@BeesKneesTapas To Open 70 Tap Growler Pub

@JennaNMartin says Downtown AGS will soon get a lot more craft beer, courtesy of The Hive Growler Bar.

Bee's Knees restaurant owners prepare to open growler pub
By Jenna Martin

The couple that brought The Bee’s Knees downtown to Tenth Street will soon add a “Hive.”

Eric and Kristi Kinlaw are in the midst of gutting a storefront next to the Bee’s Knees tapas bar for their second full-service eatery, The Hive Growler Bar, a hybrid retail growler shop, restaurant and bar.

“Here, we’re kind of limited on space,” Eric Kinlaw said of Bee’s Knees, which has room to offer only six beers on draft. “We really wanted to expand our on-tap offerings, so we’re going to have over 70 taps and we’re going to sell growlers to go.”

Kinlaw said the pub-style restaurant will emphasize beer selections from Georgia and other regional breweries, and offer monthly beer events.

[...]

They’ve been working on their new concept for about a year and a half and decided now to lease the adjacent space...Kristi Kinlaw said.

“We’ve been down here for a long time and seen the ebbs and flows of downtown,” she said. “A lot of great restaurants have opened up over the past few years, and we just want to keep the momentum doing down here.”

This will be interesting, given that both the Bee's Knees and old Rooster's Beak restaurant next door (where The Hive will be) only have/had several taps at most.  I am wondering where The Hive will be able to find room to store kegs to feed *70* taps, without giving up kitchen space and/or dining space.

No matter what though, I know this will have a lot of people lining up for opening night!  I can't wait...

AHA Homebrew Rally in ATL - Jul 12

This @HomebrewAssoc event will be hosted by @MondayNight.  

Monday Night Brewing Company of Atlanta, GA is inviting all local homebrewers to an American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Rally on Sunday, July 12!

Join us at Monday Night Brewing Company!

- Enjoy Monday Night beer samples
- Learn about hops during an educational presentation from Monday Night brewers
- Take home a Rally-exclusive gift from the AHA
- Meet Monday Night brewers and staff
- Take a VIP brewery tour
- Mingle with local homebrewers
- Win great prizes from the AHA and Monday Night

AHA Rallies are free to current AHA members. Non-members can join now, or sign up onsite at a discounted member rate. Save time and fill out a membership form in advance to bring with you to the Rally. Don’t forget to RSVP to help us properly prepare for the event.

See you there!!

Craft Beer Politics in Perspective

@BeerSommelier points us to a warning from the Lone Star State. 
 
While #GABeer seems beset by politics influenced by a strong lobby with deep pockets, at least we are moving forward.  However once (someday) we as beer lovers achieve what we want with modern beer distribution and sales laws, we must not consider the war won.  Why not?  Just look at some states that have things a lot better than we do, and you will find states where progress is in the process of being rolled back  Take Texas for instance, a place know for its economic freedoms and strength, but not free of crony capitalism and the influence of those deep lobbying pockets....

Texas Brewers Are Ready to Fight a Bill That Would Kill the Craft-Beer Boom

Texas Rep. Senfronia Thompson filed legislation this week that proposed new limitations on craft breweries that operate in Texas. Specifically, her bill seeks to limit the amount of beer small breweries can self-distribute to 5,000 barrels a year. The current limit is 40,000 barrels.

Texas Brewers were quick to cry skunky suds. Thompson has long received large donations from organizations that lobby on behalf of Texas beer distributors, casting a dubious shadow on her bill, which would force small breweries to participate in the same distribution systems that cater to large, commercial operations. The move is decidedly anti-business, and Texas loves business goddammit.

[...]

The 5,000 number is also insultingly low. So low, in fact, it threatens to impact even the smallest brewers. "I brewed 3,500 barrels last year and will cross 5,000 this year," says Michael Peticolas, owner and operator of Peticolas Brewery and a lawyer who's active on legislation that effects local breweries. To continue to grow, he'd have to find a distributor, giving up his distribution rights in the process. Revolver Brewing, a larger brewery that also self-distributes, would be hit even harder.

Fortunately, the article concludes that the bill has little chance of passage.  But the effort demonstrates that the war is never won, and craft beer lovers must always be on guard.

Augusta gains another Growler store!

In the near future Columbia County will add another growler fill location - Tip Top Taps.

Coming soon to the Augusta and Columbia County area, Tip Top Taps will be located at the corner of Washington and Belair Roads, convenient to Evans Towne Center Park and Lady Antebellum Amphitheater.

We strive to offer a wide selection of craft beers representing the myriad styles available. From pale ales to porters, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.

If you have a special request, please contact us.

Whether you’re a beer novice or an old pro, we hope you’ll feel right at home at Tip Top Taps.

The exact location will be: 
Tip Top Taps
4317 Washington Rd
Evans, GA 30809

YUCHiKiOKEE Arts Festival - Mar 21/22

Hey AGS, on Sat/Sun @CCCEvents_etcp will host an arts festival with a beer twist!  The Augusta Homebrewers Association will be out to give brewing demos and advice, and will be joined by Augusta's only Homebrew shop, Poplar Creek Brewing.

YUCHiKiOKEE Arts Festival

Feeling like a craft beer, great music, and the opportunity to purchase some local artwork?

Check out the varieties of craft beer at the YUCHiKiOKEE Arts Festival from The Vineyard! Also, don't miss the Craft Beer Demos from The Augusta Homebrewers Association and Popular Creek Brewing!

Founder’s All-day IPA: Grand Rapids, MI
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale: Kalamazoo, MI
21st Amendment Brew Free of Die: San Francisco, CA
21st Amendment Back in Black: San Francisco, CA
Anderson Valley Boont Amber: Boonville, CA
Costal Empire Savannah River Brown: Savannah, GA
Costal Empire Savannah River Blonde: Savannah, GA
Highland Gaelic Ale: Asheville, NC
Oskar Blues Mama’s Lil’ Yella Pils: Brevard, NC
Oskar Blues Dale Pale Ale: Brevard, NC
March 21 & 22 | 

More Info @ www.evanstownecenterpark.com

See you there!

Signs You're A Little Too Into Craft Beer

This is for the guys on @CBCast, from @PorchDrinkingCO.

- You have a closet/attic/cellar full of beer that will likely not be drunk for another few years.

- You consider people you’ve never met, but traded beer with, as your close friends. 

- You’ve started using words like mouthfeel, malty, weight, gravity, balance, hopped, finish, and most notably head, in everyday conversations but in a nontraditional and unintentionally sexual way.

So true....

Reminder - Augusta Shamrawked Pub Crawl

Don't forget today's @RedHareBrewing sponsored event. Tickets on sale at 4PM at 11th & Broad.

Old Guard Biere de Garde Release

@GAAleTrail reports Savannah's @ServiceBrewing tonight released their Spring Seasonal: Old Guard Biere de Garde.

Continuing their effort to connect the community with their beer and mission, Service Brewing Company announces the release of their first spring seasonal, “Old Guard“ a biere de garde style ale. This special beer contains Yaupon Honey courtesy of the Savannah Bee Company and is fermented with the brewery‘s house yeast strain harvested in Savannah, Georgia.

[...]

The Beer
One of the greatest military honors is the privilege to serve with the 3rd U.S. Infantry, otherwise known as the Old Guard. This prestigious unit serves as the official escort to the President, and its members maintain a constant vigilance over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In 1996, the first woman proudly joined its ranks.

[...]

The Mission
Service Brewing is a veteran owned and operated craft brewery, in Savannah Georgia, dedicated to honoring those that have put their lives at risk and their country and community first. Their mission is not only to make great craft beer, but to donate a portion of the revenues to assist charities that support service. They brew their year round beer on a large scale, but maintain a small batch Research and Development division to enable experimentation and innovation using locally available ingredients to connect our farmers and consumers with their beer and their mission.

The beers from Service Brewing have two things going for them right off the bat.  First, they are #GABeers, and second, they are Veteran owned and operated.  Give them a try.

Service Brewing in my beer fridge!

 Obviously available here in Augusta...

Could Downtown AGS get a Brewpub?

@jennanmartin suggests that it might just happen...maybe.   

DDA board gives support for brewpubs
By Jenna Martin
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 12, 2015

Downtown Augusta, like other cities across Georgia, is missing out on the economic boon seen from the craft brewery industry.  By signing a resolution Thursday in support of state legislation to open up retail avenues for Georgia microbreweries and brewpubs, the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta hopes to attract one.

“They are very popular,” DDA Executive Director Margaret Woodard said. “They’re great for tourism. They’re great for downtown businesses. They’re a good draw.”

So we shall see.  So many good things could happen in Downtown Augusta if the bureaucracy and political infighting would just get out of the way.  Support is one thing, a good thing, but I am sure there are a bunch more hurdles for someone to jump over before this dream might happen...

Augusta Shamrawked Pub Crawl

Augusta peeps, mark your calendars for March 14th!

Red Hare Brewing Company presents SHAMRAWKED Pub Crawl - Saturday, March 14, 2015

Tickets are $10 and will be available for purchase starting at 4p at the corner of 11th & Broad (1102 & Metro Coffeehouse)

Get your stamp at Farmhaus Burger • The Playground • 1102 • Metro A Coffeehouse • Blue Sky Bar&Kitchen • The Soul Bar • Joes Underground • The Loft of Augusta • Bar On Broad • Firehouse Bar • Sky City • Whiskey Bar (kitchen) • Soy Noodle House • Stillwater Tap Room!

SouthStar Trolley will be offering FREE rides to participating bars for all Pub Crawl patrons.

This event benefits the the The Greater Augusta Arts Council!

GA Politics v. #GABeer, Round 1

Greased Palms take Rnd 1 w/a TKO.  @austinlouisray from @ctl_atlanta & @EWErickson bring the details:  

Decimated Beer Jobs Bill passes through Regulated Industries

After an eventful week at the Gold Dome, both sides of the Beer Jobs Bill fight convened once again in Room 310 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building Friday morning for a second hearing and voted in favor of Senate Bill 63, albeit a drastically altered version of the original bill designed to loosen the state's three-tier beer distribution laws for Georgia brewpubs and breweries.

The new version of SB 63, a committee sub (basically, a last-minute substitution for the original bill) proposed by Regulated Industries Chairman/State Sen. Rick Jeffares (R-McDonough), allows for no direct sales for breweries. Instead, it alters the current tour structure so that brewers can give away 36 ounces on-premises during the tour (compared to the current 32 ounces) as well as a "souvenir" malt beverage container of no more than 64 ounces to-go. In other words, what was originally a bill allowing direct sales has been reduced to a bill that expands on the current "free beer" tour structure, except that breweries would be able to charge various rates for tours (they sold glasses before, into which they poured the free beer) depending on how much beer is consumed by attendees.

As for brewpubs, they'll no longer be limited to draft-only production. In addition to bottle and can production, the new SB 63 allows for a growler provision similar to 2014's Senate Study Committee report. In short, consumers who buy a meal at a brewpub could also buy a growler with the meal, then take home the remainder of the growler that they don't drink with their food.

The only thing likable in this bill is that Brewpubs may now bottle and can their brews.  Though it validates the idiotic brewpub growler provision that says one has to drink some of the growler before going home....

Erickson provides some outlet for your apoplectic rage displeasure should you choose to do so (nicely please...).

They Gutted the Beer Jobs Bill

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee in Georgia has gutted S.B.63, the beer jobs bill. Breweries will continue to be prohibited from making direct sales to customers. Now, you’ll have to buy a tour and, in the price, be able to pay extra for no more than 64oz. of beer in a single container.

This is ridiculous. So many of these guys got major contributions from beer wholesalers and they are listening to them and not the voters.

Clearly we need a change in tactic. Try these phone numbers. They are their in-district office numbers. They won’t listen at the Capitol. Make them listen in their offices back home.

Tell them how angry you are that they gutted S.B.63. And then go find someone to challenge them in a primary.

Name                   District Number
Rick Jeffares       (678) 432-7676
Frank Ginn         (706) 680-4466
Joshua McKoon  (706) 442-9130
Ed Harbison        (404) 656-0074
David Shafer       (404) 497-0048
Renee Unterman (404) 463-1368
Brandon Beach   (678) 640-1811
Bill Cowsert        (706) 543-7700
Steve Gooch        (404) 656-9221
Steve Henson       (404) 243-5107
Jack Hill              (912) 557-3811
David Lucas        (478) 254-7600
Butch Miller        (678) 989-5301
Jeff Mullis           (706) 375-1776

While this may seem like a loss, perhaps there is some optimism to be had.  Ray points out that this is not the end of the line, for this bill or future ones...

"No matter how silly it may seem, the main thing is to get a bill passed," GCBG president and co-founder/president of Terrapin Beer Company, John Cochran, says. "Any bill. And we are thankful to the committee for doing that. We will work on improving this bill when we go to the House side. There really is a long way to go."

How to Make Beer!

CSRA & Columbia peeps, learn to make beer with @BeerdedFarmer on Saturday at Hopyard Brew Supply in Lexington, SC.

Want to learn how to brew beer this weekend? We've got a class Saturday morning on the screen porch at the Old Mill Brewpub right next door. The weather is calling for 55 degrees and cloudy so what else is really going on? Come learn a skill that you will keep forever. The class starts at 10:30 and wraps up around 12:30 and afterwards students get a 10% discount at the store. There's plenty of room left so message Hopyard or just show up the day of the class. Bring your notepad!
$25 per person, See you there!

Hopyard is fronted by Matt Rodgers (@BeerdedFarmer) who is also the head brewer at Old Mill Brewpub and a Hop Farmer at Hazelwood Plantation.

Get Out of the Way!

Here is why #SB63 should become law!

Get out of the way of brewers
KYLE WINGFIELD

Help small business. Get government out of the way. Unleash the free market. Encourage entrepreneurs. Grow jobs. Make Georgia more competitive.

Do you really need to hear any more?  Well, go read the whole thing anyway...