A New Steam

I am a harsh judge of brand design. I know what I like and only a few breweries win kudos from me on this front. When I heard that the venerable Anchor Steam was getting a make-over, I blanched. The old (current) design is great. Is it in-modern, yeah but it still stands out on shelves.

Now we get this yellow/gold look and the art is fine but the color scheme is both too much and too little. Garish brightness and lots of unused space. Maybe this will just be a summer look.

A Podcast & A Beer – Creating Cashflow

Upfront, the creator of this podcast is my much better half so I am biased about this month’s choice for podcast listening. But I think that it might be of great help to all those in the craft beer world struggling mentally with financial challenges.

This soothing podcast gives good advice and hope in equal measure and even if it does not send you on a path to starting a multi-millions dollar career path, it will give you insight that will help you navigate through the tough situations in life.

Two episodes are currently available on all the major platforms or you can head to her website for info.

My wife does not drink, she is the best designated driver. So for this podcast how about having a Hop2O or HopTea instead.

Open Window

Creativity abounds even in dark times and Temescal Brewing has fused together the 1950s Food-a-Matic with the even older wine window to make a not so automatic beer delivery.

You scan a QR code, place your order electronically and when it is ready, a window opens and you get a beer. Of course it is humans behind those cubbyholes and not robots but it is a bit of whimsy much needed.

Virtual Hop Picking

Yup, every damn thing I see going to have the word “virtual” in front of it. But, this virtual harvest is making me look forward to September. Check out the SCHEDULE and you will see som technical stuff but they are going g to name a new hop and other fun stuff too. If you are a hop fan, this will make you bitter in a good way.

Our Next Guest

There are 12 guest designs for Stone IPA. The brewery kindly sent me 3 to see up close. I thought that I would declare a Best in Show for the ones that I received as well as the full set.

The three in my ‘fridge came from Logan Moore, Ben Fellowes and Emma Atterbury.

The process for the middle one was involved but it is clearly my least favorite. If you have to wonder if it was drawn by a child, then that is not a good sign. That leave some Fellowes and his dapper gargoyle and Atterbury’s decaying skull and I choose the latter because it just seems more scary and in line with the Stone Enjoy By series of drink fresh before the hops decay.

Overall, my favorite though is a simpler one, the big bold font and then a 3-D modeled gargoyle head like you would see from an archaeological dig. Again, scary but with a nice modern computerized twist. After that, there is the mostly green can, with the lettering turned vertically with a bull meets gargoyle animation rough sketch.

A cool idea to get consumers to take a second look at an old-school IPA.

Secret Party

Time to talk about the police again. I wish it was a happy video of a policeman hooping with kids in the community but apparently, there was a LAPD secret party held recently. Problem one, it was at a bar called the Sassafras Saloon. Horrible old-timey name. Well, past that are more problems.

I thought bars were closed under the current orders?

Who goes to work parties, even not during a pandemic?

Who goes to a work party where masks are optional and doesn’t leave immediately?

I am on record as saying that I am not going to bars and sitting down with a drink. Wearing a Hazmat suit in the SoCal sun is not my idea of fun. But if you must continue the party, do so with a GD mask on! I am starting to think (slow to catch on, I know) that the US is trying to lose the game vs the Virus.

8 Trillion

Crowns & Hops has recently announced the 8 Trill Pils Initiative, this is a fund that will financially assist Black brewers wanting into the craft brewing world.  

This is another great piece in building a pipeline so that more can enter this industry without extra barriers.

That number is based on economic figures posited by Ani Turner. That is the amount of money that could be boosted into the economy over the next 30 years if racial disparities would be stripped away from business decisions. 

The new fund starts with a $100,000 check from BrewDog.  The Scottish brewer also has invested in Crowns & Hops last year.

Now, the larger societal fixes need to be added to really make this work. We need to get every child speeding towards success. That means schools, healthcare and housing.  And specifically from the brewing perspective, we need a robust mentorship program in all aspects from hop farming to label design to brewing. 

This is the Way

I just finished up Season 1 of The Mandalorian (I know I am behind the curve, still haven’t finished the Last Danceeither) and a day or so later, I saw the above. Hoping, kinda, that it was an Obvious Plant but it got me to thinking in this not going to amusement parks world, if Disney would ever bottle Star Wars beverages. Not necessarily alcoholic ones, but I think they could make some cash off of a MandoBrau. And I bet that’s some brewery is going to make a beer with this cereal too.

Breathing: Conversations

Finback Brewing has added their voice and platform to a new initiative that I hope will spread across the country, Breathing: Conversations.

Here is the gist of their idea, “We invite all breweries to participate in this conversation and we invite all people to join the dialogue by speaking to each other, telling us your stories and linking all our voices in a collective conversation by using the hashtag #BreathingConversations. The topic of race is a challenging one, potentially uncomfortable, awkward and vulnerable, but it is a conversation we must have. We must hear each other and listen to the voices of the oppressed, of people of color and create a more equitable future.”

Below is an example from Cascade Brewing…

The Firkin for July 2020

The State of Oregon is mulling over the possibility of allowing beer delivery (other alcohol too) after this pandemic is over. I think the Golden State should put this on the table too.

One of the few bright spots in this virus hiatus has been the Alcohol and Beverage Commission (ABC) stepping up to the plate and changing regulations to help the producers in the state. Granted the must buy food rule is off base, but overall they have made a difference and done so quickly.

The financial pain will not end when a vaccine is found though. Red ink will still be on the books for breweries and constricting sales options again will not help. And it certainly will not get more employees back on the job.

My vote is to run a temporary year-long test and see if shipping and delivery has any adverse longer term effects. Maybe the economy will roar back to life and it won’t be needed but it would be great to have delivery as an ace in the hole if needed to help these small brewery business owners.