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Things are certainly heating up in the world of craft beer and things like Short’s Brewing expanding and Wicked Weed selling out, are just two of the reasons why. So here’s more of what’s been going on, while you were drinking your way through the weekend.
Short’s Building A Craft Beer Empire In Michigan (Bellaire, MI) – Depending on who you ask Short’s Brewing is either the second or third largest craft brewery in Michigan but there is no doubt that this brewery that expects to produce 55,000 barrels of beer in 2017 and generate $20 million is a force to be reckoned with!
With The Capacity to brew almost a million barrels of beer a year, Kalamazoo’s Bell’s Brewery is clearly the largest. And Grand Rapids-based Founders Brewing, comes close to that (around 900,000 barrels). But many in the industry don’t see Founders as craft any longer, (especially if you adhere to the Brewers Association’s definition of craft), since they sold 30% of their company to Spain’s San Miquel back in 2012.
Up From Humble Beginnings and in a relatively short time, Joe Short has, according to Crain’s, built “a craft beer powerhouse, complete with a destination brewpub, restaurant retail outlet in Bellaire and an expansive and ever-expanding production facility in Elk River.
Words To Drink By (Bellaire, Michigan) – “I originally tried brewing at home to circumvent the age barrier at 19…And knew right away I wanted to make beer for a living.”
– Joe Short, CEO Short’s Brewing
Wicked Explanations – (Asheville, NC) – The industry and craft beer fans everywhere are still reeling from last week’s announcement that Wicked Weed had SOLD OUT to AB In-Bev.
And they explained their actions this way…
“Just over four years ago, we started out with a simple idea: make great beer. From west-coast IPAs, to barrel-aged sours, we’ve been able to create world-class ales in a city that we love. We’ve grown from a small Brewpub with 60 employees, to a company with 4 locations and over 200 employees. In order to innovate, push the boundaries, and grow, we’ve decided to take on the High End branch of Anheuser-Busch as a strategic partner.”
Wicked Weed’s Explanation Translated (Asheville, NC) – “Hey, we got paid”
