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Shifting Lanes: How Craft Breweries Are Changing Business Structures
July 8, 2024 | Julie Rhodes
Times are tough for craft beer. Once the darling of the tap walls and shelf sets, double-digit sales growth and taprooms springing up on every street corner like that green and white coffee giant. Things seemed like good times would never end, but every party has a pooper, and 2024 is looking like one of the most brutal years so far for craft brewery brands since 2020.
Hop Seasons | What Happens at a Small Hop Farm Throughout the Year
June 28, 2024 | David Nilsen
In the year-long agricultural cycle of beer’s main ingredients, hop harvest gets all the glory. Fresh hop and wet hop beers fill shelves and taplists every fall, a celebration of craft beer’s trendiest ingredient. Brewers flock to the Pacific Northwest (or their local hop yard) to evaluate the season’s best lots and choose hops for the coming year. Most of our “seasonal” beer styles today are nods to tradition rather than agricultural dictate, but these beers are different, a hold out from a time when brewing schedules and beer styles were guided by the growing calendar.
Fort Point Beer Company | KSA Kölsch
June 27, 2024 | Jason Murphy
There are many different things you can see and do while visiting San Francisco. Perhaps you take a tour to check out the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, or maybe while sightseeing, you are able to see Alcatraz Island, which was home to the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. You could even spend time catching a cable car around certain areas of the city. While San Francisco offers a multitude of attractions and things to do, we want to recommend a place for you to visit!
Event Recap | HOMES Nucleate Fest
June 21, 2024 | Alexis Dickie
HOMES Brewery hosted Nucleate 2024 on June 8 at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The festival was a well-executed event benefitting charity, full of fun times and delicious beers.
Lua Brewing | Lua’s Birthday Blend Barleywine
June 20, 2024 | Eric Griffin
A curious question that arises frequently at brewery bars is “How’d you decide on the name?” Sometimes there’s quirky, meaningful backstories, sometimes it’s a spin on the founder’s names, sometimes it’s inspired by their geographic location, or it’s one of a million other possibilities. For Lua Brewing, owners Scott and Whitney Selix found no better namesake for their passion project than their beloved pup. Lua turned 13 years old on March 14th of this year, and a month later the team in Iowa released a very special birthday blend in her honor.
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Anchorage Brewing | Sister, Mother, Daughter Barleywine
June 18, 2024 | Eric Griffin
For many, craft beer and brewing provides a creative outlet—a unique method of expression. Every day, a different brewery releases a new and exciting beer to share with their consumers, hoping that the quality of their ingredients, brewing expertise and distinct marketing can lead to a successful, conversation-worthy beer. But sometimes, a beer represents so much more. The story and blend of Sister, Mother, Daughter and its inspiration needs to be shared.
Barrique Brewing | Static Between Worlds Vienna Wine
June 13, 2024 | Eric Griffin
Those who have extensively followed Barrique Brewing and Blending know that they’re in for a treat whenever a new “wax top” release is announced. While often high gravity and brewed in small batches, one thing that always holds true is that these releases are particularly special to the team in Nashville. Static Between Worlds was no different. A collaboration with former Orpheus Brewmaster—and current owner and Head Brewer of The Hollows in Amsterdam, Netherlands—this massive Vienna Wine sought to capture the essence of the past and promise of what’s to come through a complex tapestry of flavors.
Most Outstanding Beers from the 2024 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival
June 13, 2024 | Tristan Chan
As throngs of attendees patiently huddled shoulder to shoulder in a scene more reminiscent of the starting line to a marathon than the kick-off to beer festival, an palpable buzz … Read More
Taking a Look Back at the 2024 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival
June 12, 2024 | Ryan Pachmayer
Beer festivals had a long run of relative stability. Many festivals could rely on the same venue to come through year after year, at relatively predictable prices. Core volunteers would be in place each year and many of the same sponsors and breweries could be expected to attend each season. Critically, attendance at these festivals was almost a guarantee. The pandemic blew that all up. Beer festivals are still plenty popular, but now organizers have to contend with a far wider range of potential changes from year to year. It has been a more ruthless and unforgiving world for beer festival planners over the last few years.
Bringing Culture to the Cup: NB2A Revolutionizes Craft Beer
June 11, 2024 | Julie Rhodes
Craft beer has always been a staple of local communities, serving as a gathering point for people to share stories over a pint. The sense of belonging and support from local patrons fueled the growth of craft beer during its peak years. However, there’s a significant opportunity yet to be fully realized—the untapped potential of Black consumers and brewers in the craft beer industry.
Pour List Preview | Can’t-Miss Beers at the 2024 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival
May 30, 2024 | Tristan Chan
Among all of the innumerable reasons why the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival sits firmly atop the pantheon of the nation’s best beer festivals, it would be irresponsible to ignore the most obvious element… the beer. Throughout the years, brewmaster, Matt Brynildson and the Firestone Walker team have spared no expense in ensuring the best festival-going experience, not just for attendees, but more importantly for the world’s best brewers.
Growing Change: Small Growers Adapt to a Shifting Craft Beer Market
May 28, 2024 | David Nilsen
Craft beer grew at an impressive rate in the decade preceding the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, from 1,813 U.S. breweries in 2010 to 9,092 in 2020, according to the Brewers Association. As it grew, it pulled a number of supporting industries up wthe
ith it, perhaps most notably small-scale ingredient growers and suppliers. The number of small hop farms in the U.S. increased from 68 in 2007 to 817 in 2017 (according to figures published by Penn State University), and member count of the Craft Maltsters Guild grew from eight companies when the guild was founded in 2013 to 67 by 2022.
2024 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival Adds Local Flare to Up Its Fest Experience
May 21, 2024 | Tristan Chan
The Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival has perennially proven why it endures as one of the country’s premier craft beer festivals. Elements that have distinguished it above the thousands of other festivals that take place each year range from the festival’s carefully curated list of participating breweries along with brewers/founders who make the trip to interact with attendees, its stellar lineup of food purveyors, dishing out all-you-can-taste high-level culinary bites ranging from charcuterie to lobster rolls, mac and cheese to artisan ice creams, its inherent advantages of showcasing one of the country’s preeminent brewing campuses located in the picturesque setting surrounded by the natural splendor of wine country, special festival-only Firestone Walker beers; with too many more to list.
Beer Event | Strange Craft 14th Anniversary
May 15, 2024 | Scott Grossman
With huge support from its many friends in the brewing community, Denver’s Strange Craft celebrates its 14th anniversary this coming weekend. Festivities kick off on Friday, May 17 with collaboration beers created with Strange Craft’s brewing friends, as well as one brewed by the brewery staff. Strange will host food trucks, live music and dancing in the biergarden on Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Ludlam Island Brewery | Grand Reopening Preview
May 14, 2024 | Robbie Masso
Since opening in 2016, South Jersey staple Ludlam Island Brewing has been a consistent stop for travelers heading to the Jersey Shore. Now, only four minutes from its previous tasting room in Ocean View, Ludlam Island has renovated a former bowling alley, The Mouse Trap, into a rarity for New Jersey—a brewpub.
“We are so excited for everyone to see the new place,” says Ludlam Island Brewery owner William Topley in a press release. “We poured our hearts and souls into creating this space for Woodbine and the surrounding communities.”
Brewery Showcase | Other Lands
May 10, 2024 | Brian Haitz
How does one decide where and when to open a brewery? For Founder and Brewer Mel Wilcox of Other Lands, the destination was clear but the pathway was unexpected and arduous at times. However, with a mantra of “evolve or die,” he set out to turn his vision of uniquely blended beers paired with an antithetical designed community-centric taproom into a reality.
Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 5/9
May 9, 2024 | Mackenzie Helms
Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays (usually!) to find out what’s new in the Colorado craft beer scene.
The Colorado Brewers Rendezvous returns to the banks of the Arkansas River this July. Tickets are available now, so make sure to grab one for this awesome beer fest. With hundreds of craft beer offerings from more than 65 Colorado craft breweries, not to mention the views, you’d be crazy to pass it up. Pick up your ticket today!
Highs and Lows of the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference
May 7, 2024 | Julie Rhodes
With more curves than a Bart Watson data chart, the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference in Las Vegas did not disappoint for the 9,000-plus attendees who braved the lights and sounds of The Venetian Expo Center and cacophony of Phish fans pouring into The Sphere. (Talk about fantastic people watching!) The conference provided a sanctuary for industry professionals to discuss the myriad challenges and emerging opportunities within the craft brewing world.
Mixed Results: How Sour Ale Producers Make the Numbers Work
May 6, 2024 | David Nilsen
Mixed-fermentation, long-aged sours are among the most prestigious styles in all of beer. The esoteric flavors and lore of Belgian Lambic styles have inspired countless American brewers to look beyond conventional fermentations in search of mystery and glory. It’s an expensive but esteemed branch of brewing, and one upon which many reputations have been built. The only problem? Hardly anyone seems to be buying these beers anymore.
Collaborating for a Cause | Alex’s Life
May 3, 2024 | Eric Griffin
Our showcase for the Alex’s Life installment of this series has been a long time coming. A collaboration of six of the biggest names in today’s craft scene, this joint effort was an undoubtedly pure testament to the magnitude of togetherness exhibited toward Alex Kidd and his family as he endures this fight with Stage IV cancer. With additional thanks owed to craft beer marketplace Tavour as the outlet used to maximize the release’s scope, this Veil-headlined benefit still remains the largest fundraiser to-date for the Kidds.
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