The winners of the first “Canny Awards,” which recognized craft beer cans with high-quality, captivating graphics, were announced during the Craft Brewers Conference, May 2-5 in San Diego.
With more than 4,500 attendees from 35 countries, the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, hosted by the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., May 2-5 in San Diego, was a testament to the growth in the industry. Setting the tone for the event, Brewers Association President Charlie Papazian addressed any doubts about the industry’s potential, saying, “We are not in a bubble, we are knee-deep in foam — and the foam is still rising.”
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Baltimore’s Camden Yards baseball park, Pabst Brewing Co. launched National Bohemian beer in a limited-edition can.
SABMiller plc, London, and Molson Coors Brewing Co., Denver, reported that its joint venture MillerCoors’ first quarter underlying net income increased 16.6 percent to $175.3 million and total net sales increased 3.6 percent to $1.76 billion compared to the first quarter of 2011. The companies attributed the performance to positive pricing growth, cost management and favorable mix.
Anheuser-Busch (A-B), the St. Louis-based subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B InBev), announced the expansion of Bud Light Platinum production to its St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio, breweries as well as plans to add its Fort Collins, Colo., brewery in June. The production expansion will keep up with demand for the new product that launched early this year and is outpacing expectations, the company said in a statement.
Heineken USA, White Plains, N.Y., honored Harbor Distributing LLC, Anaheim, Calif., and Mission Beverage Co. , Los Angeles, with its fifth annual 1864 Award for Responsibility, which recognizes partners that embrace the values of moderation and responsibility. The awards were presented at Heineken USA’s annual National Distributor Conference in Atlanta last week.
The U.S. craft brewing industry increased 13 percent in volume and grew 15 percent in retail sales in 2011, according to full year data released by the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo. The increases accounted for 1.3 million additional barrels from 2010 to 2011, during which annual craft beer production reached nearly 11.5 million barrels, the association said.
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