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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 enjoying your weekend.
Liberty Station Opens (San Diego, Ca) – Two and a half years in the making, Stone Brewing’sLiberty Station has finally opened. Located in Point Loma on the site of a former Naval Training Center, Liberty Station has been a labor of love for the brewery as well as an $8 million dollar investment. “The bistro is a maze of soaring banquet halls, intimate dining alcoves, indoor bars, outdoor bars,” reports U-T San Diego, as well as “a court for bocce ball, and a courtyard for outdoor movies.”
Iron Maiden’s New Beer Label Deemed Too Spooky (Stockholm, Sweden) – It appears that Iron Maiden’s special cask ale, Trooper, sports a label that Sweden’s alcohol board has rejected as too “scary” for its populace. Yes, it’s true! NME is reporting that the allegedly “spooky” label features their mascot Eddie the Head and is packaged with a logo similar to their 1983 single ‘The Trooper.’
Millennials Rule When It Comes to Craft Beer (Chicago, IL) – Global market research giant Mintel has released its latest beer report, which shows that Millennials are “smoking” Gen-X when it comes to embracing craft beer.Beer drinkers aged 36-47 are slightly less likely than consumers aged 21-35 to show a preference for the taste of craft beer. Craft beer was found to appeal to 49% of Millennials and 40% of Gen-Xers, and just 29% of the Baby Boomers.
Busted (Tulsa, OK) – In what we at American Craft Beer.com can only view as yet another example of the public’s growing fascination with sessionable beers, Oklahoma’s Alcohol Enforcement Agency raided a south Tulsa brewpub last week for serving beers deemed by patrons to be too strong. KJRH is reporting that “Pi Pizzeria and Craft Beer House is only licensed to make and sell low-alcohol beer, but some customers complained it’s too strong.” Pi’s disgraced manager was charged with “making and selling strong beer without a license.”
New Belgium Gets a B for Effort (Fort Collins, CO) – Sometimes being graded with a “B” is exactly what you’re hoping for. New Belgium Brewing is now a Certified B Corporation, a designation reserved for companies that are committed to meeting high standards of social and environmental performance and accountability.This designation comes just months after New Belgium transitioned to a 100 percent employee-owned model, which puts the brewery on a path to control its destiny.
DC Brau Enters the Major Leagues (Washington, DC) – Looks like DC’s Bad Boys are planning to become Major leaguers, and have entered into a collaboration with the city’s professional soccer team, DC United. DC Brau announced that they will be brewing a DC United beer and that fans will be given the opportunity to name it.One thousand gallons of the beer will be produced and will be made available exclusively at participating DC United official bar partners and at the DC Brau Brewing Company.
Diageo Salutes the Troops (Washington, DC) – Last week, American Craft Beer was invited to attend a luncheon that the international beverage company, Diageo, hosted to honor the military and to celebrate the many military-focused charities the company works with, including iPads for Soldiers and Packages from Home. Iraq War Veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth was the guest of honor. In 2004, she was deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard and was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On November 12, 2004, her helicopter was hit by an RPG and she lost her legs and partial use of her right arm in the explosion. The Congresswoman holds a Purple Heart for the combat injuries she suffered.
We’d to thank Meghan Callaghan and everyone involved for allowing us to be part of this meaningful salute and celebration.
