American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
February is just flying by…and the craft beer biz isn’t slowing down any time soon. But no worries, Rumor Mill is always on the case, keeping you up on all the beer news and lifestyle that matters. Plus we’ve an all-important update on what we’ve been drinking lately and you don’t want to miss that!
Private Equity-Owned Brass Taps Cashes In On Craft Beer (Tampa, FL) – In June 2012, FSC Franchise Co., which is owned by private equity partner Capital Spring, acquired the rights to franchise The Brass Tap, an emerging chain best known for its more than 200 craft beers, wines, music and designer cigars…and the Tampa-based franchise operation has caught fire.
Brass Taps Bars are now open 17 states. It added seven new venues in 2018 with 11 more scheduled to open this year according to Forbes. And it’s riding a wave of craft beer success. According to Technomic’s ranking of the 500 largest restaurant chains in the US, Brass Tap’s overall revenue jumped 25% in 2017.
Largely under the radar, yet growing at incredible clip, Brass Tap franchises appear to do best in secondary locations and suburbs as opposed to big urban centers.
Words To Drink By (Tampa, FL) – “I’d describe {Brass Taps} as adult social gathering spot, that’s anchored by craft beer. We’re trying to create a place that doesn’t feel like a chain.” Chris Elliott CEO of FSC Franchise Co. to Forbes.
Red Bear Brewing (Washington, DC) – Red Bear Brewing will soon throwing open the doors to its massive 7,000-square-foot tap room and brewery in Northeast Washington in the next few weeks, complete with a woodsy motif and 24 tap lines dedicated to West Coast-style ales, ciders and a gay outlook.
Washington DC’s only 100% Gay-owned brewery, Red Bear co-founder Bryan Van Den Oever told the DCist that the while brewpub’s unique identity was important, the beer will remain their central focus….
“We are not shy to let people know we are proud to be who we are, but anybody is welcome. There’s a stigma that brewery culture is just straight white bearded guys. That’s starting to change, and we’re part of that change.”
“We definitely want to make sure that we are creating memorable experiences for people, that’s in entertainment we bring in, food we’re providing, and clearly in the beer we’re providing.”
What We’ve Been Drinking Lately (Hood River, OR) – The pFriem Family Brewers produce a great line of Flanders-Style Ales including a lesser known style that we lone.. Overflowing with bright green apple notes pFriem Flanders-Style Blonde Ale was aged to perfection for more than eighteen months in oak Pinot Noir barrels. (7.1% ABV)
