CSU building microbrewery at Lory Student Center to give beer-brewing …

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Students taking classes in beer brewing at Colorado State University are going to get more hands-on training.

The school is planning to install a microbrewery in the Lory Student Center, right next to the venerable Ramskeller pub, to give students real-world experience.

That’s right –  students will be getting credit for brewing and tasting beer as they prepare for careers in the growing microbrewery industry.

Next fall, CSU will serve up a heady new major — fermentation science and technology.

“Because we’re in an area with a bunch of breweries already being so prominent, it actually brings an appreciation for the different types of brew that would be available,” CSU student Vanessa Ybrra told 7NEWS photojournalist Major King.

The goal is not to compete with Fort Collins’ thriving microbreweries but to provide an expanded educational facility where students can master the science of crafting great beer, said Jeff McCubbin, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences.

“However, we do envision that students in the future may be able to produce very small amounts of select beers that might be available for consumption,” McCubbin said.

“Our local industry (leaders) think it’s very important to have an academic program because some people evolve into an interest in brewing beer without the academic science background that goes with it,” the dean added.

At least one local craft brewer gives his blessing.

“I think if they were able to offer some of the beers that their students fermented it might grow attention toward the program. So it makes perfect sense to me,” said Sean Nook, owner of Black Bottle Brewery. 

Students having a cold pint at the venerable ‘Skellar pub toasted plans for the CSU microbrewery.

“I’m all for it and I think it’s great and to just kind of further people’s education in the brewery class,” said grad student Nick Lemmel.

Construction of the brewery/lab next to the Ramskellar should be completed in about two years.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Beecher Brewing Company Announces Plans for New Microbrewery in …

Fort Myers, FL (PRWEB) March 27, 2013

Beecher Brewing Company today announced plans for a new microbrewery in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. The microbrewery will be the first in the greater Fort Myers’ area and will serve high-quality craft beers accompanied by food selections that complement the beverages. The brewery will be located in the historic McCrory Building at 1525 Hendry Street, in close proximity to the waterfront. The 3,500 square feet facility is expected to be completed in August and a grand opening is planned for later this year.            

Bill Frazer, the founder of Beecher Brewing Company, is engineer turned beer brewer and entrepreneur. After spending more than a decade in the automotive industry working for companies such as Saleen, Fisker Automotive and CODA Automotive, Inc., the Florida native now turns his engineering abilities toward craft brewing. His interest in brewing began as a hobby years ago when he started crafting beer with friends, and quickly turned into a passion as he perfected various beer recipes. Early in 2011 Bill made the decision to open a microbrewery and began researching the options.

Bill commented, “It’s amazing how well engineering skills translate into fine beer brewing. The attention to detail required and the equal importance of technical and creative skills are all key components of both successful engineering and brewing. I am excited to bring great beer to the Fort Myers area. Great beer is for everyone and I’m thrilled to share it with the people.”

Beecher Brewing Company plans to have 25 craft beers on tap, with an average of six brewed onsite, and a regularly rotating schedule of beers based on seasonal demand. The brewery will include a three barrel system, capable of brewing 90 gallons at a time. Food menu options will include chef selected appetizers and small dishes recommended to complement each of the beers. Further, Beecher Brewing Company expects to employ at least seven people initially and add more as the business grows.                        

About Beecher Brewing Company:

Beecher Brewing Co. was started in 2011 with the idea of a new era in craft beer brewing. By opening our doors to all the home brewers and beer lovers, we are tapping into the beer industry’s greatest resource. We are providing the opportunity for the best beers to be offered on a continually rotating basis. How do we know they are the best beers? Because you told us so. Our operation practices on the fundamental concepts of the democratic society this country was founded on: a beer company of the people, by the people and FOR THE PEOPLE. We work with our beer drinkers to ensure that we offer the brews that people want the most.

The foundation of Beecher Brewing Co. is the customers themselves. It is our customers who determine our product by submitting the recipes and then voting for the best ones. By doing this, we ensure every ounce of beer that hits the shelves with our name on it is delicious.

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Beer Brewing and Carbon Dioxide Recycling

Automation World Director of Content David Greenfield was telling me recently about one of his hobbies and passions: home-brewing beer. To hone his skills and test drive an alternative career some 20 years ago, he volunteered to work in a local microbrewery. One of his jobs involved washing out the interior of fermentation tanks. Because yeast consumes oxygen and expels large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the fermentation process, getting into a tank to scrub it out can be a dangerous activity. “You have to stick your head out of the tank regularly between scrubs to make sure you get enough oxygen,” he told me. “You always have to have two guys on hand, in case one passes out.”

But CO2 is also useful in the beer brewing process, aside from the obvious delights of carbonation. Prior to filling, beer bottles are purged with CO2 to remove air and protect the taste against oxidation. Considering this application of CO2, wouldn’t it make sense for the CO2 produced in the fermentation process to be reclaimed and used for this bottle-purging purpose? Apparently yes, but it’s not easy.

Fermentation often produces toxic, odorous sulfides, which can foam up into the piping and contaminate reclaimed CO2.

An application brief from Applied Analytics (AAI), a global manufacturer of industrial process analysis instruments, explains the biggest challenge: Fermentation also often produces toxic, odorous sulfides, which can foam up into the piping and contaminate the reclaimed CO2.

“In order to continue using the great resource of CO2 byproduct, yet avoid contaminating the bottled beer with foul-smelling toxins, the reclaimed gas is run through sulfide removal skids. However, sulfide breakthrough can occur if the gas does not spend enough time in the scrubber,” according to the brief.

“Employees are sometimes tasked with sniff-testing the reclaimed CO2, but this is an unhealthy practice and is too discrete to vigilantly prevent product contamination. An automatic, continuous analysis solution is required.”

In the brief, AAI engineers describe how their automated solution, the OMA Process Analyzer works to immediately divert contaminated CO2 from use in bottling, as well as to provide feedback control for the sulfur removal processing time.

The Method

The OMA Process Analyzer is used to continuously measure concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the fermentation byproduct gas. This system uses a full-spectrum UV-Vis spectrophotometer to detect the absorbance of sulfides in the reclaimed CO2 stream—an ideal method, as CO2 has zero absorbance in the UV spectrum. The OMA provides fast-response alarms to high-concentration threshold, which allows immediate diversion of contaminated CO2.

For this application, the OMA is typically multiplexed to automatically cycle analysis between multiple sampling points. This maximizes system value by allowing one unit to monitor the raw fermentation gas entering the reclamation system, gas coming off the acid aldehyde scrubbers, and the bottling gas coming off of the sulfur removal beds—all with sample stream switching at user-defined intervals.

Using the OMA system, a brewery enables intelligent CO2 reclamation, which continuously prevents sulfide contamination of the beer product.

Applied Analytics systems are used primarily to measure real-time chemical concentrations in liquid or gas process streams, as well as physical parameters like color, calorific value and purity. AAI will be exhibiting its newest systems at two upcoming events. Look for them at the 58th ISA Analysis Division Symposium in Galveston April 14 – 18, 2013, in Galveston, Texas and at the ISA Calgary Show April 17-18, 2013 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

To read more about the OMA Process Analyzer and the technology used, visit AAI’s website.  

Ala. representative pre-files home brewing bill

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

Thousands of Alabamians who make their own beer at home may soon be able to come out from underground with their secret suds. A proposed new state law would make home brewing legal, as it is in 48 other states.

When this year’s legislative session gets going, this will be the fifth time this proposal has started through the legislature on behalf of a small, but dedicated, constituency.

“We’re just beer nerds.   We enjoy crafting recipes,” said Dan Perry.,” said Dan Perry.

Perry, a longtime home brewer, finally decided to go legit and make a business of it. He got all the state licenses and opened the Straight to Ale microbrewery.

“To brew your own beer in Alabama is a felony. To possess one drop of beer that you brewed in Alabama is a felony. To possess the equipment necessary to brew one drop of beer in Alabama is a felony,” said Rich, a home brewer advocate.

Now, state representative Mac McCutcheon has pre-filed a bill to legalize home brewing.

Home brewers estimate there are at least 5,000 of their fellow enthusiasts in the state.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Perry, “if you’re a technical kind of person and if you enjoy making the system and having your system run.” 

Enthusiasts say the legal situation can be especially painful in places like Huntsville, where many people move from other states where home brewing is legal. They get here, set up shop, and then get a nasty and scary surprise.

“I have a friend who was an award winning home brewer, had many medals, national competitions, that gave up the hobby. He has a top secret clearance, and he couldn’t risk losing his clearance over a hobby that was for enjoyment.  It wasn’t worth the risk,” Rich said.

The proposed bill would allow the home brewing up to 15 gallons a quarter. It would not legalize making hard liquor. 

Brewing fans say decision makers need to understand nobody’s in it to get drunk.

“They’re in it because they enjoy the craft of creating a product that’s unique, not Budweiser or Coors.  It’s cheaper to buy beer at the store than it is to make it,” said Rich.

The home brew legalization bill was actually approved by the Alabama House in 2012 but ran out of time before it could be voted on by the Senate.

This time, it’s starting early in the session and advocates say it does seem to have enough support to get approved in both chambers.

Governor Robert Bentley has not been a big advocate and does not drink himself, but he has already signed several bills that open up Alabama’s beer markets and choices.

Copyright 2013 WAFF. All rights reserved.

News Nearby: Snellville Nanobrewery Racks Up Awards, Recognition

The self-proclaimed “Monkey Men” are back it, making a name for themselves in the world of craft beer by winning awards and moving forward with their business plans at a rapid pace. 

Featured in Snellville Patch last October, they have since earned a couple of trophies at the 2012 Summits Holidaze Homebrew Competition, winning the People’s Choice Award for their “Very Merry Monkey Ale,” a spiced, Christmas-style dark ale, and Second Place Award in the IPA category for “Hop Monkey IPA.”

A couple of weeks later, Baxter was back – this time offering his liquid creations to the crowd at Summits Beans-and-Brews for Boobs breast cancer benefit event.

The team re-connected with Summits Wayside Tavern last month to participate in back-to-back tastings. These “Beer University” dinners pair craft beer with food and offer extensive knowledge of the products being served. On Dec. 10, Wayne was at Summits’ Cumming location, offering the crowd the chance to sample his “Hop Monkey IPA” and “Monkey Mama Milk Stout”, a full-bodied, chocolate milk stout, according to Baxter. 

On top of that, the team was recognized at the Dec. 15 Max Lagers 1st Annual Brew Contest. Max Lagers, Atlanta’s oldest independent brewery restaurant, is renowned for its top-notch brewing picks. Monkey Wrench Brewing was awarded the 1st Place Best of Show and 1st Place in Christmas Category, both for the “Very Merry Monkey Ale.” 

“One thing led into another,” said Wayne Baxter, founder of the company. “We have some good momentum going, so we’re just trying to keep that up.”

He’s hoping to sign with a well known distributor soon.  

After home brewing for 16 years, his dream of owning his own microbrewery will become a reality this year. He has a fantastic team, including social media guru Joseph Dreher, sales and marketing manager Ashton Cheatham and co-head brewer Doug Nace.

“There’s a lot of pride that comes along with making something yourself,” said Nace, who has been in the brewing scene for over a decade. Nace attended the University of California’s Master Brewers back in 1995. 

Nace also brewed for the Cherokee Brewing Company, Percy’s Fish House and Brewery, Rock Bottom Brewery and Rubicon Brewery. He then took a hiatus from the brewing world to work for the CDC, but he’s happily picked up his main passion again with Monkey Wrench. 

Both Nace and Baxter are Snellville residents, and if they can find the right location in town, they’ll set up a microbrewery right here in Snellville. 

Read more about Monkey Wrench Brewing here. 

Keep up with this local company through Facebook, Twitter, and Website. If you’re an investor, contact Wayne Baxter at wayne@monkeywrenchbrewing.com. 

This initially ran on Snellville Patch.

Teacher hops careers to become expert brewer – Daily Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Pittsburgh native Ryan Heastings didn’t give up teaching after he moved from Pennsylvania to Charleston about three and a half years ago.

Rather than teaching history and economics, Heastings now provides instruction about beer. And he is soon hoping to expand his classroom.

Heastings, 29, of Scott Depot, has been educating local residents about craft beer – regional specialty beer – since he started working at Pies Pints pizzeria on Capitol Street.

Now he will continue that educational effort as the brewer at the new brewpub on Quarrier Street near its intersection with Summers Street.

“I just never stopped teaching,” Heastings said with his characteristic smile. “I talk about the many different styles, I give them samples and I want to show them how cool craft beer really is.”

The products of corporate macro breweries have dominated West Virginia for decades. But craft beer, which has been wildly popular in other states for years, is finding a niche in the Mountain State.

Heastings will be brewing at Charleston Brewing Company, which is targeted to open April 1.

The brewpub will start out pouring five beers made in-house. It will have the capacity to pour three more beers, which will be produced by the Bridge Brew Works, a microbrewery in Fayetteville. Heastings also has a hand in the production of beer there.

Heastings has been interested in brewing since his early 20s. As a young man in the northern portion of Pittsburgh, he drank cheap suds. But as he got older, he discovered microbrew. Pittsburgh is home to many microbreweries.  

“My wife and I would eat at various brewpubs and we would just try stuff,” he said. “I seemed to always like it no matter what kind of beer it was.”

One day while out with friends, Heastings had Hoegaarden, a Belgian wheat beer that has made inroads in the United States. And he has never looked back.  

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I’d never heard of Belgian beers. That’s when I really stepped into the rabbit hole.”

Heastings soon started brewing at home. As with many home brewers, his first attempt was not successful.

“To say it was pretty bad is kind,” he said with a laugh.

Heastings also began to immerse himself in the history of beer and its different styles, from German wheats to India Pale Ales.

“I couldn’t get enough of the history of beers,” he said.

One of his close friends in Pittsburgh also started home brewing, and the two kept at the craft. And as with any art, practice makes perfect.  

“I would go to work and listen to brewing podcasts,” he said.

At the time, he was teaching in the Pennsylvania school system. When his wife took a job in West Virginia, Heastings decided to concentrate on his love of beer.

“Teaching was very good to me,” he said. “But this was just starting to take over.”

West Virginia was not known for its brewpubs. Heastings continued to brew beer at home, and he contacted a brewer at a Fat Heads Brewery in Cleveland.

“I basically would just go up there and hang out to learn everything I could,” he said.

During this time, Heastings also was working at Pies Pints. The owners of the pizzeria had ties to Bridge Brew Works in Fayetteville.

The pizzeria’s first location was in the small mountain town near the New River Gorge and the brewery.

Heastings and the pizzeria owners decided to collaborate with Bridge Brew Works. Heastings would travel to the brewery about an hour southeast of Charleston to work on beer there.

The beer was then sold at Pies Pints. The first batch brewed by the group, an American Pale Ale, proved to be well received at both the Fayetteville and Charleston Pies Pints.

During that time he became fast friends with brewery owners Ken Linch and Nathan Herrold.

Ann Saville, the founder of Charleston Brewing Company, approached Heastings last spring. She asked him to come on board and he agreed, although the arrangement allows him to continue to oversee the beer operations at Pies Pints.

Heastings expects craft beer’s popularity to continue to grow in the state.  

A perfect confluence of circumstances helped foster an expanding beer culture in the area when the Legislature passed the craft beer law in 2009, allowing high alcohol content beer to be sold in the state. Bridge Brew Works opened shortly thereafter.

Heastings is happy to help expand that culture, and one way to do that is to promote what are called “session beers,” which have a lower alcohol content that the typical craft beer, while retaining the robust flavor.  

It’s the kind of beer people enjoy during lunch breaks in other parts of the country, he noted.

Heastings now is the only certified cicerone in the state and one of about 200 in the country. A certified cicerone has a “deep, well-rounded knowledge of beer,” according to the Cicerone Certification Program’s website, along with knowledge of service and assessing beer quality.

To be certified, Heastings had to take a three-hour written test and demonstrate a working knowledge of certain tasks related to brewing. He also had to pass a taste test involving certain styles of beer.

“It was a very challenging exam,” he said. The next level in the certification program is master cicerone. However, there are only about five in the world.

“They’re the true Jedi Masters,” Heastings said, adding he has no plans to pursue that certification.

Contact writer Paul Fallon at paul.fal…@dailymail.com or 304-348-4817. Follow him at www.twitter.com/PaulBFallon.

Crooked Letter Brewing opens for business in Ocean Springs

Paul and Wanda Blacksmith inside their Crooked Letter Brewing Company in Ocean Springs, which began full-scale operations this week. Warren Kulo/Gulflive.com  

OCEAN SPRINGS — Vancleave’s loss was Ocean Springs’ gain.

Roughly six months after being turned down by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors to operate a microbrewery in their hometown of Vancleave, Paul and Wanda Blacksmith opened the doors to their Crooked Letter Brewing Company in Ocean Springs this week.

“After the news was received that the county has turned us down, our phones blew up with calls from 10 different cities,” Paul Blacksmith recalled. “Tupelo, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Jackson — we had calls from all of them and we talked to everyone.”

But it was a phone call from the Broome family, which operates the iconic Broome’s Grocery at the corner of Government Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, which changed the fledgling company’s destiny.

“The Broomes family called us directly,” Blacksmith said. “I was born and raised in Biloxi, but since we live in Vancleave, the proximity to home was a deciding factor. Brewing is an ongoing, round-the-clock process, so being close to the brewery was key.”

The Blacksmith’s made the decision in July to accept the Broome’s offer to operate their brewery in a building at the back of the grocery store’s parking lot and in August were approved to operate by the Ocean Springs Planning Commission and Board of Aldermen.

They reworked their business plan to factor in the additional cost of renting a building rather than building one on property they already owned in Vancleave and went to work.

In November, Crooked Letter received a temporary license to brew in small batches and last Friday they received final approval to begin full-scale brewing operations. Saturday they hosted an open house where some 250 people came out to tour the facility and sample some or all of the four beers brewed at Crooked Letter.

Although the Blacksmith’s are passionate about brewing, both maintain “day jobs.” Paul is a real estate broker, while Wanda is a night-shift maternity nurse.

“We started home brewing about seven years ago,” Paul Blacksmith said, “after being introduced to craft beers by John Myers, who is now our head brewer. About three years ago, we started putting pen to paper working on a business plan for our own brewery.”

Crooked Letter will feature four “flagship” beers: Stabello, a rich, Italian lager; Mystery Romp, a porter, infused with coffee and chocolate; Crooked Heffy, an American hefeweizen; and Gipsy (pronounced “gypsy”), an India pale ale.

The brewery will also offer seasonal, anniversary and specialty brews througout the year.

“Not a lot of breweries do all three,” Blacksmith said. “Mississippi is very ready for craft beer.”

Kris Kwitzky, owner of Kwitzky’s Dugout on Government Street, hosted a “coming out” party of sorts for Crooked Letter this week. He said he expects Crooked Letter to do well.

“I think it’s got the legs to go far and will be a very good product for them,” Kwitzky said. “I love this for Ocean Springs. It’s this kind of thing that seperates us from everyone else.”

Mayor Connie Moran, who admitted she’s not much of a beer-drinker, nevertheless sampled the Mystery Romp.

“I thought it was delicious,” Moran said. “I think it would be great with a Rueben sandwich on pumpernickel. I think it’s wonderful we have our own microbrewery in Ocean Springs.”

Blacksmith said Rex Distributing in Biloxi will be the distributor for Crooked Letter beers. Those seeking Crooked Letter beer will likely find it at most places where Anheuser-Busch products are sold.

“With our large system being installed, it will likely be about two weeks before it will be readily available everywhere,” Blacksmith said. “But we have distribution agreements throughout the state of Mississippi and the southern part of Louisiana.”

More information on Crooked Letter Brewing can be found at the website http://crookedletterbrewing.com, or on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/CrookedLetterBrewing?fref=ts.

The Blacksmiths also welcome visitors to the brewery for tours of the facility.

“Our long-range goal is to be be sustainable enough to continue to brew commercially,” Blacksmith said.

MADE IN NORTHWEST INDIANA: Figure Eight Brewing celebrating downtown …

VALPARAISO | Tom Uban can name his favorite Figure Eight Brewing beer – it just may not be the same answer as yesterday.

“We have a wide variety with 11 or more on tap and they are all unique and different. When people ask me what my favorite is, that depends. It changes every day and even at different times during the day,” said Uban, who owns the microbrewery and restaurant with wife, Lynne, and Anne Roberts. “Everyone has a different idea of what beer is, so we have lots of variety to satisfy different tastes and palettes.”

The Figure Eight team is marking its recent move downtown from the former location at 1555 W. Lincolnway.

“Our goal is to put the product first and have fun doing it. The beer is the focus and the restaurant evolved,” Tom Uban said. “There’s a philosophy there: If the beer is good, people will come. If you make good beer, they will drink it.”

Tom Uban said everything fell into place for the move: Lynne Uban spotted that the former tenants had moved out and the owners were able to tour the building before it was on the market. They found the space was a fit and the timing was right.

“We were tight on space (on Lincolnway). Our goal has always been to grow bigger and that was our test location to make sure it was feasible,” Tom Uban said. “I funded all that myself at that location. From Day One, we were profitable.”

Touches of Uban’s background and personality can be found at Figure Eight, from the climbing-inspired theme to his days in the pinball industry where he connected with the friend who created the monkeys. The hear-some-evil, see-some-evil, say-some-evil rock-paper-scissors playing primates greet visitors and adorn wall hangings and labels.

“I have combined my passion with climbing with a desire to make beer. I’ve been home brewing since 1983 – on and off,” he said. “We have beers named after climbing terminology and it’s a basis to build on consistently. Figure Eight is a knot used in climbing to protect yourself.”

With two engineering degrees, his first foray into the entrepreneurial world was as a consultant. He said he was ready to move into a new phase after years as a computer engineer.

“I started visiting microbreweries in the area with an eye towards what is entailed at that level,” Uban said. “In May 2009, I got started and just jumped in and went with it.”

Today, the business has grown from three to 38 employees, is distributing beer across the state and helps raise funds for a different nonprofit each month.

“PhilanthroPint was the idea of head brewer Mike (Lahti). It’s a way to give back to the community. Every month, we donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Where Lizards Dare IPA,” he said. “As we continue to grow and build our system here, we want to expand and export out of the state.

“We help round out the square here with the new park and good restaurants, Valley and Parea. We want this business to help downtown continue to revitalize. Our downtown is doing a great job.”

Beer/wine hybrid drink tested in Coors Field

Blue Moon Brewing Co.The Sandlot, a microbrewery inside Coors Field, is where Blue Moon was conceptualized.In 1995, Keith Villa had just returned from the University of Brussels having earned his doctorate in beer brewing, when he began working on a Belgian beer that would become Blue Moon.

Blue Moon’s story is pretty well documented. Funded by MillerCoors, it’s now the 18th-largest beer brand in the U.S., according to Beer Marketer’s Insights.

Popularized by the famous orange, which Villa convinced bartenders to carry, you can find Blue Moon — and a slice of citrus — just about anywhere in the country.

What many don’t know is that Blue Moon was conceptualized at the Sandlot, a microbrewery located inside Coors Field that has served as the developmental ground for the entire Blue Moon label operation.

Come up with a concept. Make the beer. Bring it to Rockies fans and see the reaction.

[+] Enlarge
Courtesy of Blue Moon Brewing Co.Vintage Impulse, a beer/wine hybrid, was tested to Rockies fans at Coors Field.It sold out.

Full disclosure: I know this because I loved the combination so much I purchased a case, but I could tell the supply was dwindling.

“In 1995 and 1996, it was before its time,” Villa said. “Sixteen years later, people’s tastes have evolved.”

Now, the Blue Moon Company is bringing the beer/wine hybrid out of the ballpark to produce for the masses.

A half-beer, half-Sauvignon Blanc bottle called Proximity and a half-beer, half-Cabernet Sauvignon bottle called Impulse will hit shelves as soon as this week. Vintage Blonde Ale will be renamed Golden Knot and be produced with another beer/wine hybrid in the summer.

It won’t be as limited as the test market, but Villa says it’s limited to the amount of grapes he can find.

“We can’t get any grapes from Napa and Sonoma since they’re all reserved,” Villa said. “So we get as many grapes as we can from the central coast of California.”

Complicating matters is the fact Blue Moon products are actually kosher. That means only Jewish people can run the vineyard operation and a rabbi must certify the grapes as kosher for use by the brewer.

Villa, who makes his own wine at home, thinks that the beer/wine hybrid could be the next big thing. With the 750 ml bottles in the wine section of liquor stores, it might require some buzz for that to happen.

That’s something that Villa knows a bit about from the rise of Blue Moon.

Beer/wine hybrid drink tested in Coors Field – Sports Business News, Analysis …

Blue Moon Brewing Co.The Sandlot, a microbrewery inside Coors Field, is where Blue Moon was conceptualized.In 1995, Keith Villa had just returned from the University of Brussels having earned his doctorate in beer brewing, when he began working on a Belgian beer that would become Blue Moon.

Blue Moon’s story is pretty well documented. Funded by MillerCoors, it’s now the 18th-largest beer brand in the U.S., according to Beer Marketer’s Insights.

Popularized by the famous orange, which Villa convinced bartenders to carry, you can find Blue Moon — and a slice of citrus — just about anywhere in the country.

What many don’t know is that Blue Moon was conceptualized at the Sandlot, a microbrewery located inside Coors Field that has served as the developmental ground for the entire Blue Moon label operation.

Come up with a concept. Make the beer. Bring it to Rockies fans and see the reaction.

[+] Enlarge
Courtesy of Blue Moon Brewing Co.Vintage Impulse, a beer/wine hybrid, was tested to Rockies fans at Coors Field.It sold out.

Full disclosure: I know this because I loved the combination so much I purchased a case, but I could tell the supply was dwindling.

“In 1995 and 1996, it was before its time,” Villa said. “Sixteen years later, people’s tastes have evolved.”

Now, the Blue Moon Company is bringing the beer/wine hybrid out of the ballpark to produce for the masses.

A half-beer, half-Sauvignon Blanc bottle called Proximity and a half-beer, half-Cabernet Sauvignon bottle called Impulse will hit shelves as soon as this week. Vintage Blonde Ale will be renamed Golden Knot and be produced with another beer/wine hybrid in the summer.

It won’t be as limited as the test market, but Villa says it’s limited to the amount of grapes he can find.

“We can’t get any grapes from Napa and Sonoma since they’re all reserved,” Villa said. “So we get as many grapes as we can from the central coast of California.”

Complicating matters is the fact Blue Moon products are actually kosher. That means only Jewish people can run the vineyard operation and a rabbi must certify the grapes as kosher for use by the brewer.

Villa, who makes his own wine at home, thinks that the beer/wine hybrid could be the next big thing. With the 750 ml bottles in the wine section of liquor stores, it might require some buzz for that to happen.

That’s something that Villa knows a bit about from the rise of Blue Moon.