Champlain Orchards is a family-owned and operated farm and cidery in Shoreham, Vermont, and is the longest continually operating orchard in the state. The orchards have produced over 65 varieties of apples as well as several types of peaches, plums, pears and berries.
Champlain Orchards Original Cider will debut in Massachusetts at the end of April on draft, and in four-packs of 12 oz. glass bottles and 16 oz. cans. The cider is crisp and effervescent with a hint of sweet apple. Floral aromas of citrus and apple are followed by a tart finish.
About a month ago we got an e-mail from Jason Spaulding, President of Brewery Vivant of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Breweries participating in beer festivals outside their normal distribution territories must choose a distribution company local to where the festival is taking place. It’s all part of the Federally mandated three-tier system. In this case, Brewery Vivant, which currently only distributes throughout Michigan, Indiana, and the Chicago-area, needed a distribution company to take its beer into Massachusetts for the Extreme Beer Festival. They chose the Craft Brewers Guild.
America has become a nation of hop heads.
Beer drinkers can't get enough of the resinous aroma and array of piney, citrusy, and bitter hop flavors. Breweries are churning out several varieties of Pale Ales, sessionalbe IPAs, and higher ABV DIPAs to meet demand and everyone knows the fresher it is, the better it is. But let's face it, sometimes that "bottled on" date from 8 days ago juuuust doesn't cut it.
Forget the flowers, the heart-shaped antacid "candies", and waxy milk chocolates. Valentine's Day is just 10 days away, and what's more romantic than wooing the person you love with beer?
To help you navigate the beer aisle, we've selected our top Valentine's Day beers. Chocolate beers > chocolates.
Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout. Gently roasted organic chocolate malts blended with organic cocoa make this one smooth, creamy brew. Beer Advocate gives this a 94.
Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Chocolate malts and real dark chocolate. Indulgent, but not overly sweet.
More craft brewers are ditching bottles and making the switch to cans. The rise in popularity of canning is due to a number of factors: easier to recycle, less breakage, more surface space for logo/branding, and no light contamination. Some breweries only can, while others use cans for special releases. Mobile canning companies have emerged in response to the resurgence of the can in the craft beer industry. Cans are the new “thing.” Again.
2015 MAY BE THE BIG YEAR FOR BEER
- By Kerry J. Byrne for the Boston Herald: http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/food_dining/2014/12/2015_may_be_big_year_for_beer
The past year was the most dynamic in the history of American craft brewing.The combination of entrepreneurial spirit, creative energy and consumer thirst means this will be another explosive year for American beer makers.
Here’s a six-pack of predictions for the beer scene in Boston and around the country in the year ahead.
Throughout the month of January, Beer Works fans will have the opportunity to critique and vote for their favorite brews.
The “Battle of the Brews” is an in-house beer competition between Beer Works’ own brands and will take place at all six Beer Works locations. Starting January 5th, for just four dollars, participants are given four different 4 oz. samples of beer and a voting ballot. The four beers are two different styles, with two varieties of each style. The contenders are:
Back Bay IPA vs. The Contender IPA
Pale 2 vs. Big Boy IPA
The Children's hospital at Mass General is going to need more wrapping paper.
On December 17th over 130 toys, all donated by Craft Brewers Guild staff, were delivered to MGH. Naturally, we took the opportunity to build a giant mountain of all the toys and take pictures with it.
The toys ranged from art supplies, board games, and dolls to battery-operated cars and will be distributed by hospital staff to children and families in their care.
