| Beer Bolsters The Economy The nation's diverse array of beermakers – from macro-plants run by Anheuser-Busch to local micro- brewing holes in the wall – churned up $350 billion in economic output last year, equal to about 2% of America's overall GDP.in just release statistics. Researchers found brewing and beer importing operations directly employed nearly 65,000 workers in the U.S.,a larger payrolls last year than prominent industries like logging and coal mining And when connected industries like distributors and those that sell bottles, boxes and equipment to brewing outfits are factored in, it's estimated that nearly 2.23 million Americans had jobs last year either directly or indirectly tied to brewing. The top states for beer jobs offer few surprises, in part because the top five states for beer jobs also happen to be the top five states in terms of population: California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois.Ohio and Pennsylvania, also in the top 10 states by population, came in at sixth and seventh with more than 81,000 and nearly 73,000 beer-related jobs, respectively.But Wisconsin and Colorado punched above their weight, cracking the top 10 with comparatively smaller populations. Colorado even managed to break into the top five states in terms of economic impact, drumming up $15.3 billion and beating out the likes of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Michigan. |
The New Best Beer In America Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Elder is a beer with a reputation. For eight years in a row, the Northern California brewery has been rated the nation’s best commercial beer by Zymurgy, the American Homebrewers Association magazine.But no longer. Bell’s Brewery’s Two Hearted Ale won the award, which is chosen by a survey of more than 4,000 AHA members. Pliny the Elder came in second, and Founders Breakfast Stout came in third .“Thisis an incredible honor for us,” Laura Bell, Bell’s Brewery CEO, said in a statement. “We got our start as homebrewers — and that’s how my dad got going — so we really identify with the homebrewing community.” Members of the AHA were asked to vote online for up to 20 of their favorite commercial beers sold in the U.S. Michigan breweries were the clear winners, winning four out of the top 10 spots. IPAs remained the favorites with a few exceptions. 1. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale 2. Russian River Pliny the Elder 3. Founders Breakfast Stout 4. Three Floyds Zombie Dust 5. Bell’s Hopslam 6. Founders KBS, Kentucky Breakfast Stout 7. The Alchemist Heady Topper 8. Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA 9. Sierra Nevada Celebration 10. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA These ratings do differ substantially from other rating organizations. For example, BeerAdvocate top 5 are: 1. Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout, Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.; 2. Good Morning, Tree House Brewing Co.; 3. Very Hazy, Tree House Brewing Co.; 4, Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Double Barrel Aged, Cigar City Brewing; 5. King Julius,Tree House Brewing Company. RateBeer. com agrees with Advocate's #1, #2, has Hunaphu at #4, and puts Poiny at #5. |
| Feature News from beernexus.com |
Edited by Jim Attacap
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| BEERNEXUS the crossroads of the beer world |
| NFL Boozes It UP National Football League is allowing liquor companies for the first time ever to run ads during the upcoming season, putting pressure on the likes of brewers AB InBev (BUD) and MillerCoors, which have long hawked alcoholic beverages that have been socially acceptable by sports viewers. While liquor brands are finally allowed to advertise, they won’t have the same freedoms enjoyed by their beer counterparts. The spirits companies can only run four 30-second ads during any game with the spots limited to two per quarter or during halftime. They are also prevented from having a football theme in the ads and cannot engage in sponsorships run during the game. Brewers, on the other hand, can’t include NFL players in ads.. Spirits advertisers also have to include a prominent social responsibility message. 20% of ads have to consist exclusively of social responsibility messaging. For brewers, the NFL’s new stance may spell trouble since its share of the alcohol market is on the decline, falling to 50%.. In 2003 that stood at 58%. At the same time, spirits share of the market increased to 32% from 28% in the same time frame |
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