State of the (Craft Brewing) Union
After a spending a week in the Pacific Northwest, Mike Bristol of the eponymous Bristol Brewing Company (Paul couldn’t wait to use the word “eponymous”) is back at work in Colorado. On the brewery website, Mike reflects on the state of craft brewing in America. Despite a sick economy, the industry is strong. Did you know that craft beer has grown faster than any segment of the beverage alcohol industry? Or that it has grown for 35 years in a row?
Mike has another fun fact: Half the population of America lives within ten miles of a brewery. (raises hand) There are two within ten miles of Chez Ludwig, plus a restaurant that serves beer from a brewpub in the next county.
The Top Ten Craft Beer Stories of 2009
With the year quickly winding down, beersage at BeerNews.org is out with the top ten craft beer stories of 2009.This year’s list is dominated by beer releases. including a beer with the highest-ever ABV. However, the year’s number-one story in craft beer involves social media: it’s gotten to the point that Twitter and Facebook are as essential to a brewery’s operation as malt and hops. Beersage adds that individual beer enthusiasts are turning to social media–but you probably knew that already.