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Heaven Hill Heritage Center Gets 10th Anniversary Treat

By
The Staff
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One of the most popular stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail will sell 215 bottles of a limited-edition 2004 Vintage Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon to mark its 10th anniversary. From the press release:

 

Bardstown, Ky. – The Heaven Hill Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary Oct. 15 with the release of a commerative Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon and a number of special events.

The center, at Heaven Hill headquarters in Bardstown, Ky., opened ten years ago to critical acclaim and fanfare for its captivating telling of the bourbon story through educational and historical displays, one-of-a-kind tastings and distinctive architecture. More than 60,000 people visit the center a year, enjoying daily tours that give behind-the-scenes access and insight to the bourbon making process.

To mark this historic anniversary, a special 2004 Vintage Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon may be purchased exclusively at the center. There are only 215 bottles available selling for $100 each. The bourbon was barreled on Oct. 15, 2004 — the first day the center opened. It is 110 proof, as opposed to the standard 86.6 proof in other Evan Williams Single Barrel bottles. The bottles are dipped in silver wax and feature an attractive “Bourbon Heritage Center 10th Anniversary” label.

Heaven Hill President Max L. Shapira will sign bottles at the center 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Sat., Oct. 18. Refreshments that incorporate Evan Williams and Elijah Craig sauces and spices will be served at the center throughout the day from Oct. 15-18. Visitors will enjoy 10 percent off all products in the Retail Shop, except bourbon, on those days as well.

The center is one of the most popular stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which drew a record 571,701 visitors last year.

“We’re extremely proud of the experiences we’ve created for visitors throughout the years at the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown and now at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill President. “Through these facilities, people from all over the world have come to know and love the tradition of bourbon. That’s a benefit for the state of Kentucky and the whole bourbon industry.”

Old Forester Distillery Planned for Louisville’s Whiskey Row

By
The Staff
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The new distillery will double Old Forester’s production capabilities and double as a visitor destination for bourbon enthusiasts. From the press release:

 

Louisville, Ky. – Brown-Forman Corporation today announced that it will open a distillery and bourbon experience for its founding brand, Old Forester, in two historic buildings on West Main Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Brown-Forman expects to open the Old Forester Distillery in the fall of 2016, building on the company’s strong bourbon whiskey heritage by creating a world-class distilling operation and visitor destination that showcases the craftsmanship and authenticity of Old Forester, the first bottled bourbon. The company anticipates investing approximately $30 million in this project.
“George Garvin Brown introduced Old Forester, America’s first bottled bourbon, more than 140 years ago, which changed our industry and the Louisville community forever,” said Paul Varga, CEO of Brown-Forman Corporation. “As demand for high quality bourbon continues to increase, the Old Forester Distillery will enable us to expand capacity so that we can further showcase one of the greatest tasting and most historic bourbons. We believe this will enrich Kentucky, the home of bourbon, and Louisville, the historic home of Brown-Forman and the Brown family.”
 
Old Forester is Brown-Forman’s founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. Brown believed Old Forester was so pure and consistent that he sealed it, signed it, and pledged “There is nothing better in the market.” The Old Forester Distillery will celebrate Brown’s innovative spirit and his commitment to making the highest quality bourbon.
The Old Forester Distillery will include fermentation, distilling, barrel making, filling and dumping, and bottling. The new distillery will allow the company to double its current production of Old Forester.
The historic properties at 117 and 119 West Main Street, where the Old Forester Distillery will be located, were built around 1857 and used for warehousing barrels of whiskey produced at numerous distilleries in the area. At least 19 distillers, wholesalers, and other whiskey-related businesses called this block of West Main Street home. By the mid-1870s, this stretch of West Main Street was known as “Whiskey Row.”
“Between 1900 and 1919, Brown-Forman occupied 117 West Main Street on Louisville’s Whiskey Row. We’re returning to our roots with this distillery, just another wonderful example of Brown-Forman’s commitment to historic preservation and downtown development in Louisville,” said Geo. Garvin Brown IV, a 5th generation descendant of the company’s founder and the company’s current board chairman.

Ice Wine and Craft Beer in the Green Mountain State

By
Jeremy Nedelka
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Like many New Englanders, I spent last weekend in Vermont. This time of year the state is inundated with “leafers,” vacationers who come to see the green mountains turn red, yellow and orange as the leaves turn color. I didn’t make the trip north to view the foliage (though I did pay foliage rates – yes, in the Northeast we have different hotel rates for foliage season), but the colors were a nice backdrop during the weekend.

My wife and I (and our cairn terrier Carrie) made the trip purely as a relaxing weekend, but working in this industry I couldn’t help but note a few experiences that I wanted to share with Beverage Dynamics readers. Since most vacations include beverage alcohol, that happens often.

 

More than just ice wines

I tasted a number of wines at Boyden Valley Winery in Cambridge, VT. It wasn’t the first time – I’ve been enjoying their products for nearly 5 years, but this was the first time I had a chance to try their new Vermont Ice Hard Cider.

boydenvalley
Boyden Valley Winery in Cambridge, VT.

Not only was the cider sweet and refreshing – the owner told me she likens it to an apple-flavored champagne – I was also able to taste a combination of the hard cider and Boyden Valley’s Cassis black currant dessert wine, which was available on tap.

Tasting sheet at Boyden Valley, as well as a nearly-empty glass of cider/cassis.
Tasting sheet at Boyden Valley, as well as a nearly empty glass of cranberry wine.

The hard cider is part of the winery’s Vermont Ice collection, which also includes a red wine, white wine and apple cider wine. I gave out 50ml bottles of the three ice wines as favors at my wedding and they were a big hit. Other unique offerings include maple, rhubarb, blueberry and cranberry fruit wines (I drink the cranberry at Thanksgiving every year) and glogg (a Swedish wine served warm in a mug), as well as apple crème and maple crème liqueurs.

 

A disappointment becomes a highlight

The Bench restaurant in Stowe, VT.
The Bench restaurant in Stowe, VT.

Earlier this month I discovered that Pie in the Sky, one of my favorite restaurants in Stowe, had closed a few months ago. Fortunately, a new restaurant opened in the same location just last week. The new restaurant, The Bench, is a rustic-themed restaurant specializing in wood-fired food and craft beer.

taplines
The Bench’s copper wall behind the bar sports 28 tap handles.

The full menu wasn’t available yet when I visited, but the mac-and-cheese appetizer and tomato and basil pizza I tried were a good start. The bar features a large copper-plated wall sporting 28 tap handles. I had the Long Trail Limbo IPA and my wife tried the Allagash White Witbier. While I’m sure we’ll miss Pie in the Sky, I have a feeling The Bench will become a part of our annual Vermont vacation.

Our pizza and beer selections at The Bench.
Our pizza and beer selections at The Bench.

For more information on the companies mentioned in this post, as well as other great businesses you should visit if planning a trip to the Northern Vermont area, visit the links below.

 

Boyden Valley Winery: http://www.boydenvalley.com

The Bench: http://www.benchvt.com/

 

Great Vermont Corn Maze: http://www.vermontcornmaze.com

Sterling Ridge Resort: http://www.sterlingridgeresort.com

Cold Hollow Cider Mill: http://www.coldhollow.com

Brown & Jenkins Coffee: http://www.brownjenkins.com

Ben & Jerry’s: http://www.benjerry.com

 

NOTE: This blog contains my personal opinions and was not influenced by any of the brands included. The trip was planned and paid for by me personally.

Guinness goes Blonde

By
The Staff
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Guinness announces the release of a new Blonde American Lager. From the press release:

LATROBE, Penn. and DUBLIN – A beer with a dark past is coming to a store near you in September.

Guinness Blonde American Lager, from the makers of iconic Guinness Stout, is made in the famed American brewing city of Latrobe, Pa. Guinness Blonde American Lager uses American hops and Guinness’ world famous 125-year-old Guinness yeast.

“From sports bars in Texas to truck stops in Iowa to backyard barbeques in Montana to trendy Manhattan bars, Guinness Blonde American Lager brings the taste, color and character of great American beers and fuses them with the heritage and artistry of the Guinness tradition begun in 1759 by Arthur Guinness,” said Doug Campbell, Guinness Brand Director.

As lagers continue to gain favor among beer drinkers in the U.S., Guinness Master Brewers in Dublin have collaborated with brewing experts in the U.S. to create a one-of-a-kind taste in American Lagers. Guinness Blonde American Lager is a complex, flavorful lager with a floral, hoppy aroma that is a combination of Mosaic, Willamette and Mount Hood hops. Combining these American ingredients with the world famous 125-year-old Guinness yeast intertwines two brewing traditions – Guinness and American.

“It was great to be a part of the legendary Guinness brewing team for the creation of a unique tasting American Lager and be able to add some of my American influences throughout the brewing process,” said Joe Gruss, an American brewmaster who is a member of the Guinness Blonde brewing team. “In the end, we were able to combine Guinness artistry and American brewing techniques for a crisp and refreshing-tasting beer.”

Guinness Blonde American Lager is the first release in the Guinness Discovery Series, an innovative concept showcasing a range of new ‘fusion brew’ beer options, all to be released under the Guinness trademark.

“Beer drinkers’ tastes are evolving and people are looking to try different flavors and styles, and we’re excited to show what Guinness is capable of beyond the traditional dark stout with Guinness Blonde American Lager,” Campbell said. “The beauty of this beer is that we’re able to produce a characteristically American-style lager, while fusing the standards of quality and taste expected of Guinness with a taste profile and color characteristics long loved by traditional American beer drinkers.”

The Guinness Discovery Series will feature an array of beers that combine the Guinness brand’s European brewing expertise with different brewing styles and techniques. The series will release these fusion brews bi-annually, beginning with Guinness Blonde American Lager, providing new ways for fans of the brand and beer drinkers to experience Guinness, responsibly.

Available in a 12 oz. bottle (5% ABV), 6-pack, with a suggested retail price of $8.99, Guinness Blonde American Lager is best enjoyed cold and straight from the bottle or served in a 16 oz. Guinness branded glass. Guinness Blonde American Lager will be on shelves nationwide beginning in mid-September.

Courvoisier Launches “Exceptional Journal” Campaign

By
The Staff
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Courvoisier announces the launch of a new campaign to honor those who have taken exceptional journeys to success. From the press release:

 

DEERFIELD, Ill., Sept. 23, 2014 — Courvoisier, one of the world’s leading luxury cognacs, announced today the launch of its newest campaign: Exceptional Journey. Inspired by the rich legacy and heritage of the iconic Courvoisier cognac house, the Exceptional Journey campaign celebrates the path toward achieving excellence and recognizes individuals who have fully embraced the journey – and the lessons along the way – as they’ve reached outstanding heights in their craft.

Debuting today on Courvoisier.com, the Exceptional Journey campaign features an original Web series, hosted by celebrity Chef Roble Ali, which tells the stories of five individuals on their own exceptional journeys, celebrating the immense passion that goes into their crafts and the moments that have defined their careers. Kicking off the series is Grammy award-nominated musical duo The Foreign Exchange, whose common love of music inspired them to co-create their first album in 2004 from across continents, all the while never meeting face-to-face. The series also features creative director and fashion muse Vashtie Kola, photographer and filmmaker Jonathan Mannion, designer Andrew Chen and artist Naturel.

“Courvoisier’s Exceptional Journey campaign is a celebration of life’s aspirations and the extraordinary moments that inspire us to succeed in our own personal journeys,” said Claire Richards, Director World Whiskey and Cognac for Beam Suntory.  “The Courvoisier story began over 200 years ago in the hearts of two passionate men with an incredible dedication to their craft. This campaign honors the many individuals whose journeys, careers and achievements have been fueled by this same pursuit of excellence.”

In addition to the Web series, Courvoisier’s Exceptional Journey campaign offers fans access to a central hub of inspired content, articles and stories of extraordinary experiences on Courvoisier.com. The brand also invites fans age 21+ to join the conversation and share their own exceptional moments on social media using hashtag #MyCVJourney.

Southern Comfort Gingerbread Spice

By
The Staff
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Southern Comfort has introduced Gingerbread Spice, a new limited-edition flavor created for the holidays. The product is a combination of gingerbread flavors, vanilla and subtle notes of Southern Comfort, according to the brand. Gingerbread Spice is available for a suggested retail price of $11.99.

Pinnacle CranApple

By
The Staff
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Pinnacle Vodka has introduced its latest flavor extension, CranApple. A blend of tart cranberries and green apples, the new vodka is 70-proof and joins more than 30 flavors in the Pinnacle portfolio. The new CranApple is available for a suggested retail price of $12.99 for a 750-ml. bottle.

Old Forester Birthday

By
The Staff
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Brown-Forman has introduced a new Bourbon celebrating founder George Garvin Brown’s birthday. The 13th limited edition release, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon was created by Master Distiller Chris Morris from a single day of production and is vintage-dated. Bottled at 97 proof, the Bourbon will be available for a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Anchor Old Tom Gin

By
The Staff
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Anchor Distilling Company has introduced Anchor Old Tom Gin. This is the company’s third style of small-batch gin, joining Junipero Gin and Genevieve. The new gin is pot-distilled with juniper berries and other botanicals, and also contains Paraguayan stevia. Old Tom Gin is available for a suggested retail price of $29.95.

Growth Brands: Beer (and cider) Here!

By
mdowling
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To view a full PDF of the story complete with charts, please click here: BD-beer-growth-brands.

 

 

Beer is the adult beverage of choice in the U.S., according to a recent Gallup poll. The study found that 41% of participants typically drink beer; 31% drink wine and 23% consume liquor.

Americans’ current preference for beer is among the highest Gallup has recorded since beer fell to 36% in 2005. Still, total beer consumption slipped 1.6% in 2013 to 2.8 billion 2.25-gallon cases, according to the Beverage Information Group, the research unit of Beverage Dynamics’ parent company.

Light beer, which still commands a 49% share of the total beer category, was down 4.1% in 2013, while malt liquor fell 3.2% from 2012. Consumption of popular beers dropped 2.7%, and superpremium and premium domestic beers decreased 2.2%.

So where is the growth? Primarily in craft brews, ciders, and specialty beverages. Craft beer consumption, for instance, increased 14%, about the same percentage as the previous year.

Ciders, which are included in our Beer Growth Brands, posted tremendous growth overall. The cider category’s consumption was up a whopping 66%, reaching 16.8 million 2.25-gallon cases in 2013.

Thanks largely to the Bud Light Lime-a-Rita phenomenon, flavored malt beverage consumption was up 2.7%, though that’s not quite as robust as the category’s 7.8% increase for the previous year.

Still, with all the new flavors and styles of beer products, the beer industry continues to be driven by new releases.

That said, the following identifies the fastest-growing and most promising beer brands in the U.S. market today.

 

Fast Track Growth Brands

To be considered a Fast Track brand, domestic beers must have exceeded 9 million 2.25-gallon cases in 2013, and imported brands/microbrews must have exceeded 1.5 million with double-digit growth over the past four years.

Dos Equis continues its domination at the top of the Fast Tack beer brands: It recorded annual compound growth of 18.5% from 2009 to 2013. The Mexican lager reached 23.2 million cases last year, up from 18.7 million in 2012 and 16.1 million in 2011. The brand, which has been owned by Heineken USA since 2010, this past spring launched Dos Equis Dos-A-Rita, a ready-to-serve lager Margarita modeled after the popular cocktail recipe.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo, an American IPA from Chico, CA-based Sierra Nevada Brewing, moved over from the Rising Star category to the Fast Track list this year. It reached 5.4 million cases sold in 2013, up 25.1% from the previous year.

Once again, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy posted the most significant annual compound growth rate from 2009 to 2013 — 59.1% — of all the Fast Track brands. The seasonal wheat beer mixed with lemonade, which came out in 2007, was up 25% in 2013, to 5.4 million cases.

Still, Lagunitas IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Co. in Petaluma, CA, posted the most impressive growth from 2012 to 2013 — 55.9% to 1.8 million cases sold. The IPA is the company’s first seasonal.

 

Rising Star Growth Brands

Rising Star Growth Brands are, well, on the rise: There are 19 Rising Stars in 2014 versus 12 in 2013 and seven in 2012. Rising Star brands must be under five full years of age and have exhibited notable growth during the past few years.

Interestingly, three out of the 19 Rising Star Growth Brands are Bud Light Ritas, four are ciders and most of the remaining brands are craft beer releases.

Indeed, the top two Rising Star brands are Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Bud Light Ritas: Straw-Ber-Rita and Lime-A-Rita. How popular is Bud Light Lime-a-Rita? The Margarita-flavored malt beverage, which was introduced in 2012 (with an 8% ABV), was up 40% in 2013, reaching 10.2 million 2.25-gallon cases. But the original Lime-a Rita has already been eclipsed by the Bud Light Straw-Ber-Rita flavor, which was unveiled in late March 2013 and has already sold 11.3 million 2.25-gallon cases in less than a year.

Then there’s Bud Light Lime Cran-Brrr-Rita, which was introduced as a limited-time seasonal offering in 2013. The company sold 500,000 2.25-gallon cases of Cran-Brrr-Rita last year. AB-InBev introduced two new permanent flavors to the Bud Light Lime franchise in spring 2014: Mang-O-Rita and Raz-Ber-Rita.

A-B InBev’s Budweiser Black Crown is the third-ranked Rising Star, selling more than 7.7million 2.25-gallon cases in 2013. Introduced in February 2013, Black Crown was the result AB-InBev’s Project 12 initiative, in which the company’s brewers came up with a dozen different beers in the style of Bud. The 12 brews were then whittled down to six; Budweiser Black Crown was the winner based on customer taste tests and opinions.

The fourth-ranked Rising Star is part of the fast-emerging cider niche. Cider remains a small fraction of the beer market, but the category’s growth in recent years is remarkable. Total cider consumption increased 66% from 2012 to 2013, according to Beverage Information Group data, reaching 16.8 million 2.25-gallon cases last year.

The leading cider brand, Boston Beer Co.’s Angry Orchard, posted a staggering increase of 242% from 2.2 million cases in 2012 to 7.5 million cases in 2013. The brand launched in late 2011 in New England and went nationwide in mid-2012.

Angry Orchard comes in the core Crisp Apple, Traditional Dry, Apple Ginger and Green Apple flavors, as well as the seasonal Elderflower (available from April through August) and Cinnful (August through March) cinnamon spice flavors. The brand also includes the Cider House Collection flavors: Ice Man, Straw Man and The Muse.

While Angry Orchard is the clear cider leader among the Rising Stars, the major beer producers have quickly adapted to the cider craze. Crispin Cider, which launched in mid 2011 and was acquired by MillerCoors in 2012, increased 71% to 1.2 million cases sold in 2013. MillerCoors has also recently released the higher-in-alcohol Smith & Forge Hard Cider.

And A-B InBev’s Michelob Ultra Light Cider, which came out in May 2012, was up 63%, to 570,000 cases. The company also introduced Stella Artois Cidre (pronounced see-druh) to the U.S. market in May 2013. The European-style cider from the Belgian beer brand sold 300,000 cases in 2013.

A-B InBev is further betting on the cider category with Johnny Appleseed, a hard apple cider it rolled out in April. It’s the first new brand introduction by the company since the Shock Top craft brew in 2006.

Redd’s Apple Ale from MillerCoors is not a cider, but rather a golden ale with red apple hints. It’s growing like a cider, though: Launched in late 2012, the brand reached more than 7 million cases in 2013.

As it did the previous two years, Fort Collins, CO-based New Belgium Brewing had the most Rising Star brands on the list. Ranger IPA increased 12% in 2013, to 1.3 million cases, while New Belgium’s winter seasonal beer Accumulation had a strong debut with 400,000 cases.

The brewer sold some 330,000 cases each of its Rampant Imperial/Double IPA beer and summer fruit ale Rolle Bolle in 2013, while its Shift pale lager increased 19.4% over the previous year to 271,000 cases in 2013. Pumpkick, New Belgium’s new, traditionally spiced seasonal fall ale, reached 230,000 cases in 2013.

Chainbreaker, a White IPA from Bend, OR-based Deschutes Brewery, is back on the Rising Stars list: The brand increased 57% to 342,000 barrels. It’s joined by the company’s River Ale, a year-round session beer Deschutes launched in 2013.

New to the Rising Stars list is Founders All Day IPA, an American IPA style beer from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI. The first Founders brew to be canned, All Day IPA was initially unveiled in early 2012.

 

Established Growth Brands

Established Growth Brands are top-selling beers that have grown moderately or substantially over the past four years. The brands must have exceeded 3 million 2.25-gallon cases in 2013.

A-B InBev’s Michelob Ultra — which was up 7.1% in 2013, reaching 50.2 million cases — took the top spot from Coors Light, which did not make the list this year. But MillerCoors brand Coors Banquet improved its growth rate from 1.5% the previous year to 6.5%, reaching 21 million cases sold.

The company’s craft brand Blue Moon grew 4.9% in 2013 to 26.9 million cases; it had grown at 13.5% the previous year.

Mexican pilsner Modelo Especial from Crown Imports posted an 18.0% increase to 50.1 million cases of beer sold in 2013. The company had boosted its advertising expenditures for the brand 27% from 2012 to 2013. Consumption of another Crown brand, Pacifico — a Mexican pilsner-style beer — was up 4.5% in 2013, to 6.2 million cases.

Shock Top from Anheuser-Busch InBev moved over from the Fast Track to the Established Growth Brands in 2014. The Belgian-style wheat ale grew modestly in 2013 to 9.3 million cases; it had increased 56.6% the previous year.

The most impressive growth rate among the established brands belongs to Heineken USA’s Tecate Light, which increased 24.3% in 2013, to 3 million cases. And Stella Artois, distributed by Anheuser-Busch InBev, was up 22.9% over 2012, reaching 21.0 million cases in 2013.

Natural Ice is back on the Established Growth Brands again. Though it grew less than 1%, the brand reached 43.4 million cases. The venerable Pabst Blue Ribbon’s growth rate slowed a bit from 10.4% in 2012 to 8.2% this past year, but it reached the 40 million-case mark.

Indeed, many of the established brands saw their growth rates slow in 2013. For instance, Yuengling Light Lager, from D.G. Yuengling & Sons, grew 24.3% in 2013 over 2012, vs. 78.0% the previous year. The Pottsville, PA-based brewer sold 6.2 million cases of Yuengling Light Lager last year.

Shiner Bock, a dark lager, increased 8.2% over 2012 to 6.5 million cases. Owned by Gambrinus, Shiner beers are made in the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX; the company aims to distribute Shiner Bock in all 50 states by the end of 2014.

As it was last year, Boston Beer Co.’s Twisted Tea is the only Established Growth Brand that’s not a traditional beer. Introduced in 2001, the hard iced-tea beverage comes in seven flavors, including a seasonal tropical, as well as three flavors of Twisted Lemonades. The brand increased a healthy 15.5% in 2013 to 7.6 million cases.

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