Beer News

American Brewers Win at European Awards

Five members of the Brewers Association’s Export Development Program were recognized at the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival’s international beer competition. DC Brau brought home gold for its Double IPA On the Wings of Armageddon, as did FiftyFifty Brewing for Eclipse High West Rye. Stone, Lagunitas and Oskar Blues also won medals.

Wild Hop Variety Makes Commercial Beer Debut

Northern Discovery, a wild hop variety cultivated by Paul Stang of Silver Hops farm in southern Wisconsin, made its commercial debut in Pearl Street Brewery’s Linalool IPA in October. The strain, which Stang discovered in 2007, has more than double the typical amount of linalool, a chemical compound that contributes to the longevity of hop aroma.

SweetWater to Build West Coast Brewery

Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing announced plans to build a West Coast brewery in 2017. A 130-barrel brewhouse purchased from the recently closed Pyramid Brewery in Berkeley, Calif., will allow production of more than 400,000 barrels at the new facility. The western location is part of national expansion plans that have included hiring a new CFO in July and selling a partial stake to an investment firm in September.

Wynkoop Revives Beer Drinker of the Year Awards

After a two-year hiatus, Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing has revived the popular Beer Drinker of the Year awards, which began in 1997 and recognizes a beer drinker for his or her passion and knowledge for beer. The revamped contest includes video submissions and social media voting to bring three finalists to Denver. Submit your entry by December 31.

Bill Siebel Passes Away at 69

William (Bill) Siebel, the former chairman and CEO of Chicago’s Siebel Institute of Technology, died of esophageal cancer on November 8 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. To keep pace with a changing industry, Bill Siebel, who retired in 2000, helped introduce a series of shorter courses at the brewing school founded by his great-grandfather John Ewald Siebel.

Constellation Brands to Acquire Ballast Point

In November, the publicly traded Corona and Modelo brewer Constellation Brands announced it will purchase Ballast Point Brewery & Spirits for $1 billion by the end of 2015. The brewery is Constellation’s first craft acquisition. ■