A lot is brewing at SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta

There’s always something interesting going on around the SweetWater brewery in Atlanta, Ga. And right now is no exception. A recent press release from the Peach State details plenty of activities at the brewery and in the city at large. This time around there is information about their new brewhouse, their annual 420 Fest, a funky new beer, and the first time 12 bottles of their IPA get to hang out in a box together.

Back in March of last year SweetWater opened its new production facility that took the brewery from approximately 100,000 barrels a day production to nearly 500,000. More recently Freddy Bensch, the brewery’s outspoken owner, proudly unveiled a brand new brewhouse that tops off the $19 million, two-year-long expansion project. But, its not just any brewhouse, this is a 250 barrel beauty that is now producing most of the company’s beers.

Another big thing brewing around the SweetWater offices is the brewery’s 420 Festival. Candler Park plays host to the annual party that features music, art, educational opportunities, and lots of beer. Top musical acts such as Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Bears, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk , and the imitable George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. Add in the Sweetwater Experience, a lively tasting of over 20 different style of beer and along with guest speakers that will enlighten guests with stories of beer and you have a great time. SweetWater’s 420 Fest takes place April 19-21 and is sure to be spoken of in hushed tones for months to come.

Remember that new brewhouse from a couple of paragraphs ago? Well, the first brew to issue forth from it is the next in the Dank Tank series. This time the wizards of the SweetWater brew crew have produced a whopper of a Black Double IPA. called Some Strange. Word has it that the brew clocks in with a monstrous 10% ABV and a potfull of IBUs. Watch for more details on this limited release brew over the next few weeks.

Sadly, with the word of a new brew comes the news that another is being retired. Exodus Porter is being put out to pasture and making its, well, exodus. If you have a few bottles lying around you might want to store them for a special occasion because they are likely the last you will be seeing – ever.

But, with bad news comes more good news. If you have been wondering how you could get 12 of your favorite SweetWater IPAs together at one time and in one convenient box, there is now an answer. SweetWater IPA is now or soon will be available in 12-packs for your hoppy, thirst-quenching enjoyment. So, keep an eye out at your local beer monger for the new boxes.

With so much going on, you would think that the folks at SweetWater corporate offices would be just plain tired. But, happily, that is not the case. Be assured that more great things will be happening and coming down the pipe soon from these mad men – and women – of brewing. We can hardly wait.

 

Oskar Blues amping up a favorite, preparing a new seasonal

Oskar Blues Brewing Company has been turning heads since 1998 when Dale Katechis began brewing beer is the basement of his Lyons, Colo. restaurant. The brewery really began as a side-project to provide fresh beer to hos restaurant, but soon Katechis decided to convert his restaurant to a brewpub. His brews were never timid; they always grabbed the drinker by the throat and let them know they were drinking a brew made with passion. A year after establishing the brewery, Katechis’ little brewery captured a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival for “The Reverend Sandi’s Sinful Stout.” Demand for the brews grew and a few years later in 2002, Oskar Blues shook up the craft beer world again by doing the unthinkable and canning their beers.

Over the next 10 years, the craft brew movement grew and Oskar Blues expanded with it. Today the company operates a brewery in Longmont, Colo. and another in North Carolina. In 2012 they produced 95,000 barrels of brew, that’s a far cry from the 760 they rolled out in 2002.

This year, the brewery is making a few changes to its lineup. Gubna, a malty, hopped-up Imperial Rye IPA is about to get a formula change. Until now the brew that accomplished it’s outrageous 100 IBUs of bitterness and 10% ABV through the use of three types of malt and just one hop; Summit. This year Cascade hops are being added to the already challenging brew. The brew is also being taken from a year-round offering to a seasonal spring offering to be available in March, April, and May.

Gubna is being moved to seasonal status because the brewery is planning the debut of a new seasonal brew in July. While the brewery is not saying what the brew will be, it has been introducing new cans to the market including a modern version of the old cone top can made of aluminum that has a twist-off aluminum top. The last beer packaged in that can was The Deuce an Imperial Brown that was available during the fall of 2012.

Keep up to date on all the beer happenings and news going on in town by joining our newsletter mailing list at the ALL NEW www.JaxBeerGuy.com.

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Healthy beer? You bet!

A Kranz (wreath) of Kölsch beer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Generally speaking, beer and health aren’t necessarily equated with one another in most people’s minds; even though there’s lots of recent scientific and medical research that show beer drinking (responsibly) is good for you. Most beer lovers don’t pause to read the nutrition label before cracking the top on a fresh brew. However, there are some beers out there that are better for you than others. Which brews make the top of the list in terms of “healthiness” and why should you care? Let’s take a closer look at your options.

What Makes a Healthy Beer?

Before we delve into which beers are not bad for you and which ones are actually good for your body, it would be a good idea to go over just what makes one beer “healthier” than another. It basically boils down to two things really – calories and alcohol content. Choosing a beer with lower calories is a no brainer for those watching their waistlines of course, but choosing a lower alcohol brew flies in the face of some emerging craft brew trends, specifically the trend of stronger and stronger “novelty” beers.

Then there is the question of special ingredients included in the brew. A wide range of different ingredients can be added to the basic four that make up the average brew, many of which can offer some distinct health advantages. Let’s cover a few of those before we move on:

Wheat: Wheat beers have been shown to provide significant benefits, particularly for runners and other endurance athletes. The benefit here is that wheat seems to offer relief from inflammation in muscle tissues and joints, and can also help to combat problems with the respiratory system. Of course, for those with gluten intolerance problems, wheat beers are off the table.

Fruit: Fruit has been used to flavor beer since time immemorial. Today, a wide range of fruit types can be found in beer, from oranges to strawberries, lemons to raspberries and even more exotic options. However, craft beer brewed with fresh fruit (or high-quality fruit extract) can offer some health benefits, particularly when that fruit is high in vitamin C. For instance, raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system.

Another important fruit here is pomegranate. Called a “superfood,” pomegranate offers some very impressive health benefits, from boosting your immune system to helping with blood pressure problems and more.

Green Tea: Fusing beer with other types of beverages has become more popular recently in the craft brew world. Some brewers are going the route of combining their brews with tea (particularly green tea). This offers a world of health benefits due to the high antioxidant content in green tea. Antioxidants can help fight a wide range of issues, from cancer to the aging process.

Ginger: Ginger has been used as a cure-all for thousands of years. The Chinese, Romans, Greeks and numerous other ancient cultures extolled the virtues of this root. You’ll find ginger included in quite a few new beers on the market. While the FDA might be silent on the health benefits of ginger, it’s hard to argue with a tradition that dates back thousands of years.

Hemp: No, you won’t find beer laced with THC on the market (at least not openly, at any rate). Hemp seeds are used to add flavor to different brews. You’ll also find that they offer some important heart health benefits, too. Studies have shown that hemp seeds can also help to lower high blood pressure in those suffering from hypertension.

Spruce: Spruce is a species of evergreen tree and most people don’t really equate spruce needles with food or drink. However, spruce needles can impart some interesting flavors, but they also offer help for those with joint pain, poor blood circulation in the body and can even help lower stress (or that might just be the alcohol).

Oysters: Eating oysters while drinking a cold beer is nothing new. However, you’ll now find the oysters added directly to the brew. While that might sound like a rather odd combination, it does have its benefits. Most importantly, at least as far as health is concerned, oysters are high in protein and a variety of essential minerals.

Now, that’s a pretty long list of healthy additives, even though some of them might sound a little farfetched. The truth of the matter is that you’ll find craft beers available from breweries around the world that include these healthy ingredients and many others too.

The Healthiest Beers on Offer

So, what are the healthiest beers that you’ll find on offer? Interestingly, Sam Adams Light comes in pretty high on the list (at the top of the list, according to some). The beer doesn’t have any special ingredients, but it is very low in calories, has a modest alcohol content and doesn’t stint on flavor, body or mouth feel.

Surprisingly, Guinness is also among the healthiest beers out there. Again, there is no special ingredient that helps push it ahead of other beers. However, it is very low in calories, and the alcohol content is well below the 5.0 ABV average cited by authorities (the CDC, for example) as the typical alcohol content for beer.

If you’d like to break out of the box and go for some healthier beers that you won’t find sitting on the shelves of most grocery stores (appealing to the hunter in you), then you might consider some of these brews:

• He’Brew Rejewvenator ’10 (Schmaltz Brewing Co.)
• Gumballhead (Three Floyds)
• Good Juju (Left Hand)
• Black Hemp Black Ale (O’Fallon)
• Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat (Fort Collins Brewery)

Of course, there are numerous other options out there and chances are good that you’ll find a craft brewery or two in your local area serving up healthful, refreshing brews with unique ingredients. Keep an eye out for fresh fruit and all-natural ingredients, but also bear in mind the calorie count and ABV rating for any beer you choose if you’re concerned about the health benefits (or adverse effects).

Poto Cervesia, Dustin Canestorp

 

Innovation the key to keeping the craft beer world fresh

Boilers at the Samuel Adams brewery in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The term “Indy” has become a hot topic lately. The eBook revolution, Indy music, craft beer – they all hold true to the roots of independent creating and a dedication to doing things their own way. The craft brewing world has certainly come a long way since it started growing several years ago and throughout it all many breweries have managed to not only find success, but to grow despite the ongoing economic problems. How have they managed to do that? It’s by keeping things fresh. Not necessarily the beer, though that’s fresh too, but by implementing innovation in their operations and keeping their brewery fresh in the minds of beer drinkers. What kind of innovation is going on in the craft brew world?Interesting Ingredients

One of the ways in which brewers are capturing and holding the attention of drinkers is by using unique ingredients to give their brews a flavor that really stands out. While a wide range of spices, herbs and other additives have been used in brewing historically, most American beers are pretty plain. To ramp things up a bit, craft brewers are increasingly using additives to promote different flavors and tempt your taste buds.

What are brewers putting in their recipes? You’ll find things like rye used in conjunction with wheat, coriander, orange peel and even mint. Innovation is all about finding a nice balance between “unique” and “good taste”, and brewers are definitely not afraid to experiment.

Aged Beer

Wine is aged before it’s consumed, but beer usually only ages long enough for the fermentation to complete and the liquid to clear. However, many brewers are finding that aging their beer has some pretty interesting results, both in terms of flavor and in terms of sales. While aged beer really only appeals to a small segment of the market, that innovation still helps brewers to identify themselves as innovators and creative artists not afraid of trying something new.

Beer is usually aged in oak barrels – used barrels at that. The barrels once held whisky, or even wine. Why bother with that? Using these casks allows the beer to absorb different flavors from the alcohol-permeated wood. It also allows the beer to add extra strength, body and flavor. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a glass of aged beer, and you’ll find that several breweries are taking to this method.

Collaborative Brewing

Around the world, most brewers hold tight to their recipes and their brewing traditions. For instance, the brewing industry in Belgium is all about tradition and keeping secrets from your competition. Here in the US, things are a little bit different. There is a spirit of creativity and collaboration here not found elsewhere. That leads to some interesting pairings between breweries.

Of course, there has been bad blood between some craft breweries, and litigation has ruined some perfectly good relationships. With that said, more and more breweries are finding that joining forces for collaborative brewing projects has some serious benefits. What might they gain?

Obviously, two heads are better than one as the old saying goes. By joining forces even for a short time, brewers are able to benefit from the experience, knowhow and imagination of the other. This comes out in some interesting ways – unique beer types are born all the time. Each of these collaborations also helps to spread both breweries’ reputations with a market segment that might be unfamiliar with their offerings.

Fan Contests

Indy marketing has long relied on getting your audience involved. That holds true with pretty much any independent endeavor, whether it’s craft brewing, web comics or independent authors self-publishing their works. By involving your fans, you are able to achieve a number of goals:

• You make the fans feel as though they are part of the process – you’re giving them a chance to make an impact.
• You make the fans feel as though they have a stake in the finished product.
• You help spread the word via each fan. They tell their friends and family and then those people do the same. Word of mouth marketing is still one of the most  effective tools out there.
• You leave a lasting imprint in your customers’ minds.
• You provide something fun and enjoyable for your fans/customers to do other than consuming your products.
• These are only a handful of the benefits found when you are able to bring your customers into the production process in any way. How are breweries doing that, though?

One of the most common options is a “name the beer” contest. Fans are able to vote (usually through social media outlets like Facebook) on the name that they like best for a new brew. In some instances, the brewery also lets fans suggest their own names and then chooses the most popular to grace the bottle’s label.

Other contests have involved deciding on the next type of beer to be brewed, choosing ingredients and selecting recipes. There are tons of options in this vein, all of which will help a brewery ramp up their marketing and boost customer loyalty.

Why Does Innovation Matter?

So, why has there been so much focus on innovation? There’s plenty of good reasons to be innovative, particularly in the world of craft beer. The sheer growth of the industry has made it essential that breweries find a way to stand out from the crowd. While brewing super-strong beer or using unique packaging options can help do that, there are many other was to achieve better recognition with consumers.

Another reason that innovation is so important is that it keeps alive the spirit of creativity that has so far been one of the major hallmarks of the craft brew industry in the US. Without creativity comes stagnation and an adherence to “tradition” – something that would turn craft beer into the same thing as what major beer producers put out. That’s never a good thing. Hopefully, the drive to innovate will never leave the craft brewing scene.

Poto Cervesia,
Dustin Canestorp

Dustin Canestorp is the Founder and General of the Beer Army. Join the ranks of the Beer Army at BeerArmy.com. Take a stand and let the world know your position. If you are going to drink, drink BEER!

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Goose Island to roll out nationally with both draft and bottled brews

Back in 1988 John Hall set out on a mission to not only educate consumers, but to challenge them as well. Back then, the big brewery’s brands were practically the only beers available. And in the neighborhoods of Chicago, Ill. those brands were embedded deeply into the psyche of beer-drinkers. Hall decided to do something about that. After several trips across Europe, where he enjoyed visiting many brewpubs, Hall decided to open his own brewpub.  Goose Island Brewpub was opened its doors on May 13, 1988.

In the years since, Goose Island brews have become the stuff of legends. Thirsty Chicago beer-lovers soon discovered the little brewpub and in just seven years, the demand had grown to such a point that Hall began looking for a larger brewing facility. In 1995 he found a suitable place and began brewing and bottling his beers for the greater Chicagoland area. But, once again, demand outpaced production and Hall once again began a search for more production space. Where he finally settled was a location just an out-of-park home run from the cathedral of many Chicagoans, Wrigley Field.

Over the years, Goose Island has made its mark on the beer industry. Not only was Goose Island one of the pioneers of the craft beer industry, the booming brewery introduced beer-drinkers to styles that set their taste buds and hearts on fire. The brewery’s legendary Bourbon County Stout recently won accolades as one of the 20 most influential beers of all time as the result of a poll of beer experts conducted by website First We Feasts.  The brew consistently scores among the very top brews on beer rating websites like Rate Beer and Beer Advocate. The barrels used to create the first batch of the stout are said to have been Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single barrel bourbon, the oldest Single Barrel Bourbon in the world at 18 years. Other accounts say that they were 25-year old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels.

In 2011, it was announced that Goose Island would sell its operations and brands to Anheuser-Busch. Shortly after the announcement, AB declared its intent to take the brand national. Just last week another announcement was made concerning the roll-out.

“As a native Chicago line of brands, the national launch will bring one of the Windy City’s most acclaimed creations to consumers across the country,” said Andy Goeler, Goose Island CEO and president. “Throughout the craft segment, Goose Island’s beers are recognized, respected and loved, maintaining a passionate and knowledgeable fan base over many decades.”

The four brews to go national will be:

• 312 Urban Wheat Ale
• Honker’s Ale, an English-style bitter.
• India Pale Ale (IPA)

And a seasonal rotating brew that will include:

• Mild Winter (In 2013: February, November – December) an American mild ale.
• Summertime (In 2013: March – August) a kölsch brewed in the traditional German fashion.
• Harvest Ale (In 2013: September – October) a copper-colored extra special bitter (ESB) made with Cascade hops and the richest Midwestern malts.

According to a press release from AB, the beers will be brewed at the company’s Fort Collins, Colo. and Baldwinsville, N.Y. breweries. All the beers will be available on draught. Additionally, all will be available in bottles later this spring.

Watch for these highly acclaimed beers to appear at your favorite bars as well as on the shelves of your beer purveyor soon.

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