Craft Brewing and Distilling News for December 5, 2013
December 5, 2013•St. Louis-based contract brewer Brew Hub has inked deals to produce beer for three craft breweries: Cigar City Brewing, Orange Blossom Pilsner and BJ’s Restaurants. Beginning in May 2014, Brew Hub will produce about 40,000 barrels for the three companies combined, basing production out of its Lakeland, Florida brewery, on which construction began last May. The Lakeland site will have a finished capacity of 75,000 barrels. Brew Hub will also distribute the three companies’ beers in Florida and eventually throughout other southeastern states. Backed by Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies—which recently acquired Tesco’s former U.S. retail unit, Fresh & Easy—Brew Hub plans to open four additional breweries over the next five years and is considering locations in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Texas and West Coast.
•Maui-based Hawaii Sea Spirits has unveiled plans to expand its craft spirits stable. The company—whose core offering is its organic Ocean vodka entry ($32)—plans to launch a lineup of white, gold and oak-aged rums, as well as a line of American whiskies, including a “white dog” whiskey, American oak-aged whiskey and a variety of American Bourbons aged for a minimum of three years. Additionally, Hawaii Sea plans to roll out a new range of Hawaii-inspired liqueurs. Specializing in organic, sustainably-produced craft spirits, Hawaii Sea has an annual production capacity of around 200,000 nine-liter cases and currently distributes its Ocean vodka to 36 states and Canada.
•San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery is projecting total shipments of 55,000 barrels for 2013. The volume marks a steep rise from the craft brewer’s 1,000-barrel shipment in 2008, the year 21st Amendment first started offering its beers in cans and shipping locally. In other company news, 21st Amendment has appointed Ted Whitney as its new director of sales. Most recently, Whitney served as national sales director for Colorado’s Avery Brewing Co. Established in 2000, 21st Amendment’s portfolio includes three year-round offerings—Brew Free! Or Die IPA, Back In Black black IPA and Bitter American session ale—as well as three seasonals and five specialty entries.
•Seattle Cider Company is releasing a new seasonal entry, New England Style hard cider. The 9.5% abv, pre-Prohibition-style cider, which is fermented with sugar and lemons, will be available in 22-ounce bottles through February. It joins year-round entries Dry and Semi-Sweet and fellow seasonal Pumpkin Spice in the Seattle Cider portfolio. The company’s products are currently available in stores and on tap throughout Washington state and Alaska, with expansion to Oregon and Michigan slated for January.
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