Walmart, [CEO Lee] Scott added, “built the company on two things: One was price, but the other was assortment, and you can’t take an area like beer where people are moving to craft and ‘under-assort’ yourself because the person who is buying craft beer and wants that assortment will drive to Kroger and pay the 15% more.”

Local store managers will have a say in what beers are stocked which means there is a chance that regional breweries could get some shelf space and not just the craft beer made by the macros.

Of course, Walmart isn’t doing this because they like craft beer. They are simply following the money.

While craft beer still only commands about 5% of the beer market, these smaller, mostly regional brands are the only bright spot in beer, growing at a 14% clip compared with a 2% decline in the overall beer category, experts said at the convention.

I sincerely hope this helps the smaller breweries and not just the big boys. Everyone has heard about the Mom & Pop businesses that went belly up because they couldn’t compete with Wally World. Hopefully this will help the Mom & Pop breweries compete, rather than extend the reach of the craft division of the macro breweries.

RETRO ELECTRO electric beer delivery truck

Happy Earth Day! We’ve talked a lot about how beer and homebrewing can be good for the environment and brewers who consider the impact of their business on the earth, but this is really cool. A Canadian brewer has converted an antique truck to electric to deliver their beer. They apparently are known for using vintage vehicles for delivery but wanted to be more green.

From Wired.com

Steam Whistle communications director Sybil Taylor likens the truck to the company’s signature brew: a centuries-old Czech pilsner recipe recreated with the latest in modern technology. “Retro Electro is the same in that it takes the stylings and the body of the vintage truck, but with the electric motor it has a modern conscience,” she said. “And, it saves the truck from the metal scrap heap.”

…

The truck is used for deliveries on a 20-mile route around Vancouver, and can hold two kegs and 10 cases of beer. Steam Whistle expects the truck to have a 9-year lifespan, which would save the company $45,000 in gasoline costs at current prices.

Lots of pics, video, and more at steamwhistle.ca/retroelectro/

ABITA BEER – THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT!
Abita Beer Launches First Of Its Kind iPhone App

(New Orleans, LA) –The Abita Brewing Company is pleased to announce the launch of the new “Abita App” for iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad™ users worldwide. Abita is the first craft brewery to launch an app that gives their customers the power to help each other find the craft beer they love.

The free application allows consumers to instantly locate where Abita products are sold with a powerful nation-wide search engine. Users can find nearby retail stores, restaurants and bars that sell Abita and which particular brews they offer. Abita App users can also learn more about the over thirty full flavored ales and lagers brewed by Abita. The app features suggestions for perfect pairings of beer and food to enhance any meal. Like wine, beer can be used to complement food and bring out the flavors and complexities of both the meal and the brew.

Finding Abita Across The USA

“Another feature of the Abita App allows our customers to participate in building the database of locations selling Abita Beer,” said Abita Brewing Company President David Blossman. “When they find a new bar, restaurant or store that sells Abita they can send us a report via the Abita App and we’ll update the beer locator, ” continued Blossman. “Now that Abita Beer is sold in over 46 states people are finding it everywhere and we wanted a way for our customers to share their discoveries with the community,” concluded Blossman.

About The Abita Brewing Company

The Abita Brewing Company was founded in Abita Springs, Louisiana in 1986 and is the
oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast. Abita is the 30th largest commercial
brewer by production volume in the nation and the 17th largest craft brewer in the United States. Sales for the company should exceed 120,000 barrels this year.

Abita Brewing Company produces seven flagship brews year-round: Abita Amber, Golden, Light, Turbodog, Purple Haze, Jockamo I.P.A. and Restoration Pale Ale. Abita also offers five seasonal beers, three Harvest brews, three Big Beers and a draft-only series of Select beers.

Our mission is to craft a distinctly Southern beer style using local farmed goods, heirloom grains, and Southern botanicals. Like what, you wonder? We’re making beer with sweet potatoes, corn grits, summer basil, and malted barley house-smoked over hickory. Other successful “plow to pint” experiments to-date include beer brewed with scuppernong grapes, persimmon, paw paw, rhubarb and more.

I have not had a chance to taste the brews but if anyone out there has, please leave a comment.

Pretty Little Things Beer ans Ale was featured in an article at boston.com.

“We called it a ‘project’ so we could close it down if we had to,’’ said Paquette, who co-owns Pretty Things with his wife, Martha Holley-Paquette. “If nothing else, we’d sell that batch and would be known as the people who made these crazy beers,’’ he said…

The company’s survival also took pluck and cultural forces such as a younger generation of beer drinkers interested in new styles of ale and more women developing a taste for craft brew. The couple’s $9,000 investment was enough to spark an enterprise that expects to generate $1.2 million in sales this year.

www.prettythingsbeertoday.com

It’s interesting that Idaho doesn’t have a beer on the map. I lived there for four years and I can think of several decent brewpubs but can’t think of any breweries that distribute. Either the Idaho market is wide open for a good brewery or no one in Idaho reads GOOD.

What do you think? Do you agree with the poll results or is there a better beer in your state?

Two Term IPA Launch At Diamond Bear Brewery from beerutopia on Vimeo.

The episode I watched looked at Ocean Side Ale Works they are a local brewery in Oceanside, California. Started as a hobby by a teacher and a firefighter in 2005 they are in a growth phase and got to meet with Jim Koch of Samuel Adams.

You can see the video here

The interesting bit of information I got from the show is Jim Koch said you do not have to bottle to be successful. It made me want to start a brewery again.

Courides founded the Intercourse Brewing Company (intercoursebrewingco.com), which she named after the rural Pennsylvania Amish community of Intercourse, ironically a dry town. The name always prompted giggles whenever a younger Courides, who grew up about an hour away in Collegeville, visited with her parents.

It was also hard to ignore the suggestive names of surrounding towns: Blue Ball, Mount Joy and Bareville.

“I couldn’t believe no one had done it yet,” said Courides, at 23 one of the youngest independent brewers in the United States. “The town names are just so funny, and it’s real.”

Beer names like Blue Ball Porter, Bareville Pilsner, and Mount Joy Light, along with a suggestive logo and slogan (May your spirit be light and may you always enjoy Intercourse) are sure to get beer drinkers’ attention.

Hopefully, the beer is as good as the branding.

Koch, who employs just 12 sales reps to cover a 35-state territory, says he relies on web sites like beeradvocate.com and ratebeer.com, as well as social media like Twitter, to get the word out. (via The Washington Post)

So follow @StoneBrewingCo on Twitter to see if the  Total Tap Tower Takeover Tour is coming to your area. Don’t forget to follow us as well @Beerutopia