First-Ever Master Cicerone™ Named

Highest Distinction in Beer Expertise Earned by Michigan Distributor Representative

Chicago – December 8 – The Cicerone Certification Program™ today announced awarding of the first-ever Master Cicerone™ certification to Andrew Van Til, Account Manager at Elite Brands Michigan, a division of CKL Corporation. Van Til earned the certification through a series of exams culminating with two days of intense written and oral questioning about beer styles, draft systems, beer evaluation, brewing technology and beer and food pairing given November 5 & 6.

Van Til becomes the first person to earn the Master Cicerone title—the third and top level of the Cicerone Certification Program. Founded in 2007, the program tests and certifies beer expertise similar to the wine world’s Master Sommelier program. The Master Cicerone exam included 8 hours of written questions, 2 hours of oral questions and 2 hours of beer tasting and evaluation. Candidates needed a score of 85% across all three areas to pass.

"During the Master Cicerone exam, Van Til distinguished himself with his knowledge of all aspects of beer and his skill in tasting beer and in managing draft beer systems," said Ray Daniels, Director of the Cicerone Certification Program.

Van Til’s professional career has provided him with excellent preparation for the Master Cicerone exam. He has sold directly to consumers in an off-premises store, brewed beer and educated consumers in a brewpub setting and represented a large portfolio of imported and domestic beers through his work for Elite Brands Michigan.
To date, the Cicerone Certification Program has given more than 1000 exams across the three levels of the program. Approximately 800 individuals have earned the first level title of Certified Beer Server and about 75 individuals have achieved the title of Certified Cicerone™. Van Til was one of seven beer industry professionals who took the Master Cicerone exam and the only one who passed.

The knowledge required for the Master Cicerone certification is outlined in the program’s Master Syllabus which can be viewed at www.cicerone.org. The website also includes a free 10-question sample exam that allows anyone to assess their Cicerone aptitude.

The Cicerone Certification Program is a service of the Craft Beer Institute, the Chicago-based beer and brewing education organization. The program is directed by brewer, author and beer educator Ray Daniels. A variety of breweries, beer distributors and retailers sponsor the program. CKL Corporation includes Imperial Beverage, Estate Wines, Leone Imports, Elite Brands Michigan and Elite Brands USA.
* Master Cicerone™, Certified Cicerone™ and Cicerone Certification Program™ are trademarks of the Craft Beer Institute, a Chicago-based beer and brewing education organization.

A STAR IS BORN AS STELLA ARTOIS® CROWNS AVRIL MAXWELL OF NEW ZEALAND ITS 2009 WORLD DRAUGHT MASTER

After Year-long Global Search, Maxwell Begins Mission of Passion to Teach Bartenders the World Over the Art of the Perfect Pour

October 30, 2009 – Now in its 13th year, the annual Stella Artois® World Draught Master competition epitomizes Stella Artois®’ dedication to delivering superior beer experiences the world over. On Thursday Oct. 29, this year’s competition saw contestants from 26 countries across the globe converge in New York to compete for the coveted title and complete the brand’s time-honored 9-step pouring ritual of perfection.

After a tense semi-final round, which saw the contestants and three competition winner wildcard entries whittled down to a final 10, an enthusiastic audience of Stella Artois® connoisseurs joined the discerning Jury panel to select only those who could demonstrate true passion and dedication to perfection in pouring in a dramatic “Passion test.” A tense head-to-head pouring finale followed, before Avril Maxwell was announced the winner and returned to the stage to claim the coveted title. Maxwell, hailing from New Zealand now begins a global journey to more than 20 different countries across the globe as an ambassador for Stella Artois® and her own quest to ensure every chalice of Stella Artois® is preciously poured and perfectly served the world over.

Maxwell was awarded a unique trophy created by New York fashion designer Tim Hamilton as part of a pioneering design collaboration with Stella Artois®, successfully bringing to life his signature style and dedication to quality and craftsmanship within an entirely new design medium. Hamilton, who introduced his apparel line at the event, also created a limited-edition iconic Stella Artois® Chalice glass in celebration of World Draught Master 2009.

Alexander Lambrecht, Global Marketing manager for Stella Artois®, comments: “The World Draught Master competition is integral to our ongoing quest to deliver superior beer experiences the world over, ensuring that Stella Artois® is served with the same care, consideration and craftsmanship as has gone into more than 600 years of brewing. We are extremely proud to welcome not only finalists from around the globe to compete in New York, but also Stella Artois® connoisseurs and pioneering partners, such as Tim Hamilton, who share our ongoing quest for perfection.”

Runners up in the competition were Joe Oppedisano of Canada (2nd) and Alexey Shtukarev of Russia (3rd). Remaining contestants came from: Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil,China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dubai, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, Paraguay, Serbia, Singapore, UK, Ukraine and the United States.

In addition, the Stella Artois Online Fans’ Choice went to Oppedisano who was selected by consumers watching the competition streamed live to their computers.

Lambrecht added, “We wanted to create a global conversation about the Stella Artois World Draught Master competition by inviting people into the event via live streaming and providing an opportunity for them to decide on what competitor embodied perfection. “

Celebrate the Autumn Season at Michigan Harvest Beer Festival

Inaugural Event Presented by the Michigan Brewers Guild & metrotimes at Detroit’s Eastern Market – Saturday, October 24 (1-6pm)

(EAST LANSING, Mich) – Based on the success of past events and a steadily growing interest in locally-crafted beer, officials at the Michigan Brewers Guild and metrotimes say they are planning on a sell out crowd of 2500 for their inaugural Michigan Harvest Beer Festival on Saturday, October 24 at Eastern Market in Detroit. The event, which runs from 1-6pm* (rain or shine) will actively promote local Detroit food, Detroit brewing history, and of course, Michigan craft beer. The festival is the culmination of the inaugural “Detroit Beer Week,” which runs October 16-24.

“We expect our combined efforts to result in one of the best local beer events in the region,” said Scott Graham, Executive Director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. “We anticipate more than 40 Michigan microbreweries and brewpubs to participate, with nearly 200 different beers available to sample.”

In addition to the vast selection of beers, a variety of harvest foods will be prepared and sold by local restaurants including Detroit Beer Co., Foran’s Grand Trunk Pub and Russell Street Deli, with Traffic Jam & Snug deli / brewery serving up their popular house-made cheese. Live entertainment will also be provided throughout the afternoon by two well-known local bands, the Grand Nationals and Orbitsuns.

The festival will be set up in the Eastern Market parking area, north of shed #5, with ample parking in the surrounding market area. The cost to enter the festival is $35 in advance and $40 at the gate, if tickets are still available (attendance is limited to 2500). Admission includes 15 drink tokens, each valid for one 3-ounce beer sample. Additional tokens may be purchased during the festival for 50 cents each. Admission tickets are now available for purchase online at www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

Select retail outlets are also selling tickets; that list is available on the MASH page of the Guild’s website (www.mbgmash.org), along with the list of participating breweries and beers to be served. Festival attendees must be 21 years of age or older and have ID to enter. Designated Drivers are encouraged and DD tickets will be available on line and at the gate for $5 each.

Eastern Market is one of the nation’s oldest farm markets and the area is rife with brewing history. In its heyday, there were more than 40 breweries in the Market area and malt silos still stand as a testament to the rich brewing history. Preservation Wayne, Detroit’s oldest and largest historic preservation organization, has coordinated one of its popular two-hour Eastern Market Brewery Tours which will run the morning of the festival. The group will meet at the Eastern Market Welcome Center (1445 Adelaide) at 10am to begin the tour. The cost of the tour is $20 per person and advanced reservations are required by contacting the organization directly at 313-577-7674. Space is limited to 30 individuals.

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”

The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the Michigan brewing community; to increase sales of Michigan-brewed beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education; and to monitor and assure a healthy beer industry within the state. For more information, including a list of Michigan microbreweries, log on to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

First ever CANFEST announces participating breweries

Reno, NV (September 2009)—As Reno gears up to host the first ever international canned beer competition, appropriately named CANFEST, the competition is unfolding into an event complete with enticing festivities for attendees, more than 25 breweries from all around the globe, and great ticket/room packages.
The competition will take place in the Grand Sierra Theater October 23, from 6:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m. Tickets are now available through the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino’s website for $35 per person. Special room rates for attendees are available at $35 per night. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Nature Conservancy and The Great Basin Bird Observatory. Please visit the Grand Sierra’s website at www.grandsierraresort.com or call 1-800-648-3568 to book rooms and tickets using the promotion code CANFEST.

Among the festivities lined up for CANFEST, Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association, will be speaking on the history of American beer, craft beer, and the trend of canned beer. Ginger Johnson, founder of WomenEnjoyingBeer.com, will give a presentation on the reasons patrons enjoy canned beer, why women love beer, and the relationship between beer and the arts. A question and answer forum of canned brewery owners and brewers specifically intended to answer the public’s questions regarding beer and canned beer is another great addition to the competition.

A display of mobiles built by local artists entirely from recycled beer cans, a promotion that directly benefits Sierra Arts, a local non-profit that helps establish and spread arts programs in the Truckee Meadows.

Each brewery has been asked which cheese, chocolates and ice creams pair best with their individual beers. Many stations will feature exclusive pairings with these foods for the public to sample.

The following breweries have confirmed their attendance:

USA
21st Amendment - CA
Anderson Valley Brewing Company - CA
Big Sky Brewing Company - MT
Bohemian Brewery - UT
Buckbean Brewing Company - NV
Caldera Brewing - OR
Capital Brewery - WI
Coors - CO
Four Peaks Brewing - AZ
High Noon Saloon & Brewery - KS
Mammoth Brewing Company - CA
Maui Brewing - HI
New Belgium Brewing Company - CO
Northwoods Brewing - WI
Oskar Blues Brewery - CO
Prescott Brewing - AZ
Rochester Mills Brewing Company - MI
Sleeping Lady Brewing Company - AK
Steamworks Brewing Company - CO
Surly Brewing Company - MN
Ukiah Brewing Company - CA
Uncommon Brewers - CA

MEXICO
Tecate

BELGIUM
Brouwerij Bavik

ENGLAND
Greene King

IRELAND
Guinness

JAPAN
Sapporo

CANADA
Archibald Microbrasserie

For more information, please contact Constance Aguilar from Abbi Public Relations at constance@abbipr.com or by calling 775.323.2977. Visit www.buckbeanbrewsnews. blogspot.com for regular updates and new information regarding CANFEST.

CHIFA TO HOST VICTORY BEER DINNER

PHILADELPHIA, PA – On November 5 at 7 pm, superstar Chef Jose Garces and local brewing powerhouse Victory Brewing Company will partner for a one-night-only Beer Dinner at Chifa (707 Chestnut Street, 215-925-5555), Chef Garces’ Latin-Asian restaurant. The event will feature five courses of Chifa’s inspired cuisine paired with Victory beers, and will be the premiere food event featuring its newest offering, Yakima Twilight, a double IPA. The cost will be $55 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Space is limited and reservations are required.

“The distinctive, often unusual flavor pairings in our dishes at Chifa are an ideal mate for artisanal beers,” says Chef Garces. “Victory’s beers are flavorful and diverse, much like our cuisine, so they complement each other perfectly.”

The menu, featuring Chef Garces’ signature small plates style, will include: Hiramasa with aji Amarillo leche de tigre, passion fruit and roasted corn paired with Prima Pils; Octopus Ceviche with purple olive and avocado paired with WildDevil; Grilled Thai Sausage with tamarind chile sauce and jasmine rice paired with Golden Monkey; Smoked Rib Eye with revuelto de chorizo and huacatay chimichiri paired with Yakima Twilight; and for dessert, Coconut Tapioca with semisweet chocolate cremeux and quinoa chicaronnes paired with Baltic Thunder. Victory Brewmaster and Owner Bill Covaleski will be on hand to discuss the beers and offer helpful hints for those who are new to pairing beer and food.

Chifa opened in early 2009 to critical acclaim; The New York Times praised the restaurant’s unusual ability to “kill two cravings [Asian and Latin] with one dish,” while Philadelphia magazine called Chef Garces’ innovative interpretations of Peruvian cuisine “a cross-cultural thrill ride…A meal at Chifa is a night out, a form of entertainment, an infusion of world culture, a culinary education, something to brag about the following day.”

Chifa is open for dinner seven days a week beginning at 5 p.m.; dinner is served until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 12 midnight on Friday and Saturday. Chifa is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information, or to make a reservation, please visit www.chifarestaurant.com, or call (215) 925-5555.

Inaugural Detroit Beer Week Announced

Friday, October 16 – Saturday, October 24, 2009

(DETROIT, Mich.) – Following the success of “Beer Week” events held in other cities such as Philadelphia, New York and San Diego, a group of Industry Professionals is organizing the first ever Detroit Beer Week, to be held the third week of October, 2009.

The week-long series of beer-centric events will be held at participating venues in Detroit, with satellite events at Metro-Detroit brewpubs. These events will consist of brewery tours, tasting flights, meet-the-brewer sessions, food pairings, and a wide array of other unique activities. Events will be hosted by Detroit Beer Week staff and the Detroit Beer Barons, a group of Metro-area brewery personalities.

“We wanted to stay away from the traditional ‘drink this beer, get a keychain’ –type promotions, and instead focus on events that give value to the consumer and to the venue hosting the event,” stated Jon Piepenbrok, principal organizer of the events, AKA Chief Imaginationer.

The grand finale of Beer Week is the Inaugural Harvest Festival, hosted by the Michigan Brewers’ Guild and Metrotimes on Saturday, October 24, in Eastern Market.

While the Guild is not organizing Beer Week events, they have given their full support and cooperation to the organizing committee. “When the Guild announced the Harvest Festival in Eastern Market, we not only saw an opportunity to promote Michigan Beer in southeast Michigan,” stated Jon Piepenbrok, “but to promote the Great City of Detroit, as well; and the Guild has been extremely supportive of our efforts, even including information about events on their website at www.michiganbrewersguild.org.”

The participating venues include Slow’s Bar BQ, Foran’s Grand Trunk Pub, Park Bar, Motor City Brewing Works, Traffic Jam & Snug, Atwater Block Brewery, Detroit Beer Company, Wolfgang Puck Grille, Michael Symon’s Roast, 24Grille, and Fender’s Pub at the Omni Hotel.

A complete, updated list of events and information can be found on www.facebook.com. Keyword search: Detroit Beer Week.

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”

The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the Michigan brewing community; to increase sales of Michigan-brewed beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education; and to monitor and assure a healthy beer industry within the state. For more information, including a list of Michigan microbreweries, log on to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

Lompoc Brewing announces Oktoberfest release party

PORTLAND, Ore. - Sept. 4, 2009 - The brewers at Lompoc Brewing are welcoming autumn with a release party of their newest seasonal, Lompoc Oktoberfest. The event will take place Sept. 11 from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Sidebar, Lompoc's new tasting room located at 3901A N. Williams.

Staying true to the theme, the evening will feature a buffet of sausages and snacks, as well as five other specialty and barrel fermented beers, and the opportunity to mingle with the Lompoc brewers.

Pale orange in color, Lompoc Oktoberfest features a clean malt flavor artfully balanced by a touch of Perle hops. A portion of the grains used was roasted in the oven at Lompoc's Fifth Quadrant restaurant, giving the beer a slight biscuity flavor. The beer is 5% ABV and 15 IBUs. Lompoc Oktoberfest will be on draft in all five of Lompoc's pubs beginning Sept. 14.

Party attendees will also have the opportunity to preview tasters of Monster Mash, Lompoc's Halloween seasonal. An imperial porter, Monster Mash is a dark ale with strong chocolate and roast flavors and a touch of red fruit. It weighs in at 8% ABV and 50 IBUs.

Other beers on the menu include Smoked Gold, a twist on the brewery's popular Fool's Gold that includes the addition of beechwood smoked malt for a subtle note of wood smoke (4.6% ABV, 16 IBU); Flower of the Gods IPA, a summer seasonal hopped with Simcoe and Tettnangers for a slight citrus flavor followed by a spicy finish (6.4% ABV, 60 IBU); Barrel Fermented Red, Lompoc's Proletariat Red 100% fermented in a vintage white English oak barrel for a malty and full bodied ale with a deep, rich red color and a slight touch of oak (6.2% ABV, 45 IBU); and Bourbon Barrel Aged LSD, a deep mahogany strong ale crafted with seven specialty malts, then aged in bourbon barrels for three months and cellared for an additional 10 (6.9% ABV, 58 IBU).

For more information, call 503.288.3996 or visit www.newoldlompoc.com.

BC Wins Red Bull Soapbox Race

WINNER!
The Beer Connoisseur™
Wins One For Beer

The Beer Connoisseur Race Team competed in its first event this past Saturday and managed to take home the first place trophy! This is a huge win for beer.

It was the first time the Red Bull Soapbox Race was held in Atlanta, and the turnout was tremendous.

Before a crowd of nearly 50,000, the BC team kicked things off with a walk through the brewing process. The team members, decked out in traditional lederhosen and feathered caps, each carried one of beer’s four main ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast.

Dancing to the lilting sounds of yodeling, the team ended its 30-second skit by pouring the ingredients into the copper mash tun-themed racecar and sending it down the starting ramp with a push. The rest, as they say, is history.

BC scored the highest in overall creativity and was the second fastest down the course, beaten by only six-tenths of a second by a team called the Barby Doll Bandits.

It couldn't have been a more beautiful day for this fun event. Thirty-nine teams participated in all, their cars careening down the track and whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Win or lose, the race was well worth the hard work that each team dedicated to making it a success.

Check out our race footage on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ BeerConnoisseurMag#play/all/ uploads-all/0/kd...

And visit our Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/ beerconnoisseur

for more coverage of the event.

BAVARIAN BEER, DANCE AND GAMES ABOUND AT THE VILLAGE AT SQUAW VALLEY USA’S EIGHTH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST

Event Features Everything from a Bratwurst Tossing Contest to Authentic German Music

Olympic Valley, CA. (September 3, 2009) – While the aspen trees put on a spectacular display of foliage, welcome the arrival of fall at The Village at Squaw Valley USA, when The 8th Annual Village Oktoberfest celebrates beer, bratwurst and Bavarian-style fun from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 3.

Beer lovers and those that enjoy traditional German fun will gather at The Village at Squaw Valley USA for a variety of entertainment, including performances by Joe Smiell and his 20-piece Bavarian band on the main stage. The Almenrauch Schuhplattler and Alpentanzer Schuhplattler Austrian Dance Troops will be another lively addition to the entertainment line-up.

The Village at Squaw Valley Oktoberfest will also provide plenty of interactive fun and prizes. A crowd favorite, the Oktoberfest Games can get quite intense as festival-goers compete in Stein Holding, plus Keg and Barrel-Rolling Races. Meanwhile, the Bratwurst Toss will put a whole new spin on the game of catch. Guests are encouraged to get into the spirit of the event by wearing traditional Lederhosen and Austrian clothing.

Along with the free entertainment, event attendees will find plenty of refreshments at the Biergarten, including Gordon Biersch, who will tap a traditional barrel of Festbier to kick-off the festival, Spaten Premium lager, Spaten Oktoberfest, Trumer Pilsner, Buckbean Black Noddy, and Franziskaner Hefeweizen. The first glass of beer is $10, which includes a 1/2-liter festival stein and one beer. Additional beer tickets will be available for $5.

There are beverage options for everyone, like non-alcoholic Clausthauler, and to feed the sweet tooth in everyone, Sprechers Root Beer floats. Guests also can savor traditional German bratwurst with sauerkraut and a variety of other items served at the eight Village restaurants.

The event and entertainment are free, but proceeds from beer sales benefit the Tahoe Truckee Lacrosse Foundation. Must be 21 years or older with a valid ID to purchase beer.

For more information on The Village at Squaw Valley Oktoberfest, visit www.TheVillageAtSquaw.com or call (530) 584-6266.

IRON HILL BREWERY & RESTAURANT INTRODUCES A GLUTEN-FREE MENU WITH OVER 40 DISHES

WILMINGTON, DE – Popular food-and-beer destination Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, with eight locations in the Mid-Atlantic region, recently launched a special Gluten-Free Menu to meet the needs of their gluten-intolerant fans. Diners unable to consume gluten, commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats, often have trouble finding appropriate dishes when dining out at restaurants and this new menu is Iron Hill’s way of welcoming them to their table. The gluten-free menu is available in addition to the regular lunch and dinner menus.

“We believe it’s critical to offer our guests a wide assortment of delicious food options, regardless of any dietary restrictions that they may have,” says Iron Hill Director of Culinary Training David Anderson, who created the special menu. “Our gluten-free menu is an important step towards providing all of our guests, even those whose diets are limited, with a way to enjoy a great meal with us. We took several Iron Hill favorites and recreated them to make them accessible to this audience.”

Available during both lunch and dinner hours at all eight Iron Hill locations, the new gluten-free menu includes over 40 modified dishes, such as: Brabant Mussels with white wine, leeks, garlic, parsley, lemon and cream; Voodoo Shrimp with honey barbecue sauce, white rice, sour cream and green onion; Fiery Baked Chipotle Wings, served with blue cheese dressing and vegetable sticks; Grilled Salmon with baby arugula, imported olives, red onion, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, feta and balsamic vinaigrette; and Char-Grilled Angus Sirloin with grilled fingerling potatoes, asparagus, sun-dried tomato-portobella mushroom relish (see photo below).

Since 1996, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has consistently been recognized for its outstanding beers and cuisine, accruing over 100 “Best of” awards from regional magazines. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has eight locations in the Mid-Atlantic region: Wilmington, DE; Newark, DE; West Chester, PA; Lancaster, PA; Media, PA; Phoenixville, PA; North Wales, PA and Maple Shade, NJ. For more information about Iron Hill and their new gluten-free menu, or to make a reservation at any of their locations, please visit www.ironhillbrewery.com.

CAMRA’s ‘Good Beer Guide 2010’ launched on Thursday 10th September 2009

Britain’s best-selling pub guide returns for 37^th edition

The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide 2010, will be launched on Thursday September 10^th 2009.

The Good Beer Guide 2010 is now in its 37^th edition, and is a definitive pub listings bible, cataloguing the 4,500 best pubs in the UK, as well as all breweries currently in operation around the country. The Guide is sponsored by industry accreditation body, Cask Marque.

The Guide features both urban and rural pubs, giving details of food, pub history, architecture, transport links, beer gardens, accommodation, disabled access and facilities for families.

Pubs are surveyed by local CAMRA members and scored on a variety of aspects that make a great pub. These include customer service, the clientele mix (i.e the pub appeals to 18 and 80 year olds), value for money, décor and of course the quality of the real ale. CAMRA members therefore guarantee to supply the reader with the most up to date publication to help locate the best pint of real ale.

Magic Hat Night of the Living Dead 12-Pak Set To Haunt Stores! Diabolical New Casket of Beers is Eerily Perfect for the Fall Season

South Burlington, VT, August 12th, 2009 – The Magic Hat Brewing Company has summoned from beyond the brand-new Night of the Living Dead Variety 12-Pak to celebrate the burial of warm days and the exhumation of nights that chill.

An Apparition of Ales to Terrify Autumn Thirsts

The Night of the Living Dead Variety 12-Pak contains a cabal of beers carefully selected to scare the howl out of autumn thirsts and exorcise the season’s most frightening fluid cravings. Every time one is opened, three bottles of four different ales materialize:

#9® is a not-quite-ghostly-pale ale with a light-to-medium body, a smooth malty sweetness, and supernaturally dry finish.

Circus Boy® is the unfiltered and unfettered hefeweizen whose light-bodied, wheat malt flavors rise up from the grave to delight the living.

Roxy Rolles rambles on as this popular winter offering rolls into the fall seasonal slot, paving autumn’s road to darkness with a warm blend of roasted malts and spicy hops that send shivers up the spine.

Belgian Chocolate Stout is the brewery’s Fall 2009 Odd Notion and a fitting final nail in summer’s coffin. Five different malts and Belgian yeast possess each bottle, which combine to create a fiendishly complex and spicy character that heats bones and lights bonfires in the soul.

Extrasensory Tastes Uncorked For Each & Every Season

The Night of the Living Dead 12-Pak can be found at retail haunts from the beginning of August to All Hallow’s Eve. Visit the Magic Hat Sip Code Locator at magichat.net/sipcode for locations near you. Like all Magic Hat Variety 12-Paks, it’s a ghoulishly good time buried in a portable crypt containing two year-round ales, the seasonal phantasm of the moment, and a limited-batch Odd Notion materializing for the first and possibly only time anywhere in this world or the next.

Magic Hat Brewing Company and Performing Arts Center, creators of #9®, Circus Boy®, Lucky Kat®, and four seasonal offerings, supports the arts community and reminds you that safe sex is great sex. “Get tested, Get a condom, Get it ON!”

European Beer Consumers Union- EBCU

Beer Drinkers Call for Clarity in Beer styles

The European Beer Consumers Union (EBCU) today launches a campaign across Europe for clarity and honesty in defining beer styles.

EBCU members have become increasingly concerned that brewers have been defining beer styles in different ways and fear that some styles are being over-simplified to the detriment of the consumer. EBCU has therefore decided to take action by establishing a list of approved beer judges drawn from national beer consumer organisations. This will ensure that the various beer competitions taking place in Europe truly reflect traditional beer styles. To support EBCU has developed descriptions of the more common beer styles so that consumers can judge for themselves without confusion.

Terry Lock, the Chair of EBCU, said, “We believe it is time that the beer competitions are seen as fair. For example a competition to find the best “Tripel” should truly reflect that beer style and not be judged to a set of criteria that suits a particular brewer. By having a number of independent consumer judges, and issuing guidelines on beer styles, we feel that we can protect the consumer from being misled. We also want to raise awareness of beer styles amongst ordinary drinkers, so we are launching an initial list of beer style descriptions today at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival to reach out to over 60,000 drinkers, which has got to be a good start.

“Wine drinkers would not be tricked into believing that a Riesling was a Chablis, or a Burgundy a Rioja, so why should beer drinkers have the wool pulled over their eyes by clever marketing? What we are calling for is consistency and clarity for the beer drinker.”

The launch of the EBCU Beer Judge accreditation scheme and beer descriptors will take place at 1.00pm next to the Biere Sans Frontieres stand (stand no W3) at the Great British Beer Festival on Thursday 6th August.

New Beer in Pugsley’s Signature Series: Smashed Pumpkin

PORTLAND, MAINE – (July 30, 2009) – Shipyard Brewing Company announces the release of a new beer in its Pugsley’s Signature Series line. Smashed Pumpkin will be available in late August exclusively in 22 oz. bottles and on draft.

Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. 1.088 OG, 9.00% Alc./Vol.

To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs.

Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. Pugsley is from England where he worked with Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire before moving to the United States in 1986.

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces 15 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers. Its products are distributed in over 35 states.

www.shipyard.com

CAMRA calls for “People’s Pint” to save pubs and help promote responsible drinking

55% of all drinkers support lower strength beer option in pubs

Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London (August 4th-8th)

Issued: Wednesday August 5th
Status: For immediate use

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has launched a campaign at this week’s Great British Beer Festival, which could save drinkers 60 pence on a pub pint of lower strength beer as well as giving them greater choice.

CAMRA is calling on the Government to introduce a “People’s Pint” by abolishing excise duty on all beers at 2.8% abv or below. As well as saving consumers 60 pence on a pub pint of lower strength beer the move would make it easier for drinkers to enjoy a night out while drinking within sensible limits. Alcohol Concern has expressed support for CAMRA’s new campaign.

A 60 pence reduction on a pub pint of lower strength beer would help get people back into pubs at a time when pubs are being battered by the recession, huge increases in beer tax and fierce competition from supermarkets selling alcohol as a loss leader. Pubs are currently closing at a rate of more than seven a day.

CAMRA will be showcasing Welton’s Brewery‘s 2.8% abv beer ‘Pride ‘n’ Joy’ at the Great British Beer Festival being held in Earls Court, London this week. Visitors can comment on ‘Pride ‘n’ Joy’ at gbbf.camra.org.uk/beers

Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said:
‘Zero duty on lower strength beers is a win-win scenario for brewers, pubs, consumers and the Government. Quality lower strength beers can be packed with flavour- a lower alcohol content does not need to translate into a reduction in flavour. For the consumer, this proposal means greater choice as well as a saving at the bar if they opt for a beer of 2.8% abv or less. For the Government, this is an opportunity to make it easier for people to drink responsibly whilst also supporting the tens of thousands of jobs under threat as a result of falling beer sales and pub closures.’

Don Shenker, Alcohol Concern Chief Executive, said:
‘We support CAMRA’s call to revisit the issue of alcohol duty in order to encourage the drinks industry to produce lower strength beers. People are entitled to have more choice and greater control over their own drinking. Having more lower strength drinks on the market allows people to enjoy a night out while making it easier to stay within safe drinking guidelines.’

CAMRA’s “People’s Pint” campaign follows alarming new figures from research body AC Nielsen which suggest that off-trade sales through supermarkets could overtake beer sales in pubs next year and that there is a need for lower priced beers in pubs.

Mike Benner continued:
‘Pubs provide a safe and sociable place for adults to enjoy alcohol responsibly and it is essential that the Government supports our campaign to enable pubs to compete more effectively with ludicrously low supermarket beer prices. With 55% of drinkers in favour of a lower alcohol beer option*, the demand is clearly there and the Government is free to introduce a zero-rate on beers of 2.8% abv or less under existing EU rules and should therefore do so.’

CAMRA claims that while pub prices for lower strength beers could be up to 60 pence a pint lower, the effect on supermarket prices would be minimal.

Ray Welton, Head Brewer at Welton’s Brewery, said:

‘There’s always the element of lower strength beers being unique selling points, and I know of a few pubs where licensees are thriving because of offering a low strength beer option to their customers. A low strength beer allows people to enjoy a beer when they may wish to moderate their drinking levels. There is certainly already a consumer demand for a low-strength beer option in pubs, but to further this, there needs to be a national campaign in order to champion its merits.’

CAMRA reaches 100,000th member milestone!

Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London (August 4th-8th)

Consumer group vows to ‘keep up the fight for beer drinkers and pub-goers’

Issued: Tuesday August 4th
Status: For immediate use

Members of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, are today thrilled to announce a landmark moment in their 38 year history as their numbers swell to 100,000 members. The beer consumer group is delighted to confirm this milestone on the opening day of the Great British Beer Festival, at Earls Court, London.

Despite many campaigning successes over its 38 year history, CAMRA is pledging to push middle-age to one side as it steps up its campaigns to save Britain’s pubs and get a fair deal for beer drinkers. As the UK heads for a general election next spring, CAMRA is pushing for reform of the beer tie, fair taxes on beer, minimum pricing regulations to stamp out loss-leaders in supermarkets, zero duty rate on low strength beers, planning law reforms to protect pubs and for a central Government policy framework to protect and promote well-run community pubs.

Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said:
‘We are overjoyed at reaching 100,000 members, brought together by our passion for great British beer and community pubs. But while we may relax and raise a glass or two to celebrate at the opening of the Great British Beer Festival today, we are not complacent and tomorrow the hard work campaigning for drinkers’ rights will continue.’

CAMRA was formed in 1971 by Michael Hardman, Jim Makin, Graham Lees and Bill Mellor, when an idea of a campaign arose whilst they were bemoaning the state of British beer and pubs during a holiday in Ireland. Popularity for the then-named Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale quickly grew, and membership levels rose sharply, with CAMRA boasting over 5,000 members by the end of 1973.

In the early years of the organisation, CAMRA quickly formed three key campaigning tools, which remain integral to this day. The year 1974 saw CAMRA publish the Good Beer Guide for the first time, selling 30,000 copies in the first 7 months of its release. In the same year, the Corn Exchange, Cambridge, played host to the first CAMRA beer festival, with half of the beer supply in the venue selling out in the first day. And lastly, CAMRA’s first national celebration of real ale in September 1975, the Covent Garden Beer Festival, which was a predecessor to today’s Great British Beer Festival.

On hearing the landmark figure of 100,000 members, co-founder Michael Hardman, said:
‘We would never have believed in 1971 that one day we would have 100,000 members. We would have hailed it as a roaring success if we had managed to attract 1,000 like-minded souls, but we didn't bank on the huge support that was lying in wait for just such a campaign to come along. The secret of CAMRA's success from its early days right up to now, is the contribution made by these members: an eclectic bunch of young and old, rich and poor, men and women, bosses and workers, fat and thin, northern and southern.

‘These are the remarkable and highly knowledgeable people who have made CAMRA Europe’s most successful single issue consumer organisation and fostered the emergence of thousands of new breweries around the world dedicated to providing an alternative to the bland offerings of multi-national companies for whom profit is all and quality an obstacle to its achievement.’

In recent years, CAMRA’s rising membership figures have been attributed to an increasing number of consumers trying real ale for the first time. In the last year alone, membership numbers have increased by 9.7%, and since the beginning of the twenty-first century, numbers have almost doubled!

In a poll to UK consumers, CAMRA asked the public what they thought the organisation’s biggest campaigning success has been over 38 years. Results showed that 41% believed it be the continued existence of real ale in the majority of pubs, with 11% thinking it to be the greater flexibility in pub opening hours.

Keith Spencer, CAMRA National Membership Director, spoke with great pride of the milestone. He said:
‘It’s a real honour to be one of 100,000 devoted real ale fans who devote so much of their free time to campaign for good beer and good pubs. Such a landmark deserves a grand celebration on a local and national level. CAMRA has had a rich campaigning history and we can look back fondly on some of the achievements that have lead up to this milestone. Let’s all raise a glass to the 100,000 and hope we can continue to increase our numbers in years to come.’

After a major national celebration at the Great British Beer Festival, starting on August 4th, the 100,000 member celebrations look set to continue with local CAMRA branches organising their own celebrations throughout the country.

The Livery - Benton Harbor Celebrates its 4th Anniversary with Hand-Forged MicroBrews & The Fabulous Thunderbirds

(BENTON HARBOR, Mich) -- Proving its reputation as a premier entertainment venue -- as well as award-winning microbrewery -- The Livery in Benton Harbor proudly welcomes The Fabulous Thunderbirds to its 4th Anniversary celebration, August 14-15. It will be a weekend full of hand-forged microbrews, mouth-watering food and, well, fabulous music!

“Our passion for beer is equal to our passion for great and eclectic music,” says brewmaster Steve Berthel. “We have a long-standing reputation for both and it is with great pride that we welcome the Fabulous Thunderbirds to our 4th Anniversary celebration.”

On Friday, August 14, the Thunderbirds will perform at 9pm (tickets are $30 in advance and $35 day of show). Then, on Saturday, August 15, they will perform at The Livery's 4th Anniversary Festival. Festivities start at 2pm with an all-you-can-eat bar-b-cue and complimentary glass of each beer served throughout the day. The band takes to the stage at 7:30pm. Tickets for this day-long celebration are $65 in advance or $75 the day of.

“During the festival, patrons will receive a token for 8oz. samples of each of the four special release beers,” Steve says. “Besides our three real ales on the beer engine, and eight mainstay selections, we will be featuring four special releases.”

These include Carvaceous - a blend of a barrel aged imperial pale ale and a barrel-aged imperial IPA; Agent 99 - a barrel-aged Belgian-style quadruple; 4th Anniversary Ale - an imperial brown rye that is hopped like an IPA; and a dark Belgian-style tripple that is barrel-aged with nectarines.”

About the brewery:
The Livery, at 190 5th Street in Benton Harbor, is one of some 70 licensed craft brewing operations in the state of Michigan. One hundred years ago, the building known as the Palace Livery provided a vital service making it a gathering place for residents of and travelers to Southwest Michigan. Four years ago, the former horse stable and carriage shop was been brought back to life as "The Livery" -- one of Michigan's most exciting and unique microbreweries.

The Livery features a diverse selection of beer styles, ciders and wines, an outdoor beer garden and a Cafe serving custom roasted coffee and espresso. All of the "Hand Forged Microbrews" are painstakingly created by brewmaster Steve Berthel on a 10 bbl. brewing system of his own design. Music and other live entertainment are regularly featured in The Upper Livery entertainment venue.

The Livery is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild. www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

About the band:
For over thirty years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group's distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up.”

Founding member Kim Wilson spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation. “We started as a straight blues band.” vocalist and harmonica player Wilson says. “We now incorporate a mixture of a lot of different styles. We're an American music band and we're higher energy than ever before.” The Fabulous Thunderbirds features Jay Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitar, and Randy Bermudes on bass.

Wilson’s musical talents have garnered him multiple Blues Awards and Grammy Nominations. The Blues Foundation 2008 blues Music Awards named Wilson "Instrumentalist - Harmonica" category. In 2006, he was named “Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year” in 2006, and “Lookin’ for Trouble!” was named Blues Song of the Year in 2004. Wilson has contributed to the work of many other great artists such as the legendary Muddy Waters (who called him his “son”), contemporary artist Bonnie Raitt, guitar legends Stevie Ray Vaughn and brother Jimmy Vaughn, and Martin Scorsese’s movie “The Blues." With his current movie project “Cadillac Records,” Wilson continues to focus on the music he loves.

With over 20 albums recorded and millions sold, Kim Wilson and The Fabulous Thunderbirds tour the world performing their own unique style of music. Ranging from pop anthems like “Powerful Stuff” which was featured in the Tom Cruise movie “Cocktail," to the low down blues of "Chicago," this brand of honest music brings fans back time and again.

Having shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Carlos Santana and blues legends BB King and Buddy Guy and countless others, The Fabulous Thunderbirds continue to tour Europe and the North America, bringing more great music to their fans worldwide.

Their new CD (tentative title “Pay Back Time”) is to be released in mid-2009.

Porterhouse Productions Announces Traverse City Microbrewery & Music Festival

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for the First Annual Traverse City Microbrewery & Music Festival (TCMMF) on Saturday, August 29, 2009, on the beautiful front lawn and woods of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City, Michigan. This event aims to be one of the greatest in the state with beers from around the Midwest, focusing especially on Michigan brews. Outside of great craft beer, we will feature national touring musical acts on two stages. Hear the musical influences of Blues, Zydeco, World, Acoustic, Bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz, Afrobeat through the music of The Legendary Buckwheat Zydeco Band, Clumsy Lovers, Caravan of Thieves, Mike Moran + Levi Britton, Delilah Dewylde & The Lost Boys, Luke Winslow-King and more. TCMMF will be alive with music and art experiences as musicians and artists will roam and meander through the crowd.

Breweries include: Right Brain, Shorts, Founders, Bells, Jolly Pumpkin, Tri City, New Holland, Magic Hat, Sierra Nevada, Michigan Brewery, Three Sergeants, Red Hook, Goose Island, and Many More… Plus regional mead, cider and some very special brews! Education will be featured on a second stage in the Dining Tent that will include workshops on Mead, Homebrewing, Lord of Gourd and more with acoustic music in between.

This beer festival will be unlike any other in Michigan and we hope to make this a favorite of beer lovers, music lovers and brewers. We also have a strong dedication to the local harvest and many local foods will be paired with great beer.

Tickets On Sale at Oryana, Right Brain Brewery, Old Town Coffee, and online at www.porterhouseproductions.com .

The First Annual Traverse City Microbrewery + Music Festival will take place on the front lawn of the historic State Hospital, now The Village at Grand Traverse Commons (Division and 11th Streets). TCMMF is an excellent opportunity to enjoy hand-crafted beers, barley wines and non-alcoholic ales as well as local food and culture. We will have an early two-hour “Brewer’s Happy Hour” where serious craft beer patrons can engage in conversation with brewers and enjoy their company before the admission of the public as well as free catered food pairings and festival merchandise. Attendees will vote for their favorite beer and we will award a lucky brewery with a People’s Choice Award.

The TCMMF will benefit local nonprofits that work with and on behalf of youth. TCMMF is designed to honor local and regional brewers by being the first in the state to not charge a tap fee (!), pay 100% for the craft beer and offer to support the brewers with rooms and top hospitality. It also falls on a weekend full of community events that have endorsed the TCMMF including the popular Cherry Roubaix Bike Race and The Big Jon Salmon Classic. Community associations including Michigan Brewers Guild, Convention Visitors Bureau and Downtown Development Association have given their approval as well. We will be in full gear to celebrate!

The Traverse City Microbrewery + Music Festival celebrates the quality and
diversity in beer styles and breweries that exist in Michigan and across the Midwest.

The event’s beneficiaries are The Good Work Collective, which is a brand new 501(c)3 youth empowerment and community networking organization; Little Artshram, which fosters alternative education through a unique combination of permaculture, art, environmentalism, and social activism; The Historic Barns Harvest Festival slated for October 3 of this year; WNMC 90.7, Traverse City’s local college radio; local farmers and others. The Good Work Collective will help encourage the sustainability component of the festival, and has begun to do so by implementing a recycling/green program including compostable serving ware and wind- and solar-power stages for the annual event.

Our goal is to maintain a long-standing tradition of providing vendors and patrons with an event filled with music, fun, delicious brews, sustainable practices, local food and to excel culture with creative events hosted by the good people of Northern Michigan, The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, and the community of Traverse City. A key partner in this equation is Porterhouse Productions who will manage the event production and promotion. Porterhouse has created awarding winning Beer Festivals, concerts and events across the Northern Rockies and now in Northern Michigan. Visit www.porterhouseproductions.com .

For sponsorship information, vending, volunteering or to get involved, please contact sam@porterhouseproductions.com .

TCMMF is now accepting applications from those interested in participating in the event - from vending to breweries to sponsors and artists. Please contact sam@porterhouseproductions.com .

In honor of the creativity and hard work that is put into creating craft beer, we look forward to celebrating the breweries and beers of our region at the First Annual Traverse City Microbrewery + Music Festival on Saturday, August 29, 2009, at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City, Michigan.

GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION

* 21+ with ID
* General Admission : $25 = 8 pours, live musical entertainment from six or more bands, 5 - 10PM
* Brewer’s Happy Hour : $50 = 3 - 5 PM early happy two-hours, meet brewers before the GA rush, access to catered food pairings and limited festival merchandise, and 8 pours, live musical entertainment from six or more bands, 5 - 10 PM
* Attendees receive 4 oz. pours per token in corn composting cups
* For more information, visit www.porterhouseproductions.com
* Food will be available for purchase
* Shuttles will run every ½ hour to locations around TC.
* Designate a Driver, Shuttle, Walk, Ride a Bike!

MUSIC HEADLINERS

The Legendary Buckwheat Zydeco and Band / www.buckwheatzydeco.com
Clumsy Lovers / www.clumsylovers.com
Caravan Of Thieves / www.caravanofthieves.com
Delilah Dewyld & The Lost Boys / www.myspace.com/ delilahdewyldeandthelostboys
Mike Moran + Levi Britton / www.mikemoran.com /
Luke Winslow-King / www.myspace.com/ lukewinslowking
… and more including stellar local Michigan artists!

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

>Friday, August 28
8AM-8PM : Set up
2PM : Brewery tent set up
8PM-2AM Pre-Party at Right Brain Brewery, North Peak and local taverns.

>Saturday, August 29
8AM-3PM : Brewery Load In
3PM : Brewers Happy Hour, limited tickets available
5PM : Public Doors
10PM : Event Curfew
10PM-2AM : Village Commons Afterglow and Volunteer Appreciation party

Champion Beer of Britain announced - CAMRA toasts Best Beer in Britain

Ruby Mild shines through!

Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London (August 4th-8th)

Issued: Tuesday August 4th
Status: For immediate use

Rudgate Ruby Mild of York, North Yorkshire has been voted the best beer in Britain – CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain 2009 - after a year of local tastings panels and regional competitions culminated in a final judging at the Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London today.

Ruby Mild, which has an abv of 4.4%, is described in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2009 as a ‘nutty, rich ruby ale, stronger than usual for a mild.’

The York brewed real ale was chosen as the overall winner from over sixty finalists in seven categories (Best Bitters, Bitters, Golden Ales, Milds, Speciality, Winter Beer and Strong Bitters) including beers from tiny micros to major regional brewers.

Roger Protz, Chairman of the final judging panel said:
‘It’s a tremendous boost for the mild category. It’s good to see a classic British traditional beer making such a comeback in the age of golden ales and much paler beers in general. The judges were impressed by rich, fruity character, and the fact that it’s quite hoppy and bitter for a mild ale. Its victory should invigorate the whole mild ale category.’

An elated Craig Lee, Rudgate’s brewery owner, said:
‘It’s an excellent achievement, we’ve come close in previous years, and we are really proud to have won the Champion Beer of Britain. It’s unbelievable, and we hope our beer helps popularise the cause of real ale. ’

Rudgate’s victory comes in the wake of new research from CAMRA showing 50% of adult drinkers have now tried Britain’s national drink, real ale! This comes at a time when there are currently over 670 brewers in the UK, more than at any other time since the Second World War.

CAMRA’s research shows-
50% of all adult drinkers have now tried real ale, compared to 35% in 2008
67% of male drinkers have now tried real ale, compared to 50% in 2008
30% of women drinkers have now tried real ale, compared to 16% in 2008

Over the last few years, CAMRA has concentrated its efforts on encouraging people to try real ale as its previous research showed a high level of conversion amongst those who try it with 40% converting to drinking it afterwards.

Further new research from CAMRA shows that out of all the consumers having tried real ale, 64% of people have tried a beer brewed in their local area, revealing why trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers has reported a 7% year-on-year volume growth for local brewers for the last two years*.

Complete List of Champion Beer of Britain winners

Champion Beer of Britain- Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
Second- Oakham, Attila (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)
Third- West Berkshire, Dr Hexter’s Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)

Mild category
Gold- Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
Silver- Bank Top, Dark Mild (Bolton, Lancashire)
Bronze- Highland, Dark Munro (Birsay, Orkney)

Bitter category
Gold- Surrey Hills, Ranmore Ale (Guildford, Surrey)
Silver- Butcombe, Bitter (Bristol, Avon)
Joint Bronze- Humpty Dumpty, Little Sharpie (Reedham, Norfolk)
Joint Bronze- Triple fff, Alton’s Pride (Alton, Hampshire)

Best Bitter category
Gold- Southport, Golden Sands (Southport, Merseyside)
Silver- Buntingford, Britannia (Royston, Hertfordshire)
Joint Bronze- Evan Evans, Cwrw (Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire)
Joint Bronze- Thornbridge, Lord Marples (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Joint Bronze- Vale, VPA (Brill, Buckinghamshire)

Golden Ale category
Gold- Dark Star, American Pale Ale (Ansty, West Sussex)
Joint Silver- Adnams, Explorer (Southwold, Suffolk)
Joint Silver- St Austell, Proper Job (St Austell, Cornwall)

Strong Bitter category
Gold- West Berkshire, Dr Hexter’s Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)
Silver- Thornbridge, Kipling (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Bronze- Grain, Tamarind IPA (Harleston, Norfolk)

Speciality Beer category
Gold- Nethergate, Umbel Magna (Pentlow, Essex)
Silver- Wentworth, Bumble Beer (Wentworth, South Yorkshire)
Bronze- Amber, Chocolate Orange Stout (Ripley, Derbyshire)

Winter Beer of Britain winner (announced in January 2009)
Oakham, Attila (Cambridgshire)

…………………..

Bottled Beer of Britain winners (Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition sponsored by Travelodge)
Gold- Titanic, Stout (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire)
Silver- Great Gable, Yewbarrow (Gosforth, Cumbria)
Bronze- White Shield Brewery, White Shield (Coors, Burton-on-Trent)

CAMRA Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition winner to be sold in Travelodge hotels

Great British Beer Festival 2009, Earls Court, London (August 4th-8th)- www.gbbf.org.uk

Issued: Tuesday August 4th

Status: For immediate use

As part of a pioneering new sponsorship arrangement for the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition, Titanic Stout from the Titanic Brewery, Stoke-on-Trent, will now be sold by Travelodge in its 100 Bar/Cafes.

Chosen by a panel of judges, Titanic Stout is described by the brewery as an ‘old-fashioned ale, consisting of a dark combination of malt and roast with hops and a strong, well balanced flavour.’ Travelodge, through sponsoring the competition, is committed to selling the winning beer and is delighted that a drink of the calibre of Titanic Stout was chosen.

Paul Harvey, Managing Director of Travelodge, and one of the competition judges, said:
‘Titanic Brewery has produced a wonderful beer in Titanic Stout and it fully deserved to win. I am delighted that we will now be able to sell an award-winning beer in our hotels and I expect it to be a real hit with our customers.’

Keith Bott, Managing Director of the Titanic brewery, said:
‘We are delighted to win. It’s the second time we’ve won in 5 years and in fact our stout has been in the top three for five out of six years running. We are over the moon to be recognised as the best real ale in a bottle in Britain.’

Roger Protz, a world-renowned beer author, and long-time CAMRA member, describes Titanic Stout as ‘jet black in colour but with the ruby edge that is typical of the style. The aroma is big and deep, with an espresso coffee and bitter chocolate note, underscored by biscuity malt and tart hops. Liquorice comes through on the palate, while the biscuity malt builds on the tongue. The finish is long, with intense notes of coffee, chocolate and burnt cake from the malts and a lingering hop bitterness.’

Support the Community of Beer Enthusiasts and Small Brewers: Contact Your Congressional Representative

Dear Beer Enthusiasts and Homebrewers,

We’re asking you to contact your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to join the House Small Brewers Caucus. What is the House Small Brewers Caucus?

The U.S. House of Representatives Small Brewers Caucus was formed in 2007 by interested Members of Congress. Their mission is to gain a better understanding of all aspects of small, amateur and professional craft brewing, from business and regulatory issues to the brewing process and history of the small brewing community. The members of the Caucus are passionate about small brewers and craft beer. Co-chairs Representative Peter DeFazio (OR) and Representative Denny Rehberg (MT) have themselves been homebrewers and are avid beer enthusiasts.

Currently, only 49 Representatives belong to the Caucus. To put that in some perspective, 344 Congressional districts are home to at least one small brewery and we assume every one of the 435 districts is home to homebrewers and beer enthusiasts.

You can help by asking your U.S. Representative to join the Caucus. Help assure that you have the strongest voice possible speaking on your beer behalf in Congress.

You’ve come to appreciate the flavor, diversity and quality of your homebrew or locally brewed beers from America’s small breweries. In these uncertain economic and legislative times you can imagine how important it is to educate Congress about the community of homebrewers, beer enthusiasts and small brewers.

Ask your Representative to join the Caucus. Following are resource materials to assist you, including a brief message you can use to make your contact, either sending it “as is” or modifying it to add your personal message.

Thanks for all you do in support of America’s small brewing community.

Charlie Papazian

President, Brewers Association

Gary Glass

Director, American Homebrewers Association

_________________________________________________________

Below is a list of the 49 U.S. Representatives who are currently Small Brewers Caucus members. If your Representative DOES NOT appear on this list, please take a moment and email your Member of Congress about joining the Caucus.

If your Representative is already a member, please email him/her a brief thank you for their support of both small brewers and you, the craft beer drinker and enthusiast.

Please visit the official U.S. House of Representatives web site http://www.house.gov/ to access your Representative’s personal web page and contact information – just enter your zip code in the “Find Your Representative” search box in the upper left-hand corner and then click on your Representative’s name on the page that displays to enter his/her personal web page.

House Small Brewers Caucus Roster (as of July 28, 2009)
District Representative District Representative
AR-02 Vic Snyder
MT-AL Denny Rehberg
AZ-05 Harry Mitchell
NE-02 Lee Terry
CA-01 Mike Thompson
NY-12 Nydia Velazquez
CA-02 Wally Herger
NY-17 Eliot Engel
CA-06 Lynn Woolsey
NY-22 Maurice Hinchey
CA-49 Darrell Issa
NY-24 Mike Arcuri
CA-50 Brian Bilbray
OK-03 Frank Lucas
CO-01 Diana DeGette
OK-04 Tom Cole
CO-02 Jared Polis
OR-01 David Wu
CO-03 John Salazar
OR-02 Greg Walden
CO-05 Doug Lamborn
OR-03 Earl Blumenauer
CO-07 Ed Perlmutter
OR-04 Peter DeFazio
GA-05 John Lewis
PA-06 Jim Gerlach
HI-02 Mazie Hirono
PA-08 Patrick Murphy
IA-02 Dave Loebsack
PA-15 Charles Dent
KS-03 Dennis Moore
SC-01 Henry Brown, Jr.
MA-01 John Olver
TX-23 Ciro Rodriguez
MA-09 Stephen Lynch
TX-25 Lloyd Doggett
MA-10 William Delahunt
VA-05 Tom Perriello
MI-01 Bert Stupak
VT-AL Peter Welch
MI-02 Peter Hoekstra
WA-02 Rick Larsen
MI-04 Dave Camp
WA-04 Doc Hastings
MI-06 Fred Upton
WA-08 Dave Reichert
MI-11 Thaddeus McCotter
WI-02 Tammy Baldwin
MO-03 Russ Carnahan

Suggested letter for your U.S. Representative

Dear Representative _____________,

As your constituent, I am writing to ask you to join the House Small Brewers Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Peter DeFazio and Denny Rehberg.

The purpose of the Small Brewers Caucus is to provide Members of Congress and their staff an opportunity to learn about activities of the American craft brewing community, which includes over 1,500 small and independent American brewery businesses, and beer and homebrewing enthusiasts that participate in and contribute to local community activities and economies. The Small Brewers Caucus also offers opportunities to learn about the science and art of beer and brewing, the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery, the associated regulatory and societal issues and the value of craft beers and small brewing activities.

As a beer enthusiast and ardent supporter of America’s small professional and amateur brewers, I appreciate the many contributions their small, independent businesses make to their local communities. From their flavorful and distinctive locally brewed beers to their community involvement, small breweries are important economic and social hubs in their local communities.

Please contact the Washington office of either Representative DeFazio (202-225-6416) or Representative Rehberg (202-225-3211) to learn more about the Small Brewers Caucus and to join. Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,

Green Dragon Hosts Inaugural Indie Beer Fest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, OR, August 4, 2009 – On August 29th from 11:00am to 9:00pm, the city of Portland will close down SE 9th Street between SE Belmont and SE Yamhill for the 1st Annual Oregon Indie Beer Fest. The event will feature 30+ small, independent Oregon-based brewers that brew no-more-than 1000 barrels per year, providing festival goers with exciting, hard-to-find beers. To prepare us for this unique gathering, Green Dragon will be tapping some of these independent brews each day of the week (August 24-28) leading up to the festival.

Attendees will have the opportunity to taste 60+ hard-to-find craft beers and meet their makers during the Indie Beer Fest, and will be able to take their favorites home with them in bottles, growlers and kegs to go. And if the beer is not enough to keep cool, tours of the Green Dragon’s 1,040 square foot, glow-in-the-dark cooler will be held hourly. Other activities include:

12:00 to 5:00 - Dog Wash
12:00 to 4:00 - Washers Tournament
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Pinball
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Shuffleboard

Indie Beer Fest is 100% dog-friendly and owners are encouraged to bring their companions with them. A portion of the proceeds from the Indie Beer Festival will benefit the Portland-based Pixie Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing animal adoption in a nurturing environment and affording access to spay and neuter services for everyone.

With a $10.00 paid admission, each attendee will receive 5 taster tickets. Additional tickets will be sold for $1.00 each.

Established in 2007, the Green Dragon is listed by Imbibe magazine as one of the “100 Best Places to Drink Beer in America,” and by DRAFT Magazine as one of the “Best Beer Bars in America.” Green Dragon features 19 taps that rotate rapidly between hard to find, esoteric beers. Location: 928 SE 9th Street, Portland, OR 97214.

Van Duzer and his Cruiser Nearing Washington, D.C. while Raising Awareness about the Vast Benefits of Bicycling

Colorado-based Bicycle Advocate Promotes a Two-wheeled Lifestyle

Ft. Collins, CO – July 31, 2009 – One month, 2,000 miles and countless friends later, Ryan Van Duzer is nearing Washington, D.C. on his two-wheeled, cross-country expedition. On June 20, Van Duzer departed from San Diego on a three-speed cruiser bike and is scheduled to arrive in the nation’s capital by August 10 for a celebration of his journey with the League of American Bicyclists and the National Geographic Society. While the trip is ending soon, you can still experience Duzer (a witty character with bikes on the brain), donate to Community Cycles (www.ryanvanduzer.com), and sign up for Team Wonderbike (http://www.teamwonderbike.com) before his trip ends.

The cross-country trip appropriately concludes in Washington, D.C., where he will proudly share his message of bicycle advocacy. With some details still to be determined, Van Duzer will be the toast of a public event in National Geographic’s courtyard where he will meet with representatives from the League of American Bicyclists as well as Bicycle Friendly Business designees and members of the Congressional Bike Caucus.

“The League of American Bicyclists is excited to welcome Ryan Van Duzer to D.C.,” said Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists President. “Duzer embodies the League’s philosophy that bicycling can be used for fun, fitness and transportation. We are eager to hear his stories of how America is truly becoming a bicycle-friendly nation one community at a time.”

As he pedals across the nation, Van Duzer spreads the gospel of New Belgium Brewing’s Team Wonderbike and his life-long passion for biking. He continues to meet with advocacy groups, bike lovers, and city planners from America’s Bicycle Friendly Communities (http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/) as recognized by the League of American Bicyclists.

“My trek so far has encouraged my belief that people everywhere love simple things – a home cooked meal, a trusty bike, a good beer,” said Van Duzer. “As I start heading toward our nation’s capital I am enthusiastic about how we as a country can benefit by more people embracing the two-wheeled lifestyle.”

People across the country have been tuning in to Van Duzer’s personal story through his charismatic video diary, blogs, and Twitter and Facebook updates. Track his journey at http://www.newbelgium.com/duzer and come along when he gets to your area to share a meal, a beer or a bike ride.

New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, is sponsoring Van Duzer’s travels as part of its Team Wonderbike initiatives (http://www.newbelgium.com/team-wonderbike). Team Wonderbike was created by New Belgium to inspire and encourage folks to use their bike instead of their car as often as possible. Team Wonderbike membership is currently 18,000 strong, with more joining daily as Van Duzer’s trek gets people thinking, “If he can ride across the country, I can ride to work!”

“With the help of the League of American Bicyclists, we are seeing the magic of a nationwide network of bicycle advocates pulling together,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium Spokesperson and Team Wonderbike Spokes Model. “We’ve seen people across the country join Ryan on rides or offer him a place to sleep. We’ve witnessed the bicycling community rally together for a cause. It’s nothing short of inspirational.”

Visit http://www.newbelgium.com/duzer to look at the map and watch Duzer’s video blog.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces seven year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit, and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE OFFERS AT HOME DRAUGHT EXPERIENCE THROUGH LAUNCH OF DRAUGHTKEG™

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (June 29, 2009) – Newcastle Brown Ale, America’s No. 1 imported ale, today announces the launch of the Newcastle DraughtKeg™. This innovative new product incorporates patented technology together with Newcastle’s unique flavor and refreshing, smooth finish, offering consumers a portable and authentic draught beer drinking experience that can be enjoyed anywhere.

Featuring the same superior technology originally created by Heineken USA, the Newcastle DraughtKeg provides long-lasting freshness and portability through a pressurized draught system that utilizes a patented internal CO2 system with a mini tap. This feature helps keep the beer fresh for up to 30 days after tapping and delivers the same taste experience as a pint of Newcastle poured in a pub.

“The launch of the Newcastle DraughtKeg is a milestone event for the brand, offering access to the one and only Newcastle on tap at fine establishments everywhere, including your home,” said Colin Westcott Pitt, brand director, Newcastle Brown Ale. “The fact that it’s portable gives you the opportunity to share the pub experience with friends wherever you are. You become a handyman of sorts, providing instant home improvement by bringing the Newcastle DraughtKeg into someone’s house.”

DraughtKeg’s compact, recyclable steel packaging and portable design holds 1.33 gallons (5 liters) of Newcastle, which serves up to 10 pints of refreshing draught beer. The Newcastle DraughtKeg is also compatible with the Krups® BeerTender®, an appliance designed exclusively for the DraughtKeg. The BeerTender chills and maintains the ideal temperature for the DraughtKeg, creating a stylish draught system for an at-home pub experience.

The Newcastle DraughtKeg will launch in select markets beginning in July 2009. While the price point is at the discretion of each individual retailer, Newcastle suggests an approximate retail value of $22.99. The product will be offered at select grocery and liquor stores where Newcastle is sold.

For media inquiries, including interview scheduling, please contact Formula at
310-578-7050.

About Newcastle Brown Ale

In 1927, in the Northeast of England, Colonel Jim Porter created a uniquely crafted bottle of ale with its own distinct color, taste and character that quickly became a local favorite. Best served cool, Newcastle Brown Ale has since become a world favorite. Newcastle Brown Ale is imported by the nation's premier beer importer, Heineken USA, headquartered in White Plains, New York. For more information, please visit NewcastleBrown.com.

About Heineken USA
Heineken USA Inc., the nation’s premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world’s most international brewer. Brands imported into the U.S. include: Heineken Lager, the world’s most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from FEMSA Cerveza of Mexico. Please visit EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

Michigan Brewers Guild Announces Two New Fall Festivals

UP Oktoberfest - September 12, Marquette & Harvest Fest - October 24 at Eastern Market, Detroit

(EAST LANSING, Mich) – Coming off a widely successful 12th Annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti this past weekend (where attendance sold out at just over 8000 at historic Depot Town’s Riverside Park), the Michigan Brewers Guild (MBG) announces two new fall festivals for craft beer enthusiasts.

The UP Oktoberfest will be held on Saturday, September 12 in Marquette, followed by Harvest Fest -- presented with Metro Times -- on Saturday, October 24 at Eastern Market in Detroit.

“We have been looking to add a few new events to our annual calendar,” says Scott Graham, MBG executive director. “Oktoberfest gives us the opportunity to reach out to craft beer connoisseurs in the Upper Peninsula, while the Harvest Fest brings us to historic Eastern Market in Michigan’s largest city. With both, we hope to draw attendance from our existing beer fan base, as well as introduce a whole new group of people to some of the finest craft beers in the Midwest.”

Further details about these events will be released in the coming weeks and will also be posted online at www.MichiganBrewersGuild.org.

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”

The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the Michigan brewing community; to increase sales of Michigan-brewed beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education; and to monitor and assure a healthy beer industry within the state. For more information, including a list of Michigan microbreweries, log on to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

‘Super-Complaint’ prompts OFT probe into Pub Market CAMRA Demands a ‘Fair Share’ for Consumers

Issued: Friday 24th July 2009
Status: For immediate use

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today exercised its ‘super-complaint’ power to require the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to fast-track consideration of anti-competitive practices in the UK pub market which are resulting in high prices in pubs, lower amenity, restricted choice and pub closures.

CAMRA’s ‘super-complaint’, ‘A Fair Share for the Consumer’, highlights that high rents and ‘tied’ beer prices are driving many good pub landlords out of business and contributing to the destruction of Britain’s pubs through pub closures and chronic under investment in pub facilities. Currently more than seven pubs close every day.

Mike Benner, Chief Executive, said, “Exploitation of ‘beer tie’ agreements and the unfair method of setting pub rents are harming consumers and society as a whole. It is enshrined in EU law that consumers must get a fair share of the benefits arising from exclusive purchasing deals such as the ‘beer tie’, but this is often not the case. We hope that the OFT will act to deliver a fair share for Britain’s 14 million regular pub goers. Reform of the ‘beer tie’ along with a framework of support from Government is urgently required to save the pub from extinction.”

‘Tied’ Beer Prices

More than half of the pubs in the UK are run under ‘tie’ arrangements which prevent pub landlords buying beer and other products on the open market meaning many pub landlords are forced to pay over the odds by around 50 pence a pint.

Mr Benner said, “The ‘tied’ model works best when it is a true partnership, where the risks and benefits are shared equally between pub owning company and the pub landlord. Unfortunately, this is not the current reality. Pub-owning companies are able to earn excessive profits by increasing the cost of beer to their ‘tied’ pub landlords who have no choice but to accept high prices and pass them onto the consumer. This practice has led to higher prices in pubs and has widened the gap between pub and supermarket prices encouraging people to shun the pub for their armchair.”

Pub rents; a flawed system

CAMRA is calling for the OFT to review the way in which pub rents are set as excessive rents translate into higher prices for pub-goers. The current system is open to abuse as it is based on a whole range of entirely hypothetical assumptions and specifically ignores the fact that ‘tied’ pub landlords have to pay above market prices for beer and other products.

Mike Benner said, “Pub landlords should not be denied access to the information and assumptions used to calculate a rent figure. An independent and affordable rent dispute system is urgently needed to avoid pub landlords being forced into agreeing excessive rents because they cannot afford to contest it. The rent charged to ‘tied’ pub landlords must fully take into account the financial penalty they face as a result of being unable to purchase beer and other products on the open market. The current system is seriously flawed and is leading to higher prices in pubs and contributing to the high rate of pub closures.”

Beer Choice; securing access to market for small brewers

Mike Benner said, “There is enormous consumer interest in local produce and it is crazy that local brewers are prevented from selling their beers to local pubs. We believe a ‘guest beer’ regulation, so that ‘tied’ pub landlords can buy a guest real ale from a brewer of their choice, should be introduced to overcome this. This alone would boost consumer choice and have the impact of driving down pub beer prices through competition.”

Pub Closures; stamp out restrictive covenants

CAMRA is calling for regulation to prevent pubs being sold with ‘restrictive covenants’ preventing them from being used as licensed premises in the future.

Mr Benner said, “At a time of accelerating pub closures it is disgraceful that companies are allowed to sell pubs and deliberately prevent them ever being reopened. Pubs are at the heart of so many of our communities and it is for the market and the community to decide if a pub is a viable and sustainable business.”

The Way Forward

Mr Benner added, “In parallel to its ‘super-complaint’ CAMRA, along with the Fair Pint Campaign and the Federation of Small Businesses, are participating in efforts to achieve an industry-wide mediated settlement to overcome the current unfairness of the ‘beer tie’ and pub rents. If mediation is successful then it is possible the OFT would decide to use its powers to make the outcome of the mediation legally binding as an alternative to further action including reference to the Competition Commission for a lengthy market investigation.”

“Total abolition of the ‘beer tie’ would be a grave error and would be likely to turn the current storm of pub closures into a hurricane and lead to increased domination of the beer market by global brewers. Abolishing the ‘tie’ would be the classic example of ‘chucking the baby out with the bath water.”

“Our ‘super-complaint’ will give the OFT the opportunity to take swift action to ensure the ‘beer tie’ works fairly in future. Clearly there are a number of reasons why Britain’s pubs are under pressure, not least the recession and our punitive beer tax regime, but the evidence is clear that the ‘tie’ must be reformed if these valuable small businesses are to survive and thrive. In response to the BEC report, some companies have taken some positive steps to improve matters and we welcome that progress, but legally-binding reform is still required to ensure a fair deal for consumers.”

“EU competition rules demand that exclusive supply agreements between pub owning companies and pub landlords must result in a fair share of the benefit for consumers. The ‘tie’ is a restrictive agreement, but it should work through countervailing benefits for pub landlords to enable them to run a viable and sustainable pub providing good value and quality to their customers. With increasing pub prices, failing pub businesses and unprecedented pub closures, the model is faltering and must be reformed as a matter of urgency.”

Legalize Cachaça

Friday, June 12th, marks the anniversary of a tragedy committed exactly 265 years ago.

In 1744, the Portuguese Crown declared that the production, distribution, and sale of Cachaça, Brazil’s noble spirit, would be illegal in the Portuguese Colony of Brazil. Fortunately for us all, the Brazilians rebelled and the virtues of Cachaça won.

Here we are 265 years later, and Brazil’s noble spirit, Cachaça, is still being tortured. Cachaça was invented nearly five hundred years ago in Brazil, in the early 1500’s, 100 years before its Caribbean cousin, Rum. In many countries, such as here in the United States, Cachaça is recognized officially as Brazilian Rum. Not Cachaça. This we do not understand, as Cachaça is not Rum. Cachaça is made from Fresh Cane Juice and Cachaça can only come from Brazil. As the Third Most Consumed Spirit, in the world, and the key ingredient to Brazil’s National Cocktail, the Caipirinha, we believe Cachaça deserves to be recognized as just that: Cachaça, and not Brazilian Rum.

Now we ask you to join us in the fight on International Cachaça Day, this Friday June 12th, to recognize Cachaça’s true place in our hearts, on our minds and at our bars. Join us in cities around the world to show your support for this critical cause: Recognize Cachaça. Brazil’s Noble Spirit.

For more information, contact us at legalizecachaca@liveloveleblon.com.

COLD FRONT IS COMING THIS SUMMER WITH LAUNCH OF NEW COORS LIGHT COLD ACTIVATED CANS

Beer Drinkers Always Ensured Beer “As Cold As the Rockies” with Mountains that Turn Blue on New Cold Activated Can

MILWAUKEE and GOLDEN, Colo. – A nationwide cold front is forecasted to arrive May 15 in the form of the new 8-, 10-, 12- and 16-ounce Coors Light and Coors Banquet Cold Activated Cans. Triggered by mountains that turn blue when beer is at the optimal drinking temperature, the new cans join the 24-ounce can and the Cold Activated Bottle as signature offerings from Coors Light and Coors Banquet.

Featuring cold activated mountains on two sides, plus a Vented Wide Mouth® for a smooth, refreshing pour and a Frost Brew® Liner to lock in Frost Brewed® taste, the Cold Activated Can reinforces Coors Light’s continuing commitment to providing beer drinkers the best way to enjoy the “World’s Most Refreshing Beer.”

The launch of the new Cold Activated Can will be backed by a robust marketing program, beginning with a “cold front” teaser campaign that launches April 27 at www.TheColdFront.org. Legal-drinking-age consumers can track the cold front’s progress on the interactive site through reported sightings and news updates. On May 15, there will be special celebratory activities in select markets as the cold front officially arrives.

"Consumers want to know when their beer is cold and ready to drink, and beer retailers certainly want to avoid serving warm beer,” said Royce Wills, Coors Light marketing director. “The Cold Activated Can is the ultimate cold cue, delivering confidence that your Coors Light has been chilled to the perfect temperature for ice cold refreshment. This is important enough to American beer drinkers that at Coors Light, we’ve made cold beer our policy.”

The new 8-, 10-, 12- and 16-ounce Coors Light and Coors Banquet Cold Activated Cans will be available at participating convenience, grocery and liquor stores nationwide starting May 15.

Ever since Bill Coors invented the aluminum can in 1959, beer innovations and packaging enhancements have been a hallmark of the company, with the goal of delivering the coldest, most refreshing beer to adult consumers. Other recent Coors Light and Coors Banquet innovations and packaging enhancements include:

– Cold Activated Bottle: Mountains on the label turn blue when the beer is cold enough to drink.
– Vented Wide Mouth Can: The industry’s first built-in vent and eight percent wider opening delivers a smoother, draft-like drinking experience.
– Super Cold Draft: An innovative draft system that pours Coors Light below freezing.
– Frost Brewed Liner: The tinted blue liner protects the refreshing taste of the beer inside.
– Plastic Bottle Cooler Box: The industry’s first ice-ready, one-time use cooler package.

For more information on the new Coors Light and Coors Banquet Cold Activated Cans, go to www.TheColdFront.org from April 27 through May 15. The site also will have the latest updates on Cold Front locations and videos to share with friends. Please also visit www.CoorsLight.com for general information on all cold innovations.

About MillerCoors
Built on a foundation of great beer brands and more than 288 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. Miller Lite is the great tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to refreshment as cold as the Rockies. MillerCoors brews full-calorie beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft; and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. The company also imports Peroni, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell and Molson Canadian and offers innovative products such as Miller Chill and Sparks. MillerCoors features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel’s craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wis., and two microbreweries, the Leinenkugel’s 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to become the best beer company in America by driving profitable industry growth. MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.