The American Craft Beer Quick Hits – May 19, 2014

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 clearly all that’s changed.

So here’s some of what’s happened in the world of craft beer while you were off enjoying yourselves.

San Diego, Our Thoughts Are With You (San Diego, CA) -The fires in San Diego have been all over the news this week, and for good reason, as several separate fires have torn through San Diego County. The beer world was brought into the mix as we learned on Thursday that Stone Brewing Company posted on Twitter that they had to evacuate their facility as the fires grew closer. As of Friday, the news was good as five of the fires had been 100% contained and one of the largest had been 90% contained. San Diego officials continue to focus on two large fires that have burned more than 17,000 acres combined. We here at ACB hope the best not only for our friends at Stone, but also for everyone in the San Diego County area. Be safe, and we wish you all well.

Like a Rolling Stone (Columbia, SC) -Since we are on the topic of Stone Brewing, the South Carolina legislature is close to passing one of the “most progressive craft beer production laws in the country.” Known as the “Stone Bill,” as it is meant to attract Stone within their borders, its passing would eliminate the need to make the following choice: brew a little and serve in house, or produce a crap load and distribute only. On Thursday, the state Senate sent the bill to a six-member conference committee that will meet next week to iron out details. Once that’s done? Well, Stone may be bringing a little Ruination to South Carolina.

Sister Doris, the Brewing Nun (Germany) -A big shout-out to the Huffington Post, who posted a really great piece on Sister Doris, a Catholic nun in Germany who has been brewing the sweet suds for almost 45 years. Living in Mallesdorf, Germany, Sister Doris is using her skills to pump out nearly 80,000 gallons a year, which is enough to keep her sisters happy. While they do send some out to the neighboring communities, the best place to get it is at the abbey. So…we bet you can’t guess where our next beercation is going to be…

A Big Brand Not Joining the Craft – Constellation Brands – producer, marketer, and distributor of brands such as Corona Extra, Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey, and Robert Mondavi Wines – said recently that they will not be making their way into the craft beer market. “People expect one of the big guys to get in and roll up the craft business,” said Rob Sands, CEO of Constellation Brands, in an article for CNNMoney. “But it’s not clear that’s a good strategy.” This comes as great news for craft drinkers, as we have seen several brewers – most recently Blue Point Brewing Company – purchased by AB InBev. “Although the craft beer industry is growing very rapidly, it’s a very local business,” Sands said. “It’s not clear that these brands can be expanded beyond their locale.” Does he know what market he’s talking about? Maybe he’s never been to a bottleshop.