Mikkeller DTLA recently posted about a new documentary in the works from a pair of their employees and it is something that I wanted to put on the radar of beer fans because even a short film would probably contain enough info to really raise the consciousness. I will update when more information becomes available.
LIFO – Last In First Out
Shmaltz Brewing Company, they of the He’Brew beers amongst other beverages was a contract brewing holdout. Until five years ago, they did not have a home base. Now they have returned to their gypsy ways with the sale of its brewing equipment to Singlecut Beersmiths of Queens, NY.
The facility in Clifton Park will switch over later this year and the 30,000-barrel brewery will start brewing new beer. I had some of their beers when in NYC and was quite happy with them so this sounds positive if more beer will make it to L.A.
For Shmaltz this seems to be a strategic retreat and a way to not fall deeper into debt. And perhaps they are a brand that is better suited to not having their own brewery. Whether they can re-kindle brewing agreements again or if that tank space is gone is a different story.
I do see more equipment and facilities coming available for those who want to grow. Or those bigger facilities can become incubators or homes for excess capacity needs because that is probably needed more, flexible brewing.
Wage Gap
Though I don’t like the aggressive tone of the article name, the STORY within from Splinter News is something that needs to be looked at and then dealt with.
Does there need to be an industry wide standard? Is there a safety net (literally) that could be created by pooling resources? And can something be done without jeopardizing the jobs (whatever their worth) that have been created?
Lots of thought points to measure.
Pliny the Impact
I am a bit nerdy in liking the economic side of #independent beer so when I saw this infographic regarding Pliny the Younger’s 2018 release, I had to dig in.
What caught my eye was that 40 states were represented and 17 countries. That is amazing in a day and age when hazy IPA can releases rule the day. I would have thought that the bloom is off the rose but the stats say otherwise.
That Bottle is New to Me
It seems that states are having to take the environmental lead in this day and age and that continues as the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative with seven Oregon breweries will begin testing a reusable beer bottle program.
The Oregon Bottle Bill is already a strong program but this adds another layer that other states will need to catch-up with. New, stronger bottles are being made of (you, guessed it) old recycled bottles.
Make America Craft Again!
American Craft Beer Week starts tomorrow!
I tell fans of #independent beer to make a point of visiting one brewery and one quality beer bar during the week. You can hit up the website HERE, to find specific events in your area.
Future Hops
New hops have a long lead time and we usually encounter them in number form first before they get their “trade” name.
Here are some hops that are coming to a beer near you either sooner (but more likely, later)….
Sabro f/k/a HBC 438 tropical
Gaia spicy
Boomerang spicy and citrusy
Others coming are Country and Jazz (Czech), Godiva (from England), Strata (from Oregon) and Zappa (from Washington).
Thanks to Appellation Beer and their hop updates!
World Beer Cup ’18 – California Notes
The World Beer Cup returned and SoCal and the rest of California showed up well. Focusing in on my neck of the extended woods.
The two big, big winners were (and this will shock no one) Beachwood and their growing empire and Firestone Walker. Beachwood picked up (3) silvers and a bronze locking down the coffee categories with Pablo Escobeer and Mocha Machine. FW was really golden with wins for DBA, C-Hops Pale Ale and STiVO Kellerbier along with silver fro Krieky Bones.
MacLeod has had a good awards season so far in 2018 and that continued with Van Ice picking up silver in the light lager category. Speaking of streaks, Figueroa Mountain also scored a brace of awards for their dunkel and Oatmeal stout.
Notable in Orange County was both Green Cheek and Noble Ale Works winning in the IPA and Imperial IPA categories respectively and newcomer Brewery Rex getting the bronze for their Raspberry Rickey in the Berliner Weisse group.
Congratulations to the winners!
Get Ready to Summit
This week, specfically this Tuesday, you can get your tickets to THE California beer festival….
Head HERE to get your tickets to travel the state in #independent beer without traveling from Yreka to Calexico.
Diversify
In what could be filed under belated, the Brewers Association has hired Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham to be the first diversity ambassador.
Per the press release, “Jackson-Beckham, an assistant professor of communication studies at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia, will work closely with the BA’s Diversity Committee, which was established during last year’s Craft Brewers Conference in Washington, D.C.”
Jackson-Beckham has written a book about this very topic: Untapped: Exploring the Cultural Dimensions of Craft Beer which should help her as she travels the country talking to member breweries and brewers guilds. Another plus is that she is an avid homebrewer as well.
I will certainly be on the look-out for her work and I hope to be in attendance when she next speaks in Los Angeles. Hopefully this will herald a change that will be beneficial long term.
You can read more HERE.