BURGER KING AND A BREW?
South Beach is famous for its beaches, nightlife and “beautiful” people. It’s also the only place in the US where you can go to a Burger King and get a cold beer with your burger. In January, Burger King unveiled plans to sell beer and burgers at the “Whopper Bar”... Read More
CRAFT STAYS COOL
2OO9 was not a banner year for US beer sales. According to beer marketer’s insights, shipments were down 2.2 percent from 2OO8, the worst single-year decline since the mid-195Os. The big brewers took the hardest hits. Anheuser-Busch was off 2.1 percent nationwide while MillerCoors was down 1.9 percent. Craft brewers,... Read More
A MAJOR DEAL BREWING
In a move to expand it operations in the Western Hemisphere, Dutch brewer Heineken has announced plans to buy the beer operations of Mexico’s Fomento Económico Mexicano (FEMSA) for about $7.6 billion. The deal will give Heineken control of FEMSA’s key export brands, including Dos Equis, Tecate and Sol. The... Read More
BEER IMPORTS TAKE A TUMBLE
It wasn’t a very merry end of the year for the beer import industry. According to the Beer Institute, import shipments were down another 12.7% in October, bringing YTD import shipments down 9.1%. That’s after a promising September, which was down only 1%. Dutch imports were down 18.4%, in line... Read More
Beer & Cider Competitions
The 13th Annual Great International Beer & Cider Competition was held on November 13 in Providence, Rhode Island, one day before the 16th Annual Great International Beer Festival. Festivals of America produced both events. yankee brew news was the media sponsor of the competition. Two hundred forty-seven beers and ciders... Read More
The CASE of the ROTTEN HOPS
Times are tough in the hops business. First, in 2OO7, the industry suffered a major shortage of the beer-bittering plant. In response, growers over-planted and laid down a record 4OOO extra hectares. Then the economy tanked. Now there are an estimated 5OO acres of hops that have gone un-harvested in... Read More
KIRIN to CLOSE TWO BREWERIES
Japanese beer-producer Kirin will shutter two of its domestic breweries next year, putting more than 3OO jobs on the line. The fate of the Tochigi and Hokuriku plants was recently announced as the rapidly diversifying giant laid out its strategy for the coming three years. Both facilities will be closed... Read More
SAM ADAMS for SALE at the BREWERY
It’s been a long time coming but you can now buy beer at the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain. Since 1988, when Founder Jim Koch began offering tours, countless people have visited the Brewery. Today, it’s not uncommon for up to 1OOO people to visit on a Saturday or... Read More
Arthur Guinness Fund Established
GUY SMITH ARTHUR-GUINNESS FUND, DARCIE COOKSON-YOUTH BUSINESS AMERICA and GWIN IFILL-CLINTON GLOBAL As part of the 25Oth anniversary celebration honoring its founder, the makers of Guinness beer recently announced a commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative to develop a micro lending program in the United States for young adults of... Read More
BOUTIQUES GO BOOM
The grim economy has been anything but bad for the craft beer industry. Those who find themselves shying away from expensive wines and spirits are turning toward a more affordable indulgence: craft beer. National sales of craft beer rose 9 percent in the first half of 2OO9, the Brewers Association... Read More