Top 5 Craft Beer Headlines: A Week In Review
At Craft Beverage Jobs, we spend many hours each week researching current events within the craft beer industry. Craft beer news about industry growth, new business, job openings and personal profiles helps keep us up to date on what’s happening in craft beer across the world.
At the end of each week, that adds up to a lot of information. So, we thought we would share with you our picks for the Top 5 Craft Beer Headlines from each week! Here is Craft Beer News: A Week In Review.
1. Stone’s Fake Beer Pokes Fun At “IPA” Lawsuit
Stone Creates Fake Beer Making Fun Of Legal Trouble in Craft Beer, by Graham Averill – Paste
If you haven’t heard, there is trouble in ‘craft beer’ paradise. On Monday, Jan. 12th, Lagunitas Brewing’s founder and CEO Tony Magee filed a lawsuit against Sierra Nevada. The lawsuit claims trademark infringement due to the logo design of Sierra Nevada’s new IPA, “Hope Hunter”.
Lagunitas’ claim is that the design and font of Hope Hunter’s bold, black, all-caps “IPA” lettering was too similar to its signature IPA logo and would cause confusion with consumers. The world of craft beer cried FOUL! and Magee quickly began to back peddle on the lawsuit.
So this week, riding the wave of controversy, Stone Brewing introduced “Sosumi IPA”, a fake beer with a very cool logo, similar to the Lagunitas IPA font. This move by Stone created its own social media storm, with cries of “hypocrite”, since Stone is no stranger to lawsuits protecting their brand.
2. Bringing “German” Craft Beer To Indiana
Craft brewery opening German beer hall in downtown Griffith, by Joseph S. Pete – The Times/NWI.com
The industry of craft beer flourishes with individuals who left their comfort zone to pursue a passion for brewing beer. Dan Lehnerer was a homebrewer who left his job in corporate America to pursue brewing beer full-time.
He has spent a year renovating two buildings in downtown Griffith to open his craft brewery, Oberpfalz Brewing this week.
I was basically the lowest paid construction worker in the history of the world.
The focus of the brewery will be mostly German-influenced beer, offering a year-round Octoberfest, Pints, 4-oz samplers and 64-oz to-go growlers. On tap, you will find Rauchbiers, altbiers, kolschs, and several more German style beers on draft.
Craft beer is booming in Indiana. In 2011 there were only 46 breweries statewide. To date, there are 63, with more planning to open this year, 2015.
Dan Lehnerer, New Oberpfalz Brewing
3. Craft Beer: 4 Times The Barley
Craft Beer Uses Four Times As Much Barley As Corporate Brew, by Tom Philpott – Mother Jones
US beer drinkers, specifically craft beer drinkers, have made a clear statement against the watered down offerings from BIG beer. (Corporate beers from InBev & MillerCoors). The character of a craft brew is the very antithesis of the watery corporate beers, which are continuing their slow decline in the market.
So, what makes craft beer so different? It really does come down to the ingredients and the execution of those ingredients in the production of craft beer. The body and taste of beer comes from malted barley. The USDA recently crunched the numbers and found that craft brewers on average use four times more barley per barrel of beer than corporate beers.
4. Coffee Beer – Final Beer List
NW Coffee Beer Invitational – Final Beer List, by Samurai Artist – The New School
This coming Saturday, Goose Hollow Inn in Southwest Portland is hosting the NW Coffee Beer Invitational. The article gives us a sneak peak at the final beer list for the event.
This is the second annual event has been greatly anticipated due to the success and diversity of last years entries. This year 16 local breweries have received special invitations from event founder Dave Fleming. Coffee beer entries must be brewed with locally-roasted coffee and are limited to 7% alcohol by volume.
COFFEE BEER LIST
- Buoy Beer
- Coalition, Jumpy Juice
- Elysian Brewing, Cthulhu Imperial Oak Aged Coffee Stout
- Fire On The Mountain Brewing, Spanish Coffee Mud
- Gigantic Brewing, Sabotage! Coffee Baltic Porter
- Kell’s Brew Pub & Burnside Brewing Co., Mas cerveza, por favor?
- McMenamins, Onward Caravan Turkish Coffee Ale
- Migration, Odilicious Strong Ale
- Pints, Mocha Banana Split
- Sasquatch Brewing, Wired Whale
- Walking Man, Happy Feet Coffee Brown Ale
5. California Embraces The Craft Beer Boom
The Craft Beer Boom – California Dream Big
California boasts nearly 500 breweries, reaching every corner of the state. Even wine crazed Napa Valley can’t escape the craft beer boom as microbreweries pop up offering tourists new destination points.
San Diego County – Over 70 breweries have joined the San Diego Brewers Guild, with two of the largest in Karl Strauss Brewing Company and Stone Brewing Company
Indeed, California craft brewers have changed the way we drink beer, turning it into a drink not just for sports fans but connoisseurs too.
San Francisco – Northern California’s Brewer’s Guild has nearly two dozen members, all established within the city
limits of San Francisco, making it a beer-lover’s mecca.
Sacramento – This capital of the Golden State has its own unique craft beer scene. The Sacramento Beer Festival is a destination event for Californians from all over the state.
The Inland Empire – This Southern California region is home to dozens of craft breweries who boast unique flavor profiles like guava and mango!
Sonoma County – Sonoma County’s not just about wine anymore! Craft beer has found a home here with the help of the popular Lagunitas Brewing Company.
Central Coast – California’s Central Coast has become known as a beer-lover’s paradise with more than a dozen microbreweries producing award-winning craft beers.
Central Valley – The hundreds of miles that make up the Central Valley are now plentiful with craft beer opportunities!
A broad valley with plenty of places to sip a pint.
Follow the link for many more California regions contributing to the craft beer BOOM!
