Mark your calendars for ACBW 2017, which will be held May 15-21. This week, which was first celebrated in 2006, was created to recognize America’s amazing craft beer culture and the beers being made by small and independent breweries.

Once again, we’re planning for events to be held in all 50 states during ACBW—but we need your help! Beer lovers are going to be looking for events in their area, which is where you come in. Be sure to post your ACBW events to the official ACBW Event Calendar to make sure beer lovers know where to raise a pint of their favorite local beer.

Breweries, Craft Beer Wholesaler partners, restaurants, bars and craft beer retailers are encouraged to post their event s to the official calendar. Fill the event form out as thoroughly as possible. We love to share awesome American Craft Beer Week events with the media as we approach the week.

How to Post Your ACBW Event

1. Log in to add an event using your Facebook, Google or Twitter account.
2. Fill out the simple form as completely as possible.
3. Remember to upload an image (preferably larger than 1200 pixels wide).
4. Choose “Submit”
5. Your ACBW event post will be live on the calendar for you to share with your fans!

The post Retailers! Plan Your American Craft Beer Week Events appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Most of the summer seasonals featured in this list are lighter in body and aim to be refreshing and more sessionable. You may notice the frequent use of fruit, especially citrus, in some of these selections. Not only is summer the peak season for a lot of fruits, but the lighter beer styles associated with summer also lend themselves nicely to highlighting fruit flavors, rather than overpowering their subtlety.

“Small and independent craft brewers continue to lead when it comes to releasing some truly rewarding summer seasonals,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com. “These beers are as versatile to pair with good times outside as with what’s on the summer menu at your local restaurant and at home.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they told us:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post 2016 Craft Beer Summer Seasonals appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Looking through this list, you’ll notice springy descriptors like fruity, citrus, floral and coriander appear often. Brewers are also using wheat and rye in addition to malted barley this spring. Rye can lend a slightly spicy flavor, a smooth mouthfeel and fairly dry finish.

“Spring craft beers truly bring the flavors of the season to life, offering a diverse and refreshing experience,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com. “The refreshing and pleasant flavors add to the already wide assortment of beers available at America’s 4,100+ craft breweries.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post 2016 Craft Beer Spring Seasonals appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Both are positive products that many argue were born out of both the Great Recession and the food allergy epidemic that is plaguing our youth. We as a country are finally learning that eating and drinking local is essential for both a healthy lifestyle and a healthy economy. For North Country Brewing Co., a brewpub in Slippery Rock, Penn., neither concept is a trend.

Before Brewery-to-Fork was Cool

Brewpub owners Jodi and Bob McCafferty have been locally sourcing ingredients for the rural brewpub’s scratch kitchen since the brewery opened in 2005. Most of those ingredients came from the couple’s own farming initiatives. The McCafferties rented two separate farms after the brewpub opened and eventually purchased their own farm, North Country Harvesting.

In the early days, The McCafferties composted all of the restaurant’s plate scraps on the farm and turned the kitchen prep waste into fertilizer. When North Country Harvesting opened, the couple moved beyond just growing produce and began to raise Tamworth pigs, Leicester long wools, Bourbon Red turkeys, Khaki Campbell ducks, and Ameraucana chickens. All of which not only appear on the brewpub’s menu, but also help relieve brewpub waste. “The cattle eat all of our spent grains, and the pigs now take care of all the kitchen prep waste,” says Bob.

The McCafferties are encouraged that other restaurants and breweries are moving in on both the farm-to-fork and brewery-to-fork concepts. “We think it’s great! We’re glad there are more freaks out there like us. Really, though, we are happy that they aren’t just words anymore but a chosen lifestyle that makes sense to many,” states Bob.

Farm-to-Glass Beers

North Country’s beers are just as inspired by the local farm movement as the brewpub’s kitchen menu. North Country’s Lavender Abbey Ale is laced with lavender flowers from North Country Harvesting. Bob and Jodi handpick blueberries for the Blueberry Sour Beer, harvest Scottish Heather for the Heather Ale, and collect maple syrup for the Copper Kettle Ale. The McCafferties also grow 10 varieties of hops.

When they can’t produce it on the farm, they often look to other local food producers. For example, honey for the Slippery Rock Dew comes from the Lutz Farm. However, Bob doesn’t necessarily feel that the beers are farm inspired. Instead, North Country alters the style to the customer’s tastes. “We have brewed over 120 variations and styles of beers over the years, and have let the customers decide which ones we should keep bringing back, and which ones we offer as our flagships and seasonals.”

Sustainability at Their Core

The sustainability initiatives don’t end with growing and sourcing local ingredients for their kitchen and brewery. The initiatives started with the renovated building that North Country Brewing calls home. The building itself has been in use since 1805. During the building’s long legacy, it served as an inn, a bar, a cabinetmaker, a coffin maker, a funeral home and a furniture store.

The McCafferties took ownership of the building in 1998 and spent eight years renovating the building before opening as a brewpub. During the renovations, the building was also their home. In the beginning, it was merely a wooden tent before the second-floor apartment was built.

The couple paid special attention to using materials they had on hand for most of the construction. “All of the duct work, drains, draft lines, and footers for the new foundations were hand dug through the glacial till that Slippery Rock sits on. The rounded cobbles that we stacked up from those holes now make the top chimney of the back patio. The dressed stones on the back patio came from the original foundations that needed replacing. When we were putting the handicap ramp in the front of the pub, we lifted the slate sidewalk up and made the back patio bar out of that stone,” says Bob. “The watering can I always tripped over is now the women’s room faucet.” In addition, most of the wood came from timber Bob collected on archeology digs from his day job.

The sustainability message that the McCafferties preach formed the decision to utilize cans instead of bottles. “We picked cans as our packaging vessel for sustainable reasons as well,” says Bob. “Less energy to recycle, and you can crush them into your recycle bins so your neighbors don’t talk.”

The Future of North Country Brewing

Bob and Jodi’s goal with the North Country Brewing is to grow “well, not big.” Thus, you can only find North Country’s beers in Pennsylvania and Ohio, with Florida coming on board soon.

The couple’s purchase of Harmony Inn adds an interesting twist to the McCafferty’s story. The restaurant and bar was Butler County’s first beer bar. Bob and Jodi plan to add to the Harmony Inn’s notoriety by installing 30 new taps.

Additional growth may come outside of craft beer, but will still maintain the same sustainable, community initiative that is at North Country Brewing’s core. Bob says that there’s “no coincidence our canning line came to us with a pot still.”

Bryan Richards is a craft beer, food and travel writer. He’s followed his taste buds across five continents, 20 countries, and 71 cities. When he’s not traversing the globe, he enjoys the craft beer scene in his hometown of Charlotte, N.C., and experimenting in the kitchen with his wife. He’s also the author of The Wandering Gourmand, a culinary and craft beer travel blog.

The post North Country Brewing Co. appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Belgian Tripel Honey Black Pepper Chicken Wings | The Beerista

Aften Lee, The Beerista, is a Certified Cicerone®, craft beer educator and event manager based in Venice Beach, Calif. Aften said she chose a Belgian-style tripel as it was “bold enough to stand up to the butter coated, crispy wings, but balanced enough to not end up overly bitter from the reduction.”

Triples to try:

• Belgian Tripel | Stoudt’s Brewing Co. | Adamstown, PA

• Black Tulip | New Holland Brewing Co. | Holland, MI

• Exit 4 | Flying Fish Brewing Co. | Somerdale, NJ

• Velvet Rooster | Tallgrass Brewing Co. | Manhattan, KS

• Voodoo Love Child | Voodoo Brewing Co. | Meadville, PA

Slow-Cooked Doppelbock BBQ Meatballs | John Holl

For a quick and easy app, grab your Crock-Pot and your favorite doppelbock and make these BBQ meatballs shared with us by John Holl, editor of All About Beer magazine.

Doppelbocks to try:

• Troegenator Double Bock | Tröegs Independent Brewing | Hershey, PA

• Devastator Double Bock | Wasatch Brewery | Park City, UT

• Andygator | Abita Beer | Abita Springs, LA

• The Duck-Rabbator Dopplebock | Duck Rabbit Brewery | Farmville, NC

• Double Skull Doppelbock | Epic Brewing Co. | Salt Lake City, UT & Denver, CO

Bacon-Wrapped American Pilsener Brats  | TeaspoonLiving.com

One of the most popular recipes we’ve ever shared, these bacon-wrapped brats will be a crowd favorite, guaranteed. Be sure to check out TeaspoonLiving.com for easy and delicious healthy recipes, meal plans, health tips and real life ramblings from Caitlin.

American Pilseners to try:

• Chicken Scratch American Pilsner | Little Harpeth Brewing | Nashville, TN

• Summit Pilsener | Summit Brewing Co. | St. Paul, MN

• Mamma’s Little Yella Pils | Oskar Blues | Longmont, CO & Brevard, NC

• HUB Lager | Hopworks Urban Brewery | Portland, OR

• Tiny Bomb | Wiseacre Brewing Co. | Memphis, TN

Brown Ale Caramel Corn with Pretzels & Pecans | He Cooks She Cooks

Jeff and Heather, the husband and wife duo behind He Cooks She Cooks, share a dangerously delicious recipe for beer caramel corn with pretzels and pecans. Try making this snack with your favorite caramelly brown ale and see how the flavors of the beer are emphasized by the sweet caramel coating on the popcorn.

Brown ales to try:

• Brooklyn Brown Ale | Brooklyn Brewing Co. | Brooklyn, NY

• Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale | Back Forty Beer Co. | Gadsden, AL

• The Brown Note | Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse | Louisville, KY

• Bender | Surly Brewing Co. |Brooklyn Center, MN

• Smoove Opferator | Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. | Decorah, IA

IPA-Caramelized Onion Dip | Cooking & Beer

Zach and Justine of Cooking & Beer have one of the prettiest blogs about beer and food around, including this IPA-caramelized onion dip–yum! It’s made with four different types of cheese (Swiss, sharp white cheddar, gruyere and cream cheese), oh and did we mention it has bacon, too?

IPAs to try:

• Racer 5 India Pale Ale | Bear Republic Brewing Co. |Healdsburg, CA

• Ranger | New Belgium Brewing Co. | Fort Collins, CO

• AleSmith IPA | AleSmith Brewing Co. | San Diego, CA

• Inversion IPA | Deschutes Brewery | Bend, OR

• Northern Lights IPA | Starr Hill Brewery | Crozet, VA

Sriracha Stout Chex Mix | AleMeals

This snack mix provides that perfect sweet and spicy combo that keeps folks coming back for more. Check out AleMeals for amazing recipes that all include quick video demos to help you easily follow along.

Stouts to try:

• Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout | Anderson Valley Brewing Co. | Boonville, CA

• Left Hand Milk Stout | Left Hand Brewing | Longmont, CO

• Kalamazoo Stout | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. | Kalamazoo, MI

• Sierra Nevada Stout | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Chico, CA & Fletcher, NC

The post 6 Big Game-Worthy Appetizers Made with Beer appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

For a Southern family, mine is on the small side (I’m talking two first cousins small), but one of our longest-running traditions is Cookie Day. Each year during the holidays our kitchen in South Mississippi becomes a Christmas cookie mecca, fueled on a dangerous mix of caffeine, sugar and, of course, craft beer (and wine—we’re a proper cross-drinking family y’all).

All the standards are there—peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkles, butter spritz cookies (in the customary Christmas tree shape of course), snowballs, raspberry thumbprints—I’m telling you, it’s like a cookie sweatshop serenaded by Christmas With the Rat Pack.

This year, I’ve decided it’s time to bring craft beer to Cookie Day, and not just in my glass. Here’s a round-up of six of the most delicious-sounding beer cookies I’ve come across recently, made by some seriously creative and talented food bloggers. I can assure you one or two of these is going to sneak into our day and hopefully become a tradition of their own.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bacon, Beer and Cayenne By: Lauren Wiersma As a production team member at Left Hand Brewing Co., Lauren has plenty of access to the key ingredient for this recipe. She was looking to create the perfect combination of sweet, salty and spicy in her chocolate chip cookies with bacon, beer and cayenne.

Chocolate Stout Cookies with Salted Caramel Frosting & Pretzels By: The Craving Chronicles Another baker after my salty-sweet-craving heart is Theresa, author of The Craving Chronicles. These chocolate stout cookies are dressed up with a super simple homemade caramel frosting and then given just the right amount of crunch with a quick dip in crushed pretzels.

Cream Cheese-Stuffed Chocolate Cherry Lambic Cookies By: Love & Flour Come on, you had me at cream cheese! The classic flavor combination of cherry and chocolate is given a little face-lift thanks to the addition of your favorite lambic that creates a light and airy body, perfect for sandwiching the cream cheese filling in these chocolate lambic cookies.

Holiday Sablés with Fremont Brewing Abominable Winter Ale By: Beer for Dessert A home-baker’s version of slice and bake, these holiday sablés are a classic! Using a craft beer that features the same fruit/flavors as the dried fruit you decide on ensures a dynamite end result. Finish these off with festive, sparkling decorator’s sugar and share with your family and friends.

Soft Stout Cookies By: Butter me up, Brooklyn! No beer reduction needed for these gooey soft stout cookies, just add your favorite stout straight from the source! Lillie, author of Butter me up, Brooklyn! provides the perfect description: “They are just barely sweet, perfectly soft, studded with bits of chocolate and would be sublime as the “bread” in an espresso ice cream sandwich.”

White Beer Cookies By: We Are Not Martha These fluffy white cookies, made with your favorite wit beer, are given a boost of sugary sweetness thanks to the addition of honey to the dough and a light orange icing. For an extra holiday touch, experiment with one of your favorite holiday spices like cinnamon or allspice.

The post Craft Beer Christmas Cookie Round-Up appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Don’t get me wrong, turkey is OK. But, I think it’s best enjoyed in my post Thanksgiving leftover turkey sandwich creation: white bread, turkey, a little cornbread dressing, lima beans, mayo and lots of black pepper (don’t knock it till you try it!).

To celebrate my obsession, here’s a roundup of a few of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes made with craft beer that are the perfect addition to your holiday table. In addition to beer, most of these recipes also include bacon, because hey, it can never hurt, right?

Seriously, the sweet potatoes with maple smoked bacon and beer will change your life. I make them all time!

The post 5 Beer-y Thanksgiving Side Dishes that Totally Outshine Turkey appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

“Winter seasonals are a beautiful way to add warmth to your holiday gatherings,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director. “The bolder tastes of winter seasonals add new meaning to holiday joy and another dimension to the holiday table.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Winter Seasonals 2015 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Brewers Association Chief Economist Bart Watson shares a bit about the current brewery count and the pace of brewery openings in his recent blog post on BrewersAssociation.org:

“Given the strong pace of openings (approximately two openings/day with a net increase of 1.9/day factoring in closings), it is likely that later in 2015, or early in 2016, there will be more active breweries in the United States than at any point in our nation’s history.”

One of the first questions that immediately comes to mind when hearing the number 4,000 breweries is: can America support the rate of growth of the brewing industry? While emphasizing differentiation and quality as key factors to success, Watson continues to state that there is room for new breweries–and of course has numbers to support outlook:

“There are now breweries in more than 2,000 unique cities across all 50 states. At the same time, there are also nearly 1,000 cities with a population of more than 10,000 that don’t have a local brewery yet, and numerous neighborhoods in larger cities without a local brewpub or taproom.”

Read more from Dr. Bart in “U.S. Passes 4,000 Breweries.”

The post U.S. Brewery Count Surpasses 4,000 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Fall seasonals are the most popular of the seasonal styles—most in thanks to the polarizing pumpkin beer. Read more about our love-hate relationship with pumpkin beers in “Pumpkin Beers: Why People Love—and Love to Hate—Them.”

In addition to pumpkin beers, you’ll notice many breweries choose to create a German-influenced style for fall–often as a nod to Munich’s Oktoberfest. Toasty Vienna and Munich malts are seen often in this list, as well as complex Noble hop character common to classic European lagers.

“Thanks to its rich harvest, fall is truly one of the most magical times of the year for beer,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director. “Small and independent brewers delight in spicing up the offerings with all the flavorful contributions autumn has to offer. And, without a doubt, these beers are certain to arouse the senses.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Fall Seasonals 2015 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Session beers are another trend in this year’s summer beer lineup. Brewers have readily accepted the challenge of creating beers with large flavor profiles, but lower ABVs (usually under 5 percent). Read more in “7 India Session Ales for Summer” by Brian Yaeger.

“Small and independent craft brewers have once again taken advantage of the season and produced creative and satisfying summer craft beers,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and the Brewers Association craft beer program director. “Summer seasonals are a must for those craving some of the most refreshing and flavorful offerings the beer world has to offer.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Summer Seasonals 2015 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Here are three powerful quotes from the video that summarize Oliver’s view of the rise (or renaissance) of American craft beer and food.

• “To me, beer is really a part of the story of American food. If you look at the way craft beer has risen over the last 20 years, it tracks exactly with olive oil, cheese, bread, ice cream—everything that’s made a comeback from an industrialized food system.”
• “Beer is simply a part of the renaissance of American food.”
• “Industrialized food and industrialized beer was weird. We had 400 years of brewing in the Americas and only 50-60 years was this weird little spot where we had flavorless beer that was made by machines. And now, we’re recovering.”

The post Edible Films: Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Although not an official holiday anywhere in the U.S., there are hundreds of parades across the country. According to Niche in “Best Cities to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” the cities below are the ten best places to celebrate.

10 Great St. Patrick’s Day Cities

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. Davenport, Iowa
4. Buffalo, New York
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. Savannah, Georgia
7. Kansas City, Missouri
8. Cleveland, Ohio
9. St. Louis, Missouri
10. Chicago, Illinois

No matter where you might be on St. Patrick’s Day, there are craft brewers across the country celebrating with special beers brewed just for the occasion. We’ve put together a pretty good list (there are hundreds of others out there) to help you find great beers to enjoy on March 17.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to sample these delicious-sounding beers, but check out what each of the breweries below had to say about their Irish-inspired creations.

Craft Beers to Enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Irish Ale | CB’s Brewing Company Honeoye Falls, New York

Part of their specialty beer series, this Irish red ale has a full of malty backbone and a nice, light hop flavor and aroma. Brewed with pale and crystal malts and Fuggle and Kent Golding hops.

NIGHTLIGHT Irish Stout | Circle Brewing Company Austin, Texas

Nightlight is a full-flavored beer that expertly balances richness with a light body to create a different type of stout. This dry Irish stout may look intimidating, but after one sip, you know what’s up. Representing a wide spectrum of roasted and oaky flavors, this not-too-bitter brew engages all the right senses, but leaves you with the stomach for a second round.

Availability: Select Austin retailers and bars.

McLuhr’s Irish Stout | Dillon Dam Brewery Dillon, Colorado

An Irish-style stout brewed with caramel and black malts. Slightly dry, yet smooth and malty sweet, this draught is dispensed with a blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide to create a velvety mouth-feel and creamy head.

Lucky SOB Irish Red | Flying Dog Brewery Frederick, Maryland

Brewed with real four-leaf clovers, Lucky SOB brings the luck of the Irish to those who drink it. With a rich amber color, it has a toasted, honey-sweet malt flavor balanced with a subtle hop bite.

Conway’s Irish Ale | Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland, Ohio

We pay homage to Patrick Conway, grandfather of co-owners Patrick and Daniel, and a Cleveland policeman who directed traffic near the Brewery for nearly 25 years. And to all of the hometown heroes who make our city great, we toast with this sweet, roasty brew that pairs best with a well-deserved hot meal after a hard day’s work.

Dragoons Dry Irish Stout | Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant Novato, California

Dry, roasty and incredibly rich in flavor, Dragoons Dry Irish Stout is made with a unique blend of imported hops and malted barley from the United Kingdom. This award winning Stout is brewed in the Irish tradition to commemorate General Stephen Moylan, Irish-born commander of the 4th Continental Dragoons during the American Revolutionary War.

Patty’s Irish-Style Cream Ale | Rohrbach Brewing Company Rochester, New York

Rohrbach’s creative interpretation of an Irish cream ale, this beer is smooth and balanced. Patty’s Irish-style Cream Ale is brewed with malted wheat, honey malt and aromatic malt from Europe, along with authentic English-style hops. Medium-bodied, creamy and semi-sweet, this cream ale is refreshing pint after pint.

Uncle Steve’s Irish Stout | Short’s Brewing Company Bellaire, Michigan

Uncle Steve’s is Short’s version of the classic Irish stout, complete with a dark color, soft head, and smooth full flavor typical of this lighter-bodied style. A simple grist formula provides a base of roasted malt flavors while the infusion of nitrogen adds the creamy drinkability everyone loves.

Sprecher Redhead Ale | Sprecher Brewing Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Like a mythical seductress, Redhead Ale will captivate all your senses. This eminently quaffable red ale introduces itself with citrus and pine hops greeting the nose followed by grapefruit notes that playfully dance with the smooth malt background.

Mother’s Milk Irish Stout | St. Elias Brewing Company Soldotna, Alaska

This Irish-style stout’s dark, smooth chocolate flavors blend with hints of earthy English hop notes. Brewed with pale, roasted barley, flaked barley and hopped with traditional English Goldings.

Hoggetowne Irish Red | Swamp Head Brewery Gainesville, Florida

Hoggetowne Irish Red is a traditional Irish ale brewed with the finest English malts and hops. This beer was developed through a collaboration with the Hogtown Brewers, Gainesville’s American Homebrewers Association-recognized homebrew club.

The post Craft Beers to Enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

This morning, Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell took to Facebook this morning to “clear up a few things” regarding the dispute.

To our Bell’s customers and the passionate craft beer community,

We want to clear up a few things regarding our federal trademark dispute with Innovation Brewing.”

1. We have not, and are not asking them to change their name or their logo. There is no lawsuit. We are not suing them. We have not asked them for money. We have not asked them to stop selling their beer. We are asking them to withdraw their federal trademark application. 2. Our concern is with their United States trademark application and potential impact on our brand, which we have spent 30 years building. 3. I personally reached out to Innovation Brewing to try to settle this matter in February, 2014 and attempted to talk about this brewer to brewer instead of involving lawyers. Our efforts were rebuffed and Innovation Brewing choose to pursue this in the legal system. 4. Over the last year, we have offered co-existence agreements and have offered to pay for their legal fees. We tried to find solutions that would work for both of us. Their response was to ask for an exorbitant amount of money and we did not feel that was a collaborative solution. 5. All offers that we proposed were rejected and after more than a year of discussion regrettably, this matter has moved to the federal trademark office.

We have the utmost respect for Innovation Brewing and we are going to keep any comments we have regarding this matter positive, honest, and collaborative. We want them to continue to brew and do the good work they’re doing under their own name.

We hope to resolve this as swiftly as the system will allow.

The passion that we have seen over the past few days is a testament to how much the beer industry means to those who support it and why we are proud to be a part of it. We always appreciate further feedback and invite everyone to continue to share their concerns with us directly: http://bellsbeer.com/contact/

Sincerely,

Laura S. Bell Vice President Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

Innovation Brewing has also been using Facebook to reach out to their followers during this time. Yesterday, the brewery thanked their fans in a post: “We are overwhelmed with gratitude for all the support we have been receiving during all this. We are hopeful that the issue can be resolved and we can all go back to focusing on making great beer. Thank you to the craft beer community.”

The matter is now in the hands of the Federal Trademark Office.

The post Bell’s Brewery Addresses Innovation Brewing Trademark Dispute appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

In this set of seasonals you’ll notice quite a few examples of German-style Maibock, (Mai = May in German) a style brewed to welcome spring and bridge the gap between stronger cold-weather beers and lighter summer styles.

“Spring craft beers help bring to life the change of seasons, stimulating your palate with spring spices and fresh flavors,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director of the Brewers Association. “Craft beer is all about diversity, which is reflected in the assortment of beer styles produced by breweries during the spring season.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Choose a region below and see what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Spring Seasonals 2015 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

These seasonals are often bigger and bolder styles with flavors common to the holidays like chocolate, coffee, all-spice, cinnamon and citrus.

“Winter seasonals embody the spirit and flavors of the holiday season,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director of the Brewers Association. “Whether it’s cozying up by the fireplace, spending time with family or ringing in the New Year, small and independent brewers deliver beers of flavor and warmth—even on the most frigid winter day.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Choose a region below and see what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Winter Seasonals 2014 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

In addition to pumpkin beers, you’ll notice many breweries choose to create a German-influenced style for fall–often as a nod to the country’s celebration known as Oktoberfest. Toasty Vienna and Munich malts are seen often in this list, as well as complex Noble hop character common to classic European lagers.

“Fall is one of the seasons craft brewers love best thanks to its rich and varied crops and seasonal spices,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director. “Small and independent brewers utilize autumn’s selection of ingredients to create full-bodied beers with flavor profiles to fit the more frigid fall weather.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Choose a region below and see what they had to say:

• Northeast
• Central
• Pacific
• Mountain West
• South

The post Craft Beer Fall Seasonals 2014 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

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Session beers are another trend in this year’s summer beer lineup. Brewers have readily accepted the challenge of creating beers with large flavor profiles, but lower ABVs (usually under 5 percent). Read more in “7 India Session Ales for Summer” by Brian Yaeger

“Summer is such an exciting time to be a craft beer lover in the U.S.,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director. “Today we are amidst an explosion of seasonally inspired, full-flavored, rewarding and refreshing offerings from 2,800 small and independent craft brewers. Summer seasonals are all about exploration and getting in touch with different craft beers from unique breweries.”

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to say:

Northeast Central Pacific Mountain West South

Northeast

Cooperstown Ale | Brewery Ommegang Cooperstown, NY

Light golden straw hue with a thick, white head. Aromas of sweet malt, floral with slight citrus are followed by delicate herbal notes. Faintly sweet giving way to mellow, lightly floral hop flavor and notes of banana and pears from our signature house yeast. Nicely balanced with a clean herbal-hopped finish makes this an enjoyably, quaffable ale.

Availability: CA, CT, DC, GA, IL, MA, MO, NJ, NY, PA, TX, VA

Red Sky At Night | Heavy Seas Beer Baltimore, MD

We crafted this rustic farmhouse ale with an eye for tradition: Belgian yeast and candi sugar shape the aroma and taste of Red Sky at Night. Fruity and bright, the straw-colored saison has a dry, spicy finish from a warm fermentation and the late kettle addition of Strisselspalt hops. Notes of banana, apricot, clove and allspice make this a slightly honeyed, herbaceous beer. The authentic candi sugar gives Red Sky lightness and robustness.

Availability: AL, CT, DC, DE, DE, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA

Leaping Cow Ale | Lake Placid Pub & Brewery Lake Placid, NY

Deep amber in color, our ESB balances classic East Kent Goldings hops with sweet, crystal malt and finishes with American Mosaic hops. The name comes from a peculiar fence in Essex, N.Y. When we were driving by it one day, we pondered what kind of animal was contained inside such an unusually heigh fence. In the end, we decided it must be a leaping cow, hence Leaping Cow Ale.

Availability: CT, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Plum Island Belgian White | Newburyport Brewing Company Newburyport, MA

Plum Island Belgian White is an unfiltered witbier with hints of citrus and coriander. This “partly cloudy” ale features slight spicy aromas complemented by mild, sweet pilsner and wheat malt flavors. Plumb Island was brewed using a traditional Belgian approach by brewmaster Mike Robinson, a 2010 Samuel Adams Longshot winner. Canned for quality and adventure.

Availability: MA

California IPA | Rohrbach Brewing Co. Rochester, NY

Our take on a West Coast India pale ale. Loaded with citrusy hops, it’s bursting with grapefruit flavor and balanced by a caramel malt backbone. This brew is made with 28 pounds of hops, including Cascade, Warrior and Summit hops—a large amount for our small 20-barrel system.

Availability: NY

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Central

Levee | Ale Syndicate Brewers Chicago, IL

Levee is a lightly hopped, slightly sweet brew with all the spicy fruitiness of a Belgian ale. Medium bodied, with a crisp, dry finish, it’s named for the Levee District—Chicago’s Vice District at the beginning of the 20th century. Like The Levee, this beer is a little foreign, a little adventurous and all Chicago.

Availability: IL

Bell’s Oberon Ale | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Comstock/Kalamazoo, MI

Bell’s Oberon is a wheat ale fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas. The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it the classic summer beer.

Availability: AL, AZ, CA (San Diego and Imperial counties beginning in May), FL, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NY, OH, PA, SC, VA, WI + Puerto Rico

Heretic Hefeweizen | Church Street Brewing Company Itasca, IL

A classic Bavarian-style hefeweizen, unfiltered, highly carbonated with flavors and aromas of banana and clove. Heretic Hefeweizen is hazy golden in color, utilizing a decoction mash, Andechs Weiss yeast and noble hops for a traditional summertime brew.

Availability: IL

Cucumber Kölsch | Flat 12 Bierwerks Indianapolis, IN

A Kölsch-style German ale with lager qualities owed to pilsner malt and cold fermentation. Pours a deep gold color. Smooth drinkability and super-refreshing finish from an infusion of cucumber. What’s more refreshing than a glass of cucumber water in the summertime? That’s exactly what one of our brewers thought as he reminisced back to his childhood when his grandmother would serve it by the pitcher.

From there, our brewers decided to try to capture this memory in a beer, so they cored and peeled cucumber to add to a small, one-off festival beer. When that keg blew in 30 minutes, we knew we had a hit and needed to up production. Now, over two years in the making, we bottle and keg this as our summer seasonal.

Availability: IL, IN, KY, TN

Stormchaser Summer IPA | Free State Brewing Co. Lawrence, KS

This bold, blonde American IPA employs a healthy dose of wheat malt and generous amounts of Crystal, Centennial and Citra hops. The hops provide a great citrusy bouquet and abundant notes of grapefruit and orange, while the wheat malt provides a crisp tartness to this lighter-bodied IPA.

Availability: KS, MO, NE

When Helles Freezes Over | Morgan Street Brewery Saint Louis, MO

This straw-colored light summer seasonal is bready and smooth. Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnang hops add a subtle spicy floral note to this lager. Available statewide on draft and in six-pack cans.

Availability: MO

White Hatter | New Holland Brewing Co. Holland, MI

White Hatter flavorfully blends the soft malt, fruity esters and delicate spicing of a Belgian white with the hoppy citrus notes of an IPA. Pleasant hints of tropical fruit are framed with orange peel, chamomile, coriander and Grains of Paradise.

Availability: DC (District of Columbia), GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI. Coming soon: CT, MA, RI

Steamboat Shandy | Potosi Brewing Co. Potosi, WI

Potosi light golden ale with pure cane sugar and 100 percent lemon juice, drinks like a beer, not a fruit drink. The Potosi steamboat allowed for the Potosi Brewery to deliver their beer down the Mississippi River, as early as 1948. Today the original Potosi Brewery building is once again producing high-quality craft beers, under the Potosi label.

Availability: WI, IL, IA

Michigan Wheat Ale | Saugatuck Brewing Co. Douglas, MI

A crisp, flavorful summer ale. Brewed with 100 percent Michigan grown wheat, barley, hops and even yeast!

Availability: MI, IL, OH, MN

Nicie Spicie | Short’s Brewing Company Bellaire, MI

Nicie Spicie is a spiced wheat ale made with a 50/50 blend of malted barley and malted white wheat. Packed with fresh citrus zest, then spiced with coriander and a three peppercorn blend, this light-bodied ale is complex yet scrumptious. Pouring a gorgeous golden color, this beer is crisp and refreshing and perfect for the summertime.

Availability: MI

Hunny Do | Third Street Brewhouse Cold Spring, MN

Get it done! Nothing on the on-going “hunny do” list getting crossed off? That’s when your “hunny do” list becomes more of an “I’ll do it myself” list and then—Boom!—done. Time to enjoy a real Hunny Do (one that doesn’t make you cringe)—a refreshing wheat beer with a crisp honeydew melon flavor. A hazy wheat that’s subtly sweet! You’ve earned it!

Availability: MN, ND

Sunshine Pils | Tröegs Brewing Company Hershey, PA

The sun’s role dominates the hop cycle as bines grow before the human eye and budding hop cones reach maturity beneath the sun’s rays. Sunshine Pils combines the refreshing snap of a Euro-style Pilsner with an assertive hop character. Crisp. Hoppy. Pilsner.

Availability: DC, DE, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA

Dog Days Lager | Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL

Brewed in the style of Dortmund, Germany, this golden lager has a delicate caramel malt character balanced by a light body and mild German noble hops, creating a crisp, refreshing finish.

Availability: FL, IL, IN, MN, NY, OH, PA

Country White | Zipline Brewing Co. Lincoln, NE

Our sessionable farmhouse ale subtly delivers its fruity esters with a dry, tart punch, softened by a generous dose of locally-sourced white wheat. This delicate ale captures the essence of summer’s sun drenched daze.

Availability: IA, NE

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Pacific

Lost Meridian Wit | Base Camp Brewing Company Portland, OR

A Belgian witbier in appearance and malt bill, the Lost Meridian Wit has a cloudy and opaque white color and silky mouthfeel from the use of loads of wheat and oats. Then the recipe takes a firmly untraditional twist. Meridian hops deliver a brightly citrus and refreshing mimosa-like character with flavors of orange and champagne dominating the aftertaste. Equally good either on a sunny day or as a substitute for one. Available now in Base Camp’s aluminum 22oz bottle. Go get lost!

Availability: CA, OR, WA, British Columbia

Café Racer 15 | Bear Republic Brewing Company Sonoma County, CA

Café Racer 15 features aromas of bright citrus and resinous pine from the generous use of Citra, Amarillo, Cascade and Chinook hops, which are complimented by a dry malt finish. The result is a high-revving double IPA that is loud and assertive, much like the rebellious street racers who inspired it. Never ride alone…

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, MA, NC, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, WA

Hobo | Dust Bowl Brewing Company Turlock, CA

The German-style Pilsner uses 100 percent Pilsner malt along with Magnum and Opal hops to create a light-flavored, crisp, hoppy lager.

Availability: CA

Emerald Triangle | Eel River Brewing Co. Fortuna, CA

This dry hopped, hop-forward American IPA has just enough malt backbone to balance its bold but incredibly enjoyable citrusy, floral hop flavor and aroma. True to its West Coast roots, this IPA is aggressively hopped using Magnum, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Simcoe hops.

Availability: CA

Windansea Wheat | Karl Strauss Brewing Company San Diego, CA

There are wheat beers that need dressing up, and there are those that don’t. Windansea Wheat is the latter. We brew our hefeweizen true to the Bavarian style, using 50 percent malted wheat and Noble Tettnanger hops. A centuries-old strain of German weissbier yeast lends its trademark banana and clove flavors that linger through a refreshingly smooth finish. Save the citrus wedge for a beer in need, you’ll thank us.

Availability: CA

Dérailleur® | Ladyface Ale Companie Agoura Hills, CA

Dérailleur® Bière-de-Garde (“beer for keeping”) is  malty and rustic, with a spicy yeast character and a deep golden hue. Subtle flavors of French oak were derived from aging in Rhône varietal Mourvèdre wine barrels. Named after a bicycle’s gear-changing mechanism and brewed to celebrate the global passion for cycling.

Availability: Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie and a few select Southern California craft beer bars and restaurants, draught only.

Pershing | Mike Hess Brewing Co. San Diego, CA

Pershing Pils is a traditional, old German​-​style​ lager beer. This style, originally brewed for miners looking to unwind​ ​after a day in the mines, has no fruity or other esters—just straight pilsner​ ​malt and noble hops in the aroma and flavor. It’s a crisp, light bodied and​ ​refreshing way to relax, no matter what line of work you’re in.

Availability: AZ, CA

Lux | Ninkasi Brewing Company Eugene, OR

Illuminate your palate with this traditional German-style lager. Brewed with premium Pilsner malt and bittered with German Hallertau hops, this helles lager pours champagne in color. Bright, crisp and satisfying, enliven any occasion with Lux.

Availability: AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA Vancouver, British Columbia

Stone Saison | Stone Brewing Co. San Diego, CA

Stone Saison is a farmhouse-style ale infused with lemon zest, grains of paradise and Stone Farms-grown lemon thyme and lavender. It’s the quintessential choice for warm weather imbibing, and an ideal pairing partner for dishes and ingredients available during the spring and summer months.

Availability: AL, CO, MS, WI, AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA

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Mountain West

Hoopla Pale Ale | Boulder Beer Company Boulder, CO

Hoopla Pale Ale is dry-hopped with generous amounts of Glacier hops for a fruity, floral hop aroma and flavor that will have your taste buds dancing! In search of the perfect festival beer, our Boulder Beer brewers and Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident and an avid homebrewer, joined creative forces. Imagination and improvisation flowed freely, and Hoopla was born.

Availability: AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY

Summertime Ale | Crystals Springs Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Summertime Ale is a Kölsch-style ale—light, crisp and refreshing with subtle fruit aroma, a hint of hops, a soft malt character and a slight dryness with a delicate pucker in the finish.

Availability: CO

Fanboy | Elevation Beer Company Poncha Springs, CO

This American oak-aged double IPA brings forward notes of pine, tangerine, citrus and grapefruit with subtle notes of vanilla and oak. The beer pours a beautiful copper with a slightly off-white head and lacing that seems to last for ever. It hits the palate with an inconceivable balance between citrus, tropical fruits, pine, oak, whiskey and vanilla and lingering bitterness. With a medium mouth feel this is a perfect beer for those cool summer nights.

Availability: CO, TX, AZ

Island Mesa Blonde | Kannah Creek Brewing Company Grand Junction, CO

Our blonde ale is a traditional English-style summer ale with a light golden hue, subtle hoppy flavor and dry crisp finish. Island Mesa Blonde Ale is a refreshing beer ready for warm summer days.

Availability: CO

Freestyle Pilsner | Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, NM

The assertively hopped Freestyle Pilsner exudes the flavor and the aroma of the classic Saaz hop (a tribute to “the original” pilsner), while maintaining enough body to balance but not overpower this hop’s pleasant, spicy tone. An unhurried lagering process so frequently overlooked by American craft brewers is strictly adhered to in the production of Freestyle, which makes this beer by far the most light, clean and quenching beer in the Santa Fe Brewing Company’s line up.

Availability: AZ, CO, KS, LA, MO, NE, NM, OK, TX

Bumper Crop Honey Lavender Ale | Squatters Craft Beers Salt Lake City, UT

Like summer in a bottle, Bumper Crop starts with the gentle aromas of freshly gathered lavender and features local honey for a soft, slightly sweet finish.

Availability: UT, CO, AZ, NM, TX, WI, MN, ND, SD, LA, NE, IA, RI, MA, LA

Last One In Lager | Wasatch Beers Park City, UT

This lager is our homage to one of Utah’s favorite traditions—raging houseboat parties on Lake Powell. Crisp and refreshing, it’s perfect for hot days and warm summer nights.

Availability: UT, CO, AZ, NM, TX, WI, MN, ND, SD, LA, NE, IA, RI, MA, LA

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South

Picnic® | Blackstone Brewing Company® Nashville, TN

Picnic® is an English summer ale and is a lighter version of a classic pale ale. It retains the wonderful flavors and aromas of British pale ale malt and hops, while using a significant portion of wheat for a lighter body and crisp finish. A hot weather refresher without sacrificing flavor and character.

Availability: TN

GUBNA | Oskar Blues Brewery Brevard, NC and Longmont, CO

GUBNA v 4.0 is aggressively dry-hopped with the citrusy Chinook (this year’s legendary crop was especially complex), the tropical fruit and red berry notes of Mosaic, and the zesty lemon Sorachi Ace strain. Showcased on a base recipe of rye (double than the amount previously used), North American Pale, and Munich malts, these three formidable hop varieties are given free rein to assault the senses in a strangely schizophrenic symphony of bewildering bitterness, complemented perfectly by the pleasant warmth to be expected from that 10 percent booziness.

Availability: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY

Dog Days | Red Brick Brewing Co.

Atlanta, GA

Kick back and taste the sweetness, dude! These dog days never end with a rip curl of flavor, a creamy mouth-feel and a pleasing, sweet effervescence like waves across the beach. This hefewiezen can warm any freeze and tame any breaker with bodacious aromas of banana and tart citrus. So, hang loose, follow the sun, catch some air, but don’t lose grip on our favorite dog as you chase your next swell.

Availability: AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN

Watermelon Wheat | Tin Roof Brewing Company Baton Rouge, LA

Refreshing wheat beer with a tantalizing fruity watermelon aroma and flavor. American wheat beer with fresh local watermelon.

Availability: LA, MS

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The post Craft Beer Summer Seasonals 2014 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

These beers, which range from meaningful tributes—as is the case with Rogue’s MoM Hefeweizen which is named after Mohava Niemi who owned the building that became their first brewery—to silly puns, these beers are all perfect for celebrating mothers in your life.

Here’s what the breweries had to say about their mom-inspired creations. Happy Mother’s Day to all the craft beer-loving moms out there!

Mother Hefer German Hefeweizen | Draught Works Brewery Missoula, MT

This is a very traditional Bavarian style Hefeweizen using greater than 51% wheat malt in the mash. Hop bitterness is low and hop flavor and aroma is absent. This allows the clove, nutmeg-like phenolics (and a subtle banana like character from the esters) provided by the yeast to shine through. This ale is traditionally unfiltered, the yeast and protein from the wheat create a haze in the finished product.

Mother-in-Lager | Karbach Brewing Company Houston, TX

Brewed with dark malts and German hops, this brew’s depth of flavor will allow you to relax and bite your tongue while your mother-in-law reorganizes your entire kitchen. Gab a 6’er of Mother-in-Lager and be prepared for the next time she comes to visit. It’s going to be a long, cold night.

Mother’s Milk | Keegan Ales Kingston, NY

As the name implies, Mother’s Milk is a dark and creamy milk stout. Hints of oatmeal, chocolate and of course, milk make this brew have a remarkably smooth and silky finish, a classic example of the style.

Ladyface IPA | Ladyface Ale Companie Agoura Hills, CA

An adaptation of an English Pale Ale reflecting indigenous ingredients and West Coast flavors. Moderately hopped, showing a citrus hop character with medium-bodied balance.

Masala Mama India Pale Ale | Town Hall Brewery Town Hall Brewery | Minneapolis, MN

American style India Pale Ale brewed using Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Mt. Hood, Citra and Experimental 342 hops. A beer with crisp hop flavor and bitterness well balanced with American malt sweetness.

Mama’s Little Yella Pils | Oskar Blues Longmont, CO

Oskar Blues’ Mama’s Little Yella Pils is an uncompromising, small-batch version of the beer that made Pilsen, Czech Republic, famous. Unlike mass market “pilsners” diluted with corn & rice, Mama’s is built with 100% pale malt, German specialty malts, and Saaz hops.

Mother of Exiles | Revolution Brewing Chicago, IL

This beer has a spicy, slightly grassy flavor that kicks in mid-palate and continues on to a crisp, bitter finish. Being a lager-style beer, we gave it an extended cold aging period, which adds to its clean drinkability.

MoM Hefeweizen | Rogue Ales Newport, OR

Mom Hefeweizen is a refreshing, Belgian style blonde ale, infused with Rose Petals from Eugene, Oregon.

Hunnny Do | Third Street Brewhouse Cold Spring, MN

Time to enjoy a real Hunny Do (one that doesn’t make you cringe)–a refreshing wheat beer with a crisp honey dew melon flavor. A hazy wheat that’s subtly sweet! You’ve earned it!

The post 9 Craft Beers to Celebrate Mom appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Boulder, CO • March 17, 2014— The Brewers Association (BA), the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, today released 2013 data on U.S. craft brewing(1) growth. As a primary driver of growth in the beer industry, craft brewers saw an 18 percent rise in volume(2), representing a total of 15.6 million barrels, and a 20 percent increase in retail dollar value.

In 2013, craft brewers reached 7.8 percent volume of the total U.S. beer market, up from 6.5 percent the previous year. Additionally, craft dollar share of the total U.S. beer market reached 14.3 percent in 2013, as retail dollar value from craft brewers was estimated at $14.3 billion, up from $11.9 billion in 2012.

“With this stellar year, craft has now averaged 10.9 percent growth over the last decade,” said Bart Watson, staff economist, Brewers Association. “Beer drinkers are excited about what small and independent brewers are offering and that is evidenced by the rising production and sales of the craft segment.”

Read the complete press release.

Download High Resolution Graphic Here	View Expanded Infographic Here

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Looking through this list, you’ll notice a few springy descriptors like fruity, citrus, floral and coriander appear often. Brewer’s are also using wheat and rye in addition to malted barley this spring. While these two ingredients provide a few common characteristics, rye can lend a slightly spicy flavor, a smooth mouthfeel and fairly dry finish.

To celebrate these special seasonal beers, we asked Brewers Association member breweries to share their latest releases. Here’s what they had to share:

Central Northeast Mountain West Pacific South

Central

Bell’s Smitten Golden Rye Ale | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Comstock & Kalamazoo, MI

Drawn from one of our oldest recipes, Smitten Ale began as part of a series of rye beers at our Eccentric Café. The combination of sharp citrus and resinous flavors from the hops with the earthy, rustic overtones of the rye malt yield an interesting take on the American pale ale.

Availability: AL, AZ, FL, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NY, OH, PA, SC, VA, WI + Puerto Rico

Nunmoere Black | Flat 12 Bierwerks Indianapolis, IN

This American black ale is lighter than it looks, and packs a big hop punch. Loaded with five different American hops, Nunmoere is a complex blend of roasted malts and fragrant hops.

Availability: IL, IN, KY, TN

ControversiALE | Short’s Brewing Company Bellaire & Elk Rapids, MI

ControversiALE’s earthy, citrus and pine-laced nose is instantly delectable. Large amounts of toasted grains and high alpha hops form a perfect union that creates the cool sensation of toasted sourdough covered with a zesty grapefruit hop marmalade.

ControversiALE has an enchantingly straightforward hop aroma, flavor and overall intensity due to ample additions of only Simcoe hops. While this beer is hopped like an IPA, it drinks like a pale ale. The light, refreshing qualities of this beer make it perfect for spring.

Availability: MI

India Red Ale | Zipline Brewing Company Lincoln, NE

India Red Ale brings together the alluring red hue and malty body of a red ale with all the citrus, grapefruit and piney hoppiness you’d expect from an American IPA.

Availability: NE

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Mountain West

A Honey of a Saison | Boulder Beer Company Boulder, CO

A Honey of a Saison is a stinger at 11.5 percent ABV. The French Saison yeast produces big, estery, phenolic aromas and flavors, while the wildflower honey lends a spicy, sweet aroma with essence of dried fruits. Champagne yeast is also used to complete fermentation and create a dry finish. A strong malt bill imparts a rich, golden honey color to the ale, and it shows low hop bitterness at 25 IBUs.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, NC, NE, NV, OR, PA, TN, WY

Third Base | Elevation Beer Company Poncha Springs, CO

This Belgian tripel pours a crystal clear gold with tight Belgian lacing and a white head. Notes of spice, orange peel, lemon and earthy hops hit the nose. On the palate, the beer is slightly sweet, with Belgian yeast and citrus notes, and dries out with a slight warmth of alcohol on the end of the palate. With a medium body, high ABV and a complex flavor profile that opens up over time, this beer is meant to be enjoyed over several innings.

Availability: CO, TX

Santa Cruz Brown Ale | Epic Brewing Company Salt Lake City, UT

An Epic interpretation of the recent American trend of brewing Black IPAs, our Santa Cruz Brown Ale is a true hybrid. Inspired by our brewer Kyle’s desire to have it all, we combine the rich backbone and color of a brown ale with robust American hops common in IPAs, creating something totally unique.

Maris Otter pale malt along with Munich, CaraMunich and Chocolate malts create a balance between sweet and roast that is then assaulted by four varieties of Pacific Northwest hops. Then a super-high alpha acid variety called Apollo is used in the hop-back and dry hop stage. The pine and herbal flavors that result make this a dark beer for hop lovers.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, DC, ID, MI, MN, NJ, NV, OH, OR, UT, VI, WA, WI

Orabelle | Great Divide Brewing Co. Denver, CO

Orabelle is brewed with barley, wheat, oats and rye. This Belgian-style tripel is a golden beauty. Its two yeast strains, orange peel and dash of coriander impart surprising complexity and richness to this delicate ale. Don’t let Orabelle’s demure nature fool you; this is one flavorful pour. Watch out, she’s a charmer—one sip and you’ll be in love.

Availability: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MN, MO, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA

Crossed Irons | Kannah Creek Brewing Company Grand Junction, CO

Medium malt body with distinctive caramel notes and light hop bitterness.

Crossed Irons used to be known as Monument Red, then in 2008, a local firefighter, Chris Bryson, who was a regular at the brewpub was diagnosed with Leukemia. The owners wanted to get involved, so they changed the name to Crossed Irons, and donated a portion of the sales of the beer and a special t-shirt to the Bryson family to help cover medical expenses. Unfortunately, Chris Bryson lost his battle with Leukemia in 2010.

“We saw an opportunity to help someone in the community that helps our whole community,” states Eric Ross, co-owner. Brewed as a tribute to our local firemen, Crossed Irons Irish Ale is named after the flat head axe and halligan bar, the hand tools firefighters use.

Availability: CO, NE

Runoff | Odell Brewing Company Fort Collins, CO

This time of year in the Rockies, one day can span all four seasons. Morning snow gives way to afternoon sun, sending fresh snowmelt into our rivers and into our mash tun. With a complex malt backbone, and dry-hopped for notes of citrus and pine, Runoff is almost as surprising as the season itself.

Brewed with a complex malt bill, Runoff boasts a hearty backbone and a ruby hue. The brew is dry-hopped with a generous amount of American hops, giving the beer a fruity citrus aroma and a kick of grapefruit and pine hop character.

Availability: AZ, CO, ID, KS, MN, MO, NE, NM, SD, WY (TX may get some draft in March)

Rodeo Rye | Payette Brewing Boise, ID

Unlike a real rodeo, the aroma of passion fruit, peaches and mangos fills the air with this spring seasonal. Rodeo is a single-hop rye, pale-style beer. Citra hops give it a tropical fruit nose and flavor with a spicy, rye kick. This is a sessionable beer, which means this might be your first, but it most definitely won’t be your last Rodeo.

Availability: ID, OR, UT

Quad on Oak | River North Brewery Denver, CO

Abbey-style Belgian strong dark ale aged on toasted oak. We wanted to take a classic, timeless style, the quadrupel, and elevate it further by aging the brew on toasted new American oak spirals.

Availability: CO

La Petite Saison | Twisted Pine Brewing Company Boulder, CO

La Petite is unfiltered like a traditional saison, and pours a hazy straw color with a snow white head of micro-fine bubbles. Aromatics of lemon peel with a dash of black pepper and a gentle, pleasant funk waft up from the glass and bear evidence of the unique yeast strain used to ferment this ale. Fruity esters carry over from smell to sip, and effervescent carbonation spreads the mélange of flavors across the tongue, while subtle earth tones from the hops softly punctuate the finish.

Availability: CA, CO, FL, IA, KS, LA, MN, NC, ND, NE, NM, NJ, NY, PA, SD, TX, VA

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Northeast

Glimmerglass | Brewery Ommegang Cooperstown, NY

Brewed with sweet orange peel and coriander and refermented in the bottle. Deep straw to light amber in color with a thick, pure white head. The saison yeast strain gives off fruity aromas of pear, apple and slight citrus balanced with a delicate floral hop character and a touch of spiciness. Taste is very clean, with pronounced fruit flavors, delicate bready malt followed by welcomed spicing. Crisp finished with lingering yet subtle notes of yeast and touches of fruity pepper.

Pair with fried calamari, crab, fajitas, spicy Indian dishes, Jambalaya, mussels, swordfish, snapper and salmon. Pairs wonderfully with Jarlsberg, Tilsit, Swiss and Gruyère cheeses.

Availability: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI

Samuel Adams Cold Snap | Samuel Adams Botson, MA

Samuel Adams Cold Snap, is a crisp, refreshing Belgian-style white ale with a combination of hazy golden wheat and a lively blend of exotic fruits and spring spices. Created to capture that transition from winter’s hearty brews to the lighter beers of summer, Cold Snap is perfect for the early days of spring.

This white ale offers a sign of warmer days with its blend of crisp wheat, bright fruit flavors and the subtle snap of spices like fresh ground coriander and hibiscus. Cold Snap is bright and fresh, with notes ranging from the subtle fruit sweetness of orange peel and plum to the distinct, peppery bite of fresh ground coriander. Pale and wheat malts give this unfiltered brew its hazy golden appearance and crisp, smooth finish.

Availability: Nationwide

Rye 95 | Two Roads Brewing Company Stratford, CT

A rye-based version of a classic Belgian tripel. Rye contributes its characteristic spicy and dry flavor and aroma. In addition, we use expressive American-grown hops such as Mosaic and Amarillo to add fruity complexity (“white wine”, “blueberries” “fruit punch”). We also choose a yeast strain that is notably fruity/spicy (pear and cloves) in character for this beer. Color will be deep golden with a very slight haze. Bottles will contain a small amount of yeast sediment.

Availability: CT, NYC metro area, RI

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Pacific

Project: Failed | 10 Barrel Brewing Co. Bend, OR

Just to be clear, we completely failed on this project. We tried to do something mind-blowingly awesome but we just couldn’t pull it off. So instead we were forced to settle with releasing a gold medal-winning red ale. Lesson learned? Probably not…

Availability: WA 

Earth Thirst Double IPA | Eel River Brewing Company Inc. Fortuna, CA

The warm and delicate malt flavors are purposely dominated by a massive dose of pungent, piney, floral and citrus-like characteristics of everyone’s favorite domestic hops.

Availability: CA, CO, FL, IN, OR, WA

Suicide Squeeze IPA | Fort George Brewery Astoria, OR

This spring, Fort George’s caned 16-oz rotating seasonal collaboration was made with Suicide Squeeze, a Seattle independent record label. The artists at Suicide Squeeze designed the can, and the Fort George brewers put together an easy-drinking, spring IPA to go in it. Suicide Squeeze will be releasing a special 7″ vinyl and setting up concerts to promote the union of independent music and craft beer—two communities with a lot in common.

Availability: ID, OR, WA

Full Sail LTD 05 Vienna Lager | Full Sail Brewing Company Hood River, OR

For those who love amber ales, here’s a Limited Edition Lager that is so crazy good, you might convert to lagerism. This copper-colored lager is refreshingly smooth, with a hint of dark roast and a clean, hoppy finish. Brewed with pale, chocolate and caramel malts and hopped with Czech Saaz hops.

Availability: AK, AZ, CA, CO,CT, FL, GA, ID, KY, LA, MA, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NH NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, WA, WY, UT

2020 IPA | Golden Road Brewing Los Angeles, CA

For the Spring 2014 Release in our Custom IPA Series, we’ve partnered with the LA River Revitalization Corp to brew 2020 IPA. 2020 IPA celebrates the Greenway 2020 Project, which will connect 51 miles of the LA River—transforming it from a neglected, concrete riverbed to a connected, public green space by the year 2020.

Availability: CA

Palate Wrecker | Green Flash Brewing Co. San Diego, CA

Because of the hops used and the innovative double brewing process, Palate Wrecker has a rich bitterness with a sophisticated quality of depth. The aroma is floral and tropical with notes of ruby red grapefruit, pineapple, subtle malt, caramel, biscuit, mango and apricot. On the palate, it is extraordinarily hoppy, zesty and citrusy with grapefruit and malt notes. It strikes a balance that is both refreshing and flavorful, with an intensely-hopped character.

Availability: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY

American Brown | Reuben’s Brews Seattle, WA

A malty, hoppy brown ale. Bright, citrus hops lead the aroma, with a little roast in the background. Chocolate and caramel come through with a slight smokiness. A medium-full body with a relatively dry, slightly spicy finish. Originally a medal-winning beer at the 2012 National Homebrewer’s Competition, this beer was served at Reuben’s opening day!

Availability: WA

Back to Regions

South

Spring Brew | Front Street Brewery Wilmington, NC

A rare Franco-Belgian Biere de Mars, this deep, golden blend of barley, wheat and oats won gold at the 2012 World Beer Cup. It’ll win you over too, with its smooth, creamy mouthfeel and gently sweet malty goodness. Look for enticing tangy flavors, subtle fruitiness and a touch of hops.

Availability: Wilmington, NC

Lazy Saison | Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company Kiln, MS

Lazy Saison is a cultivated, refreshing Belgian ale, complex in style with a mix of fruit, pepper and chamomile, and a spicy, citrus aroma. As the seasons change, so do our taste buds. Lazy Saison offers a revitalizing concoction for our rugged fans working in the intense southern heat.

Availability: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, SC, TN, TX

Grateful Pale Ale | Starr Hill Brewery Crozet, VA

Grateful is a fresh spin on the American pale ale tradition. It is an intensely-hoppy and aromatic beer, but remains an extremely sessionable beverage. A strong, citrusy and resinous aroma from the hops belies a light body with subtle malt flavor. Weighing in at 4.7 percent ABV, Grateful Pale Ale is a full-flavored beer that can be enjoyed all day long.

Availability: DC, DE, GA, MD, NC, NJ, PA, SC, TN, VA

Back to Regions

The post Craft Beer Spring Seasonals 2014 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

If you’re visiting this site, you’re probably a pretty big fan of beer. It’s our hope to show you that craft beer is an amazingly versatile ingredient in the kitchen—we have a whole recipe section devoted to it. I put together this list of the most popular recipes from the past year to give you a little inspiration in the kitchen. What you’ll notice from this list is that craft beer has its place in every recipe category, from the usual suspects like sauces and brines, to the more adventurous like doughnuts and mac n’ cheese.

Don’t forget to find CraftBeer.com on Pinterest for more recipe ideas and inspiration.

Cheers to cooking with craft beer in 2014!

Beer-Candied Bacon by Laura @ Tide & Thyme

Beer and bacon, there’s not much that could go wrong here! The sugary sweetness of the brown sugar glaze is just the right contrast to the hearty bacon.

Sea-Salted Peanut Butter Brownie Bars by CookingAndBeer.com Chocolate and stout is a classic combo, but these brownies from Cooking & Beer go one step further with a creamy peanut butter frosting. The brilliant addition of a bit of sea salt makes the sweet flavors pop!

Grilled Mac n’ Beer Cheese Sliders with Bacon, Beer & Tomato Jam by Morgan at Host the Toast Forget the cellophane-wrapped yellow squares, this grilled cheese uses mac n’ cheese for its gooey filling. Not to mention it’s topped with a bacon, beer and tomato jam, which adds slaty sweetness to this delicious sandwich.

Simple Beer BBQ Sauce by Steve Denney This easy recipe is a great place to start for those of you who might be more comfortable outside on the grill, plus who doesn’t love BBQ?

Beer Doughnut Balls by Beer and Baking Beer and Baking’s Jessica Rice used Palmero, a Belgian dubbel from Hangar 24 Craft Brewery to add flavors of dates, rum, spice, caramel and raisins to these perfect doughnut holes.

Chocolate Stout S’More Shakes by Someone Left the Cake Out In the Rain This dessert is everything you love about a s’more combined into a shake made with your favorite chocolate stout. These s’more shakes absolutely need to make an appearance at your next dinner party! Hint, this recipe for marshmallow makes a ton, and is delicious de-fluffed on ice cream, pretzels, or other sweet treats.

Black Stout Chili by Drew Long Beer is a great ingredient for chili, as the malty flavors complement the heat from the peppers and savoriness of the meat. For this recipe, Drew Long used Lagunitas Brewing’s Cappuccino Stout, which also adds hints of coffee to the hearty chili.

Pumpkin Ale Chili by AlesKitchen This chili, made with pork shoulder and plenty of heat from poblano, serrano and chipotle peppers, pairs perfectly with your favorite porter. A dollop of pumpkin yogurt adds a bit of sweet and emphasizes the pumpkin flavors of the dish.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bacon, Beer and Cayenne by Lauren Wiersma Lauren Wiersma, production team member at Left Hand Brewing Company, created the perfect combination of sweet, salty and spicy with these chocolate chip cookies made with Left Hand’s Milk Stout.

Dry Stout Shepherd’s Pie by CraftBeer.com Dry stout serves as the backbone for this one pot wonder from The Hungry Housewife. This recipe uses beef, but you could try lamb, chicken or pork, depending what’s available.

The post Cook with Beer! Top Recipes of 2013 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

“Winter seasonals are a favorite among beer lovers and craft brewers alike. With such a variety of styles to choose from, this craft seasonal category has contributed to two of the top three sales weeks during the same time frame, according to the IRI Group’s Supermarket scan data.” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director of the Brewers Association.

Many of the winter seasonal craft beers featured in this list offer flavors of chocolate, coffee, fruit, malt, cinnamon and oatmeal. Find your own holiday cheer with some of these delightful offerings:

Northeast Central Pacific NW Pacific Mountain West South

Northeast

Adoration | Brewery Ommegang Cooperstown, NY

Ommegang Adoration is dark, malty and assertively spiced. Adoration is best sipped before a roasting fire, or on a sleigh ride over snowy hills. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, complemented by five spices including coriander, orange peel, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Pair with dark roasts, beef tenderloin and wild game; roasted Brussels sprouts and other charred vegetables; fruit-filled desserts and crème brûlée.

Availability: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI

Beach Haus® Winter Rental Black Lager | East Coast Beer Co. LLC Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

An American version of a German-style schwarzbier, this seasonal lager is a darker beer with roasted malts and a hint of chocolate.

Availability: CT, NC, NJ, parts of NY, PA, SC

Harpoon Winter Warmer | Harpoon Brewery Boston, MA

Cinnamon and nutmeg dominate the aroma, while the taste is a rich combination of the holiday spices with a hearty malt backbone. There is a mild sweetness to the finish, along with the lingering flavor of the spices.

Availability: AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV

Mayflower Winter Oatmeal Stout | Mayflower Brewing Company Plymouth, MA

Mayflower Winter Oatmeal Stout is rich and smooth. Brewed with three types of oats and several varieties of dark barley malts, it adds a little sweetness to the roasted flavor of this traditional stout.

Availability: CT, MA, NH, RI

Kind Ryed IPA | Otter Creek Brewing Middlebury, VT

This big American IPA is built to accompany the big eastern winter. Just like an epic bluebird day follows a snow storm, a peppery build from the Rye-malt accompanies the glorious hop notes of pine, citrus and fresh grass. Kind Ryed uses a combination of Apollo, Simcoe, Chinook and Centennial hops to create a drinkable brew that won’t wipe out your tastebuds.

Availability: CT, DE, MA, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT

Smuttynose Winter Ale | Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH

A riff on a Belgian dubbel, this malt-forward beer features spicy yeast notes and flavors of dark fruit and brown sugar. We use Belgian Candi Syrup for its extra flavor contributions, but the best part of this beer is its low alcohol strength. Smuttynose Winter Ale has the big flavor and body to counteract the winter cold, but at 5.8% ABV, it’s a good choice to help you survive the holiday party-hopping season without sending you to bed early.

Availability: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT, WI

Winter Cheers | Victory Brewing Company Downingtown, PA

Welcoming and warming, Winter Cheers is a delicious and refreshing wheat ale that is light in body and soothing in texture. Combining German wheat and barley malts, oats, torrified wheat and whole flower Tettnang and Citra hops, this fruity and warming holiday brew delivers a crisp finish, with spicy hints of banana, clove and citrus.

Availability: nationwide

Olde Bartholomew | Yards Brewing Company Philadelphia, PA

Old Bart was a free spirit who bent elbows with the best of ‘em. We’ve made this amber-hued, English-style barleywine ale for characters like him. Brewed with 100% Maris Otter malt (a traditional floor-malted English barley) and Noble hops, Olde Bartholomew is an unfiltered winter warmer with a smooth malt background, soft fruit overtones and a slight hop spice in the finish. Just a few sips are sure to arouse the character in all of us.

Availability: PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA Back to Regions

Central

Ewephoria | 3 Sheeps Brewing Co. Sheboygan, WI

This ginger chocolate stout started as a chocolate nugget that was brought in to the brewery. We worked to create a beer equivalent, blending two types of ginger, cocoa nibs and dark malts. The result has been described as “dessert in a glass” and “Santa’s Little Helper.”

Availability: IL, WI

Shaman’s Porter | Atwater Brewery Detroit, MI

Shaman’s Porter is an exploration at the edge of complexity for a German style. Underlying nut and chocolate notes are present, without burnt astringency. Shaman’s Porter is aged on bourbon barrel oak to impart a richness and strength without being overly boozy.

Availability: FL, IL, MA, MI, NC, PA, TN

Winter White Ale | Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Kalamazoo, MI

Taking its cues from Belgian-style white ales, Bell’s Winter White Ale offers a lighter yet abundantly flavorful alternative to the traditional heavy winter warmers. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley and wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Bell’s Winter White Ale is a beer for embracing winter.

Availability: AL, AZ, FL, GA, IN, IL, IA, KY, MI, MN, MO, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, SC, VA, WI

Mr. Jimmy’s Ruby Brown | Excelsior Brewing Co. Excelsior, MN

Malt-forward brown ale with light cherry tartness and subtle chocolate flavor.

Availability: Taproom, local bars/restaurants, limited 750ml in taproom

Winter | Morgan Street Brewery St. Louis, MO

Modeled after an American wheat beer, Winter is a spiced wheat with bananas. Initially, it was the brain child of our brewmaster Dustin. He was eating a banana the morning that he was mashing in our pumpkin beer and thought, “Why not bananas?” This beer is a 50-50 mash of 2-Row and White Wheat, and it also has 80 pounds of bananas and a dose of cloves in the mash. At the end of the process, we finish it up with some cinnamon and a touch of vanilla.

Availability: CT, MA, NH, RI

Winter Grind | Mother’s Brewing Company Springfield, MO

For this coffee stout, we’ve combined the smooth, rich goodness of a stout with our cold-brewed espresso blend, roasted for us by our coffee-loving neighbors at the Mudhouse. The result is a wintery treat that’ll give both coffee and beer lovers a reason to cheer.

Availability: MO, parts of KS and Northwest AR

Hot Date | Piney River Brewing Company Bucyrus, MO

Traditional American amber-style ale with additional flavor from dates and chipotle peppers.

Availability: AR, MO (after Thanksgiving)

Good Humans | Short’s Brewing Company Bellaire, MI

This double brown ale pours a deep amber brown. The nose expresses sweet, malty aromas mingling with prominent toasted caramel and toffee flavors. The medium body and smooth mouthfeel offers a similar prominent toasted malt character with subtle sweet caramel and nut flavors on the front. This beer finishes pleasingly dry, with a bouquet of hops with a slightly fruity quality. (8.0% ABV, 19 IBU)

Availability: MI

Sugar Shack Maple Stout | Third Street Brewhouse Cold Spring, MN

Sugar Shack Maple Stout is a truly unique brew enhanced with maple syrup harvested at the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum and Forest. This full bodied stout has subtle but distinct hints of roasted and specialty malts. Its dark appearance is a testament to its robust nature, but it is delicately balanced with sweet and roasted notes to produce a smooth, slightly creamy stout with an insatiable pleasant maple syrup flavor.

Availability: MN

The More The Merrier | Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL

Hints of coconut and chocolate start the palate of this surprisingly light-bodied ale. It finishes nicely with the thin body and dark roasted malt flavor.

Availability: IL, IN, OH, PA, NY, MN Back to Regions

Pacific NW

Jubelale | Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR

Spice and fruit grace this warm winter ale. Dark and malty, layered flavors unwrap to reveal chicory and earthy notes and a hoppy kick to finish. The deep garnet color pairs perfectly with holiday celebrations.

Availability: AK, AR, CA, CO, HI, ID, IL, IA, KA, MI, MO, MT, ND NE, NM, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY, British Columbia, and Alberta

Daybreak Breakfast Stout | Flyers Restaurant and Brewery Oak Harbor, WA

This coffee oatmeal stout has a silky mouthfeel from the use of oats. Coarse ground coffee is added to the conditioning tank infusing the coffee flavor and aroma without the harsh bitterness from brewed coffee. We use local coffee from Fidalgo Bay Coffee Co., and use a toddy grind and cold infusion rather than a hot brew which imparts a sharp bitterness to the beer.

Availability: WA

Dark Persuasion | Icicle Brewing Company Leavenworth, WA

Delicate dark chocolate with a whisper of coconut…you know you want it, go ahead and indulge! You can finally have German chocolate cake and drink it too. With its provocative aroma and smooth body, this is certainly the darkest of 50 shades of risqué.

Availability: WA

Sleigh’r | Ninkasi Brewing Company Eugene, OR

Sleigh’r is a delicious Northwest seasonal brewed with winter in mind. A dark doüble alt ale, malty and delicious, it’s sure to keep the winter at bay. And yes, Sleigh’r does rock! An alt ferments with ale yeast at colder lagering temperatures. This effect gives alts a more refined and crisp lager-like flavor than traditional ales. The doüble alt means that it has been “Ninkasified.” Regular alts are 5 – 5.5% ABV and 40 IBUs. Sleigh’r has a deep, toasted malt flavor that finishes dry and clocks in at 7.2% ABV and 50 IBUs, keeping it in a perfect alt balance!

Availability: AK, CA, ID, MO, OR, WA, Vancouver, British Columbia

Winter Warmer Ale | No-Li Brewhouse Spokane, WA

A deep ruby red beer with a thick, creamy-white head and lace. The aroma is sweet and malty with contrasting citrus hop profiles. The flavor is sweet and candy-like, with fruity esters and a spicy hop contrast. The flavors run deep and long, showing distinctive nutty malt flavors at the end. Very smooth and soft on the pallet. 35 IBUs, 7% ABV. Hops: Columbus Cascade, Chinook. Malt: 2 Row Pale, 2 Row Munich, Crystal.

Availability: AK, CO, DE, ID, MD, NC, OH, OR, WA

Yellow Snow | Rogue Ales Newport, OR

This India pale ale, is pale golden in color with a hoppy, fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front is complimented by medium body and hoppiness midpalate. It finishes with a characteristically lingering bitterness.

Availability: nationwide Back to Regions

Pacific

Racer X® | Bear Republic Brewing Company, Inc. Sonoma County, CA

Racer X® is an uncommon double India pale ale, which puts a California twist on English brewing traditions by adding an assertive hop aroma and bitterness that compliments the firm malt backbone.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, MA, NE, NC, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI

Gingerbread Ale | Bison Organic Beer Berkeley, CA

Gingerbread Ale is a delicately spiced holiday porter brewed with ginger, nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon. It boasts an intoxicating aroma of fresh-baked gingerbread cookies straight from the oven, with well-balanced flavors of molasses, chewy dark malts and holiday spice. Imagine dipping a fresh-baked gingerbread cookie into a rich, roasty porter and then taking a bite—that’s what Bison’s Gingerbread Ale tastes like.

Availability: AZ, CA, D.C., FL, GA, IN, KY, NC, OH, OR, VA, WA

6 Geese-a-Laying | The Bruery Orange County, CA

6 Geese-A-Laying is the sixth beer in our “12 Days of Christmas” series, and is a return to the more classic dark and toasty winter ale. Brewed with cape gooseberries, this malty ale displays notes of plums, dark cherry and bright, citrus-like flavors from the namesake berries. This seasonal is delicious right now, but suitable for aging up to six years, just in time for the release of 12 Drummers Drumming, which will close out the series. Pairs well with a holiday roast, cranberry stuffing, chocolate truffles and caroling.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, IL, MD, MA, MI, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, VA, WA, DC, WI

Black Blizzard | Dust Bowl Brewing Company Turlock, CA

Originally a stout of British origin, the imperial stout became popular with the Czarist Court in Russia. High hop levels and alcohol content, as well as large amounts of dark malts, allowed it to survive the journey to Russia and the surrounding regions. These qualities also make for a beer that ages well, providing layers of flavor that continue to develop over the years. In Black Blizzard, a combination of chocolate, coffee and roasted malt flavors and aromas are complimented by an assertive bitterness from both dark malts and British hops.

Availability: CA

Climax Noel | Eel River Brewing Company, Inc. Fortuna, CA

A robust imperial red ale with hints of candied fruit, is accentuated with dry-hopped organic Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe and Citra hops.

Availability: CA, IN, OH, OR

Vintage Barrel-Aged “XVII” Anniversary Ale | Firestone Walker Brewing Company Paso Robles, CA

Fourteen local winemakers recently convened to help the brewing team blend the next Firestone Walker Anniversary Ale. The result is “XVII”—a vintage blend of seven eclectic component ales aged in retired bourbon, brandy and whiskey barrels.

Availability: select markets across the U.S.

Hullabaloo Winter Beer | Hangar 24 Craft Brewery Redlands, CA

This brew starts as a Scottish ale featuring European and domestic malts, giving Hullabaloo intriguing caramel and roast nuances. A blend of American and English hops delivers ample bitterness and a unique hop profile. This is a big, rich beer with a nice, underlying complexity.

Availability: CA, NV

Hoppy Claus Holiday Ale | Hoppy Boy Brewing Company Sacramento, CA

Hoppy Claus is a special version of our flagship product, characterized by its distinctive spiced aroma and rich amber color. Hoppy Claus redefines the way you think about a holiday ale.

Availability: CA, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NV, OH, PA, RI

Winter Four Pack | Iron Springs Pub & Brewery Fairfax, CA

Each year, Iron Springs puts together a winter seasonal four pack. The 2013 edition includes:

• Flashover Smoked Pepper Porter: a smoked robust porter infused with ancho, California, New Mexico and Guajillo chili peppers.
• Mocha Stout: Oatmeal stout with local roasted coffee and certified organic and fair trade Ecuadorian chocolate nibs.
• Quadruple Ale: A strong Belgian-style ale, inspired by the monastic brewing tradition.
• Winterscotch Ale: Scotch ale brewed with all English malt and hops.

Availability: CA

Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale | Karl Strauss Brewing Company San Diego, CA

Fullsuit is brewed with the changing seasons in mind. Firm toasted malt and roasted nut flavors are underpinned by a hint of vanilla that comes from aging the beer on French oak. Belgian ale yeast adds a peppery, fruity character to the beer’s slightly dry and warming finish, making it perfect for the (kind of) cold Southern California winter.

Availability: CA

La Trappistine® | Ladyface Ale Companie Agoura Hills, CA

This Belgian-style dark strong ale is malty with a rich dried fruit character, high carbonation and dry finish. La Trappistine pairs beautifully with traditional Thanksgiving meals and, at 9% ABV, is just the thing to take to your crazy family feast.

Availability: Select craft beer bars & restaurants in Greater LA County

White Christmas Spiced Winter Lager | Moylan’s Brewery Novato, CA

In celebration of the season, Moylan’s presents our White Christmas Spiced Winter Lager. Malty and smooth with a light tart and zesty finish, this year’s lager contains holiday spices, curacao, mace, cinnamon, coriander and white pepper. This holiday lager will warm you and your sweetie inside and out.

Availability: AR, CA, GA, IL, NC, NV, TX

Santa’s Little Helper | Port Brewing Co. San Marcos, CA

Santa knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, and this is one seriously naughty but nice beer. Santa’s Little Helper, our imperial stout, starts with an emphasis on dark cocoa and roasted coffee aromatics. The finish lends hints of sweet crystal malt, warming tones of alcohol and a touch of hops, making it a perfect accompaniment to leftover fruit cake and sugar cookies.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, GA, IL, MA, NJ, PA, WA

Crime | Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, CA

This American strong ale is ultra-hot, with fruity flavors and notes of jalapeño. Flavors of caramel and oak borne from the aging come through mid-palate, followed by a pervasive fiery hop-laced aftertaste. Crime is Lukcy Basartd Ale with peppers added and then aged in American oak Kentucky bourbon barrels.

Availability: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA Back to Regions

Mountain West

BJ’s Annual Grand Cru | BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery – Reno Reno, NV

This strong Belgian-style ale is brewed with imported Belgian malts and some secret ingredients, resulting in a malty character with a whirlwind of fruit and spice flavors.

Availability:  On tap at BJ’s in AZ, CA, CO, FL, LA, IN, KS, KY, NM, NV, OH, Ok, OR, TX, WA. Corked 750ml bottles available for takeout in CA

Mistress | Bonfire Brewing Eagle, CO

Typically golden to blonde in color, wheat beers are a summer staple. Toss in blue agave, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and some midnight wheat malt however, and you get a winter warmer-style wheat that you won’t recognize at first glance.

Availability: CO

Never Summer Ale | Boulder Beer Company Boulder, CO

Deep ruby red in color, brewed with dark caramel malt and assertively hopped.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WY

Big Bad Baptist | Epic Brewing Company Salt Lake City, UT / Denver, CO

This luxuriously rich imperial stout is aged in whiskey and bourbon barrels and then infused with coffee and coca nibs. This year’s batches will feature coffee from Café Ibis, Novo coffee and Cranknstein.

Availability: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MI, MN, NC, NE, NC, NJ, OH, OR, UT, VA, WA, Washington, DC

Winter Soulstiz | Kannah Creek Brewing Company Grand Junction, CO

Winter Soulstiz is our first seasonal release. This robust red ale is a complex, malt-driven ruby red ale balanced with a light hop bitterness.

Availability: CO

Accumulation | New Belgium Brewing Company Ft. Collins, CO

Accumulation, a seasonal white IPA, is all about hops and wheat. Accumulation pours unfiltered, with a white-gold tone, offering tropical aromas from the Mosaic and Amarillo hops. It also has a nice bitter bite balanced against the soft flavor of peaches and a hint of citrus.

Availability: nationwide

Isolation Ale | Odell Brewing Company Fort Collins, CO

A funny thing happens here around summer’s end—our eyes start searching the skies for those first fall flakes. As we welcome autumn’s first snow, we celebrate the return of Isolation Ale. A sweet, caramel-like, malty ale that is balanced by a subtle crisp hop finish. Whether you ski, shred or shoe, Isolation Ale will inspire you to make first tracks.

Availability: AZ, CO, ID, KS, NE, NM, MN, MO, SD, WY

Barrel Aged 12 Gauge | Payette Brewing Boise, ID

Aged in bourbon barrels for one year, 12 Gauge Imperial Stout will be sold by the bottle at Payette Brewing during our annual celebration of dark, rich and delicious beers from around the country, Black Friday. The jet balck beer has hints of vanilla, char and a bourbon sweetness. This is Payette Brewing’s first barrel-aged beer, and first bottled beer.

Availability: ID (Nov. 29)

Hammer & Sickle | Renegade Brewing Company Denver, CO

This Russian imperial stout is a rich stout with vanilla notes and a bitter finish, reminiscent of dark chocolate.

Availability: CO

RailSlide Imperial Spiced Ale | SanTan Brewing Company Chandler, AZ

RailSlide Imperial Spiced Ale is a brew based on a traditional English strong ale with winter flavors including fresh ginger, cinnamon and licorice. It boasts a deep brown color and was created in celebration of the pioneering punk spirit of the American craft brewer.

Availability: AZ

Out Cold Winter Ale | Sawtooth Brewery Ketchum, ID

This English-style old ale is a beer for the long winter nights. Brewed with a hearty grain bill, molasses, English ale yeast and English hops, this beer will likely have you “out cold” before midnight and ready for the slopes the next morning.

Availability: ID (draught only)

Euphoria Pale Ale | Ska Brewing Durango, CO

A big backbone of malt—with plenty of caramel sweetness and just a touch of chocolate and toast—provides enough alcohol to stay warm through the winter months. But it’s the epic grapefruit hop aroma and flavor that really makes this seasonal beer shine. Euphoria is the beer of choice after an epic powder day.

Availability: CO, NM, AZ, OK, TX, NE, MO, IL, NC (Sweden & UK)

Outer Darkness Russian Imperial Stout | Squatters Craft Beers Salt Lake City, UT

Welcome to the biggest beer Squatters Pub Brewery has ever made! A Russian imperial stout is one of the most intensely flavored beers a brewer can create. The combination of rich roasted barley, oak, molasses and licorice root combine to create an utterly unique and complex imperial stout experience. We had to mash in twice to get our starting gravity of 26 plato. We boiled 3.5 hours to enhance caramelization, and used molasses and licorice root at the end of boil. Outer Darkness is aged with oak, and has 65 IBUs. We hope you have as much fun drinking it as we did making it.

Availability: AR, IA, LA, MA, MI, ND, NE, NM, RI, SD, TX, UT

Sockeye Winterfest | Sockeye Brewing Boise, ID

This American strong ale has a deep, rich malt complexity with hints of toffee, caramel and lightly toasted barley. Hops are plentiful as well, giving this beer enough hop bite to balance the big malt profile. It sits at 7.25% ABV and 75 IBUs.

Availability: ID

Christmas Ale | Upslope Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Holiday spices complement the dark fruit and spicy notes from Abbey Ale Yeast in this Belgian-style dubbel. The distinctive holiday aroma, ruby red color and rich malt flavor make this ale perfect for spreading Christmas cheer.

Availability: CO

Wasatch Winterfest | Wasatch Beers Park City, UT

This is a rich amber ale with caramel malt flavors and a large hop presence. Winterfest is brewed with the finest Northwestern Pale and Caramel malts, and then generously hopped with Columbus and Amarillo hops. Crafted in the spirit and style of robust winter ales, Wasatch Winterfest weighs in at 7.1% ABV. It is inspired and brewed to warm you through the cold winter months, and is great after a day on the mountain or a perfect companion around the fire.

Availability: AZ, IA, LA, MA, MN, ND, NE, NM, RI. SD, TX, UT, WI

Back to Regions

South

Loup Garou | Bayou Teche Brewing Arnaudville, LA

For generations, Cajuns have told their children to hurry to bed or Loup Garou would get them. Brewed with werewolf-sized helpings of chocolate and roasted Belgian malts, brown sugar and hops, the beer is then oak-aged. This skillfully crafted Belgian stout is ideal for sipping on well past bedtime, waiting on the fabled Loup Garou.

Availability: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NY

Santa’s Secret | Carolina Brewery Pittsboro, NC

Our winter holiday brew boasts a combination of six different malts working together to produce a rich beer with a soft creamy mouthfeel. Without revealing all of Santa’s secrets, we can say that this tasty ale contains a careful blend of coriander, cinnamon, orange and allspice. We think you’ll agree—it’s the closest thing to Christmas in a glass. (5.9% ABV, 22 IBUs)

Availability: GA, NC, SC

El Duderino | Center of the Universe Brewing Co. Ashland, VA

Eight malts are combined and then fermented and rested upon two pounds of vanilla beans to create El Duderino.

Availability: VA

Silent Night | Mother Earth Brewing Kinston, NC

Invite friends, stoke the fire and uncork a bottle of indulgence. Silent Night, a Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, offers a coffee aroma and an exceptionally rich malty flavor. Robust yet smooth and black as coal, each sip is a delightful gift. Old man winter gave you just what you were hoping for.

Availability: GA, NC, Northern VA, Washington, DC

Hoe Hoe Hoe | Swamp Head Brewery Gainesville, FL

Hoe Hoe Hoe is complex like your Grandma’s fruitcake, but more appreciated at the holiday table. This Belgian-style witbier was crafted to complement a Floridian winter. We start with Cottonmouth, our year-round witbier, and shape it into what we feel a holiday ale should be; infusing it with cranberries, fresh ginger and Florida orange blossom honey to produce a slightly tart and colorful seasonal specialty.

Availability: FL

Moo-Hoo | Terrapin Beer Co. Athens, GA

Moo-Hoo proudly uses cocoa nibs and shells from Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. in Nashville, Tenn.,to give it its chocolaty great taste!

Availability: GA, FL, AL, TN, SC, NC, MD, NJ, VA, PA

Coffee Oatmeal Stout | Thomas Creek Brewery Greenville, SC

A creamy oatmeal stout with a dark roasted flavor and a delectable coffee aroma made with our very own locally-roasted coffee blend.

Availability: SC, NC, PA, NJ, FL

Divergence Brett Porter | Wicked Weed Brewing Asheville, NC

This 100% Brettanomyces fermented porter is aged on black currants, local elder berries and French Broad Chocolate cocoa nibs in Angels Envy bourbon barrels.

Availability: brewpub only Back to Regions

The post Craft Beer Winter Seasonals 2013 appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

Hopefully this list will get you landlubbers in the pirate talkin’ mood! Yo ho ho!

1. Victory at Sea | Ballast Point Brewing Company | San Diego, CA
2. Captain’s Reserve IPA | Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. | Elmsford, NY
3. Blackbeerd Imperial Stout | COAST Brewing | Charleston, SC
4. Jolly Roger | Drake’s Brewing Company | San Leandro, CA
5. AARGHtoberfest! | Heavy Seas Beer | Baltimore, MD
6. Bosun’s Black Porter | Maritime Pacific Brewing Company | Seattle, WA
7. Pirate Noir | Prairie Artisan Ales | Krebs, OK
8. Scurvy IPA | Tyranena Brewing Company | Lake Mills, WI

The post Blimey! 8 Pirate-Themed Beers for Me Mateys appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

In true craft beer spirit, we’re already seeing breweries along Colorado’s Front Range, some of which are damaged themselves, jump into action. New relief efforts and funds are being announced daily, and here are a few that we know about at this point. We will be adding to this list as we can, and we encourage you to let the community know about other relief efforts (brewery related or not) in a comment below.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding, especially those still looking for loved ones.

Avery Brewing Company | Boulder, CO

The Great Rumpkin Raffle Benefitting Foothills Flood Relief Fund will be taking place on Sunday, Sept. 22 at Avery Brewing Company. Each $10 raffle ticket is good for a complimentary pint, and the raffle will include one case Rumpkin, two pairs of tickets to Boulder IPA Fest, Eight six-packs of Rumpkin and Avery gear!

Left Hand Brewing Company | Longmont, CO

All proceeds from Longmont Oktoberfest (September 20-21) will be split evenly between Longmont Meals on Wheels, HOPE for Longmont, and the Left Hand Brewing Foundation. Every beer sold, donation made, or participation in the text-to-donate campaign will support those affected by the disaster. Learn more about all donation efforts and how to participate on the Left Hand Blog.

Odd13 Brewing | Lafayette, CO

To help with relief efforts, $1 from every pint sold at Odd13 Brewing on September 15-16 was donated to the United Way Foothills Flood Relief Fund.

Oskar Blues | Longmont, CO

Oskar Blues has set up a GiveForward relief fund for the family and friends of Oskar Blues affected by the destructive flooding along the Front Range of Colorado. In addition, the kitchen at Oskar Blues’ Home Made Liquids & Solids has been turned into a commissary to make food for shelters in the surrounding areas. Learn more about relief efforts and how you can help on the Oskar Blues GiveForward page.

Star Bar Denver

Star Bar Denver will be hosting a Colorado Flood Relief Fundraiser on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. All proceeds of Colorado beer and spirits will be donated to local flood relief efforts.

Upslope Brewing Company | Boulder, CO

Upslope’s much anticipated Pumpkin Ale Release Party will now also be the start to their week-long campaign to raise money for those affected by the flood. Starting Thursday, Sept. 19, Upslope will be donating $1 from every pint sold for the next week to local flood relief efforts.

West Flanders Brewing Company | Boulder, CO

Celebrating their one-year anniversary this weekend, the brewery will be donating $2 of every West Flanders beer sold to Colorado flood relief from Saturday, Sept. 20 through Monday, Sept. 23. The brewery will also be debuting a black IPA and a completely new menu.

The post Colorado Beer Community Flood Relief Efforts appeared first on CraftBeer.com.