno's Hammer. along with bottles of several other Heavyweight beers and an appearance by Baker and Zwerver.--JACK CURTIN

That promise will be validated on Monday, October 8, with the release of kegs of Dock Street RYPA (a Rye IPA) and Dock Street Pumpkin Ale to wholesaler Kunda Beverage.

The beers are slated for The Standard Tap and Johnny Brenda's.

Brewer Julius Hummer told the Beer Yard during yesterday's Kennett Square Brewfest, where he was pouring his new Satellite Espresso Stout, that the IPA, created by interim brewer Scott Morrison, will remain part of his menu because of its popularity with the pub's customers, as will Morrison's Kolsch.

Hummer has already added his own Left Coast Red Ale and an Imperial Oatmeal Stout to the mix and promises more new brews shortly.--JACK CURTIN

According to the Prague Daily Monitor last Thursday, told the country’s Chamber of Deputies that the Czech government is not going to privatize the Budejovicky Budvar brewery at this time. "This is no privatization," he said, adding that a tender will be issued for the transformation of state-owned Budvar in October and the transformation of the brewery into a joint-stock company would take about 12-18 months. Topolanek also dismissed speculations that his adviser Marek Dalik is in talks with A-B.

The two brewers have been locked in trademark disputes around the world over the use of the name "Budweiser" for decades. By buying Budvar, A-B, which took over US distribution of Budvar under the Czechvar brand name, could put an end to the expensive litigation.--JACK CURTIN

The Beer Tasting and Hop Appreciation Kit has as its main component thirteen different hop samples and a Beer Appreciation Guide to teach the user how to properly appreciate beer, along with a color chart of "12 different shades of beer." A "scent refresher" is provided to "help reduce scent fatigue after repeated sniffs of hops and tastes of beer."

The kit also includes access to two online databases, a Hop Database which pairs hundreds of commercial beers with the hops used in brewing them and a Terms Database which offers extensive list of terms used to describe beers and their characteristics.

"While the concept of a wine tasting kit has been around for a long time to help train the palates of wine drinkers, the concept of a beer tasting kit is new," Lewis said in announcing the product, adding that his inspiration came as the result of using allergy medication for the first time "after having no real sense of smell my whole life, a result of living in Houston.

"I was brewing a batch of homebrew and trying to explain to my wife how hops affect the beer's flavor. In frustration I pulled the remaining bits of hops out of my fridge and told her to take a sniff and taste the beer. She complied and looked at me with a somewhat exasperated look on her face and said 'Why didn't you just say to do this to begin with?' I then took a smell myself and realized that the essence of the beer had never come through so clearly to me before because I could finally smell for the first time in my life. That's when I realized that everyone should be able to experience what I was experiencing."

Lewis claims that the kit was designed with "all levels of beer enthusiasts in mind, from the most seasoned home brewer to the certified beer judge. There is always something more to learn about beer, which is the beauty of this tasting kit, something for every level of beer connoisseur. After all, is there anyone out there that can identify thirteen different hops by name? I sure as heck can't, but with this kit I can."--JACK CURTIN

The famed beer and spirits writer died unexpectedly at his home in London earlier this month. He had been battling Parkinson's Disease for two decades.

The Toast will be celebrated in this area at these locations:

Monk's Café
Nodding Head
Grace Tavern
The Belgian Café
Tria
Standard Tap
Johnny Brenda's
Grey Lodge Pub
The Drafting Room Taproom & Grill (both locations)
Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery
Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny
Stewart's Brewing Company
Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats

Participating establishments will donate some or all of their proceeds for the evening, pass the hat, have auctions and raffles and and offer various other activities to raise money for the Parkinson Foundation. --JACK CURTIN

A group of investors headed by Connecticut businessman John N. Milne believe it can happen. They formally took control of the 146-year-old Lawrenceville brewery late yesterday afternoon, "promising to invest $4.1 million to modernize the plant and renew the appeal of Iron City and two affiliated brands, IC Light and Augustiner," according to Pittsburgh Brewing was forced into bankruptcy in December 2005 when the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority threatened to terminate service because of more than $2 million in unpaid bills. It had posted operating losses of $1.2 million over the three years prior to bankruptcy, losses continued during its bankruptcy, with the brewery losing $3 million last year on sales of $24.5 million.--JACK CURTIN

[UPDATE 1- 1 Sep 07] It appears that the planners for a national "Toast to Michael Jackson" will most likely push things back from the original September 12 date, probably to September 30, to allow them more time to organize the event.

The new date would be one month from Jackson's death in London on this past Thursday.

[ORIGINAL STORY- 31 Aug 07]

Tom Peters of Monk’s Café has started a campaign to “raise a glass to our good friend Michael and raise some cash for the National Parkinson Foundation” with an email sent out last night to several beer industry movers and shakers. The proposal calls for “a national toast” on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at 9PM Eastern Time (6pm West Coast) in honor of Michael Jackson, who died at his home in London yesterday.

Details are still in flux but the idea is to use that event and possibly some activity or a both during the Great American Beer Festival in Denver October 11-13 to raise funds for a major donation in Jackson’s name to the National Parkinson Foundation. Jackson announced last year that he was suffering from Parkinson’s but there is no indication yet as whether that contributed to his death.

More details as they become available.—JACK CURTIN

Michael Jackson was born in Leeds, Yorkshire County, England on March 27, 1942. He always proudly referred to himself as "a Yorkshireman" and took great pride in his blue collar background. He had no formal training in journalism (nor brewing, for that matter) but began writing for the local newspaper at age 16 and "covered every type of story you can imagine." He moved on to the Independent and Observer in London as his career developed and began writing a beer column in the 1960s. "In the old days, journalists use to drink a huge amount of beer and that made us all experts," he once explained to a USA Today reporter.

Inspired by the development of CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) in England, he began to treat writing about beer more seriously. He published his first book on the subject in 1976 and took on the mission of helping to revive or save beer styles that were disappearing and to inspire brewers and beer drinkers to learn and experiment. In the process, he developed a language for beer (patterned, he said, after what he'd seen his friend Hugh Johnson do for wine) which provided for describing the styles, flavors and basic characteristics of the beverage in all its manifestations.

Michael was de facto the first "beer writer," although he never used the term himself, always describing himself as "a journalist who writes about beer." At his 60th birthday party at the Brickskeller in Washington DC in 2002, he told this writer that "Expert on beer? There are people in this room who know more about the microbiology and biochemistry of brewing than I will ever know. I don't have the head to comprehend all sort of stuff. I'm just a writer."

"Just a writer" he most definitely was not. In fact, it is fair to say that not only all the writers who have (thanking him every step of the way) following in his footsteps, but also a myriad brewers, publicans and those enjoy the fruits of their labor owe an unmeasurable debt to the man.

He was a frequent visitor to the Philadelphia area (he came here 18 straight years to conduct his famed and hugely successful tutored tastings at the University of Pennsylvania Museum) and praised the city's beer scene effusively everywhere he went. The most accessible of celebrities, he happily met, chatted with and signed books for anyone who was interested and was readily approachable at beer events.

Michael's talks on beer were famous for his "digressions," wherein something he said or noticed keyed a recollection from his vast memory and he'd wander off topic during a presentation of Czech lagers to explain at great length true history of Good King Wenceslas or to recount a humorous personal anecdote. He turned that tendency into part of his persona. "I do tend to digress a lot," he explained more than once. "It's one of the benefits of beverage alcohol."

In a classic moment at a beer dinner at the Penn Museum a few years back, Michael was asked by a member of the crowd what the particular beer he was discussing might cost if purchased at retail. He held his glass up before his face and stared at it curiously. "You can pay for beer?" he said at last as the crowd broke out into uproarious laughter. It's a good bet that Michael Jackson hadn't paid for many beers over the past 30 years.

One last favorite story of this writer was one he told at a Monk's Cafe dinner, possibly even the most recent, and sadly last, one. He talked of being in Scotland and suddenly finding himself surrounded by a large group of young toughs, split equally between Catholics and Protestants. Each side was used to regularly whomping on the other and now they wanted to know where he fit in so that it could be determined which group would whomp him. "But I am Jewish," Michael protested. The lads were nonplussed until one finally brightened and asked, "Yes, but are you Catholic Jewish or Protestant Jewish?"

There's a good, brief obituary by Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell to be found here and one from the UK here. There is also a Brewers Association Memorial Page online. Reminiscences of Michael Jackson by local beer writers are here and here.--JACK CURTIN

Following a "friends & family" session from 3 - 8pm, the bar will be opened to the pub from 8pm - 2am.

Jose Pistolas is named for one of the partners, Joe Gun, and is owned by Gun and Casey Parker, both of whom worked at Fergie's Pub for several years. Casey also worked at the Khyber and was the bar manager at Royal Tavern.

Jose Pistolas will have 12 taps and the opening lineup will include Sly Fox Oktoberfest (on the handpump!) along with several other local favorites. There will be 100 bottles in stock for the opening, with a strong focus on Belgians. The owners say that all the staff has gone through beer training.

A "kitchen-crafted" menu will feature burritos, tacos, nachos and other traditional Tex-Mex items.

The former Copa Too! holds a notable place in the history modern day Philadelphia craft beer. It was where bar manager Tom Peters poured the first Belgian draft beer in the United States, 18 kegs of Kwak in the summer of 1995, and where he and beer promoter Jim Anderson conducted a major festival with 14 Belgians on tap, many for the first time ever, in the spring of 1996.

Peters and Fergus Carey, who was a bartender next door at McGlinchy's first met at Copa Too! as well. Carey created Fergie's Pub soon thereafter and the pair went on to create Monk's Cafe in 1997 as well as the soon-to-open Belgian Cafe in the Art Museum area and Grace Tavern in Grey's Ferry. They also helped open Nodding Head, the popular center city brewpub, and have ownership in The Anderson, a hotel in Scotland noted for its collection of Belgian brews.--JACK CURTIN

Fresh-hop "Harvest" ales were, for the most part, only a West Coast tradition until Victory first made arrangements with the Pederson folks to bring in their crop for a new Harvest Pils in 2005. Last year, the Harvest Ale was added.

According to a report circulated on the internet by Victory insider Richard Ruch, "one 25-bbl batch of Harvest Ale was brewed with the Cascade hops. The Mt Hood and Hallertau hops were used to make one 50-bbl batch of the Harvest Pils. Ron [Barchet]was hoping to make at least to two 50-bbl batches of the Harvest Pils and one 50-bbl batch of the Harvest Ale, but the overall hop harvest this year was smaller than expected due to an extended dry period this summer."

The beers are draught-only products and the Harvest Ale should be available at the Victory brewpub on or before the September 29 Victory Fall Fest, Ruch said, while the The Harvest Pils will be ready by mid-October, perhaps a bit earlier.

Earlier last week, local beer writer Lew Bryson announced at his blog, Seen Through a Glass, that the popular Baltic Porter from the now closed Heavyweight Brewing Company in New Jersey which was known as "Perkuno's Hammer" has been reinterpreted and reformulated by Victory and will be released on October 15 in a under the name "Baltic Thunder."

Perkuno's Hammer was created by Heavyweight founder and brewer Tom Baker with Bryson's participation. After Baker and wife/partner Peggy Zwerver shut down their brewery last summer to pursue plans to open a brewpub, Baker was approached by Victory about their bringing it back under an agreement with him. The beer was scheduled to be released this last spring but has been detained because of a legal squabble over the rights to distribute that label. The renaming and reformulation solved that issue.

Baltic Thunder will be packaged in 750ml bottles and available on draught at the Victory brewpub year-round. --JACK CURTIN

Greg Kitsock's biweekly beer column in the Washington Post reports this morning that Victory has signed a contract with a German hops farmer to buy one-third of his annual crop of Tettnang hops for the next six years.

Victory brewmaster and CEO Ron Barchet told Kitsock that Tettnang hops are a key ingredient in the brewery's flagship Prima Pils and will also be used to make its draught only, single-hop Braumeister Pils now and again. The story also said that Victory will once again brew its Harvest Pils and Harvest Ale this fall using unprocessed, fresh from the fields hops from Pederson Farm in upstate New York.

On a less happy note, Barchet acknowledged that the long-term trend is for hops prices to continue to rise, making quality beers more expensive to produce, a trend that will ultimately affect the cost of a pint at the bar or a case off the retail shelves. ""Hop brokers are making brewers sign five-year contracts at higher prices," he told Kitsock. "Add to that the possible effects of global warming on the hop crop, and you can see why we're all over a barrel."--JACK CURTIN

"Overall," the report said, "the U.S. beer industry sold one million more barrels in the first half of 2007 compared to 2006, with 400,000 of these new barrels produced by craft breweries. This equates to 3.768 million barrels of craft beer sold in the first two quarters of 2007 compared to 3.368 million barrels sold in the first half of 2006."

Scan data from Information Resources, Inc. provide additional data points showing the strength of the craft segment. Sales in supermarkets channel through mid-July showed a 17.4% increase in dollar sales compared to the same period in 2006, a higher growth rate than shown in any other beverage alcohol category.

BA also made note of strong media coverage for craft beers in the first half of 2007 and the latest Gallup poll on alcohol beverages, which showed that beer beat out wine for America's beverage of choice for the second straight year.

Graphs based on information in the report can be seen here.--JACK CURTIN

Under the terms of the agreement, Bernabeo and Walsh will assume control of the company and expand operations. River Horse founders Tim and Jim Bryan will remain with the company. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals from the State of New Jersey and both parties expect that it will be finalized in the next few months.

"This agreement is all about expansion," said Bernabeo in the news release. "We have been watching the brewing sector closely for some time now and the landscape has fundamentally changed. Consumer tastes and preferences are rapidly shifting toward premium beer products much like they have in the wine and spirits market several years ago. The timing couldn't be better for us to get involved and help take River Horse to the next level."

Tim Bryan was quoted as saying "this is a great positive step forward for River Horse that helps to safeguard our future and realize our full potential. Glenn and Chris have a strong track record for building strong and successful companies, so we couldn't be happier to have them join us in our ongoing quest to produce the perfect glass of beer."

River Horse Brewing Company is located in a former cracker factory along the banks of the Delaware River in Lambertville and was founded in 1996 by Jim, John and Tim Bryan. River Horse beer is distributed in nine states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, Virginia and Massachusetts.--JACK CURTIN

In his "Dan About Town" column in this morning's Philadelphia Daily News, Dan Gross confirmed that the shuttering is permanent, as had been reported on several beer-oriented website over the weekend. The closing was originally reported by beer writer Don Russell on joesixpack.net on Friday and appears to be a combination of severe delinquency in rent payments ("the rent dispute dates back nearly five years," Gross wrote) and the possibility of a new tenant.

The brewpub's site at the Reading Terminal Market, right across from the Convention Center, has had, at best, a checkered past. The pub was originally built by Red Bell Brewing Company, which never got to operate due to a dispute with its financial partner, GS Capital. A new partnership team comprised of some of the people who had purchased the Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant in 1998 moved into the site in 2000 beginning a weird process which involved both the defunct Independence Brewing Company the soon-to-be defunct Poor Henry's/Ortlieb Brewing Company and a proposed but never implemented name change to the Reading Chop House in 2002.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that there is at least one potential tenant interested in the site at present, one who will most likely not run the business as a brewpub. In fact, the small brewhouse in the current setup is not adequate for the site and the large tourist crowd it potentially attracts, a built-in design flaw resulting from Red Bell's original plan to bring in most of the beer from its Brewerytown brewery.--JACK CURTIN

The award was presented to Papazian at the annual Karl M. Strauss Banquet held Capital Brewery in Middleton, Wisconsin by Beer and Brewing Museum President Jim Haertel. 80 brewers, beer enthusiasts and members of the allied trade gathered attended. The presentation was part of the kickoff for the Great Taste of the Midwest, a national beer festival held each year in Wisconsin.

"I feel very fortunate to have known Karl Strauss, whom I met for the first time in 1984 while giving a homebrewing and microbrewing presentation to Master Brewers Association of the Americas District Milwaukee. He will always be remembered as a friend to brewers, beer and brewing," Papazian said upon receiving the award. "To receive the Karl M. Strauss award is an experience I will always remember. It inspires me to pursue the values which were so important to Karl."

The award is named in honor of the late Karl Strauss of Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego. Strauss was known not only as an exceptional master brewer, but as an inspirational teacher, leader and enthusiast of everything beer. Over his life Strauss brewed more than seven billion servings of beer. He was a founder the Museum of Beer and Brewing and is a past president of the Master Brewers Association of America.

Papazian founded the Association of Brewers in 1978 to serve the needs of both homebrewers and professional brewers. AOB merged into the Brewers Association in 2005. He is the author of five books on homebrewing and beer, including the million-copy selling The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.--JACK CURTIN

The decision remands the dispute to the Trial Court and instructs it to conduct "proceedings consistent with this memorandum."

The court held that the agreement signed between Friedland and Yards in 1995 which "named Friedland as the exclusive distributor in certain Pennsylvania counties for beer manufactured by Yards" remained in effect at the time of the sale.

When Friedland informed Yards of the intended sale in 2005, and following meetings among Friedland, Yards and Kunda, the decision notes that

Eventually, before the consummation of the sale, Yards sent a letter to Friedland purporting to cancel Friedland’s distributorship in thirty days. Before the thirty-day period expired, Friedland and Kunda closed on their agreement of sale.

Kunda notified Yards that Kunda had completed the acquisition of Friedland’s assets. Moreover, Kunda placed its first order with Yards. Yards refused to fill the order, maintaining it had terminated Friedland’s distributorship before the sale to Kunda.

Thereafter, Kunda, as successor to Friedland, filed an action against Yards and sought a preliminary injunction to stop Yards’ purported termination of the distributorship.

In his dissent, Judge Lalley-Green wrote that

While the majority sets forth a persuasive rationale for its result, I respectfully dissent. As the majority's memorandum makes clear, we must affirm the trial court's denial of an injunction so long as the record reflects “apparently reasonable grounds” in support of that decision.... The majority concludes that the word "exclusive" is sufficiently clear to demonstrate that Yards intended to designate Friedland as its "primary or original" distributor within the meaning of § 4-431(d)(5), and that the parties' conduct to the contrary does not trump the contractual language.

While I believe that this case presents a close question, I am unable to conclude that no "apparently reasonable grounds" exist to support the trial court’s decision....Since the conduct of Yards and Friedland seemingly evinces a lack of intent to designate Friedland as a "primary or original distributor," I would conclude that the record reflects reasonable grounds in support of the trial court's decision.

Kehoe received sole ownership of the Yards brand and recipes under that agreement while the Bartons kept the Kensington brewery and announced they were forming a new company, Philadelphia Brewing, to make beer there after Yards leaves at the end of the year, or soon. Kehoe has said has said he will build a new brewery, "hopefully in Philadelphia."

Whether this decision will have any impact on the split remains to be seen. Based upon the facts that the Bartons are no longer involved with Yards, the court battle now appears to be Kehoe's problem exclusively.

The court papers were emailed to this writer this evening in accord with an earlier request made to one of the parties involved.--JACK CURTIN

"His name is Julius Hummer. He's scheduled to arrive this afternoon after driving cross country from Boulder, Colorado," she said early this morning.

Hummer, whose father created Boulder Brewing in 1978, has brewed at several breweries on the West coast, including Fish Brewing in Olympia, Wash. and Newport Beach Brewing in Newport Beach Brewing Co. in Newport, Cal. He holds a M.S. in brewing science from the British School of Malting & Brewing, University of Birmingham.

"Its the East meets West thing that we are excited about," said Certo, "We're looking for Julius to both carry on our great tradition and to bring a new dimension to what we do. The original Dock Street was cutting edge back in '80s and '90s and we want to continue to push the boundaries in this new century."

Scott Morrison, formerly the head brewer at the local McKenzie Brew House chain, built the brewhouse for the new pub and brewed their first round of beers this summer. Dock Street is scheduled to open later this month.--JACK CURTIN

"}We sold the name 'Yards",' not the heart and soul of the operation," Bill Barton was quoted as saying in the release.. "We'll continue to do what we did with Yards, with new brand names. We remain devoted to serving our food and beverage industry customers and beer lovers everywhere."

Nancy Barton was quoted as saying that "we remain committed to quality beer, our employees, and to making Philadelphia a great city through community involvement."

The Barton release confirmed the basic arrangement which had been earlier released by Tom Kehoe, founder and president of the Yard brand, saying "Yards Brewing Co. will rent the Kensington brewery from the Bartons and McBride until it relocates. Once Philadelphia Brewing Co. is licensed, full brewing, bottling, and distribution operations will commence under the new name."

Over the weekend, Kehoe posted a message on BeerAdvocate.com which read, in part

The official separation happened on August 2nd and all "three" parties got what they wanted. The details are details. The big picture is Yards will be leaving It's lease early and moving to a new location (which I can't disclose now). And a new brewery will be formed at the former location. Philadelphia gets TWO breweries and we need more. Philly needs to take back the reputation it once had as the brewing center of the country.

Yards will be making it's fourth move in the city since it was a small 3 barrel brewery in Manayunk. We increased the size of the brewhouse to 30 barrels when we moved to Roxborough and kept it the same when we moved to Kensington but expanded the amount of fermentation to increase capacity. Each one of these brewhouses was designed by me to brew Yards. Now I am working on a new larger Brewhouse -- one that will be designed by brewery engineers to my specifications to produce Yards Beers. Yards brews (and the Yards drinking public) will benefit from the move by having Yards produce a better product and an increase in availability.

The Barton news release goes on to say that

When the Bartons joined Tom Kehoe as partners in Yards in 1999, the company was struggling financially. The Bartons stabilized the business, quadrupled production, and anchored the community revival in Kensington with their restoration of the Weisbrod and Hess brewery complex.

"When we joined Yards, the company lacked direction and infrastructure," said Bill Barton. "We're extremely proud of the company's nine-year record of progress and growth. We could not have done it without our brewers, bottlers, drivers, and administrators. Over the years this team, along with valued friends of our operation, made engaging beer lovers in new ways and serving our bar and restaurant clientele a great pleasure for us."

If all goes as planned and promised, it appears that Philadelphia, which has seen Yards as its only full-production brewery in the modern era, may have two breweries up and running in the relatively near future.--JACK CURTIN

The Lancaster site, which will open in November at 781 Harrisburg Pike, on Franklin and Marshall College’s campus, is the seventh Iron Hill location in the Delaware Valley. The others are in Newark and Wilmington, Del., and Media, West Chester, North Wales and Phoenixville, Penna.

Rutherford has worked with Iron Hill for the past three years and is currently an assistant to head brewer Larry Horwitz at North Wales. "Paul has a natural talent for brewing and has consistently delivered superb products since joining the company. We are lucky to have him on our team," says Mark Edelson, one of Iron Hill’s founding partners and Director of Brewing Operations.

Rutherford started out as a homebrewer in the late 1990 and decided to take what he learned as an amateur and parlay it into a career in 2003. He studied at Chicago’s Seibel Institute of Technology, including a stint at the institute's sister school in Munich, Germany, before joining Iron Hill at North Wales.

Built from the ground up, the Lancaster location will accommodate 300 guests and mirror the existing and very successful Iron Hill facilities. The restaurant section will feature rich mahogany paneling, corrugated copper walls, gray slate floors and wrought iron accents and serve an extensive menu of innovative American cuisine. The bar area will have alarge mahogany bar which will serve Iron Hill's beers, select wines by the glass and cocktails. Diners be able to watch Rutherford and his team create Iron Hill’s award-winning beers through a large plate glass wall.--JACK CURTIN

The approval on Wednesday night is only a recommendation to the city's zoning hearing board, which has the final power to decide if the brewpub will actually be permitted.

According to a story by Jimmy P. Miller in yesterday's Easton Express-Times, "Victory Square co-owner Arthur Schmidt, who also co-owns the Farmhouse restaurant in Emmaus, got the planning commission's recommendation to use up to 1,500 square feet of space for the actual brewing -- not the serving or consuming -- of the beer.

Earlier news reports said that developer Lou Pektor and his Ashley Development Corporation are negotiating with Downingtown's Victory Brewing Company to operate the brewpub (See story below).

[ORIGINAL STORY - July 16, 2007]
Victory Brewing spokesperson Jacob Burns told the Beer Yard this morning that a story in yesterday's Easton Express-Times about negotiations in process for Downingtown's Victory Brewing Company to open a brewpub in that city are somewhat premature.

"Although the opportunity is still intriguing, we need to solidify a number of details before the project progresses," Burns said.

Express-Times staff writer Edward Sieger reported Sunday that developer Lou Pektor and his Ashley Development Corporation, which is converting the former Pomeroy's Department Store at 322-326 Northampton Street into condominiums and a brewpub, indicated in a zoning application approved earlier this month that the first floor will contain an 18,000 square-foot restaurant and pub. The story added that a sketch plan for the site which accompanied the zoning application referred to a "Victory Square" and quoted Pektor as saying "it's a great name for the Downtown."

"Arthur Schmidt, owner of The Farmhouse restaurant [site] in Emmaus, signed a lease with Ashley in February and is negotiating with Chester County-based Victory Brewing to operate the brewpub," Sieger wrote. Schmidt will appear before the Easton planning commission on August 1 to ask for a special exception to operate a brewpub on the premises and, if he is successful, will then have to appear before the zoning board.

Schmidt and his brother lease the Farmhouse restaurant site to award-winning owner/chef Michael Adams who is well-known in beer circles for his an annual series acclaimed beer dinners held there.

An inside source tells the Beer Yard that the negotiations have been going on for some time and that Pennsylvania LCB regulations could complicate the matter considerably. Schmidt and his brother have been interested in opening a brewpub in Easton "for years," the source said.

The second and third floors of the Easton site will include 26 condominiums, according to Sieger's story, with four lofts in a tower above its Pine Street entrance. The project is scheduled to be completed by spring of next year.--JACK CURTIN

Instead, Boston Beer has come to an agreement with Diageo to buy the the brewery plant in Breinigsville which Diego has been using to make Smirnoff Ice for $55 million in deal set to close next spring and brewing to begin in the third or fourth quarter of 2008. The brewery is in the Lehigh Valley, about 60 miles from Philadelphia outside Allentown, and was a brew site for the Schaefer (who built in the 1970s), Pabst and Stroh brands in the past. Some Boston Beer beers were made there from 1994-2001 under the Pabst regime.

Boston Beer, makes of Samuel Adams, already has breweries in Boston and Cincinnati and this purchase will increase it's brewing capacity by approximately 1.6 million barrels of beer annually and thee is potential for expansion to over 2 million barrels at a minimum additional investment. "This agreement is a great opportunity to revitalize a classic brewery and restore its capability to brew our craft beers, which are increasingly in demand among beer drinkers nationwide," said Martin Roper, President & CEO of The Boston Beer Company, in a press release.

The agreement with Diageo provides that, upon the satisfactory completion of the due diligence, Boston Beer may begin work to upgrade the facility to brew Samuel Adams beers using the company's traditional four-vessel brewing process, extended aging times, proprietary yeasts and the world's finest, all- natural ingredients. The facility will remain in operation during this transition.

Boston Beer entered into an agreement last year which gave them an option to purchase a parcel of land in Freetown, Massachusetts as a site for the construction of a new brewery. Over the course of the last year, the company invested over $4 million in an exhaustive evaluation of the cost of constructing a new brewery. "Our decision to purchase this brewery, rather than build a new brewery in Freetown, was a difficult and complex one," said Roper. "A combination of rapidly escalating steel and copper costs, increased costs of European brewing equipment caused by the reduced value of the dollar, as well as other construction and production costs and our own growth, recently led us to look again at other existing breweries that we might be able to buy. Comparing the projected construction costs of a new brewery against the price of buying and renovating the Pennsylvania brewery, leads us to believe that this is the better long-term strategic decision for the Company." --JACK CURTIN

"We are extremely excited about opening Tria here," said owner Jon Myerow. "This neighborhood is home to a thriving restaurant and nightlife scene and is in close proximity to the city’s best theaters and hotels. Our philosophy is as straightforward as our menu. Without the distractions of cocktails or any hard liquor, we can focus on truly exceptional fermented products that are crafted by passionate artisans."

The original Tria opened at 123 South 18th Street in 2004, introducing itself as a locale dedicated to "the fermentation trio of wine, cheese and beer." The restaurant does so by presenting guests with an array of extraordinary wines from around the world, hand-crafted beers and exquisite artisanal cheeses. At the new location, that same approach will e followed and Makana Iqhilika, an herbal blossom mead from South Africa’s premier Meadery, has been added to the menu. Tria is the first restaurant in Pennsylvania to feature the one-of-a-kind beverage.

Similar to its predecessor, the new Tria, a 45-seat cafe, is open seven days a week from 4pm until midnight, In warmer weather, outdoor seating will be available for al fresco dining. --JACK CURTIN

There is no word currently available about how this will affect Yards production; Tom Kehoe has said (see below) that he has a lease on the Amber Street facility through the end of this year.

The Bartons will leave Yards officially on Thursday as a final "split" agreement is signed.

[ORIGINAL STORY - 7/23/2007]
It has long been an open secret in Philadelphia beer circles that the operating partners involved in Yards Brewing, the city's only full-service brewery, have not been seeing eye-to-eye.

That matter has finally come to a head.

This is what founding brewer Tom Kehoe told The Beer Yard on July 17: "Rather than keep bumping heads, we've come to an agreement. Bill and Nancy {Barton] have left Yards Brewing Company as part of an arrangement which will close on August 2. I will keep the Yards name and the beers and they have given me a lease on the current building through the end of the year. At that time, I expect to have a new and better brewery set up, hopefully here in Philadelphia, and will move Yards there. Bill and Nancy will, as I understand it, then use the current building and brewing equipment to operate a brewery of their own."

All of the current brewing staff remain in place and the current self-distribution policy will continue, Kehoe said. Self-distribution began in 2006 when Yards refused to accept the transfer of the rights to its brands to Kunda Beverage, which had acquired Edward I. Friedland, the distributor from the summer of 1995 on. The brewery argued that it had always specified itself as its primary distributor. There is still a court case pending over that issue.

Yards Brewing was formed by Kehoe and then partner Jon Bovit in late 1994 and released its first beers in 1995. The debut of Yards ESA (Extra Special Ale) at the Philadelphia Craft Brew Festival in April of that year has been called the "ground zero" moment of Philadelphia craft brewing because of the excitement it created. Due to the limited supply the very small original brewery could produce, ESA became the city's cult favorite beer by summer. As publicans scrambled to get it for their customers, ESA became the primary impetus for a renewed popularity of handpumps and cask beers in the city and environs.

Bill and Nancy Barton became involved as co-owners in 2001 when financial problems developed after the brewery moved from its original Manyunk location into a larger site in the same section of the city and began packaging several of its beers. The move to the current Kensington site, once home to the historic Weisbrod & Hess brewery, occurred in early 2002.

ESA remains Yards flagship beer and a staple on handpumps in the region, but the brewery is probably just as well known today for its very popular Philadelphia Pale Ale and its "Beers of the Revolution," George Washington Tavern Porter. Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale and Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce, classic brews reproduced in partnership with City Tavern, the city's historic Colonial restaurant. Other packaged products include India Pale Ale, Love Stout and Saison.

The Beer Yard spoke with both Tom Kehoe and Bill Barton this afternoon. Kehoe confirms what he said as reported above; Barton says he will have no official comment until "the papers are all signed next Thursday. There is a signed agreement but the lawyers still have a lot of work to do."--JACK CURTIN

A group of brewers blasted open barrels of beer on the docks of the Milwaukee last week to protest a proposed bill they said would create complications for startup breweries.

The measure would divide small breweries into two licensed classes - those who want to serve food as brewpubs and those who seek to bottle and distribute their product on a larger scale. Startups would have to immediately declare which class they were in.

The day after the protest, the bill was tabled by the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism and Insurance.

"Every business takes on a life of its own," said Jim McCabe, proprietor of the Milwaukee Ale House. "For the guy that wants to start a brewery tomorrow, he's got to make decisions early in his business life that aren't possible." –JACK CURTIN

"Ever since we put out our 25th Anniversary Ale in 2005, the demand to make this an annual beer has increased," said Sierra Grossman, the company's brand manager and daughter of founder and owner Ken Grossman. "Since we don't offer growlers at the brewery, people have been pretty frustrated over the years that they haven't been able to take any Anniversary Ale home."

The 2007 Anniversary Ale, according to a company news release, is an American style Pale Ale which features “prominent usage of Cascade hops”, the signature hop used in the flagship Sierra Pale Ale.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was founded in 1980 and is one of America's first microbreweries. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has been the number one selling craft beer brand in America for the past five years according to IRI scan data. Other beers the company makes include a Wheat, Porter and Stout year-round, a host of draft-only specialty beers and five seasonal beers.—JACK CURTIN

Origlio Beverage is the largest wholesaler in the five-county Philadelphia area and one of the largest single-site beer wholesalers in the US.Grant Barrett, director of Brand Management & Business Development, said that "we sell as much as five million cases of beer per year indirectly. DistributionSuite is a great solution for us because it quickly provides us with retail intelligence that we can turn into actionable objectives, regardless of distribution channel. Intervolve simplifies a very complex problem for us and provides us with the flexibility we need in our market."

In a 4-tier distribution model, product is delivered from suppliers to distributors to sub-distributors to retailers. Distributing through sub-distributors, referred to as "indirect sales," is common in Pennsylvania and New York where malt beverage distributors sell a range of product volumes indirectly. Origlio Beverage distributes over 12 million cases of beer annually, with as much as 40% of their business being indirect. Many of the distributor’s transactions are with the sub-distributor and the company loses visibility into its true distribution. DistributionSuite reportedly solves this problem by, for example, combining invoice-level sales data with retail surveys on package distribution to create market intelligence quickly and accurately. Chris Newton, Intervolve Chairman and EVP, said, "By partnering with wholesalers such as Origlio, we continuously improve our software to solve wholesalers' most difficult business challenges. The 4-tier distribution model is exceptionally challenging for wholesalers since it obscures the complete distribution picture. Our new application makes it possible to follow product all the way through to retail, regardless of distribution, and is very easy to use."--JACK CURTIN

This survey was conducted online between May 4-6, 2007 among 1,950 U.S. adults aged 21 and over. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

The results of the study were posted online at Alcoholstats.com, websit of the Alcohol Awareness Research Library which highlights "research on drunk driving, underage drinking, alcohol abuse and responsible consumption, including independent university and government research."

Other data posted on the site indicates that 83 percent of adolescents (ages 12-17) and 72 percent of underage youth (ages 12-20) do not drink and that the percentage of college freshmen who reported drinking beer frequently or occasionally is at the lowest level since tracking began in 1966, 12 percent lower than in 2000 and down 43 percent since its peak in 1982. Additionally, the number of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes has declined 3 percent since 2000 and 39 percent since 1982 and t he drunk-driving fatality rate per billion vehicle miles traveled is at a record-low level - down 10 percent since 2000 and down 67 percent since 1982.--JACK CURTIN

He may be right.

In an exclusive interview with The Beer Yard, Weirback revealed that Weyerbacher Twelve, the Easton brewery's annual anniversary brew, is a Rye Barleywine with 50 percent of the mash being rye rather than the ten to 12 percent common to rye beers.

"Twelve is anything but ordinary," he said proudly. "Its been a real bitch to run-off and constantly gives us a stuck mash, but intelligence and perseverance have paid off. From the not so subtle tanginess the rye imparts, to the incredibly viscous body---it is perhaps the most viscous beer ever--to bubble-play and head retention that must be seen to be believed."

The anniversary brew, which will ship next week (12oz in Pennsylvania, 22oz in New Jersey, sixtels only for draught) is golden in color, "something of a surprise for a beer this rich in body," said Weirback.--JACK CURTIN

Victory Prima Pils finished in a tie with three other beers for 12th place in the voting and Troegs Nugget Nectar was in an 11-beer tie for 16th. One of those latter was Victory HopDevil and Victory Storm King was in an 11-beer grouping at 34. There were 61 beers in the total list, which can be found here.

All three breweries also made the top brewery rankings (26 breweries in all, with placement depending on the totals received by each beer in the rankings) with DFH ranked first, Victory tied with Rogue Ales for fifth place and Troegs tied for 19th with Unibroue and Great Lakes Brewing.

In the beer rankings, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Stone Arrogant Bastard both tied for second. The six-way tie for fourth, in addition to the DFH 60 Minute, included Alaskan Smoked Porter, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Guinness Draught, North Coast Old Rasputin, Schneider Aventinus and Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

Zymurgy has been conducting the annual survey for five years, inviting readers to send in a list of their twenty favorite commercially available beers in the U.S. More than 1,100 votes for 618 beers from 293 brewers around the world were received.--JACK CURTIN

The award will recognize the beer distributor in America who does the most to market, sell and promote craft beer in their market. A Craft Beer Distributor Achievement Award and Craft Beer Distributor Recognition Award will also be presented.

Nominations can be submitted between now and August 15 by craft brewers, beer distributors or representatives of NBWA and the BA. Winners will be announced on Saturday afternoon, October 13 at the Great American Beer Festival, hosted by the BA in Denver, Colorado, October 11-13, 2007.

NBWA President Craig Purser said that “beer distributors take great pride in is providing choice and variety in the marketplace. Craft beers have seen double-digit growth in sales each of the past several years. One reason for this is the quality of product they are offering the consumer; a second reason for their success is the first class distribution network America’s beer distributors provide their products. I am glad we will be recognizing some of the distributors who have gone above and beyond to help strengthen the craft beer segment.”

BA President Charlie Papazian noted that dedicated and educated distributors are essential to the continued success of the craft beer industry. "The availability of craft beers in America has created unprecedented added value for beer drinkers. Without the valuable service which beer distributors contribute to access to craft beer we wouldn’t be seeing the enthusiasm for the flavor and diversity of American beer."--JACK CURTIN

The four-year long project by the Fegley family, founders of BBW, is located at 8th and Hamilton in the heart of the Allentown business district and will serve as the corporate headquarters for both brewpubs. The pub's opening is expected to be a major step in the revitalization of the downtown area.

The 32,000 square foot site consists of three conjoined buildings with four floors of seating and two kitchens. The brewhouse is located in the front window on Hamilton Street, the area which also holds the manager and corporate offices. Behind the brewhouse is a 1,500 square foot courtyard for summer seating and to accommodate smokers (the entire facility is smoke free).

The first floor has the main bar with 12 taps which will pour house-brewed beers and two kitchens. The basement is home to the Silk lounge which will carry will over 100 bottled beers from around the world. The second floor, High Gravity, has a smaller bar and will specialize in high gravity bottled beers. There is a mezzanine overlooking the main bar and seven serving tanks and an atrium offers a view of the seven fermenters in the second floor windows.

A banquet facility with seating for up to 200 guests is located on the third floor. Called the Hamilton Room, it will be the site of a new beer festival this November.--JACK CURTIN

In an interview which will appear in the craft beer industry trade magazine American Brewer this summer, professional futurist Eric Garland paints a startling scenario for the years ahead:

"Do concerns about global warming and emerging cafe fuel emissions standards have any effect on the beer industry? Well, in a global market, they certainly do...Grain prices are being affected by the increasing interest in ethanol, in the American grain belt, in Brazil, in Canada, everywhere. It may turn out to be more profitable for farmers to sell their wheat and barley crops to ethanol manufacturers than to the brewing industry. Candy manufacturers are already being hit with the rising cost of corn syrup as a result of ethanol's impact on the corn market...If the car industry decides every fuel must involve 14-25 percent ethanol by next year and 50 percent by the year 2017, the demand for grains will be immense..."

If you think that's just "the sky is falling!" rhetoric, think again: it's already happening in Germany.

According Associated Press reports, German farmers are abandoning barley to plant other crops subsidized for sale as environmentally-friendly biofuels. Over last two years, the price of barley doubled to $271 per ton as farmers planted more crops such as rapeseed and corn which can be turned into ethanol or biodiesel, a fuel made from vegetable oil. Overall, the production of corn more than doubled while barley went down by 5.5 percent. Last year, the resultant meager barley harvest was compounded by crop diseases resulted in the doubling of the price of barley, which meant in turn that the price of barley malt has soared by more than 40 percent, according to the Bavarian Brewers' Association.

American brewers are starting to take notice. "Of course we are affected by the focus on ethanol production," Summit Brewing Co. President Mark Stutrud acknowledged to KARE 11 News in St. Paul last weekend. "Being in the brewing industry is becoming a little more expensive than what we thought of three years ago."

Not only did the price of barley malt increase 30 percent, Stutrud noted, but rising grain prices are just part of a large picture, pointing out that the price of hops jumped 40 percent and the cost of kegs has gone up 40 percent (for more on keg prices, see this Beer Yard news story).

Talk to the people [in South Dakota] and they'll tell you they want to be the Saudi Arabia of bio-fuels in another 30 years," Garland told American Brewer. "That suggests that one of the things that brewers need to be thinking about is finding some way to not be so dependent on raw material fluctuations or, longer term, to begin developing some acceptable substitutes for their basic ingredients."--JACK CURTIN

Missing or stolen kegs add to the pressure created by the steady growth of craft brewing over the last four years, which has resulting in a particular need for the 1/6 keg size, both by the breweries themselves and from bars and restaurants which are adding larger draught capacity and want quicker turn-over. And, smaller breweries move into new and more distant markets, the number of kegs they own which are in distribution means they must purchase more to maintain current markets. Some estimates suggest that every keg shipped out requires at least one, and probably two, in inventory to avoid running short.

Cooperage costs for U.S. brewers have also been affected by the withdrawal of Spartanburg Stainless, the South Carolina-based keg manufacturer which was the country's largest supplier, from the market in 2006, in order to concentrate its efforts on its core business. That loss was only temporary--the Spartanburg keg division was acquired by the Franke Group last November and will return to the market this summer--but did mean that most kegs for the U.S. market had to be imported from Europe for the last several months.

Considering that current prices for new kegs run somewhere around $110 for sixtels up to $150 or more for halves, all this is no small matter, for both the large national breweries as well as the crafts.

Some craft brewers have tried to deal with the problem by raising the deposit required for direct rental at the brewery as high as $100 per keg, an increase not met with great delight by consumers. And it is only a partial solution at best, since kegs sold through retail outlets are still sold at no more than $30 deposit rates, and usually at the standard $10, an amount not large enough to deter theft, whether to sell as scrap or use as a college dorm room coffee table.

One local brewery owner has decided to take matters into his own hands. John Giannopoulos, managing partner of Sly Fox Brewing, with a brewpub in Phoenixville and a production brewery and restaurant in Royersford, has formed a partnership which will begin manufacturing 1/6, tall quarter and half kegs (with a promise of firkins in the future) in China this summer, with the first products expected by Fall.

"I have 12 years experience as a manufacturer's rep sourcing both plastic and metal component parts and products out of China," Giannopoulos said in a story posted on the Sly Fox website. "We see ourselves as an alternative source for both the mainstream brewers and for smaller craft breweries, for whom we will offer the opportunity to purchase smaller quantities at fair and reasonable prices."

The new company, Geemacher LLC, was launched at the Craft Brewers Conference held in Austin, Texas, in April and is a partnership between Giannopoulos and Christian Messmacher. Kegs will be produced at an ISO-9200 certified stainless steel manufacturer in Penglai, located in northern China. Geemacher will maintain an inventory of unembossed kegs in the U.S. to handle lower minimum orders and is developing a processing for embossing those locally.--JACK CURTIN

The news was reported today on the website of Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell, the award-winning beer columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

"Vince was a real, living, breathing icon," said Beer Yard owner Matt Guyer. "Everybody knew him and he was responsible for repairs and maintenance for most of the beer lines in the area, public and private."

Amazingly, as Russell reported in a 2001 column, Rapinesi never tasted a single drop of beer in his long life devoted to making it taste right for the rest of us. That column began like this:

Vince Rapinesi is responsible for more good-tasting beer in this town than anyone else alive, and get this: He's never had even a single sip.

He's been in the beer business since the mid-'40s, when he worked at his parents' distributorship at 59th and Springfield in Southwest Philadelphia. Those were the days before forklifts, when men hoisted wooden kegs on their backs and finished off the day with nickel mugs.

Or, as Vince says, "When men were men, and kegs were full barrels, not these half-kegs they've got today. "

But this story is not about hauling kegs. It's about fixing 'em.

Vince Rapinesi is the city's best keg repairman.

There will be a Viewing for Rapinesi on Thursday between 7-9pm Thursday at Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby. There will be an 11am Mass on Friday at St. Katherine of Sienna, 9700 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia.--JACK CURTIN

The Caucus is co-chaired by U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) and Greg Walden (R-Oregon) and is ccomposed of 34 Members of Congress who share an interest in the issues of importance to America's small brewers. Congressman Walden stated that the primary mission of the Caucus is to provide an interactive opportunity to learn about the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery, the brewing process itself and the quality and value of the beer and brewing activities. Several other attendees spoke briefly, among them Congressman DeFazio, a homebrewer and a primary sponsor and leader in the successful effort to pass House Resolution 753 of 2006 commending American craft brewers and recognizing the first American Craft Beer Week.

Immediately following the Caucus meeting, the doors of the House Agriculture Committee Hearing Room were thrown open to welcome Members of Congress, Congressional staffers and specially invited guests to the second annual American Craft Beer Week Reception. Attendees (more than double the number in 2006) were provided with a program of suggested beer and food pairings. Twenty-three Ba member breweries provided beer for the reception, allowing attendees to choose between 19 distinct styles, all complementing a selection of artisan cheeses and chocolates on-hand.

Members of the House Small Brewers Caucus from this region are Rep. Charles Dent (R-Pa), Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-NY), Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa), Rep. Mike Arcuri (D-NY), Rep.Phil English (R-Pa), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn.)and Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).--JACK CURTIN

Steg 150 is, according to a brewery release, "a 100% Natural All-Malt Lager made with only malt, hops, yeast and water and containing no adjuncts whatsoever." The reddish-amber beer is brewed with Vienna and Munich malts and German noble hops. "Steg 150 is by far one of the best all-malt lagers ever brewed," claimed Chuck Lawson, president and CEO of The Lion. "It is bound to become a staple in not only local establishments, but households, gatherings and social events as well."

The classic Stegmaier Crest has been modified "to illustrate innovation and progression emerging from tradition," a brewery spokesperson said. "The evolution of the Steg 150 logo symbolizes the evolution of the Stegmaier brand and a dedication to the proud traditions based on the foundation laid by Charles Stegmaier in 1857." The brewery noted that Stegmaier's evolution is also seen in the Stegmaier line of Rotating Seasonal Beers: Stegmaier Brewhouse Bock, Stegmaier Midsummer White, Stegmaier Oktoberfest and Stegmaier Holiday Warmer.

Steg 150 will be available year round in 6-packs and 24 count cases and on draught.--JACK CURTIN

City Brewing Co. of Lacrosse, Wis., purchased the plant last year and signed a deal with Boston Beer Co. of Massachusetts in April to brew its Samuel Adams beers for East Coast distribution. On Monday, the first steps were taken in a four-week process before the first batch of those beers will flow into kegs. When everything is up and running fully, the plant will produce about 2,000 half barrels of Samuel Adams beer daily, according to plant manager Kevin Morgan. He added that the bottling line will start up in June and that the brewery plans to bottle about one-and-a-half times as much beer as it sell in barrels.

Boston Beer will invest $3 million to $7 million to upgrade the plant, to accommodate its brewing processes, proprietary yeasts and extended aging time of its beer. The brewery, located in Westmoreland County about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh, has the capacity to produce 1.2 million barrels annually. There are currently 47 employees on site; that number will increase to between 60 and 80 when bottling begins.--JACK CURTIN

The craft segment picked up sixth-tenths of a point of case share in supermarkets during the four weeks ending May 5. More importantly, craft brands continued a supermarket growth trend that has been maintained for more than three years.

The increase was let by Boston Beer, the biggest craft brewer, which gained a tenth of a point during the period.

Import share, which grew the most last year due in large part to the launch of Heineken Premium Light, was static during the period, according to the Nielsen figures, and the the two biggest imports, Corona Extra and Heineken, either lost ground or stayed flat.--JACK CURTIN

The ABIA is held in Melbourne each year and is Australia's most prestigious beer event. This year there were 941 entries from 39 countries, including the US entries as part of the Brewers Association Export Development Program.

American craft breweries brought home 9 gold medals, 24 silver medals and 22 bronze medals. Both Deschutes and Sprecher Brewery were acknowledged as the highest gold medal winners by class — Deschutes for Obsidian and their Black Butte Porter and Sprecher Brewing Company for Sprecher Imperial Stout. Deschutes won a total of 11 medals overall.

A complete list of medal winners is available here.

Sea Dog Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company and Allagash Brewing Company all won top awards in the prestigious 7th annual West Coast Brew Fest Commercial Craft Competition and will receive their ribbons this weekend in Sacramento.

Sea Dog won first place for its Hazelnut Porter in the Porter category and third place with Sea Dog Apricot among Fruit Beers, while Shipyard earned three prizes, a first for Chamberlain Pale Ale and a second for Old Thumper in the English Pale Ale category (which Old Thumper won in 2004) and third for Shipyard Winter Ale (Red Ale). Alan Pugsley oversees the brewing for both companies.

Allagash took first for Allagash White in the Witbier competition.

A complete list of winners is here.--JACK CURTIN

Not all that big a deal from the perspective of The Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre.

The Lion will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its Stegmaier brand on Saturday, June 2, from 11am to 9pm, Chuck Lawson, Lion Brewery president and CEO announced last week. "It’s pretty fascinating that 150 years later, we’re still making the Stegmaier brand," Lawson told a press conference. "We’re probably only a handful of beer brands that lasted 150 years."

Charles Stegmaier began his brewing career in Germany and established the Stegmaier Brewery in Wilkes-Barre in 1857 and personally delivered beer to local bars and taverns from a goat-drawn cart. When he died at age 85, the Stegmaier Brewing Co. was the largest in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

When the Stegmaier Brewery announced that it would close in 1974, The Lion obtained rights to produce Stegmaier beers. The Lion is located just down the street from the site of the original Stegmaier facility, which has been refurbished as a modern office building.

The Stegmaier 150th celebration will include a ceremonial tapping of the first keg at 11am, musical entertainment from noon to 9pm and brewery tours and tasting from noon to 4pm. More details are available on the Lion Brewery website.--JACK CURTIN

Brewmaster/Director of Operations Artie Tafoya told The Beer Yard today that"we're more than doubling our capacity in the brewery will all new fermenters and a new bright tank. We've removed the four original fermenters and are replacing them with eight brand new fermenters. Four of those and the new bright tank are already in place and the other four will go in the first part of June." The old fermenters were 4,000 gallon units, but "we only used them for 3,000 barrel batches, because our system work better with that size," Tafoya said. "The eight new tanks are 3,000bbl units--3255 actually, or 105bbls per batch."

The Harrisburg brewery, which also provides the core beers for the Gettysburg (opened August 2003) and Camp Hill (opened August 2006) pubs, currently produces about 5,000bbl annually. The two smaller pubs make their own specialty brews onsite in 10bbl and 5bbl systems respectively.

A long-awaited fourth location, in Lancaster, is still in limbo. "We do now have a new site and we're working on it," Tafoya acknowledged, "but all the stars have to be in alignment and they aren't as yet. If things happen quickly, we could open anywhere from three months to a year from now."

The second-floor Abbey Bar at Harrisburg, which opened in February 2006, has been a "tremendous success for us," Tafoya acknowledged. "The entertainment there is incredible and the Belgian beers are a real attraction. The greatest thing is that we are selling more of our own beers there than we ever have before as well.

Tafoya said that while Appalachian is performing strongly in its local market, the brewery would like to increase its efforts outside the immediately area through its packaged products. Appalachian currently packages its five flagship beers (Water Gap Wheat, Mountain Lager, Jolly Scot Scottish Ale, Purist Pale Ale and Hoppy Trails IPA) and one seasonal each quarter. "We are looking at doing some new things this year," he admitted. "I think it will be exciting, something you haven't seen much around here before this."

Appalachian's 10th Anniversary Party in Harrisburg will begin at noon on May 12 in the side parking lot and on Walnut Street. Features will include a keg olympics and outhouse races, live music inside and outside all day and night and beer specials. For more information: 717.221.1080.--JACK CURTIN  . . . edited by matt

The Scratch Beer Series.

"Scratch Beer is our celebration of ten years in the beer business," say the brothers Trogner, who created the highly-regarded Harrisburg brewery in 1997. "It delves deep into our past and combines it with what we’ve learned about brewing beer over the past ten years. While we’ve talked at length about our current brewery expansion in terms of new fermentation space, a larger tasting room and expanded warehouse space, the project also included relocating the brewery offices. Because of this, we went through a lot of boxes that had been untouched for years.

Imagine our surprise when we came across some old scratch pads—notebooks where we would jot down tasting notes. Along with those tasting notes, were detailed logs on pilot batches brewed on the back patio of our Colorado apartment several years before the brewery opened, along with numerous recipes that were never brewed. None of those pilot batches or early recipes ever became a Tröegs Brewery beer, but those tasting notes and early recipes served as inspiration and research for the beers we finally bottled."

The Scratch Beer Series will consist of four beers done over four months, reviving those old recipes in small, one-time batches to create brews to be sold only at the Tröegs Brewery Tasting Room. Approximately 200 cases of each batch will be bottled, while the remainder will be kegged for growler and "extremely-limited" keg sales. The series will culminate in a special 10th Anniversary Scratch Beer that will be released in early August. Thereafter, "we plan on making several Scratch Beers each year as tank space allows," said the Trogners.

The first Scratch Beer is the just-released California Common Beer (5% abv), a beer which was the inspiration for Tröegs Pale Ale. It is a hybrid beer, which the brewery defines as "the brewer forcing a lager to do something it doesn’t want to do. [This beer uses] lager yeast fermented at a warmer temperature. The fermented malt gives an exaggerated fruity undertone to the beer which combines nicely with the citrus flavors of Cascade hops. Balancing out the taste are spicy, earthy flavors derived from Brewer’s Gold hops. Slightly aggressive hops in the front of the mouth give way to a clean, subtle grape-like finish. This beer recipe was tweaked many times on the back patio during our years in Colorado."

The remaining beers in the 2007 series will be a Porter (mid-May release), a Belgian-style Abbey Beer (July) and a Barleywine (August).--JACK CURTIN

Photos of the artwork must be submitted to the brewery no later than June 1, 2007, either by email or via USPS to The Art of Drinking Tröegs Contest, Tröegs Brewing Company, 800 Paxton St. Harrisburg, PA 17104. Submission must include the artist's name, address and phone number or they will not be valid. The winning entry will receive "bragging rights" and a Sudsbuddy.™ portable thermoelectric-cooled beer keg cooler.

Grand prize winner awarded by Tröegs Brewing Company and Neiman Group (their advertising agency) on or about June 20, 2007. The finalists will be asked to participate in an event by bringing their submissions to the Tröegs Brewery in Harrisburg, PA on Saturday, June 30. All artwork becomes the property of Tröegs Brewery. Selected artwork will be displayed at the Harrisburg Brewers Festival on Saturday, June 16. There will be a drawing box for a "Peoples Choice" Award from festival goers.

You can see last year's winning entry and two finalists here.--JACK CURTIN

Each local brewery was allowed to enter a beer of its choice in the first-ever judging at the event and the beers were evaluated on standard judging forms by the six-person panel. Farmhouse Ale was submitted as an "English Summer Ale." Second and third places when to Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale ("American Pale Ale") and Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot ("English Barleywine").

The judges were beer writer Lew Bryson, Home Sweet Homebrew's George Hummel and homebrewers Tim Ackerson, Suzanne McMurphy, Dave Houseman and Chris Clair. Twenty-one beers were submitted and were split up among two groups of three judges. Each judging group choose three beers for the final rounds based on standards of quality and whether it was reasonably close to the entered style. All six judges tasted the six finalists again, "rejected two pretty quickly," according to Bryson, then deliberated on the three winners.--JACK CURTIN

The Brewers Association Recognition Award went to Jack McAuliffe, who founded California's New Albion Brewing Company in 1976, an event which many people consider the beginning of craft brewing in America (others opt for the purchase and reinvention of Anchor Brewing by Fritz Maytag in the late '60s; Maytag won the Recognition Award in 1988. McAuliff has been a recluse in recent years and the aware was accepted for him by Mendocino Brewing's Don Barkley, who began is professional career at at New Albion in the summer of 1978 while a student at UC-Davis and became the head brewer there in 1981 after graduation.

The Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing went to Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Co. for demonstrating creativity, excellence in brewing and substantial contributions to the craft brewing community. This award was first given in 1997 to honor Russell Schehrer, who died in 1996 at age 38. Schehrer was a founding partner and original head brewer at Colorado’s first brewpub Wynkoop Brewing Co. He was also one of the first brewers to produce mead, doppel alt, cream stout and chili beer.

The F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry award to George Hancock, Chair of Pyramid Brewing Co. and past President of the Washington Brewers Guild. This award is given in honor of a champion of small brewers, F.X. Matt (1933-2001), president of the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, New York from 1980-1989 and Chairman from 1989-2001.

The BA Conference drew a record 1,600 attendees and was welcomed to town by Texas populist Jim Hightower. Keynote speaker Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Company emphasizing that innovation is the cornerstone of the craft brewing industry. The event wrapped up Saturday, April 21, with a craft beer dinner at which Harry Schuhmacher of Beer Business Daily spoke to a sold out crowd of 450.

The 2008 Craft Brewers Conference will be held in San Diego, California on April 16 – 19. Conference registration opens in early 2008.--JACK CURTIN

The top five craft producers, based upon sales, were Boston Beer Co;, Boston, Massachusetts; Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, California; New Belgium Brewing Company Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado; Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, Washington, and Matt Brewing Co., Utica, NY.

The BA reported that 77.7% of the craft beer produced last year was made from the top 50 craft brewing companies. Additionally, 34 out of the top 50 brewing companies in the U.S meet the Brewers Association’s definition of a craft brewer. “Beer made by small, independent and traditional breweries is definitely an American success story,” states Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association. "There’s a change in lifestyle going on. People are trading up and that is what is creating such strong demand for craft beer."

In related news, the BA also released scan data from Information Resources Inc. which showed that craft beer recorded a 17.8% increase in supermarket sales for 2006, more growth than any other alcohol beverage category in the supermarket sales channel.

With just under 1400 small breweries the segment eclipsed 6.7 million barrels in 2006. The fastest growing craft beer sector in 2006 was microbreweries (those under 15,000 barrels a year). Sales were up 16%, showing customer support for local breweries. Total craft beer industry sales have grown 31.5% over the last 3 years and early 2007 indicators point toward accelerating sales growth.

Twenty-two states are represented in the top 50 craft brewing companies list. California hosts (7) top breweries. Colorado has (5) and Oregon and Wisconsin each host (4) top producers.

D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. of Pottsville, Pennsylvania finished sixth on the top 50 overall brewing companies list, following Anheuser-Busch Inc. Miller Brewing Co., Coors Brewing Co., Pabst Brewing Co. and Boston beer. Pittsburgh Brewing Co. came in at #13 (despite being in bankruptcy, while Dogfish Head was at 42 and the Straub Brewery of Saint Mary's, Pennsylvania was 43rd.

The complete list of the top 50 craft brewers and the accompanying BA press release can be found here (PDF file).--JACK CURTIN

"We did a series of soft openings this weekend, one for VIPs on Friday night and one for friends and family Saturday and will do another friends and family thing tonight," Misson said on April 2. "We'll take a couple of days to evaluate things and then open officially."

There are currently eight beers on draught: Honey Wheat, Amber, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Keller Pils, Dunkel, Chico Ale and Porter. Former New Hope brewer Patrick Jones, who has garnered several GABF medals, is the Philadelphia brewer.

Misson is director of brewing operations for Triumph, which currently has pubs in Princeton, NJ and New Hope, PA and is developing a second New Jersey location in Red Bank. The Philadelphia location was originally schedule to be ready this past January. --JACK CURTIN

Matson has been with Stoudt's since 1996 and his title, he says, "is just something Ed [Stoudt] threw out there. All of us all have our own responsibilities in the brewery. I handle production schedules, Brett Kintzer does a fair amount of the brewing and overall maintenance, and Joe McMonagle takes care of the lab."

Old Abominable was Matson's creation. "We have an old 15bbl fermenter from the original JV brewhouse which is our little 'play' tank," he explains. "That original batch was a one-off which was received so well that we've decided that we'll take turns putting different special brews into that tank as seasonal releases. Long term, we'd like to do mostly champagne bottles of each one, with just a limited amount of draught release. I'm trying to find a good price on a low gravity filler and corker but haven't found it yet."

The barleywine, which was brewed with 80% Marris Otter malt and a single variety of Domestic hops in attempt to blend the English and American versions of the style, will hopefully be brewed again in the fall for release in December or January, Matson said, while cautioning that the next release would probably be somewhat different from the original. "That original batch was aged for a really long time, some of it in whiskey barrels for almost a year, so this will be the same recipe but probably not the exact same beer."

Matson added that McMonagle will do the next beer in the series "and I think it will probably be a saison or something along those lines. I know Brett wants to play around with the Scotch Ale again, that was one of the beers that he originally formulated and people who have been asking for it. That would be another fall beer."

Stoudt spokesperson Jodi Andrews also announced today in her monthly email update to the industry that Old Abominable has received a Gold Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute for 2007. BTI's annual The World Beer Championships, founded in 1994, is a medal-based competition that awards its medals based on proprietary blind tasting methodology.--JACK CURTIN

"Smoke 'em if you got them," will be the as-yet unnamed brewery's motto, Bengel said. "Smoke On The Water will be our first release, a clear beer packaged to look like a bong (water pipe). We figure that will make it popular with several other brewers, at the very least."

Bengel originally found fame and fortune as "The Big One," a lovable and goofy sidekick to the highly respected local executive Steve "The Other One" Rubeo; during that era, his "watch me jump this two-foot wall...whoops!" bit became a comedy classic. He had faded from view in recent months before resurfacing as an unpaid advisor and go-to guy in local beer writer Lew Bryson's Session Beer campaign in March. "Being that close to greatness inspired me to re-think my whole life," he admits.

Morrison, who was fired by the local McKenzie Brewhouse chain for "making good beers and screwing up our ambiance and business plan," has been looking for a new venture. He explains he was convinced to take the leap after Bengel promised him "my sweetie will finance the whole thing, even if she has to get a second job." "I respect that sort of vision," Morrison said. "Plus, I'm bored."

Bengel's "sweetie," who has--for obvious reasons--asked not to be identified, offered a terse comment when contacted. "The Hand will have its revenge," she said and hung up.

In keeping with the commitment to never again subject his precious body to a smoking environment which he announced several months back, Bengel will be unable to actually do any work at the brewery, he admitted. "I don't think it will be a problem," he said. "It's the same approach I've used for years as a painter and that's worked out pretty well."--DAN BENGEL/JACK CURTIN

Bengel had has become close to the writer in recent weeks by functioning as his "event guru," making the brief, exclusive interview possible. It took place at an undisclosed location where Bryson is in hiding, hoping to stay out of the reach of a professional hit team reportedly hired by Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione and Russian River's Vinnie Cilurzo to "express our extreme displeasure with his wanton and un-American attacks on extreme beers." Port Brewing's Tomme Arthur, in a email message to the Beer Yard within the hour, confirmed that the hit has been contracted, adding that "hey, I wanted to be in on that action too, but it seemed best to leave it to the Italian guys."

The Beer Yard's team of news analysts has concluded that, given the threats to his well-being, Bryson's highly publicized weight loss campaign of recent months was probably not a health measure at all, but rather an attempt to change his appearance "and be able to run faster" before he embarked on his quixotic crusade.--DAN BENGEL/JACK CURTIN

"The man is responsible for over 10,000 hits on our site every day, most of them from him," said a spokesman. "This is the least we could do."

Ruch, a resident of Downingtown whose official address is "that stool at the corner of the bar, Victory Brewing Company," is well known for seeking out the world's worst jokes and firing them off to thousands of people around the world several times a day. The task keeps him too busy to sit for an interview, he told Bengel, but he also assured him that anyone who emails him at www.victoryshill.com will immediately be added to his email list and begin receiving jokes within the hour.

Taking a position that most spammers at least pretend to reject, Ruch says proudly that "once I have your name, you are fair game." No one, no matter how long and hard he or she has tried, has ever been able to get off his mailing list. "Tnis and beer are all I got," he says in defense, "and I'm not giving up either one. They will have to pry my keyboard from my cold dead fingers."--DAN BENGEL/JACK CURTIN

Baker said that he'd like thank each his customers personally for his new, extravagant lifestyle and urged them to "keep an eye out for our next Going-Out-of-Business event at Drafting Room Exton, where we'll be pouring an even two dozen beers."

As reported here earlier, Baker and Zwerver are now in the process of created a brewpub in Nyack, NY and these latest sales figures have had an impact on their plans, he acknowledged. "The way it looks now, we plan to hold our Grand Opening and Going Out of Business event on the same day. It will save a lot of time."--DAN BENGEL/JACK CURTIN

"Wegman's contacted us about a month ago with the idea," Weyebacher's Dan Weirback told The Beer Yard this morning. Then we had lunch with all their managers this past Friday and tasted all the meals."

Wegmans, one of the nation's leading food chains, is offering a Cheddar Chowder made with Hops Infusion, Braised Short Ribs with a Merry Monk's demi-glace and mushrooms, BBQ Ribs with a Blithering Idiot sauce and Bread Pudding with creme angliase made with Black Hole Ale.

The chowder offering has been on sale for a week or so, Weirback said, "and they say it's been flying out of the store, so I think you can say the public reaction is highly positive. They're also talking about doing some classes in cooking with beer down the line."

Attendees at the annual Weyerbacher Open House this Saturday (Noon - 3pm) will benefit from the arrangement, he noted, since Wegmans representatives will be present and offering samples of the various dishes.--JACK CURTIN

The duo assured heart-broken fans that they would open a brewpub somewhere in the region when they announced that Heavyweight was going out of business. Most people expected that to happen in Pennsylvania but they were unable to find a suitable location, Bake said.

Baker also said that their new operation, if everything works out, will follow the original concept they announced last summer: a brewpub cum beer bar with a very basic menu and a focus on natural local ingredients and a "green" approach. "It will similar to Paul Sayler's American Flatbread Burlington Hearth in Vermont," he explained, "Although the basic idea is close, we won't be doing the same thing. And they've been very supportive and a big help in helping us figure it all out."

Baker intends to brew "four or five" house beers and also feature "10 or 12 craft and high-end imports at the bar, and also serve local wines, but no spirits. The beers will be mostly draught but a few select bottles may eventually be added. The menu will center around pizza and salads, plus some cheese and bread pairings. "And dessert," he laughed, "we will definitely have desserts."

Nyack appears to be an excellent fit for the concept. The village is located 25 miles north of New York City (20 minutes northwest of the George Washington Bridge) in Rockland County, famed for its small town charm, historic Victorian homes, antiques and fine dining. There is no place in town featuring the sort of broad-based craft beer lineup he plans, Baker noted, "and I think there will be substantial market for what we will have to offer. We hope to blow their socks off."

While a name for the new enterprise has been selected, Baker has chosen not to make it public "until we have it registered, a lease signed and our plans firmed up." At that time, he promised, he will reveal all to The Beer Yard.--JACK CURTIN

The "week" will run from March 7 through March 16 and is expected to involve a series of several beer-focused events each night throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

It will kick off with a March 7 "simul-tap" of firkins in Philadelphia's City Hall courtyard and at breweries in Harrisburg, Princeton, Allentown, East, Wilmington, Lancaster and all across the five-county area around the city.

The news was released informally and with few specifics by Bruce Nichols, head of Museum Catering Company, at the annual Michael Jackson events this weekend and yesterday by beer writer Lew Bryson online.

According to Bryson, the event was "conceived and backed by a combination of people [including himself] who've been making beer happen in this area for years. Tom Peters of Monk's Cafe. Bruce Nichols of UPenn Museum Catering. Curt Decker of Nodding Head. George Hummel of Home Sweet Homebrew. Mark Edelson of Iron Hill. Chris Depepe of the Philly Craft Beer Festival. Tom Kehoe of Yards. Don `Joe Sixpack' Russell. Matt Guyer of the Beer Yard. Gene Muller of Flying Fish. Bill Covaleski of Victory. Carol & Ed Stoudt. Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head."

The concept apparently developed in reaction to the demise, at least for this year, of Philadelphia's famed The Book & The Cook event, due to the loss of a site for the B&C Fair which provided most of the financing for that ten-day extravaganza (B&C still maintains that it will happen in the Fall but industry insiders say, off the record, that such is unlikely, given that it is already late in the to set aside the necessary block of hotel rooms and schedule events at a variety of venues). The two Museum events were a major B&C player--the Saturday Tutored Tasting's three sessions drew the largest attendance of any event each year--and a Sunday night Jackson-hosted Belgian beer dinner at Monk's Cafe´, while not officially part of B&C in recent years, has always been one of the city's great beer celebrations.

While the Monk's dinner is not specifically announced in Bryson's online report, it is almost definitely going to be on the schedule. Nichols told the Beer Yard yesterday that whether or not the Museum dinner would re-occur was questionable at this point. The Tutored Tasting will take place on Saturday, March 8, as things now stand, and Rich Pawlak's popular Golden Age of Beer in Philadelphia bus tour be run that day a swell. There is also talk of a real ale festival, possibly on Sunday at Yard's Brewing, according to rumors.

Activities through the coming week, according to Bryson, will involve "five to ten events a night. We're thinking about a Belgian trolley night, with a trolley running a circuit between Philly's best Belgian beer selections, and a craft trolley night, the same thing for American micro taps. There'll be beer dinners, tastings, and 'meet and greets' where you can meet brewers from across the area, the country, and the world. Guest brewers will be brewing in local breweries a month before to release special beers during the Week, more will brew during the Week in brewery open houses. We hope to have sponsorship connections with mass transit to make getting around easier and safer.

"Then the final weekend will feature the return of this year's Philly Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, and Pawlak and the vans and I will head west for the Great Western Suburbs Beer Hunt, a swing through Chester and Montgomery County brewpubs and bars we've been longing to do. Sunday everything winds up with the Brewer's Plate, the annual Slow Food and beer event. And yes, that's actually ten days, not a week."

A Philly Craft Beer website will be up soon, he added, while noting that the schedule and events are still in flux.--JACK CURTIN

Even though Flying Fish has pretty much outgrown its current Cherry Hill plant, founder Gene Muller told Sheibley that rising construction costs and interest rates have made the project in the city-owned Commerce Square industrial park too expensive. The developer, New Vistas Corp., planned to build the brewery and three office buildings in the park.

Muller said that Flying Fish will look into buying or leasing a larger plant instead of building something new. One possibility is to move to a two-acre parcel nearby the original one in Commerce Square, off the riverfront. Muller said he would consider such an arrangement if New Vistas wanted to build there and lease to the brewery.--JACK CURTIN

John Cornwell has invented a refrigerator which will deliver a can of cold beer right to your couch with the click of a remote control, an earth-shattering advance that surely fulfills at least part of every beer geek's most intimate dreams.

The Associated Press reports it took that Atlanta-based software engineer, who graduated from college just last year, about 150 hours and $400 in parts to modify a mini-fridge (the sort common to many college dorm rooms) into the beer-tossing machine. It can be loaded with ten cans a a time.

The remote was made from a converted car's keyless entry device. When it is clicked, a small elevator inside the refrigerator lifts a beer can through a hole and loads it into the a catapult arm mounted on the refrigerator. A second click of the remote fires the device, tossing the beer a distance of up to 20 feet. The most beer Cornwell has run through the machine so far was a couple of 24-can cases during a Super Bowl party.

Only Cornwell's personal model currently exists, but he says he has talked to a brewing company about the machine and is also considering one which can launch bottles.

You can watch a pretty awesome video of the fridge in action right here. Go on, you know you want to.---JACK CURTIN

"We weren't going to do any more bourbon barrel beers but we had so many requests for the Quad to get that treatment over the past couple of years that we finally caved in," he admitted. "The story on the label is perfectly true. The first time somebody asked why we didn't do the Quad in bourbon barrels, I answered 'That's blasphemy.' That's where we got the name."

Weirback also released the brewery's seasonal schedule for the year, which includes two brand new beers. Blasphemy is the March beer, then Blanche in April, Muse (a new farmhouse Ale) in May and 12th Anniversary Ale in July. "It's the second new beer and will be another big beer as the Anniversary release always is, but the style is still being determined," Weirback said. Autumnfest and Imperial Pumpkin Ale will appear in the August-September period and "we will at least double, and perhaps triple, the amount we make of the Pumpkin to see if we can't finally make enough to meet the demand." Winter Ale will be released in October and the last beer on the schedule, Insanity, will come in November.

Speaking of new beers, Weirback announced that attendees at the brewery's annual Open House on March 31, Noon to 3pm, will have a special opportunity to taste a Weyerbacher beer, or at least an early version of it, which probably won't be released until the end of this year or early 2008. "We have two different Brett beers in barrels as part of an eight-month aging process, and we will have one of those available for tasting that day. And that's as much as I'm going to say about that beer for how, except that we're very excited about it."

Meanwhile, Double Simcoe IPA, which was announced to begin its year-round release earlier this year, will finally appear later this month. "We've just been max-ed out," Weirback explained, "brewing to capacity. All markets should see it by the end of March, though. We'll be adding a four-pack of Simcoe 12oz for out-of-state customers will have that option as well as the 22oz dinner bottles." He added that the arrival of two additional 40bbl fermenters and a new 48bbl brite tank this past Friday will help alleviate some of the brewing crunch when they are all hooked up and working by the end of this week.

"Sales are up 46% in the first two months of this year, following up on a 23% growth in dollar sales and 20% in barrelage for 2006," he concluded.--JACK CURTIN

It turns out that the Four Points chain has a "Best Brews" program which features good local micros and select high-end imports. And it further turns out, according to a story in the Gannett newspapers this weekend, that they also have the position of "Chief Beer Officer," a non-paying gig which carries with it the reward of free beer and points toward hotel stays.

Anybody can apply for the job (7,000 people have, from six continents, all 50 states and Puerto Rico) and a final four candidates are now being voted on via the internet.

From the Gannett story:

Forget "American Idol." It's down to the final four candidates for "Chief Beer Officer" at Four Points by Sheraton and the public will help pick the winner.

The division of White Plains-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has received more than 7,000 applications for the position - which is unpaid but includes perks such as free beer and points toward hotel stays.

In the next two weeks, the final candidates will be showing their beer smarts to Four Points and the Internet world, which will help select the first-ever CBO. The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges and by the number of votes his or her video application and personal profile receive online.

The winner will be a part-time consultant for the hotel chain's Best Brews program. The job requires the new CBO to promote the program at brewery tours, beer festivals and in bars.

Wanna vote? Just go here.--JACK CURTIN

Morrison and O'Reilly will brew a batch of the former's popular Biere de Garde in the pub's 10bbl brewhouse and the beer will be introduced at at the pub on Friday, March 30. The event will be named "Dude in Exile" in a reference to Morrison's nickname in the industry and both brewers will be present..

The brew will be a full 10-barrel batch and is a one-off, with no plans for it to be repeated. It will be on draft at both Sly Fox locations until gone.

Morrison was abruptly dismissed from his job making beer for both McKenzie locations just before Christmas last year, apparently as the result of a long-standing fissure between him and management. He is currently investigating his options in the brewing world, ranging from finding another brewer's post or starting his own company.

"This seemed like a good way to let Scott earn a few bucks and keep his hand in while he figures out his next step," said O'Reilly in a news story posted on the Sly Fox website on Monday. "Also, it never hurts to have a very popular and very good brewer working on the premises, even if only for a day. Scott has a big following in this area and I think we'll have a great crowd to wish him well on March 30."

The two brewers go back a long way, both having gotten started in the industry while working with Phil Markowski, the near-legendary brewmaster at Southampton Publick House on Long Island, in New England. In a striking coincidence, Markowski is also scheduled to be brewing at Sly Fox on March 9, in the company's Royersford brewery. Four of Southampton's top-line beers are produced and packaged there annually under contract.--JACK CURTIN

"American tastes are clearly changing thus the demand for more flavorful and diverse beers is exploding," said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association, which tabulates industry growth data.

The Brewers Association estimates 2006 sales by craft brewers at over 6,600,000 barrels (one barrel equals 31 U.S. gallons) up from an adjusted total of just under 6,000,000 barrels in 2005. The increase totals over 690,000 barrels or 9.5 million case-equivalents. Craft beer posted a retail sales figure of $4.2 billion for the year.

Mainstream brands did not fare nearly as well. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), "The beer category reaped growth from import (+10.9%) and micro-brew (+16.9%) products, while suffering losses across domestic and non-alcoholic varieties."

"Craft beer has become a great American success story and today U.S. craft brewers are being watched, emulated and celebrated globally," said Julia Herz, Director of Craft Beer Marketing for the Brewers Association. "Demand has become contagious. Craft beer is satisfying the thirst and beer enthusiasm of a continuously growing number of beer drinkers who are seeking flavor, diversity and value."

The craft beer segment includes 1377 breweries. More detailed and specific industry data will be available in April.--JACK CURTIN

Really.

The cakes are manufactured by New York-based Healthquest Technologies Inc. and were invented by a Richard Deutsch, explained to the AP (in a statement that, curiously, has nothing whatsoever to do with their talking) that "the idea is based on the concept that there is no more captive audience than a guy standing at a urinal. You can't look right and you can't look left; you've got to look at the ad."

Talking or just sitting there waiting to be read, the cakes have enough battery power to last about three months.

Here's how it works: "Hey there, big guy. Having a few drinks?" a female voice says a few seconds after an approaching male sets off a motion sensor in the device. "It's time to call a cab or ask a sober friend for a ride home." No statistics were reported on how many of those guys were startled into jumping back and missing the urinal altogether.

Public awareness campaigns in New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Australia have reported used the devices, as have commercial advertisers (yeah, that'll work). The latest state to give it a try is New Mexico, which ordered 500 talking urinal cakes to warn those relieving themselves that"you drink, you drive, you lose," which, according to the AP, is the state motto. Could be, because, following a recent serious auto accident near the airport involving a driver who reported got drink during a flight, the state has told the airlines they must now have liquor licenses on any flights going to or from New Mexico.--JACK CURTIN

Second place went to Lost Abbey Angel’s Share and there was a tie for third: Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws and Uinta Brewing XI.

The February event at the famed San Francisco beer bar is the oldest barleywine festival held in the United States and 50 or more barleywines are tasted and judged on the opening Saturday of the week-long big beer celebration. All the beers are also on tap and customers jam into the bar to purchase six-beer samplers of as many as they can down.

The top rated beers generally disappear by the end of the day; the others remain available until they too are gone.--JACK CURTIN

Beer writer Lew Bryson, who was involved in the original formulation of Perkuno's, revealed on his website this morning that the contracts have been signed for Victory Brewing Company, under a license with Tom Baker, Heavyweight's founder and only brewer during its seven year existence, to recreate the popular brew.

Heavyweight, which opened in 1999, closed its doors early last summer. Baker and wife/partner Peggy Zwerver said at the time that they hope to establish a brewpub somewhere in the Delaware Valley in the future.

Victory reportedly contacted them about licensing Perkuno's Hammer not long afterwards. "[We] always been big fans of Perkuno's Hammer, and Tom's beers in general," Victory's Bill Covaleski told Bryson. "This was one beer that we simply could not let vanish."

During an early January conversation with The Beer Yard which was agreed to be held confidential until the deal was announced, Baker said that, in addition to Victory's status as one of the nation's best breweries, he found the arrangement appealing because they planned to follow the original recipe to the letter, "right down to the dried beans."

No details on the release date for the beer or its packaging have yet been released, but, in that same conversation, Baker said he believed that, at that time at least, 750ml bottles were the most likely option.

UPDATE: The Beer Yard received this communique from Victory insider Richard Ruch this morning:

"Ron [co-founder Ron Barchet] informed me that they hope to brew the Hammer by April or May and to be ready to release it by June. It will be brewed year-round and served on draft at the brewpub (and probably a cask-conditioned version as well). As you previously indicated on the Beer Yard website, it will be bottled and capped in 750-ml bottles."--JACK CURTIN

Northside's current 11 taps on the bar will be be replaced by 19 taps on the wall behind the bar and pump the beer directly from kegs in the recently created cold room behind that wall. The restaurant also has a handpump, which will make a total of 20 available beers pouring when the work is completed.

Owner John Ortino says that Northside, which has established a reputation for its Belgian and microbrew bottle selection as well as its food, has seen its draught business grow steadily and that he is reacting to a clear demand for more from his customers. "We're kicking most of our draught beers in three or four days, tops," he explained. "It's moving much more rapidly these days. Bottle sales are steady but a lot of that is for take-out, especially the big bottles and even more especially the limited edition beers. This is a move to grow our business and give our customers what they want."

Ortino added that he likes the variety the extended system will allow him to offer. "We'll be able to pour a wider range of seasonals, for example, and also more session beers, lower alcohol styles for people who want to come in and just relax and share some pints with friends. That's particularly important in the summer when we do a lot of weekend business outside on our deck with people spending several hours eating and drinking.

"Our policy with the handpump has always been to put on beers that you don't find everywhere--for example, I managed to get a keg of Victory's Dr. Decibel Brown Ale a while back--and we'll stay with that. In fact, a cask of Troegs Nugget Nectar has just gone on and I have another one already in stock. I also have eight to ten firkins in hand and we plan to start putting a firkin on the bar every Thursday."

Installation of the new system should be completed this week and Ortino expects it to be in service for his annual Belgian Beer Dinner next Sunday. That event is listed on the Beer Yard calendar here.--JACK CURTIN

Zot (the name is Flemish for "madman" or "fool") will hold a private friends-and-family opening on Saturday, February 10, and then will be open to the public the following day at 5pm.

The new venture is a partnership between Bernard Dehaene, who was chef/owner of Le Mannequin Pis, a well-respected Belgian restaurant in the Washington, DC suburbs, and Tim Trevan, a newcomer to the industry, who was a regular at Mannequin Pis. Dehaene was briefly a sales rep for the Virginia-based Wetten Importers in the Philadelphia region after selling the restaurant.

The first few weeks, Trevan told The Beer Yard, "we will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 5pm until Midnight. As of the first Sunday of April, the hours for Sundays will change to 11am to 9:30pm and we'll do the brunch thing."

Zot will have a strong emphasis on Belgian cuisine and beer but will also stock top shelve beers from all over the world. The goal, Trevan said, will be to offer 500 world class beers in bottles. For draught, there will be "six or eight lines" eventually, but only a few will be pouring in these early days. Stoudt's Scarlet Lady and Gold were the first beers put on, as of today. "Next week we'll be adding Delirium Tremens," he promised.

Among the first beers to be brought into the house, not surprisingly, was the famed Brugse Zot, the only beer brewed and lagered in Brugge, Flanders. Residents of that city have been known to their Flemish neighbors as "Brugges Fools" for centuries, going to to the time of Emperor Maximilian of Austria in the late 15th century, who famously told the the citizeny there, when asked to sponsor an institution to treat mental illness just after he had witnessed the annual Brugge Holy Blood Procession, the city's most festive day of the year, "just close the city gates. Brugge is one big fools’ house!"--JACK CURTIN

The news was revealed in the "Craft Beer in Philadelphia" column by George Hummel in the just released February/March issue of Mid-Atlantic Brewing News. The move has been the subject of much discussion among industry insiders in recent weeks and appeared as a rumor on phillyblog.com on January 21 in a thread about Tavern on Green closing.

"We don't have the liquor license yet," Peters said tonight. "As soon as we get that transferred, it's a done deal. The financing is in place and the architects are finish up the plans." The Hummel story noted that March was the target date for opening, but Peters clarified that "we can open within 30 days of getting the license transferred and I don't know when that's happening. March would be ideal, though."

Monk's on Green will be a neighborhood-friendly mirror image of its big brother, Peters said. "Lots of good beers--I think we worked out how we can facilitate handling just as many of them over there with the new design--a menu which is similar, but with smaller portion plates and some additional items to make it easy for local residents to come in on a daily basis. Nothing over $20, in other words."

The original Monk's, at 16 & Spruce Streets, will remain "the beer temple," Peters stressed, the place where Monk's yearly series of beer dinners will still be held and where new beers will be introduced. A third Belgian-brewed Monk's beer, Monk's Cafe´ Cantillon Kriek, will soon join Monk's Cafe´ Flemish Sour Ale and Monk's Cafe´ Cantillon Gueuze on the beer list.--JACK CURTIN

Victory Prima Pils was second and Troegs Tröegenator seventh among the Top Ten American Beers as selected by a panel of brewers, beer writers and other industry folk in the current issue.

Victory's HopDevil IPA also was one of five beers given an Honorable Mention.

Said the magazine of Prima Pils:

Anyone enamored of the clean taste of a watered-down, mass-produced domestic beer needs to break a few man laws and get a six-pack of Prima Pils. Brewed with Saaz hops by German-trained brewmasters, this exemplar of the Czech-born Plzen style of beer is slightly spicy with a refreshing finish. Brews like this are the reason pilsner is the most consumed type of beer in the world. That, and fraternity parties.

This heady brew delivers the heftiness its Teutonic-sounding, heavy metal name suggests. Hand-crafted by two brothers, the strong lager won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Beer Cup. Supposedly, the double bock style was often brewed by monks, who subsisted on the rich drink during prolonged fasts. Drink enough of this stuff, and surely some fantastic visions aren't far behind.

Awarded Honorable Mention in addition to HopDevil were Samuel Adams Double Bock, Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Anchor Porter, Anchor Steam and Blue Point Toasted Lager.

The selecting panel included William Brand (Oakland Tribune), Lew Bryson (ubiquitous) Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Lauren Clark (beer writer), Tom Dalldorf (Celebrator Beer News), Alan Dikty (beer and spirits archivist and specialist at the Beverage Tasting Institute and Vice President of Applied Beverage Technologies), Tony Forder (Ale Street News), Gregg Glaser (Yankee Brewing News), Randy Mosher (beer writer), Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewing), Peter Reid (Modern Brewery Age), Mike Roper (bar owner, Hopleaf, Chicago), Don Russell ("Joe Sixpack"), and Rob Tod (Allagash Brewing).

Here's how the winning beers were selected, per the Playboy website:

A panel of 14 beer experts sent us their top picks in a variety of different categories. The only stipulation was that each beer must be available in bottles (i.e. not just on tap at a brewpub) somewhere in the United States. The results of this open-ended vote were tallied and the brews that received the most votes were included in our top ten list. No favoritism was given to any of the brewers on our panel.

The entrants from across the US will participate as members of the The Brewers Association Export Development Program (EDP),which pays for entry fees and transportation into select international beer shows for its program subscribers in an effort to promote the image of American craft beer.

The AIBA is held in Melbourne every year and ISAustralia’s most prestigious beer event. In 2006, the competition attracted 974 entries from 31 countries. Participating US breweries for 2007 are:

21st Amendment Brewery Café, California; Blue Point Brewing, NY; Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon; Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware; Eugene City Brewery, Oregon; Flying Dog Brewery, Colorado; Full Sail Brewing, Oregon; Great Divide Brewing, Colorado; Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Michigan; Kona Brewery , Hawaii; Rogue Ales Issaquah Brewhouse, Washington; Left Hand Brewing, Colorado; Matt Brewing, NY; Odell Brewing, Colorado; Rogue Ales, Oregon; Shipyard Brewing, Maine; Sprecher Brewing, Wisconsin; Stone Brewing, California, and Widmer Brothers Brewing, Oregon.

"Assisting US craft breweries with participation in large international competitions like AIBA is a major focus of the EDP," said Brewers Association vice president Bob Pease. "US craft beers typically perform well on the international stage and the awards they receive bring attention to the brands and to the US industry as a whole."--JACK CURTIN

The increase was driven by the release of 12 new packaged products and expansion into new markets in Western Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, the brewery said. The total barrelage packaged was 3,600, with all but 343 barrels of that produced in the Royersford plant and the remainder at its Phoenixville brewpub.

"I have to believe that the production levels we hit, and especially the number and variety of packaged beers we brought to market, set some sort of record," said brewmaster Brian O'Reilly. "We released five beers in caged, corked 750ml bottles; four beers in 22oz `dinner' bottles and three beers in 12oz cans. I think it was an astonishing achievement."

A pleased managing partner John Giannopoulos said that the brewery would aim for slower, more managed progress in 2007. "We don't expect to see anything close to that growth this year--nor do we want to grow at that sort of rate," said Giannopoulos. "Our attention in 2007 will be focused on our existing markets, especially our home market, making sure we expand our taps and sales at a manageable rate and that we maintain and even improve quality control."

"Only one new packaged product is currently in our plans, a canned version of Royal Weisse, which is scheduled for this spring," said O'Reilly. "Our big new project for 2007 will be the creation of a true, British-style cask ale for the Phoenixville pub, where we've already installed three handpumps."

You can read the complete news release here.--JACK CURTIN

The agreement gives Czechvar, currently sold in 30 states, access to Anheuser-Busch's distribution network and gives A-B another European import as part of its aggressive push into high-end beer categories. Distribution alliances have been made over the past year or so with Grolsch, Tiger, Kirin and, most recently InBev, which added Stella Artois, Beck's, Bass Pale Ale and other beers to its import portfolio.

Czechvar will continue to be brewed at the BBNP brewery in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, said the Czech brewery's CEO, Jiri Bocek. "Experience of many brewers' generations, who have brewed beer in our town for more than 700 years, lies behind our premium lager," he noted.

The agreement, which became effective today, does not impact existing litigation or trademark disputes between the two brewers in other countries, where they have clashed for decades over the right to use the name "Budweiser." They have agreed the partnership cannot be used to support either side in any of those trademark cases.

In an unrelated development, Pacific Northwest craft breweries Widmer Brothers Brewing Company and Redhook Ale Brewery are reportedly in the first stages of discussing a merger. They already have a marketing and sales joint venture which in turn has a distribution agreement with A-B and the Busch Investment Corporation has a 39.5 percent equity interest in Widmer and an 33.6 percent interest in Redhook.

A-B is reportedly not involved in the talks at this point, nor a driving force behind them. Widmer and Redhook rank sixth and seventh among U.S. craft breweries. Redhook complained recently has that their alliance was not doing a good job of selling its brand in the west.

All this comes on the tail of A-B's report last Friday that the company's U.S. shipments to wholesalers grew by 1.2 percent to 102.3 million barrels in 2006 and wholesaler shipments to retailers grew 1.1 percent. "Anheuser-Busch achieved increased shipments in 2006 due to the success of its initiatives to grow core brands, led by Bud Light, and by expanding its portfolio of products including the addition of Rolling Rock brands, and imports Grolsch and Tiger," A-B CEO August Busch IV said in a company news release.--JACK CURTIN

In December, Coors Brewing Company filed a certificate of label approval application with with the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for a new brew, Blue Moon Spring Ale. According to the label application, the beer is an "amber wheat ale with kieffer lime leaves and lime peel."

Coor's Blue Moon Belgian White Ale showed double-digit sales growth last year, riding on the wave of similar growth for all craft beer during the period. An initial spin-off, Blue Moon Winter Ale, is already on the seasonal market.

The brands have received little traditional marketing support from the brewery which has been wary of letting the public know of its affiliation. The magazine Brandweek wrote several months back that Coors "is walking the thin line between over-commercializing a niche brand that has credence among craft and micro beer fans and raising [public] awareness in order to boost sales" by making it part of the corporate advertising program.--JACK CURTIN

Still definitely gonna happen, just not quite as soon as planned.

Director of brewing operations Jay Misson checked in with The Beer Yard late last night with this update:

We have adjusted our dates and things are looking towards a mid March, rather than February opening. Too many construction issues...

We have not yet been able to brew as we await construction details and approval from all the various powers that be. We are trying to get brewing within a week or two...We will not open until we have six weeks of beer brewed, fermenting and aging. By all accounts its a big project, and we only received our chiller condenser for the roof on Saturday, so we are pluggin' away every day to move things along...

Clipper City's Hugh Sisson, in his monthly newsletter, says that the Maryland brewery "is diligently working on two new releases for our Heavy Seas brand. The first will be a Belgian Abbey style and the second will be a weizen dopplebock! Stay tuned for details but we hope to release the first one in early March."

The Heavy Seas line, originally instituted to celebrate Clipper City's 10th anniversary in 2005, has become an ongoing series of bottle-conditioned limited release seasonals: Peg Leg Stout, Winter Storm Ale, Red Sky at Night (Saison), Small Craft Warning Uber Pils, Loose Cannon (imperial IPA) and Below Decks (barleywine). Loose Cannon and Small Craft Warning are now available year round.--JACK CURTIN

Craft brands "continue to grow at a rapid clip," tbe report said, noting that the growth is not just int he supermarket sector, as "96 percent of all markets recorded share growth in [the four-week period which ended December 23]."

Much of the reason for the decline in import sales was attributed to a weak performance by Corona, the leading brand in the category, which suffered its largest drop-off since February of 2005. While a 5.5% price increase this past fall was cited as a cause for Corona's downslide, Brew Blog went on to note that Heineken, Amstel Light and Tecate also dropped more than 20,000 cases each in the four-week period.

This was the first overall volume decline for the import segment since April 2005.--JACK CURTIN

Strauss worked for Milwaukee's Pabst Brewing during is heyday as one of the nation's largest brewers. He was there for 44 years, rising to the position of master brewer and vice-president of production, before retiring in 1983. He then became a brewing consultant and soon became involved in the burgeoning craft beer segment of the industry.

"He was a proponent of smaller brewers, craft brewers from their very inception," Raymond J. Klimovitz, a Wisconsin beer consultant who serves on the executive council of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, told the Times.

When Strauss was contacted by Rattner and Chris Cramer, his distant cousin, who were developing plans for a microbrewery in San Diego, he helped them design the facilities, provided them with recipes and, perhaps most importantly, "let us use his name," Rattner said.

Karl Strauss was born in 1912 in a brewery in Minden, Germany, where his brewmaster father lived with his family. He studied brewing at a technical institute in Munich and earned a certificate as a master brewer.

"In the 1930s, when Adolf Hitler gained control of Germany, Strauss and his family made plans to flee the country," Times reporter Claire Noland wrote in his obituary. "On his way to join family in San Francisco, Mr. Strauss stopped to visit friends in Milwaukee and got a temporary job at the Pabst brewery. Once Pabst realized that it had a Bavarian brew master in its employ, Mr. Strauss quickly advanced."--JACK CURTIN

I have been asked to write to you by Michael Jackson - who is currently traveling and researching on behalf of the Rare Beer Club.

Michael is notorious among his friends for his passionate commitment to his work, and for the fearsome schedule he sets himself. What he has kept from us is the fact that he has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for at least a decade and perhaps twice as long.

During that time he has written several thousand tasting notes and several hundred articles and has also presented scores of tutored tastings, speeches and book-signings around the world. Further, Michael has produced new books such as Ultimate Beer, The Great Beer Guide, Scotland and its Whiskies and Whisky - The Definitive World Guide which, incidentally, was named best drinks book of 2006 in the James Beard Award and also the recipient of three other international honors.

He has this fall compiled an anthology of his writing for Slow Food and completed a further revision of the fifth edition of The Great Beers of Belgium; his Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch is also in its fifth edition.

Michael has great praise for the work of the medical profession in the development of treatments to combat Parkinson's. He has recently been prescribed some new medication, and the calibration of doses has caused some problems, which are gradually being ironed out.

He tells us: “When everything is in place, I can run almost as well as I did when I played Rugby League. The problems arise when I become absorbed in writing, or in a conversation, and forget my medication. Even the slightest delay can make me very unsteady on my feet - unable to walk at times - and slurred in my speech. Understandably, people think I am drunk, especially given my profession. I am not. My wild days were long ago. My writing has always fostered the notion of tasting more and drinking less, and I am true to that philosophy. The Gods have a sense of irony in making me look drunk when at my intake of alcohol is at its most modest.”

As you can tell, Michael is in excellent spirits and very much looks forward to the next chapter of his life which he obviously expects to be productive. In addition to being a great example by the way he has lived with this disease, Michael is already talking about projects that will benefit others with Parkinson’s disease and you can be assured that we will be hearing a lot more from him in that regard in the future.

I know that you will all join us in wishing Michael the best during this holiday season and into 2007 and beyond as he continues to lead the discovery of exciting new beers!

An assortment of award winning American craft beers from Rogue Ales Brewery (OR), Brooklyn Brewery (NY) and North Coast Brewing Co. CA) beers are being shipped on a container from Seattle to Shanghai, China. The shipment is a culmination of a three-year effort consisting of market research into opportunities for US craft beer in China and reverse trade missions to the US by leading Chinese beer distributors. Funds for this work came in large part from the United States Department of Agriculture's Emerging Markets Program.

The beer will be available in early January at high-end bars and restaurants in Shanghai at a range of 35 RMB ($4.50) to 55 RMB ($7.00) per bottle. American Craft Beer Partners is working on agreements with on and off-premise accounts to order larger volumes if sales targets for the first shipment are met and distribution goes as planned American Craft Beer Partners looks forward to exporting additional containers to China soon.

CBC, the brewing industry's largest conference held in North America, will be held April 18-21 and attendance is expected to exceed 1,600. The conference will start with an opening reception held at the world famous Stubbs Bar-B-Que. Keynote speaker will be Russian River's Vinnie Cilurzo, the first brewpub member to give a keynote address since 2001. Another speaker of note will be Harry Schuhmacher of Beer Business Daily, a daily news source for global beer industry executives, who will be the Grand Banquet speaker.

BrewExpo America®, the nation’s largest trade show for the craft brewing industry, is always held in conjunction with the conference and the two-day trade show expects to host 130 exhibitors.--JACK CURTIN

Morrison told The Beer Yard last night that he was given his paycheck by owner Bill Mangan earlier in the day and told that his services were no longer required.

Insiders have known for months that the situation at McKenzie, which was originally founded in Glen Mills in 2001 and opened a second location in Malvern this year, was a touchy one, with management wanting Morrison to concentrate on more mainstream brews rather that the strong-ale interpretations which have won him a national reputation. It appeared that an uneasy truce had been established, but that was apparently not the case.

The firing brought back memories of a similar out-of-the-blue release given brewer Brian O'Reilly from New Road Brewhouse in Collegeville in June 2001, shortly after he had won a GABF Gold Medal and made the location a destination spot for local fans of craft beers. New Road closed shortly afterwards, while O'Reilly has gone on to make Sly Fox Brewing one of the region's most successful and popular breweries. Both Morrison and O'Reilly are proteges of Phil Markowski, the nationally acclaimed brewer at Long Island's Southampton Publick House.

An understandably upset Morrison was reluctant to discuss the situation in any detail during a brief call to The Beer Yard last night. He has recently purchased a home in Paoli and is about get married, so the loss of job came as a serious blow during this holiday season. He has promised a more detailed interview about the situation, his reaction and his future plans later today.--JACK CURTIN

"It's yet be named and will be available on draught only," Barton told The Beer Yard today. "It is a tripel hybrid - of sorts. The whole brewing team Josh Ervine, Jason Simon and newcomer John Rehm (whose idea it was)--put their heads together and came up with this really delicious beer. It is spiced with star-anise, chamomile and cardamom. Did I mention how delicious it is?"

Barton said that this is the first release in a new series of one-off brews by Yards. "someone had to pick up where [Heavyweight's] Tom Baker left off," she laughed. "Until he returns,of course."--JACK CURTIN

Iron Hill will have a 10,000 square-foot site, one-fifth of the 50,000 square feet of space designated for retail businesses. It is the first tenant to sign on and is clearly seen as an "anchor" for the development. "We’re very excited to have Iron Hill to be the first tenant signed," said Barry Bosley, F&M vice president of finance and administration, "We think it will be a good fit for the area."  F&M leases the land, which will include 117 student apartment units, from Philadelphia developer Campus Apartments.

The brewery chain announced that a Lancaster location would be the first of five new restaurants to be constructed over the next three years when it received a $7 million loan from Citibank on October 13 of this year. "The area is a perfect fit for us," co-founder Kevin Finn said told the Lancaster press. The new Iron Hill will be the third one located in a university town. The original two pubs opened in Newark, Del. (University of Delaware) and West Chester, Pa. (West Chester University). Finn said that local colleges provide an excellent labor pool for restaurant businesses.

Iron Hill has said it is looking for sites in Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware as part of its expansion project. The company currently has six locations, two in Delaware and four in Pennsylvania.--JACK CURTIN

On November 30, in what Rosemarie Certo, co-owner of Dock Street Brewing co. described as "an unprecedentent move," the Philadelphia Zoning Board reversed a previous decision and granted Dock Street a ten-year use certificate For a West Philadelphia site on which a small production brewery and neighborhood brewpub are planned.

"This came about as a result of intense neighborhood support that included neighbors and the professional and  business community who mounted a letter writing campaign to the zoning board, the Mayor and City Council." Certro told The Beer Yard.

As first reported here last July, Dock Street has acquired  a former firehouse at 50th & Baltimore, just off the University of Pennsylvania campus, to house a 15bbl brewhouse which will producedraft beers for its own taps and accounts in both the city and suburbs. The restaurant part of the operation will be wood-burning oven pizza restaurant.

More details will be posted here next week.--JACK CURTIN

"We did a poll on our website about whether or not to make it year-round and we got almost 400 responses and only two of them were against the idea," Weirback explained. "With that kind of overwhelming popular support for the beer, not to mention the same sort of enthusiasm for it manifested on both the major internet beer sites, we'd be foolish not to give people what they want. Right now, it looks like February will be when it happens."

Double Simcoe IPA will be available in 12/24 cases in Pennsylvania and 22oz "dinner" bottles out of state when released, he added, "but we hope to get a 12oz four-pack done for the out-of-state market by next summer. That's our hope anyway."

Weirback said that sales "have been up 35% for the last two quarters and 40% for the last four months in the Philadelphia market. The Kunda/Friedland merger has been very good for us. We're incredibly busy." He promised "a couple of new beers in 2007," noting that "we are playing around with brett beers and hope to have one to release by the end of next year."--JACK CURTIN

Details and reservation information are available here..--JACK CURTIN

The Bell has stopped tolling in Illinois, at least for now. A dispute between Michigan's Bell's Brewery Inc. and its distributor, has led brewery to stop shipping to Illinois (as a side note, we see that the former Kalamazoo Brewing has, wisely in our humble judgment, changed its name to reflect that of its famous brews). The dispute is over a 1982 law, Illinois' Beer Industry Fair Dealing Act, which effectively weds brewers to their distributors, able to be freed only by a buyout or convincing a judge there is sufficient cause for a separation (such laws exist in most states; a similar provision in Pennsylvania statutes is at the heart of the dispute between Kunda Beverage and Yards Brewing, for example). Brewery founder Larry Bell says that his longtime distributor in Illinois, National Wine and Spirits Inc., sold the rights to his beer to Chicago Beverage Systems, one of the Midwest's largest, and he's worried that the new house will ignore most of his brews and limit its interest to the two or three that could make the most money without competing against its other beers. After a meeting with Chicago Beverage officials recently, he told the local press that they were unfamiliar with the names of his beers and didn'