The American Craft Beer Rumor Mill – October 2, 2013

Hey it’s Wednesday and even though the government’s shut down, nothing stops the ACB Rumor Mill. Cider seems to be making a comeback, and a few states will be reaping the benefits. We’ll be bringing you what we know so far. Plus we’ve got important government shutdown updates from Flying Dog’s Director of Communications, Erin Weston, and some good news for fans of the Harry Potter franchise. We’ve also got a special new Rumor Mill release that you’ll want to chase down. So fasten your seat belts…THIS WEEK’S RUMOR MILL IS ON!

, The American Craft Beer Rumor Mill – October 2, 2013“You’re Not Nonessential to Us” – Flying Dog Offers Free Brewery Tours for Furloughed Government Employees (Frederick, MD) – Flying Dog is a hometown brewery for many Washingtonians. So it’s no surprise to see them stepping up to do what they can during this government shutdown. Starting this Thursday (and until our federal government turns the OPEN neon sign back on), they are offering free brewery tours for any furloughed government employee. Tours are Thursdays and Fridays at 4, 5, and 6 pm and Saturdays at noon, 1, 3, and 4 pm.

Sierra Nevada Mans the Torpedo Room (Chico, CA) – The Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is targeting early November to open its Berkeley, California space, coined the Torpedo Room. This new venue, whose name was inspired by the brewery’s legendary dry-hopping device, the Hop Torpedo, will be able to host approximately 45 craft beer drinkers for educational tastings of unique and limited Sierra Nevada beers, as well as the occasional craft-centric event dedicated to beer science. The Torpedo Room will feature 16 taps, and draught beer will be served in taster flights. Guests will also have the option of filling growlers to go, as well as purchasing six-packs, cases, and individual specialty bottles.

, The American Craft Beer Rumor Mill – October 2, 2013Calling All Cider Fans (Tampa, FL) – We’ve talked about the cider craze here before – but it appears that even more breweries are becoming aware of the sweeter beverages’ popularity and jumping on the bandwagon. In early 2014, Cigar City Brewing will launch a new brewery and tasting room of its own in Ybor City solely for cider and mead making. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the brewery has been dabbling in hard cider and mead production since it launched Cigar City Cider & Mead last November – so expect to see more of these offerings in the near future.

Hogwarts Lives On (Chestnut Hill, PA) – Not to be outdone by Walter White and Hanson, it appears that the Harry Potter franchise will soon be honored in the form of a beer. During the appropriately named Harry Potter Weekend taking place from October 18 – 19 in Chestnut Hill, PA, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant will debut an entire menu of Harry Potter-inspired brews and eats. On Friday at 5 pm, Iron Hill will unveil Dumbledore’s Dubbel, a sweet mahogany ale with aromas of plums and pear brewed in honor of Albus Dumbledore. “The Harry Potter books and movies captivated kids and adults alike, including our brewers – so we decided to share our fandom with our guests and create a playful menu of Hogwarts-inspired fare,” says Head Chef Jared Cannon.

Cider Comes in All Sizes (Minneapolis, MN) – The home of Crispin Cider will soon be returning to its small-batch cider roots. According to Twin Cities Business, Wade Thompson and Jim Watkins are taking their decades-long passion for brewing cider and opening the first hard cider taproom in Northeast Minneapolis. Working under a standard brewery license, Sociable Cider Werks will soon begin selling and distributing their traditional hard ciders and “apple graffs” (a combination of apple cider and a malt adjunct used in beer production) commercially sometime this December.

A Rumor Mill Release You Want to Look Out For

It’s football season – a time for beer drinking and trash-talking your team’s rivals. So we’ve got to mention a beer that lets you engage in both of these valued rituals at once. Just in time for the Texas-OU game on October 12, Austin’s Independence Brewing Co. is releasing their original “tribute beer” – Oklahoma Suks. Whatever side of the field you sit on this one, you’ve gotta applaud the effort and spirit behind this American Amber. Find it now at select Dallas-Fort Worth retailers – whatever the final score, at least you’ll know you’ve got a damn good beer by your side.

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