Craft Brewing And Distilling News for October 25, 2012

•Escondido, California-based Stone Brewing Co. will release a coffee IPA next year in collaboration with Two Brothers Brewing Co. The brew was the winner of Chicago’s Iron Brew homebrew contest this fall and was created by Jim Moorehouse and Brad Zeller. Their recipe will be scaled to Stone’s 120-barrel system and brewed there using coffee from Two Brothers’ new coffeehouse. A date for production has yet to be set. In other company news, Stone Brewing is expanding distribution into the Southern Illinois market next week through Koerner Distributors, Inc. Stone already has a presence in Chicago with Windy City Distribution and in the Peoria area with Marketplace Selections. Stone’s beers are now available in 36 states.

•Colorado craft distiller Spring44 has detailed plans for its new distillery, according to local media reports. Located in Loveland, the 6,000-square-foot facility has a total annual capacity of 250,000 cases. The distillery is slated to begin operations next year, with an initial production of 20,000 cases projected for 2013 and around 250 jobs to be created by 2014. Founded in 2011, the Spring44 portfolio includes its eponymous vodka, honey vodka and gin labels ($24.99-$29.99 a 750-ml.) as well as the Rob’s Mountain gin brand, which the company acquired in May. Spring44’s offerings are currently distributed throughout New York, Colorado, New Jersey, Utah and Florida.

•Kent, Washington-based Airways Brewing is launching its flagship Sky Hag IPA in 22-ounce bottles, concurrent with the core label’s second anniversary celebration. Brewed with malted barley sourced from the Pacific Northwest and Columbus hops, Sky Hag IPA will initially appear in bottle format on October 31 at the Airways Brewing taproom. Distribution will later extend to select specialty beer stores throughout the Seattle-Tacoma metro area. Previously available only on draft, Sky Hag marks the second packaged offering from Airways, following its launch of Final Departure Imperial Stout earlier this month. In addition to the two bottled brews, Airways also produces a range of draft-only year-round and seasonal offerings, including its Pre-Flight Pils, Jet City ESB, Starliner Stout and Midnight Departure CDA labels.

Tagged : craft beer, craft spirits

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