Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 14, 2020

Captured by The Brewtography Project at Odell Brewing’s RiNo location.

"Unity is strength. . . when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved." —Mattie Stepanek

Another week under our belts of this pandemic and it seems like things have somewhat hovered around where they were the previous week, a refreshing lull after a rush of change. Dare we ask: Is the new normal?

While it does seem like things are slowing down a bit with regards to new developments and policy changes, it may leave us asking ourselves, “how long will this last?” — whether it’s pertaining to how long it’ll be until the next major change, how long we’ll have the shelter-in-place order, how long it’ll be till we can enjoy our craft barley beverages at our favorite brewery, distillery, etc. We’re in serious limbo.

Despite it all, our incredible community keeps collaborating to achieve strength through teamwork. Day after day, there’s pieces of news that bring light during these darker times. There’s just as much positive as there is negative to Coronavirus if you’re looking in the right places. Here are a few of them:

• Dustin Hall of The Brewtography Project is supporting the community through book donations. His generous efforts have raised $4,293 and counting for Colorado craft breweries!

• Four Saints Brewing Company continues to connect with their community in creative ways as they adjust to the new situation as the first and only brewery in Randolph County, North Carolina. Check out what they’re doing here!

• Root Shoot Malting is donating 16,000 pounds of corn to Colorado distilleries to make hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. The maltster has donated more than 6,000 pounds to-date for hand sanitizer efforts to Ballmer Peak Distillery, Big Fat Pastor Spirits, Conflagration Distilling, Denver Distillery, Golden Moon Distillery, Idlewild Spirits Distillery, Molly Brown Distillery, Rocker Spirits, and The Block Distilling Co., with more to come.

• Other Half Brewing out of New York launched a new campaign, All Together — similar to that of Sierra Nevada’s Resilience campaign. All Together is a worldwide collaboration created to raise awareness and funds for the craft industry. “#AllTogetherBeer invites any brewer, from any corner of the planet, to participate by providing the tools needed to make the beer at the lowest possible cost, including an open-source recipe, artwork, and name. In exchange, the collective asks that a portion of the proceeds go to supporting hospitality professionals in each brewery’s own community. The rest should be donated to keeping the brewery in business to weather this storm.” Read more on Brewbound.

• 33 craft maltsters responded to a recent survey conducted by the Craft Maltsters Guild (CMG) regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on their businesses. As expected, 88% of those responded said that they have already been impacted through reduced sales, however, only 9% of those surveyed made employee lay-offs. That equates to only 3 of the 33 that maltsters forced to make that difficult decision. Support maltsters during this time, and always, by purchasing beer made with local malt or who sport the Craft Malt Seal. Learn more on 5280 Magazine.

• The COVID pandemic has forced many business owners to think outside of the box as they’re adapting to the “new normal” we’re living in. Andy Jessen of Bonfire Brewing share this in a recent Forbes article:

  "It has also made us realize how little we were taking advantage of the opportunity to engage in a broader fashion with our diverse online customer base. With no options for communicating in-person, we've successfully created brand new channels of engagement that are proving successful. The crisis has also shown us the strength of our team and the support they garner in the community. Leaders are emerging.”

If you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.

We’d also love to continue sharing your stories and help you keep track of your evolving changes around COVID precautions. Please email your COVID statements to karen@radcraftbeer.com.

Stay safe and healthy out there!

—Karen Mills, RadCraft Content Editor

Ska Fabricating Debuts Magic Bus Fully Automated Can Depalletizer

The Magic Bus at Allagash Brewing Co.

DURANGO, CO—  The latest product from Ska Fabricating, the Magic Bus, joins the fabrication company’s portfolio of canning options today. The Magic Bus is a fully automated can depalletizer with pallet management capable of speeds up to 600 CPM. It is ideal for any application where speed is important, increased automation is needed, and operator involvement can be minimized, and is now available to beverage companies worldwide.  

The Magic Bus is all about two things: speed and true automation. Gone are the days of pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on canning lines— the Magic Bus allows packaging teams to “set it and forget it” by simply loading cans, debanding, and pressing start. A standard two-pallet infeed pulls pallets of cans into a depalletizer, where they are automatically emptied, stacked, and have their top frame and tier sheets removed and stored. Learn more about this radical new machine in this video. 

Two craft breweries have already implemented use of the Magic Bus in their canning operations. This new product can be found in the wild at Allagash Brewing in Portland, Maine and Maui Brewing on Maui island in Hawaii. 

“It’s a pallet loader that lets us queue up a full pallet of empty cans in an infeed system that will then automatically index that next pallet into the depalletizer rather than waiting for a fork lift driver to do it. It’s one more way of making sure we keep the filler running and don’t starve it of cans. We were the first to install one of these systems from Ska.” - Sean Diffley, Engineering Director at Allagash Brewing Co.

Join the Ska Fabricating team for The Magic Bus virtual release party on Friday, April 24 at 10am MST, with a live demonstration of this new product followed by a q&a segment with Ska Fab’s fabrication experts. 

Ska Fabricating is now accepting orders for the Magic Bus. Contact sales@skafabricating.com for more information. 

ABOUT SKA FABRICATING

Founded by Ska Brewing Co-Owner Matt Vincent, Ska Fabricating automates packaging lines for craft businesses, specializing in depalletizers, palletizers, conveyance systems, rinsing, drying, filling and date coding products. With more than 800 customers worldwide, Ska Fab has the products and experience to help you increase your production while saving expenses. Learn more at skafabricating.com.

Bonfire Block Party Postponed to August

EAGLE, CO– Due to worldwide uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the safety of guests, artists, vendors, and the Eagle County community, Bonfire Brewing and Optimum Events announced today that the 2020 Bonfire Block Party will be postponed to the last weekend in August. 

2020 marks the eighth annual Bonfire Block Party, three-time winner of the Best of Vail's Best Summer Festival title. Originally slated for June 12-14 with its most ambitious lineup yet, the new dates for this community event are August 28-30. Eagle, Colorado’s annual Outside Fest that takes place in tandem with Block Party is also postponed to these dates.

A refund process will be available via the Bonfire Block Party website within the next week, for current ticket holders unable to attend the August dates. Tickets purchased for the original June dates will be applied to the new August dates with no further action needed.

The brewery and its event partner Optimum Events are working to keep the original band lineup and all intended weekend plans intact. They will make announcements accordingly at a later time, and continue to prioritize public health over good times as challenging as this reality may be.

 “With circumstances far out of our control, we're more grateful to the Town of Eagle, our ticket buyers, the bands, and our partners than ever before,” says Bonfire co-owner Amanda Jessen.  “Over the last few weeks, keeping the Bonfire family safe and together has been our top priority, and we’re relieved that that has been possible so far,” Jessen continued. “With the announcement of the postponed dates, we’re excited to all have something to look forward to, and ready to bring our community the best Bonfire Block Party yet, circumstances permitting. Beer in the street may never taste so good,” she concludes. 

Live music tours, events, and festivals all over the world have been cancelled or postponed due to the continuing safety concerns as a result of the pandemic. “The music industry, and every business type associated with it, has been absolutely decimated by this crisis,” notes Optimum Events owner Ted Wenninger. “We’re driven to keep the Bonfire Block Party going not only for the community here in Eagle, but also for all the artists, vendors, and staff that have seen their livelihoods disappear.”

A portion of all Bonfire Block Party proceeds benefit Eagle County nonprofit partner, The Cycle Effect. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.bonfireblockparty.com.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with all media inquiries about Bonfire Brewing and Bonfire Block Party.

IF YOU GO:

What: 2020 Bonfire Block Party

When: Friday, August 28 - Sunday, August 30

Where:  Downtown Eagle, CO

Cost: $40 - $140

More Information: visit www.bonfireblockparty.com

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 7, 2020

Photo courtesy Drifter Brewing Co.

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller

Over the last couple weeks, the craft barley community has gone through quite a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. Our community has taken it in stride, adapting as much as we can. That’s just a small reminder of the strength and resilience of craft brewers, distillers, and maltsters— and just how much we can accomplish together.

Breweries operating under new guidelines across the world continue to release new beers and innovate. Brewers guilds are working tirelessly to communicate daily changes. The social experience might be turned upside down, but beer lovers still have so much access to craft. We mentioned last week that we never realized how much we take our third spaces for granted; and that continues to ring true— on a global scale.

Our friends at Drifter Brewing Company in South Africa are having a helluva lot harder time than some of our partners in the United States. The entire country is under strict lockdown— no beer sales of any kind (or dog walking!). They shared their Captain's Log lockdown story with us here, a creative and comical way to keep the lights on in their part of the world.

We want to continue to share ways you can help, and there’s definitely still so much more to come…

• Service Industry Tips was set up to help the food and beverage professionals that are impacted by restaurant closures and the drastic decrease in workforce with the shift to take-out. During this time of social distancing, consider tipping a local service industry worker through Venmo or Cash App.

• Our friends at C-Star Provisions is donating all profits from the pre-sale of their newest flavor, Nashville Hot Jerky, sales to the staff who have been impacted by the shut downs.

• Good Word Brewing will continue operating their soup kitchen now that they’ve reopened, and will be donating any leftovers to Meals by Grace. They also encourage donating to The Giving Kitchen, an organization that aids restaurant workers when they are in need.

If you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.

Stay safe, stay positive, stay resilient – taking things one day at a time.

—The RadCraft Team

Lone Tree Brewing Rolls Out First-Ever Year-Round IPA, Castle Rock Pale Ale, and Strawberry Kiwi Blonde Ale

LONE TREE, CO— 2020 is a revolutionary year for Lone Tree Brewing Company’s canned portfolio. Fresh off the release of New Zealand IPA early in the year, Lone Tree presents three new brands that are now available across Colorado: India Pale Ale, Castle Rock Pale Ale, and Strawberry Kiwi Blonde Ale.

Lone Tree’s new India Pale Ale is a clear, West Coast-style IPA recipe that Lone Tree has long been tweaking to perfection. This medium-bodied 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale has bold hop character from Centennial, Cascade, and Zythos with copious amounts of CTZ dry-hopping that yield fruit-forward and citrus aromas— all balanced out with a strong but not overpowering malt backbone. “We launched our canned brands with our Double IPA and we’ve always experimented with different hops in our Hoppy Little Trees project, but we’ve never had a year-round flagship IPA until now,” says someone cool at Lone Tree. “This IPA is a long time coming, and we can't wait to share this final product with our customers.”

Castle Rock Pale Ale also joined Lone Tree’s canned lineup this spring. This 5.6% ABV Pale Ale is everything one needs in a classic Pale Ale recipe: well-rounded, both malty and bitter, with a pleasant citrus-forward dry-hop aroma. Lone Tree crafted to celebrate the opening of Castle Rock, Colorado’s new Whole Foods store. It is now available at Whole Foods locations across the Front Range, and of course to-go from Lone Tree’s tasting room. Long live the easy drinking Pale Ale. 

Strawberry Kiwi Blonde Ale hits shelves across Colorado and Kansas this week. Blonde Ale makes for the perfect base for these subtle fruit flavors in this refreshing spring seasonal that weighs in at 5.2 percent ABV. This warm weather crusher will be available all summer long. 

Find all of these new cans for sale to-go at Lone Tree’s tasting room, and at liquor and grocery stores across Colorado. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information or to connect with the brewery. 

ABOUT LONE TREE BREWING COMPANY

Lone Tree Brewing Company was the first brewery in Lone Tree, Colorado that opened near Park Meadows Mall in 2011. The neighborhood-focused, family-friendly brewery and tasting room regularly hosts community events that gather around a stylistically diverse lineup of flagship, seasonal, and limited release beers. Lone Tree’s cans are sold across the state of Colorado, and in select locations in Kansas. Its draft beer is poured at many bars and restaurants across its distribution footprint as well. Find the brewery online at lonetreebrewingco.com.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - March 31, 2020

Photo by The Brewtography Project

"Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work." —Warren Bennis

The craft barley community is taking one for the team. In the United States, many of these businesses have been deemed essential by most government authorities— which means that many of the agriculture and service industry professionals in our community are out on the front lines.

(That’s not the case for every country, and we’ll get into that with some of our friends across the globe next week.)

We never realized how much we take our third spaces for granted.

We trust these establishments with our family gatherings, our first dates, our last dates, our meeting agendas, coveted catch-ups between friends, and so much more. COVID-19 gave us a harsh wake up call that it’s about time we show the service industry it can trust us back.

Let’s keep the lights on for craft. Let’s do so safely, with positivity and resilience. Here are a few ways you can help, with much more to come…

• Restauranteur Connection rounded up more than 20 relief programs for restaurants and their employees in this helpful article.

•  IGC Hospitality launched a program to ensure that out-of-work hospitality workers don’t go hungry. Family Meal will provide FREE meals to anyone in the industry. 

• Our dear friends at The Brewtography Project will give you a FREE BOOK if you send them your receipt for $50 or more at your local craft brewery. Learn more about their generosity here.

If you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.

Hang in there, everyone. One day at a time.

— The RadCraft team

Laws Whiskey House to Release Award-Winning 6-Year Bottled in Bond San Luis Valley Rye

DENVER, CO— After a top-notch showing at the World Whiskies Awards in February where the Denver-based distillery was the category winner for American Rye Whiskey (12 years and under), Laws Whiskey House proudly released its 6-Year Bottled in Bond San Luis Valley Rye. This time-honored new whiskey will be available this month at premium retailers in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas. 

“The world-class quality of our whiskey stems from the grains we get from the Cody Family Farm in Alamosa,” says distillery founder Al Laws. “The heirloom San Luis Valley rye varietal is a standout as it distills into a distinctive spirit that gets better every year.” 

Colorado’s first-ever Bonded Rye Whiskey is now two years older. This rye expression was first released after aging four years, and Laws is now proud to present it again after two additional years of aging. It was crafted from Colorado Malting Company’s  San Luis Valley rye grain harvested from a single season, shaped by Laws as the single distiller, and then aged in our federally-bonded rack house for six years. You will find sweet grass with honey on the nose, cooling notes of wild mint and fennel, followed by deeper accents of sea salt, orange tea and brown sugar on the palate. It finishes with a rich and buttery mouthfeel, accompanied by tobacco notes.  

In addition to the newly released 6-Year Bottled in Bond San Luis Valley Rye, Laws Whiskey House also has a number of bonded single grain expressions including 6-Year Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon, Henry Road Bonded Malt Whiskey, Bottled in Bond Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey and Bottled in Bond Straight Corn Whiskey.

For more information about Laws Whiskey House or their award-winning 6-Year Bottled in Bond San Luis Valley Rye, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT LAWS WHISKEY HOUSE

Established in 2011, Laws Whiskey House is a purpose driven, grain to bottle whiskey distillery founded on the principle that the soul of its whiskey is comprised of the people who grow it, the people who make it, and the people who drink it. Using the traditional method of open-air, on grain fermentation, Laws' whiskeys feature high altitude grown American mother grains and mountain spring water while aging in 53-gallon charred American oak barrels. With a collection of award winning whiskey, including several Bottled in Bond expressions, Laws Whiskey House invites you to visit their tasting room in Denver's historic Gates neighborhood and enjoy the Laws experience. For more information visit www.lawswhiskeyhouse.com.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - March 24, 2020

Photo at Root Shoot Malting by The Brewtography Project

“You aren't alive if you aren't in need.”  — Henry Cloud

Wise words above by leadership expert and psychologist— a combination of skill sets I certainly need in my life right now, and I can’t imagine I’m alone in that statement. Sudden, widespread Instagram reinforcement that we’re all in this together couldn’t be more true right now, trite as it may already be.

The craft barley community has long been known for camaraderie, and the Coronavirus can’t touch that.

#COVIDcanttouchdis, amiright?!

In effort to bring y’all together from afar, provide critical resources, and to help remind ourselves why we do this every damn day, we’re working on a Coronavirus relief hub for the craft community. It’s a scramble that’s changing by the hour, but here’s what we’ll promise you today:

• A page on our COVID-19 newsfeed if you’re a brewery, distillery, or maltster — to keep track of your evolving changes in response to virus precautions. Eventually these individual company pages will be organized by state and other categories so they are more accessible. For now, each small business that sends us this information will get a custom link for easy sharing. Submit yours to karen@radcraftbeer.com.

• Regular updates on our newsfeed.. If you have a question or a tip for a news share please email karen@radcraftbeer.com.

• Weekly updates on this Craft Industry COVID-19 report that we’ll publish every Tuesday for the foreseeable future.

• Resources, tools, and opportunities for supporting the wellness and stability of your staff and your business. Sign up for our email newsletter, Craft Marketing, to get these resources delivered to your inbox.

Thank you for reading. Stay resilient, friends!

— Emily Hutto, RadCraft Founder & CEO

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - March 17, 2020

Photo at Root Shoot Malting by The Brewtography Project

After multiple states announced yesterday mandated COVID-19 prevention closures affecting all of our partners and colleagues, we’ve intensely deliberated on what the hell we can do to help. We live by the words Rise to the occasion, and do so with your skillset. Hardly the St. Patrick’s Day we had imaged, but here we are.

Craft breweries and distilleries have jumped into action adjusting their tasting room hours and sales strategies. There’s a lot we can still do, even from our homes, to ensure the longevity of these businesses.

RadCraft is committed to keeping our community in the know as COVID-19 develops. Today we started a craft and service industry specific newsfeed covering all things COVID-19. Our mission is to support breweries, distilleries, maltsters, and service professionals in the wake of a pandemic, and keep you posted on how you can help. Stay informed at radcraftbeer.com/covid19.

We are actively seeking volunteer contributors for this newsfeed. Please email coop@radcraftbeer.com with inquiries about how to share your content or keep this feed flowing.

Thank you for your support of the craft community during this unprecedented dumpster fire.

-Emily Hutto, RadCraft Founder & CEO

Craft After Dark Canceled Alongside Craft Brewers Conference

Photo by Garrett Allen

SAN ANTONIO, TX— Following last week’s cancellation of the 2020 Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup, Ska Fabricating announced today the cancellation of Craft After Dark on April 21. 

Craft After Dark hosts Ska Fabricating, Ska Brewing, Wild Goose Filling, and presenting sponsor American Canning have canceled this CBC anchor event in response to recommendations about public gatherings during this state of national emergency. 

The hosts of Craft After Dark extend gratitude to the headlining band, Galactic, and all of the event sponsors who collaborated to make it possible. 

“While this event and CBC as a whole are gatherings that we eagerly look forward to every year, our concerns about and commitment to health and safety echo those passed down by the BA, state and local governments,” says the Ska Fab team. “We will be announcing follow-up communications regarding what we'll be doing in place of these events, and we look forward to the next time we're able to connect with all of our favorite industry folks on the scale that CBC provided. Thank you all for understanding, and please take care of yourselves and others. For more information on how you can help to stop the spread of COVID-19, familiarize yourself with the CDC’s guidelines.”

For more information about this announcement, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT SKA FABRICATING

Founded by Ska Brewing Co-Owner Matt Vincent, Ska Fabricating automates packaging lines for craft businesses, specializing in depalletizers, palletizers, conveyance systems, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding products. With more than 800 customers worldwide, Ska Fab has the products and experience to help you increase your production while saving expense. Learn more at skafabricating.com.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award-winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit skabrewing.com.

ABOUT WILD GOOSE CANNING

With decades of experience in brewing, canning, and bottling craft beverages, Wild Goose Filling Systems provides filling systems for beer, cider, kombucha, cannabis, wine, and other ready-to-drink beverages. Having pioneered the first craft canning and bottling systems on the market, Wild Goose systems have patented technology that maintains the highest quality levels for packaged beverages. Their expertise in engineering and focus on craft beverages sets them apart from other systems on the market. With unmatched efficiency, operational control and excellence in customer service, Wild Goose provides canning and bottling systems to thousands of customers around the globe. To find out more, visit wgcanning.com.

Canceled: Block Party Preview Vail Ale House on March 13

The Mammoths

UPDATE on March 12, 2020: This event is canceled as a COVID-19 precaution.

EAGLE, CO– Buy fee-free tickets for the 2020 Bonfire Block Party this Friday, March 13 at Vail Ale House. 

From 8pm to 12am this Friday, guests at Vail Ale House can snag these ticket prices, the cheapest of the year if they didn’t make it to the Lineup Release Shindig. From 9pm on, enjoy a preview of this year’s event with live music by The Mammoths, who will also play Block Party in June. 

Kind Hearted Strangers will also play, and Vail Ale House will serve beers on tap from all three breweries in Bonfire’s pilot Block Party brewery collaboration: Woods Boss Brewing, Strange Craft Beer Co., and Vail Brewing Company. 

Woods Boss is sending The Oswald Hazy IPA; Strange Craft is sending Cherry Kriek, and Vail Brewing Company is sending Blur NEIPA. Bonfire Brewing will also have three beers on tap. More details about the Brewery Collaboration will be announced later in the year.

Bonfire Block Party 2020 includes  performances by Sam Bush, The Record Company, Dumpstaphunk, The Main Squeeze, The Broadcast, The Runaway Grooms, and House with a Yard. They join Keller Williams Grateful Grass, The Mammoths and Mo Lowda & the Humble. Five  more bands coming soon.

Ticket options for Bonfire Block Party currently on sale include Two-Day General Admission tickets, Two-Day Sili-Package tickets, regularly priced Two-Day VIP Experience tickets, and Bloodies & Bluegrass brunch tickets, which include bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas. This multi-day street festival in downtown Eagle, Colorado takes place Friday, June 12 through Sunday, June 14 as a kick-off to summer. Kids 12 and under are free for General Admission, and two and under are free for the VIP Experience and Sunday’s Bloodies & Bluegrass event.

A portion of all Bonfire Block Party proceeds benefit Eagle County nonprofit partner, The Cycle Effect. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.bonfireblockparty.com.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with all media inquiries about Bonfire Brewing and Bonfire Block Party.

IF YOU GO:

What: 2020 Bonfire Block Party

When: Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14

Where:  Downtown Eagle, CO

Cost: $40 - $140

More Information: visit www.bonfireblockparty.com

Root Shoot Malting Spearheads Craft Malt Seal in Colorado

Photo at Woods Boss Brewing Company

LOVELAND, CO— As an advocate and Member Malthouse for the Craft Maltsters Guild’s Craft Malt Certified Seal program, Root Shoot Malting is excited to announce Colorado’s twelve new craft malt certified breweries. 

City Star Brewing, Comrade Brewing, Grist Brewing, Iron Mule Brewery, Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery, Joyride Brewing, Launch Pad Brewery, Mockery Brewing, Station 26 Brewing Co., Timnath Beerwerks, Woods Boss Brewing Company, and Guanella Pass Brewing Co. are the newest Member Breweries in the Craft Malt Certified Seal program, which allows brewers and distillers to communicate their use of and support for distinctive, locally produced raw materials. 

These breweries have demonstrated their commitment to locally grown and roasted barley by joining this membership program, and they’re proud to do so. “We joined because we buy malt from Root Shoot Malting. It's important to support our local economy and a fellow manufacturer like ourselves,” says David Lin, Chairman & Founder at Comrade Brewing in Denver. “We were impressed with their dedication to quality, along with their malting facility. Root Shoot helps differentiate our beer while meeting the customers’ desire for local products.”

Photo at Comrade Brewing

Jordan Fink, Co-Founder and Head Brewer of another Denver brewery, Woods Boss Brewing, is another advocate for the Craft Malt Seal. “We have a deep and abiding commitment to sustainability, community, education, personal relationships and of course, making amazing beer,” he says. “To that effect, we developed a partnership with Root Shoot Malting pretty much right out of the gate and at this point, almost all of our base malt is supplied by them. Given the opportunity to join the Craft Maltsters Guild and be able to showcase our participation through the use of the Seal was a no-brainer for us. It allows us to promote the folks who supply our grain, what they do, and showcase our beer all at the same time.”

Another of the country’s leading maltsters and craft malt membership crusaders, Riverbend Malt in Asheville, North Carolina, has also encouraged 12 breweries to join the Craft Malt Seal. Learn more about the Seal at craftmalting.com.  

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Root Shoot Malting.

ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING 

Root Shoot Malting’s family of farmers grow, harvest and malt the finest grains to give brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Opened in 2016 on 1,500 acres of Olander Farms’ irrigated land in Loveland, Colorado, Root Shoot harvests alfalfa, wheat, corn, rye, and barley. Root Shoot gives breweries and distilleries the ability to procure local, consistent and high quality craft products. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.

Ska Street Brewstillery to open in Boulder on March 16

Photo by The Brewtography Project

BOULDER, CO—  Ska Street Brewstillery will open to the public on March 16, followed by a grand opening celebration slated for April 9. 

A joint project of Ska Brewing and its sister company, Palisade’s Peach Street Distillers, Ska Street Brewstillery in Boulder will include a restaurant, a 10 BBL brewing system, a 450-liter still, thirty taps for serving Ska beers, a mixology program, and all of the music-inspired silliness the has established Ska and Peach Street as iconic Colorado destinations.

The Ska Street Brewstillery menu will include vegetarian and vegan options, as well as the farm-to-table ethos championed by Peach Street and executed by recently hired Head Chef Travis Messervey. The taproom will pour all of Ska’s flagship beers — including Modus Hoperandi IPA, True Blonde Ale, Pinstripe Red, and Pink Vapor Stew— as well as experimental one-offs and other specialties brewed on-site, along with whiskey, gin, vodka, and other spirits also made at the facility. 

Join Ska Street Brewstillery at 1600 38th Street in Boulder on its first day open to the public on Monday,  March 16 at 11am. Business hours are 11am to 10pm Monday through Friday, 10am to 10pm Saturday, and 10am to 9pm Sunday.

Ska Street will be open during regular business hours through the month, and will celebrate its grand opening on April 9. The brewstillery will share more information about this party soon.

For more information about Ska Street Brewstillery, Ska Brewing, or Peach Street Distillers, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT SKA BREWING

Based in Durango, Colorado, Ska Brewing was founded in 1995 and produces more than a dozen award- winning beers fueled with Ska music, and lots of it. Pioneers in the canned craft beer movement, Ska Brewing is known for an array of styles in 12 oz cans that include Mexican Logger, Modus Hoperandi, and Rue B. Soho. For information (a lot of it), more music, and a good time, visit www.skabrewing.com.

ABOUT PEACH STREET DISTILLERS

Peach Street Distillers was founded in 2005 in the heart of Colorado’s Fruit and Wine region, Palisade Colorado, where the high desert meets the mountains. The warm days and cool nights in Palisade make the local fruits and grains unimaginably delicious. Living the very definition of “craft” we do everything the hard way to turn these fermentable raw materials into extraordinary spirits. Because, this is what we consider fun and what makes for a mighty fine drink. Peach Street Distillers is Colorado’s oldest continuously owned and operated distillery. Visit Peach Street at www.peachstreetdistillers.com for more about the spirits and the spirits squad.

Thirsty Monk Takes Flight with Taproom Partnership at Asheville Regional Airport

ASHEVILLE, NC— In a partnership with Vino Volo, the award-winning airport wine bar operator and retailer throughout North America, Thirsty Monk Brewery beers will soon be available on draft and to-go at Asheville Regional Airport. 

Thirsty Monk will co-brand a comfortable space with local Asheville flair just to the right of the TSA security checkpoint inside the gate area. This traveler lounge will offer beers on tap, packaged beer to-go, and a selection of curated food offerings alongside Vino Volo’s wine program. Currently the opening is slated for the end of summer 2020.

More than a year in the making, this is Thirsty Monk’s first partnership with an internationally recognized company, and could serve as a model for partnerships in other cities seeking to further extend local personality into airports.

“When I first reached out to the Asheville Regional Airport about how we could go about opening a Thirsty Monk taproom — their team was so receptive and connected me with Vino Volo,” says Barry Bialik, Thirsty Monk CEO. 

“After a year of ideas, discussions, and straight up reality checks, everything is now a go to move forward with the Asheville Regional Airport’s first local brewery taproom and Vino Volo wine bar. I am so proud that our airport staff recognizes the importance of adding local character, and so pleased to have been able to collaborate with Vino Volo’s truly world class team,” says Bialik.

As Asheville Regional Airport grows with new destinations added continually, Thirsty Monk’s partnership with Vino Volo is perfectly poised to host visitors to and from Western North Carolina—taking one of Asheville’s most iconic breweries along with them on their travels. 

For more information about Thirsty Monk’s partnership with Vino Volo, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT THIRSTY MONK

Founded in 2008, Thirsty Monk Brewery currently operates a family of brewpubs (Thirsty Monk Downtown, Thirsty Monk Biltmore Park, 2x4 Brew Pub) and cocktail bars (Monk’s Flask, Top of the Monk) in Asheville, North Carolina, Denver, Colorado and Portland, Oregon. Thirsty Monk’s award-winning, Belgian-rooted Modern Ales are showcased in the company’s expertly crafted beer-paired food menus and synergistic cocktail ingredients. Find the company online at monkpub.com.

Oh Hi Beverages and Two Six Craft Distributors Announce Colorado Front Range Partnership

DURANGO, CO— Oh Hi Beverages and Two Six Craft Distributors announced today a new partnership that brings Oh Hi’s sparkling CBD seltzer line to Colorado’s Front Range. These canned seltzers will be available in 12 oz. 4-packs and on draft at select Colorado craft establishments beginning this month. 

Oh Hi canned the first of its new CBD line in the same four flavors as their THC seltzers: Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Lemon Lime, and Ginger Basil Limeade, each with 15mg of fast-acting flavorless CBD isolate. Distribution is currently available through Ska Brewing and Southwest Beverage Company around Southwest Colorado, and now on the Front Range via Two Six Craft Distributors.

“We are very excited to bring Oh Hi CBD seltzers to a wider audience,” says Oh Hi Co-Founder Matt Vincent. “The ability to distribute this to many more traditional retail venues presents a lot of great opportunities to try Oh Hi CBD and experience the great flavor of the cannabis-infused beverages that Oh Hi is known for.”

Denver’s Station 26 Brewing Co. expanded its business model to include a distribution arm, Two Six Craft Distributors, in November of 2019. Oh Hi Beverages joins a portfolio that includes Station 26 products and Arvada-based New Image Brewing.

In December of 2019, Oh Hi Beverages first canned its CBD seltzer line to be distributed in Southwest Colorado through the Ska Brewing distribution network. It can be purchased at Colorado retailers including grocery and liquor stores. Soon Oh Hi CBD seltzers will be available for purchase on Oh Hi’s website. Oh Hi’s THC line can be purchased at Colorado dispensaries.

“We’re thrilled to bring Oh Hi CBD seltzers to the Front Range,” said Justin Baccary, Founder + President of Two Six Craft Distributors. “It’s exciting to have an alternative option in our portfolio for those seeking delicious and well-made non-alcoholic craft beverages.”

For more information about Oh Hi Beverages and its THC and CBD seltzers, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. Contact sales@ohhibev.com with distribution inquiries. Contact Todd Luther at todd@station26brewing.co with questions about Two Six Craft Distributors. 

ABOUT OH HI BEVERAGES

Founded in 2018, Oh Hi Beverages crafts canned THC and CBD seltzers in Durango, Colorado. Oh Hi Beverages is the brainchild of Aaron Miles and Jonny Radding, the co-owners of Durango Organics, and Matt Vincent, one of the co-owners of Ska Brewing and the founder of Ska Fabricating. Collectively Aaron, Jonny, and Matt bring a breadth of business, entrepreneurship, technical, and both cannabis and beverage-specific experience to this new hard seltzer company. Learn more about Oh Hi Beverages at ohhibev.com.

Westbound & Down Opens Westbound General in Downtown Idaho Springs

IDAHO SPRINGS— Westbound & Down announced today the grand opening of their new grab and go shop at the brewpub in downtown Idaho Springs. Westbound General will open to the public on Saturday, March 7.

This news comes fresh off Westbound & Down’s debut of packaged cans that will be distributed through their partnership with Culture Beverage across Colorado. These canned brands, which include Colorado Pale Ale, Westbound Double IPA, and Chicago Peaks Kolsch, will be available to-go from the new shop. 

In addition to beer to-go, Westbound General will offer award-winning java by Colorado’s Sweet Bloom Coffee, new brewery merchandise, and other functional, locally curated goods for neighborhood shoppers and travelers alike. The new space is a fun, casual extension of the brewpub— with clean, upscale yet approachable aesthetic designed by award winning space creator Kevin Nguyen of Regular. 

Westbound General will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday  at Westbound & Down in downtown Idaho Springs. All cans and crowlers to-go from the new shop will be discounted 20% all day, and guests can enjoy free drip coffee from Sweet Bloom Coffee. The shop will be open daily from 7am to close. 

Westbound General, an ideal stop for mountain explorers to fuel up before their adventures, is the newest member of Westbound & Down’s family of Colorado beer destinations, which also includes their award-winning Brewpub in Idaho Springs.

For more information about Westbound General or Westbound & Down Brewing Company, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT WESTBOUND & DOWN BREWING CO. 

Westbound & Down Brewing Company runs a small but mighty brewpub in Idaho Springs, CO that prides itself in brewing well-executed beers in a wide array of beer styles to pair with great food— all in a welcoming atmosphere where people can gather to share the Colorado beer experience. Westbound & Down was honored to receive the Midsize Brewpub of the Year award at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival®. Come along for the journey at westboundanddown.com.

Laws Whiskey House Appoints David Cronin as Director of Sales Eastern Division

Photo by The Brewtography Project

DENVER, CO— Laws Whiskey House, the award-winning Denver based distillery, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Cronin to the newly created role of Director of Sales – Eastern Division. Mr. Cronin assumed his position effective March 1, 2020 and will report directly to Patrick Larkin, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Laws Whiskey House. 

In his role, David will be responsible for leading the Eastern United States Laws business development to advance the sales & distribution footprint for the entire Laws Whiskey portfolio along the Eastern seaboard. 

“David’s experience, insight and sales acumen aligns perfectly with our brand and organizational strategy,” says Larkin. “Having a game-changer like David as part of the Laws sales and marketing team will lead us into uncharted territories of success throughout the Eastern United States.”

Cronin who has worked across the beverage industry for 25+ years joins the Laws team from Palm Bay International, where he served as East Sales Director and oversaw Palm Bays comprehensive portfolio of imported wines and spirits. He’s previously held Senior Executive level sales roles at VOSS Artesian Water, Republic National Distributing Company, and Washington Wholesale. Cronin received his Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Rhode Island College, and currently resides with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Contact David at david@lawswhiskeyhouse.com with Eastern seaboard sales inquiries. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Laws Whiskey House.

ABOUT LAWS WHISKEY HOUSE

Established in 2011, Laws Whiskey House is a purpose driven, grain-to-glass whiskey distillery founded on the principle that the soul of its whiskey is comprised of the people who grow it, the people who make it, and the people who drink it. Using the traditional method of open-air, on grain fermentation, Laws' whiskeys feature high altitude grown American mother grains and mountain spring water while aging in 53-gallon charred American oak barrels. With a collection of award-winning whiskey, including several Bottled in Bond expressions, Laws Whiskey House invites you to visit their tasting room in Denver's historic Gates neighborhood and enjoy the Laws experience. For more information visit www.lawswhiskeyhouse.com.

Root Shoot Malting and Traverse Image Introduce 100 Year Lease Documentary

Photo by Traverse Image

LOVELAND, CO— Colorado-based Root Shoot Malting and Traverse Image are proud to introduce their new documentary 100 Year Lease, created to convey the importance of family farms and conservation of Colorado agriculture. They will kick off a series of events at Colorado breweries to support this film beginning next week, in effort to save family farms one beer at a time. 

100 Year Lease is the product of three years in the making, all dedicated to the education about and preservation of the American family farm. The film was shot by Traverse Image and will be branded by Colorado-based MTN Creative. 

This new film features moving cinematography and storytelling about the preservation of local agriculture. “We rely on the land, and Mother Nature—  and that's what we want to take care of,” says Todd Olander who co-owns Root Shoot Malting. “This business requires land, we need to be able to grow the barley to feed it, and we need to have that resource— the land— to grow it. Our mission is to put a plan in place so we can always have farmland.” 

Root Shoot and Traverse Image will screen the short film for the first time on Thursday, March 5 at the Poudre Pub Talks at High Hops Brewery in Windsor. Guest speakers Todd and Steve Olander, Farmers and Co-Owners of Root Shoot will join us to talk about their family history of farming in Northern Colorado and the future of farmlands on a rapidly developing Front Range. Guests can enjoy beer on tap brewed with Root Shoot malt to boot. This event is free and open to the public, and guests should RSVP on Facebook. 

Root Shoot and Traverse Image intend to work with their brewery and distillery partners throughout 2020 to create gatherings and conversations around the 100 Year Lease documentary. More film and trailer screenings will be announced in coming weeks. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Root Shoot Malting or their 100 Year Lease documentary project with Traverse Image.

ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING 

Root Shoot Malting’s family of farmers grow, harvest and malt the finest grains to give brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Opened in 2016 on 1,500 acres of Olander Farms’ irrigated land in Loveland, Colorado, Root Shoot harvests alfalfa, wheat, corn, rye, and barley. Root Shoot gives breweries and distilleries the ability to procure local, consistent and high quality craft products. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.

ABOUT TRAVERSE IMAGE

Traverse Image is a Colorado digital film company with a focus on documentary films about the natural world. Traverse Image believes that films can inspire monumental change— the passionate company is  tenacious in their pursuit of bringing powerful stories to life through film. Get inspired at traverseimage.com.

The Empourium To Release Obey Session IPA For First Friday in March

WHAT: The Empourium will release Obey Session IPA on Friday, March 6 as part of the Tennyson neighborhood’s First Friday activities. The evening will include a photography session by Holly Gerard for the brewery #POURtrait challenge.

Ever seen Shepard Fairey's Obey Giant street art? It was the inspiration behind Obey Session IPA, a 4.5% ABV IPA that’s a harmonious mix of old school and new school. Strong malt backbone holds up to copious amounts of late hopping goodness of Centennial and Chinook hops. This IPA is bursting with flavors and aromas of pineapple, grapefruit, and a hint of pine.

Enjoy an Obey Session IPA as you strike a pose in front of the brewery’s original Drew Button mural. Customers are encouraged to post their photos on instagram tagging The Empourium and the artist @dbuttonink, with the #POURtrait hashtag. Submissions are due by April 10, with the winner announced at the first anniversary party on April 18. The winner scores free beer for a year from The Empourium, brewery swag, a framed print of the original hand-drawn mural concept, and a fresh RadCraft t-shirt.

Holly Gerard of Aperture and Ales Photography (@apertureofales) will be onsite from 5 to 7pm to capture #POURtrait photos. Find an album of images on The Empourium’s Facebook page after the event.

Little Red’s Kitchen will be onsite serving up some delicious grub. Find more details in this Facebook event.

WHEN: Friday, March 6 from 12 to 11pm; Aperture of Ales #POURtrait Session from 5 to 7pm

WHERE: The Empourium Brewing Company, 4385 W. 42nd Ave, Denver, Colorado 80212

Contact Erin Hamrick at erin@radcraftbeer.com for more information about this First Friday release, the #POURtrait challenge, or with any other inquiries about The Empourium Brewing Company.

ABOUT THE EMPOURIUM BREWING COMPANY

Located in the heart of Denver’s Berkeley Neighborhood, The Empourium is a gathering place for all— patrons and beer styles alike. Armed with true to style recipes and local pride, owners Greg and Sara Fetzer, Mike Cugini, and Justin Vallely focus their efforts to craft a warm, lively community hub centered around balanced, sessionable beers guaranteed to bring people together. Visit The Empourium at 4385 W. 42nd Avenue or online at theempourium.com.

Laws Whiskey House Announces California Distribution Partnership

DENVER, CO— Laws Whiskey House, the award winning Denver based distillery, is excited to announce an exclusive strategic distribution partnership with Wine Warehouse, a California Distributor of Spirits, Wine and Beer. Effective immediately the entire Laws Whiskey portfolio including its flagship Four Grain Straight Bourbon & San Luis Valley Straight Rye along with three Bottled in Bond expressions will be available throughout the Golden State.

“The whiskey is delicious and the "No Shortcuts" attitude is right up our alley,” says Brandon Bartlett, Director of Spirits at Wine Warehouse. “We couldn't be happier to have Laws as a new addition to the premium spirits book at Wine Warehouse!" 

Laws Whiskey House currently has 15 distribution markets throughout the United States including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

“Wine Warehouse has such an impressive portfolio and track record,” says Al Laws, founder of Laws Whiskey House. “A perfect partner to help our distillery take the next step into a robust whiskey market like California.” 

For more information about Laws Whiskey House, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT LAWS WHISKEY HOUSE

Established in 2011, Laws Whiskey House is a purpose driven, grain-to-bottle whiskey distillery founded on the principle that the soul of its whiskey is comprised of the people who grow it, the people who make it, and the people who drink it. Using the traditional method of open-air, on grain fermentation, Laws' whiskeys feature high altitude grown American mother grains and mountain spring water while aging in 53-gallon charred American oak barrels. With a collection of award winning whiskey, including several Bottled in Bond expressions, Laws Whiskey House invites you to visit their tasting room in Denver's historic Gates neighborhood and enjoy the Laws experience. For more information visit www.lawswhiskeyhouse.com.