News Briefs for September 7, 2012

•Miller’s Ale House, the Florida-based, beer-focused casual dining chain, opened its 59th location in Paramus, New Jersey in late August and is set to enter new markets soon. The Paramus venue is the chain’s second in New Jersey and its eighth in the Northeast. Miller’s Ale House—which has no connection to Miller Brewing—boasts more than 75 different beers, with up to 65 varieties on tap. Billed as having a “casual neighborhood tavern atmosphere,” Miller’s Ale House features a large horseshoe bar, multiple TV monitors and menu offerings that include wings, burgers, steaks and seafood. Miller’s Ale Houses are currently located in eight states: Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Illinois. The company is planning new units in Springfield, Pennsylvania; Rockville, Maryland; and Oviedo, Florida. Primary regional targets are the Northeast, Florida, Illinois, Nevada and Arizona.

•Tacoma, Washington-based confectioner Brown & Haley has entered the wine business with the launch of Almond Roca Cream dessert wine to coincide with the company’s 100-year anniversary. The 14%-abv wine will retail for $14.99 a 750-ml. bottle. It will appear on shelves at Bartell Drugs, a Washington chain, on October 1 and will roll out to other West Coast retailers later that month. Almond Roca Cream’s formula and flavor profile—said to have natural almond and toffee flavors with cocoa notes—were co-created by Brown & Haley and Chocolate Shop winemaker Hal Landvoigt. The wine is bottled by Chocolate Shop Winery in Walla Walla and will be marketed by Seattle-based Precept Wine.

•Total Wine & More is expanding its presence in Washington state with a new store in Tukwila, located about five miles south of Seattle in the Southcenter shopping center. The new location is slated to open September 20 and will feature some 8,000 wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beer SKUs, including a large selection of locally produced items. It will also feature a “Brewery District” beer tasting bar and special growler section with 12 taps of Washington craft beers. Total Wine opened its first Washington store in Bellevue in late June—just after the state’s privatization of retail spirits sales June 1—and signed a lease for a store in Spokane last month. The company plans to open 10 stores in the state this year.

•Krug Champagne will bring back its Krug House New York this October. The lineup of events will kick off with a private party on October 7 to honor the recipient of the Second Annual Krug Lifetime Achievement Award Madeline Triffon, who is currently Master Sommelier for Plum Market West in Bloomfield, Michigan. They will also have two dinners hosted by Michelin-starred chef Marc Forgione (priced at $300 a ticket) on October 8 and October 10 and will finish with the private Krug Lovers Party on October 11. After originally launching at a townhouse in downtown Manhattan last summer, the Krug House idea has since expanded into other cities, including Aspen and Los Angeles.

Tagged : restaurants, Total Wine & More

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