BeerNews.org

Armand De Belder-legendary chef, lambic blender, and master brewer of Germanic lagers as well as wild yeast ales-joins the Bros this week, direct from Beersel, Belgium.

De Belder says the new brewery is four times bigger than the old one and now employs a double-decker coolship. A 2009 accident destroyed part of the old brewery.

Download the mp3.

Faux-bros Robert and Christian talk ostriches, Jesus beer labels, and strong ales with Urbain Coutteau of Belgium’s De Struise Brouwerij.

Download the mp3.

Part I: The boys discuss the perilous process of US government label approval with Ann Shelton (sister and label designer) and German hipster brewer Sebastian Sauer. Part II: The lyrics of Rush, philosophy of Ayn Rand, and the role of government are discussed, while Brother Dan calls in from Hawai’I to talk about frisking and franchise laws.

IIRC, they only say that the lawsuits are with Midwest wholesalers. Not much else.

Download Part I and Part II.

The Shelton Bros, sipping on Imperial Stout, ramble on about beer rating websites, high-alcohol geeks, Catherine the Great’sHorse, and much, much more. Complete with a humorous analogy featuring children and candy, a ‘living in their parents basement’ reference and some interesting chatter around faux-sour beers.

Download the 30-minute mp3.

#bbpBox_335958008360206336 a { text-decoration:none; color:#D0001E; }#bbpBox_335958008360206336 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } @beerpulse BeerPulse You can subscribe to all of the Youtube videos that appear on @BeerPulse http://t.co/ew9eD5ZJ0t about 10 hours agoReplyRetweetFavorite

(Lakewood, NY) – Southern Tier Brewing Co. rep, Dave Giczkowski, appeared on the Craft Beer Talk podcast earlier this month. Among the things he revealed is that Oat, Jah-va, Mohka & Gemini will not be back in 2013 but in their place are some new beers, some of which were just released this spring. Below is a sneak peek of the new ones to come in late summer and fall.

Southern Tier has also completed an expansion and now has a 110-barrel system to go with what is now a 20-barrel R&D system. The increased production allowed the company to recently expand to Texas and Louisiana. Giczkowski says that puts the brewery in 35 or 36 states as well as Brazil, Denmark, Japan and Sweden.

—

Southern Tier 2XRye:

Rye is a cereal grain historically grown in our region. It has been cultivated since the time of the early settlers due to the scrappy and hearty ability to withstand harsh climates and poor growing conditions. Did you know George Washington grew rye and used it to ferment whiskey? We are pretty sure that is a fact. You will notice the distinct notes of rye, a slightly spicy and grainy aroma not lost in the shuffle of hops and the other four malted grains we use in this fine seasonal addition to our 2X line.

ABOUT THE BEER
STYLE: Double Rye India Pale Ale
BREWED SINCE: 2013
ABV: 8.1%
FERMENTATION: Ale yeast, three varieties of hops, five types of malts
COLOR: Copper/Deep Copper
EFFERVESCENCE: Ample carbonation
NOSE: Pine, tropical citrus, slight fruitiness
FLAVOR: Moderate sweetness, piney, firm graininess with spicy rye finish
BITTERNESS: Medium
BODY: Medium
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 40-45ºF
GLASS: Nonic pint, mug
AVAILABILITY: Autumn / 12oz (6pk and 24 bottle cases) / Draught
CELLARING: 40-45ºF

—

In other news, the brewery has changed the look for its Blackwater Series starting with Plum Noir. Look for Creme Brulee to don the new look next, followed by the debut of Southern Tier Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout in September and Choklat in the winter.

The latest keg approval to come through is Southern Tier Pub Ale.

Press Release:

(Lakewood, NY) – Southern Tier Brewing Company announces the expansion of their distribution network with the addition of Louisiana. With another southern state on their roster, growth is on the horizon for the New York brewery.

Craft beer drinkers in Louisiana will have access to a vast catalog of beers, including new releases in Southern Tier’s smash-hit 2X Series, along with new seasonal recipes and everyday offerings. Additions to the current 2X Series will include 2XRye, a flavorful Rye IPA, 2XSteam, a 2X interpretation of a California Common, and 2XNitro, a nitrogen-based milk stout.

Also added to the brewery’s roster of beers such as Phin & Matt’s, 2XIPA, and UnEarthly Imperial IPA are two new bottle-conditioned offerings. Available seasonally in 22oz bottles, look for Compass. Bottle-conditioned with Champagne yeast and brewed with rosehips, this sparkling beer is a refreshing and unique addition to the brewery’s well-rounded catalog. Live, a bottle-conditioned Pale Ale, is enthusiastically released in 12oz bottles and will be available year-round.

(Petaluma, CA) – Lagunitas Brewing Co. founder, Tony Magee, announced in late March that he and his team are in the process of scaling out two facilities in Petaluma and Chicago to what may someday be 2.4 million barrels of annual capacity.

Part of that expansion is new tanks.

Lagunitas added four 750-barrel tanks at Petaluma already this past spring and eight more are on the way, having just arrived by ship in Los Angeles. Those will arrive next week.

In another four months, sixteen 750-barrel tanks will make their way to Chicago, says Magee. Those will bring Chicago capacity to 250k barrels to start.

In addition to those tanks, Lagunitas is adding 8,000 kegs to its Petaluma arsenal along with a laundry list of new equipment. To facilitate all that, Lagunitas has hired around 20 more people.

They’ll be interviewing for around 50 positions in Chicago, too.

(Golden, CO) – Received the following note from a representative for Coors Brewing Company this past week regarding the new Coors Banquet bottle and recently-released Heritage cans.

—

Coors Banquet is unveiling a new bottle that will excite consumers in local bars and restaurants this summer. Inspired by packaging that was developed in post-prohibition, the new Coors Banquet Bottle is “stubby” in shape and invites consumers to share in the experience that generations of Coors Banquet fan have enjoyed for generations.

From the shape of the bottle to the three classic Coors Banquet labels that it will feature in 2013, the Banquet Bottle tells a story with every sip. Additionally, in markets currently, Coors Banquet has introduced new stories, personalities and designs to the Heritage Cans.

HISTORY
- Coors® Banquet was first introduced in April 1873 by a young man who began brewing a pilsner-style beer at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado. It was here Adolph Coors developed the uniquely crisp, clean and drinkable “Mile High Taste” of Coors.
- Denver and Golden became popular trading posts; men would carry their treasures down from the mountains, exchange them for money and remain in the towns until their next trip. The men would relax during their long stays in town, often throwing large banquets. Their beer of choice during this time of freedom? “The Banquet Beer,” otherwise known as Coors.
- Coors is brewed with 100 percent Rocky Mountain water. All beer is 90 percent water, so using the best brewing water is key to this legendary brew. Adolph Coors selected Golden as the home of his brewery because its location, just east of the Continental Divide, ensured access to the freshest Rocky Mountain water.

BANQUET BOTTLE
- Starting June 1, Coors Banquet is introducing the “Banquet Bottle” across the country. The Banquet Bottle is a 12 oz. bottle in a “stubby” shape that is inspired by the bottle used after Prohibition.
- Through the end of the year, each bottle will display one of three labels inspired by post-Prohibition era packaging found in the Coors Banquet archives.
- The Banquet Bottle will be available to consumers in bars, restaurants and available for purchase in 6-pack configurations nationwide.

HERITAGE CANS
- The Coors Banquet “Honor A Legend” program showcases the brand’s history and stories from 1930s, 1959, 1980s and 1998 are highlighted on four limited-edition packages. The 2013 Heritage Cans feature legendary personalities in Coors brewing history and are available for purchase.
- The Heritage Cans are currently available through August.
- Consumers can “Honor A Legend” by purchasing Heritage Cans or by visiting Coors.com for chance to nominate a legend in their own life.

PRODUCT
Coors Banquet is available nationwide in cans, bottles and kegs. This premium beer contains 142 calories per 12-ounce serving and 5.0 percent alcohol per volume.

BANQUET BOTTLE
Inspired by the shape of the bottles during the age of Prohibition, Coors Banquet is introducing the Banquet Bottle in 2013. After Prohibition, the Coors Brewing Company developed a shorter, stubbier bottle that saved on glass and shipping. In looking at the rich history of the brand, the bottle from 1936 inspired the current design of the Banquet Bottle.

CAN STORIES
To celebrate the brand’s rich brewing history, the 2013 Heritage packaging introduces a unique story to beer drinkers every time they reach for a Coors Banquet. The featured designs and stories are a reflection of a moment in history during that time.

#bbpBox_335902812229750784 a { text-decoration:none; color:#D0001E; }#bbpBox_335902812229750784 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } @beerpulse BeerPulse Port Older Viscosity, Stone Espresso IRS, AleSmith Speedway & more available online at @Craftshackbeer http://t.co/FKgYN8x1wl #sponsor about 14 hours agoReplyRetweetFavorite

(Tillamook, OR) – The latest from the Pelican Brewing Co. email newsletter…

—

A cold, windy and rainy day set the background for turning over a shovel of dirt at the new Pelican Production Brewery at First and Stillwell in Tillamook. Darron Welch, Ken Henson, Jeff Schons and Mary Jones, owners of the Pelican, were on hand to pour samples of Pelican beer and give tours of the work under way.

The Pelican Production Brewery will be located in what was formerly known as the Star Distributor Building and will house a 30 barrel system with the capacity of brewing 8,500 barrels per year for phase one (more than doubling the Pelican’s current capacity of 4,000 bbls per year), with potential capacity of up to 35,000 bbl per year as business grows.

The brewery expects to fill all its production of 22 oz bottles and kegs at the new facility with the added capacity of 6-packs starting late this summer.

A 40 seat tasting room with a view onto the production floor and outdoor patio will serve fresh, tasty brews and simple Pelican fare such as the Pelican’s World Class fish & chips and clam chowder.

The production facility would not have been possible without the help of the City of Tillamook, Tillamook County Commissioners and Tillamook Urban Renewal Agency (TURA).

The brewery team expects to be brewing beer into the new tanks as early as the end of June and the tasting room is expected to be open and serving beer in August.

Much of the credit can go to the Department of Agriculture, which through its Market Access Program has given the Brewers Association an average of $400,000 annually for the past four years to help get its craft beers abroad. "What we do with that money is we try to establish a relationship," says Bob Pease, chief operating officer of the Brewers Association.

More >> US News & World Report.

(Boulder, CO) – On Friday, Avery Brewing Co. joined All About Beer Magazine for its fifth and final Google+ Hangout of the week celebrating American Craft Beer Week.

The current brewery is at capacity so the new brewery can’t come soon enough. That has held up development of new projects like IPA 12-packs and 3Point5 Pale Ale, which will be the next core lineup beer they add in a package when the new brewery is up-and-running.

The latter beer, now in its fourth iteration during taproom development, is part of the brewery’s draft-only “Session Series” which also includes 3Point7 Milk Stout. Avery is working on a third beer to add to the set.

On the other end of the spectrum, Avery has 280 filled wooden barrels for aging beers. Among them are four Suerte Tequila barrels.

Avery is working on procuring more barrels for a third offering in its “Annual Barrel Series” to join Rumpkin and Uncle Jacob’s Stout.

Its one-off “Barrel Aged Series” is now fourteen beers deep with the latest, Avery Volunt Plus, a very limited taproom-only release. Number 15 in the series, Momi Hiwa Barrel Aged Coconut Porter, will hit distribution. Release date is June 9th.

Texas-based Karbach Brewing has released its new summer seasonal, Love Street Summer Seasonal Kölsch, on draft and in cans.

via Vimeo | Karbach.

The Missouri Legislature has approved a beer bill that will allow home brewers to participate in festivals and other public events.

More >> St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

#bbpBox_335871334611550208 a { text-decoration:none; color:#D0001E; }#bbpBox_335871334611550208 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } @beerpulse BeerPulse TTB released guidance earlier this week on how alcoholic beverage manufacturers & wholesalers may use social media http://t.co/FWT137akzp about 16 hours agoReplyRetweetFavorite

It’s called Vulcan Ale, concocted by a trio of Albertans — Star Trek-crazy Canuks — and should land in most Canadian beer/alcohol outlets by early next year. Its official lift-off is slated for Alberta this week.

More >> Toronto Star.

The Growler Saver will keep your growler of beer carbonated, and tasting like it came straight from the tap for days on end.

via Kickstarter.

A look at our Smokestack 750ml bottling line—which on this particular day in February 2013 just happened to be moving through a batch of Saison-Brett.

More >> YouTube | Boulevard.

The Texas House of Representatives just voted to approve a 5-pack of bills that would make significant changes in the way beer is sold across the state.

More >> Houston Chronicle.