A HISTORY - Amoskeag Beverages

AMOSKEAG BEVERAGES
Holiday 2012 | V.2
A HISTORY
OF THE TOAST
KEN GROSSMAN
SIERRA NEVADA
BREWING COMPANY
Retail Edge Seasonals The Beer Guy New Products Programs
POWER OF PREMIUM LIGHTS
|
W I N T E R M I X PA C K S
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H O L I D AY B R E W S
Letter toTHE TRADE
In This
ISSUE
Cover Story .........................1
Brewer Highlight ..................2
Bert’s Better Beers.................3
Strange Brew Tavern.............4
Dear Valued Customer,
This is a time of year spent gearing up for the holidays, with promises of
fabulous feasts, good company, and the long-awaited releases of holiday beers.
Amoskeag is excited to unveil its vast selection of holiday beers which have
begun to roll into our warehouse. For as long as humans have brewed beer, they
have also crafted special ales and lagers for holiday feasts and celebrations, a
flavorful tradition that continues to this day. While there exists no precise
definition of what constitutes a holiday beer – some are spiced, others highly
hopped, and still others crafted in conventional styles like bocks and India pale
ales – they are generally a bit stronger than conventional beers, and share
among them a spirit of celebration and indulgence, much like the holidays
themselves.
New Products & Seasonals ....5
Programs.............................8
Retail Edge........................12
The Beer Guy ....................13
It is also a time when many unleash an immense flow of charitable donations.
For charities, it’s the busiest time of year. You’ll find Salvation Army bell ringer’s
on every corner, Toys-for-Tot’s drop-offs, donations for the local food pantries and
workplace pledge drives. Amoskeag Beverages makes charitable giving a high
priority throughout the year. We realize the importance of giving, especially
when there is such great need. We also know our customers and our suppliers
do a fantastic job when it comes to giving back, whether it’s contributing time,
resources or energies in communities around New Hampshire. For this, we
thank you.
It is hard to believe 2012 is winding down. We are grateful to work with you
and we wish you abundance, happiness and health in a new year of hope.
As always, thank you for your business!
Ed Murphy
VP/General Manager
Tom Bullock
President
Kevin Emmons
VP/Marketing Director
Amoskeag Beverages strives to provide exemplary sales, delivery and support service to
all of our customers. We are continually looking for ways to grow and improve our
company so we can better serve our customers. Please help by visiting our website at
amoskeagbeverages.com to complete our customer survey on our home page. Thank You!
Heady Times is published four times a year, courtesy
of Amoskeag Beverages.
CoverSTORY
A History of the Toast
For those of you who think that drinking is a religious experience,
you’re definitely on to something.
T
hat wonderful ritual of raising our glasses in honor of a person
or a sentiment originated with the ancient Greeks who before
taking the first sip, raised their libation toward heaven to share
it with the gods. It was the first toast – an expression of their highest
honors in the form of an alcoholic beverage. And we’ve been doing
it ever since.
Of course back then it wasn’t called a toast. The term “Toast” didn’t
come about until the 16th century, and possibly earlier. Shakespeare
mentions it in Merry Wives of Windsor when it became customary to
put a piece of toasted bread into the drink to either improve flavor, or
as sort of a built-in snack. Adding flavorings to wine was nothing
new. Spices, honey, raisins, saffron, mint and even rose petals have
all been used to improve the flavor of wine. The toast craze caught
on, and soon anything found floating in a drink was called a toast.
“Drinking a toast” to someone or something in the 17th and 18th
centuries eventually got out of control. When a gathering would run
out of attendees to toast, it became the custom to toast absent friends,
thus prolonging the drinking. It was during this period, the heyday of
the toast, that the position of “Toastmaster” came into being. A sort of
party referee, the Toastmaster’s duty was to make sure that everyone
got a fair chance and equal opportunity to offer toasts. Elaborate
drinking games and toasting competitions became popular, as well
as some rather gruesome customs. Young men would sometimes stab
themselves in the arm, mix their blood with their wine and drink it
when toasting a young woman to prove their devotion and
masculinity.
Predictably, this excess eventually led to a backlash. Anti-toasting
movements and laws began to appear, although they were largely
unsuccessful. Eventually, the craze died down and toasting became a
more intellectual affair. Toasting clubs began to emerge and toasting
evolved into a way to promote good morals and patriotism, making
toasting a social custom instead of a drinking one. It was reported
that during a banquet held in Paris during the American Revolution
the British Ambassador rose and toasted, “George the Third, who,
like the sun in its meridian spreads a luster throughout and enlightens
the world.” He was followed by the French minister, who toasted,
“The illustrious Louis the Sixteenth who, like the moon, sheds his mild
and benevolent rays on and influences the globe.” Benjamin Franklin
then rose and toasted, “George Washington, commander of the
American armies, who, like Joshua of old, commanded the sun and
the moon to stand still, and both obeyed.”
Don’t you love how Ben got the last word in? We just don’t get great
toasts like that anymore. Then again, nobody is asking you to thrust a
dagger into your arm to prove your manhood, so perhaps we should
count our blessings and raise our glasses to the ancient Greeks who
really knew how to get a party going.
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BrewerHIGHLIGHT
Ken Grossman | Sierra Nevada
I
n 1979, when Ken Grossman began building a brewery in Chico,
California, his goal was to brew exceptional ales and lagers.
Today, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is considered one of the
United State’s premier craft breweries.
Grossman, who began his career as a homebrewer, studied chemistry
and physics in college. Soon after he graduated, he and co-founder
Paul Camusi created a first-rate microbrewery they named after
Grossman’s favorite hiking grounds—the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It
was on November 15, 1980 that the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
brewed the first batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – a landmark in craft
brewing.
Over the next decade, the demand for their beers exceeded the
brewery’s capacity. In 1989, Sierra Nevada moved to its current
location. To this day, the brewery remains true to its roots. Grossman is
still personally involved in every aspect of brewery operations and most
importantly, his commitment to quality remains the same.
“There’s so much great beer being made in this country…”
For those interested in starting their own brewery, Grossman has this
advice, “Get a great education and learn as much as you can about
beer, the brewing industry and the beer marketplace. Oh, and as Jack
McAuliffe used to say … Bring lots of money.”
Because Grossman was there at the start of the craft beer movement,
he has seen many changes in the industry over the years. “The most
notable change is the enthusiasm and acceptance of a whole range of
beer styles that were unknown and unavailable back in the 70s,” he
says. “Consumer tastes have changed, and so has the willingness of
wholesalers and retailers to carry these products. There’s so much great
beer being made in this country now, and in the world-at-large.”
People love Sierra Nevada for many reasons – their remarkable beers,
their creativity and willingness to try new things and their enthusiasm
for educating people about beer. Grossman loves to share his passion
for brewing. “That’s why we started Beer Camp,” he says. “We have a
state-of-the-art small brewery and we wanted to inform folks about the
brewing process, specifically how beer is brewed and designed. Beer
Camp is basically two days at the brewery, working with brewery
personnel, to make a beer from start to finish. We’ve brewed almost 90
different beers at this point!”
Sierra Nevada’s first foray into brewing with brettanomyces occurred
earlier this year. BRUX, a collaboration brew with Russian River, is a
"domesticated wild ale". Grossman explains, “My son Brian and Vinnie
Cilurzo are good friends and we have a lot of respect for what he does
at Russian River. We went into the project with our eyes wide open to
any of the potential pitfalls. We developed a device to inject the
brettanomyces directly into the bottle, which cut down on the risk for the
yeast to spread, and segregated the yeast from the rest of the brewery.
It was a very fun project to work on … we enjoy a good challenge
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around here, and this was a great problem
to solve.”
Sierra Nevada is also renowned for being
one of the “greenest” breweries in the
world. At the moment, they create more
than 80% of the brewery’s total energy
needs on-site with photovoltaic solar arrays
and hydrogen fuel cells. They also reuse or
recycle as much as possible - their water
treatment plant produces biogas, which can
be re-used as energy. Grossman adds,
“Efficient shipping, CO2 recovery, heat
recovery and composting are all things we
do as well, but can always improve.”
Because the holidays are quickly
approaching, Grossman shares his thoughts
on his holiday offering, “In 1981 when we
first brewed Celebration Ale, we wanted to
come up with a great IPA that would work
well for the holidays. We used very fragrant
fresh hops to make it, and eschewed any
spices. We wanted to focus on the holidaytype aromas than can be derived from
hops. It makes a wonderful companion to
holiday fare too – it’s one of my family’s
favorites! I also enjoy year-old Bigfoot
around this time (If I can keep it around that
long!) And this year I’m looking forward to
our new Imperial Stout, Narwhal.”
Off-PremiseSPOTLIGHT
Bert’s Better Beers
Peeking into the window of Bert’s Better Beers
would get any beer lover excited. Rows and rows
of neatly organized bottles of beer, cider and
mead line the shelves and coolers of this
gleaming, spotless gem. Once inside, on the day
of the interview, David Lee Roth could be heard
emanating from the speakers, “This must be just
like livin’ in paradise and I don’t want to go
home.” I chuckled at the fitting lyrics.
Beer aficionados can’t get enough of the multiawarding winning beer specialty store
located at 1100 Hooksett Road in Hooksett.
Bert’s Better Beers is taking the industry by
storm and that’s just what owners Bert Bingel
and Ron Parker gambled on three years
ago when they opened their “all inclusive
specialty shop.” The two were looking for
a change from longtime careers in IT and
manufacturing. After tossing around a few ideas, Bert and Ron,
who are both beer enthusiasts, began writing down everything they
wanted to see in a beer specialty store. “We kept wondering why
nobody else had opened one.” That’s precisely what they did and it filled
an empty gap in the market.
Owners, Bert Bingel and Ron Parker
It is evident when visiting the store that the two are dialed into
the ever-changing beer culture. “We sample each
item that comes through the door so we can
give our customers honest and accurate
information.” A tough job, but someone’s got
to do it! They also read many beer
periodicals and are longtime members of
Brew Free or Die, New Hampshire’s oldest
homebrew club.
With over 600 labels, beer lovers would be
hard pressed to find another shop in NH with
as broad a variety of specialty brews. Each
item has an information tag next to it that
educates customers on everything from the IBUs
(international bittering units) to food pairing suggestions and the color of
the beer. The store has a large gluten free section as well and one of the
largest mead assortments around.
It is no surprise that Bert’s has a huge following of regular customers.
“Word of mouth and social media are our best advertising tools,” says
Ron. “The beer community likes to interact and we have lots of folks who
stop by to talk shop with us or other customers.” Bert’s Facebook page
and website are continuously being updated with the latest arrivals.
“Limited release and small batch items are posted on Facebook and
within minutes we have customers stopping in to see if they can get the
new product.”
Experimentation is something that is encouraged at Bert’s to introduce
people to new beers. When Heady Times was conducting this interview,
a local TV weatherman was seen purchasing the popular Bert’s Mix &
Match 6 pack. Customers are able to fill
their 6 pack as they like…from Moat
Mountain and Magners Pear to Victory Hop
Devil, the mix is a great way for customers
to try new things. “People love to stop by
and sample items before they buy.”
Offering tastings every Tuesday is another
way the guys get patrons to try new beers.
By offering a relaxed atmosphere where
beer lovers can schmooze and shop one of
the largest selections of beer, cider and
mead from far and wide, Heady Times
wasn’t surprised to hear the common refrain
from their customers, “It was about time!”
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On-PremiseSPOTLIGHT
Strange Brew Tavern
If you have ever have gone out for a beer in the
Queen City, more than likely you’ve been to the
ever popular Strange Brew Tavern. Tucked
away at 88 Market Street in Manchester, you’ll
find a spot where beer geeks hunker down to
sip, swirl and taste some great beers. Owner
Mitch Sawaya wanted to open a place that
“offered a unique selection of beer, not your
run of the mill type.” Coming up with the
notion to open an “American style pub” was
easy… Sawaya wanted a place where
people would feel comfortable sitting alone
and having a beer, just what he looked for
when he was travelling for business in his
previous job. Strange Brew certainly fits
the bill. With seating for roughly 300
guests in the main dining area, it has a
warm comfortable vibe with exposed
brick, rich, hardwood floors and rows and rows of
books. The patio allows outdoor seating for more than 75 and there is a
function room to house events upstairs. You can be sure that many a beer
lover has frequented this well-known establishment, located only a block
from bustling Elm Street.
Opened over 13 years ago, Strange Brew began with 18 draught
lines…now they have 103! “We track each keg that’s tapped to see how
the product is moving. Guinness and Harpoon
continue to be two of our top sellers,” says
Sawaya, who only serves the freshest beer to
his customers. “Amoskeag does a great job
getting me the limited release and small batch
beers my customers are looking for. “We are
both trying to educate the consumer on the
challenges of small batch specialty brews.” At
times, many of the small craft breweries are only
capable of sending limited quantities of beer into
the state and when they’re gone they’re gone. The
vast array of draught offerings don’t even begin to
complete the extensive beer menu at this
Manchester hotspot. Many more options are
available via bottle, making this a beer lovers’
heaven. Strange Brew also boasts a tasty selection
of bar fare and delicious dinner items to enjoy as
you listen to live music played five nights a week.
When Sawaya isn’t busy running his business, he is often found giving
back to his community. Strange Brew Tavern has been a huge supporter
of PAL, the Police Athletic League of Manchester. PAL is a non-profit
organization providing after school, summer, athletic and recreational
activities for local children. “Giving to PAL is rewarding,” says Sawaya,
“the organization does great work in the community and we know it’s a
very worthy cause.” Just another reason why Strange Brew is a winner in
our book.
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Owner, Mitch Sawaya
New Products & Seasonals
When Demand Exceeds Supply
Many of our craft seasonal and specialty releases are available in limited quantities. Breweries only produce a certain
amount of their specialty beers and Amoskeag does all they can to get as much product as possible. In addition, this
magazine is compiled months prior to the decision made by the brewery to allocate their products to the wholesaler.
Variations in production for some of these limited release offerings will fluctuate, resulting in lower quantities than
anticipated. If you are interested in something you see in this publication and it is out of stock when you place your
order, please contact your Amoskeag Beverages sales representative to discuss a similar product.
Woodstock Inn Brewery
Last Chair Ale
A collaboration between Ski
NH and the Woodstock Inn
Brewery, Last Chair Ale, is a
blend of two different styles
to create one delicious
offering. The beer offers the
wonderful characteristics of
a hearty brown ale with
the intense hoppiness of an
IPA. On your last chair to
the summit, you will look forward to this
delicious celebrative brew. ABV: 5.7% Packages: 12 and
22 oz. bottles and draught Availability: January
Woodstock Inn
Brewery Wassail Ale
Wassail Ale is a spirited winter
warmer with a huge malt profile.
Deep ruby-red in color, this beer
has an alcoholic warmth that
finishes the flavor profile.
Wassail Ale is very easy to
drink and pairs well with
roasted meats, local, full-flavored
cheeses and desserts. ABV: 7.9% Packages:
12 oz. bottles and draught Availability: November
Samuel Adams Merry Mischief
Gingerbread Stout
Lively and festive with a devilish streak, this rich,
dark gingerbread stout entices with aromas of the
holidays, hinting at the merriment and spices
within. The flavor of gingerbread comes alive,
beginning with the smooth sweetness and
heartiness of dark roasted malts and
a touch of wheat. But it’s the
intensity and spices of
cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and
ginger that add a wicked kick
for a jolly playful brew full of
merry mischief. ABV: 9%
Packages: 22 oz. bottles and
draught Availability: Very
limited quantities in November
Tenacious Traveler Shandy
The Tenacious Traveler is an invigorating
fellow that breaks from the traditional
norm of the shandy. “TT”, as we like
to call him, is a bright, vibrant wheat
beer brewed with real ginger and
clover honey that delivers the perfect
balance between spice and
sweetness. Try one and you'll see
why he is aptly named the Tenacious
Traveler! ABV: 4.4% Package:
12 oz. bottles only Availability: Yearround beginning October
Brooklyn Black
Chocolate Stout
For their rendition of the famous
Imperial Stout once brewed
exclusively for Catherine the Great,
Brooklyn Brewery uses three mashes
to brew each batch of this beer,
achieving a luscious, deep, dark
chocolate flavor through a blend of
specially roasted malts. Chocolate
Stout pairs well with strong cheeses like Stilton as well as
chocolate and red fruit desserts. AVB: 10% Package:
12 oz. bottles only Availability: September
Samuel Adams White Christmas
Sam Adams’ newest seasonal is a white ale
brewed with traditional holiday spices.
Inspired by the flavors of the season,
Sam Adams wanted to brew
something perfect for the holidays,
yet lighter and crisper than the
more malty beers we often find that
time of year. Using some favorite
Christmas spices, including
cinnamon, nutmeg and orange
peel, they brewed a hazy white ale
with distinct fruity citrus notes and a warm
spiciness. The blend of malts contributes a medium body
with a subtle sweet note while the wheat provides a
slight crisp character. The lingering spice notes leave you
wanting more. ABV: 5.8% Package: 12 oz. bottles only
Availability: November
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New Products & Seasonals
Mike’s Hard Winter Blackberry
Most people dread the coming of winter, but not Mike.
That’s because he can’t wait
to introduce his winter
seasonal, Winter Blackberry.
It’s the perfect combination
of crisp blackberry
refreshment with the
trademark Mike’s kick…so
go ahead, pour it over ice
and enjoy the best winter
has to offer. Crisp as snow
and dark as night, Mike’s
Hard Winter Blackberry is sure to
make you smile on those dreary days of
winter. ABV: 5.9% Package: 11.2 oz. bottles
only Availability: October
Mike’s Winter Grab Bag
New this year, the
Mike’s Hard winter
variety pack includes the
year-round favorite, Hard
Cranberry Lemonade,
the winter seasonal,
Hard Winter Blackberry
and a brand new
flavor, exclusive to the
Winter Grab Bag, Hard Chocolate Cherry, all wrapped
up in an eye-catching, colorful case. They’re gonna go
fast, so grab ‘em while you can! Availability: October
Narragansett Porter
Porter has been a part of the Narragansett
Brewing Company since 1916. In fact, the
beer helped ‘Gansett survive Prohibition
because the brewery was given a patent by
the U.S. Government to brew it for medicinal
purposes. Apparently, ‘Gansett Porter was
believed to be the cure for whatever ailed
you, and doctors would write prescriptions for
it to help patients throughout New England
with anemia and various other maladies. Porter
is back and better than ever, and you don’t
even need a prescription to get it! This
American-style porter has a robust malt flavor
with a slight hop character. It is brewed with Chinook
hops for bitterness, Simcoe hops for aroma, black malt,
pale malt, chocolate malt, Munich malt, crystal malt,
roasted barley, and ale yeast. This porter has a
deliciously mild chocolate flavor with just a hint of
smokiness and hops to balance out the finish - an
extremely approachable craft experience. ABV: 7%
Package: 16 oz. cans only Availability: October
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Guinness
Winter Selection
Guinness offers a diverse
selection of beers,
each possessing a
distinct taste with its
own rich story. The
Guinness consumer
seeks “more
taste” and
“variety” and is
actively
seeking an
option to
purchase different styles of beer
from Guinness. This holiday season,
Guinness is introducing their Winter
Selection variety pack. Included in the
mix case is Guinness Generous Ale, a
special edition holiday beer (exclusive
to the variety pack) as well as Guinness Black
Lager, Guinness Draught and Guinness Foreign Extra
Stout. The Guinness holiday pack is perfect for parties,
gift giving and holiday gatherings. With variety packs,
there is always something for everyone. Availability:
Limited quantities in November
Fatty Bampkins Cider
Fatty Bampkins is produced in South
Casco, Maine from fresh cider
pressed at Ricker Orchards in Turner,
Maine. They use six apple varieties
which are pressed separately. The
cider is transferred to bourbon and
rye barrels, inoculated with three
different yeasts and allowed to
ferment for four months. It is then
blended and filtered to produce a
crisp, clean cider. Two varieties are
produced: Fatty Bampkins regular hard cider and a dry
cider. ABV: 6% Packages: 22 oz. bottles and draught
Availability: Year-round beginning in October
Woodchuck Winter Cider
Winter Cider is a balanced culmination of
Premium French and Traditional American
Oak, giving the cider great complexity
and broad characteristics that neither style
could produce on its own. This cider has
tremendous depth starting with an
attractive oak taste and finishing with a
touch of vanilla. ABV: 5% Package:
12 oz. bottles only Availability:
November
New Products & Seasonals
Blue Moon Winter
Abbey Ale
Deep chestnut brown in
color, Winter Abbey Ale
is brewed with roasted
malts, a hint of Belgian
sugar and a touch of
wheat for rich caramel
and toffee notes and a
wonderful smooth finish.
Its warm seasonal flavor
is perfect for sharing with
friends on those long
winter nights. Try it with hearty stews
and chocolate based desserts. ABV: 5.6% Packages:
12 oz. bottles and draught Availability: November
Blue Moon Brewmaster’s
Winter Sampler
This year’s Blue Moon
winter variety pack
includes their flagship
Belgian White, the
Belgian-style pale ale,
Pale Moon and their
winter seasonal,
Winter Abbey Ale.
Each of Blue Moon’s
Brewmaster’s Sampler
packs also includes a
limited release style, only
available in the mix pack.
The style changes with the
season. The limited winter release in this mix pack, back
by popular demand, is Belgian Spiced Ale! This is the
perfect winter mix to warm you from the inside out.
Availability: November
Sebago Slick Nick Winter Ale
Slick Nick is Sebago’s most popular seasonal ale. The
caramel and black malts
used give this insidious beer
its deep amber color. Best
enjoyed during New
England’s freezing winter
months, warm up with
one of Maine’s best
winter offerings.
ABV: 6% Packages:
12 oz. bottles and
draught Availability:
October
Harpoon Wintry Mix
The wintertime can be a
season full of
celebrations. Bring the
Harpoon Wintry Mix to
your holiday gatherings
to please a wide range of
palates, or keep the
Wintry Mix in your fridge
and enjoy the option that
strikes your fancy. This
mix pack offers six
different styles to suit the
season: Harpoon IPA – the
copper-colored ale with a medium body and balanced
hop character, Harpoon Dark – a smooth-bodied beer
with warming, roasted notes, UFO White – a refreshing
ale spiced with orange peel and coriander, Harpoon
Winter Warmer – a true holiday favorite with cinnamon
and nutmeg spices, Harpoon Rich & Dan’s Rye IPA –
Harpoon’s newest year-round beer with a nice
hoppiness to balance the spiciness of the rye
and Harpoon Chocolate Stout – a rich and creamy ale
with a subtle chocolate finish. Availability: November
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
It just wouldn’t be the
holiday season without the
annual release of Sierra
Nevada’s legendary
Celebration Ale. This
winter seasonal was first
introduced in 1981. It
took its current form as a
hop-forward IPA in
1983, and
since then, it has
been one more
welcome favorite at the
holiday table. Each
year, debates
rage about the
brewery’s choice of spices for
this holiday beer. In reality, the unique spiced
flavors of juniper, citrus rind and cinnamon come from
the dry-hopping with a blend of fresh whole-cone hops.
Celebration Ale is also a versatile food beer, pairing
perfectly with many of the traditional holiday staples. Its
full, creamy body and clean, moderately bitter finish
work well to cut through the rich flavors of turkey
and sage stuffing, roasted honey ham,
standing rib of beef and succulent Christmas
gravy. ABV: 6.8% Packages: 12 oz. bottles and draught
Availability: November
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Programs
Waterville Valley Adaptive Sports…Amazing Race and Dinner Auction
January 12-13, Waterville Valley, NH
On Saturday January 12th, Waterville Valley Adaptive
Sports will be holding their annual dinner gala and
auction followed by the “Amazing Race” on Sunday
January 13th.
Auction items include vacations/getaways (Park City,
Nantucket, Disney World), airfare, tickets, autographed
sports memorabilia from Red Sox/Celtics/Patriots,
shopping and dining certificates, ski gear, clothing, fine
wine, art from local craftsmen and artists, museum passes
and much more!
Waterville Valley Adaptive Sports is dedicated to
empowering individuals with disabilities through access
and instruction in sports and recreation for life. They
encourage freedom and self reliance through experiential
opportunities in a safe and supportive environment with
highly trained staff and volunteers. The program enriches
the lives of everyone involved, resulting in a profound and
lasting impact on individualism, health and well-being.
Amoskeag Beverages proudly sponsors this terrific event!
For more information, please visit
www.watervilleadaptive.com
Allagash: The Cookbook
It will come as no surprise that
Allagash’s artisan beers have gained
a reputation for not only being high
quality, with a nuanced structural
complexity and flavor, but they are
also recognized for being uniquely
suited to pairing with fine food. Their
new cookbook, Allagash: The
Cookbook, offers home chefs an
unparalleled opportunity to work with
recipes designed for 10 of Allagash’s
most celebrated creations. With
award-winning dishes created for
these beers over the years, Chef
James Simpkins has created a
culinary tour of the United States,
showing off the versatility and wide
gastronomic range of each beer.
Tantalizing imagery, created for
Allagash: The Cookbook by noted
photographer, Brian Smestad,
complements each selection and
creates an unequaled visual
ambience.
Since they unleashed their first beer
on an unsuspecting public back in
1995, these beers have always been
distinct, set apart from other beers
both in production method and
resulting flavor. Brewery founder Rob
Tod’s choice to craft American beer in
the brewing tradition of Belgium,
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rather than Germany or Great Britain
made his beers stand out. Six yearround offerings and seven yearly
releases tell of a rigorous commitment
to an ever-appreciative audience for
the Portland, Maine based brewery.
Whether eating fresh lobster near
the brewery’s New England
headquarters, crab cakes in the
Carolinas, or a thin-crust West Coaststyle, vegetable-laden pizza, readers
everywhere will be able to
experience in their own kitchens just
how well these beers pair with the
emblematic regional foods that make
up our inimitable American Cuisine.
The book will be released at the
Great American Beer Festival
(October 11th – 13th).
Programs
Molson Canadian: Savor a Hockey Classic
Since its origination in 2008, the
Winter Classic has become one of
the most anticipated events of the
NHL season. This
prestigious outdoor game
has strong appeal for
hockey’s biggest followers
and has the unique ability to
attract hockey enthusiasts
beyond fans of the
participating teams. Last
year’s event, which pitted the
Philadelphia Flyers against the
New York Rangers, was
certainly a Classic Matchup.
And this year, when an
Original Six Rivalry brings the
Toronto Maple Leafs to face off
against the Detroit Red Wings,
the stage is again set to create
one of the most memorable – and
biggest – events in NHL history.
With “The Big House” in Ann
Arbor, MI equipped to
create an event that is
109,000 strong, this
year’s Winter Classic will
likely set the
record as the
largest hockey
game in NHL
history!
With all of the
anticipation
surrounding Red
Wings vs. Maple
Leafs, the
opportunity is rich
for Molson
Canadian to
show the avid
hockey fan that it
is the only brand
that “Savors the Hockey Tradition”
that is the Winter Classic. As “The
Official Imported Beer of the NHL”,
Molson Canadian will offer a series
of customizable POS templates that
work in conjunction with the “Savor
a Hockey Tradition” retail program
to enable local activation of the
2013 Winter Classic. These
templates provide a great
way to engage hockey fans
at retail and encourage them to
purchase Molson Canadian for their
Winter Classic at-home viewing
parties, while also providing onpremise accounts with the proper
messaging to drive traffic on Winter
Classic game day.
NHL, THE NHL SHIELD AND THE NHL WINTER
CLASSIC WORD MARK ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS
AND THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC LOGO IS A
TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE.
© NHL 2012. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Sam Adams Lounges
Whether you’re catching a Monarchs
game, a concert or event at the Verizon
Wireless Arena, a Fisher Cats game
or even a flight to sunny Florida…Sam
Adams has got you covered!
Coors Light
Holiday Cash
This holiday season, Coors Light
is giving consumers the chance to
score some extra cheer throughout the
Northeast region. Beginning November 15th,
consumers can participate in an off-premise text-to-win
promotion for the chance to win instant cash by
texting CASH to 42653. The six week
promotion, complete with a lineup of
holiday-themed elements, will
award 500 winners a $100
gift card.
Sam Adams Lounge – located at the
Verizon Wireless Arena, home of the
Manchester Monarchs (pictured below)
Sam Adams Bar & Grille – located
behind left field, Northeast Delta
Dental Stadium, home of the NH
Fisher Cats
Sam Adams Pub & Sam Adams
Café – located at Manchester-Boston
Regional Airport
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9
Programs
9th Annual Harpoon Helps Spread Holiday Cheer!
This December, Harpoon’s
community service program,
Harpoon Helps, will be
spreading holiday cheer
throughout the
East Coast with
the 9th annual
Harpoon Helps
Spread Holiday
Cheer event.
Approximately 600
volunteers (a.k.a.
“Harpoon Helpers”)
will adorn 42
shelters, soup kitchens
and play spaces in
different cities with
holiday decorations.
Harpoon Helps volunteers
will decorate locations in
Philadelphia, Portland, Providence,
Manchester, Hartford, the Upper Valley, Worcester, Albany
and several locations in Boston.
Guinness Holiday
Consumers want to impress their friends by bringing
beer with more character to their holiday parties, so
they tend to “splurge” on more premium choices. The
high quality, rich, roasted barley flavor of Guinness
makes it the perfect choice for cold weather
occasions. This holiday season, Guinness will
leverage the richness of its flavor and quality by
dressing up stores with POS that has high appetite
appeal and a super-premium look and feel. Because
Guinness makes a great gift or party beverage, your
store will be a “one stop shop” for the holidays.
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Harpoon CEO, Rich Doyle says,“This can be an especially
difficult time of year for the less fortunate. We hope that by
adding some holiday decoration to the wonderful agencies
that serve our communities, we will be making the holidays
a little brighter for the people that need it the most.”
Programs
Corona Wishes Consumers “Feliz Navidad”
Corona drinkers love the
holiday spirit, taking
a break from
their day-to-day
responsibilities to
relax and enjoy
themselves. This
season, Corona
reminds consumers
to share the beach
with family and
friends by bringing
Corona Extra and
Corona Light to their
holiday celebrations.
The holidays are the
best time to promote
imported beers as
patrons and retailers
can light up the holiday
season with the popular
Feliz Navidad holiday
promotion from Corona
Extra and Corona Light,
the number one selling import
family. During key
holiday weeks, Corona
Extra delivers a case lift
of +122% during
Thanksgiving and
+188% during
Christmas when
featured and
displayed.
The Feliz Navidad
promotion brings
holiday cheer to retail
accounts with an array
of higher-end support
materials to help consumers
“Find their Holiday Beach” by
sharing the beach state of mind and
making it easier for them to share it
with others.
Off-premise retailers can utilize the
iconic Corona palm tree from the
popular “O’Tannenpalm” TV spot, as
a beacon to draw in consumers.
Supporting point-of-sale materials
include mass displays, side stackers,
promo pillars, floor decals, base
wrap, pennants, cooler door kits,
display cards and gift tags to help
Woodstock Inn
Brewery Expansion
Construction is well
underway on the 3
million dollar
expansion and
renovation at the
Woodstock Inn
Station and
Brewery. It is not
often you come
across a place that
has it all, but the
Woodstock Inn and
Brewery has
everything:
lodging, two inhouse restaurants,
a brewpub and its own
brewery…and this renovation is
going to make the multi-awarding
winning establishment even better!
the number one import family
stand apart from the competition
on the floor and at the
register.
On-premise accounts can
communicate the holiday
message the Corona way
by dressing their space
as a holiday beach. A
Corona Holiday Palm
Tree display kit
provides all the tools
for merchandising,
including beer tubs to
support holiday parties.
Accounts can also
activate the Holiday Bucket
program with buckets that
prompt consumer social sharing and
reward consumers for purchasing the
Corona Extra/Corona Light 12 oz.
bottle/bucket specials. They can also
utilize customizable gift tag-shaped
coasters to prompt and activate the
12 oz. bucket ‘sharing’ feature. In
addition, the Feliz Navidad
promotion will again be supported
with Corona’s iconic
“O’Tannenpalm” TV commercial,
which will hit the airwaves nationally
during the holiday season.
“We have seen dramatic growth in
package and draught sales in the
past five years,” said owner Scott
Rice. “This year, even with things as
busy as they are with the expansion,
we anticipate total production of over
5,000 barrels.”
“The new equipment will increase the
brewing capacity to 10,000 barrels
a year, with enough space for future
expansion to double that output,”
according to Master Brewer, Butch
Chase. The expansion will allow the
brewery to bottle its craft beers on
site. The brewery crafts over a dozen
beers, some of which are seasonal,
including the national award-winning
brews, Pig’s Ear Brown Ale and Pemi
Pale Ale. This project should be
completed by the end of the year!
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RetailEDGE
Power of Premium Lights
W
ITH ALL OF THE BUZZ
and attention surrounding
the growing and trendy
craft category, we sometimes lose
focus on our workhorse. Did you
know the Premium Light category is
six times bigger than all crafts
combined? It’s a fact that the Premium
Light category drives by far the
largest portion of category
transactions, dollars and gross profit.
Due to the sheer size of the brands,
they dominate sales and profits
making the category a cash engine.
According to Adams Beer Handbook
2011, Premium Light brands are the
top beer brands in the industry
because of their consumer
connection. Nationally, Bud Light tops
the list, followed by Coors Light in the
No. 2 spot. (Editor’s note: Coors Light
holds the top position in the MidAtlantic states)
In simple terms, Premium Light
drinkers account for more shopping
trips: almost two times more than
Import and Budget Households
combined. And when they shop,
Premium Light drinkers are more loyal
to the brands they love. When you
examine national grocery data,
Premium Light drinkers are also apt
to spend more money on each
trip, making them key
consumers to cross-sell to! Overall,
the Premium Light shopper delivers a
total of almost $8.00 more per
shopping trip, an increase
of 14% vs. all other
beer basket rings.
Nationally, Premium
Lights make up a
commanding 36% of all
dollar sales in beer –
equal to the next three
segments combined
(Imports, Budgets and
Near Premium). If you
examine the sales mix of
most SE Pennsylvania
licensees, Premium Lights
make up an even greater
share of total sales. Premium
Lights drive category
profitability and scale, and
react well to all kinds of
merchandising, from
feature to
display,
making
your
inventory dollars work harder. With
far less SKUs, Premium Lights
generate far more revenue and gross
profit dollars versus craft and
specialty products. More profit
and less complexity is a good
thing!
Bring More Flavor to the Party with Smirnoff Ice
Smirnoff Ice Flavored Malt Beverages offer convenience and give consumers an easy
way to enjoy cocktail inspired drinks at their holiday get-togethers. Premium Adult
Beverages are add-ons to beer purchases, not substitutions! This time of year, impulse
purchases happen far more often and Smirnoff Ice is perfect for those shoppers looking
for taste, variety and convenience.
12 HeadyTimes v.2 www.amoskeagbeverages.com
With the challenges the beer
industry is currently facing –
slowed growth, economic
woes of the key beer drinking
consumer and category clutter
– the industry is seeking to
find the right balance. There is
no question that craft and
specialty items should have an
important role in your assortment
plan for consumers – but don’t
ignore the facts of Premium Light’s
power in your beer offerings. This
segment will continue to drive
retailer profitability and category
growth – so make sure you are
getting your slice of the
profit pie for every
style consumer
out there!
The BeerGUY
From them…to me…to you
Have you ever
been ‘regifted? ’ I
remember opening
a wedding gift to
find a gift tag in it
from people I
didn’t know,
congratulating the
couple who gave us the gift. They’d
received a gift…and given it to us.
Some people are miffed when this
happens; I just smiled, and we still use
the gift every day. It really is the
thought that counts.
Do some regifting yourself this holiday
season. Holiday beers – harvest
beers, Christmas beers, winter
warmers, whatever – are thought of
as a brewery’s ‘gift’ to loyal
customers.
by Lew Bryson
your taps, your cooler, your shelves,
your floor. The biggest seller in beer
lately, and the most likely reason craft
is thriving, is variety: customers love to
try something new.
Wrap up the variety for them like
Christmas morning under the tree!
These beers usually come with colorful
packages – cases, six pack holders,
labels, taphandles – and you’ll want
to show them all off. Get a bunch,
and stack them all together. It’s
guaranteed to cause interest and
conversation.
If you’re running a bar instead of a
distributor, you can have a “12 beers
of Christmas menu” with twelve
different holiday / winter beers
available. Write up descriptions of
each of the beers (your Amoskeag rep
Sam Adams Winter lager…these
favorites can’t be beat!
If you want something really special –
a great gift to regive, get some big
Belgian bottles like Ommegang or
Duvel gift packs. Whatever the beer –
and be sure you have a wide range –
the season is the reason. Whether
you’re celebrating Christmas,
Hanukkah, the Solstice or New Year’s,
make it festive for your customers and
yourself. Maybe more than any other
time of the beer year, this is a time to
have some fun. Distributors will see
folks picking up cases for parties, for
special gifts; bars and restaurants will
see parties and lunch time drinking.
Be ready, be happy and be generous
with the gifts the breweries have given
you. Happy Holidays!
“…be generous with the gifts the breweries have given you.”
These special beers may be an
eagerly anticipated different brew
every year, or treasured traditions that
return each winter like a beloved
relative’s holiday visit. The brewers
give them to you, and you in turn give
them to your customers.
Okay, sure, the beers are actually
being sold to you and your customers,
but…it’s the thought that counts.
They’re something special that the
brewers do for the holidays, a big
thank you for supporting them all
year-round; so why not look at it that
way for your customers? Regift that
holiday beer!
What do I mean? Think about it:
holiday beers represent two strong
trends in specialty beer purchases,
wrapped up in a pretty package.
Many of them are big, and intense,
the kind of beers that lure the craft
aficionados: uber-hoppy, dark and
boozy, or touched with wild flavors.
But the big lure is the variety, how
many new, different beers it brings
can help you with that) and put them
on a festive menu card. You
might be able to do food
suggestions as well, if you
got the right beers.
What beer? Wow, the
sky’s the limit. You can
stay local with
Smuttynose Winter or
Harpoon Winter
Warmer. As for the
customer who has
discovered craft
through Blue Moon,
Winter Abbey Ale is
rising. Saranac’s 12
Beers of Winter, a
whole box of holiday
cheer packaged in
two twelve packs, has
become a traditional
‘one for me, one for
you’ holiday gift.
Speaking of traditions, don’t
forget two of the longest running
winter specialties: Sierra Nevada’s
hugely popular Celebration Ale and
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510 Hall Street
Bow, NH 03304-3105
4th Annual New England Pond Hockey Classic, February 1st-3rd
Lake Winnipesaukee, Meredith, NH
The Pond Hockey Classic started as an idea and has
quickly became so much more. Established in the fall of
2009 by recent college graduate, Scott Crowder, the
tournament was a vision to partner his two passions, the
sport of hockey and the lakes region of NH. Crowder, who
grew up in a hockey family, is the son of former Boston
Bruin and college hockey coach, Bruce Crowder. He spent
much of his time between the ice rinks in the winter and the
waters of Lake Winnipesaukee in the summer.
Attracting participants and teams from across North
American, the PHC events have quickly become some of
the most sought after pond hockey tournaments around.
Starting out with 70 teams…this year they will have more
than 300, making it the biggest pond hockey tournament
in the world. “With the help of companies such as Labatt
Blue, Amoskeag Beverages and others, the PHC has been
able to create a world-class event for everyone who comes
out to enjoy,” says Crowder.
At the end of the day, the PHC is about spending a
weekend playing pond hockey with your friends, sharing
some laughs and of course some adult beverages. Help us
to continue the tradition of "Bringing Hockey Back to the
Basics!" For more information visit
www.pondhockeyclassic.com
(Left player) Scott Proulx, Chain Account
Manager at Amoskeag Beverages