DISCUS – ERIC RELLER
ERIC RELLER has been named Director of State Government Communications. In this role, he will be responsible for providing communications support for the organization’s public policy, media relations and grassroots initiatives. He most recently served as Senior Media Manager for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), focusing on policy... Read More
UNITED STATES BARTENDERS’ GUILD
THE USBG has named Ran Duan of The Baldwin Bar at Sichuan Garden in Woburn as the national finalist of the fifth annual USBG Legacy Cocktail Showcase in Miami Beach sponsored by Bacardí rum. Duan will receive an all-expense paid trip to Sydney, Australia, and the opportunity to present his... Read More
A VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA
M.S. WALKER President Doug Shaw recently traveled to the wine regions of South Africa to visit Cape Classics’ farms and vineyards. As the brand’s first US distributor partner, Shaw took this trip back in 1991, and recounted the developments in winemaking that are unique to the Cape Classic portfolio. “Unlike my... Read More
UFO GOES AIRBORN
BOSTON-based Harpoon Brewery’s UFO is taking flight. The popular white ale brewed with coriander and orange peel, is now available for purchase on all domestic JetBlue flights. “We started packaging our beer in cans in 2O1O because we wanted to be able to bring our beer to more places –... Read More
BARLEY SHORTAGE BAD FOR BEER BUSINESS
MOTHER NATURE has been wreaking havoc over the last year and no one is seemingly immune to her wrath. This includes the beer world as breweries scramble to get the barley they need. Heavy rains in the fall pounded the crop in barley country, leaving a lot of it unsuitable... Read More
TREND ALERT CANNABIS COCKTAIL
THE LAST few years have seen several new and interesting cocktail trends emerge, from bacon and maple to barrel aging. But this trend is in a category all its own . . . literally. Cannabis cocktails could soon be served at US bars as a growing number of states seek... Read More
PROPOSAL FOR NEW ALCOHOL TAX
IT’S BACK! Yes, the issue that won’t go away . . . alcohol tax. City Council President Bill Linehan and City Councilor Frank Baker filed paperwork in February to begin a process that could result in a substantial new citywide tax on the sale of alcohol, and to use the... Read More
SUNTORY AIMS HIGH
JAPAN’S Suntory Holdings is hitting the ground in the US running. The drinks company aims to double revenue at its Beam spirits business to $1O billion in five years as it capitalizes on the growing popularity of drinks like whisky and bourbon and forays further into developing markets, its new... Read More
MEGA MONEY FOR MACALLAN
THE SKY is the limit for what people will spend on whisky. Guinness World Records has awarded The Macallan the accolade of “Most Expensive Whisky Sold at Auction”. The Macallan M Imperiale six-liter Lalique decanter sold at auction in Hong Kong for $628,OOO last year, breaking the previous record of... Read More
Newcastle Launches Retail Variety Pack
Newcastle Brown Ale announces the debut of a variety pack of truly authentic British beers brewed in collaboration with Caledonian Brewery, one of the oldest and most respected breweries in the U.K. Newcastle’s new variety pack contains equal amounts of two definitive new styles from the brand – Newcastle British... Read More