The American Craft Beer Rumor Mill – February 13, 2013

American Craft Beer|February 13th, 2013|

Hey it’s Wednesday and it’s Rumor Mill Time…Our friends at the Brewers Association have made a big announcement this week and it affects every state in the country! We’ll be giving you everything that we know so far, plus we’ve got some fast-breaking craft beer news from Larry Bell in Kalamazoo as well as from the Brooklyn Brewery crew. We also have some hot new releases that you’ve got to get your hands on! So fasten your seatbelts everybody….THIS WEEK’S RUMOR MILL IS ON!

The Mother of All Beer Weeks Returns (Boulder, Co) – The Brewers Association has announced the return of the biggest beer week of all and we’re pretty damned excited about it! American Craft Beer Week 2013, the eighth consecutive celebration of U.S. craft brewers across the country, is slated to begin on May 13. While there are an estimated 50 state and regional beer weeks throughout the year, ACBW celebrates the amalgamation of these events, offering craft beer fans everywhere options to enjoy and share the beverage they love. From May 13-May 19, the tradition will continue and then some! U.S. events will include exclusive brewery tours, special beer releases, multi-course food and pairing dinners, collaboration beers, retail promotions, and tons more.

And Speaking of Beer Weeks (Omaha, NE) – There’s a great one kicking off this weekend. The second annual Omaha Beer Week, a ten-day celebration of craft beer and craft brewing, will take place from Friday, February 15 through Sunday, February 24 and it shouldn’t be missed. Established last February, Omaha Beer Week is a collaborative celebration designed to support local businesses and promote Nebraska’s thriving craft beer culture. The official Omaha Beer Week website, www.omahabeerweek.com, has all of the latest information.

Expansion City (New Glarus, WI) – In yet another addition to what has turned into a tidal wave of brewery expansion plans, New Glarus Brewing Company has announced that they will be embarking on a $9 million upgrade at their brewery. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the 9,000-square-foot increase will allow for additional fermentation tanks that will up their production capability to 250,000 barrels!

The Brooklyn Brewery Mash Hits the Road (Brooklyn, NY) – Brooklyn Brewery is taking its neighborhood on the road. The Mash is an expression of Brooklyn art, music, food, and its cultural links, and its coming to a city near you! Collaborating with friends old and new, the Brewery has bundled up some of its favorite events into The Brooklyn Brewery Mash as a benefit for Slow Food USA. Kicking off at SxSW Interactive in Austin, The Mash will drop in 11 cities during 2013 and roll out a roster of parties, comedy, concerts, pop-up supper clubs and readings, all featuring serious craft beer!

Expansion City – Chicago Sports Bar Division (Kalamazoo, MI) – Although Bells Brewery is a Michigan operation, its president, Larry Bell, was originally a Park Forest, Illinois native…and it seems that some of his heart stayed there. And as a longtime Chicago Cubs Fan, he’s decided to recreate a little of his past with the introduction of his newest venture Larry Bell’s Chicago-Biased Thinking Person’s Sports Bar. Michigan Live is reporting that he’s already purchased an art deco bar in Kalamazoo and will sit down with architects later this month to go over plans.

New Releases You Want to Look Out For

New Belgium Brewing is rolling out 2013’s sour beer offerings in style with the simultaneous release of this year’s La Folie and a fresh version of Transatlantique Kriek.

The 2013 version of La Folie, the award-winning sour brown that launched New Belgium’s wood beer program in 1997, is out now.

Transatlantique Kriek is a beer brewed on two continents. It’s a slightly sour cherry beer that came to life in the oaken vessels of Boon’s brewery in Belgium’s Lembeek Valley. This is New Belgium’s third collaboration with world-renowned sour beer expert Frank Boon.