Ska Fabricating #SexyCans Photo Contest Returns For Summer

DURANGO, CO—  The third round of the Ska Fabricating #SexyCans photo contest returns on June 1. This contest celebrates the thriving online craft beverage community and the rise of canned beverage artistry around the world. Ska Fab will reward this contest’s winner with a donation in their name at Plastic Oceans, a nonprofit organization raising awareness about plastic pollution.

The #SexyCans contest is every drinker’s opportunity to turn a picture of their favorite beverage can into an awesome prize! Beginning June 1, submit your favorite craft can photos to this contest by posting them to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #sexycans and tagging @skafabricating. Post as many entries as you like - the more, the merrier! Every participant will receive a package of winter Ska Fab schwag.

All entries are due by August 1, 2020 with the Ska Fabricating staff-chosen winner will be announced. All entrants must be at least 21 years old. Ska Fab will make a donation to Plastic Oceans in the names of the first, second, and third place winners. This organization was Ska Fab’s nonprofit partner for their 2020 Craft After Dark event that was cancelled in April.

The 2020 summer #sexycans contest winners will also receive swag packs from Ska Fabricating and their sister companies Ska Brewing and Oh Hi Beverages. 

For more information about #sexycans or Ska Fabricating, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@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 expenses. Learn more at skafabricating.com.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - June 2, 2020

Small businesses across the globe continue to take hits amid Coronavirus shutdowns and policy changes. From South Africa to Istanbul, North Carolina to Latin America, and beyond— here are 19 Coronavirus relief efforts that support the hospitality industry.

1. Three weeks after deciding to convert their beer tanks into giant soup-making tanks, Drifter Brewing Company has fed more than 75,000 people across ten different communities in Cape Town through Operation Soup-A-Heroes.

2. Laws Whiskey House released a single barrel selection to support Colorado Restaurant Response. This unique single barrel bourbon has been aged 5 ½ years and has flavors of wildflower honey, butterscotch and orange peel will also be available for sale at participating Colorado Restaurant Response restaurants in May. Find a list of retailers and more details here.

3. Hospitality Net has been adding special coverage with specific topics pertaining to the impact Coronavirus is having on the hospitality industry. Their page contains a growing list of resources with topics that pertain to the industry, with new ones being added as they become available.

4. The James Beard Foundation is committed to helping independent restaurants survive the crisis, rebuild stronger, and thrive for the long term through their Open for Good campaign.

5. One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens Program launched during the COVID-19 crisis. High Road Kitchens are independent restaurants that provide food on a sliding scale to those in need, as well as providing jobs for restaurant workers and act as a subsidy for responsible restaurant owners.

6. The United States Bartenders’ Guild National Charity Foundation provides emergency assistance grants to bartenders and their families.

7. The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild launched the #NCBeerPledge to promote health and safety as businesses begin to reopen. “The #NCBeer Pledge is our industry’s demonstration of that commitment to you.”

8. Hi-Wire Brewing releases a beer to benefit service industry workers in response to the impact the pandemic has had on the industry. A portion of the proceeds from every 6-pack of Donate to Service Industry Workers by Drinking This Beer sold will be donated to the USBG National Charity Foundation and the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.

9. CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees is providing support to food and beverage service employees with children diagnosed with COVID-19.

10. Daniel Grieves reported on chef initiatives in Latin America in the article Sharing the table with coronavirus on 50 Best Stories. Grieves is writing a book to be called Restaurants at Home, featuring 100 recipes from 100 restaurants in Istanbul. All the money raised from sponsors as well as from book sales will go into a fund for restaurant employees in need in Istanbul.

11. The Restaurant Workers Community Foundation created a restaurant workers’ COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund.

12. After seeing the community enthusiasm for their COVID relief efforts, Athletic Brewing Company has pledged to continue their efforts till they reach $100,000 in donations to The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

13. The Independent Restaurant Coalition is lobbying Congress to advocate that the stimulus money and related programs pertain to and are tailored for independent restaurants. 

14. Shiner Beer donated $500,000 to the TX Restaurant Relief Fund, an initiative by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The fund benefits independent restaurants and their workers impacted by COVID-19 by issuing grants.

15. The Brewers Association has teamed up with Bottleshare to create the Believe in Beer fund, which support breweries and state brewers guilds impacted by COVID. “We’re proud to join efforts with the Brewers Association to reciprocate the love and strength that characterize the craft beer community and help the breweries that make it so special,” shares Christopher Glenn, Founder of Bottleshare.

16. Distillers from all around the nation have been responding to the pandemic by pivoting their operations to include the production of hand sanitizer. The Distilled Spirits Council has created a COVID-19 Hand Sanitizer Connection Portal as a resource for distillers looking to produce hand sanitizer, including a map of distillers that are producing hand sanitizer, a list of necessary ingredients and supplies, and distribution methods.

17. Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, seeks to raise $2 million for COVID relief efforts with Operation Crush COVID-19. Rather than selling Laguna Madre, a limited-edition, 8-year-old bourbon, as planned this summer, they’ll be making all 2,004 bottles available elusively to donors who support their cause.

18. The Above and Beyond Foundation is dedicated to providing financial relief to help hospitality workers who have been laid off due to the pandemic. Learn more about their efforts here.

19. Pendleton® Whisky, who has close ties to the Western sports community, knows that many athletes within that community are facing challenges due to cancelled events and fewer chances to ride. They’ve donated $100k towards COVID relief efforts for their community.

Advice From The Trail: Odell Brewing on Media Relations

We got a chance to talk media relations shop with Kristin Wood, the Community Manager at Odell Brewing in Fort Collins, Colorado. Here she emphasizes the significance of relationships, specifically bringing online connections to life by hosting at the brewery. We know that’s not always possible, and we encourage breweries to get creative with swag packs, beer shipments, and other digital ways to create connections in other virtual ways that lead to longterm brand recognition.

Odell seems to get an array of media mentions every day. How much of the earned media that you get is organic? How much comes from your PR efforts? 

If you include social media, I would say 70 percent organic mentions and 30 percent are from press releases and beer samples around new product launches.

How do you choose who to ship beer samples to?

We start with a list of people who are in the industry. Then we add to it over time with people who we find organically when they write stories or mentioned us or people or publications who we'd want to pitch to.

Any tips for engaging influencers on social?

Get to know them on a personal level. Communicating via social media as a brewery is great because you can be fun and casual and really build rapport with your influencers. Comment on their posts when they mention you and always re-share their content.

How often do you invite media out to visit your tasting rooms? How often do you host? 

Whenever I see a social media influencer is going to be in Colorado, I always send a personal note inviting them to one of our taprooms. I often make a point to be the hone who hosts them, even if it's after hours because it's so cool to be able to meet this person in real life. 

Who form your team handles PR? Is that their full-time or part time role? How does that work integrate with the rest of your sales and marketing team?

As the Community Manager, I handle PR. It's one of my many hats but it blends well with managing the social channels since the line between traditional media and new media (blogs, vlogs, social media influencers, etc) has become so blurred.

What have you had to learn the hard way about PR? 

I studied PR in college and I feel like nothing I learned is relevant anymore. Social media has completely changed the landscape and rules of the game. Often I feel like I'm just figuring it out as I go.

Oh Hi Beverages Launches Online Shop For CBD Seltzer

DURANGO, CO— Oh Hi Beverages is stoked to launch an online shop for its CBD seltzer line. Mix packs and canned 4-packs are now available for purchase at cbdohhi.com.

Oh Hi’s canned CBD seltzer line sports the same four flavors as the company’s THC seltzers: Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Lemon Lime, and Ginger Basil Limeade. Each contains 15mg of fast-acting flavorless CBD isolate, only 5 mg of pure cane sugar, and 25 calories or less. These seltzers are available for online purchase in 4, 12, and 24-packs.

“We at Oh Hi Beverages are super excited to finally offer our CBD sparkling seltzer for purchase online,” says co-founder Jonny Radding, who is also the co-founder of Durango Organics. “This  will help our customers to conveniently order Oh Hi from the safety of their homes. We hope you enjoy our beverages as much as we do! Stay safe out there, Oh Hi fans.”

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, and on Colorado’s Front Range through Two Six Craft Distributors. The addition of Oh Hi’s online store will allow customers from across the Lower 48 United States to purchase CBD seltzer for delivery at their doorsteps. 

For more information about Oh Hi Beverages and its THC and CBD seltzers, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

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.

Ska Brewing Low Calorie and Low Carb Aggrolite IPA Arrives For Swimsuit Season

DURANGO, CO— Ska Brewing’s latest canned offering is a delicious sidekick for athletes and adventurists. The low-calorie, low-carb Aggrolite IPA is now available across Ska’s nationwide distribution footprint. 

Aggrolite IPA is a collaboration with one of Ska’s favorite bands, The Aggrolites, who played at the brewery’s 24th anniversary invitational in 2019. The Aggrolites started as a a compilation of two bands, one reggae and one ska in genre, that came together in Los Angeles in 2002 to create the soul and funk-inspired “dirty reggae music” that they’re known for. 

Aggrolite is light-bodied with slight citrus and pine notes from the use of Cascade, Mandarina Bavaria, and El Dorado hops, and a light golden orange color. This beer contains only 99 calories and 4g of carbohydrates per can, with 4.2% ABV. Aggrolite pairs well with bike rides, boating, and bikinis. 

Show Ska your Aggrolite activities with the #SkaAggrolites hashtag, and tag @skabrewing for a chance to be featured. 

Find Aggrolite at select retailers across its thirteen state distribution footprint, and in cans at Ska’s World Headquarters in Durango, Colorado. Please check the Ska Website, www.skabrewing.com, for adjusted hours and to-go offerings. 

For more details on Ska’s Aggrolite IPA, 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.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - May 26, 2020

photo courtesy of Funkwerks

“In that power of self-control lies the seed of eternal freedom.” Paramahansa Yogananda

As the world enters into a re-opening phase, I find myself bristling at the phrase “new normal” that keeps getting thrown around. I react this way because of the state of flux we all currently exist in. I don’t want to accept ambiguous new rules and haphazardly written legislation. I’m a skeptical journalist— what can I say?

As we all navigate this next phase I can’t stress enough how important it is to pay attention and stay safe, but also to stay skeptical too. Listen to your intuition, do your homework, and triple check your facts from legitimate sources that aren’t censored. It’s difficult to know what’s right and wrong now, especially as government parameters seem to change by the hour. One thing you can always control, though, is yourself.

I can’t seem to find a good set of best practices for managing a pandemic, so I thought I’d share a personal compass I’ve developed over the last two grueling months. I’m not accredited in any way to share this list as any more than a blog post, from a friend.

STAY SELF AWARE

The person who knows your health and exposure status best is you. Tune in.

STAY RESPECTFUL

It’s a dumpster fire out there, and everyone kindles it differently. It’s hard to predict how we’ll react to something so life-changing. Be easy on yourself and others during this time, and always.

STAY CLEAN

Do your part, and that goes far beyond Coronavirus. At RadCraft we often share desks in the office, and our simple rule is leave the desk space as clean or cleaner than you left it. What if we all took that approach to all of the spaces we inhabited?

STAY BUSY

Read. Write. Color. Paint. Run. Lift. Hike. Bird watch. Organize your closet. Take a Q-Tip to your floorboards. Make music. Make love. Make memories. Whatever it may be— stay busy with the activities that fuel your passions. I don’t want to look back on this time as lost time, and I know you don’t either.

STAY CALM

I’m finding that equally important as staying busy right now is giving myself time to relax and decompress. For me, that’s logging miles on trails with my cattle dog and showing up daily on my yoga mat. For you that might be blasting 90s hip hop when you’re stressed (well I guess I do that too), or talking to your plants (fine, you got me). Whatever it may be, your nervous system will appreciate you for it.

Let’s hope this “new normal” is still a long way out. And let’s take care of ourselves and each other while we figure this shit out together.

Hang in there, friends!

— Em Hutto, RadCraft Founder + CEO

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - May 19, 2020

Andrew Barrack is going live on the RadCraft Industry Relief Zoom chat this week!

I’m excited that I get this opportunity to work with Andrew, not just because he’s a great musician but also because he’s such a critical thinker. Behind-the-scenes, I’ve had the pleasure of picking his brain over a series of calls and Zoom chats in preparation for this presentation.

Andrew is committed to getting it right—sure he’s going to nail his songs, but more importantly he’s got a message for us that gives a voice to an often forgotten part of the community: musicians.

In the craft barley space, musicians often reside in the fringe as entertainers at events or occasional collaborators. They’re often forgotten in the bigger picture too, Andrew reminds me. Live music is a luxury; Venues are an amusement. Pandemic or not, these are easy components of our lives to give up on a budget— wants, not needs.

Musicians and owners of independent venues have needs too, though, and Andrew tells me he’d like to shed light on these artists that we often take for granted in the corner of the beer festival.

NIVA, a new coalition of independent venues, reported to Rolling Stone on earlier this month that 90 percent of its 1,300 member venues report they do not have cash on hand to last more than six months without federal intervention, and just over half of them say they do not have enough to last more than three months. Pretty wild when you consider this is just a sampling of the venues in the United States, and even wilder when you compare these stats to the 30 percent of brewing company that reported to the Brewers Association in April that they would shutter if forced to shut down for more than three months. As breweries are granted permission to re-open slowly, independent venues have no re-opening plan in sight.

“Can you imagine a world where the only venues were big box?” Barrack asked me in one of our conversations. We’re discussing how independent music related to craft beer, but sometimes he’s so passionate that he makes me feel like we’re solving worldwide dilemmas. “I would rather pay a little bit more to see one of my favorite bands in an intimate venue than a huge stadium with a half dome. We’re losing iconic venues to Coronavirus.”

If your brewery or distillery was focused on music before pandemic, Andrew can’t stress enough the importance of staying committed to relationships with bands. “You’ll have to get creative,” he says, “but if you had live music rock the livestream, or find another way to keep moving.”

Listen to Andrew Barrack’s tunes, and get his industry relief insight this Thursday, May 21 at 3pm MTN on the RadCraft Industry Relief Zoom chat.

(Zoom Meeting; Password:  223518)

Check out Andrew Barrack’s new CD In Seasons, available on Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. Cheers to indie music and beer!

— Emily Hutto, RadCraft Founder & CEO

Bierstadt Lagerhaus Releases Collaboration with Neighbor Finn's Manor

DENVER, CO— Bierstadt Lagerhaus and their RiNo neighbor Finn’s Manor have teamed up to release a beer sourced from Mexico. With strong roots in tradition, Bierstadt takes the four ingredients, water, yeast, malt, and hops, a strict Reinheitsgebot process, and their resurrected brew kettle from Germany to perfect the classic lagers they are passionate about. Although they are rooted in tradition, it doesn’t stop them from deviating from their three core offerings to create these seasonal “fun” batches of beer to enjoy, such as Cerveza Clara y Mas Fina Especial.

Our Content Editor Karen Mills caught up with Bierstadt Lagerhaus about this unique new beer. Here’s what co-owner Ashleigh Carter had to say.

What inspired this particular recipe?

We got the idea talking to Thomas owner of Finn's Manor (an incredible cocktail and beer bar). They have a great Mezcal selection and actually took their staff to Oaxaca to learn about it. He proposed the idea of a beer for Cinco de Mayo/spring that took actual corn from Mexico and we thought about it and figured we could pull it off as long as we were able to find the corn. Thomas looked around and found this company called Masienda that have loads of different heirloom whole corn from Oaxaca.

How did you decide on Oaxaca corn?

Pretty easily actually. Once we were set on how we could incorporate the corn, we got 6 samples from Masienda to choose from. We all decided unanimously on the Bolita Azul and Bolita Belatove, a blue and purple/red corn with really wonderful floral sweet corn aroma. We actually bought a little mill to grind it all up. We then used a cereal mash for the corn, cooled it down and added the malt, and treated it like one of our regular beers. Single decoction house yeast and fermented at 48F. I think it turned out great. Light, subtle corn aroma and sweetness, and balanced bitterness. Add a lime!

Any additional insights to the beer itself?

We loved this beer so much that we will probably make it every year as our spring seasonal. Not many collaborations or one-offs ever make it into the regular rotation but this was a really special and fun beer.

ABOUT BIERSTADT LAGERHAUS

At Bierstadt we craft lagers the traditional way, and nothing more. Discover what we believe at bierstadtlager.com.

Lone Tree Brewing Brings Back Summer Fan Favorite Pineapple Sour

LONE TREE, CO— Lone Tree Brewing Company brings a tasting room favorite, Pineapple Sour, back for the second year in cans. Pineapple Sour is now available across Colorado and in Kansas.

Pineapple Sour was the first canned release of the Branching Out Series in 2019. It’s a summer crusher perfect for all social-distancing outdoor activities including grilling, picnics, or enjoying a cold beverage in the driveway— six feet away from friends of course.

Pineapple Sour is a refreshingly crisp, kettle soured Blonde Ale with a subtle fruit finish created by more than 300 pounds of pineapple added during fermentation. The pleasant tartness is approachable and yields a low ABV of 4.5%, enough to sip all day. 

Find six-packs of Pineapple Sour cans  for sale to-go at Lone Tree’s tasting room, and at liquor and grocery stores across Colorado and Kansas. 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.

Bonfire Brewing Continues Patio Expansion Project

EAGLE, CO— Bonfire Brewing broke even more ground on its continued patio expansion last week to increase seating and entertainment space for customers this summer. Bonfire is working closely with local partners to execute this project during uncertain times. 

The new additions to Bonfire’s award-winning patio include fresh concrete complete with sleeves for removable fence posts, adding an additional 500 square feet of safe, level, and licensed outdoor space for customers to enjoy Bonfire beers. Not to mention this upgrade means there will always be a shady spot for refuge from the Colorado sun, no matter the time of day.

Bonfire has always been deeply ingrained in the Eagle community, and this expansion is no exception. The brewery’s landlord manned a Skid-Steer that he owns to help haul concrete and level dirt, and a local contractor offered Bonfire an exceptional price on concrete so they could execute the project as inexpensively as possible. The Town of Eagle might be on a spending freeze in response to COVID-19, however they waived the permit and review fees, and provided technical support to help facilitate the project.

“One of the primary motivations for launching this project is to open up more outdoor customer areas in anticipation of continued distancing requirements, if and when we are permitted to reopen for on-premise service,” says Bonfire Co-Owner Andy Jessen. “It was always part of the original vision for the patio expansion, and now seemed like the perfect time to go for it.” 

Without bar hours to staff, Bonfire team members have been working on an array of projects to update the tasting room, this patio work included. While starting the demo work, the team uncovered a small piece of Eagle history— a portion of the original Town of Eagle sidewalk in pristine condition. It sits below the grade of the building pad, likely covered up in the 1960’s or 70’s. 

The Bonfire crew also saved the hops in the planter boxes that have been growing on Second Street since the brewery’s first summer of business in 2011, and will replant them in an expanded urban hop farm at the tap room this growing season. They are also rebuilding the planter box for the signature pine tree growing in front of the brewery in downtown Eagle. The Bonfire team also has exciting plans for expanded bike parking, and fun ideas for the first round of furnishings in the new space— stay tuned on their social media channels for updates as the project continues.

For more information about Bonfire Brewing or its destination patio, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT BONFIRE BREWING

Craft enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers gather around Bonfire Brewing in Eagle, Colorado, where the beers are driven by quality, curiosity, and community. Founded in 2010, Bonfire continues on their path of sustainable growth with cans of their year-round beers available in liquor stores and restaurants across Colorado. Gather ‘round Bonfire online at bonfirebrewing.com.

Laws Whiskey House Announces Distribution Partnership with Republic National Distributing Company in Five Strategic Markets

DENVER, CO— Laws Whiskey House, the award-winning Denver-based distillery, is proud to announce a new strategic distribution partnership with Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), the nation’s second largest distributor of fine wine and spirits. RNDC will distribute Laws Whiskey’s comprehensive portfolio of premium products across the following states: Texas, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.

With the addition of these five markets to their national distribution footprint, Laws Whiskey is now available in seven of the top 10 whiskey markets in the country. 

“The opportunity to partner with a dynamic sales and marketing organization such as Republic National Distributing Company in these high-profile markets represents a major leap forward for the Laws Whiskey portfolio of brands,” said Patrick Larkin, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Laws Whiskey House. “We are truly excited to be able to bring our award-winning Four Grain Straight Bourbon and San Luis Valley Straight Rye, along with their respective Bottle in Bond expressions, to fellow passionate whiskey enthusiasts as we continue to expand our brands national presence.”

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

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.

About REPUBLIC NATIONAL DISTRIBUTING COMPANY 

RNDC, a world-class distributor of fine wines and spirits in North America, has operations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.  Young’s Market Company, a partner of RNDC, distributes wines, spirits and select beverages in the western United States including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, Visit www.RNDC-USA.con or www.youngsmakret.com. 

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update, ACBW Edition - May 12, 2020

© Brewers Association

This week marks the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer Week®, which celebrates Small and Independent craft breweries. This national beer holiday has been celebrated by millions of beer lovers, breweries, and retailers since 2006. This year’s festivities hosted by CraftBeer.com will be a little bit different, but will be celebrated nonetheless between May 11-17th. The root of it remains unchanged: the spirit of supporting craft breweries and those craft breweries who supported their communities and country.

Participating in this year’s American Craft Beer Week may be more important than ever given the current economic circumstances. In a continued effort to support local small and independent craft breweries, this week provides an opportunity for craft beer enthusiasts to connect while practicing social distancing while supporting local small businesses.

This goes without saying, but these brewpubs, taprooms, breweries, etc., are going through unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic. A recent study conducted by the Brewers Association shows that these small businesses provides “more than 161 direct full and part time jobs” and have “donated more than $82 million to local charities last year” — which breaks down to “approximately $3.10 for every barrel of beer brewed.”

Being a part of the craft community that does so much for the community around them, whether within or outside of the craft brewery community, is something very special. It’s also a great reminder to support them as they are going through these difficult times.

“Independent craft breweries are an essential component in the important economic network of growers, distributors, supplier partners, beer lovers, and retailers,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director at the Brewers Association. “This American Craft Beer Week, brewers and beer lovers will connect in new ways during these challenging times. From May 11 to May 17, those who commit to giving independent craft beer will make a difference that reaches beyond the beverage to support and save thousands of hometown breweries who are instrumental in giving back to so many local communities and charitable causes.”

Curious on how to participate? Here’s what the Brewers Association has lined up:

• Commit to #GiveCraftBeer at AmericanCraftBeerWeek.com: Stand up and be counted by gifting craft beer, gift cards, merchandise, or other food and beverage offerings from a U.S. craft brewery.

• Get Social: Use custom American Craft Beer Week social media posts.

• Sign up to become a supporter of independent beer at SupportIndependentBeer.com.

• Find your community: Use #GiveCraftBeer and follow @indiebeer_ for chances to participate all week

• Donate to the Believe in Beer Craft Brewery Relief Fund to help craft breweries and state brewers guilds weather this unprecedented financial storm.

You can contact Jenelle Scott, who is working on the behalf of the Brewers Association) at jenelle.scott@backbonemedia.net or 970.963.4873 x224 for more information.

Happy American Craft Beer Week, everyone!

— Karen Mills, RadCraft Content Editor

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update, Mexican Lager / Logger Edition - May 5, 2020

Hutto enjoying a Mexican Logger, a sunny day in Durango, listening to the Ska Crew talk Mexican Logger.

“[It] started to quench our thirst and [was] meant to be in Kurowski’s living room; and it kind of blew up for us” - Dave Thibodeau

Sometimes relief means taking the week off and having a beer about it. This Cinco de Mayo we dove into a beer style that brewers can’t seem to stop talking about: Mexican Lager. We kicked back and took a week off COVID-19 talk, and we highly recommend it.

Ska Brewing is one of the pioneers of the "craft Mexican Lager” style, often touted for bringing this style to the United States… at least in a can, anyway.

Mexican Logger is celebrating its 21st anniversary — so it can now legally enjoy itself. Over the 21 years Mexican Logger has been around, it’s grown exponentially. This Cinco de Mayo we’re pleased to catch up with Dave Thibodeau, Steve Breezley, Kristen Muraro, and the crew over at Ska to learn more about Mexican Logger and how it has evolved over the years.

In sharing more about the beer itself, Thibodeau wanted to start from the beginning and highlighting the history about the beer style itself and what Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates. The Cinco de Mayo that we celebrate here in the US is often associated with Mexico’s independence. In actuality, it’s celebrating the Battle of Puebla, being as the war that gave Mexico their independence was 50 years before the Battle of Puebla.

Both battles had roots in beer, believe it or not. The country had been brewing some version of alcohol beverages well before all of this happened — even dating back to the 1500s where some European beers were brewed but was short lived; however, after the Mexican War of Independence, Mexico was invaded and that’s how the German-Austrian influence came into Mexico and when the Mexican Lager-style beer began kicking off.

In the mid-1800s, Mexico was invaded by the various European countries. While many had left, the French stayed and tried to turn it into a monarchy. Napoleon brought Maximillian the First to Mexico to be their emperor — which became known as the Second Mexican Empire. Wherever Maximillian the First went, he brought his brewer. And that is how the Vienna-style Lager arrived in Mexico. Over the years, the Mexican-style Lager evolved from a darker Lager rooted in the Vienna-style to something more similar to a Bohemian Pilsner.

And how did the Mexican-style Lager come to the U.S? Many made their way to Mexico to drink during the Prohibition and with that, they brought back the influence of this Mexican-style lager.

You may be asking yourself, How did Ska get into making Mexican Logger? Here’s the skinny:

Ska has been brewing Mexican Logger since 1999 and is widely recognized as being an “OG” of the style amongst craft brewers. The beer originated because “we were closeted Pacifico drinkers,” shares Thibodeau, “we had this crazy old van that we used to drive to all the festivals around Colorado.” He continues, “I remember going to all these small mountain town festivals, getting set up for the festival, and then going to this copper colored van with teardrop windows and drinking these Pacifico’s, then going out to the festival and pretending like we’ve been drinking our craft beer.”

And then it clicked: “we’re craft brewers — why not brew one ourselves?” Just like that, Mexican Logger was born.

“Mexican Logger,” Thibodeau shares, “grew every year, but it grew small. It really took off for us after we started canning it back in 2012.” He went on to talk about how brewing a beer this light is a very delicate process, because these lighter beers won’t mask any imperfections in the beer.

Even though Mexican Logger is a seasonal beer for Ska, it is the Durango brewery’s second largest seller after their year-round beer, Modus Hoperandi. They also shared that they initially wanted to create a Vienna-style lager to be Mexican Logger’s counterpart, but ended up producing Oktoberfest. “Between Mexican Logger and Oktoberfest, we have won a few awards,” shares Thibodeau.

We also had the opportunity to host a small Q&A with the Ska crew during our Weekly Industry Zoom call and here’s a bit of what we learned:

“Where did adding a lime to the Mexican Lager start/why does it taste so good with a lime?” —
 Cheyenne R.

“It had to be a marketing thing for Corona or the Michelada style — lime juice in a beer with the salt — in a campaign from Corona,” Thibodeau muses, “As much as I want to poo poo it as a brewer, enjoyed putting a lime in our Pacifico.” He adds, “We brought this for the first time to Colorado’s Rendezvous. We brought bags and bags of key limes that we chopped and set it up on our table in Salida.” He contiues, “we just showed up with a tub full of cut limes, but it went over really well. It felt a little irreverent and against the grain. I remember that festival very well and I don’t remember all of them all too well. We just went with it from the beginning.”

“Mexican Logger is one of the first-ever craft lagers/Mexican-style craft lagers produced in the country. What has marketing been like over the last 21 years?” — Emily Hutto

“I can tell you that when we first started putting it in a bottle, the justification at the time, we were originally had a guy in a sombrero with a chainsaw celebrating a siesta. once there was an end put to that, we put together a story as to why siestas should be mandatory,” shares Thibodeau, “We ran into flack over time, and it’s changed over time, it went to a guy welding chainsaws, and now it’s chainsaws. He continues, “there were times where our distributor didn’t want to carry it due to kick back from the label. The cans are easier to market and that opened doors.”

There is a lot of cultural sensitivity that goes into marketing a Mexican-style beer in comparison to a Belgian-style beer, German-style beer, or anything like that and that’s undoubtedly top of mind. Among the niche group of craft beer enthusiasts, there has been an upward trend of popularity amongst craft lagers at the moment. Lagers don’t mask any impurities, as mentioned by Thibodeau, it shows the true prowess of a brewer.

Emily also shares that it’s very interesting to a craft marketer as well. Looking back even 10 years ago, craft lagers weren’t as large of a discussion on a national scale — whereas now, it’s trending to make lagers with a large gain in traction over the last couple years.

Mexican Logger, in particular, tells a story behind the brand and the beer — and that shows sensitivity more than just slapping a label on a beer style. Stories behind the beer help to avoid some of those “uncomfortable” conversations around cultural sensitivity. “Ska has a story behind each of the beers, why it was made, and why it was canned,” shares Emily, “Mexican Logger is no different.”

Since then, many other breweries, especially in the Colorado region, have followed and developed their own Mexican-style lagers. And they all attribute Ska as being the “OG” of the style.

Until next week, salud!

— Karen Mills, RadCraft Content Editor



Ska Street Brewstillery Opens For Take-Out in Boulder During Safer-In-Place

Photo by The Brewtography Project

BOULDER, CO— After having to close its doors just one hour and eleven minutes after statewide on-site dining was shuttered, Ska Street Brewstillery will reopen to the public Wednesday, May 6 to serve a new to-go menu.

The limited menu at Ska Street Brewstillery will include some of the new establishment’s signature sandwiches such as The Dave and the Breeze BLT, as well as a new Family Meal menu with serving size options from 2 to 10 people. Many of the menu items are vegetarian and vegan. There will also be Ska beers, Peach Street spirits, and cocktails to-go. 

Ska Street Brewstillery will be open Wednesday through Friday from 3pm to 7pm, and Saturday from noon to 7pm. Orders must be placed online or over the phone to minimize onsite contact and exposure. 

 “This is truly unprecedented for us all— homeschooling our kids, cancelling family and friend gatherings, postponing our travel and exploration of not just Colorado but our wide and wonderful world,” says Ska Street’s General Manager Katie Nierling. “We hope there is a silver lining in this all— we are stronger together and because of one another.”

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about the Ska Street Brewstillery, Ska Brewing, or Peach Street Distillers. 

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.

Laws Whiskey House Releases Bottled in Bond Four Grain Straight Bourbon - Six Year

DENVER, CO— Laws Whiskey House, the award winning Denver based distillery, is proud to announce the annual release of its Bottled in Bond Four Grain Straight Bourbon. Aged six years, this distinctive offering of the company’s flagship bourbon exemplifies the craftsmanship, patience, and perseverance that are the hallmarks of the Laws There Are No Shortcuts mantra. This whiskey has an SRP of $75 and is now available across Laws national distribution footprint with approximately 500 9L cases produced.

As the first Colorado distillery to produce a bonded whiskey, Laws Whiskey House continues to set the standard for Bottled-In-Bond expressions. Since that inaugural release, Laws has expanded their Bonded portfolio to six different expressions including Bourbon, Rye, Malt, Wheat, and Corn whiskies. 

“Patience is an important part of all excellent whiskey,” says founder and CEO Al Laws. “Time in conjunction with the vintage nature of the Bottled in Bond act creates the basis for this special release. For Laws Whiskey House, Bottled-In-Bond expressions are ingrained in our culture. They exemplify who we are as whiskey makers.”

The Laws Bottled in Bond Four Grain Straight Bourbon – Six Year is made with the same bourbon mash bill as the Laws flagship Four Grain Bourbon, with 60 percent corn, 20 percent heirloom wheat, 10 percent heirloom rye, and 10 percent heirloom malted barley. All of these grains are grown and harvested from family-owned Colorado Farms. Furthermore, the distillery’s traditional practice of open air, on-grain fermentation captures the essence of Colorado’s terroir and produces a truly unapologetic authentic American Whiskey. 

The Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897 was an important turning point in the history of bourbon that set forth exacting standards that offered consumers a guarantee of transparency, process, and quality. Specifically, it stipulated that the whiskey must be the product of one distilling season, from one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof. 123 years later, this designation continues to offer those same guarantees, providing consumers with the knowledge of where, how, and when Bourbon was produced and aged.  

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com for more information about Bottled in Bond Four Grain Straight Bourbon - Six Year and with any other 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.

The Empourium To Release A Plethora of Piñatas Mexican Lager For First Friday in May

DENVER, CO— Coronavirus can’t stop The Empourium from their First Friday beer release tradition. The Berkeley neighborhood brewery will release A Plethora of Piñatas Mexican Lager on Friday, May 1— just in time for Cinco de Mayo (Zoom) celebrations.

This Mexican Lager is crafted with flaked corn in its grain bill that imparts soft mouthfeel and a tinge of malt sweetness on the finish. True to its style, A Plethora of Piñatas is light, clean, and crisp— and a sessionable 4.9% ABV. 

The Empourium hits another home run on 80’s pop culture-inspired beer names, this one a reference to the western comedy Three Amigos circa 1986. “This movie always makes us giggle!” says Head Brewer and Co-Owner Greg Fetzer.

The Little Red's Kitchen food truck will be available for takeaway orders and The Empourium will have beer available to-go from 2 to 6pm on Friday, May 1. 

Contact Erin Hamrick at erin@radcraftbeer.com for more information 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.

4th Annual Rapids & Grass Beer Festival Cancelled

BUENA VISTA, CO— The organizers of Rapids & Grass, Colorado’s quintessential craft beer, music, and river festival slated to return to the Arkansas Valley July 4th weekend, announced today that the beloved event is canceled to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

This would-be fourth annual festival would feature beer from 50 breweries, local bands, and world-class white water rafting on the Arkansas River. After much thought and careful consideration, festival organizers The Jailhouse, Rapidgrass, and South Main/ Surf Hotel decided to cancel this year's Rapids & Grass Beer Festival as a preventative measure to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“All of us are struggling with the continued uncertainty of what the next few months look like in Colorado, but I don't know any community stronger than the brewing industry,” said Jailhouse founder Sarah Stewart in an email to the participating breweries last week. “We will get through this and we'll all drink beers together by the river again! Until that time comes, stay safe, healthy and strong.” 

Stewart and all of the Rapids & Grass crew extend their deepest gratitude to the breweries, bands, vendors and sponsors of the 2020 festival, and look forward to collaborating on the 2021 event.

Learn more about previous years of the Rapids & Grass festival at rgfest.com. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries. 

ABOUT RAPIDS & GRASS BEER FESTIVAL

Rapids and Grass is a craft beer, music, and river festival conceptualized by Jailhouse owners Sarah and Shane Stewart, Mark Morris of Rapidgrass, and Jed Selby of South Main/Surf Hotel. The festival brings craft beer from the intermountain west and world-class bluegrass music to Buena Vista where its founders are proud to call home. This legendary weekend wraps up with The Freedom Float, a 7-mile raft trip through Class 3 whitewater. Stay in the loop at rgfest.com.

Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 21, 2020

photo at Root Shoot Malting by Emily Sierra Photography

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall

Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day— a friendly reminder to dig just a bit deeper when we celebrate out communities during pandemic. At the root of the barley community is the agriculture and land that give breweries and distilleries their ingredients. How will you make a difference This Earth Day, and every day?

The Can’d Aid Foundation shares that although COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in their original plans, they’ve still got all the ingredients for a people-powered spring cleaning. YOU can make a difference. ONE CAN can make a difference. Can’d Aid is encouraging you to spread the do-goodery by picking up just one piece of trash each day on your walk around the block.

Can ONE really make a difference? YES! 80% of Americans are at home right now. That's 262 million people; if each person picks up just one piece of trash a day, well...we'll let you do the math!

“It's a trying time for everyone, and Mother Earth is no exception - so get out there, breathe some fresh air and show Mama Earth a little love,” shares Can’d Aid, “Be sure to post a picture of your daily trash treasure on social, tag Can'd Aid and nominate a friend to do the same.” The foundation decided to do a giveaway as a way of further encouraging the do-goodery. So, on 4/25, they'll select the strangest piece of trash and the winner will receive a set of earth-loving Happy Wraps.”

More Do-Goodery

Alaskan Brewing Co. donates one percent of Icy Bay IPA proceeds to the Coastal CODE (Clean Oceans Depend on Everyone) initiative to support the health and sustainability of oceans, waterways and coastlines. Cheers to Icy Bay IPA!

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. Preview the film here.

Celebrate Earth Day with Findlay Brewing and be one of the first to try Blanchard River Brew Pale Ale! This beer on Earth Day and will be available for growler fills. Proceeds of this new brew will benefit the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership. The BRWP mission is to encourage water quality improvements through sustainable land and water use, collaboration, conservation and enhancement of natural and man-made resources. “Beer cannot be brewed without a strong and healthy water source,” the brewery says. “We are excited to collaborate with the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership!”

Earth Day goes virtual this year, with hundreds of web-based events around the world. Check out this global events calendar and add your own on the Earth Day Network.

Free RadCraft Co-Op Memberships- Apply Before May 1

Marketing is more important for barley crafters than ever before, but budgets have never been tighter. That’s why we decided to open up our co-op membership application early, waive fees for applications submitted by May 1st, and offer the membership at a discounted price for those who apply after May 1st. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Apply for your RadCraft co-op membership at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. For more details, contact coop@radcraftbeer.com.

As always, 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, healthy, and resilient!

—The RadCraft team

Peach Street Distillers Pear Brandy Named Best Brandy in the USA

Peach Street 2020 American Distilling Institute awards

PALISADE, CO— Peach Street Distillers was honored with a gold medal at the  American Distilling Institute’s 2020 Judging Awards last week, and with gold earlier this month at the American Craft Spirits Association Awards for best brandy in the United States.  

Peach Street’s Pear Brandy is crafted from a 100 percent pear base, with pears grown a matter of blocks from the distillery in downtown Palisade, Colorado. The pears are pressed, fermented, and distilled onsite before they age in French oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years.

Peach Street Distillers has now received 31 ADI medals in total. The distillery was proud to take home five medals for its five entries this year— a gold medal for Pear Brandy; as well as silver medals for American Whiskey, Colorado Straight Bourbon, and Smoked Rye Whiskey; and a bronze for Amaro.

The American Distilling Institute accepts entries in all classes and categories of craft spirits from small, independently owned distillers, blenders, bitters makers, and producers of aperitif and fortified wines. Each year, both United States and international entries are tasted blind and evaluated by expert panels of judges made up of distillers, journalists, bar owners, bartenders, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and importers. Learn more at distilling.com.

2020 marks the first year that Peach Street submitted spirits to the American Craft Spirits Awards, which honor excellence in the categories of Vodka/Grain, Gin, Brandy, Rum, Whiskey, and Specialty Spirits. In addition to a gold medal for Pear Brandy Peach Street also took home a gold for Colorado Straight Bourbon. A carefully selected group of more than 30 expert judges evaluated more than 500 entries for this year’s competition. Learn more at americancraftspirits.org.

“Our rickhouse is more well known for holding Bourbon and Whiskey, but it’s a great honor to win two gold medals in the same voting season for one of our more delicate expressions in Pear Brandy,” says Dustin Lemoine, Peach Street’s Director of Sales. “The local growers and the climate of Palisade, Colorado make it all possible. We’ve actually got a couple barrels of Pear Brandy that will be turning 6 years old this fall.” 

For more information about Peach Street Distillers’ decorated Pear Brandy, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.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” Peach Street does everything the hard way to turn these fermentable raw materials into extraordinary spirits. Peach Street Distillers is Colorado’s oldest independently owned and operated distillery. Visit the distillery online at peachstreetdistillers.com for more about the spirits and the spirits squad.

RadCraft Opens Co-Op Membership Application Early; Offers Free Membership to Barley Crafters Impacted by Coronavirus

Photo by Emily Sierra

Coronavirus really turned our world upside down, and we’ve heard from so many of you that’s the case for you too. We’re here to help, and we can think of no stronger way to show that than to open our doors up to the craft barley community— for business, for support, and for our community across the globe.

Accordingly, we opened up the application period for our communications co-op a month early, we're waiving all annual fees for all breweries, distilleries, and maltsters who apply for the 2020-2021 co-op membership before May 1.

The RadCraft co-op membership is an annual program designed for craft barley crafters with in-house marketing or communications professionals. Membership includes media relations resources like press release publishing and media lists; design services professional photo and video assets; subscriptions to our annual catalogue, vendor directory, and Craft Marketing emails; free tickets & discount pricing to all of RadCraft’s educational offerings, including registration to the annual Craft Social Media workshop; and more. 

Apply for your RadCraft co-op at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. All fees will be waived for applications submitted by Friday, May 1. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. 

Companies who apply after May 1 can use the promo code COVIDSUCKS for 25% off the cost of annual membership.

For more information about the RadCraft communications co-op, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.