Craft Brewing and Distilling News for July 2, 2015

•Wisconsin craft producer Leinenkugel’s, part of the MillerCoors portfolio, expects to cross the 1-million-barrel threshold this year, reports the Lacrosse Tribune. Leinenkugel’s growth continues to be driven by its core Summer Shandy—an Impact “Hot Brand” that advanced by 15% to 6.3 million (2.25-gallon) cases in 2014—as well as its new seasonal Grapefruit Shandy, which has fared so well in the early going that it may become a year-round part of the portfolio. The Tribune added that MillerCoors has invested nearly $3 million in Leinenkugel’s Chippewa Falls brewery to allow it to produce an India Pale Lager extension, which is expected to launch in six-packs in Wisconsin and the Twin Cities ahead of a wider rollout next year.

•Sonoma County’s Bear Republic Brewing Company has re-released its Café Racer 15 summer seasonal. Billed as a Double IPA, Café Racer 15 is brewed with Citra, Amarillo, Cascade and Chinook hops, and features a dry malt finish. The 9.75%-abv entry is currently available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft for a limited time. Along with Café Racer 15, Bear Republic’s rotating seasonal lineup includes the Apex, Mach 10 and Racer X labels.

Tagged : Bear Republic, Bear Republic Brewing Co, craft beer, Leinenkugel's, MillerCoors

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