Its just the beginning of February and 2015 is already off to a exciting start! From Super Bowl Ad’s to who is getting bought out next, you just never know what’s around the corner for craft beer.
Sometimes the best craft beer news gets overshadowed by what’s trending. So we at Craft Beverage Jobs do our best to highlight top stories you may have missed but are affecting the craft beer industry. We pick our TOP 5 and add them to this convenient digest we call Craft Beer Headlines: A Week In Review.
1. Sacramento To Host First Craft Beer Summit
Sacramento lands craft beer summit, by Mark Anderson – Sacramento Business Journal
This past Tuesdaay, the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) announced the first California Craft Beer Summit and Brewers Showcase would be held September 11-12 in Sacramento.
Much more than a festival, this event will be an exposition, filled with educational and business events. Sponsors for the Craft Beer Summit include Sierra Nevada, Stone Brewing and Firestone Walker.
My vision is to grow this to be like the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. – Tom McCormich, executive director of the CCBA.
2. Small Town USA Wants A Craft Beer Brewery
Consultants say Shallotte is the place for craft beer breweries, by Alexa Block – WMAY 3 – ABC
Shallotte, North Carolina has been campaigning for a craft beer brewery and might just get the opportunity. Back in 2008 the city began a revitalization program which included the developing of waterfront property that connects directly with the river walk. Mayor Walter Eccard believes this is the perfect site for a craft beer brewery.
3. Three Business Lessons From Craft Beer
Business Lessons from the Craft Beer Boom, Business.com
Business.com gives a nod to the craft beer industry for its business savvy owners making a statement all across the United States. Many of these
breweries are expanding from their local markets to national distribution.
So what 3 lessons can other small businesses learn from craft beer?
- Find Your Market Niche – produce what people want!
- Innovation to Cultivate New Customers – variety is the spice of business!
- Collaborate to Succeed – community benefits competition!
4. Is Big Beer Bullying Craft Out Of Pubs In Australia?
Local craft beers ‘bullied’ out of pubs by foreign brewing giants, by Deborah Gough – goodfood
Big Beer, SABMiller is doing all it can to lock up 80% to 90% of beer taps in pubs across Australia.
Incentive based contracts demand exclusivity for the supply of light-strength drought beer, all low-carbohydrate draught beers, all domestic premium and sub-premium draught beers, all imported draught beers, all specialty and craft draught beers and all draught spirits and ciders.
Copies of the contracts have been sent to Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission, complaining that the deals foreclose markets and hinder competition.
Without any intervention from the ACCC the multinational brewers will kill off craft brewing in this country. – Terry Alberstein, Thunder Road Brewing Company.
Thunder Road Brewing Company
5. West Virginia Craft Beer Bill Makes It To Judiciary Committee
Craft beer bill advances to Judiciary Committee, by Joel Ebert – Charleston Daily Mail
There is a bill currently before the West Virginia Senate that is now scheduled to go before the Judiciary Committee. It deals directly to the issue of labeling of growlers. Should this latest bill become law, the glass containers would need to be labeled to show the date the craft beer was sold, along with details on contents and origin.
The bill also speaks to the issue of growlers being viewed as “open containers”. The Judiciary Committee is now tasked with determining the method of sealing growlers. Currently, hand-sealed growlers are still considered “open container”.
Understanding that this bill has challenges, Senators invited brewers and representatives of the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration to look at the bill and submit ways it can be altered to benefit the growing industry in West Virginia.
Something that is very exciting to brewers, is the key element of the bill. Now brewers and brewpubs will be allowed to sell growlers in restaurants which are licensed to sell beer. The West Virginia Craft Brewers Guild has offered its approval of the bill.
BONUS Headline…
Guide To The Best Craft Beers and Ciders In Ireland
A Guide to Ireland’s Best Craft Beers and Ciders, by Imen McDonnell – Traveler
Not really headline news, but just couldn’t resist sharing this list of craft beers and ciders from Ireland. Follow the link for a great slide show of the top craft beers and ciders from Ireland, complete with brewery information.
- Dungarvan Brewing Co. – Black Rock Irish Stout
- Eight Degrees Brewing – Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale
- Kinnegar Brewing: Rustbucket Rye Ale
- Metalman Brewing Co. – Pale Ale
- Burren Red
- Franciscan Well and Brewery: Friar Weiss and Blarney Blonde
- Porterhouse Brewing Company: Oyster Stout
- White Gypsy Brewery: Belgian Dubbel
- Trouble Brewing: Dark Arts Porter
- Orpens Cider
- Armagh Carsons Crisp Cider
- Longueville House Cider
- Stonewell Dry Cider
Are You On Twitter?
Do you love craft beer? Do you love talking about craft beer? If so, then join us each Tuesday night at 6 pm PST and 9 pm EST for #CraftBevChat.
The purpose of #CraftBevChat is to bring the various craft beer, wine, spirits, and other craft beverage Twitter groups together under one topic and to grow the community collectively. (More details here)
You may be a brewer or huge fan of craft beer that swaps tweets with your beer brotherhood, but have you ever connected with a winery in your area or a fan of wine who also likes craft beer? There are many! And if you blog about wine, have you ever come across the opportunity to shoot the breeze with a whiskey blogger? How about learning a little bit more about craft coffee?
Each week’s #CraftBevChat is hosted by @CraftBevJobs and the good folks at the@CraftBeverage Expo. We’ll have different topics (announced ahead of time via our blog or on Twitter), and will spend an hour having fun discussing various things – but mostly celebrating our passions for all things craft beverage!