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It’s Wednesday and its Rumor Mill Time…..Garrett Marrero and crew have just announced big plans in the islands and have given us yet another reason to go to Hawaii! We’ll be giving you everything that we know so far, plus we’ve got some fast-breaking craft beer news from the “Granite State” as well as from Port City Brewing. We also have a hot new release that you’ve got to get your hands on! So fasten your seatbelts everybody, because ….THIS WEEK’S RUMOR MILL IS ON!
Big Things Brewing at Maui! (Kihei, Maui, HI) – The Maui Brewing Company has just announced that they will be building a new brewery in Kihei, Maui. The 
new location will allow Garrett Marrero and crew to increase production fivefold and to be in closer proximity to the port. Maui Brewing’s new facility will be located on a five-acre plot of land in the Maui Research and Technology Park and will house a brew house and eventually a second brewpub. In keeping with Garrett’s vision, sustainability will be a key part of its design.
Harpoon is Killing It! (Boston, MA) – 2012 was a very good year for the Harpoon Brewery. Their combined brewery output (Boston and Windsor, VT) was 193,000 barrels according to the Boston Globe, more than tripling their production of just a few years ago. They’ve just completed an extensive renovation of their beer hall in South Boston and are planning to bring in a new $2.5 million dollar canning line in 2013.
Opposition to Bad News Brewing in New Hampshire (Concord, NH) – “Opposition is brewing to a bill in the New Hampshire Legislature that would hike the state beer tax by 33 percent,” reports the Eagle Tribune. The proposed legislation would up the taxation on beer from 30 to 40 cents per gallon and opposition is growing among the state’s representatives. Brewers, distributors, and grocers are concerned House Bill 168 could hurt their sales and the New Hampshire economy, causing cross-border shoppers to no longer travel to the Granite State for lower beer prices. And all this is happening in a state that ranks #1 in per-capita beer sales!
Port City Celebrates Its Second Anniversary (Alexandria, VA) – Bill Butcher, the owner of Port City Brewing Company, just announced that the second anniversary of his Alexandria-based brewery is only weeks away. Bill’s a good guy and we’re happy for him – and we’re psyched that he’s having us out to celebrate the anniversary with him at their tasting room on Friday, February 1st from 3 pm to 9 pm. They’ve brewed up a special anniversary porter to mark the day. TWO Smoked Imperial Porter will be tapped at 3 pm and it’s going to be awesome!
Narragansett Bock Gets Canned (Providence, RI) – The Famous Narragansett Beer Company announces the seasonal release of its spring craft brew. Narragansett Bock is a traditional Bavarian helles lager and it’s brewed in small batches under the supervision of award-winning brewmaster Sean Larkin from Trinity Brewhouse in Providence. This silver medal winner at the 2011 World Beer Championship will be available on draft and also in Narragansett’s signature 16-ounce Tallboy cans and we’re jazzed about that!
A New Release You Want to Look Out For
21st Amendment Brewery has just launched a Sneak Attack and you want to be ready for it! Sneak Attack is the brewery’s newest seasonal offering, a Belgian-style Saison, brewed with a traditional spicy Belgian Saison yeast. It’s dry hopped, but not overly bitter. Co-founder and Brewmaster Shaun O’Sullivan says, “while this is the time of year when brewers are typically introducing strong, heavy beers, we wanted to brew up a bit of an alternative! At 6.2% ABV with 38 IBUs, it drinks light and refreshing but really has some heat behind what is seemingly a tame beer.”
