AB InBev gets sued over Leffe, the Brewers Association drops their list of the Top 50 Breweries, and Surly Brewing expands their reach. What better way to start your week than with some craft beer news? Close your email, ignore your boss, and focus on the beer with this edition of the Weekly Growler Fill.

 

Anheuser-Busch Is Being Sued Because Leffe Beer Isn’t Really Made by Monks

Have you ever been fooled into thinking Leffe is a fancy Trappist beer? Honestly, I fell for the strategic marketing and so did a few others. But how could we not fall for it? The advertisements, put out by parent company AB InBev, include phrases like, “First brewed and perfected by Belgian Monks over 700 years ago,” and “Seven centuries of Belgian craftsmanship in every chalice. #Leffe, since 1240.” Now, an optometrist and angered beer drinker named Henry Vazquez is taking a stand. He recently filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against AB InBev in a Miami federal court, claiming deceptive marketing. If this lawsuit is like any of the other class action suits against AB (i.e. Kirin Ichiban, Beck’s, etc.), Mr. Vazquez probably has a pretty good chance at winning. We will keep you updated because if the suit is successful, there will likely be refunds issued to those fooled by the Leffe marketing tactics. [Read full article]

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Brewers Association Lists Top 50 Breweries of 2015

In case you missed Tristan’s breaking announcement, the Brewers Association recently released their list of the Top 50 Breweries of 2015. Not only does the BA list the top 50 overall brewing companies, they also list the top 50 craft breweries. The rankings are based on sales figures from 2015, with higher beer sales by volume leading to a higher spot on the list. Check out our original post as Tristan sums up some of the big changes compared to last year. [Read full article]

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Crooked Stave Announces Persica Day on April 16th to Coincide with the Reopening of The Barrel Cellar

On April 16th at 10am MST, Crooked Stave will open the doors to its newly renovated Barrel Cellar during the celebration of Persica Day. Persica, one of the brewery’s most sought after beers, is aged in oak barrels with copious amounts of fresh Colorado peaches. It will only be available at the Barrel Cellar on Persica day, with no national or local distribution. Patrons will be limited to six bottles each. After their purchase, Crooked Stave fans can sip on brews while they eye the new Fermentation Cellar and enlarged Foeder Cellar. “After all this time, we are floored to be able to open our doors back up to all our great friends and fans to show off our recently renovated brewery and release one of our favorite beers of all time,” said Chad Yakobson, Owner and Brewmaster of Crooked Stave. For details and updates, join the event on CSA’s Facebook page. [Read full article]

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Surly Brewing Expands Distribution to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska

Surly Brewing announced last week that they will be expanding distribution to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Beginning May 2, Surly will be sending Surly Furious, Hell and Overrated kegs to bars and restaurants across the new distribution regions. An assortment of cans, including Bender, Coffee Bender, Todd The Axe Man, Furious, Hell, Cynic and Overrated! will be available at liquor stores. In addition to bringing beer, the Minnesota brewery will also be crashing into the newly added states with parties, showcases, and other events. Exact locations for beer sales are currently being worked out, but you can follow @surlybrewingND, @surlybrewingSD or @surlybrewingNE for each state’s latest updates. [Read full article]

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Craft Beer Fans May Face Squeeze with Hops in Short Supply

Craft beer lovers may begin to see price increases on their favorite hoppy creations due to a shortage in the hop supply. The report of the shortage is nothing new, but it is about to get worse. After a long, dry Summer in Europe last year, Germany’s hop harvest fell  27 percent, with other European nations also experiencing a similar decline. While there are American hop farmers trying to account for the deficit, they simply cannot keep up production to meet the growing demand of craft breweries. Although some brewers have contracts that somewhat stabilize the price of hops, it is likely that future shortages will make it harder and harder to acquire specific hop variants. So, if you’re a home brewer who loves IPAs, I suggest adding gardening to your hobbies as well.
[Read full article]

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