Victory Old Horizontal and Victory Oaked Old Horizontal, new at City Swiggers.

Victory Old Horizontal and Victory Oaked Old Horizontal, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Brooklyn Blast in 12-ounce, new at City Swiggers

Brooklyn Blast in 12-ounce, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Midnight Sun Panty Peeler, Brewtality, & Cohoho, in stock at City Swiggers

Midnight Sun Panty Peeler, Brewtality, & Cohoho, in stock at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

The Bruery Rueuze, new at City Swiggers

The Bruery Rueuze, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Dieu du Ciel! beers in stock at City Swiggers

Dieu du Ciel! beers in stock at City Swiggers....  Dieu du Ciel Solstice, Isseki Nicho, Penombre, Routes des Epices, & Rigor Mortis. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Rekorkerlig ciders, berry, pear, and strawberry lime, new at City Swiggers

Rekorkerlig ciders, berry, pear, and strawberry lime, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Four from Brouwerij West, new at City Swiggers

Four from Brouwerij West, new at City Swiggers. The Tripel, the Saison Extra, the Blond Ale, and the Mor Mor.... Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout

Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout, new at City Swiggers. OUT OF STOCK...... Click for larger image. Was available..... City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Anderson Valley White Apron Ale

Anderson Valley White Apron Ale, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Four beers in bottles from Voodoo, new at City Swiggers

Voodoo Pilzilla (Pilsner), White Magick of the Sun (Belgian White), Gran Met (Belgian style Tripel), Wynona's Big Brown Ale, all new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Six from Two Brothers, all on the shelves now at City Swiggers

Domaine DuPage (Bière de Garde), Bitter End (Pale Ale), Cane and Ebel (unique red rye beer is full of hop flavor and aroma), Hop Centric (Double IPA), Ebel's Weiss (German Hefeweizen), and Outlaw (IPA), all on the shelf at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Seven from Ommegang, all on the shelves at City Swiggers

Seven from Ommegang, all on the shelves at City Swiggers:

Hennepin, Rare VOS, Three Philosophers, Scythe & Sickle (autumn seasonal), Witte, Belgian Pale Ale (BPA), and the Abby Ale....all on the shelves at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Kremlin Crude Imperial Stout, new at City Swiggers

Kremlin Crude Imperial Stout, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Stone Enjoy By 15.12.13, just a few left

Stone Enjoy By 15.12.13, just a few left at City Swiggers. Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Southern Tier Pumking, last of the batch at City Swiggers

Southern Tier Pumking, last of the batch at City Swiggers. One per customer at this point. Can't promise anymore this season. Boohoo.... Click for larger image. Purchase at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th Street, NYC 10028. This address is btwn 1st & 2nd avenues.

Wed. Oct. 16 ... Peak Organic tasting at City Swiggers

Peak Organic tasting at City Swiggers

October 16, 2013, Wednesday at 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

with Zach Rubinfeld from Peak Organic

On tap:

=> Peak Hop Blanc Belgian White IPA
=> Peak Maple Oat
=> Peak Fresh Cut Pilsner

Free bottle tastings:

=> Peak Fall Summit
=> Peak Amber Ale
=> Peak IPA
=> Peak Nut Brown
=> Peak Pale Ale

Details
No Entrance Fee
Location: City Swiggers | Map: 320 East 86th Street New York, NY 10028
Contact: Alan Rice
Website: www.facebook.com/events/543342582402892

Craft Beer's Renaissance Continues to Grow

Craft Beer's Renaissance Continues to Grow

©ABC NEWS

Click following link to go to original story:

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=20117767&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2F

By DAVID ZINCZENKO and LEIGHTON McCLELLAN

Aug 30, 2013, 10:09 AM

Brett Casper

American craft brew sales are up 15 percent over last year's, according to the Brewers Association's mid-year report, which was released in July. The organization represents more than 1,400 small and independent U.S. breweries, or around 70 percent of the brewing industry.

Brooklyn Brewery, a small craft brewery based in New York, is producing only a tiny fraction of beer compared to the big guys, but says business is booming. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver said the microbrewery is making 10 times more beer than it was three years ago.

"This movement is happening now because our entire culture is moving toward more flavor," Oliver said. "I don't want to sit on the couch and drink something that has no flavor to it. It is like it is no fun. It is better to have two beers that taste great then to have six beers that don't taste like anything, and I think people have finally come to realize that."

Today, craft beer is taken as seriously as fine wine. Jim Koch, a sixth-generation brewmaster and the founder of the Boston Beer Co., knows that better than anyone. The Boston Beer Co. is the home of Samuel Adams, the largest craft beer maker in the country.

"Beer can give you everything that you can get in a great wine or a great Scotch or a great bourbon," Koch said. "Beer deserves to be considered at that level, and that's what craft brewers are doing. We are bringing respect to beer."

There is a lot at stake because beer is obviously big business -- a $100 billion industry across the board, with more than 6 trillion gallons sold each year.

In the past, big dogs like Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors were calling the shots, spending millions on Super Bowl ads and other campaigns to keep their brands on top.

But over the past few years, craft breweries have exploded in the United States. There are currently 2,538 breweries in operation -- with 446 new breweries launching in the past year alone. From January to June this year, small craft breweries sold 7.3 million barrels.

Koch started brewing in his kitchen 30 years ago. Now he ships 2.5 million barrels a year.

What sets craft beer apart, he says, is the quality of the four main ingredients: water, malt, yeast and hops.

"I still go to Bavaria, [Germany], every year and hand-select every single batch of hops that goes into Boston Lager," Koch said.

But the big beer companies stand by their staples.

"We have the first selection of ingredients from the best growers in the world," said Peter Kremer, the vice president of brewing for Anheuser-Busch.

"There's a reason why we sell as much Bud and Bud light that we do. It's because people like it and it's good," added Paul Chibe, the company's U.S. chief marketing officer. "A Budweiser has to sit in the tank 30 days to get the smooth flavor that it has."

And often those craft brews come at a price -- they tend to cost a few dollars more per pint than their domestic counterparts.

But as the craft brewing business keeps growing exponentially, big beer companies are scrambling to get a cut of the craze.


Belgian-owned Anheuser-Busch has long been a Goliath in the world of beer. With help from their brands such as Budweiser, the self-proclaimed "King of Beers," the company owns 47 percent of the American market.


Anheuser-Busch said it was not only embracing the craft beer renaissance but helping it.

"In this instance, Goliath is helping the industry," Chibe said. "We provide that source of distribution, that pathway to get their products on the shelves efficiently. We help provide sources of raw materials or ingredients that are the finest because of the specifications. ... And honestly ... a lot of what they're doing is bringing excitement and helping fuel this renaissance."

One of the popular craft brew brands Anheuser-Busch started making is Shock Top, and it is also buying small breweries like Goose Island in Chicago.

"We're the rich uncle who provides them the resources that they need," Chibe said. "They continue to innovate, they continue to dream these new amazing beers up and bring them into the market, and we let them continue with that culture of innovation."

In the face of critics, who might chastise Anheuser-Busch for selling a craft brew product without putting its name on the label, Chibe said they don't need to because the information is out there and "people will find out."

"People are going to find out that we make them, and actually it's a source of pride for us when people do find out that Anheuser-Busch makes a beer," he said.

But Jim Koch thinks companies like Anheuser Busch have an obligation to tell the customers upfront if they own a microbrew label.

"I get a little bit of a chuckle out of it when the largest brewer in the world wants to pretend like they are little Sam Adams," Koch said. "I certainly would be happy if they put their names on those beers so it's a little more transparent to consumers."

Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver said "of course" the big beer companies are going to copy the microbrewery model because they can see that craft brews "excite" people. The way for microbreweries to make their presence known in the crowded beer market, he said, is to get creative.

"We just have to be more interesting and better than they are, and I think we're doing alright," he said. "At the end of the day, craft brewers are the ones who are creating this excitement, and if people start with copycat beers from the big brewers, well, they're going to soon graduate and discover the real thing, so it all works out."

ABC News' Lauren Effron contributed to this report.

The pumpkin beer shelf today at City Swiggers

A sneak preview at the pumpkin beer shelf today at City Swiggers:  Small format (12 oz.):  Uinta, Harpoon UFO, Weyerbacher, Cisco, Smuttynose, Fire Island, Captain Lawrence, Shipyard Pumpkinhead, & Ithaca.  Large format (22 oz): Harpoon Imperial, Shipyard Smashed, & Southern Tier Pumking. Many (many!) more to come. Click image for larger view.

Horals Oude Geuze, Mega Blend, new at City Swiggers.

Horals Oude Geuze, Mega Blend, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image.

A house that beer built

House bedecked with beer cans and beer-can aspects.     Click LINK for video story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHXSCoJqS0o

De Proefbrouwerij / Cigar City Tropical Tripel, new at City Swiggers

De Proefbrouwerij / Cigar City Tropical Tripel, new at City Swiggers.  Belgian abbey ale aged on oak chips with coconut and peaches. Click image for larger view.

Uinta Crooked Line Cahoots Double Rye IPA, new at City Swiggers

Uinta Crooked Line Cahoots Double Rye IPA, new at City Swiggers. Click image for larger view.

Carnegie Special 175th Anniversary Porter, new at City Swiggers

D. Carnegie Special 175th Anniversary Porter, new at City Swiggers. A Bourbon Barrel aged collaboration with Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery. Rated 98 on Ratebeer.com  Click for larger view.

Two Brothers Laughing Panda, new at City Swiggers

Two Brothers Laughing Panda, new at City Swiggers. Click for larger image.

3 Gentlemen's Club barrel aged beers, new at City Swiggers

3 Gentlemen's Club barrel-aged beers, new at City Swiggers. Collaboration btwn Cigar City & Widmer. 1) whiskey, 2) Bourbon, 3) oak. … Click for larger view.

Evil Twin Torst, new at City Swiggers

Evil Twin Torst, new at City Swiggers: "Front Room" (aged in Malaga barrels) and "Back Room"(aged in Port barrels). Click for larger view.

Halloween in July at City Swiggers

Anticipating September demand, City Swiggers got its hands on 10 cases of Southern Tier Pumking. $9.99/bottle ... Click image for larger view.

Green Jack Rippa English Triple

New at City Swiggers: Green Jack Rippa English Triple. Brewed in Lowestoft, U.K. ♥ $17.49.    Click image for larger view.

Five small-format Belgians: good things in small packages, now at City Swiggers

Here are five small-format Belgians. Indeed, good things come in small packages: De Dolle Extra Export Stout, Gwiniz Du, Pannepot Old Fisherman's Ale, Zeezuiper Belgian Ale, and Dupont Foret. Find all five at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Six ciders, new at City Swiggers

Olivers Herefordshire Cider, J.K.’s Cuvée Winterruption Farmhouse Hard Cider, Crispin Artisanal Reserve The SaintNatural Hard Cider, Fox Barrel Pear Naked Organic Perry,  Thistly Cross Scottish Cider, and Cliffton Dry Premium Cider.  Find all six at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

A nut brown, a rye, now at City Swiggers

A nut brown from Full Sail, a rye from Magic Hat (Ticket to Rye), now at City Swiggers. Find both at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Three from Chile, from Quimera Brewery...an amber, a pale, and an imperial stout, now at City Swiggers

Three from Chile, from Quimera Brewery...an amber, a pale, and an imperial stout, now at City Swiggers. Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Three misc. lagers, de...lish, now at City Swiggers

Full Sail LTD lager ("There is no coffee or chocolate in this. But your mouth will insist otherwise."), Southern Tier Eurotrash Pilz, and Meteor Lager (from France/Alsace). Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Four from Shelton Brothers Importers, now at City Swiggers

Four from Shelton Brothers Importers, now at City Swiggers: (1) To Øl/Mikkeller Ov-ral Wild Yeast IIPA (Denmark), (2) Huvila Arctic Circle Ale (from Finland), (3) Thiriez Extra (a dry-hopped French farmhouse ale), and (4) Haandbryggeriet Bestefar (a traditional ale from Norway). Find all four at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Two from Einbecher, two from Apostelbreau, now at City Swiggers

Four German gems: Einbecker Schwarzbier, Einbecker Winter Bock, Apostelbreau First Bavarian (naturally cloudy) Pale Ale, and Apostelbreau (naturally cloudy) Dinkel Bock. Find all four at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Four from across the pond (UK), now at City Swiggers

Four from across the pond (UK), now at City Swiggers: Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout, Batemans Mocha Beer, Newcastile Winter Brilliant British Ale, and Harviestoun Ola Dubh (an old ale from Scotland). Find all four at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Two from Peru: Cusqueña & Cristal, now at City Swiggers

Two from Peru: Cusqueña & Cristal, now at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CITY SWIGGERS

Wed., Feb. 6, 7 p.m.: Mardi Gras w/ABITA, beads & all ...Click HERE to go to Facebook page

Wed., Feb. 13, 7 p.m.: Flying Dog pre-VD eve, doggie style. ...Click HERE to go to Facebook page

Three delightful ciders from Doc’s, new at City Swiggers

Doc’s Pumpkin Cider (25% off), Doc’s Framboise (raspberry) Apple Cider, and, Pamela's favorite, Doc’s Cranberry Spice Apple Cider. Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Eight sundry & select domestic ales, now at City Swiggers

Gearys Hampshire Special Ale, Widmer Brothers Columbia Common, Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale, Davidson Brothers Dacker Adirondack Ale, Samuel Adams New Albion Ale, Kentucky Light Kolsch, Ringwood Old Thumper, and Rogue Buckwheat Ale (also known as Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale) Find all eight at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Six way awesome large-format Belgians, one Danish beer, now at City Swiggers

Six way awesome large-format Belgians, one Danish beer, now at City Swiggers: Dupont Monk’s Stout; La Rulles Tripel; Panil Barriquée Oak-aged Sour Red Ale, triple-fermented; Fantôme Boo! (a strong ale); Brouwerij Kerkom, Bink Grand Cru; and To Øl Mochaccino Messiah (a brown ale from Denmark).Find all six at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Achtung: We have five attention-grabbing beers from Germany, now at City Swiggers

Five interesting German beers: Pinkus Ur-Pils, Kulmbacher Mönchshof Schwarzbier (a very dark beer), Kulbacher Eisbock, Bayerischer Bahnhof Berliner Style Weisse, and Bayerischer Bahnhof Original Leipziger Gose. Find all five at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Four on hand from northern climes: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! from Canada, now at City Swiggers

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! is represented at City Swiggers with the following most righteous brews: Dieu du Ciel Solstice d’Hiver (a barleywine), Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel (an imperial stout), Dieu du Ciel Équinoxe du Printemps (a Scotch ale), Dieu du Ciel Dernière Volonté (a Belgian ale). Find all four at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Live from Beruit: Two in bottles from Lebanon, now at City Swiggers

Two from Lebanon, sprung from the war years: 961 Red Ale and 961 Beer/Kissmeyer (Brewmaster’s Select 01) Lebanese Pale Ale. Posted at RateBeer.com: "961 Beer began during the dark days of the July 2006 siege on Lebanon. Tired with the lack of quality beer in Lebanon, Mazen Hajjar and his friends started to brew beer in his very own kitchen. The first batches were brewed in 20 liter kettles. Granted that war and blockades are not the ideal conditions to start a company, alongside everyone telling them they were mad to even consider it, they went ahead with it anyway. They decided that brewing a good beer for a great country was what they wanted to do the most. When 961 Beer officially began brewing they were one of the smallest breweries in the world, and the only microbrewery in the Middle East (and still are). Although 961 Beer now brews nearly 2 million liters per year, they still insist upon making beer using the very same principles: traditional techniques, quality ingredients and love." Find both at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Three imports at City Swiggers: Negra, Skull Splitter, & Mackeson XXX

New for City Swiggers, three imports: (1) San Miguel Cerveza Negra (from the Philippines, made with roasted malt); (2) Orkney Skull Splitter (a Scotch ale from Scotland); and Carib Brewery Mackeson XXX Stout (a sweet stout from England). Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

For the winter daze, these five will hit the spot, now at City Swiggers

Beers for winter daze...and nights, select & sundry: Blue Point Imperial Cherry Kriek, Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi Imperial/Double IPA, Ommegang XV (15th Anniversary) Ale (a Belgian-style dark Trappist ale), New Holland Cabin Fever (an amber ale), and River Horse Oatmeal Milk Stout. Find all five at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Three from Twelve Percent Imports, now at City Swiggers

Three Belgian beers from Twelve Percent Imports: (1) The Perfect Crime American Blonde, (2) The Perfect Crime Hollow Point (described as the closest thing to the Westvleteren XII, a quad), and (3) Scheldebrouwerij De Zeezuiper (a Belgian Tripel).  Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

La Guillotine and Dead Cat, do mess with these, despite their names, now at City Swiggers

Don't be scared away by these highly rated imports, please! Left: Brouwerij Huyghe La Guillotine (a Belgian strong ale) and, right: Beer Here Dead Cat (amber ale from Denmark). Find both at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

A sour/wild ale and a stylistically bitter ale, both from Jolly Pumpkin, now at City Swiggers

Jolly Pumpkin Sobrehumano Palena ’Ole (a sour/wild ale) & Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam (a bitter ale), now at City Swiggers Find all both at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Four large format beers, more light than not, now at City Swiggers

Four large format beers, more light than not, now at City Swiggers: RJ Rockers Fish Paralyzer (a Belgian-style strong ale); Alesmith X, Extra Pale Ale, Victory Helios (a saison), and Midnight Sun Sockeye Red IPA. Find all four at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Six porters, barleywines, and stouts for the cold winter nights, now at City Swiggers

Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter, Blue Point Old Howling Bastard Barleywine, Elysian Dragonstooth Stout, Maine Beer King Titus (porter), Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet Below Decks Bourbon Oak (barleywine), and Smuttynose Zinneke Imperial Stout. Find all six at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

Five from Horseheads, now at City Swiggers

Five from Horseheads, now at City Swiggers. (1) Horseheads Hot-Jala-Heim a spicy lager (Ale brewed with jalapeno and anaheim peppers). (2) Horseheads IPA. (3) Horseheads Newtown Brown Ale. (4) Horseheads Chemung Canal Towpath Ale (cream ale). And (5) Horseheads Sullivan's Stout. All in large format. All five at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.

A strong ale, a pomegranate ale, & a red ale from Clown Shoes, HeBrew, and Speakeasy, now at City Swiggers

Three large-format beers stroke the taste buds: Clown Shoes Eagle Claw, HeBrew Origin, and Speakeasy Betrayal Imperial Red Ale. Find all three at City Swiggers, 320 East 86th St., btwn 1st and 2nd avenues. Click image for larger view.