Craft Brewing and Distilling News for Friday, August 7, 2015
August 7, 2015•Colorado’s Oskar Blues Brewery is introducing a new year-round canned IPA this month. Oskar Blues IPA (6.43% abv) is brewed with a variety of Australian hops, such as Enigma, Vic Secret, Ella and Topaz, with red wheat and English Caramalt. It’s available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans and on draft throughout the company’s 44-state distribution footprint.
•Wirtz Beverage has augmented its craft lineup in the Wisconsin market with the addition of Great Dane Pub & Brewing. Madison-based Great Dane will see its brews—including German Pilsner, Hopsconsin and Crop Circle Wheat—expand statewide through Wirtz’s distribution network, beginning the first week of September. Wirtz Wisconsin’s craft stable also includes Ballast Point, Deschutes, Merchant du Vin and Seattle Cider, among others.
•Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) depletions climbed 1% in the first half of the year, led by 7% growth in CBA’s home markets of Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, though net sales remained stagnant at $100 million. The company’s net income—down markedly in the first half—was hampered by a major jump in selling, general and administrative expenses, which include planned investments in sales infrastructure and marketing. CBA—whose brands include Widmer Brothers, Kona Brewing, Redhook Ale Brewery, Omission and Square Mile Cider Co.—expects beer shipment growth to be between 1% and 3% for the full year.
•Brooklyn-based New York Distilling Company is rolling out its second rye whiskey offering, Ragtime Rye. The straight American rye whiskey follows the release of Mister Katz’s Rock & Rye and is aged for a minimum of three years in full-size barrels. It’s made from an organic mashbill of 72% rye, 16% corn and 12% malted barley from New York state’s Pedersen Family Farms and bottled at 90.4 proof. Ragtime will be available nationwide beginning in September for about $44. New York Distilling’s portfolio of craft spirits also includes Perry’s Tot Navy Strength Gin, Dorothy Parker American Gin and Chief Gowanus New Netherland Gin.
•The American Craft Spirits Association has named Margie A. S. Lehrman as interim executive director, replacing the retiring Penn Jensen. Jensen, who helped found the organization, will continue to consult with the group. Lehrman was previously COO of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America).
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