Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Get fat on beer and food on Fat Tuesday!

What would you do if I told you there was a place on this earth where you can go every Tuesday night and drink unlimited craft beer and food for a measly $15?

You'd be there like Ashley Dupré on Eliot Spitzer every damn Tuesday night, right?!

Well, there is. And if you live in or around Manhattan then you're a lucky bastich because it's in your backyard. If you don't live in the area, but are rich and have a private jet... you're a lucky bastich. If you're like the Average Joe though (poor and own a Fiat) and live nowhere close... you're outta luck. So Manhattan Beer Lovers... take advantage of this Willy Wonka-esque treat, hail a cab and get your butt down to Maxie's Grill!

This is a crazy deal! Every Tuesday starting tonight (which happens to be Fat Tuesday for those living in a cave), from 6:00pm-8:00pm, Maxie's will be offering UNLIMITED BEER AND FOOD... for just $15.

Oh, but it's not mass produced swill they're serving. Week 1 (again, tonight) will include the three beers from the new Samuel Adams Imperial Series (Imperial Stout, Imperial White, and an amped up version of their Double Bock).

Hey all you Big Apple readers out there... let me know how this weekly shindig goes.


UPDATE: Breaking News... this just in! This will not be a weekly tasting as originally publicized. This will be MONTHLY. The next tasting will be on St. Patty's Day.

The Details: Maxie's Bar & Grill, 233 Park Avenue South (Entrance on 19th Street), New York, NY, 212.979.7800

Monday, February 23, 2009

Brewers Association Announces 2008 Craft Brewer Sales Numbers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Today's Beer and Wine Drinkers Moving to Full Flavor Craft Beer and Buying Closer to Home While Small Brewers Gain Alcohol Market Share

Boulder, CO - Monday, February 23, 2009 - The Brewers Association, which tabulates industry growth data for U.S. breweries, announced that today's small independent craft brewers are gaining alcohol market share due to a shift toward full flavor beer and increased support for local breweries. From 2007 to 2008, estimated sales by craft brewers were up 5.8 percent by volume and 10.5 percent in dollars¹. Overall share of the beer category from craft brewers was 4.0 percent of production and 6.3 percent of retail sales. More than 1 million new barrels of beer were sold in 2008, and close to half of those barrels were beer from craft brewers.

"2008 was a historic year for beer with the large brewers consolidating and imports losing share, while the top ten selling beer brands dropped in sales. At the same time, small independent craft brewers continued to gain share and attention," said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association.

With total U.S. beer being more than a $100 billion industry, the Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales from craft brewers in 2008 were $6.34 billion, up from $5.74 billion in 2007. Taxable barrels of the total beer category was 1,210,018 more in 2008 with craft brewers producing 473,364 of those barrels. Total craft brewer barrels for 2008 was 8,596,971, up from 8,123,607 barrels in 2007.

Beer's popularity as America's favorite fermented beverage continued in 2008 with Gallup stating "beer is back to a double-digit lead over wine." Taking into account the challenges in today's economy, BevincoNielsen released a survey showing beer was faring better than spirits, with wine lagging. The Brewers Association emphasized trading across from wine and spirits to beer continues, with some of today's wine drinkers discovering the affordable enjoyment and rewards of craft beer.

These increases in share and barrels for craft brewers come at a time when, according to the Brewers Association, the cost of operating a small brewery increased over 39 percent in the period of November 2007 to November 2008. The Brewers Association states that today's craft brewers face many challenges including:

  • Access to ingredients and raw materials
  • Increased pricing for materials and supplies
  • Access to market (competition for shelf space at the retail level)

For more statistics visit 2008 Craft Beer Industry Statistics. A more extensive analysis will be released April 22 during the Craft Brewers Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The Association's full 2008 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual brewery, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer. ¹Sales by craft brewers represent total taxable production. Dollars reported by Information Resources Inc. for total U.S. supermarkets.

To view this in your browser go to:
http://www.maildogmanager.com/page.html?p=0000015Fu8vmqatthb1OjplpayaGDb3UohPG8=


##
Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association for American small and independent brewers and the community of beer enthusiasts. Visit the Web site, www.beertown.org, to learn more. The association's activities include events and publishing: World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival sm; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: an American Craft Beer and Food Experience ; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 17,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Make St. Patrick's Day an Official Holiday!


Nope, I'm not Irish, but damn if I don't love this idea!

Hey, if Hallmark can have their Valentine's Day (a self-loathing, worthless, greed driven "holiday" if there ever was one), why can't Guinness have St. Patty's Day?

Ya, that's what I thought. So unite with Guinness, sign Proposition 3-17, and help make it a holiday!

Proposition 3-17 was started last year by Guinness to make St. Patrick's Day an official holiday in the United States. This year they're continuing their pursuit of this "noble" cause. While they gained a lot of support (yes, I signed last year too) they still need one million signatures. So I'm asking all of you beer loving folks out there on the Interwebs to support Proposition 3-17. Who doesn't want to make history, right?

Sláinte!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Beer Tap TV Tweetup @ Breckenridge Brewery!

That’s right gang! It’s the long awaited (and heavily requested) Beer Tap TV Tweetup.

Come hang with your friends from Beer Tap TV at Breckenridge Brewery... and drink a FREE BEER! I bet that got your attention, huh?

Some of the great things about this Tweetup:
  • It’s in the actual brewery, not the tasting room, so this is a semi-private Tweetup just for you Tweeples!
  • One free beer ticket is provided.
  • A brewer will be onsite to give personalized, behind the scenes tours to anyone that wants them.
  • There will be giveaways from Beer Tap TV and Breckenridge Brewery.
  • The Beer Tap TV crew will be there taping a live-audience show that you will be involved in… taste beer with the brewers and the BTTV guys!
Hurry! Due to the free beer and limited space, we have to cap attendance at the first 100 Tweeples. Don't worry, there will be plenty of overflow room in the tasting room to hang if you want to come anyways!

Be sure to register your attendance on the Yahoo Upcoming Events page (http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1823388/)

We look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Great Divide Anti-Valentine’s Day Party

I found this so funny I had to pass it on! This from the latest Great Divide Brewing Company newsletter:

Happy Valentine’s Day… or not. From 6 to 9 p.m. on the 14th Great Divide is having an Anti-Valentine’s Day Party with snacks, $3 Bloody Yetis, and free kisses for singles.* There will also be a Black Saturday Ritual where anyone and everyone will be encouraged to destroy something from a past relationship.

*All free kisses will be from Tap Room Manager Patrick Langlois with no discrimination whatsoever toward the recipient.

LOVE IT! My wife and I are very happily married. And I absolutely detest the blatant "Hallmark Holiday" that Valentine's has become. It's nothing more than a fake "holiday" to sell shit - chocolate, jewelry, whatever. Frankly, it's disgusting.

If you have to buy stuff to show your love... you're doing something wrong.

But since we're on the topic of V-Day and this is a beer blog, here are a few of my fave craft brews that might help set the perfect mood, and might even convince your non-beer loving lover to change their non-beer loving ways:
What are your favorites?


Zivjeli!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Sam Adams goes Imperial

The Samuel Adams Imperial Series consist of three beers that represent some of the biggest and most intense beers they've ever brewed. Two are brand spanking new beers, an Imperial Stout and Imperial White, plus an amped up version of their Double Bock.

You'll be able to find all the stats on each beer on the website within a few days.

Since they quite literally just bottled these Imperial bad boys this very week they likely won't be in stores before the end of February.

Stay tuned!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Save Colorado Craft Beer!

The Colorado Legislature recently proposed House Bill 1192. HB1192 would allow grocery stores to sell full strength craft beers. Sound like a great idea? It's not. Please watch our PSA style video at Beer Tap TV (http://beertaptv.com/BeerBuzz/HB1192)... it explains why this bill is bad for liquor stores, the Colorado craft beer industry, and most importantly... bad for you and the Colorado economy.

Time is running out, please act quickly and help save Colorado and Colorado brewers. Go to VoteSmart.org, find your State Senators and your Colorado House Representative and send them an email, fax or give them a phone call. Let them know you are opposed to HB1192 and you want it killed in committee next Wednesday, February 11th, before they waste any more of your tax dollars deliberating over this bill!

Have questions? You can visit Save Colorado Craft Beer (http://savecoloradocraftbeer.com/) or you can Email us at AlwaysHoppy@BeerTapTV.com


Full disclosure: as many of you know I write about beer in many locations. When I'm not writing about beer here, or as the Southern Colorado Beer Examiner, I'm writing about at Beer Tap TV, where I'm the VP of Content & Programming.