March 29, 2013                                                                                     
Here I am at the 2013 Craft Brewer's Conference in Washington DC contemplating what I am going to write about in the lobby of the hotel as owners, brewers and other beer industry folk mill around talking business and beer. It has been an exciting event as it always is. The last several days have been chalk full of great events from tap takeovers to beer dinners and craft beer concerts put on by all the biggest names in the industry. 
 
The truly ironic thing about having the CBC here in DC is that in the land that makes all the laws when it comes to beer, there are no laws here. Of course there are drinking age laws but what I am referring to is the laws regarding what beer is sold here. You see in most states there are strict laws regarding beers being registered in the state and the territories that they are assigned to for each distributor. Not in DC though. It is the Wild West here! You can find almost any brewery's beer on tap at any given account at any given time. So while you cannot find a beer like New Glarus in any other state outside of Wisconsin, I have heard of a bar here that had it on tap. Pretty wild if you ask me.
 
But outside of all the drinking and fun that goes on here, there is also a great deal of business going on. Equipment vendors are meeting potential clients. Distributors and brewers are reviewing their businesses. Conference attendees are sharing best practices on how to run their businesses. Brewers are finding out better ways to make and sell their beers. Distributors are learning how to better sell and market the beers in their portfolio. And everyone is discussing the state of the industry, the state of their businesses and what the future holds for both. It is an exciting time to be in the craft beer business and it seems the future is looking very bright.

   

Adam Fine

Director of Hoperations

UPCOMING EVENTS
03-29-2013 5:00 PM - Sunrise
Celebrating a new location and slight name change, Bash American Bistro, will be opening their doors to the public with a ribbon cutting featuring the Mayor of Sunrise and a barber shop quartet. They will have beer and wine samples for all the thirsty people and will have limited tappings of Cigar City Cafe Con Leche Sweet Stout, Stiftung Berliner, Invasion Pale Ale, Guanabana, Cubano Espresso, and the Cigar City and Due South Collaboration Desert Inn Rye IPA. They also will be doing a Mojito Florida Cracker with the Randall.

03-30-2013 1:00 to 4:00 PM Fort Lauderdale
Come on down and sample some great beers from Duvel and Brewery Ommegang. They will be pouring Duvel and Three Philosophers.  
 
April - Wellington
Nectar Ales will be the beer of the month at World of Beer Wellington with Nectar Ale IPA and Hemp ale on draft all month long. Plus a special appearance from the Black Xantus. They also will be carrying all 3 Nectar Ale bottles. Make sure you stop by and check it out!
 
April - Miami
Blue Point Brewery will be the beer of the month at World of Beer Dadeland with all of your favorite beers on draft and in bottles. They will also be doing a fun raffle for a Blue Point Prize Basket at the end of the month. 
 
04-01-2013 7:00 PM - Boca Raton
Come join the Rebel House for their Ale-ienation Beer & Dinner Pairing. The meal includes five courses, with which a carefully selected brew has been poiniantly paired. You will not want to miss this. Tickets are $50 per person and ticket sales end on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Check out this link to purchase yours right now!
  
04-03-2013 7:00 PM - Fort Lauderdale
This is going to be the Dogfish Head Event of the Year ladies and gentlemen. Vintage bottles from 2010, 2011, and 2012 will be brought out of the Riverside Market cellar for your enjoyment. Come try verticals of the best of Dogfish beers including 120 Minute IPA, Fort, Immort Ale, World Wide Stout, Burton Baton, Red and White, and many more! Check out their Facebook Event Page for more information.
 
04-04-2013 to 04-07-2013 - Boca Raton
This 4 day music festival will have shows start at various times each day, with various ticket options. Shipyard is the official beer for the festival. On Thursday, April 4, Chris from Shipyard will be there with some fun swag and Yo Mama's Big Fat Booy Band will kick things off right at 8:00 P.M. 
 
04-04-2013 7:00 PM - Wellington
They have been saving some special releases from Due South just for tonight. They will be tapping; Island Hopper, Pico Duarte, Bridgeport Scotch Ale, Bodacious Blonde, and the Cigar City and Due South Collaboration Desert Inn Rye. Representatives from the Brewery will be making an appearance as well as the Randall!    
 
04-04-2013 7:00 PM - South Miami
Get ready to wax those turtle shells for an amazing Terrapin tap takeover at Sports Grill in South Miami. They will be featuring some pretty bodacious brews with a super secret special keg. Cowabunga dudes!
 
04-04-2013 6:00 PM - Key Largo
Head on down to Doc's Diner, and sample all the great beers local homebrewers have to offer. If you would like to enter your own tasty brew for a chance to win cool prizes. Check out their website for more information. This is a first year event, and the kick off event for the Key Largo Brew on the Bay Festival.
 
04-05-2013 7:00 PM - Boca Raton
Enjoy a night of locally raised Free Range Hereford Pork and Craft Beer at the Sybarite Pig. Supplier Jim Woods from Palmetto Creek Farms will be stopping by to talk about the importance of raising quality all natural hogs. They also will be serving the most amazing locally brewed craft beer to go with Jim's equally amazing pork. Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased here.
 
04-05-2013 6:00 PM - Jupiter
Hang out with Tequesta all night long with a special firkin tapping and representative from the brewery.  
 
04-05-2013 6:00 PM - Key Largo
The second great event leading up to the Key Largo Brew on the Bay Festival is for the VIP ticket holders. They will have an exclusive evening mingling and chatting with craft brewing experts from many of the breweries going to be at the main event on Saturday. Space is limited, make sure you check out their website for more information.
 
04-06-2013 1:00 PM - Key Largo
The second annual Brew on the Bay event will feature more than 80 craft beers for you to sample on the water in beautiful Key Largo. Enjoy live music, food vendors, and of course beer! The event has a huge success last year, join us again and make it another great one! Check out their website for tickets and information.  
 
04-06-2013 6:00 PM - Fort Lauderdale
Come and sample over a 100 local, international, and craft beer, while enjoying live music, interactive games, good food, and great times. They will also have a viewing pavilion that will display the college basketball championship games. Check out their website for tickets and more information. 
 
04-07-2013 11:00 AM - Key Largo
All things must come to an end and the Key Largo Brew on the Bay Festival will be ending their weekend aboard the beautiful paddle boat, Island Time. This cruise will feature special food and beer pairings as you are paddled around the calm and peaceful waters of Key Largo. Tickets are $30 per person and you must call 305-453-4844 to purchase your spot today!  
 
04-09-2013 6:00 PM - Miami
OTC Cafe will be hosting a Blue Point Tap Takeover featuring all of your favorite Blue Point Beers including: Toasted Lager, Blueberry, Hoptical Illusion, Spring Fling, RastafaRye, and White IPA. They also will have special food pairings a la carte to go with each beer selection. 
 
04-10-2013 7:00 PM - Fort Lauderdale
Stop on by and enjoy a night of sword fighting and dragons...well...not really...but Riverside Market is hosting a fun night featuring the new collaboration between Brewery Ommegang and HBO, Iron Throne Blonde Ale. Guest will have a chance to sample this great new brew and the other fine beers from the Ommegang family. Check out their Facebook Event Page for more information.

04-10-2013 6:00 PM
Join us for a night of barleywines and blue cheese tasting featuring Stone Old Guardian.
  
04-11-2013 7:00 PM - Fort Lauderdale
DBA Cafe is teaming up with Shipyard to bring you a very special 4 course beer dinner featuring 5 different Shipyard beers. The cost is $45 per person and you have to call 954-565-3392 to RSVP. 
 
04-16-2013 8:00 PM - Boca Raton
Kapow and Oskar Blues have been working hard on bringing you an amazing beer dinner featuring some pretty awesome beers. You can check out the menu and order tickets at the website.

04-17-2013 6:00 PM - Miami
From stouts to pilsners and pale ales, guest will embark on a delicious discovery that will showcase the best brews and food around! Check out their website for more information and tickets!

04-18-2013 6:00 PM - Delray Beach
They will be featuring 8 different Shipyard and Sea Dog Beers all night long!

04-18-2013 6:30 PM - West Palm Beach
We are putting the final touches on a unique and tasty beer vs wine event at Bistro 101. We will have more details to come but you will want to RSVP today. Call 561-833-1234 to save your spot today. 

04-19-2013 7:30 PM - Fort Lauderdale
The 18th Annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival will allow guests to sample signature cuisine from more than 70 of South Florida's most desirable dining locations while enjoying fine wine and craft beer all night long. Check out their website for more information and tickets!

04-20-2013 to 04-21-2013 9:30 AM - Miami
Come see what's cooking at Fairchild during their annual celebration of local foods and the gorgeous gardens they are grown in. Celebrate the season with crisp and refreshing spring brews and summer ales in their very own beer garden. Check out their website for more information.

04-20-2013 - Miami
Celebrate your Saturday in style with Blue Point Brewery and Barracuda Bar. They will be having an all day event featuring specials on Toasted Lager and Hoptical Illusion. We even hear that they might be serving up their amazing wings on some Blue Point Frisbees that you will get to keep. 

04-27-2013 6:00 PM - Deerfield Beach
Join us for a night under the stars at the Third Annual Deerfield Food and Wine Festival. This night will featuring local restaurants, amazing wines, and a wonderful selection of craft beers. Check out their website for more information and to purchase your tickets today!
 
NEW AND RETURNING PRODUCTSBeerfinder
VISIT OUR BEERFINDER TO FIND THESE PRODUCTS  
Florida Cane Vodka

They started with South Florida Sugarcane that is distilled in a handcrafted American made still and mixed with highly filtered water drawn directly from the Florida Aquifer. The charcoal filtration process is slow and meticulous using two different charcoals to achieve the perfect taste.

 
Florida Cane Strawberry Vodka

They start with South Florida Sugarcane that is distilled in a handcrafted American made still and mixed with highly filtered water drawn directly from the Florida Aquifer. The charcoal filtration process is slow and meticulous using two different charcoals to achieve the perfect taste. The strawberries are local, from Plant City. 

 
Florida Cane Grape Vodka

They started with South Florida Sugarcane that is distilled in a handcrafted American made still and mixed with highly filtered water drawn directly from the Florida Aquifer. The charcoal filtration process is slow and meticulous using two different charcoals to achieve the perfect taste. The grapes are local, from Polk County.  

 
Southern Tier 2X Steam Beer
Keeping in the tradition of the 19th century California brewers, they used a lager yeast to ferment 2x Steam. Historically, this style is fermented at higher temperatures than a typical lager and that is just how they are brewing this version. The birth California Common style is rooted in the Victorian age. They used the technology of today to replicate what may have been, much like steampunks. Of course in that way, they have to twist things up a bit. As is with their 2x line of beers, 2x Steam is turned up a few clicks to be over 8% abv. An unusual take on an unusual style. 8% ABV (bottle and draft) 
Southern Tier Live
Beer is made by creating a liquid rich with fermentable material. This "wort" is moved to a fermentation vessel where yeast, a living organism, is added. Yeast swims around the fermenter gobbling up the soluble sugar and converting that energy into alcohol. Imagine the feeding frenzy of millions of tiny yeast cells eating their way around a big fermenter. It's a volatile and active environment. During this time, the beer is literally alive. Just prior to packaging, they added a little yeast to the clear beer for a secondary fermentation. This helps to add carbonation, remove oxygen, and prolong shelf life. 5.5% ABV (bottle and draft)   
Coronado Idiot IPA
It doesn't take a genius to know quality West Coast IPA's require a stupid amount of hops. A generous blend of Nugget hops and the four C's - Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Columbus - brings forth a myriad of tropical fruit flavors and a brawny, persistent bitterness that makes for a highly intelligent brew. 8.5% ABV (bottle and draft) 
Coronado Mermaid's Red
Mermaid's Red bucks the shallow mid-range red ale stereotype. Loaded with Cascade hops, it delivers a fresh floral aroma and sharp bitter notes, all while delivering a solid kick of roasted malts that fades seamlessly into a rich, chocolaty finish with hints of clove and caramel. 5.7% ABV  (bottle only) 
Coronado Islander IPA
Named after Coronado Island, their original India Pale Ale is a liquid expression of hometown pride. Cascade, Chinook and Columbus hops combine to provide an explosive burst of piney bitterness and luscious notes of apricot, grapefruit and mango that are sure to evoke imagery of swinging palms and sun-kissed shores. 7% ABV (bottle and draft) 
Coronado Orange Avenue Wit
This So-Cal take on a traditional witbier honors Coronado's main street, which is home to our brewpub and was once lined with orange trees. Bolstered by orange zest, coriander and orange blossom honey, its Belgium by way of Coronado. Expect a refreshing, light-bodied brew rife with citrus zing and a hint of earthy spice. 5.2% ABV (bottle only) 
Rogue Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ale
Rogue Ales has collided with Voodoo Doughnut to create Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Ale! This unique artisan creation contains a dozen ingredients including chocolate, banana and peanut better to match Voodoo's "Memphis Mafia" doughnut - a nod to Elvis' entourage. 5.3% ABV  
Brewery Ommegang Iron Throne Blonde Ale
Brewery Ommegang and HBO are partnering on a series of beers in support of the critically-acclaimed drama Game of Thrones. Launching in tandem with season three debut, Iron Throne is the inaugural beer in the series. Iron Throne is a blonde ale is brewed with a robust amount of pils, honey malt, aroma malts and red wheat. Gentle hopping includes Styrian Golding and Hallertau Spalter Select, appropriately noble hops. Spice with grains of paradise and lemon peel. 6.5% ABV (bottle and draft)   
Magic Hat Ticket to Rye
An all-access pass to the latest performer in the I.P.A. On Tour lineup. Ticket to Rye is a Rye I.P.A. that offers the imbiber an opening act of rye spice, nicely woven into a hearty, bitter backup from an entire band of Nugget hops. The harmony created by these by these ingredients is just what any epic show calls for. 7.1% ABV     
Pyramid Discord Dark IPA

Discord Dark IPA celebrates the marriage of two distinct styles, the Dark Ale and the IPA. The traditional bitterness of an IPA is juxtaposed against a black malt canvas, creating an ale that keeps your taste buds working to discover all the unique flavors imparted by the 5 differed hops and 5 different malts. 6.5% ABV (bottle only)    

Mercy Hangover Prevention

Mercy helps prevent hangovers. This lightly carbonated, caffeine-free, non-alcoholic beverage is packed with vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants proven to help fortify your body against the damages caused by alcohol. 

 
Other returning favorites:
Look out for returning hits such as: Boulder Obovoid (draft only), Pyramid Outburst (bottle and draft), and Rogue Mom's Hefeweizen (bottle and draft). 

BEER NEWS

 

Meagan O'Brien sipped her beer and bit her tongue as the man next to her tried to describe to his date some of the 60 craft beers at a Milwaukee bar.

 

Turns out, he didn't know his ales from his hefeweizens.

 

"She kept asking questions, and this guy just kept making up stuff," O'Brien said.

 

O'Brien, 31, could have set him straight easily. A sales representative for Tallgrass, a craft beer brewed in Kansas, she's also a certified cicerone -- kind of a sudsy version of a sommelier.

    

For full article

 

After another year of huge growth, it's clear that craft beer is big business-perhaps too big, or at least too snobby.

 

The Brewers Association, which represents "small" American breweries that produce less than six million barrels annually, proudly announced that craft beer had a terrific 2012. Across the board, craft beer numbers were up: 18% more breweries in the U.S., 15% more beer produced by volume, a 17% increase in sales, and a whopping rise of 72% in American craft beer exports.

   

For full article

By: Carl Pierre

 

The 2013 Craft Beer Conference is in full swing here at the Washington Convention Center, and with the country's greatest brewers congregating under one roof, you better believe that some pretty interesting insider knowledge is getting passed around. One of the more interesting lectures I had the privilege of attending during today's conference sessions was "The Who, What, Where, When and How of the Craft Beer Consumer", a discussion led by Danny Brager on the relevant statistics and trends of the craft beer drinker. 

     

For full article
VOLUME 281
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In This Issue:
Upcoming Events
Craft Beer Replaces Wine As Young Women's Drink Of Choice
As Craft Beer Gets Bigger, Will It Become More Like Big Beer?
Dissecting The Craft Beer Consumer
Feature Beer Cocktail
Featured Recipe
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Featured Beer 
Cocktail 

Summer Hoedown Recipe

-1 6lb seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into large dice
-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
-1/4 cup maraschino liqueur
-4 12oz bottles of white beer

Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl; set aside.
Place half of the watermelon in a blender and blend until liquefied, about 1 minute. Pour through the strainer into the bowl and scrape a rubber spatula against the inside surface of the strainer to push the juice through until only pulp remains. Discard the pulp and set the strainer back over the bowl. Repeat with remaining watermelon. Add the sugar to the juice and stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 1/2 hours, or until ready to use. When ready to serve, transfer the chilled juice to a 3-quart container. Add the maraschino liqueur and beer and stir gently to combine.
____________________
Featured Recipe

 

Beer and Bacon Mancakes
By: Betty Crocker

 

It is a mancake. Do we need to explain it more?  
    
Ingredients:
 
-1/2 lb bacon
-1/3 cup packed brown sugar
-2 cups Original Bisquick mix
-1 cup of your favorite beer
-2 eggs

Directions:

 

Heat over to 350 degrees F.

 

Line cookie sheet with foil.

 

Place wire rack on top of cookie sheet.

 

Arrange bacon in single layer on top of rack.

 

Bake 10 minutes.

 

Sprinkle bacon with half the brown sugar.

 

Bake 10 minutes longer.

 

Turn bacon over; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.

 

Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown.

 

Remove from rack.

 

Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

 

Crumble bacon into small pieces; set aside.

 

Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375 degrees F; grease with vegetable oil or shortening.

 

In medium bowl, beat Bisquick mix, beer and eggs with whisk until blended.

 

If batter is too thick, add additional beer until desired consistency.

 

Stir in bacon.

 

Pour by 1/2 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

 

Cook until edges are dry.

 

Turn; cook until golden brown. 

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