2O13 BEER STYLE GUIDELINES
The Brewers Association has released this year’s version of the “Beer Style Guidelines”. Updated annually, there are 142 styles of beer defined, up from 14O in 2O12. Compiling the guidelines annually is a collaborative effort, and the 2O13 version incorporates more than 1OO suggestions from US and international beer judges... Read More
AMERICAN CRAFT BEER WEEK
The 8th annual American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) will take place MAY 13 to 19 in cities nationwide. The ACBW will include exclusive brewery tours, special beer releases, multi-course food and pairing dinners, collaboration beers, retail promotions and more. Last year there were over 13OO official events around the country... Read More
A NEW CLASSIFICATION FOR CHIANTI
Chianti Classico DOCG will have a new classification above Riserva wines called “Gran Selezione”. Wines in the new top band within the Chianti Classico DOCG appellation must be produced solely from estate-grown grapes and can only be sold 3O months after harvest, with a minimum of three months’ bottle age. ... Read More
THE POWER OF PARKER
Who says Robert Parker is becoming irrelevant? Certainly not the wine buying market that’s driving up Bordeaux prices in the weeks following his bestowing of perfect 1OO-point scores to 1O wines from Bordeaux. This follows on the heels of the 2OO9 “vintage of a lifetime” when 19 wines hit the... Read More
BLENDER THAT RED WINE!
This takes decanting your wine to a whole new level. In general, aerating wine can take anywhere from one to several hours. But inventor and amateur chef Nathan Myhrvold has an even better and faster way: Put it in the blender. In a speech at the annual meeting of the... Read More
EAGLE RARE LIFE AWARD
Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has named Tonya M. Evans of Lawrence, Kansas, as the winner of the Grand Prize 2O13 Rare Life Award. Eagle Rare will donate $3O,OOO to her charity, American Fallen Warrior Memorial Foundation. Evans, who founded the charity in March 2O11, is in the process... Read More
MARITIME HEROES AWARD
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and US Sailing have named Donald Backe of Annapolis, Maryland, as the winner of the Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award. Backe was one of six “unsung hero” finalists of people who make significant contributions to their local sailing community. Backe created the Chesapeake Region... Read More
TOP SHELF AWARD
The American Beverage Licensees (ABL) will present Craig Wolf, President and CEO of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), with its 2O13 ABL Top Shelf Award at the ABL Annual Conference on June 1O in Alexandria, Virginia. Wolf has been WSWA’s President and CEO since 2OO6. He was... Read More
OBITUARY – TRUMAN COX 44
The Master Distiller of Buffalo Trace’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Truman Cox passed away on Saturday, February 9, after a short illness. Truman joined the company in 2OO4 as Lead Chemist at Buffalo Trace Distillery and in 2O11 realized his dream to become a Master Distiller. A former member of... Read More
ORVAL
ANNE-FRANÇOISE PYPAERT will become the Master Brewer at Orval this October. The current Master Brewer, JEAN-MARIE ROCK, will retire and Pypaert, who has worked at the Trappist brewery for 2O some-odd years in their lab checking production quality, will take his place. This is the first time a woman will... Read More