Russell Beer Expands Distribution to Manitoba Province

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire - May 9, 2008) - Russell Brewing Company (TSX VENTURE:RB), a producer of premium craft beer in British Columbia, has expanded distribution to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Draught products available will include Russell Cream Ale, Russell Honey Blonde Ale and Russell Lemon Ale. Packaged products available for retail through the MLCC stores will include 355ml six-pack cans of Russell Cream Ale and Russell Honey Blonde.

“We are very excited to be launching Russell products into Manitoba,” said Andrew Harris, President, Russell Breweries Inc. “Manitoba is the home of our sister brewery, Fort Garry Brewing, and it offers a great spring-board to take the Russell brand across the country. We look forward to leveraging the excellent sales and distribution channels already established to grow the Russell brand.”

Russell Brewing Company produces premium craft beer in British Columbia. Using all natural ingredients and traditional beer making techniques, Russell beer is brewed for people who love “real” beer. Products include: Russell Cream Ale, Russell Pale Ale, Russell Honey Blonde Ale, Russell Extra Special Lager plus two seasonal brews, Russell Lemon Ale and Russell Winter Porter. Russell Brewing Company and Fort Garry Brewing Company are wholly owned subsidiaries of Russell Breweries Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RB).

Bud Ale: “A New Style of Ale.”?

Bud Ale: “A New Style of Ale.” “Distinctly American.”Budweiser American Ale, due for release in October, will be billed as “a new style of ale.”That’s the language used on the label, based on filings with the federal government.The predominantly red label -- which includes an image of the Anheuser-Busch eagle, the A-B compass and hops – bears this legend: “Budweiser American Ale defines a new style of ale –

The American Ale – created by Anheuser-Busch brewmasters to deliver robust ale taste that’s full-bodied, but not too heavy nor too bitter.”The neck ringer further plays up the “American” angle: “Budweiser American Ale. An ale that’s distinctly American in character. Savor the difference.”

From BrewBlog.com:

New Budweiser Line Extension on Tap? Receives label approval for Budweiser American Ale.
Anheuser-Busch appears poised to roll out a craft-style line extension of its Budweiser brand.
The brewer has received label approval from the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for Budweiser American Ale.

Bud American Ale has 5.1 percent alcohol by volume, according to label filings. A-B received approvals for 12-ounce bottles and three sizes of barrels (half, quarter and 1/6).
It's worth noting that A-B appears ready to extend the Bud brand into the craft space on the heels of Miller Brewing Company introducing the Miller Lite Brewers Collection, a trio of craft-style light beers.

If Bud American Ale sounds familiar, it’s because A-B flirted with rolling it out back in 1997 to take on the nascent Sam Adams Boston Lager. But A-B didn’t pull the trigger then.
Now that crafts are once again hot – and as Bud continues to decline – A-B appears to be reconsidering.

Rolling out an “American Ale” would seem to fit in with A-B’s efforts to leverage the craftsmanship and heritage of the Bud label. That said, it’s somewhat ironic A-B would roll out a Bud ale given “Great American Lager” ads for Bud take shots at “heavy” and “cloudy” beers.

FredFest Online Beer Auction-2008

PORTLAND, Ore. - Beer aficionados across the nation will be reaching for their wallets this weekend when rare beers and vertical collections will be highlighted at the first-ever FredFest Online Beer Auction.The auction starts at 3 p.m. PDT Friday, May 9 and begins to wrap up at 3 p.m. PDT Sunday, May 11.

The auction is designed to run concurrently with FredFest 2008 -- a celebration of the 82nd birthday of Fred Eckhardt, the Dean of American Beer Writers, which is taking place May 10 at Hair of the Dog Brewing Co., in Portland. "FredFest started as a surprise 80th birthday party for Fred, but is coming back around in its third year as a fundraiser in the memory of fellow beer scribe and friend, Michael Jackson," said FredFest co-organizer Lisa Morrison.

Each year, Eckhardt is asked to choose a charity for FredFest. This year, he chose Parkinson's Resources of Oregon, a local affiliate of the National Parkinson Foundation. Jackson had been battling complications from Parkinson's disease when he died last summer.The first-ever FredFest online auction was the brainchild of Hair of the Dog owner Alan Sprints, Ben Love of Hopworks Urban Brewery and Matt Maples of Liquid Solutions bottle shop.

Here is a sampling of some of the lots up for auction:

~Hair of the Dog Dave 1994 (375 ml)

~Hair of the Dog Adam #1 1994 (12 oz.)

~Full Sail Old Boardhead Vertical: 1998 & 1999 (12 oz.), 2001-2007 (22 oz.)

~Pike Old Bawdy Vertical: 1996-1998, 2006-2007 (12 oz).

~AleSmith: Old Numbskull (750 ml), Grand Cru (750 ml), Horney Devil (750 ml)

~Lost Abbey: Older Viscosity (375 ml) Angel's Share (375 ml), Lost and Found (750 ml)~Rodenbach Alexander 1991 (330 ml) and Rochefort 10 1999 (330 ml)

~Westvleteren 12 1997 (11.2 oz.)

~Anchor Brewing Commemorative Michael Jackson's 60th Birthday Beer (1.5L)

Other breweries included in the auction are Avery, Midnight Sun, J.W. Lees, Big Time, Fish Tale -- and more. An entire list of auction items and more details can be found at:

http://www.liquidsolutions.blogspot.com/

Aladdin Beverage places first order with Patagonia Brewery

Brooklyn, NY (May 2008) - Aladdin Beverage (PINKSHEETS: ADTJ) is pleased to announce that the Company has placed its first order with the Patagonia Brewery in Argentina for the Patagonia Blond Ale. Aladdin Beverage anticipates brisk sales based on the strong demand for the Blond Ale and the shipment is expected to be in the hands of Aladdin's U.S. distributors by late May.

The Patagonia Blond Ale has been introduced around the world and U.S. demand for it is strong based on previous popularity and recent lack of availability. Its smooth taste, exotic packaging and marketing materials make for stunning displays in stores, bars and restaurants. Aladdin Beverage has distribution channels in place around the U.S. and is aggressively pursuing additional distributors to maximize sales.Established in 1884, the Patagonia Brewery (Cerveceria Patagonia Primitiva S.A.) is the oldest brewery in Argentina.

Its beers are brewed with all natural ingredients, with no additives or preservatives, in strict accordance with an old law dictated by Bavarian Duke William IV, which stated that beer is to be brewed only with pure malted barley, hops, yeast, and water."We're thrilled to be able to deliver this shipment as early as we are. This delivery will open the doors for additional orders of Patagonia Blond Ale and our other beers throughout the year. The ball is rolling and this is the first a step in the process of achieving nationwide distribution," stated Ted O'Conner, CEO and President of Aladdin Beverage.Aladdin Beverage has entered the Patagonia Blond Ale in the 2008 World Beer Cup, held at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego, California, from April 15 - 19. The World Beer Cup is the most prestigious beer competition in the world and winners will be announced on April 19.

About Aladdin Beverage:Headquartered in New York City, Aladdin is a leading fine craft beer and ale importer serving the North American markets. Aladdin's goal is to be known as the top beer importer to North America, with only quality and forward-thinking brands in its portfolio. Its mission is to generate sustained growth for all the brands in its portfolio and generate maximum return on investments. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.aladdinbeverage.com.

Aladdin Beverage CEO signs 3-year deal

Brooklyn, NY (May 2008) - Aladdin Beverage (PINKSHEETS: ADTJ) is pleased to announce that its CEO, Ted O'Connor, has signed a three-year contract as CEO and President of Aladdin Beverage. Mr. O'Connor founded the Company more than two years ago and has recently reduced overhead costs by more than 50 percent as he focuses the business exclusively as an importer of fine craft beers.Mr. O'Connor has more than 11 years of experience in the beer business. Most of his experience came as the Tsingtao Beer national sales manager for Barton Beers (currently Crown Imports LLC).

His training enabled him to establish relationships with overseas brewers, domestic distributors and numerous contacts in the wholesale beer industry. He is aided by a Board of Directors with an extensive history in the distribution, freight, sales, finance and warehousing businesses.Mr. O'Connor is leading an aggressive campaign to build his distribution base throughout the United States, and is awaiting the shipment of his most recent order for Patagonia Blond Ale from Argentina.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of all current and future units to implement the Company's business and marketing strategies to add distributors in all areas of the U.S."Aladdin Beverage's future success depends on our ability to successfully market and sell our products, and I am committed to spreading our distribution channels across the county. I am receiving inquiries from potential distributors on a daily basis and am eager to make our unique beers some of the most recognized in the fine craft market," stated Ted O'Connor, CEO and President of Aladdin Beverage.

About Aladdin Beverage:Headquartered in New York City, Aladdin is a leading fine craft beer and ale importer serving the North American markets. Aladdin's goal is to be known as the top beer importer to North America, with only quality and forward-thinking brands in its portfolio. Its mission is to generate sustained growth for all the brands in its portfolio and generate maximum return on investments. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.aladdinbeverage.com.

Aladdin Beverage adds "Patagonia Negra Intensa" to its portfolio of imported beers

Brooklyn, NY (May 2008) - Aladdin Beverage (PINKSHEETS: ADTJ) is pleased to announce that the Company has added Patagonia Negra Intensa to its portfolio of imported beers. This exotic, dark stout will be available in late summer and Aladdin is confident that it will spur sales in the cold weather months, when demand for dark beer typically increases.Patagonia Negra Intensa is the newest of the Patagonia brews, which will give Aladdin its first South American dark beer, expanding Aladdin's reach into a wider segment of consumers.

Patagonia Negra Intensa can be compared in style to Negra Modelo, Mexico's top selling dark beer, which sold 3.2 million cases in the U.S. in 2006. Patagonia Negra Intensa's flavor originates from dark-roasted, pure malted special barleys with a cross of sweet and bitter flavors."The Patagonia Negra Intensa will enable us to target a broader audience and we're working to meet the demand of our distributors. It's a relatively new brew, and its taste and marketing rivals that of the more well-known Central and South American brands that are making a huge impact on the U.S. market," stated Ted O'Connor, CEO and President of Aladdin Beverage.Earlier this month, Aladdin Beverage entered its Patagonia Blond Ale in the 2008 World Beer Cup, held at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego, California. Aladdin Beverage benefited from exposure to a worldwide audience and countless media publications and communications.

It has placed an order with the Patagonia Brewery in Argentina for the Patagonia Blond Ale, and the shipment is expected to be in the hands of Aladdin's U.S. distributors by late May.For more information about Patagonia's products, please visit the following link: www.cervezapatagonia.com/.

About Aladdin Beverage:Headquartered in New York City, Aladdin is a leading fine craft beer and ale importer serving the North American markets. Aladdin's goal is to be known as the top beer importer to North America, with only quality and forward-thinking brands in its portfolio. Its mission is to generate sustained growth for all the brands in its portfolio and generate maximum return on investments. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.aladdinbeverage.com.

21 means 21! No Sale, No How, No Way

ST. LOUIS (May 6, 2008) - "No Sale, No How, No Way." It's what teens who may attempt to buy alcohol during prom and graduation season will hear from retailers who are on alert and committed to helping prevent underage drinking. That's according to a new poll that shows preventing minors from obtaining alcohol is a priority for those who sell or serve it. According to the Retailer Exchange survey, the vast majority of America's retailers are doing their part to help prevent underage drinking.

In fact, 93 percent report using ID-checking materials and consider them effective in preventing alcohol sales to individuals under 21 years of age. "Retailers are on the front lines of fighting underage drinking," says Carol Clark, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "It's impressive to think of the army of retailers out there checking IDs. We commend these men and women who recognize the important role they play in fighting underage drinking, and we're happy to provide them with tools they can use to help prevent youth access to alcohol."While many retailers report that simply remaining observant is a good deterrent to underage drinking and sales to minors, most retailers (83 percent) feel it is "very important" to invest in programs that discourage underage drinking.Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of more than 600 distributors help retailers by providing a variety of education and point-of-sale materials.

This includes We I.D. materials that remind customers they will be asked to present a valid ID when purchasing alcohol and drivers license booklets that contain color images of valid licenses from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the Canadian provinces to help employees learn how to spot fake identification. More than 1.2 million We I.D. cards and 1.6 drivers license books have been distributed since 1990.The company and its distributors also host training sessions for servers and sellers of alcohol on responsible and proper serving techniques. Of all the retailers who offer employee training programs, 100 percent say they are effective in helping prevent sales to minors, and virtually all (97 percent) say training is meeting their needs.

Nearly 400,000 servers have been trained by Anheuser-Busch wholesalers since 1989.Programs like these may be one reason retailers consider Anheuser-Busch to be socially responsible in discouraging underage drinking. The company received an average rating of 7.3 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being excellent, on being socially responsible by investing in advertising and retailer programs to discourage underage drinking and/or drunk driving. The Retailer Exchange is a panel of retailers who have agreed to be contacted several times a year to share with Anheuser-Busch their opinions on a number of issues. Between Nov. 30, 2007 and Dec. 17, 2007, the telephone poll was conducted by Retailer Channel Research Group and the findings were based on a sample of 300 retailers.

To view the full survey results, visit http://www.alcoholstats.com/ For a quarter of a century, Anheuser-Busch has led the alcohol beverage industry in the fight against alcohol abuse. The company and its distributors have invested more than $675 million in dozens of community-based programs and national advertising campaigns to promote responsible drinking and help prevent underage drinking and drunk driving. In 2008, for the fifth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine's "America's Most Admired Companies" and "Global Most Admired Companies" lists. To learn more, visit http://www.beeresponsible.com/

Victory Restaurant to reopen May 7th 2008

Downingtown, PA) - Victory Brewing Company, an independent craft brewery located in Downingtown, PA, will reopen its restaurant operation May 7, 2008.

The company, started in 1997 by school age friends Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, started complete renovation and construction of their on-site restaurant facility in January of this year. In total, the restaurant was expanded to more than 7,100 square feet with seating capability of 290 plus.

The renovated Victory Brewing restaurant has been outfitted with authentic brewery décor. This includes three copper brewhouse tops from old German breweries, an all-Pennsylvania collection of brewery trays, and beer cans all paired with warm tones of color. Rich wood paneling throughout the space completes the cozy, old world pub feel. “Along with a talented and dedicated crew, Ron and I built the original restaurant ourselves more than 12 years ago.12 years of hosting people’s most precious times put some hard miles on the place. With this renovation we seek to accommodate the young families that were let down by long table waits on our busy weekend nights,” said Bill Covaleski, president and brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company.

The revamped Victory Brewing Restaurant includes a number of special features. Part of the size expansion includes a new private dining area with AV capabilities for seating up to 70 people. This makes the space perfect for birthday parties, weddings, corporate meetings and other festive events. Additionally, coming later this month, will be the “Brewmaster’s Table.” This one of a kind space seats 12-15 people within a copper brew kettle top. Victory has also installed an in-house smoker to create authentic barbeque. Victory patrons will now be able to enjoy brisket, chicken, pastrami and salmon paired with barbeque sauces made with Golden Monkey, Storm King Stout, or HopDevil.

Most importantly, the beer will take center stage. The bar has been outfitted with 60 taps able to handle 20 different beer styles at any given time and growler fills will now be handled using a specially crafted Austrian built filler. The new filler works similar to our bottling line. It’s pressurized for a more efficient and longer lasting fill in every growler. Longtime fans of the Victory Brewing Restaurant need not worry about all of the upgrades. Many of the favorites from the original restaurant will be served including pizzas and sandwiches. And now, patrons will enjoy their stay while watching their favorite game on two 42” flat screen televisions above the bar.

The new opening also signifies a return to daily lunch hours. The new hours for the restaurant provide greater opportunity for young and old to enjoy a visit to their local brewery. Lunch will be served everyday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday opening at 10 a.m. Every day of the week patrons will be able to enjoy their stay until closing at midnight and tours will be provided, as previous, every Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m.

For more information on Victory Brewing Company visit us on the web at www.victorybeer.com or contact communications coordinator Jacob Burns at jakeb@victorybeer.com , phone 610-873-0881 x109.

Victory Brewing CompanyVictory Brewing is a privately held microbrewery located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Begun by two childhood friends on the back of a school bus in 1973, the brewery formally began operations in February of 1996. Victory, Pennsylvania’s widely acclaimed brewery and restaurant, now serves fans of fully flavored beers in 23 states. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company visit us on the web at www.victorybeer.com .

Flying Saucer Opens in Kansas City

Kansas City, Mo., May 5, 2008 - The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium today opens the doors at its location in the Kansas City Power & Light District at 101 East 13th St. at 5 p.m.

Known for offering the largest variety of imported and domestic quality craft beers, the multi-tap bar features more than 200 draft and bottled beers. The Flying Saucer's beer menu will change throughout the year to highlight seasonal beers, and its menu includes pizzas, bratwurst, sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, cheese plates and other items. The menu also includes beer pairing suggestions for various food offerings.

"At The Flying Saucer, we're dedicated to elevating the perception of beer and educating customers about the wide variety of quality craft beers available," said Shannon Wynne, owner of The Flying Saucer. "Kansas City has long been a beer lover's town, so we knew this would be the perfect place for our newest Flying Saucer."

The Flying Saucer also offers the U.F.O. Club for its customers. Customers become "Beer Knurds" by paying a small fee, and they then use their membership cards to track the beers they've sampled. After 200 beers - with no repeats - they receive a plate in the Ring of Honor.
"We want to encourage customers to experiment and develop their palates, and the U.F.O. Club is one way we do that," Wynne said. "Plus, everyone wants to be in the Ring of Honor!"

The bar offers a "fire sale" each evening, and Mondays will be Pint Night, with all draft beers being offered at a special price. Wednesdays will be Commemorative Glass Night, and The Flying Saucer will feature special edition glasses throughout the year.

The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium was founded in 1995 in Fort Worth, Texas. Offering a wide variety of imported and domestic quality craft beers, as well as a full pub menu, The Flying Saucer family has now expanded to 13 locations in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Missouri.

For more information about The Flying Saucer, please visit http://www.beerknurd.com . To contact The Flying Saucer in Kansas City, please call (816) 221-1900.

WEB SITE BIDS TO CASH IN ON A BEER MARKET

WEB SITE BIDS TO CASH IN ON A BEER MARKET

By JEREMY OLSHAN

May 5, 2008 -- A new Web site is tapping into the city's unquenchable thirst for suds.
Since Beermenus.com launched last month - aiming to catalog all the brews sold on tap or by the bottle in New York - its census of suds has added 186 bars and 1,280 varieties to its database of fermented barley and hops.

The brainchild of two Brooklyn brothers, the site maps out every bar in Manhattan that sells a particular beer, providing its price, as well as the complete offerings of a particular watering hole.
For instance, the Peculiar Pub on Bleecker Street has 22 beers on tap and 299 bottled brews - everything from a pint of Delirium Tremens for $7.25 to Bud Light for $4.35.

"We recognize that there are a lot of people who like craft beer, but it takes a great deal of effort to find it," said Will Stephens, 23, who created Beermenus.com with his brother, Eric, 26.
The database will be assembled with the help of individual bars, as well as submissions by drinkers around the city.

For now, the Stephens have focused on Manhattan, but expect to add other boroughs in the coming months. "We've been flooded with requests to bring this site to other cities around the world, but we definitely want to perfect it in New York first," Will said.

He added that the brothers have enjoyed plenty of free drinks as they peddle the idea to bars around town. "We've definitely gotten used to that," he said.

jeremy.olshan@nypost.com

Flying Dog Brewery Releases Kerberos Tripel and Canis Major Mixed Pack

Frederick, MD (May 06, 2008) - Flying Dog Brewery recently announced the release of a new addition to their "litter of ales" as Kerberos Tripel joins the brewery's highly acclaimed Canis Major Series.Kerberos Tripel is a bottle conditioned, strong Belgian-style ale with a slightly hazy appearance and mousse-like head.

It is brewed with Golding and Saaz hops and Pilsner and Aromatic malts to yield a medium body and champagne-like carbonation. Kerberos pairs perfectly with Turkey and other poultry, creamy cheeses, fruit pastries, desserts and crème brulee.Head Brewer, Matt Brophy said, "Extensive pilot system brewing allowed us to experiment with a variety of recipes and yeast strains. We ended up with a strong Belgian Ale that starts off sweet up front, fruity in the middle and has a really nice dry finish."

As Kerberos Tripel is the 4th member of Flying Dog's Canis Major Series, the brewery will also be launching a Mixed 4-pack featuring one 12oz. bottle of each Canis Major style. The Canis Major Series is Flying Dog's group of "extreme" beers and includes World Beer Cup Gold Award- winning Gonzo Imperial Porter, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Double Dog Double Pale Ale and the new Kerberos Tripel."

As consumers continue to look for new and exciting styles of Craft Beer, our Canis Major Mixed Pack will make for a great way to sample four really interesting beers with one purchase," said Neal Stewart, Flying Dog Brewery's director of marketing.

New York Time's-State’s Brew Pubs Enjoying Golden Days

State’s Brew Pubs Enjoying Golden Days
By TAMMY LA GORCE

Sparta

THOSE who would place brew pubs on a list of 1990s relics with oxygen bars and salad spinners haven’t stopped by Krogh’s here lately.
“The seasonal stout they make here, it’s like ice cream it’s so good,” said Tom Corbett, a product manager at Panasonic who on a recent Monday evening was one of a dozen or so regulars at the brew pub — an establishment defined in New Jersey as a restaurant with a brewery on the premises.

“And the pale ale — it’s dry and hoppy,” said Mr. Corbett, who lives in Sparta. “It reminds me of Ireland. I like the way it smells.”
Thus, Mr. Corbett’s nickname among the locals and out-of-towners who frequent the 3,000-square-foot, tavern-style restaurant for its selection of seven handmade ales and lagers: Pale Ale Tom.

Like-minded beer drinkers better known by their chosen brews than their full names can be found at any of New Jersey’s brew pubs, which are thriving after a shakeout in the industry that Adam Rechnitz, the owner of the 10,000-square-foot Triumph Brewing Company in Princeton, likened to the dot-com bust.

“There was this carnival atmosphere in the 90s,” he said. “People were making terrible beers and giving the industry a black eye. Eventually, they got handed their hats.
“The ones operating now are doing pretty good beer,” said Mr. Rechnitz, who opened Triumph in 1995 after working for the enactment of a 1993 law allowing brew pubs — distinct from microbreweries in New Jersey because they cannot sell their beer wholesale.

“It’s like with any business,” he said. “The people who are passionate about what they’re doing do well. People who are in it hoping to make a quick buck don’t.” That may be especially true now. While the latest strain of foodie — the locavores — scour farmers’ markets for just-picked ramps, and coffee connoisseurs stray ever farther from Folgers and Maxwell House, beer drinkers have also been busy refining their palates.

A study by the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo., shows the market for handmade beers grew 12 percent in volume and 16 percent in dollar sales last year nationally. Major breweries like Anheuser-Busch and Coors have even gotten in on the action; Coors makes Blue Moon, a Belgian-style white beer, and Anheuser-Busch produces a variety of seasonal beers and specialty brews.

Accordingly, while Pale Ale Toms have become commonplace at New Jersey brew pubs, Budweiser Bobs may be on the wane. Still available among the “guest beers,” however, at the 3,500-square-foot Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant in South Orange are Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft, both in bottles, said Dan Soboti, brewer and co-owner. Gaslight, which opened in 1998, regularly brews the flagship varieties Bison Brown, Pirate Pale Ale and Perfect Stout in addition to the nine other homemade beers, including seasonal specialties, it offers on draft.

“When we first opened we sold a lot more of the bottled beer,” Mr. Soboti said. “Sales of our house beer have gone up dramatically, and it continues year after year. People are still very much into beer — learning about it and pairing it with food.” To that end, brew pubs no longer fit into the category of restaurants that dole out plastic cutlery and Wet-naps with meals.
Reservations are recommended for dinner at the 11-year-old, 6,000-square-foot Trap Rock Restaurant and Brewery in Berkeley Heights, where Charlie Schroeder, the brewer, is on view behind a 220-gallon copper vat making one of the restaurant’s eight lagers and ales in a tiled-floor space the size of a toddler’s bedroom. The restaurant’s dinner entrees, all in the $25 range, include organic chicken breast from Goffle Road Poultry Farm in Wyckoff and day-boat scallops with saffron risotto.

At the 5,000-square-foot Harvest Moon Brewery/Café in New Brunswick, which opened in 1994, “People want to know what should be paired with what,” said Michael Elmes, a co-owner. “They like recommendations.” Harvest Moon puts its suggestions on the menu — for instance, the Elmes Mild Manor, a house favorite and one of eight handcrafted beers on draft, is recommended with the petit tenderloin and the barbecued fried calamari. “But one thing I found great that’s not on the menu was the pairing of a molten chocolate cake with our chocolate stout,” Mr. Elmes said, referring to one of the pub’s specialty brews.

“The beer was like a Guinness beer, but we added chocolate flavor and it had this kind of smoky taste,” he said. “With the cake it was pretty special.” One might assume that beer is the last thing in need of democratization. But at the same time that craft brews have become more sophisticated, their drinkers have gotten more diverse, owners and brewers say. “You get motorcycle guys, a lot of women, young people, older people — there is no one group of beer drinker,” said Monty Dahm, owner of the 7,650-square-foot Tun Tavern in Atlantic City, which opened in 1997 and serves eight types of homemade beer, including a Leatherneck Stout. “You get beer snobs who’ll come in and hold a beer up to the light, and you’re like, ‘Oh, come on.’ But there’s a lot of other beer people. There’s been a diversification.”

At Basil T’s Brewery and Italian Grill in Red Bank, Gretchen Schmidhausler, the brewmaster, said: “Since I’m a female and a beer drinker, I just assume a lot of other women are drinking beer too. And they are, as far as I can tell.” The 22-year-old restaurant opened its brewery in 1996. Ms. Schmidhausler is also current president of the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, which is organizing two festivals this year where the public can sample the latest concoctions from the state’s brew pubs. (The next festival is scheduled for June 21 aboard the battleship New Jersey in Camden; information is available at http://www.njbeer.org/.)

Where there is curiosity, of course, there is a blog. And an expert. Jeff Linkous of Little Egg Harbor, a freelance writer and sometime home-brewer, started the Beer-Stained Letter (beerstainedletter.blogspot.com), devoted to dissecting beer brewed in New Jersey, a year ago.
“I got into beer when the beer craze first came this way, probably 1995,” said Mr. Linkous, who has observed that fellow New Jersey beer drinkers are, for the most part, more savvy now about what’s being poured. “The ones who are really into beer are more sophisticated, right down to being able to pick out the hops used in the beer. Still, Bud, Coors and Miller sell a lot of beer in New Jersey.”

In Mr. Linkous’s view, “Anyone who’s still drinking those beers just hasn’t discovered what they’re missing. It’s kind of like watching ‘Law & Order’ when you could have been watching ‘The Wire.' “Beer is an acquired taste to begin with, and craft-brewed beer is a refined taste.”

Pull Up a Stool

Here is a list of New Jersey brew pubs:

ATLANTIC CITY Tun Tavern Restaurant and Brewery, 2 Miss America Way; (609) 347-7800; tuntavern.com.

BERKELEY HEIGHTS Trap Rock Restaurant and Brewery, 279 Springfield Avenue; (908) 665-1755; traprock restaurant.net.

LONG VALLEY Long Valley Pub and Brewery, 1 Fairmount Road; (908) 876-1122; longvalleypubandbrewery .com.

MILFORD The Ship Inn Restaurant and Brewery, 61 Bridge Street; (908) 995- 0188. shipinn.com.

MONTCLAIR Egan & Sons, 118 Walnut Street; (973) 744-1413; eganandsons .com.NEW

BRUNSWICK Harvest Moon Brewery and Café, 392 George Street; (732) 249-6666; harvestmoonbrewery .com.

PRINCETON Triumph Brewing Company, 138 Nassau Street; (609) 924-7855; triumphbrewing.com.

RED BANK Basil T’s Brewery and Italian Grill, 183 Riverside Avenue; (732) 842-5990; basilt.com.

SOUTH ORANGE Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant, 15 South Orange Avenue; (973) 762-7077.

SPARTA Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, 23 White Deer Plaza; (973) 729- 8428; kroghs.com.

TOMS RIVER Basil T’s Brew Pub and Italian Grill, 1171 Hooper Avenue; (732) 244-7566; basilts.com.

WOODBRIDGE J.J. Bitting Brewing Company, 33 Main Street; (732) 634- 2929; njbrewpubs.com.

WOODBRIDGE Uno Chicago Grill and Brewery, 61 Highway 1; (732) 548- 7979; pizzeriauno.com.

Victory Prima Pils-L.A. Times beer of the month

From the Los Angeles Times
BEER OF THE MONTH
Victory Prima Pils

Though it has balance and delicacy, it's maltier and hoppier than the Pilsener designation might lead you to expect.April 30, 2008Here's an impressive lager from a small-town Pennsylvania brewery that deserves to be better known out here. Serious craft beer followers are already quite aware of Victory Brewing -- it was the people's favorite at last October's Great American Beer Fest in Denver, where the crowd roared approval when Victory took a gold medal for its Oktoberfest beer and the silver in the German-style Pilsener category with this brew.

Prima Pils (pronounced "preema pilss") is a broad-shouldered sort of lager, 5.3% alcohol by volume, made with Pilsener malt and whole German and Czech hop flowers (hence the flower on the label). Though it has balance and delicacy, it's maltier and hoppier than the Pilsener designation might lead you to expect. It would go as well with a roast as with pizza.

--Charles Perry

Price: $8 to $12 per six-pack

Style: A larger-than-life Pilsener

Diageo to sell part of Dublin Guinness site

LONDON (Reuters) - Drinks group Diageo (DGE.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is expected to announce plans this week to close part of its historic Guinness brewery site in Dublin and sell the land for redevelopment, the Times reported on Monday.

The company launched a review last June that valued the St James's Gate property, where it has been since 1759, at up to 1 billion euros (785 million pounds), the newspaper said.
Diageo is expected to keep Guinness Storehouse, a popular tourist attraction, and enough land to production of the beer extract at the site, the newspaper reported.

No one at Diageo was immediately available for comment.

First Certified Cicerones

The Cicerone Certification Program traveled to sunny San Diego on April 18 to conduct the first exam for Certified Cicerone status. It was a tough exam, but five candidates passed to become the first holders of the title "Certified Cicerone." The five are:


Rob Gerrity - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Scott Kerkmans - Four Points by Sheraton
Ron Kloth - Papago Brewing Company
Andrew Waer - Unaffiliated
Neil Witte - Boulevard Brewing Company

The exam took three and a half hours and included 200 fill-in-the blank and short-answer questions followed by three essay questions, a demonstration and 12 beer samples presented in the tasting portion of the exam. Each successful candidate scored 70 percent or better on the tasting portion and 80 percent or better overall. More information on the exam, including sample questions (soon) can be found on www.cicerone.org.

Since January, 115 people have passed the Certified Beer Server exam and are now qualified to take the Certified Cicerone exam.

Stout and Szechuan? Marrying Beer and Food

Well put together article by Bonny Wolf of NPR.org she also included some recommended pairings courtesy of the Brewer's Association........Cheers, Frank



Everybody knows that beer goes well with hot dogs. Some people even know that dark stout is better than champagne with oysters. But Imperial IPA with creme brulee? This is a new one — at least to me. There are members of the dining public who know, or are learning about, what beer goes with what food.

Thank Jimmy Carter. In 1979, he signed a bill repealing federal restrictions on small-batch home brewing. Basement brewers had so much fun that many of them went pro.

The Brewers Association says that of the 2,000 breweries in the country, 1,400 are so-called craft brewers. That means they're small (fewer than two million barrels), independent (a mom-and-pop brewery rather than a multinational corporation) and traditional (their beer is mostly malt based).

Lucy Saunders, who has been writing about the craft-beer movement for 20 years, says brewers have been promoting food and beer pairing. She says it was bound to happen as the spicy foods of Southeast Asia and the Caribbean became more popular, and as entertaining and eating out became more casual.

But beer can also be elegant. New York City's uber-popular and refined Gramercy Tavern now has a vintage beer list — which means it sells old beer. Some is bottled in a special way, and some is stored in wooden casks like wine.

Saunders says these aged beers taste as complex as any wine. And some have price tags you don't associate with a six pack. The slightly woodsy taste of barrel-aged beer goes well with bittersweet chocolate desserts, Saunders says.

Another clue that beer has moved from the House of Commons to the House of Lords is the existence of the beer sommelier. He'll help you choose the right beer for your entree and make sure you aren't served beer in the wrong glass. A wildly effervescent brew needs a different glass than a still beer.

There are an increasing number of books on what beer to drink with what food. The Brewers Association has a guide on its Web site. Pale ale, for example, is great with a burger. A strong golden ale complements crab cakes. Oatmeal stout is a good choice with Oaxacan mole and a classic Pilsener is nice with salmon. Try a pale bock with Korean barbecue.
And a ballpark hot dog? Saunders likes hers with spicy brown mustard and dill pickle relish. An amber lager, she says, stands up nicely.


Bonny Wolf is author of Talking with My Mouth Full and host of 'Kitchen Window,' NPR's food podcast.

The Perfect Pair
A sampling of beers and their recommended food pairings from the Brewers Association.

Pale Ale: Wide range of food: meat pie, English cheese; great with a burger
Amber/Red Ale: Wide range of food: chicken, seafood, burgers; great with spicy cuisineDry Stout: Hearty, rich food: steak, meat pie; a classic with raw oysters
Hefeweizen: Great with lighter food: salads, seafood, sushi; classic with weisswurst
Classic Pilsener: Great with lighter food: chicken, salads, salmon, bratwurst
Amber Lager: Hearty, spicy food: barbecue, hamburgers, chili
Brown Ale, Altbier: Hearty foods: roast pork, smoked sausage, grilled salmon

Menus tap taste for craft brews

Great beer and food article from Lucy Saunders enjoy......

By LUCY SAUNDERS Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: April 29, 2008

Outside Chippewa Falls, back roads curve around the inlets of Lake Wissota to the Native Bay restaurant. Chef Nathan Berg is known for his creative cuisine featuring local food - and that includes almost two dozen craft beers on the menu. "We offer beer dinners every other month," the chef says. They often sell out far in advance. Across the country, a similar wave of menu marketing is bringing better beer to the table, at fine dining restaurants as well as casual cafes. A new online program trains servers to become "cicerones," or beer sommeliers (http://www.cicerone.com/).

And next month, a new festival in Washington D.C., SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience, will assemble brewers to meet the public and offer samples of almost 100 different food and beer combinations. Sprecher Brewery will be the sole Wisconsin brewery represented in the festival (see sidebar); because of high demand, participants were selected by lottery.
Little wonder that the National Restaurant Association ranked craft beer in the top 10 list of "What's Hot" for 2008.

The days of monotonous beer lists are numbered. According to chef Berg, restaurant managers are now hearing from customers demanding better beer selections. And in some instances, brewers are working directly with chefs to drive the change. One of the highest-profile examples is the collaboration between acclaimed chef David Burke of New York City and Jim Koch, CEO of the Boston Beer Co.

"We did our first beer dinner in 1986," says Koch, "and what we are doing now with chef Burke is so much more sophisticated. Chefs are drawing inspiration from tropical cuisines, which are spicier, bigger, heartier and expansive, and go really well with craft beer."
Though wine continues to be a profitable beverage in fine dining establishments, the new generation of chefs has grown up with craft beer and wants to include it as part of the meal.
Dick Leinenkugel, vice president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., says that consumers choose craft beer because they're willing to experiment.

"Consumers are not drinking the same thing on every occasion, but rather trying different varieties depending on where they are, time of day, what they are doing and their mood," he said. "The wine industry has done a good job of 'romancing' (consumers) - through education, tastings, signature glasses and sommelier programs, and through enticing tourism to destinations such as Napa and Sonoma. I do think craft brewers are starting to do the same through beer tastings and tourism." At the same time, craft brewers are including chefs in their outreach. And Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery is one of the most active, partnering with chefs for beer dinners at least once a month.

"We've even developed beers specifically for chefs who are trying to accomplish unique things with their menus," says Lakefront's marketing manager, Orlando Segura. "We developed a biere de garde called Rendezvous for chef Sanford D'Amato (Sanford, Coquette Café), a strong ale called National Avenue Ale for Peter Sandroni of La Merenda, a special lager for chef Mark Weber at Mason Street Grill and more."

Most recently, Lakefront launched a special beer for the Waukesha Symphony's 60th anniversary bash, Symphony Diamond Ale, modeled after a Belgian wit bier. The ale was launched at a fund-raising banquet April 19 prepared by Mark Mastain, chef of the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel, with dishes inspired by classic Belgian cuisine. (Proceeds from the sales of the beer, available for a limited time this spring, will be contributed to the Waukesha Symphony by the distributor, W.O.W. Distributing Co.)

Sprecher Brewery has taken it a step further, with its contract brewing of the Mamma Mia Pizza Beer for entrepreneur Tom Seefurth of Illinois and his wife, Athena. This is truly a culinary beer, made with herbs and spices and other "secret ingredients" to taste like pizza in a pint glass - and designed both to go well with pizza and to cook with in a variety of dishes (www.pizzabeer.net).
Some of the more daring food combinations mentioned by chefs include a beer-cheese risotto made with the Viking Brewing Co.'s Copperhead red lager and Wisconsin Gruyere cheese, served at a beer dinner at Native Bay.

And at a beer dinner at Milwaukee's Roots Restaurant last fall, Lakefront Brewery's Klisch Pilsner was paired with a red boudin sausage with buckwheat pancake and green chile mustard ("basically the fanciest and most delicious corndog you'll ever eat," says Segura).
Though the wine industry has done a better job than the beer industry of educating consumers about food, craft brewers are catching up.

Just as wine drinkers are now accustomed to a wide array of high-quality wines from California and places as far-flung as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the growth of craft brewing in the United States - "combined with an entrepreneurial spirit" - has enabled brewers to introduce an array of beer styles that has "broadened the stereotypical conceptions of beer," says Anne Sprecher, director of communications for Sprecher.

Adds Segura: "Milwaukee is very fortunate in that you can go into just about any place and be able to get a great beer with your meal. "I think in 5 to 10 years, there will be even more movement toward smaller brands and niche beers. The focus will definitely be on using local products . . . and that can only help our communities and our beers." Sprecher selected for national showcase Sprecher Brewery in Glendale is the sole Wisconsin brewery among 40 nationwide selected through a lottery to showcase the pleasures of cuisine and craft beer in Washington, D.C., next month.

SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience will highlight the culinary delights of beer May 16 and 17 as part of the Brewers Association's annual American Craft Beer Week.
Sprecher really wanted to be part of this event in its first year, said Anne Sprecher, director of communications. "We are seeing more craft beers offered in dining establishments at all price levels," she said, attributing this welcome trend to chefs, mixologists (consultants who create cocktails), consumer demand and efforts by the Brewers Association and leading craft brewers.
At the event, Sprecher will pair its Hefe Weiss with a strawberry chicken salad, and its Pub Ale with pan-seared pilsner sirloin tips.

Here is the recipe for the chicken salad, adapted to savor at home. It's from my latest book, "The Best of American Beer and Food: Pairing and Cooking with Craft Beer" (Brewers Association, $22.95, www.bestofamericanbeerandfood.com).
-----
Granite City Food & Brewery, a fast-growing pub chain based in St. Cloud, Minn., shares one of the brewmaster's favorite recipes.
Granite City's Strawberry Chicken SaladMakes 4 servings
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon mirin
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups mixed spring greens or mesclun lettuce
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries
½ cup canned pineapple, drained and chopped
½ cup canned mandarin oranges (drained)
1/3 cup fresh red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium peeled and seeded cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/3 cup shredded carrot
Strawberry vinaigrette (see recipe)
3 large whole pieces of leaf lettuce
2 ounces sliced toasted almonds
Suggested pairing: Unfiltered wheat ale or hefeweiss
Flatten chicken breasts with a meat pounder or rolling pin. Grill chicken over medium heat, turning twice for crosshatched grill marks, and brush with soy sauce mixed with mirin during last 5 minutes of cooking. Cook until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Set aside to cool.
Place romaine, spring greens, strawberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges, red onion, cucumber and carrot in large stainless mixing bowl.
Add strawberry vinaigrette to taste. Toss ingredients until evenly coated.
Line both ends of a large oval platter with leaf lettuce and fill with tossed salad. Arrange sliced chicken on top of salad. Garnish with toasted almonds.
Strawberry vinaigrette:Makes 1 1/4 cups
½ cup melted strawberry fruit-only spread (no sugar added)
6 fresh strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Pinch of sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper, or to taste
Place all ingredients in blender; cover and pulse on high until emulsified.
-----
A finalist in the National Beer Wholesalers Association's first Cooking with Beer Challenge, Veronica Callaghan of Glastonbury, Conn., produced this rich beef dish that pairs well with nut brown ale or dark lager.
Pan-Seared Pilsner Sirloin Tips with Herbed-Pecan Orzo and Shiitake-Blue Cheese SauceMakes 4 to 6 servings
1 ½ pounds beef sirloin tips
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons pilsner (divided)
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
1 cup orzo
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
½ cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Rosemary sprigs for garnish
Suggested pairing: American dark lager or nut brown ale
Place sirloin tips in large zipper-lock plastic bag. Add 1 cup pilsner, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Marinate at least 20 minutes.
Cook orzo in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter, the 1 teaspoon salt and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir in herbs and pecans. Cover with foil and set aside.

In large heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove beef from marinade, reserving marinade for later use. Add meat to pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until slight crust is formed and meat is just browned. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

In same skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add shallot and mushrooms. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons pilsner and cook until almost completely absorbed. Sprinkle salt and flour over mushrooms, stirring to coat. Pour in reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

Return meat to pan, pouring in any accumulated juices from the plate, and cook 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare, or until desired doneness.
Arrange herbed-pecan orzo on large serving platter. Fan sirloin tips over orzo and pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with blue cheese and garnish with fresh rosemary.

Lucy Saunders is a freelance writer and editor of beercook.com, based in Shorewood.

American Craft Beer Week (May 12-18) Celebrates Brewers’ Community Citizenship

American Craft Brewers Donated More Than $20 Million in 2007

BOULDER, CO., March 20, 2008 — American Craft Beer Week (May 12-18), which is celebrated annually, highlights the industry and culture of craft beer. This year, breweries and beer makers will also recognize their collective charitable contributions. For the first time ever, the Brewers Association announced U.S. craft breweries’ charitable contributions, and for 2007 they are estimated to be more than $20 million.

“In addition to being recognized for making world-class beer, independent craft brewers are amazing community citizens,” said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association. “Craft brewers are an integral part of many communities’ charitable efforts. They donate to everything from fire departments, disaster relief efforts, local events, educational fundraisers and so much more.” http://www.americancraftbeerweek.org/

Changed to a weeklong event in 2006, the inaugural American Craft Beer Week was recognized by the U.S. Congress with House Resolution 753. The week has continued to attract interest and support from beer enthusiasts and the media. In 2007, more than 150 brewers registered their community celebrations at http://www.americancraftbeerweek.org/.

Also new, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience (May 16-17) will be held to commemorate American Craft Beer Week in Washington D.C. The event will showcase craft beer and food pairings with participation from 48 independent craft brewers. SAVOR signifies food and beverage lovers increasing interest and knowledge of beer and food pairings.

Flying Dog Triples Up At World Beer Cup

Referred to as the “Olympics of beer”, the World Beer Cup is a bi-annual competition put on by the Brewer’s Association that brings together the best beers from the best breweries in the world. Winners were selected by an international panel of 129 beer judges from 21 countries. With 2,864 entries from 644 breweries in 58 countries, walking away with an award is no small feat.

Flying Dog’s brew team had one of the best showings at the World Beer Cup, winning three awards. Gonzo Imperial Porter received Gold for American-Style Imperial Stout, Old Scratch Amber Lager had a repeat win (from 2006) of a Silver award win for American-Style Amber Lager and Wild Goose IPA, a brew we make for the Mid-Atlantic region, won Gold for English-Style IPA. Be proud, fellow members of the People’s Republic of Flying Dog; some well-deserved recognition is here.

Savor ReminderFlying Dog is partnering with the Brewer’s Association, the producers of the Great American Beer Festival, to bring you Savor, America’s premier food and beer event. Flying Dog will be exhibiting, complete with samples of our highly-regarded Canis Major Series, recipes from BeerDinners.com and food pairings.

We will also be joining other craft breweries as attendees experience a reception-style sampling of their choice of 35+ sweet and savory appetizers and 96 craft beers. For tickets, visit SavorCraftBeer.com. What People Are Saying About Us Mostly unsolicited, outside opinions about our beer and our company from the media and world wide web. To read what people are saying about us click on the links below.

Integrated Retail Management Solution for Wineries

May 02, 2008 - Due to the explosion of wine sales in the United States, CORESense and their payment processing partner, Merchant e-Solutions (MeS), announced the launch of their new Integrated Retail Management Solution for Wineries at the Direct to Consumer Symposium, May 1-2, 2008 in Napa, CA.

Despite the slowing economy, the wine industry is experiencing an unexpected growth. Thanks to a favorable 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision which expanded consumer access from 50% to 80% of the U.S. population and in an effort to accommodate increasing sales, wineries are focusing on direct-to-consumer sales.

To facilitate the industry’s evolving technological needs as well as build efficiencies, CORESense (a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) company) and Merchant e-Solutions (an internet-based e-commerce company providing unrivaled payment processing services), have partnered to create a solution to directly benefit the growing needs of consumer retailing and wholesaling businesses for wineries. The first and only direct-to-market retailing solution seamlessly integrates point of sale, e-commerce, wine of the month, telesales, customer relationship management and back office operations into a single web-based application.

“Our goal in creating the winery solution was to provide wine retailers access to an end-to-end retail management solution without the unnecessary IT headaches and integration expense. Helping wineries efficiently manage on-premise, on-line and wholesale sales channels allows them to concentrate on meeting the needs of their customers and developing business,” said Jason Jacobs, CEO of CORESense. “By focusing on relationships and not systems, CORESense and Merchant e-Solutions’ customers have a significant competitive advantage.”

“We are thrilled to partner with CORESense on their Integrated Retail Management Solution for Wineries,” said Jim Aviles, COO of Merchant e-Solutions. “Our cutting-edge systems and superior service will help CORESense to enhance the level of service that it already provides and more easily manage their portfolio of merchants.”

With this web-based application wineries can effortlessly promote and sell their wines and delight customers through wine tasting rooms, wine shops, remote wine tastings and events, e-commerce websites, wine of the month clubs, online marketplaces such as www.wine-Searcher.com as well as catalog and phone sales channels.

Since all channels are managed from a single back office, wineries benefit from unparalleled operational efficiencies and a customer-centric view of business. As a web-based solution, CORESense minimizes IT costs and software support headaches and Merchant e-Solutions offers affordable and secure transaction processing including a fully integrated payment gateway and real time, web based reporting system.

The CORESense Wineries Solution, based on market leading SaaS-based retail management technology, comes pre-configured to meet the unique marketing, selling and merchandising needs of wineries. Inventory management and turnover is improved with a real-time centralized view of sales and inventory across all sales channels reducing out-of-stocks, cancellations and late shipments as well as making timely in-season price adjustments possible.
Please visit us at the Direct to Consumer Symposium, visit www.coresense.com to download a copy of the winery solution brochure or call CORESense at (866) 229-2804 for additional information.

About CORESenseCORESense is a leading SaaS-based retail system company serving small to medium-sized specialty retailers in selling hard and soft goods including sporting goods, apparel and accessories, shoes and wine. Founded in 2000, CORESense’s mission is to create a competitive advantage for SMRs by providing them access to a single, fully integrated multi—channel retail management system with the features and function needed to compete and win in today’s demanding marketplace in a software-as-a-service delivery model that fits their business and their budget.

The CORESense solution is the first and only SaaS-based retail management system that supports an entire retail business from brick-and-mortar retailing to ecommerce to merchandising and back office operations management to customer relationship management in one fully integrated web-accessible solution. It is the preferred retail management solution of small to medium-sizes retailers who need a powerful and fully integrated enterprise-grade solution to achieve their business goals. CORESense has offices nationally and is headquartered in historic Saratoga Springs, N.Y. For additional information about CORESense and our market leading solution visit us a www.CORESense.com or call (866) 229-2804.

SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience Comes to Nation’s Capital in May

Independent Craft Brewers Harmonize Beer and Food Showcasing Why Craft Beer is So Sought After

Boulder, CO – March 7, 2008 - Four dozen independent craft brewers have been selected to showcase the pleasures of fine food enjoyed with world-class beer in Washington, D.C., May 16-17. SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience will highlight the culinary delights of beer as part of the Brewers Association’s annual American Craft Beer Week.

“SAVOR offers a truly unique opportunity to be personally served by many of America’s most innovative and famous brewery owners and brewers,” said Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the association. “Meeting the makers, access to the educational salons, and the pairing menu are why SAVOR is a must attend event. http://www.savorcraftbeer.com/

Today, American beers are judged to be among the world’s best and have earned a respected place at the table alongside wine. In fact, two-thirds of today’s wine drinkers also consume beer. In the summer of 2007, National Public Radio observed, “Beer has gone from the House of Commons to the House of the Lords.” Additionally, in July 2007, Gallup Poll confirmed beer is still the most popular adult beverage in the U.S.

SAVOR tickets are available to the public for three different tasting sessions scheduled May 16th and 17th at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington D.C. Tickets are $85 each and will include a wide variety of sweet and savory appetizers crafted to match the taste profiles of craft beers. Federal City Caterers, who have catered many State Department functions and Congressional receptions, will orchestrate the food menu.

In addition to the main attraction of sampling in the great hall, SAVOR will also feature educational salons, which will offer live presentations by brewers, journalists and chefs who have helped advance the American craft beer revolution. Scheduled speakers include: Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Jim Koch of Boston Beer; Dave Lieberman of Here’s To Beer; Randy Mosher author of “Radical Brewing”; Marnie Old, Assistant Dean of Wine Studies at the French Culinary Institute; Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery; Hugh Sisson of Clipper City; and several savvy cross drinkers including Lauren Buzzeo of Wine Enthusiast magazine; Ray Isle of Food & Wine magazine; and Ken Wells of Conde’ Nast Portfolio.

Jimmy Reyes of Reyes Beverage Group, Supporting Partner of the event, said, “This is going to be a tremendous celebration. Everyone from true beer aficionados to those who simply enjoy flavorful food and drink will take pleasure in a day of rubbing shoulders and sharing craft beer with acclaimed American brewers in Washington D.C., a beer-loving city since its inception.”

SAVOR Supporting Breweries include: The Boston Beer Company, The Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Flying Dog Brewery, Harpoon Brewery, New Belgium Brewing Company, Rogue Ales, and Saranac. SAVOR Supporters include: BeerAdvocate, Crosby & Baker Ltd, DRAFT magazine, Greatbrewers.com, Here’s To Beer, Hunterdon Distributors, National Beer Wholesalers Association and Oak Beverages, Inc.

Diversity of beer styles reflected in this year's Ontario Brewing Awards

TORONTO, ONTARIO: May 1, 2008.. They excel in the beer industry, exemplify creativity and are determined to succeed. They are the brands entered in the fifth-annual "Ontario Brewing Awards". With 15 award categories, there is something for all beer lovers. Roger Mittag, the Professor of Beer, will host the festivities at Toronto's own nirvana for beer lovers at the Esplanade Bier Markt on Tuesday, May 6th. From 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, there will be a Press Pub and Awards Ceremony.

The doors open to the public from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm for consumer sampling. This competition provides an opportunity for commercially produced beers to be judged against the best beers in the province. It also provides beer lovers with an opportunity to meet the brewers behind the brand, and sample the winning brews for themselves! Complimentary tastings of these award-winning brands are offered courtesy of our sponsors: Toronto's Festival of Beer, Esplanade Bier Markt, Ontario Brewers and LibationNation.ca.

Breweries are judged in the following categories:North American Light Lager, North American Lager, Pilsner, Amber Lager, Dark Lager, Cream Ale, Pale Ale, Amber Ale, Dark Ale, Bitter, Honey Beer, Wheat Beer, Porter/Stout, Specialty and Fruit.The winning entries for the Ontario Brewing Awards will be announced on Tuesday, May 6th at the Esplanade Bier Markt, during the Press Pub and Awards Ceremony for media and brewers only from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

The Consumer Tasting even