New beer technology

I don't know how I could have missed all of this new beer technology from Coors. Maybe it's because I avoid that swill.

Still, I think everyone can appreciate Coor's new way to drink beer faster than ever before. Maybe after the Miller/Coors merger we can enjoy some of these fine new technologies on cans of MillerCoors High Life Banquet Light.

From Brandweek.com:

Coors has introduced a “Vented Wide Mouth Can” for six and twelve packs of Coors Light and Coors Banquet. The new vented mouth directs airflow into the can to enhance the swigging experience for can drinkers.

The packaging is an evolution of last year’s introduction of the “Smooth Draft Vent Can,” which featured a wide opening that enabled the liquid to pour smoothly like a draught tap.

Last year, the No. 3 brewer also debuted its “Cold Activated Bottle” which features a thermochromatic label that turns the Rocky Mountain label blue when the beer reaches the optimum temperature.

This year they will also introduce a 24-ounce “Cold Activated Can” as well as distribute pint glasses with the Rocky Mountain logo that turns blue when beer is cold enough.

Great American Beer Fest Winners

The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association held at the end of September or the beginning of October in Denver. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more than 1,600 different American beers. Over 100 beer judges from the US and abroad participate in the evaluations of one or more beer styles, ultimately judging 2,300 beers entered by more than 450 domestic breweries. Gold, silver and bronze medals in 69 beer-style categories are awarded, though not every medal is awarded in each category.

The 2007 GABF was this weekend. Here are the winning beers from Wisconsin:

Fruit Beer or Vegetable Beer - 94 Entries
Gold: Leinenkugel’s Berry Weiss, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Silver: The Great Pumpkin, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Raspberry Tart, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Herb and Spice Beer - 58 Entries
Gold: Summertime 69, Gunnison Brewery, Gunnison, CO
Silver: Sigda’s Green Chili, CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing Co., Fort Collins,CO
Bronze: Frederick Miller Classic Chocolate Lager, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Gluten Free Beer - 8 Entries
Gold: RedBridge, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Silver: New Grist, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Shakparo Ale, Sprecher Brewing Co., Glendale, WI

I didn't realize that Sprecher made a gluten free beer. That is a definite Lakefront copycat rip-off. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but is Milwaukee a big enough town for TWO gluten free microbrews?

American Style Lager - 33 Entries
Gold: Hamm’s, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: McHenry Lager, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MA

American Style Specialty Lager - 16 Entries
Gold: Icehouse, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Mickey’s Ice, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Whoo-hoo! A Miller sweep. Too bad I don't like any of those beers.

European Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel - 18 Entries
Gold: Dunkelstilsken, CB & Pott’s Restaurant & Brewery (Highlands Ranch),
Silver: Capital Munich Dark, Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton, WI
Bronze: Munich Dunkel, Redrock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

American-Style Dark Lager - 12 Entries
Gold: Roadrunner Red Lager, Thunder Canyon Brewery, Tucson, AZ
Silver: Henry Weinhard’s Classic Dark, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Elevator Dark Horse, Elevator Brewing Co., Columbus, OH

Baltic-Style Porter - 13 Entries
Gold: Killer Kowalski, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Silver: Foothills Baltic Porter, Foothills Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Bronze: Amnesia, The Grumpy Troll Restaurant & Brewery, Mount Horeb, WI


The entire list of categories and winners is here: http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/pdf/gabf07_winners.pdf


Update: The eight medals Miller won at the Brewers Association's annual Great American Beer Festival were more than any other beer brewer that took part in the competition.

Since 1996, Miller has won 113 awards between both the Great American Beer Festival and the bi-annual World Beer Cup, more than any other large brewer, according to the company.

Beer vs Baby Food

The New York Times has an interesting article about the proposed merger of SABMiller and Molson Coors in today's paper.

It seems that analysts feel that antitrust regulators will likely approve the merger. But a similar deal seeking to combine the No. 2 and No. 3 players in a consolidated industry — sometimes called a 3-to-2 deal, because it reduces the industry leaders from three to two — was blocked on antitrust grounds a few year ago.

That was Heinz’s attempt to buy the maker of Beech-Nut baby food, a $185 million transaction Heinz ended up abandoning.

Together, Heinz and Beech-Nut would have controlled nearly 33 percent of the retail baby-food market; Gerber, the industry leader, controlled 65 percent. Compare that with the numbers in Tuesday’s proposed deal, in which a combined MillerCoors would have a 29 percent share of the U.S. beer market, and Anheuser-Busch would have 49 percent.

Will the beer merger be approved?

Miller + Coors

Molson Coors Brewing Co. and SABMiller PLC plan to combine their U.S. operations in a joint venture. The new company will be named MillerCoors.

I'm not too happy about this, because Coors sucks. But I suppose BudweiserMiller would have been worse.

A spokesman says Miller Brewing will still have a strong presence in Milwaukee even though the company is combining its operations with Denver-based competitor Molson Coors. He says it's not clear where headquarters will be located.

Pete Coors, vice chairman of Molson Coors, will serve as chairman of the new company and Molson Coors Chief Executive Leo Kiely will be the new CEO of the joint venture. Tom Long, CEO of Miller, will be appointed president and chief commercial officer.

Here are the current beers made by Coors:

US:
Coors
Coors Light
Killian's Irish Red
Blue Moon
Keystone
Keystone Light
Keystone Ice
Zima XXX
Coors Winterfest
Wildwood Westlake lager
Allbright

UK:
Arc
Breaker
Caffrey’s
Carling
Grolsch
Hancock’s
Lamot
M & B
Stones Bitter
Toby
Worthington

Which state makes the most beer?

Colorado moved past California to become the largest beer-producing state in 2006.

A new report by the Beer Institute said Colorado produced 23.37 million barrels of beer, compared with 22.83 million barrels produced in California, and 19.41 million barrels in Texas.

Colorado is home to the Brewers Association, Molson Coors Brewing Co. and the Great American Beer Festival.

There are also some good microbreweries in Colorado, such as Avery Brewing Company, Flying Dog Brewery, and Great Divide Brewing Company.

The report didn't indicate where Wisconsin ranked.

Liquid irony: beer no longer allowed at Coors Events Center

Beer sales to the general public will no longer be offered at the Coors Events Center for University of Colorado basketball games, bringing Colorado's policy for beer sales at basketball games in line with the rest of the Big 12 Conference schools.

The beer ban is expected to cost the CU athletic department as much as $80,000 a year in lost revenue.

This also has to be painful for Coors, not being able to sell their water-down, hops-less, beer-like beverage at their own Events Center. Somehow Coors Light took 4th place in the dubious Consumer Reports light beer taste test.

A representative for Coors Brewing Co. said Tuesday the company "respects" CU's decision to stop selling its products and other beer at the events center, which earned its name in 1990 following a $5 million gift from the Adolph Coors Foundation.

CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard said the decision to stop beer sales at the center will not affect a nearly $1.3 million sponsorship agreement between Coors and CU.

The agreement grants Coors the right to claim "exclusive malt beverage sponsorship of CU" through 2011, although it does not make Coors the sole provider of beer at CU events.

Beer will still be available for private groups. Mmmm, sweet private group beer. Too bad it's Coors.