Zero Gravity Craft Brewery in Burlington, Vermont has announced the release of Rescue Club IPA, a non-alcoholic IPA hazy New England IPA. Full details are below.

BURLINGTON, VT — We are thrilled to introduce Rescue Club IPA, a non-alcoholic beer of the highest quality born from New England’s craft brewing culture. This IPA is not like the non-alcoholic beers you’ve had before. We use a proprietary technique to deliver a beer that is free of alcohol but full of flavor. Offering you a non-alcoholic option that doesn’t sacrifice the refreshing hop character you crave.

Rescue Club IPA is brewed by Rescue Club Brewing Company, a partnership between Zero Gravity Craft Brewery and Citizen Cider Co-Founder Kris Nelson. Founded with the intention of changing the conversation about non-alcoholic beer, Rescue Club IPA is there for anyone, any time, any place.

This non-alcoholic beer brings you everything you want in an IPA, without the booze. Citra and Motueka hops give this IPA aromas of citrus, pine, and just a touch of tropical fruit. Soft on the palate with a slightly dry finish, Rescue Club IPA bursts with citrus fruit flavor. Bright and refreshing, you can always reach for a Rescue Club!

Twelve5 Beverage Co. in Neenah, Wisconsin has announced that it has expanded distribution of its Rebel Hard Coffee to the state of Texas. Full details are below.

Neenah, Wis. – Twelve5 Beverage Company has partnered with Ambiente Beverage, an employee-owned and operated distribution company, and Reed Beverage, a family-owned distributor, to supply REBEL Hard Coffee – a dangerously delicious blend of Colombian coffee, alcohol, cream, and natural flavors – in the state of Texas.

“We are very excited about these newfound partnerships and opportunities to introduce our Hard Mocha Latte, Hard Vanilla Latte, Hard Cold Brew, and various seasonal beverages to the people of Texas,” said Michael Sargent, senior brand manager of REBEL Hard Coffee. “Expanding to this market is a huge step for the REBEL brand and we are thrilled to provide the lone star state with the unique product they’ve been looking for!”

REBEL Hard Coffee was born from a passion for artisanal coffee roasting and a thirst for something truly new and different. Every can of REBEL Hard Coffee delivers an exceptional coffeehouse experience that’s perfect for every social moment.

Brough Brothers Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky is now open, making it the first and only African America-owned distillery in the state. Full details are below.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brough Brothers Distillery, the first and only Black-owned distillery in the state of Kentucky, opened its doors for business earlier this month in Louisville.

The distillery was founded by Victor, Bryson, and Christian Yarbrough, three brothers born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. They wanted to produce quality bourbon whiskey in an industry that has thus far remained largely inaccessible to minority entrepreneurs. They are committed to supporting other local businesses in an effort to revitalize the West End neighborhood in which Brough Brothers is based. Their distillery will provide job opportunities and economic growth for the community of Park Hill, a historically underserved area of Louisville’s West End.

“Brough Brothers has an opportunity to not only provide employment opportunities for our local community, but also design an experience for locals and tourists in the heart of one of Kentucky’s cultural hubs,” Brough Brothers CEO Victor Yarbrough said. “At a time in history when there is much attention on Louisville, we are excited to represent positive change and hope for and on behalf of our city.”

Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. in Hammond, Louisiana has announced the release of a new double IPA in time for New Year's Eve. Full details are below.

Our final release of the year is a beastly Double IPA with a lavish hop bill and pillowy body. A couple of these and you might forget the hot shit bath that was 2020. We stacked this Juicy Hazy Double IPA with a clever combo of American and Southern Hemisphere hops, achieving a maximum punch of tropical stone fruits, citrus, white wine minerality, melon, and pineapple. We've jazzed up the body with the addition of wheat and oats plus enough lactose to complement and not compete with the complex hop arrangement. 

9% ABV

4pk 16oz $20

StillFire Brewing in Suwanee, Georgia has announced the release of a new beer called Suwanee Devil. Full details on this Belgian-style brew are below.

Suwanee Devil is a Belgian Golden Strong Ale brewed with Pilsner malt, Belgian candi sugar and classic Belgian yeast that produces pear and apple aromas and flavors while delivering a white pepper spice in just the right amount to balance. The flavors are absolutely delicious, subtle, and the alcohol is completely hidden. At 9.7% ABV, you will have to be careful while you enjoy your first encounter with the Suwanee Devil. BACK ON TAP THIS THURSDAY!

The Teamsters successfully blocked the acquisition of a local Rhode Island distributorship to a competitor that would've slashed wages and denied pensions. Full details are below.

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 50 workers at McLaughlin & Moran (M&M) cheered when management of the state's only Budweiser distributorship announced Monday that the deal to sell the company to C & C Distributors, a competitor owned by the Mancini family, would not go forward.

"We represent workers at M&M and several Mancini companies. We tried to negotiate a fair deal with Mancini but they demanded our members take pay cuts of $7 or more per hour and give up their pension," said Matt Taibi, Teamsters Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer.

"It's outrageous what some of these corporations try to do to workers," said Sean O'Brien, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Joint Council 10, which represents more than 55,000 workers throughout New England. "This deal would have hurt our members, small business owners, consumers and all the citizens of Rhode Island."

In July, Mancini applied to the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) for approval to transfer the wholesaler liquor license owned by M&M to one of their companies. A hearing was scheduled for October 30. Teamster members, their supporters, business owners, and ordinary citizens jammed the virtual hearing and came out in strong opposition.

Highland Brewing Co. in Asheville, North Carolina has announced it has raised $25,000 for 12 local non-profits in the hospitality community. Full details are below.

 “Hospitality at its core is a showing of generosity and goodwill,” said Highland Marketing Director, Julie Funke. “This campaign honored those fundamentals, and we are proud to help take care of our own when they need it most.”

Funds raised will be divided based on Gaelic sales in each locality between the following organizations:  

·       NC Restaurant Workers Relief Fund (NC)

·       United Way Central Carolinas (NC)

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster & Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about Mexican-Style Lager.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The super quaffable and refreshing nature of this beer! It drinks so well in the sun!

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
As with most beers at pFriem, we simply call them what they are. This beer is inspired by the blonde Lagers of Mexico. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
Oh man… this would be a great desert island beer...

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Back in 2015 I was on a surf trip in Mexico and like previous Central American trips, I was crushing Mexican Lagers and couldn’t get enough of them. This was before the boom of U.S. craft rewers getting into brewing these lagers and thought to myself, wow we should brew a beer in this realm! We took a modern industrial approach combined with the historical German influence of these beers. What we found was a beer that was super-crushable, but more complex and nuanced than its industrial counterparts. This has been a house favorite every summer since!

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Just about everything tacos! Carne Asada, Al Pastor, Tacos de Pescado, you name it!

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster & Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about Japanese Lager.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This beer was a group effort by our brewery management team. Our focus was to give a nod toward modern industrial Japanese lagers, but also bring forward the historical German heritage of these beers.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The super-clean and very drinkable nature of this beer. It is so smooth yet so complex. We brew this beer with rice and the rice flavors really shine through. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
As with most beers at pFriem, we simply call them what they are. This beer is inspired by the lagers of Japan. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
This beer could compete for my desert island beer!

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Dense, snow-like foam, shiso plum, jasmine rice, wildflowers and very dry.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
All things sushi! Sashimi, nigiri and about any sushi roll will work!