Beer News

Crowdfunding Enables Completion of Documentary

British journalist and author Michael Jackson has been credited by many in the beer community for sparking much of the world’s passion for enjoying craft beer. Now, a documentary over three years in the making seeks to tell Jackson’s story—and it’s being funded by beer fans around the world.

Beer Hunter: The Movie contains rare and unseen footage of Jackson shot between 2004-2006, during travels to breweries and pubs across Europe and the United States. But director J.R. Richards needed the money to compile the footage into a film, so he launched a Kickstarter campaign, a popular online crowdfunding resource.

In January, he stated in a press release: “I have over sixty hours of priceless footage of Michael that needs to be seen, but we really need help to see us through the final stages.”

Richards surpassed his goal of raising $30,000 in pledges by January 29; by press time, he had raised $39,729, with seven days to go.

With the money, Richards plans to interview more brewers, distillers and writers about Michael, fund production and distribution costs, and create a special series using footage not included in the film for a special-edition DVD. Additionally, he hopes to add his footage to the existing Michael Jackson Collection at London’s Oxford Brookes University, and establish a nonprofit foundation in Jackson’s memory to benefit Parkinson’s research.

Richards explains, “Although $30,000 seems like a lot of money, it will barely accomplish [our goals]. … Most documentaries of this scope can easily exceed $200,000 in total production costs. But by calling on favors, self-distributing, and using the beer community to market the film, we can substantially reduce our costs and finish the film on time.”

Jackson wrote several books and magazine articles detailing brewing culture and his experiences, and even had a six-part TV series, The Beer Hunter, in the early ’90s. Jackson suffered from Parkinson’s for over a decade before his unexpected passing in August 2007.

Alchemy & Science Announces First Craft Beer Venture in Los Angeles

Alchemy & Science has wasted no time making its first move—on January 5, the company announced their acquisition of Los Angeles’ Angel City Brewing Company.

Angel City, founded in 1997 by owner Michael Bowe, is one of LA’s most popular breweries, as well as one of its smallest at just 2,000 barrels a year. In 2010, Angel City moved to a 27,000-square-foot facility in Los Angeles’ Downtown Arts District. Alchemy & Science, whose mission is to support craft brewing, hopes to infuse the brewery with enough resources to accelerate renovations enough to get beer flowing back into bars by springtime.

Bowe was previously an avid homebrewer, having won “Los Angeles Homebrewer of the Year” in 1995 and 1996. Alchemy & Science co-founder Alan Newman states in a press release: “I’ve known Michael Bowe for many years, and I’ve followed his career as a brewer with great admiration—though it never occurred to me that I would become involved with Angel City. Michael’s vision for a thriving and robust brewery for the City of Los Angeles resonated with me from our initial conversations. We are very excited to have this opportunity to become part of the renaissance of the LA downtown area.”

Newman, who also founded Magic Hat and left that company in 2010, adds that Angel City will serve as a testing site for new beers that A&S will develop.

Bowe explains, “I realized that what I love is brewing beer, not running a business. … Aligning with Alchemy & Science will bring my original vision for Angel City to fruition and will ensure the brewery’s legacy in uncertain times. This is a win-win for everybody, especially for craft beer lovers in Los Angeles.”

NY Breweries Receive Marketing Boost from “I Love NY Brew” Campaign

In 2011, the 77 breweries and brewpubs throughout New York collectively supported over 60,000 jobs, and provided billions of dollars in tax revenues and wages to the state’s economy. Now, Sen. Charles Schumer has launched a campaign, dubbed “I Love NY Brew,” to increase understanding of small brewers’ importance and persuade the state to shift toward local brewers.

Schumer explains via press release, “Craft breweries have catapulted New York to the top shelf of beer states, and our beers are more than ready for prime time. … I’m strongly urging New York restaurants, bars and convenience stores alike across the state to take a close look at New York’s beers, and consider putting them on their shelves or on their menu. It would be a win-win, both for those selling the beer, and for the breweries making it.”

In a letter sent to the NY State Restaurant Association and the National Association of Convenience Stores and Fuel Retailing, Schumer asked the groups to encourage member establishments to offer more local brews. Schumer, along with the New York State Brewers Association, believes the smaller upstate breweries hold opportunity for serious growth. The NYSBA is also providing promotional materials to restaurants and convenience stores in an effort to build awareness and boost sales of these smaller brands.

Schumer continues, “Our local breweries provide good-paying jobs and help draw tourists and visitors to the Empire State—I’m going to do everything I can to help them grow and expand even further.”

St. Louis Brewery to Sell 60 Percent Stake to Local Investors’ Group

On January 4, a week after celebrating their 20th anniversary, St. Louis Brewery, brewers of the Schlafly brand, announced they had signed a purchase agreement that will transfer a 60-percent ownership interest in the business to a local investor group.

“The agreement with Wes and John meets the criteria we set back in June of 2010, when we first discussed a succession plan for ownership of the brewery,” states Tom Schlafly in a press release. “Senior and long-term employees will be able to purchase stock in the company; and I’m transferring a majority interest to local investors committed to keeping the business in St. Louis.”

The agreement can’t be finalized until all the necessary licenses and permits from federal, state and local governments are approved, which could take several months. The group consists of 13 individuals, and is led by Wes Jones, John Lemkemeier and Spencer Finney. David Schlafly, cousin of brewery president and co-founder Tom Schlafly, is also part of the group.

Under the current proposal, Tom Schlafly will retain approximately 20 percent of the brewery and serve as chairman. Co-founder and current chief operating officer Dan Kopman will own at least a 10-percent share and continue serving as chief executive officer; 10 percent of the business will be available for purchase by eligible employees.

In the press release, Lemkemeier adds, “We look forward to Dan and Tom’s continued leadership of St. Louis’s largest locally owned brewery. We also welcome the Schlafly employees having the opportunity to participate in the ownership of the business they have helped to build.”

Study Reveals Beers Labeled ‘Gluten-Free’ May be Full of It

In recent years, breweries have become increasingly accommodating of beer fans suffering from Celiac disease, brewing up gluten-free options that more sensitive digestive tracts will tolerate. However, a recent study published in the Journal of Proteome Research has declared some brews branded as “gluten free” or “low gluten” may actually still contain as much barley hordeins (water-soluble gluten proteins that break down into peptides) as normal beer—potentially causing an adverse reaction for some drinkers.

The hordeins were tough to detect using previously existing testing measures due to the fact they broke down so much in the water. Scientists at University of Queensland in Australia understood this, and formulated a new testing method that better detects these elusive proteins. Then they analyzed 60 different commercial beers—from beers that claimed to be gluten free or low gluten, to regular brews—for their levels of gluten. Their findings showed eight beers were correctly labeled as “gluten free,” but two claiming to be “gluten free” or “low gluten” actually contained as many hordeins as regular beer.

No particular brand names were disclosed in the study. The FDA is currently in the process of establishing new guidelines for gluten-free products in the United States. ■