THE AMERICAN CRAFT BEER- QUICK HITS – January 28, 2013

We blame the industry for this… It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. There was little need to check in for updates – things were pretty much done. But with so much going down lately – all that’s changed. So here’s some of what’s happened in the world of craft beer news while you were enjoying your weekend.

Kim Jordan to Keynote at This Year’s CBC (Boulder, CO) – Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing’s co-founder, CEO, and ACB fav, has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the Brewers Association’s 2013 Craft Brewers Conference. The industry’s largest gathering, which brings together some 6,000 brewing professionals, is being held this year in Washington, D.C. from March 26-29.

Hangar 24 World Domination Tour Continues (Redlands, CA) – There appears to be no stopping these guys! In what stands to be their biggest market expansion to date, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery has just announced that they will be making their craft beer available in Sacramento and Napa county areas starting the first week of February. The initial release will include Orange Wheat, Alt-Bier Ale, Chocolate Porter, and Double IPA along with its Seasonal offerings and Local Fields Series.

London Whole Foods Now Selling Fordham’s Line (London, UK) – Dover, Delaware-based Fordham Brewing Company has announced that one year after they began exporting their American craft beers to England, they have found their way into Whole Foods Markets in London. We are as happy for our friends at Fordham Brewing as we are shocked to find out that there are now Whole Foods Markets in London. Who knew? President and CEO of Fordham & Dominion Brewing, Jim Lutz, stated, “Just because American Craft Beer.com doesn’t have a clue as to what’s happening in England doesn’t mean it isn’t true! We are pleased to have Whole Foods carry our beers. We both put a lot of emphasis on the quality and uniqueness of what we offer. This relationship is a great fit for both companies.”

Denver Reels as Area Legislator Threatens to Do the Right Thing! (Denver, CO) – In what is seen by many as a shocking departure from governmental form, Denver-area legislator, Kevin Priola, will be introducing a bill in the next two weeks that would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer made by craft breweries. Yes, it’s true according to the Denver Business Journal that goes on to report that the bill “also would raise from one to five the maximum number of licenses someone can get to sell full-strength beer, a move that would allow chain grocery stores to increase the number of locations where they can offer the product.”

Beer Cheaper than Water in Czech Republic (Prague) – If you’re thinking about relocating to eastern Europe, this might be your move – but you’d better act fast! The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the country’s health minister wants to impose legislation that changes all that but expects massive opposition from the country’s populace. You see, the people of the Czech Republic consume more beer per capita than any other country on the planet. The average Czech drinks on average 37 gallons of beer per year, almost double U.S. levels!