The fascinating story of beer

After years of planning, Brew: The Museum of Beer hosted a Coming Out Party on Oct. 19, 2016, and launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to assist in laying the initial financial groundwork to build the multimillion dollar museum, the company says. Set
to open in spring 2018, Brew is dedicated to the 10,000-year-old story of beer and will be a 50,000-square-foot complex capable of accommodating more than 400,000 visitors a year. In addition to unique beer artifacts and exhibits, the museum also will house a 300-seat brewpub, state-of-the-art interactive technology, a gift store, the Beer Hall of Fame and a Brewers Wall capable of including information on all 4,800 breweries in the United States, it adds.

McCafé in the skies

McDonald’s McCafé coffee now is served in the skies for WestJet passengers through a partnership with McDonald’s and WestJet Airlines Ltd., Calgary, Canada. The Nov. 21 Flight 659 from Toronto to Calgary marked the first time McDonald’s coffee was served on an airline, it says. The alliance is a way for McDonald’s to bolster its brand and possibly expand the sales of its coffee in other non-traditional locations. “It’s part exposure; it’s part introducing McCafé to folks who have not had the opportunity to taste it,” said John Betts, chief executive officer at McDonald’s Canada, in a statement. “It’s a natural extension for us.” Under the leadership of Betts since 2008, McDonald’s Canada has increasingly focused on building its coffee business, launching its McCafé brand and raising the ante in the coffee trenches, it adds.

A different sort of elixir

By combining fine cognac and exotic oranges, Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle created Grand Marnier, an elixir that has remained one of the world’s finest liqueurs for more than 100 years, the company says. The Marnier-Lapostolle Foundation is combining some of its resources with cutting-edge scientists in hopes of creating a different sort of elixir, one that could possibly cure and reverse the effects of a rare disorder: Angelman syndrome, a condition that impairs motor function and speech, the company says. Inspired by a family member who has a child with Angelman syndrome, the Marnier-Lapostolle Foundation has awarded a $5.8 million grant to FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics) to fund the research of more than 24 scientists who have a two-year plan to complete pre-clinical testing of four potential treatments in order to move them through human clinical trial and ultimately federal Food and Drug Administration approval.

Nashville’s new happy hour

Beach Whiskey LLC announced a partnership with NBC Affiliate WSMV-TV’s “Today in Nashville,” a new morning entertainment show. Through the partnership, each Friday, ‘Happy Hour’ segments will focus on cocktails, sharing recipes and bellying up to the bar at some of Nashville’s hottest nightspots, the company says. Local mixologist and beverage industry expert Stuart Melia will lead the segments, mixing up his favorite cocktail recipes for hosts Carole Sullivan and Kelly Sutton, it adds. “Judging by the early response, Nashville loves Beach Whiskey, and we feel right at home here,” Chief Marketing Officer Bill Henderson said in a statement.

2016 Fight of the Year goes to…

The World Boxing Council (WBC) and Tecate jointly announced the 2016 Tecate Fight of the Year at the 54th Annual WBC Convention in Hollywood, Fla., last month. Three fights vied for the award, and the 12-round toe-to-toe draw between Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido in Carson, Calif., on June 4, 2016, took the title this year. “Tecate passionately supports the biggest fights every year, and Vargas vs. Salido was a bold battle between two warriors where each man gave his best and stood unified at the center of the ring at the end of the night,” said Gustavo Guerra, Tecate brand director, in a statement. “It was an honor to watch these gentlemen trade punch after punch, and we raise our glass to their passion, dedication and relentless spirit.”

Creating encouragement

Red Bull released “Mavens,” a three-episode web series about people who encourage others to shatter expectations and become more than what society traditionally permits, the company says. The first season tells the stories of music industry pioneer and Afropunk partner Jocelyn Cooper, “Tom Tom Magazine” founder Mindy Abovitz, and global street artist Magda Love. Each episode shares a glimpse of their journeys as they battle obstacles, prejudices and stereotypes while building communities around their passions and inspiring others to follow, it adds. The series is available to view on RedBull.com/Mavens.

Pokémon GO fuel

As people across the country have been playing Pokémon GO since its release, Starbucks announced that it is joining in on the fun. Approximately 7,800 Starbucks stores in the United States have been turned into PokéStops or Gyms, the company says. By locating a Starbucks store within Pokémon GO, players will discover the Pokémon Frappuccino blended beverage, which is available while supplies last, it adds. The limited-edition beverage starts with a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino that is blended with raspberry syrup and freeze-dried whole blackberries, and topped with whipped cream.

The perfect cup

Icelandic Glacial announced a new partnership with the intelligent tea infuser, Teforia. The premium water brand will be the preferred water partner for the device, which intuitively considers the time, temperature and amount of water needed to brew the perfect cup of tea, the company says. Teforia employed a third party to test a number of bottled water brands in order to find the best available for tea brewing, and Icelandic Glacial was recommended due to its purity, it adds. “We are proud to partner with another brand that represents excellence in their respective field,” Icelandic Glacial Chairman and Co-founder Jon Olafsson said in a statement. “Icelandic Glacial is known for its exceptional purity, having the perfect blend of minerals to give the consumer the best in bottled water.”