The American Craft Beer Quick Hits – September 22, 2014

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 off enjoying yourselves.

Craft Beer Cruise Ends Badly (NYC) – Talk about a buzzkill! CNN is reporting that a “beer-tasting cruise around New York’s Lower Manhattan fizzled Saturday when the tour company’s sailboat ran aground near the Statue of Liberty.” To the surprise of possibly no one, CNN is also reporting that a “representative of the tour company could not be reached for comment….”

Living The Dream (Washington, DC) – Last Wednesday, the Dominion Brewing Company threw a huge party to commemorate their 25th Anniversary down at Churchkey – and needless to say, we had too much fun! Some of the industry’s biggest names rolled into town to honor a company started by true craft beer believers 25 years ago – and to celebrate what it has become today! Starr Hill’s Mark Thompson was there trading stories with Dominion’s founder Jerry Bailey, as was Victory’s Ron Barchet, Mad Fox’s Bill Madden, and Volker Stewart, the Owner & Brewer of the Brewers Art in Baltimore. The room was overflowing with sales and distribution legends too and everyone was toasting Dominion’s past and its future…We’d like to thank Fordham & Dominion’s President, Jim Lutz, and VP of Sales & Marketing, Casey Hollingsworth, for a wonderful evening – you guys do know how to throw a party!

Skunk Gets Head Stuck In Beer Can (Oxford, OH) – This newsbyte begs so many questions that we don’t even know where to begin. The Wausau Daily Herald is reportingthat a “skunk with a beer can stuck on its head had to be rescued near a fraternity house in Ohio. Oxford police said a resident called them about the skunk’s predicament on Sept. 14. Police found the animal banging around, trying to get the can off and running into shrubs.” “Skunks are widely known to appreciate beer, but who doesn’t?” said Tom Bobak, Editor for American Craft Beer. We’re more interested in what kind of beer the skunk was drinking – Heady Topper comes to mind – and what the skunk was doing at a fraternity house to begin with.

Pabst Sells Out To The Russians! (Los Angeles, CA) – We’re surprised we even care about this – but surprisingly we do. USA Today is reporting that “Pabst Blue Ribbon — a sub-premium beer brand that embraced savvy marketing to stay relevant in a craft beer age — has been sold, along with its parent, Pabst Brewing Co., to Russian company Oasis Beverages.” “It’s not surprising that a Russian company would go after a brand like Pabst,” mused Warren Wills, Assistant Editor at American Craft Beer. “This is a country that knows and craves vodka in massive quantities – beer for them is primarily an afterthought.”

All About Beer Magazine Not Sold to Russians (Durham, NC) – Daniel Bradford, the owner of All About Beer Magazine for 22 years, has sold it to a North Carolina company led by Christopher Rice. Beer Therapy is reporting that “Bradford – former director of the Great American Beer Festival, former president of the Brewers Association of America, and former marketing director of the Association of Brewers — will continue in an advisory role.”

About AmericanCraftBeer.com

AmericanCraftBeer.com is the nations' leading source for the Best Craft Beer News, Reviews, Events and Media.
Scroll To Top