American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
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.
Russian River Gets Younger (Santa Rosa, CA) The Russian River Brewing Company has announced that they’ll be getting younger in two weeks! Yes…It’s true. The Santa Rosa-based brewery will be tapping their legendary Pliny the Younger at their brewpub on February 1st and it will be available for 14 days until Valentine’s Day! Kegs of Pliny will all be allocated for distribution as part of Russian River’s regular February shipment and may also appear at San Francisco Beer Week, which kicks off February 8th.
Lakefront Celebrates Growth Spurt (Milwaukee, WI) – The Lakefront Brewery has announced a 40.8% production increase in 2012. They produced 33,368 barrels of beer last year, up from 23,576 barrels of beer in 2011. The brewery, which started in 1987, will also be celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and will be releasing four special beers throughout 2013 as part of the year-long celebration! Lakefront is known to be the first brewery in the country to have brewed an FDA-approved gluten-free beer, New Grist, and they distribute their products in 35 states as well as in Israel and Canada.
New Brewery to Open in Orange County (Orange, CA)Valiant Brewing Company, Orange County’s newest craft brewery, is scheduled to open on February 9th according to our friends at beerpulse. Billing themselves as Southern California’s “ale specialists,” Valiant Brewing will have a core beer list ranging from English barleywine and Scotch ale to a Biere de Garde, an Imperial IPA, and a Dunkelweizen, a complex and layered cousin to the Hefeweizen. The entrance of Orange County’s Valiant Brewing speaks to how incredibly active the craft brewing scene has become in Los Angeles and its environs. We’ve recently added a new LA-based correspondent just to keep you up on everything going on there and you can read his first article with us here: LA’s Hidden Craft Beer Scene
Bend Brewery Living the Good Life (Bend, OR) – Eighteen months after first mixing water, malt, and hops, GoodLife Brewing Company will soon be increasing their capacity by over 60% thanks to the addition of new 30 BBL and 120 BBL fermenters. The new fermentation tanks will allow GoodLife to increase their monthly capacity from 480 barrels to 780 barrels, upping their annual capacity to 9,360 barrels.
Pennsylvania Attempts Revamp of the Way It Sells Liquor! (Harrisburg, PA) – The governor is preparing to roll out his much-anticipated plan to sell off the wholesale and retail operations of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Philly.com is reporting that “several groups with a stake in the liquor market have met with the administration over the last two weeks to discuss the proposal. Angela Couloumbis describes the administration’s plans “as an all-out attack on the state system that has been in place since Prohibition.”
Devils Backbone Ups Its Cap Big-Time! (Lexington, VA) – Devils Backbone recently announced that the addition of six new fermenters in 2012 has allowed Nelson County’s award-winning brewery to up their production capacity to 21,000 barrels and to expand their distribution into Norfolk and Virginia Beach. “As lifelong Virginians, it is with great excitement that we can now offer our award-winning beers to craft beer lovers in Norfolk and Virginia Beach,” said Steve Crandall, founder of Devils Backbone Brewing Company
