Valhalla's Firkin

The world of beer through my eyes.

About Me

Name:Kipp
Location:Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

After the WBF and more beer news.....

So its been a while, that doesn't mean I care any less does it? In fact, just the opposite. So let's get right to it....

Most Awards Ever for North Carolina at Great American Beer Festival!

Any you heard it hear first! Actually, if you did you're a bit behind. See our good friend (Also President, and Co-founder of Pop The Cap) sent out a press release on October 5th exclaiming just that fact. Five metals come home to the Old North State in the form of three golds, a silver, and a bronze.

Gold medals were awarded to Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Greenville for its Sunfest Lager, Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill for its India Pale Ale, and Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem for its Baltic Porter. Natty Greene’s Brewing Company received silver in the English-Style Brown Ale beer-style category for its Old Town Brown, and The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery received bronze for its Milk Stout.

Foothills wins gold and claims the first national award for a NC beer above 6%!

Not only is this the most bling from the GABF for NC in one year, but another good friend of ours, Jamie Bartholomaus, at Foothills Brewery won a Gold metal for his Baltic Porter in the Pro-Am competition. In which, Jamie worked with a Wiston Salem homebrewer Tom Noland, as part of the GABF's new Pro-Am competition in which a Professional and Ameteur brewer work together to produce a beer. Jamie took Tom's recipe and tweaked it, then brewed it at Foothills Brewing with Tom's help. What do you get, a kick ass Baltic Porter, and the first North Carolina beer over 6% ABV to receive a national award for beer excellence. Congratulations Jamie!

Side note: Sean has made some awesome new t-shirts for PTC v2.0 in support of NC breweries and brewpubs. I bought one at WBF, do you have yours? If not contact Sean to see how you can get one, or twelve.

Is the King looking at a coup?

Some sources are saying that a leveraged buyout of A-B is in the works by wanta Warren Buffet and hedge fund guru, Eddie Lambert at $56 a share. What do I think? While a buyout wouldn't affect me or my drinking habbits, (as I try to support the little guys, or even just the not colossally huge) I think this may just be a ploy/rumor to drive up A-B's stock prices in the midsts of its market share losses as the craft beer segment continues to see growth.

What's up in NC

Well let's see. Besides what seems like a record number of beer dinners lately, and possibly the best World Beer Fest I've ever been too (best layout, crowd, food, atmosphere, beers, and breweries IMHO. But I will give you that the weather could have been a little drier.) More and more NC breweries producing Seasonals. Many expanding and looking to grow. Others looking for new brewers. As you may know both Natty Greene's and Red Oak are looking for new brewers. Highland is continuing work on the new brewery at a frantic pace. More beer dinners, festivals, and community events as the year gets closer to the end.

REI invading NC?

It may seem that way with REI locations now in Cary, Raleigh, Durham, and the newest location now open in Pineville. But wait, there's more. In the brand The Shops at Friendly Center, on October 20th, REI will open a brand new Greensboro location.

That's great, but what the hell does that have to do with beer? Well usually very little. However, in the case of REI and the opening of their Pineville location REI contacted Highland to be on hand and share our beer with their Grand Opening Community Reception, and they have asked Highland to again be present for the Opening Reception for the Greensboro location. Now the offical opening of the store is October 20th and the Grand Opening Community Reception will be sometime before that. Just wanted to share one more way that NC's Craft Beer is making its way into places that it would not have been before.

Cheers!