Maybe it was because of so many years in corporate America, putting in work I really couldn’t care less about. I wasn’t invested in the outcome, so who really cares?
Is it done? Yes.
Could I have done better? Most likely.
Is it off my plate so I can move to the next thing I don’t care about, and be that much closer to going home? Absolutely.
Fine, next!
But when it comes to stuff I actually (supposedly) WANT to do? Where I’d really like to succeed? Where I care what other people might think about it? Where it REALLY means a lot to me that I do well?
Stuff like this?
Forget it.
Not because it has to be perfect, nothing can be.
But the CONDITIONS for me to even start have to be.
I can’t be afraid of anything. I can’t be worried about if anyone will read it. I can’t be convinced whatever I have to learn is way too hard, or way too much work. I can’t tell myself that there’s no way an editor will accept this pitch, that the idea is too dumb to even waste their time.
I can’t tell myself I’m just not built to be an entrepreneur. I can’t say that putting in all this time to get my SEO nailed down, figuring out how Google Analytics works, setting up my social media and blog posting schedules, reaching out for prospects, signing up on freelance platforms, figuring out rates, learning contracts … I can’t say ANY of that will be an absolute complete waste of time and resources, that all the hard work will be absolutely pointless.
The only way I can even get started is for NONE of that to exist.
Because if I believe any of those things, even one of them, then really, what is the point? Whatever it is I’m about to spend any amount of effort, time, and/or money on will have no chance to succeed. It would all be a total waste.
Better to just cut my losses now and make better use of my precious time — maybe have a beer and catch a Columbo rerun.
Recently it’s occurred to me that I’ve been struggling putting up all this “infrastructure” to get my freelance career going. No real plan, just stabbing at tasks here and there, spinning wheels.
Meanwhile, I’ve barely written a word.
Today, for some reason I can’t put my finger on, I told myself, “Just write, dammit! And post it! If no one reads it, who cares?”
So that’s what I’ve just done. Tomorrow (and the day after, and the day after that) might be more waiting for the “perfect” moment to get going on something.
Today, I’ve written and published something. The comments could be a mile-long screed about how horrible it is. But right now, things are just perfect enough for me to put this out there.
Yes, I know, it’s been quite a while. But I have managed to get out every now and then, so I thought I’d catch y’all up on some of my recent beer travels.
BUT FIRST, MALT
“Beer is agriculture!”
So shouts Admiral Maltings’ Ron Silberstein during a tour of the malt house during the 2nd Annual “It’s the Malt!” festival, held recently at Admiral’s Alameda facility.
Booth with a view at The Rake Pub, Admiral Maltings, Alameda
He is passionate about the grain, something I found out years ago while interviewing him for the chapter I contributed to this book about the geography of beer.
Admiral Maltings was founded in 2017 due at least partially to the fact that hops were hogging the spotlight. As I mentioned in the book, the IPA explosion turned tap lists into virtual hop-varietal marquis. While malt, the backbone of beer (Admiral’s tagline is “No Malt, No Beer”) was relegated to a supporting role, at best. You didn’t see malt varieties on beer labels, or malt farmers glorified as much as their hop-growing counterparts.
Malt was under appreciated, and Admiral Maltings set out to help change that.
Fast-forward seven or eight years, and Silberstein’s passion continues. Enough to where, as an alternative to festivals highlighting hoppy beer styles (IPAs!) or beer-drinking occasions (Oktoberfest!), it was time for a festival celebrating malt.
The “It’s the Malt!” festival, like the facility that that hosts it, is utterly unique and not to be missed.
Let’s start with the fact that Admiral’s pub, The Rake, is truly an astounding place to enjoy a beer. Not just because you can see the actual malting floors from your table, but because it consistently features one of the most amazing tap lists you will ever find.
I bet that fancy concert in The City didn’t have this!
The common thread, of course, is that everything poured is made with Admiral malts. This ensures not only out-of-this-world quality, but an amazing cross-section of breweries and styles. Are you a hophead? Check. Dig a saison, or maybe a porter? Check-check. Love an impeccably brewed lager? Check-mate.
Having a place like this host a festival? Forget it. If you only have room in your budget for one festival a year, make it this one.
For starters, they turned their tap list up to 11 by featuring tents with additional taps outside. The Lager Land tent (I doubt that big music party on the other side of the Bay had this) was pouring beers where these standout malts can really shine.
The Bay Area Mashers tent celebrated the famed homebrewing club’s 35th anniversary by featuring collabs with several local breweries. The Bluegrass Common with Moraga’s Canyon Club, and Fool’s Gold English Golden Ale with Richmond’s East Brother were standouts.
(An aside — I was fortunate enough to later enjoy Fool’s Gold ON CASK at East Brother. Holy cow. Smooth, tangy, just slightly bitter, and absolutely amazing.)
So yes, the beers (and Whiskeys (!)) on offer were amazing enough. But this wasn’t just about tasting the finished products, it was also learning about malt and interacting with it.
How ’bout a little knowledge to go with that beer?
If you weren’t able to catch one of the guided tours, the malthouse was opened up for self-guided tours that included several informational displays detailing the entire malting process.
Educational seminars were also offered, right on one of the germination floors, which included talks on the optimal situations to grow malt, as well as guided sensory tastings.
So — world class beers and spirits, AND the chance to learn a thing or two about what makes beer beer? Get to this next year, you will not regret it.
I’ve managed to squeeze in a few brewery stops while I’ve been our seeing our fine (still, I think) country.
By your own bootstraps
Back Unturned Brewing, San Antonio, TX — Just off the Riverwalk north of the Downtown tourist spots sits Back Unturned Brewing. A scrappy, feisty, DIY type of place, with concrete floors, a stainless steel bar, and tanks in full display in the dining room. The beers are as solid as the space, with some nice IPAs and a delightful hoppy Belgian-style ale. Full kitchen featuring pizzas, full bar, friendly space. Worth the trek out of downtown.
516 Brooklyn Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215 Open daily at 11am
Roadmap Brewing, San Antonio, TX — Roadmap is just a few blocks from Back Unturned, although I had already built up quite a thirst in the stifling heat. A bit more polished, the expansive building features several separate but still very open spaces to hang-out, including a serious dartboard area around the corner from the bar.
And the beers are spot on. These folks have won their share of awards, locally and from GABF in Denver and the World Beer Cup. Great selection of merch, and a food truck on site featuring burgers. If you only time for one beer stop in SA, make it this one.
An inviting respite from the unusual Spring heat.
723 North Alamo Street, San Antonio, TX, 78215 Open M-F 2-10pm, S-S Noon-2pm
Barhop Brewing, Sequim, WA — headed to the Pacific Northwest for a family reunion, and wouldn’t you know this place just happened to be right across the street from our hotel. Of all the luck…
The beers were nice, but… Worst. Logo. Ever.
This is actually the second outpost for Barhop, their main facility is in Port Angeles, just down the highway. Not an ounce of pretension here, just good beer in an assuming, open space, with some outside seating, as well.
Pizza’s the name of the game here, as well. We had a nice spicy Pep, with just enough pop to work well with the crispy sourdough crust. The beers were solid as well, I particularly enjoyed a lively tart Key-Lime Chili Lager. Just enough of everything to make it interesting and not overwhelm.
845 W Washington St, Sequim, WA 98382 Open M-Thur Noon-7pm, Fri-Sun Noon-8pm
Headlands Brewing, several East Bay locations — closer to home, Headlands is bucking the trend and gone into major expand mode as of late, and they’ve carved a pretty good niche for themselves with each of their very unique spaces.
They’re all about making the absolute most with fairly small-ish footprints, with an emphasis on family-friendliness. Unique seating arrangements, dedicated kids’ play areas, and just enough greenery to feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s backyard.
The forest for the … buildings.
Walnut Creek, especially, pulls this off. They’ve managed to create a wooded oasis in the middle of a business park right across from a BART station! You wouldn’t think it would work, but it does. And, bonus, this location features a full bar.
The tap list is conveniently divided by flavor profile, so you’re sure to find what you need. Food menu features burgers, sandwiches, salads, and apps, as well as choices for the kiddos.
Hours vary by location, check their site for deets.
Lafayette — 3420 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Berkeley — 1280 Gilman St. Walnut Creek — 2999 Oak Rd., Suite A
Yes, I’m trying to resuscitate this moribund blog yet again. But this time I’m scaling it way back to basically what it was when I started.
You see, when our beloved Celebrator Beer News basically went dark years ago, I decided I would step into the breach and provide Bay Area Craft Beer nerds with the news they were accustomed to, delivered via the interwebs on a semi-regular basis. I had a newsletter, with subscribers and everything, and even ran ads (which got zero clicks)!
Still sippin’!
All well and good. But what I didn’t realize was that the Celebrator was a full-time gig for at least one person, with lots of others contributing. I still needed to work full-time for a paycheck and benefits, so I was doing this in my free time, which I quickly discovered was not nearly enough. Especially since I’m basically lazy and found it more and more difficult to sit in front of a computer at my home after eight hours of sitting in front of one at work.
So, The Beerverse eventually pretty much shriveled up and died.
But I’m still a fan. So I figure, instead of trying to be all craft-beer things to all craft-beer people, I’m going back to basics. My Instagram feed is here, and I’m hoping to start putting up the occasional beer-related blog post now and again. Not looking to change the world, or convert the unenlightened, or even make a dime. Just me and my beery thoughts. And if I’m able to steer anyone towards a particularly outstanding beer and/or brewery, all the better.
We’re surrounded by great beer here in the Bay Area. I’m just here to let y’all know what I find. So cheers, and support your local brewery!
This Beer Creates Opportunity DIPA, the official collaboration beer of SF Beer Week ’23, spearheaded by BABG’s DEI Committee. (Courtesy SF Beer Week)
Okay, so technically it IS SF Beer Week, but since I’m an East Bay native (from wayback when the 510 was still the 415 and the phones had dials on them and were mounted on walls), here are some highlights from the “other” side of the Bay Bridge.
For details on all of these events and the most up-to-date list, check out sfbeerweek.org.
The single Opening Gala is on hold for one more year, so once again each chapter of the Bay Area Brewers Guild is hosting a regional kick-off party. Your ticket includes unlimited tastes from regional breweries. Live music and food will also be available. Check each region’s event for time and specific details. (If you’re going to the SF kickoff on Saturday, I’ll see you there!)
SATURDAY 2/11
Grain to Glass: A Farmer, Maltster and Brewer(s) Walk into a Bar — Admiral Maltings, Alameda (ticketed, $20)
The East Bay is the proud home of one of the few craft maltsters in the country, and their phenomenal pub, The Rake. As they say, malt is the soul of beer, and your ticket includes a tour and tasting at with the farmers and brewers who, well, farm and brew. (Pro-tip — even if there isn’t an event, get over to The Rake anyway. Their tap list is mind-blowing, and they now also serve cocktails and spirits made with Admiral Maltings malt.)
23rd Double IPA Festival — The Bistro, Hayward (ticketed, $80-100)
This perennial favorite, which predates Beer Week itself by a good decade, is considered the Holy Grail for Hop Heads. I first tasted Pliny the Elder here back in the day, and it was mind-blowing. Prepare to get your palate wrecked!
Saison Saturday — Sante Adairius, Oakland (pay as you go)
I adore Saisons, and Sante Adairius makes some of the best. Bay Area folks were thrilled when they opened their Oakland outpost, in the former Trappist space. Joining them will be Saisons from Seattle’s Fair Isle Brewing, Missouri’s Side Project Brewing, and other special guests. The Holy Grail for … Saison Heads??
SUNDAY 2/12
Pizza Port Tie Dye Party, Tap Takeover & Fundraiser — Degrees Plato, Oakland (pay as you go)
Anytime you can enjoy great beer and support a great cause, I’m in! Carlsbad’s Pizza Port Brewing is taking over the taps, including some taproom-only styles not usually seen in these parts. Make yourself a tie-dye shirt and support BAYS (Bay Area Young Survivors, a breast cancer support group for younger people).
Beer and pepperoni … hellOOOooo?!?!?! Bonus — Armistice is releasing their IPA collaboration with soon-to-the-East-Bay Cellarmaker, Duelling Mullets, and their new DIPA, Stinkerbell. Double bonus — every Monday at Armistice is $5 Monday, INCLUDING TODAY! So, to recap — pepperoni, fresh IPA (and DIPA), and $5 pints. What are you waiting for???
TUESDAY 2/14
Brewer V Brewer: Collaboration Beer Dinner with Drake’s & HenHouse — Drake’s Dealership, Oakland (ticketed, $140)
Pricey, yes. But it’s a six-course aphrodisiac dinner with beer pairings. A competition where truly everyone wins, including love! Awwww. Hurry, tickets are limited and this usually sells out.
Beer & Metal Show ft. Hell Fire + Oxide — The Golden Bull, Oakland (ticketed, $12-20)
For those seeking a bit more, um, aggressive Valentine’s experience, Golden Bull (co-owned by fellow Pinole Valley Spartan Billie Joe Armstrong, who also plays in a little band called Green Day) is hosting a concert with two local Metal bands. Oh, and Cellarmaker’s taking over the taps, including pouring their collab IPA with Hell Fire, Medieval Cowboys Hazy WC IPA. Bang your hop head!
“Beer Is Black History” is a national collaboration effort to spotlight Black-owned breweries. Paulista is hosting the release of the local version with Black-owned breweries Hella Coastal of Oakland and Oak Park Brewing of Sacramento. Celebrate Beer Week AND Black History Month!
I have a soft spot for Livermore. Spent many a weekend there as a kid (a million years ago) hanging out with the relatives, and sometime later (a half-million years ago), I co-ran a wine shop in the heart of Downtown, which has since bloomed into a destination all its own.
Livermoron IPA is an all-Livermore-brewery collaboration, which will be poured at several locations along First Street. Attendees will also have the opportunity to donate to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
Trivia Night & Danksy Cold IPA Collab Release — Epidemic Ales, Concord (pay as you go)
Three things I love — Epidemic Ales, Morgan Territory Brewing, and Cold IPAs. You can get them all here, as Epidemic releases their collab with MT, Danksy Cold IPA. And if you’re a know-it-all, prove it during trivia night.
BTW, Morgan Territory will soon be opening their first satellite location, in downtown Pleasant Hill! I’m quite thrilled, as that’s a hell of a lot closer to me than Tracy is.
I’ve already waxed poetic about The Rake, but now it goes next-level. Few things in life are as sublime as beer pulled straight from a cask, and your ticket entitles you to unlimited tastes of12 (!) of them, all made with Admiral malts (natch). Plus, a BBQ dinner is included. I mean, come on!
SATURDAY 2/18
7th Annual East Bay Non-IPA Event — Tiger’s Taproom, Oakland (pay as you go)
After a week of IPAs-a-plenty, your palate might be a little puckered. Enjoy brews made specifically for Beer Week, as well as special library selections, all of the non-India-Pale variety.
Celebration of Craft Beer Festival — Trumer Brewery, Berkeley (ticketed, $85)
The bookend to the kick-off parties, this festival put on by the California Craft Beer Association celebrates all that’s great about the Bay and California. Ticket includes unlimited tastings from 30 breweries, and dinner! (BTW, when I attended a few years back, Russian River was pouring Younger, and the line wasn’t completely stupid. Just sayin’.)
Unlimited beers and unlimited pinball on over 100 machines. Enter tournaments and win prizes. This usually sells out, so act fast.
East Brother 6th Year Anniversary — East Brother Brewing, Richmond (pay as you go)
Another one of my Richmond locals. Enjoy special new releases, food trucks, and live music. A great hang and a nice way to wrap up the week’s festivities.
Wherever you go and whatever you do, make sure to do it safely and use public transportation and/or ride shares. And always, always, always, TIP WELL!!! All event organizers and staff are hustling double-time to give you the best experiences possible, be sure to show them the love!
SAN FRANCISCO: SF Beer Week is poised to sweep through the greater Bay Area from February 10-19. Local breweries, beer specialty bars and other convivial gathering places from Santa Rosa to Monterey and east to the Livermore valley will host the beer community for the region’s biggest craft beer celebration and annual reunion. For 10 days, enthusiasts, brewers and anyone who enjoys craft beer will get together to explore a wonderland of flavor artistry in the place right here, where the craft beer renaissance was born.
Five Regional Showcases To Get Things Rolling Official SF Beer Week Kick Off festivities hosted by the five chapters of the Bay Area Brewers Guild will anoint the week in widely dispersed locations, each putting local touches on these Friday and Saturday opening events, February 10 and 11. ▪ East Bay brewers and beer enthusiasts reunite at 21st Amendment Brewery in San Leandro, Friday evening, Feb. 10. ▪ The North Bay beer community gathers at Pond Farm Brewing Co. in San Rafael, Friday evening, Feb. 10. ▪ On Saturday, San Francisco beer enthusiasts celebrate atop Salesforce Park, hosted by Barebottle Brewing, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 11, rain or shine. ▪ Breweries and fans along the Coast convene at Other Brother Beer Co. in Seaside, Saturday evening, Feb. 11. ▪ Silicon Valley launches the week at The Guildhouse, in San Jose, Saturday evening, Feb. 11. Advance ticket information and event descriptions may be found at SFBeerWeek.org
Collaboration beers made by more than one brewery working together and sharing techniques – including an Official Collab being poured at all the Kick Off events – remain a favorite feature. Fans who have followed the action for all 15 years will find familiar traditions, such as an event that helped inspire SF Beer Week, the Bistro’s Double IPA Festival in Hayward, back for its 23rd year. Returning favorites also will include food pairings like the Dim Sum Beer Brunch with Fort Point, and Brewer V Brewer, a collaborative beer dinner with Drake’s of the East Bay and HenHouse of the North Bay. More and more events happening in dozens of cities and towns throughout Beer Week’s 10 days will appear at SFBeerWeek.org as February approaches.
Why Beer Week First celebrated in 2009, SF Beer Week is a cultural treasure for locals and visitors alike. While the pandemic years created major challenges for small breweries, restaurants and craft beer bars here, as in other parts of the country, this annual tradition continues to bolster community while supporting the small breweries of the Guild and all local craft beer purveyors.
Beer Week Supporters Making SF Beer Week possible are Bay Area Brewers Guild members along with devoted trade partners and craft beer venues, including top-level sponsors HenHouse Brewing Co., Drake’s Brewing Co., 21st Amendment Brewery and Barretto-Co., along with Barebottle Brewing Co., Pond Farm Brewing Co., Other Brother Beer Co., Trumer Pilsner, San Francisco Brewing Co., Guildhouse, Tiger’s Taproom, City Beer Store, Admiral Maltings, Printed Image, Carle Mackie Power & Ross LLP, Custom Label, Core Cans, Berkeley Yeast, and the California Craft Brewers Association.
About the Bay Area Brewers Guild SF Beer Week is coordinated by the Bay Area Brewers Guild, a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade association. Its mission is to support and promote local independent craft beer and breweries throughout the greater Bay Area. Stay atop the region’s world-class craft beer scene year round at DrinkBay.Beer
Unique Worldwide Competition Returns for Fourth Year with New Categories, New Sponsors, and a New Trophy Design
Courtesy Craft Beer Marketing Awards
(New York, NY)—The Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAS) has announced that its 2023 Awards Competition is now open and accepting beer-related marketing and design entries from around the globe (including hard seltzer, cider, mead, and RTD cocktails). Breweries, their agencies, artists, and marketing partners are all invited to enter their best work.
There are some exciting additions this year, including new categories, new sponsors, a redesigned Crushie award trophy, and plans for a LIVE, in-person awards ceremony during the week of the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville, TN.
The deadline for discounted “Early Bird” entries is October 28, 2022. Regular entries are being accepted through January 27, 2023.
“The CBMAS has grown significantly as a unique global platform celebrating the beer industry’s incredible marketing and design that wasn’t being recognized until now,” said Jim McCune, co-founder of the CBMAS. “We’ll continue to award Crushies to the very best work in our industry, and showcase that winning work, and the creative humans behind it.”
Founded in 2019, the CBMAs is the first worldwide awards program of its kind that focuses specifically on excellence in the artistic and creative marketing and packaging efforts of breweries, designers, and agencies that play an increasingly critical role in differentiating craft beer brands in the retail marketplace.
The CBMAS has quickly become a popular industry expert voice that honors the individuals and teams who are involved in building these amazing beverage brands. The CBMAS presented a marketing trends seminar at the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference, and also hosts a successful podcast (now in its third year)—Marketing on Tap—sponsored by EGC Group, which is available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio.
In the 2022 CBMAS award season, 250 Crushie trophies were presented to winning brewers, designers, and marketing agencies throughout the world. The tally included 89 Platinum Crushie winners, 135 Gold Crushie winners, and 26 Global Crushie winners. Click here to see the full list of the 2022 CBMAS Winner’s Gallery.
New for the 2023 Award Season:
Crushie Award Redesign
The Crushie trophy has been reinvented and can now be removed from the base to be used as a fully functional tap handle. This innovation was designed and produced all within the industry, and made in the USA by Steel City Taps.
“We’re so excited to be working with Steel City Taps on the creation of these new Crushie trophies that become tap handles,” said Jackie DiBella-Curry, co-founder of the CBMAS. “It was really important for us to figure out how to keep the trophy production within the industry—and to make the Crushies even cooler, and more functional for winners to display.”
Click here to learn more about the Crushie Awards trophy.
Expanding Sponsors and Industry Associations
Houston-based Hillebrand Bev Pros returns as the presenting sponsor for the fourth year in a row. New sponsors this year include: Yakima, WA-based Yakima Chief Hops, Deer Park, NY-based DWS Printing and Birmingham, AL-based Steel City Taps (producers of the new Crushies) and Sterling, VA-based BarTrack.
The CBMAS has also formed memberships with well-known industry organizations that include The Brewers Association (BA), New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA), and many of its judges are affiliated with various beverage and beer industry associations throughout the world.
New Crushie Categories
The 2023 CBMAS consist of 38 categories that cover all aspects of brew marketing—from labels to logos and tap handles to taprooms. And this year, the CBMAS added newly designated categories to recognize industry suppliers and partners.
Proceeds of the all-new beer-related tattoo category, “Show off Your Tatts,” will be donated to The Michael James Jackson Foundation, a grant-making organization that funds scholarship awards to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the brewing and distilling trades for a more just, equitable, and dynamic future.
Entries are divided up into five regions across the globe:
The Americas
United Kingdom
Europe
APAC – Asia and Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand)
MENA – Middle East and North Africa
The CBMAS’ judging process is a robust, credible, and transparent digital scoring system that is ranked by an influential and respected worldwide panel of more than 500 beer, marketing, and design experts from over 23 countries.
Platinum and Gold Crushies will be awarded to winners in each region. Global Crushies will be awarded to winners who opt-in to be judged at a global level in addition to their regional entry.
CBMAS Timeline
• Early Bird Entry Period: September 26 – October 28, 2022
• Full Entry Period: September 2022 – January 27, 2023
• Judging: March 6, 2023 – April 11, 2023
• Winners Announced: Week of May 7, 2023 @ CBC event (TBD) and via live stream
The full live awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in person with a virtual feed during the week of the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference in May in Nashville, TN. Entries are open to anyone involved in marketing within the brewing industry—including cider and hard seltzer—across the world. For additional information, visit craftbeermarketingawards.com.
ABOUT CRAFT BEER MARKETING AWARDS
The Craft Beer Marketing Awards was established in 2019 to give recognition to the best of the best in the marketing realm of the brewing industry. With categories that range from the “Best Can Design” to “Coolest Taproom,” and “Best Website Design” to “Best Original Videos,” there’s an opportunity to showcase the best work in every area of marketing in the brewing industry. For more information, and to listen to the Marketing On Tap Podcast sponsored by EGC Group, visit https://craftbeermarketingawards.com/podcast/.
Sacramento, Calif. – California’s craft beer industry cleared a few obstacles to its future growth last week when Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law updated rules that will allow independent breweries to expand in communities throughout the state.
AB 2307 raises the limit on brewery growth from six satellite locations to eight, and lifts the cap on how many of those tap rooms can have a full kitchen from two to four. AB 2301 simply allows breweries to distribute to restaurants they own within a five-mile radius.
“We just want our brewers to feel that the sky’s the limit on what they can achieve,” said Lori Ajax, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association. “We are grateful that the governor supports these small businesses and signed AB 2301 and AB 2307.”
The brewing industry in California has doubled in the last eight years, and collectively breweries pump billions of dollars into the state’s economy each year. The industry is straining at the seams to meet customer demand for good beer and family-friendly gathering spaces and the legal limit was holding craft beer back.
Fieldwork Brewing Company’s co-founder, Barry Braden, is thrilled to be able to continue providing more great beer and comfortable, airy tap rooms to communities around the Bay Area. Fieldwork’s recent soft-opening in San Leandro was going to be their last for a while if AB 2307, written by Assemblyman Marc Berman (D- Menlo Park), hadn’t been signed.
“San Leandro was our biggest opening ever,” Fieldwork co-founder Barry Braden said. “We believe in meeting customers where they’re at, bringing them a community-centered space with great beer. But we had hit our limit on licenses.”
Similarly, in Sacramento, Urban Roots Brewery’s Peter Hoey is excited that his next restaurant won’t require a distributor. Currently, Urban Roots hires a Concord-based distributor to haul beer from their brewery to the warehouse several counties away, and back to BAWK! By Urban Roots, their fried chicken spot, which sits four-tenths of a mile away from the brewery.
“What’s funny is that we could sell directly to The Shady Lady on one side and Burgers and Brew on the other,” Hoey said, referencing BAWK!’s neighbors. “But we couldn’t sell in the middle because we own it.”
AB 2301, authored by Assemblyman Jim Wood (D- Santa Rosa), simply eliminates the need for that nearly 200 mile ordeal by allowing Urban Roots to distribute their own beer to restaurants they own, which will soon include a reopened local Folsom Blvd. favorite, The Shack.
Both brewers say that the newly-approved legislation will be key in encouraging new local entrepreneurs to open up shop in their communities.
“It’s for the breweries that haven’t even started yet,” Braden said. “It’s for the brewers who are putting pens to paper, planning, and thinking about whether this is something they can make a living doing.”
CA Craft Beer Week Returns and Independent Breweries Rally to Support Local Communities and the California Craft Beer Industry
The return of CA Craft Beer Week July 15-24 spotlights local, independent breweries, their contributions to reviving community, and a tasty statewide collaboration
— JUNE 22, 2022 — This July, the California Craft Brewers Association, regional California brewers guilds and hundreds of independent California craft breweries are collaborating to help revive local craft beer scenes hit hard by Covid, and rekindle community connections through a statewide collaboration beer release series, and the return of CA Craft Beer Week, July 15-24.
Led by the Bay Area Brewers Guild (BABG), CA Craft Beer Week (CCBW) launched in winter 2021 to help offset devastating statewide closures of tasting rooms, as well as bars, restaurants and other retailers who purchase and serve craft beer. Regional craft leaders from the San Diego Brewers Guild, Los Angeles County Brewers Guild, Orange County Brewers Guild, Inland Empire Brewers Guild, Sacramento Area Brewers Guild, and Central Coast Brewers Guild joined the BABG and CCBA bringing CA Craft Beer Week to life.
The collaborative spirit of California’s craft beer industry led participants to bring CA Craft Beer Week back this summer, to spotlight small, craft-centric businesses in Californian’s backyards, producing local craft products, keeping revenue within local economies, creating local jobs, contributing to local causes, and, as important, providing places and rebuilding connections within their communities to assist recovery and renewal of towns and cities across the state. Making its return possible is Whole Foods Market, back again in 2022 as title/name sponsor.
Local craft beer scenes are front and center throughout CCBW, with consumers able to drill down to a multitude of releases and events in each corner of the state via cacraftbeerweek.com. Initial listings are now live; many more are on the way.
Alongside activities in local taprooms and craft venues, CCBW will be showcasing high-profile releases including the CCBA Brewers Collaboration Beer. The funds raised from this special release will help local breweries in your neighborhood, and throughout the state, continue to grow and thrive. Learn more here. The program features a “who’s who” of California craft breweries, from north to south. 21st Amendment Brewery Angry Horse Brewing At Ease Brewing Co. Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Black Hammer Brewing Drake’s Brewing Co. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Humdinger Brewing Liquid Gravity Brewing Mammoth Brewing Pacific Islander Beer Co. Pizza Port Brewing Co. Russian River Brewing Co Sante Adairius Rustic Ales Shadow Puppet Brewing Co. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Smog City Brewing Societe Brewing Co. South Lake Tahoe Brewing Co. Temblor Brewing Co. Urban Roots Brewing
More cool collaborations, events and special releases will be on tap for CCBW releases, like Sun Supreme, a Coffee Blonde Ale from Brouwerij West featuring Groundwork Coffee; Electrohop, a West Coast IPA brewed to celebrate Beachwood BBQ & Brewing’s 11th anniversary; and Errybody & Their Mama Beer Fest, a collaboration between The Rare Barrel and Hella Coastal on July 23 in Berkeley, Calif.
California is the birthplace of the American craft brewing movement with more than 1150 breweries in operation across the state. The California brewing industry continues to lead the nation in innovation, economic impact and job creation. With new breweries continuing to open in California, craft beer supports more than 65,000 jobs statewide and contributes $9.66 billion annually to the state economy.
ABOUT CA Craft Beer Week is a collective co-promotion initiative led by the Bay Area Brewers Guild and the California Craft Brewers Association, both non-profit trade associations, in collaboration with the Central Coast Brewers Guild, the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild, the Orange County Brewers Guild, the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild, and the San Diego Brewers Guild.
