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3D Mapping of Hops to Pinpoint Flavors and Aromas

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In thinking about sustainability and flavor, a California company has been 3D mapping hops to create natural, optimized hop extracts to beers giving brewers a chance to dial in recipes to exact specifications.

“By understanding and being able to pinpoint compounds in hops, triangulate sensory and expectations off of what we think it could be, we have created a more true to type variety,” says Ross Hunsinger, Director of Food and Beverage Innovation for ABSTRAX.
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Yakima Brewer Kevin Quinn on a Changing Climate and Hop Farming

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Climate change is on the mind of every farmer and grower in the Pacific Northwest these days. From the average temperature rising over two degrees over the last several decades, to wildfires, and unusual rain patterns, there is a lot to be thinking about and acting upon not to mitigate problems in the future.

Kevin Quinn of Bale Breaker Brewing in Washington’s Yakima Valley spoke with Beer Edge editor John Holl about this year’s harvest on Loftus Ranch, where the brewery is located, and how they are thinking about the future.

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Alternative Energy Options for the Craft Brewery

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Brewers have long been on the forefront of environmental causes and sustainable initiatives. From recycling to energy efficient equipment, craft breweries have long worked to leave a minimal footprint from a very resource heavy industry.

Recent shock on fuel prices and rising energy costs along with an aging power grid in many states has caused breweries of all sizes to think about alternative energy sources or bringing equipment in house to keep the lights on and taps flowing.

Adding solar or wind options, especially when installing hardware, comes with upfront costs but there are benefits to not only a ledger but also in good will and respect for the planet.

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How Breweries Can Curb Fuel Consumption and Save Money at the Gas Pump

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Small brewers have spent the last three years jumping from one business crisis to the next. Inflation is the current hurdle that most are struggling to clear, and that has been coupled with gas prices that were around $5 per gallon for most of the country and even higher in certain cities and regions.

While prices at the pump are dropping and forecasts suggest further easing, the initial sticker shock from earlier this year coupled with the hefty bills that came due are having some breweries re-think their fuel consumption and long-term plans.

There are some basic practices along with forward-thinking that can ease the burden should prices climb high again.

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Is Your Can Recyclable? Four Keys to Can Design that Don’t Contaminate the Recycling Stream

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It turns out that cool label on an IPA might actually be a contaminate for the recycling stream.

Over the last two years as draft beer sales have fluctuated around the country, smaller breweries have been scrambling to keep up with packaged offerings, mostly in the form of cans.

Of course, this has led to reports of can shortages and news that some of the manufacturers are working around the clock at existing plants and even building new ones to keep up with a demand that is likely to continue into the future.

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Sustainability Considerations – Composting Options for Craft Brewers

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The best time to start thinking about a brewery compost program is before it becomes an issue. However, it is rarely at the top of any list for brewers who are contending with all other aspects of the business.

Having a plan in place and knowing local composting options can save time and headaches and ultimately work towards making the brewery and region more sustainable. Given that breweries, and other beverage industry companies, produce a lot of organic waste there are numerous ways to collaborate.

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Alternative Packaging – Cardboard and Compostable Can Holders for the Craft Brewer

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The social media posts were simple but eye catching. Familiar cans of Heady Topper, the flagship beer of The Alchemist, in a group of four, and bounded together by a plant-based can holder.

For the Vermont brewery, the switch to compostable packaging from the familiar plastic snap-on holders signaled yet another step in the company’s sustainability efforts. As brewers continue to think about the effects of climate change, waste, and renewable resources, they are looking for alternatives to the norm.

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How to Mitigate the CO2 Shortage Update

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When news broke last month that Night Shift would cease production in its Massachusetts brewery and move production to a nearby facility, a CO2 shortage was cited. That sent ripples through the brewing industry, some of skepticism and some of worry.

The gas is a critical component in breweries, not only for the fizz that customers expect when opening a can or bottle or pouring a draft pint, but also in brewhouse operations that move beer around and other purposes.

In an informal poll this week among her staff, Amy George, the president of Earthly Labs, an Austin, Texas company that manufacturers equipment that captures carbon dioxide waste, found that clients in southern states, throughout the northeast, and out west in Colorado and California are experiencing shortages in their CO2 supply.

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Understanding Your Water Footprint and its Impact on the Climate

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When it comes to sustainability, one issue rises above all others: water usage. Without water, there is no beer. And as any brewer knows, water doesn’t just comprise more than 90-percent of the final product, it’s also used in nearly every step of production. Cold water cools down wort, hot water cleans and sanitizes equipment, water rinses floors and bottles and cans after filling. All the way down to employee hand washing and rinsing glasses in the tasting room, water is ubiquitous.

With the impacts of adverse weather and climate events on the rise, having an understanding of your water footprint is key to managing this critical resource in the future.

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Michael James Jackson Foundation Now Accepting Scholarship Applications – Deadline is July 1st

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The Michael James Jackson Foundation is now accepting new scholarship applications. The deadline to apply is July 1st 2022

The MJF is a grant-making organization that funds scholarship awards to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the brewing and distilling trades. The program is open to candidates at the beginning of their careers, as well as those looking to continue their education. Scholarships are awarded to attend brewing or distilling classes at 23 different educational programs across the country.

For more information on MJF and the open scholarships, visit the web site here.

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New Belgium and Bell’s Hire DEI Director to Serve Both Breweries

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New Belgium Brewing and Bell’s Brewery appointed a director of diversity, equity and inclusion who will work for both breweries. Courtney Simmons will serve as the newly combined company’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

New Belgium Brewing and Bell’s Brewery are now both subsidiaries of the craft beverage division of Australian food and drink company Lion, which is owned by Japan’s Kirin. Bell’s sold to Lion last November and New Belgium sold in fall of 2019.

The two breweries now include 1,300 employees across four states.

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Mental Health: How to Take Better Care of Your Employee

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The beer industry has been slow to recognize the challenges to employee mental health posed by its unique set of characteristics. Any job can be stressful, but mix in long hours in industrial work spaces and routine and frequent access to alcohol and it is easy to see how mental health and substance use issues can arise.

Failing to address and protect employee mental health causes substantial loss in productivity and ultimately revenue. Beyond the importance of helping to support valuable members of your team, studies routinely demonstrate that money spent on addressing common mental health issues returns a substantial value in terms of improved employee health, productivity, and retention.

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Eastern Washington University to Launch Certificate Program for Craft Brewing Industry

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Eastern Washington University and No-Li Brewhouse are partnering to launch a professional certificate program for the craft beer industry.

The 15-credit program, which begins in the fall, is designed for those wanting to advance their knowledge of craft beer or pursue jobs in the industry.

No-Li Brewhouse owners John and Cindy Bryant donated $10,000 to help launch the certificate program.

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How To Create Or Improve Your In-house Tasting Panel

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Creating an active, engaged in-house tasting and sensory program should be top of mind for brewers of every size. You spend so much time planning, brewing, cleaning, and often just trying to survive, outsourcing the beer sensory element of your business to consumers in your taproom or even machine or lab testing can be tempting. While there is great value in using lab work or your frontline tasters as part of your overall mechanism for ensuring product quality, it remains crucial to have a diverse array of brewery employees routinely taste and assess the quality and consistency of the beers that you produce. Let’s take a look at some key points in creating a tasting and sensory program.

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Why and How to Encourage Outside Training for Your Brewery Employees

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Your team is set, and the business is humming along. Employees seem happy, the customers are keeping the coffers full and the tanks busy and for the first time in a long time you, as an owner, have a moment of peace and calm. Then reality sets in and thoughts of the future creep into your brain.

To keep the positive momentum going you need to make sure that everyone is equipped with the tools they need. This does not just mean physical equipment, but proper training as well. It is time to start thinking about additional, outside, training for your employees.

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Developing a Successful Mentorship Program for Employees

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The American craft beer industry likes to talk about being small and independent and removed from big business culture. Living in the realm of small business it cultivates a scrappy and local image that resonates with a lot of consumers.

There are, however, some lessons or practices from corporate America that should be incorporated into smaller breweries. As the industry looks to grow and diversify and build a meaningful culture, creating an internal mentor program is a step in the right direction.

There are a lot of reasons to start a mentor program and it can be as intense or casual as a brewery wants, but the bottom line is that by connecting seasoned employees with newer ones can strengthen a company culture, create an avenue of collaboration, and begin a cycle that can continue for years to come.

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Craft Beer Marketing Awards Announce 2022 Medal Winners

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The 2022 Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAs) “Crushie” winners have been announced. Part one was announced in a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, May 28th and the final winners were announced on May 4th Live at the Craft Brewers Conference in Minneapolis, MN.

The Craft Beer Marketing Awards was established in 2019 to give recognition to the best companies in the marketing realm of the brewing industry.

Some notable winners were Starr Hill Brewery who won a gold medal in the Best Packaging Design for Bottles category for their Northern Lights IPA and Florida Beer Podcast which was awarded a gold medal in the Best Beer Podcast category.

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Fostering Brewery Creativity

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Beer is a dynamic beverage and even outside of the glass, from taproom experiences to packaging, the industry has fostered an air of creativity that should bring smiles to customer’s faces.

What about brewery employees? The day-in-day-out experience of clocking in and doing the expected work can quickly become rote, just like at any job. If beer is creative, the employees responsible from the brew deck to accounting should also be mentally stimulated to stay happy and productive and hopefully bring fresh energy into the brewery.

Here are a few ways to help keep staff feeling less like button pushers and more like creative outlets for good.
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2022 World Beer Cup Winners Announced

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It’s a wrap. The 2022 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and World Beer Cup (WBC) have concluded in Minneapolis with a projected 10,000 attendees. The Brewers Association handed out 307 awards to breweries from 57 different states in the largest WBC to date with over 10,000 entries.

The awards were presented in a ceremony Thursday evening at the conclusion of the CBC at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Entries were evaluated by an elite panel of 226 judges from 28 countries. Competition judging took place in 18 sessions over nine days.

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