Craft Brew News 03/06/2020

(Courtesy of Brewbound.com)

Molson Coors’ Milwaukee Brewery to Reopen Monday; Nearly $1 Million Raised for Shooting Victims’ Families

Molson Coors’ Milwaukee brewery will reopen Monday evening after closing for several days in the wake of a shooting that claimed the lives of five employees on February 26.

Molson Coors, the second-largest beer producer in the U.S., will increase security measures, with bag checks at all locations, as well as additional armed and unarmed security guards at the facility, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Brewery tours have been canceled through Saturday, March 7.

About 1,000 people work at the Milwaukee campus, where there are more than 20 buildings, including brewing facilities, offices and a visitor center.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe fundraiser posted last Friday to support the families of the victims has raised more than $820,000 on its way to its $1 million goal. Molson Coors organized the fund on behalf of the National Compassion Fund, a program of the National Center for Victims of Crime. The National Compassion Fund will distribute 100% of the money raised to victims’ families.


Stone Brewing Closes Shanghai Taproom

Stone Brewing has shuttered its taproom in Shanghai, China, citing pressures from tariffs and the coronavirus disease.

Co-founder and executive chairman Greg Koch said in a statement. “We faced challenges over the past year with dramatically increased tariffs, and now the Coronavirus,” “Both factors had a significant impact on our ability to further invest in the market as planned.”

The San Diego craft beer maker announced a temporary closure of the taproom last week due to concerns over coronavirus, according to SmartShanghai. The temporary closure turned permanent earlier this week.

The Shanghai taproom’s closure comes just under a year after the announcement of the sale of Stone’s Berlin, Germany brewery to Scotland-headquartered BrewDog.

Rogue Shutters Washington Outpost

Rogue Ales & Spirits plans to close its nearly two-decade old brewpub in Issaquah, Washington, on Friday.

Rogue president Dharma Tamm wrote on Facebook. “This was a very difficult decision, but unfortunately rising costs have made it apparent that it is our best option to close the Issaquah Brewhouse in order to better focus on our other public houses and production,”

The Issaquah location opened in 2001 and is about 310 miles northeast of Rogue’s headquarters in Newport, Oregon. All Issaquah employees have been offered jobs at Rogue’s eight other retail locations, Tamm wrote.

Uinta Brewing Looks to Bounce Back in 2020

Uinta president Jeremy Ragonese believes the Salt Lake City craft brewery has “stabilized” after a rough 2019.

The year started with a voluntary recall of 20,000 cases of beer affected by yeast contamination.
Additionally, Ragonese, then CMO, was promoted to president in March. That same day, he began the process of retrenching the company’s footprint, cutting back from 48 states to 28, essentially using Mississippi River as a dividing line, with a few exceptions.

If that wasn’t enough change for a year, the state of Utah lifted its restrictions on higher ABV beer sales in grocery and convenience stores, allowing sales of products with an ABV of up to 5%. The unforeseen fallout of that move was that retailers stopped stocking shelves with new beer in early October in anticipation of the changeover on November 1. This translated to lost sales for the state’s beer producers.

All of that added up to a slower year volume wise for Uinta. After peaking in 2017 at 93,338 barrels, the company’s volume declined nearly 50% in 2019, to around 49,000 barrels.

Uinta’s big bet for 2020 is Hazy Nosh IPA, a line extension of its Hop Nosh flagship. At 5% ABV, Hazy Nosh will allow the company to take advantage of the full-strength beer sales change in Utah grocery stores, as well as most of its other markets.

The second release in the series will be Free Form Lo-Cal Rosé Ale, which will launch in June. According to Ragonese, the Rosé Ale has tested well with hard seltzer and light beer drinkers.

Uinta is also exploring opening up its playbook to beyond beer offerings, which could include the addition of hard seltzer and a non-alcoholic beer. The company is also looking to launch a barrel-aging program, Ragonese said.

Craft Beer Storm Website: www.craftbeerstorm.com


If your Company, Hotel or Restaurant wants to book a CraftBeer Weekend or Craft Beer Evening for your guests or employees send an email to Michael@craftbeerstorm.com

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craft-beer-storm-podcast-30776075/


Subscribe to Craft Beer Storm Podcast iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/craft-beer-storm/id1438117278?mt=2

*** A Top 20 Podcast in Food on iTunes ***

Michael Potorti is the Host of Craft Beer Storm and Founder/Brewer at Beara Brewing Co. in Portsmouth, NH

*** Interested in starting your own brewery? Our Portsmouth, NH TURNKEY facility is for sale! Follow link for more info:

https://www.neren.com/Listing/2800-Lafayette-Rd-12A/5cdda2dabf34cb9150a7faeb


Michael Potorti
Founder/Brewer
Host of "Craft Beer Storm" Podcast
michael@craftbeerstorm.com


**LISTEN to our Craft Beer Storm Podcast and share with a friend**

Craft Beer Storm Podcast iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/craft-beer-storm/id1438117278

Craft Beer Storm You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp3PVuCGmywNWlGFh0N0ukg?view_as=subscriber

Craft Beer Storm Podcast Stitcher:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podcast-center-la-2/craft-beer-storm

Craft Beer Storm Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/craft-beer-storm-podcast-30776075/



Craft Beer Storm Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/craftbeerstorm/

Craft Beer Storm Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/craftbeerstorm/