THE AMERICAN CRAFT BEER- QUICK HITS – March 25, 2013

We blame the industry for this… It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. There was little need to check in for updates – things were pretty much done. But clearly all that’s changed. So here’s some of what’s happened in the world of craft beer while you were enjoying your weekend.

, THE AMERICAN CRAFT BEER- QUICK HITS – March 25, 2013“Kate the Great’s” Maine Mate in Talks To Helm New Brewery (Kittery, ME)  Local brew legend Tod Mott hopes to open his own brewery in Kittery next fall. SeacoastOnline.com is reporting that the “longtime brewmaster at Portsmouth Brewery and creator of its renowned Kate the Great stout will likely join forces with Andrew Bevan of Salmon Falls Winery to create both a brewery and winery.”

That’s a Whole Lot of Dough Yo (Washington, DC) – A new economic impact study released today shows America’s beer industry, directly and indirectly, contributes $246.6 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The report that was jointly commissioned by the Beer Institute (There’s a beer institute?) and the National Beer Wholesalers Association goes on to report that “the beer industry directly employs nearly 1.1 million people, paying nearly $31.8 billion in wages and benefits, among brewers, distributors and retailers, such as supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars and stadiums.”

Sam Adams Spreads The Love (Boston, MA)– Jim Koch recently announced in a Brewers Association Forum that the Boston Beer Company will be making their patent-pending designed cans available, without any royalty or license fee, to all craft brewers. They are still working out details with their manufacturer, but hope that brewers will be able to purchase the specially designed can sometime in the fall.

Shocker! Pennsylvania Lawmakers Attempt to Do The Right Thing (Harrisburg, PA)  In a move that many deem an astounding departure from form, Pennsylvania House legislators passed House Bill 790 on Thursday, paving the path for a law that would eventually create a private retail and wholesale wine and spirits industry in the state. The DelcoTimes is reporting that the proposal “gradually gets rid of the state-owned stores and opens wine, liquor and beer sales to new state-licensed, privately operated locations” and they go on to suggest that “this would mean new competition for retail beer distributors, who’ve operated in their own private-sector bubble for decades.”

, THE AMERICAN CRAFT BEER- QUICK HITS – March 25, 2013Like A Tidal Wave of Governmental Sanity (Tallahassee, FL) – In yet another move towards legislative sanity, a Florida bill allowing for 64oz growler sales in the “Sunshine State” passed unanimously in the Senate committee on Thursday. As we’ve reported previously, Florida’s craft brewers can currently sell 32oz and 128oz containers, but not the most frequently used 64oz growler. According to the Miami Herald, the pending measure would put an end to this madness.

All In The Family (Kalamazoo, MI)  Bell’s Brewery is now 100% family-owned. Ursula Zerilli, writing for Mlive.com, reports that this move to take the company completely private allows Larry Bell to transition power within the family and to enable the brewery to seek financing and grow going forward.

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