A new reason to savor brunch (and maybe even get there earlier) in New York, and A-B InBev’s surprising latest acquisition highlight this week’s roundup of craft beer news. Also, Hootie and the Blowfish.
New York: Brunch is getting boozier earlier
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law last week a bill that will allow restaurants to start serving booze at 10 a.m. as opposed to noon. Restaurants and bars can also apply for a set number of special permits per year to start serving as early as 8 a.m. Beyond the boon to brunches, the bill will change restrictions that have stymied growth among the state’s breweries and winemakers.
Tampa: Only wanna beer with you
Hootie & the Blowfish are back and fans of the ubiquitous ‘90s rock band have craft beer to thank. The band will perform in St. Petersburg to help publicize Hootie’s Homegrown Ale, which will be available in cans in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The blonde ale was brewed in conjunction with Tampa’s Rock Brothers Brewing and had previously only been available in the taproom.
Lexington: The pen is as mighty as the beer
Our penchant for documenting our beer drinking odysseys has led the University of Kentucky Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies to schedule the second Craft Writing: Beer, the Digital and Craft Culture symposium. “The idea is to showcase the writing that is being done in the craft beer industry,” explained Jeff Rice, professor and symposium organizer. “There’s a lot of really interesting and fascinating writing going on whether it’s historical, archival, memoir, industry news, the uses of social media, web development…and so what we’re doing is bringing together professional writers and as well as brewers who write.” The event is free and open to the public and takes place September 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Framingham, Mass.: Expanding the Abby
Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, the bottom fermenting-centric Framingham brewery producing some of the state’s most highly rated beers, is expanding in size and on course to brew 36,000 barrels in 2016. Founded in 2011 by three brothers, the brewery has experienced rapid growth in that short timeframe. After opening a new drinking space and restaurant last year the newly leased space will grow the operation to 130,000 square feet and include a larger taproom and the ability to advance the brewery’s barrel aging program.
International: Historic Belgian brewery gets new ownership
Fresh on the heels of its $100+ billion acquisition of SABMiller, A-B InBev is buying Belgium’s Brouwerij Bosteels for a reported $225 million. Bosteels – brewers of Tripel Karmeliet, DeuS and Pauwel Kwak – has been family-owned and operated since 1791. Antoine Bosteels, who represents the seventh generation of Bosteels involvement, will continue to run the business for now.