Whetstone Beer Co. releases new Quechee Maple Amber Ale supporting Vermont State Parks

BRATTLEBORO, Vt., Sept. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Brewing up adventure," isn't just a motto for Whetstone Beer Co., it's a way of life. Partners David Hiler, Tim and Amy Brady were brought together by their love of beer and adventure. Their years exploring the beauty of Vermont State Parks has led them to launch Pints for Parks, a partnership benefiting Vermont State Parks.

Pints for Parks is a collaboration between Whetstone Beer Co. and Vermont State Parks, where twice per year Whetstone creates a unique, limited-edition beer celebrating a different state park. Like all of Whetstone Beer's cans, this special release incorporates a collectible sticker in the label. Proceeds from all Pints for Parks beers will support Vermont Parks Forever, Vermont State Parks' supporting foundation. For the Fall 2023 edition of this beer, we're excited to partner with the Vermont Maple Farmers Collective in the creation of our Quechee Gorge Maple Amber Ale. Whetstone wanted to showcase the flavors of Vermont, alongside the beauty of the State Parks. When the brewers decided to produce a Maple Amber Ale, they set out to try to find a local Maple producer for the large amount of syrup they would need and were thrilled to find the Vermont Maple Farmers Collective. This collection of seven small batch farms, located right in the Upper Valley of Vermont, works collectively to help each farmer endure the increasing market pressures from impersonal factory farms. Whetstone shares Vermont Maple Farmers vision for a world where small-scale producers can be a viable business and where family farms can count on the spring maple sugaring season to help make ends meet. This Pints for Parks release of a limited-edition Quechee Gorge Maple Amber Ale beer is inspired by the iconic Gorge and the colors and flavors of Vermont. A kickoff event will be held on September 30th from 1 pm to 5 pm at the Street Food Festival on the Brattleboro Common. "We are excited about the Pints for Parks program and the opportunity to partner with Whetstone Beer Co. This program is a terrific way to celebrate Vermont's amazing state park system and encourage folks to get outside" said Nate McKeen, Director of Vermont State Parks. "Whetstone is a terrific company to work with who understands the value of outdoor recreation and connecting people to parks." "Quechee Gorge is the perfect place to showcase a beer with a bold Maple character. This well balanced amber ale, with a touch of maple, pairs perfectly with the amazing scenic backdrop of one of Vermont's most beautiful State Parks" said Whetstone partner Tim Brady. "It's a beer that just tastes like fall.  Perfect for sitting around a campfire and taking that minute to admire the amazing foliage and scenic backdrop of Vermont."   "We are grateful for this creative partnership that will showcase Vermont's beautiful state parks and raise awareness of Vermont Parks Forever (VPF), the foundation for Vermont's state parks," said Sarah Alberghini Winters, Executive Director, Vermont Parks Forever. "The support from Whetstone Beer Co. will bolster VPF's efforts to expand nature education in the parks and provide more free entry through the Park Access Fund. Thanks, Whetstone!" Follow the Pints for Parks project at whetstonebeer.com/parks

University of Iowa Patient Uses Craft Beer Sales to Help Fight Eye Disease

INWOOD, Iowa, Sept. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rob Hage struggles to hold back the tears. Every day he thinks about his grandkids facing the same inherited eye disease that afflicts him and his son. These aren't tears of grief, however. They're tears of joy.

Hage is overcome with hope and gratitude, because he has reason to believe his grandchildren will never have to experience the fear of blindness that he and his son have faced. He knows firsthand that the University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research has discovered a potential cure and preventative treatments for rare heritable conditions like retinitis pigmentosa and one of the most common forms of vision loss, macular degeneration. The IVR aims to make these treatments widely affordable and available within a matter of years. To help expedite that process, Hage's family is raising awareness and money for the IVR through craft beer. In September 2021, the Hages started their own brewery, Blind Butcher Brewing, in Inwood, Iowa, and raised more than $42,000 within a year. Earlier this summer, the family launched Brews for Blindness—a nonprofit that's organizing other community-minded breweries to join its mission. Each partner can designate a new or existing beer to the cause, allocating a portion of sales to the IVR. Together, these efforts will spread hope and empower others to help cure blindness, one beer at a time. "There's no reason we have to leave anybody behind in this disease; we can help everyone," says Hage. "That's our mission—and until this disease is gone, we're just going to keep plugging at it." Seeing is Believing Hage has witnessed the IVR's "leave no one behind" mentality at work. Fourteen years ago, Hage traveled across the state to see IVR director and ophthalmologist Ed Stone (89R, 90F, 92F) in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Hage was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that involves a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina that steadily narrows his central vision. Despite the discouraging diagnosis, Hage still left Iowa City with a glimmer of hope. Stone told him that his team wouldn't quit until they found a cure.  In December 2020, that potential cure came to light. Hage watched a webinar in which Stone described a promising vision-restoring treatment that was positioned to undergo clinical trials in the coming years. The challenge was making it affordable. That's where Hage's vision for starting a brewery came into focus. Soon after Blind Butcher Brewing opened, Hage's son was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. The news came as a shock, though it wasn't nearly as daunting for the family as his own diagnosis. "Things were surprisingly a lot easier," says Hage. "We're just so confident in what's being done [at the IVR]. We know it's going to work. It's just a matter of time, awareness, fundraising, and this grassroots effort that we're involved with here in Iowa." Collaboration for a Cause This past May, Brews for Blindness took flight with the canning of its pilot beer, Sight for the Blind. Two and a half years in the making, the hazy IPA was brewed by Coralville's Backpocket Brewing. The can's label features a QR code with information about the nonprofit's mission and a link to donate online to a vision research fund. Hage has shared his mission with the brewers' guilds in Iowa and South Dakota and aims to partner with more than 100 Iowa craft brewers later this year. Once the nonprofit is well-established in Iowa, Hage will begin seeking partnerships with breweries beyond the state.  "The culture of craft beer brings people together," says Hage, who was inspired by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's worldwide campaign that raised millions to support those affected by the 2018 California wildfires. "The industry is just perfectly aligned to raising awareness in communities across Iowa and the country." A Beacon of Hope Blind Butcher Brewing is located a few miles northwest of Inwood, Iowa, in the middle of nowhere. But most who walk in the doors don't find it by accident. Every weekend, Hage meets people who have lost hope, need more of it, or want to know how they can help. The Hages' family story demonstrates how a vision, a community, and a belief can transform lives—one person at a time. "We're shining a light on how we can bring this cure to people from around the world," says Hage. "It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, or how old you are. We signed on to the mission of leaving no one behind. That's what we're going to do."

Ohio Craft Brewers Win Big at Great American Beer Festival

Ohio Breweries Set New State Record at Great American Beer Festival

Thirteen of Ohio’s independent craft breweries combine for 19 medals, including eight gold.

DENVER – Ohio’s independent craft breweries brought home an impressive number of the industry's most prestigious awards at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony, held on Saturday, September 23. The 19 medal haul smashes the previous Ohio record of 15, set in 2019.

Fat Head's Brewery, Ohio’s most decorated brewery at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup competitions, led the state with three gold medals. Head Hunter took home top honors in the American-style India Pale Ale category, toping a field of 206 entries from across the country. Head Hunter also earned gold in the same category at this year's World Beer Cup awards, giving them unquestioned bragging rights to the best beer of its style. Fat Head's popular Weizenbock, Alpenglow, struck gold for a fifth time at the Great American Beer Festival, reinforcing their dominance in the German Wheat Ale category. Goggle Fogger earned a second gold in the South German-style Hefeweizen category after winning its first in 2020.

Third Eye Brewing made a strong showing at this year's competition, earning three solo medals, a medal in the collaboration beer category – shared with Narrow Path Brewing – and the award for Brewery of the Year (1,001-2,000 barrels). The Sharonville brewery brought home gold for Chai Eye Captain in the Herb and Spice Beer category, another gold for Double Astral in the Chocolate Beer category, and a silver for Gourd Darn-it in the Pumpkin Beer category. Mounds of Importance, earning the collaboration silver medal, was inspired by Third Eye's Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup award-winning Higher Purpose milk stout and Narrow Path's U.S. Open Beer Championship medalist Coconut Porter.

Narrow Path earned their own solo medal at this year's competition for Restless Seas in the German-style Sour category. The beer also has earned a bronze award at the 2022 World Beer Cup.

Akron's Hoppin' Frog Brewery continued the trend of winning awards on both of the country's most prestigious stages with a Great American Beer Festival gold medal for Smashing Honey Blonde in the Honey Beer category after taking silver in this year's World Beer Cup. Hoppin' Frog has earned a total of eight medals at the Festival dating back to 2008.

Cincinnati’s seemingly unstoppable Brink Brewing continued their medal streak with a gold for Lil Zoomie in the Coffee Stout or Porter category and a bronze for Moozie in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout. Brink has won at least one medal in each year of competition since the brewery’s founding in 2017.

Rhinegeist took home top honors in the New Zealand India Pale Ale category with Kiwi (the Bird). This marks the brewery's third Great American Beer Festival medal, and first gold, since 2015.

Also returning to the medal stand in 2023 were The Brew Brothers of Columbus and Royal Docks Brewing of North Canton. Breweries earning their first Great American Beer Festival awards include Eudora Brewing of Dayton, Inside the Five Brewing of Sylvania, Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers of Youngstown and Seventh Son Brewing of Columbus.

Since 1987, 60 Ohio craft breweries have combined to win 202 medals – 70 gold – at the Great American Beer Festival.

"Our independent breweries are proving without a doubt that Ohio is a top-tier destination for craft beer," said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. "From our perennial powerhouse breweries to our impressive young upstarts, you can find award winning, world-class beer all over the state."
 
2023 medal-winning Ohio craft beers:
Fat Head's Brewery

• Alpenglow – Gold – German Wheat Ale
• Goggle Fogger – Gold – South German-Style Hefeweizen
• Head Hunter – Gold – American-Style India Pale Ale

Third Eye Brewing 

• Chai Eye Captain – Gold – Herb and Spice Beer
• Double Astral – Gold – Chocolate Beer
• Gourd Darn-it – Silver – Pumpkin Beer

Brink Brewing

• Lil Zoomie – Gold – Coffee Stout or Porter
• Moozie – Bronze – Sweet Stout or Cream Stout

Hoppin' Frog Brewery

• Smashing Honey Blonde – Gold – Honey Beer

Rhinegeist

• Kiwi (The Bird) – Gold – New Zealand India Pale Ale

The Brew Brothers

• Toasty – Silver – English Mild or Bitter

Eudora Brewing

• Daytonian Rhapsody – Silver – Bohemian-Style Pilsener

Inside the Five Brewing

• Megaphone – Silver – Irish-Style Red Ale

Narrow Path Brewing

• Restless Seas – Silver – German Sour Ale

Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers

• Earth & Aether – Silver – Belgian-Style Sour Ale

Seventh Son Brewing

• Stone Fort – Silver – English-Style Brown Ale

MadTree Brewing Company

• Legendary Lager – Bronze – Light Lager

Royal Docks Brewing

• Pumpkinslayer – Bronze – Pumpkin Beer

Narrow Path/Third Eye

• Mounds of Importance – Silver – Collaboration Beer

Founded in 2007, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association is a nonprofit guild that exists to promote, preserve and unify Ohio’s craft brewing industry. We aspire to be recognized as the industry leader at both state and national levels for preserving the art of making high-quality, unique craft beer; to serve as the unified voice for craft brewers across the state; to advocate on behalf of the Ohio craft beer industry; to contribute to systemic, local community development by driving economic and job growth, while creating experiences that bring people together; to promote safe, responsible enjoyment of Ohio craft beer; and to serve as a beacon for local production and manufacturing through craft beer, resulting in diverse choices for consumers.

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Photos below (credit to Ohio Craft Brewers Association):
1) Brewers from Third Eye Brewing and Narrow Path Brewing accept their silver medal for Mounds of Importance collaboration beer.
2) Zachary Bastin and Fred Karm of Hoppin' Frog Brewery accept their gold medal for Smashing Honey Blonde.
3) Brewers from Fat Head's Brewery accept their gold medal for Head Hunter American-style IPA.
4) Brewers from Third Eye Brewing accept their Brewery of the Year award.

2023 Great American Beer Festival Awards Ceremony

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Urban Artifact's Unprecedented Triumph: U.S. Lone Victor at China's Premier Beer Event

Urban Artifact Dominates: The Only US & Western Nation Brewery to Claim Victory at the Renowned China International Beer Competition

CINCINNATI, OH - In the vast world of craft beer, where innovation and expertise collide, Urban Artifact has set a benchmark that resonates globally.  At the China International Beer Competition, renowned for its stringent judging and prestigious awards, Urban Artifact didn't merely claim two coveted medals; they set themselves apart, establishing their real fruit brewing expertise as an unparalleled presence amidst global competitors.

They have emerged not just as the sole representative from the United States, but from any Western nation, to be acknowledged this year.  "To be the sole winning US Brewery as well as the only winner from a western nation at such a premier competition is an exhilarating feeling," says Bret Kollmann Baker, Chief of Operations at Urban Artifact. "Our Gadget Fruit Tart and Peaches & Cream Fruit Tart stand as testimonies to our passion, craftsmanship, and dedication to the craft. This recognition is not just an honor, but a testament to the tireless effort, innovation, and quality we pour into every brew.

Their iconic Gadget Fruit Tart achieved the prestigious 3-star distinction, while the delectable Peaches & Cream Fruit Tart wasn’t far behind, earning a notable 1-star award.  As breweries from every corner of the planet jostled for recognition, Urban Artifact's offerings stood unparalleled. No other brewery from the U.S., or indeed any Western country, mirrored their success.

Celebrating this milestone, Urban Artifact sends a heartfelt thanks to its adept brewing team and the unwavering support of its community.

To savor these award-winning brews or to delve deeper into the Urban Artifact experience, visit them at 1660 Blue Rock Street, Cincinnati, OH 45225 or navigate to www.urban-artifact.com. And for those outside Cincinnati, rejoice! Urban Artifact distributes to 20 states. Use the fruit tart finder on their website to discover where you can find their iconic brews near you.
 

About Urban Artifact

Urban Artifact is a Cincinnati, Ohio brewery dedicated to producing world class Fruit Tarts and Epicureans that celebrate creativity, imagination and the spirit of adventure. With a commitment to pushing boundaries and redefining the beer landscape, Urban Artifact offers a diverse portfolio of exceptional beers crafted with a fusion of traditional brewing techniques and inventive ingredients. Based in Cincinnati, OH, Urban Artifact has expanded its reach across 20 states, captivating beer enthusiasts with its unique flavor profiles and unparalleled craftsmanship.