Join Breweries Across North Carolina in Taking the #NCBeerPledge

Take the #NCBeerPledge. Photo from the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild’s Facebook.

NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina's 328 breweries, taprooms, and brewpubs are leading the way in promoting the health and safety of our communities as we begin to reopen our businesses. As breweries are already experts in sanitation and food safety standards, we will set an example for how to conduct operations that keep our customers and our employees safe. The #NCBeer Pledge is our industry’s demonstration of that commitment to you.

When you see the Pledge displayed, you will know that your local taproom is in compliance with NCDHHS and CDC guidance, and has taken the necessary precautions to provide you with the reassurance that your health and safety are the first priority.

The 2nd part of the Pledge is your commitment, as a customer, to your community. We are asking our customers to take the #NCBeer Pledge for the safety of our staff, friends, and neighbors. We all have a role to play in protecting the common good and keeping everyone safe from the spread of COVID-19.​

By participating in the #NCBeer Pledge, our breweries pledge to YOU, our valued customers, that we are in compliance with COVID-19 recommended safety guidelines and are doing our part to protect the safety of our communities.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

We have taken the Pledge so you know we are in compliance with COVID-19 recommended safety guidelines and are doing our part t0 protect the safety of our community.

• We will continue to be a leader in sanitation and food safety.

• All high-touch surfaces are regularly cleaned & sanitized.

• Seating areas are cleaned & sanitized between customers.

• Indoor and/or outdoor seating complies with recommended social-distancing guidance.

• Hand washing or sanitizing stations are made available to you.

• All staff will pass a health check prior to each shift.

• Glassware & utensils are sanitized after each use.

• Common areas and restrooms are cleaned & sanitized regularly.

• All staff will maintain 6 feet of social distance when possible or will wear a face covering or use a guard/barrier when not possible.

• We have a designated Safety & Sanitation Manager on-site to oversee safety and sanitation measures, as well as address any concerns.

YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY

We are asking our customers to take the Pledge for the safety of our staff, friends, and neighbors. We all have a role to play in protecting the common good.

• You will maintain 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and other customers.

• You will wear a mask or face covering when not seated, or when waiting in line.

• You will not congregate while standing, nor float between tables.

• No large parties, unless of the same family and household.

Many of our brewpubs and taprooms across the state will begin to reopen their doors this week for on-site consumption (NC's reopening Phase II began on Friday, May 22 at 5pm), so look for the #NCBeer Pledge to know you can rely on the health and safety measures that have been put into place to ensure a safe and comfortable visit to our taprooms and brewpubs.

— The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild

Drifter Brewing Company is a Soup-a-hero: Brewing Hope While Filling Bellies

CAPE TOWN (WESTERN CAPE), SOUTH AFRICA — Three weeks after deciding to convert its beer tanks into giant soup-making tanks, Drifter Brewing Company has fed more than 75,000 people across ten different communities in Cape Town. Operation Soup-A-Heroes is addressing the hunger crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown, especially for those who live hand to mouth. To keep this project going, individual donations can be contributed through Quicket .

“Food security has always been an issue in our country and with the rate of unemployment on the rise, the need for meals will only continue to grow,” says Nick Bush, Director and Co-Founder of Drifter. “Our beer business is taking a hard knock right now, but the silver lining is using our space to make huge quantities of food. Our brewing system is a 1000L tank, so a single batch of the soup can feed at least 2500 people. And we’re cooking multiple batches in a day, which means we can feed up to 10,000 people come dinner time.”

Since the alcohol ban went into effect in South Africa on March 27, local breweries and restaurants have found creative ways to try and stay afloat. At the very least, they’ve made use of their equipment for other purposes. Craft breweries typically use the equivalent of giant kettles to make beer. Across the country, this equipment is being repurposed as giant cooking pots to make mass quantities of nutritional soup. It’s then delivered to NGOs for distribution among the communities.

Woodstock Brewery initiated the soup production effort for the industry, setting up a ‘blueprint’ for other breweries like Drifter to follow. Now Drifter has taken the helm, working in collaboration with the other breweries, NGOs and volunteers to produce and distribute soup daily. Soup-A-Heroes relies on donations from the public to continue feeding these Cape Town communities, which include Hanover Park, Heideveld, Retreat, Tafelsig, Lavender Hill, Bunoon, Kraaifontein, Langa, Khayelitsha and Gugulethu.

Here’s the link to donate. Be sure to follow along our social media (@drifterbrewing) as we continue our efforts.

— The Drifter Brewing Co. Crew

Hi-Wire Releases Beer to Benefit Service Industry Workers

DURHAM, NC — Hi-Wire Brewing is proud to release “Donate To Service Industry Workers By Drinking This Beer.” That’s right, the name of the beer is a full sentence and an extremely important one at that. This Hoppy Session IPA (5% ABV) comes in response to the havoc the coronavirus pandemic has been wreaking on the service industry, and it will benefit hospitality workers on a state and national level who are out of work or underemployed due to this crisis. A portion of the proceeds from every 6-pack of this IPA sold will be donated to the USBG National Charity Foundation and the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund. These charitable organizations are currently raising donations to provide financial support for the nearly 700,000 bartenders and hundreds of thousands of people who work adjacent to them that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning May 14, 2020, Hi-Wire’s “Donate To Service Industry Workers By Drinking This Beer” will be available in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans at shop.hiwirebrewing.com for nationwide shipping with some exclusions as well as in select retailers throughout Asheville, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., Wilmington, N.C., Tennessee, the North Carolina Coast, Kentucky, and Ohio. Hi-Wire Brewing’s Big Top (Asheville, N.C.) and Durham, N.C. taprooms will have this new IPA available for curbside pickup and local delivery starting May 14, while its Knoxville, Tenn. location will stock it in the coming weeks.

Hi-Wire also recently released three new beers in anticipation of sunshine and warmer temperatures. First up is Citrus Wit (4.8% ABV), a summer seasonal boasting fragrant spring citrus alongside winter spice from coriander to round out the zip from lemon and lime peel while Appalachian Wheat from Asheville’s Riverbend Malt House provides notes of fresh-baked bread and a creamy mouthfeel. This bright and citrusy brew is available now in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans at shop.hiwirebrewing.com, in Hi-Wire Brewing taprooms, and throughout Hi-Wire’s distribution footprint.

Next, the dry-hopped and ultra-refreshing Citra Gose (4.2% ABV) is back by popular demand as part of Hi-Wire’s year-round rotating Gose Series. This tart and balanced beer blends perfectly with the citrus and tropical fruit notes of Citra hops creating an extremely aromatic and floral sour wheat beer with no bitterness. Released in April 2020, Citra Gose is available in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans across Hi-Wire’s distribution footprint, online, and in Hi-Wire taprooms.

Finally, Pink Lemonade Sour Session Ale (4.2% ABV) is a special release brewed for sunny days and hanging out with friends. This incredibly crushable and refreshing fruited sour beer boasts a raspberry fruit sweetness balanced with just the right amount of lemony zip from lemon peel and nostalgic candied-lemon aromas from lemongrass. This bright new release is being distributed throughout Hi-Wire’s footprint, and it is available now in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans at Hi-Wire taprooms and via shop.hiwirebrewing.com for shipping across the country.

For more information, contact Hi-Wire Brewing at info@hiwirebrewing.com.

Black Shirt Brewing Co launches delivery service as they ramp up and reopen Their Taproom*

In response to customer demand, Black Shirt Brewing Co has added delivery to its service options. Fans of the brewery's spent grain pizza, wings, and handcrafted beer are now able to order online and opt for delivery within a predetermined radius. Black Shirt plans to deliver while they’ve reopened their taproom with limited capacity.  

"Because we had to shutter on March 16, we're working hard to get everything back up to speed," said Chad Miller, owner and CEO. "And given issues with supply chains and ingredient sourcing, we're reopening in stages, taking every safety precaution into account as we ramp up to full capacity."

With state guidelines regarding taproom/restaurant seating in flux, many establishments have pivoted to curbside service, pick up and delivery models. Black Shirt is adopting this approach with an added twist: To eliminate pesky service fees, the brewery is not utilizing delivery services such as Door Dash or GrubHub. Instead, BSB employees will serve as drivers. This also allows for Black Shirt to control the quality and consistency of its product (and service) from the second an order is submitted to the moment that order is delivered.  

Currently, Black Shirt offers a limited menu, including Take Home Kits (choose from spent grain pizza or oven baked wings, instructions included), build-your-own pizza, garlic knots, and a wide selection of beer-to-go (both crowlers and bottle conditioned beers). A Pay It Forward option is also available: Guests can purchase a gift card for a first responder and/or frontline worker (police, fire department, paramedics and medical personnel), and Black Shirt will facilitate distribution of those cards. Thus far the brewery has disbursed 14 Pay It Forwards to deserving professionals.  

Launched on May 16, the response to Black Shirt's delivery option has been extremely positive. "By adding this temporary service, we hope to help alleviate some of the concerns people have about venturing out," says Miller. "Our guests were so patient and so supportive during our closure, and they cheered us on when we announced that we were able to reopen. This short-term pivot is for all of them." 

"It's just good to be back in action," adds Miller. "We're doing everything we can to make it through to the other side, whatever that looks like." 

You can put in your online order here.

*Black Shirt Brewing is now officially open again — they’ve reopened their taproom and three outdoor patio areas with limited capacity on May 27th.

If you have questions about Black Shirt's delivery option (or anything else BSB-related), please contact Black Shirt's Director of Communications, Meghan Howes: press@blackshirtbrewingco.com or 303-726-9177. 

—

About Black Shirt Brewing Co
Craft Beer. Pizza. Music. Community.

When you visit Black Shirt, expect the whole package: a warm and welcoming taproom, delicious craft beer and food, and superlative service, all imbued with a DIY ethos and music-inspired aesthetic. We've been handcrafting expressive, delicious beer in Denver's RiNo Arts District/Cole neighborhood since 2012, and in 2017, we opened our artisan pizza kitchen.  

Tech for Craft: Beer Marketers on Communication Technology They're Using Right Now

Photo courtesy of Traverse Image

Our Industry Relief chats have shed light on so many needs in craft communication, pandemic or not. One of those needs is technology. The social media revolution changed the ability of small business to reach vastly wider audiences. The pressure is on for marketers to reach the masses, and they need tools to make that happen. Here are the technology resources suggested by the savvy group of craft communicators we talk shop with each week.

STAY CONNECTED

• Untappd — Untappd is a platform that allows craft beer enthusiasts to log and track beers that they’ve tried, and also a service for breweries to share what’s currently on tap. Users are also able to explore nearby breweries and bars, and also seek out recommendations based on what they’ve logged and rated.

• TapHunter — TapHunter is your source to find craft beer, spirits, and more. You can discover the best local bars, restaurants, tasting rooms, and bottle shops around you and wherever you go and know what is on tap before you go. You can also follow your favorite locations, keep track and review of what you’ve tried, and look at what events are being hosted at your favorite spots. For businesses, TapHunter is currently offering two months free to promote your drink menus and keep your regulars connected. Details available here.

• Twitch — Twitch is a streaming platform that has been growing in popularity that allows streamers to reach a wide audience on a variety of topics.
  “Twitch has been a great way to stream to an audience with high quality video and audio.” — Cheyenne Richardson of Bonfire Brewing.

• Customized Craft Beer Programs — Customized Craft Beer Programs offers ideas to strengthen the connection you have with your guests by creating programs that fit your businesses and engages with individuals. As they say, “experience. entice. enlighten. engage. explore. enjoy.”

GET ORGANIZED

• Asana — Asana is a platform that allows users to get their teams coordinated and stay organized. It’s a great tool for remote teams— especially given the current environment— to organize projects, shift priorities as needed, and stay on task.

• Zapier — Zapier is a platform that helps users handle repetitive tasks in apps that individuals use in their day to day.

• Lilypad — Lilypad is beverage alcohol sales platform designed specifically for the industry. It tracks activity management and execution, customer relationships, offers digital asset management, has a placement tracker, encourages collaboration and motivation, and cross tier communication. Their goal is to help you develop a stronger team, craft more connections, and drive more placements
  “It has been game-changing in managing our sales pipeline, track communication with prospects & current accounts, and share action items w/ wholesalers. There’s a social & gamification element which has made it fun for my team (which greatly increases the adoption rate, IMO)” - Peter August of Karl Strauss Brewing Company

• Adobe Dimension — For those who work in design, Adobe Dimension allows you to mock up 3D content to help you better visualize what you’re designing, such as product mockups, packaging designs, spacial designs, and other creative work.

UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA GAME

• IG Story School — This instructional video helps you unlock all the tips and tricks of posting Instagram Stories. It walks you through each level of posting, from changing the color of text to using the rewind effect, and many other tools to step up your Instagram story game.

• Facebook for Business — Facebook for Business offers many self-paced, step-by-step tutorials that can help you build upon your digital marketing skills and improve upon your business’ social media.

• Instagram for Business — Similar to Facebook for Business, Instagram for Business offers up-to-date news about what’s new with the platform as well as tips and best practices to get the most out of the platform.

What technology do you use to make it all happen? Tell us your craft marketing story— email us at karen@radcraftbeer.com.

Brewers Association Publishes Checklist for Reopening Your Brewery

Photo by Findlay Brewing Company

The Brewers Association has compiled a checklist for breweries that are prepping to re-open after shutdown. Their guide includes best practices for maintaining sanitary practices and social distancing. Find the full checklist here. This checklist is focused on—

• Social Distancing between customers, staff, and during work operations and customer sales

• Standard Operating Procedures that can be created to encourage compliance among staff and patrons

• Best Practices for sanitizing and managing frequent touch points

As your brewery prepares to open, develops new SOPs, and continues to successfully navigate these challenges, keep the BA in the know on specific procedures and best practices that are working for you at membership@brewersassociation.org.

Beyond procedures, we’d love to hear your story. How has your business pivoted? What are some positive outcomes of the shutdown did you experience? What is your new normal? Shoot us an email at karen@radcraftbeer.com to tell your story in out industry relief hub.

Find more resources for responding to pandemic in this industry guide that we compiled with fellow craft marketers across the country.

Amplified Ale Works Reopens Kitchen to Offer Food AND Beer

Hey Friends! Amplified Aleworks has some exciting news to share with you.

Our Pacific Beach and East Village kitchens are reopened for take out and delivery five nights a week! Our hours of operation are currently Wednesday to Friday from 5 to 9 pm and weekends from noon to 9 pm.

You can either call us or hop on our website to place an order.

In addition to our kitchens reopening, we also have beer available for pick-up (including Miramar) or delivery to San Diego addresses on Saturdays from noon to 5 pm.

Right now, we have fresh four-packs of New Generation guava IPA, Electrocution, Mdrn Hstry Hazy IPA, Cantina Lager with Lime, and the first ever canning of our first ever beer, Leggy Blonde! We also have crowlers available, you can check out what we currently have in stock here.

We do have our online shop available, if you’re looking to pick up some Amplified swag.

Thank you to everyone that has reached out, or supported us in some way, these last few months as we've all struggled to adjust to the impact of the pandemic. It means the world to us and we have never been more excited to bring you Amplified food & beer!

We hope everyone is doing well and staying positive through all this.

-The Amplified Ale Works Team

Big Brew: Pledge to Brew at the World's Largest Virtual Home Brew Event on May 2, 2020

The American Homebrewers Association is looking forward to hosting the world’s largest virtual homebrew day on May 2, 2020.

“Big Brew is the American Homebrewers Association's annual celebration of National Homebrew Day.  On the first Saturday of May we encourage homebrewers to get together, brew some beer, and celebrate the community of homebrewers,” shares Gary Glass, AHA Director, “This year, due to the coronavirus, we obviously can't be getting together to brew in the same place, so we will come together virtually by pledging to brew on May 2. We already have 3500 homebrewers from 65 different countries that have pledge to brew on HomebrewersAssociation.org.”

Glass continues, “Craft beer is all about community and with Big Brew being our single biggest event for homebrewers in terms of participation, it was important to provide an opportunity for the community of brewers to get together, even if we're doing so online. We encourage participants to post #BigBrew pictures to social media and tag @HomebrewAssoc.”

Although we’re in the middle of a pandemic, it doesn’t stop the Homebrewers Association from continuing on with connecting with the community for this event. In fact, it embraces the encouragement to stay at home.

“Since homebrewing is by nature an activity we do at home, being under safe at home orders makes homebrewing a fun thing we can do while staying safe,” says Glass. “In our communications with homebrew supply shops, we have heard from many that their business is up, despite having to shift from in-store purchasing to curbside pick-up.  Interest in Big Brew is also up, with the Big Brew webpages seeing double the traffic they had last year. So I absolutely think we are seeing an increased interest in homebrewing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”

The Details:

• Sign up here

• You’ll get the official 2020 Recipe for Pangea Proximity Polar IPA, which features unique ingredients — but has common substitutions provided. You can also opt to make the alternative recipe: Quarantine American IPA.

• Tag AHA in your photos and videos on their Facebook page, Facebook event, Twitter, and Instagram

• Get social media badges and download the images for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Here’s are the current (at least of right now) Big Brew Pledges by the Numbers:

• 3576 Participants

• 23,382 Gallons

• 56 States and Territories

• 65 Countries

When you pledge to homebrew, you can get $5 off AHA Membership with activation code BigBrew2020 if you join by May 4, 2020. Be sure to sign up here.

Big Brew is a fun way to get involved with the American Homebrewers Association, other brewers, and the craft community! It may be different this year due to the circumstances of the pandemic, but it won’t stop homebrewers from participating in this yearly event, virtually. Pledge to homebrew and join more than 1,900 participants brewing over 13,000 gallons of beer in 45 different countries. Our goal is to shatter all earthly records — so pledge to brew, share what you’re brewing, and how many gallons you expect to make.

Join in the Global Toast: Raise a glass on May 2 at 1:00 p.m. EDT and share photos of your cheers on social media with #BigBrew.

COVID-19 Relief Resources For Barley Crafters: Surveys, Guilds, Labels, and More

Resources can be anything from the emotional support of a socially-distanced virtual hug to funding from government programs. Information is another important resource, and we have a lot of it for you this week.

One challenge during this time is finding correct information in a timely manner — not to mention finding state-specific information, correct paperwork, and beyond. Earlier this month we discussed resources on our #radcraftindustryrelief zoom chat, and the craft communicators who participated had a lot to say. Here are the resources they suggested for small businesses in the barley community, infused with a few of our suggestions as well.

• Brewers Association - Resource Center is the home to brewery-specific COVID-19 information, including general pandemic information, SBA loans, legislative information, surveys, and so much more.

• Surveys — Surveys produce data that allow us to forecast trends. We highly encourage participating in Brewers Association and brewer’s guilds surveys, and beyond.

  • Craftbeer.com COVID-19 Craft Brewery Sales Support Form

  • Brewery - COVID-19 Impact Poll Part 2

• Your (local) Guilds — the folks on our call referenced these specific, and awesome, brewers guilds as great resources. Wherever you are though, seek out your local guild as a resource now and in future.

  • Craft Maltsters Guild

  • North Carolina Brewers Guild

  • Asheville Brewers Alliance

  • Iowa Brewers Guild

  • Colorado Brewers Guild

• Social Media

  • Facebook Groups — specifically have been a great place to host forums, discussions, ask questions and post links to various resources. There are plenty of local and national groups that do act as a more professional resource, in a sense, and they’re easy to find.

  • More screen time means more opportunities to promote products and entertain your audience.

• The Brooklyn Brewery COVID-19 Community Resource Hub shares not only New York specific information, but also nation-wide resources for breweries. They’ve included assistance programs like these:

  • USBG Foundation Bartender Emergency Assistance Program: Bartenders affected by closures can apply for a grant from the United States Bartenders Guild Bartender Emergency Assistance Program, and anyone can donate.

  • Service Workers Coalition: This new coalition aims to support sick or quarantined service workers through direct aid and monetary donations. Email serviceworkerscoalition@gmail.com to volunteer or learn how to donate.

  • Restaurant Workers Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund: The RWCF is allocating their donations accordingly: 50% to individual restaurant workers, 25% non-profit groups, and 25% towards providing no-interest loans to restaurants to get back up and running.

  • GoFundMe: Many businesses are setting up GoFundMe pages, and the like, to raise money for their former or current employees. Contact your regular spots and see if they have a fund set up, or need help doing so. 

  • LEE Initiative Restaurant Workers Relief Program: The LEE Initiative will channel donations by city to help restaurant workers in crisis pay for food and keep up with other costs of living.

• Craft Label Co. — as many breweries shift to canning and distribution, there’s high demand for labels right now, at the ready. Craft Label Co., created by our friend Ryan Wheaton, offers a solution of pre-designed offerings that can be customized to become branded to your company.

• Reddit — This forum-based website is a treasure chest of information. You may have to do some digging, but you’ll be able to find information such as which businesses are still open, how can you support them, and much more. There are many sub-Reddits that discuss what’s happening in various regions.

  • Here’s one for supporting local breweries in the PNW

  • Here’s one that’s anything and everything Colorado beer

• Restaurant Accounting Services - Restaurant Resources — This website hosts various restaurant and brewpub specific resources, including webinars, blogs, and FAQ pages that may come up in the hospitality industry.

• All Together — All Together is an initiative launched by New York’s Other Half Brewing, similar to that of Sierra Nevada’s Resilience campaign. All Together is a worldwide collaboration created to raise awareness and funds for the craft industry. “#AllTogetherBeer invites any brewer, from any corner of the planet, to participate by providing the tools needed to make the beer at the lowest possible cost, including an open-source recipe, artwork, and name. In exchange, the collective asks that a portion of the proceeds go to supporting hospitality professionals in each brewery’s own community. The rest should be donated to keeping the brewery in business to weather this storm.” Read more on Brewbound.

• Restaurant Strong Fund — Samuel Adams and Greg Hill Foundation joined forces to create the Restaurant Strong Fund, supporting those in 20 different states from America’s restaurant industry who have been impacted by the COVID-19 closures.

There are so many more resources out there than those that we’ve named — take advantage of them and let us know if you have any other suggestions at karen@radcraftbeer.com.

Fremont Brewing Adapts During Pandemic and Gives Back

Since Washington state enacted Shelter In Place, Fremont Brewing has kept all staff employed, adapted and launched new sales mechanisms and is giving back to the community.

CARING FOR EMPLOYEES

We’re grateful and proud to report that to date we’ve kept all our staff employed and have not furloughed any Fremont employees due to COVID-19. In addition to keeping our entire team employed, we’ve ensured the safest workplaces possible for them. This has included purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) for all team members, increased work from home protocols, a lifting of all PTO limits related to illness, and diligently following strong sanitation protocols. Combined these efforts ensure Fremont remains a safe place to work and visit.

NEW WAYS TO SELL BEER

Within days of transitioning our Urban Beer Garden for to-go beer only, we launched FremontBeerToGo.com for curbside, contact-less beer sales and have added new beers to it weekly. We released one of our most anticipated beers of the year, Brew 4000, entirely online and sold thru brewery direct bottles in less than 20 minutes over two offerings. Continuing the theme of trying new things, last week we launched brewery direct home delivery in Seattle. Delivery includes cans, crowlers, growlers and kegs and is free ($25 minimum orders) in our delivery zone from Northgate Way south to Mercer Street.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

Alongside taking care of our team we are keeping our core value of supporting the community alive through our Heron Rising Initiative, which includes:

Joining #ThePlateFund — Starting April 15th, Fremont Brewing joined an extensive list of local organizations and businesses in making a financial contribution to #ThePlateFund, a non-profit organization that provides direct financial assistance to restaurant workers who live and work in King County and have suffered financial hardship because of the COVID-19 crisis. From April 15 until May 31, we are donating 1% of the gross profits of Golden Pilsner, Space Danger! and Summer Ale (releases in May) sold in Washington to #ThePlateFund.

Supporting Local Restaurants — We are purchasing lunches from local restaurants and providing them to healthcare providers that are on the frontline and to our Fremont brewery team that continues to work during this crisis as essential workers.

Food Drive — We are helping to feed our immediate neighbors in need by asking customers to bring a donation to the Ballard Food Bank with them when they pick up to-go beer from the Urban Beer Garden.

“We started the brewery amidst the last financial crisis, in 2009, which means that adapting and being resourceful come naturally to us,” notes Matt Lincecum, owner and founder. “It’s also helped us to stay focused on what matters, which is taking care of our employees, beer drinkers and community as we navigate a drastically different craft beer landscape.”

About Fremont Brewing Company

Fremont Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery founded in 2009 and located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. Home to maritime industries, artists, and free thinkers, Fremont is the self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe”. Crafted with barley from the Okanogan Valley in British Columbia, hops from a 4th generation hop-growing family in the Yakima Valley and water from the Cedar River in the Cascade Mountains, our beers are crisp, clean, and represent a Northwest blend of rich malt flavor and subtle hop spice. For more information, check out our website.

CardFree Commits to No-Cost Solutions for Independent Restaurants

SAN FRANCISCO, CA— In light of the evolving nature of the coronavirus pandemic and its adverse impact to the restaurant & hospitality industry, San Francisco-based CardFree––a leading mobile commerce solution founded in 2012––is committed to offering their services for free for the first three months (or longer) to small- and medium- sized restaurants & hospitality businesses––with no strings attached. CardFree is here to help and taking it day by day with their merchant partners as they roll out new services and strive to be of service and help those restaurants and businesses who have been so severely impacted. By empowering restaurants to take control of their guest experience via a customized mobile order system, CardFree’s complimentary services offer a simple proposition—with no bait or switch, no long-term contract; and a “pay us when you can” model—providing partnership and guidance for the many operational shifts business owners are needing to make, while also providing a long- term solution to adapt and use in the months ahead as they scale back up.

According to a new survey from the James Beard Foundation, four out of five restaurant owners remain uncertain they can reopen their doors once the pandemic passes. Restaurants accounted for 60% of job losses in March—and now the total number of Americans seeking unemployment is 16.8 million. Seeing the industry reel with the challenges of operating under such strained circumstances, CardFree is dedicating its time and resources to helping businesses continue functioning within the framework of a ‘new normal,’ while controlling the experience and working directly with their customers.

Keeping both the immediate future and long game in mind, CardFree’s key differentiating services include:

• Contactless order & pay solution

• Quick implementation that also plugs into a restaurant’s existing processing systems

• Tailormade mobile integrated platform solutions that speak to each individual restaurant’s brand identity and needs

• Access to customer data and analytics to best serve patrons

• Sophisticated, easily integrated add-ons (e.g. loyalty and rewards programs, specials/offers, on- premise ordering).

“To see small businesses flailing in COVID-19’s path called for quick and significant action,” notes Jon Squire, CEO of CardFree. “We are not a multi-billion-dollar company and as a service provider to restaurants, we are feeling this pain as well. The one thing we know to do is to provide our time & technology to help hospitality businesses through this impossibly difficult time and be of service to an industry that’s been so severely impacted.”

As restaurants rapidly change their business models to comply with social-distancing and stay-at-home mandates, many have turned to contact-free solutions to continue operating. Through their contactless mobile offerings, CardFree aims to put restaurants and chefs back in the driver’s seat so they can ensure an optimal bottom line during this difficult economic period. Additionally, CardFree’s platform helps businesses have more quality control on food delivery, which has become the latest concern amongst consumers, according to a recent Eater report.

Squire further underscores CardFree’s short and long-term commitment to restaurants by emphasizing their white label partnership, which puts the restaurant’s relationship with customers, first and foremost. Secondly, CardFree’s team has worked for and enabled some of the largest brands in the space (e.g. Starbucks, Dunkin’) to become extremely successful with their digital offerings. Finally, CardFree’s team lives and breathes hospitality, and will continue to innovate as the world evolves past COVID-19, staying the course with their partners as they adjust to new operational guidelines.

Looking Ahead to the Future

An example of CardFree services that will have a newfound purpose in a post-COVID-19 era are Pay@Table® and on-premise ordering. Pay@Table® offers customers the ability to pay their checks whenever they are ready via their mobile devices, while on-premise mobile ordering enables consumers to easily add drinks and food to their orders at their table or to place orders via their phones versus using public kiosks. These two extensions of mobile capabilities will likely resonate with patrons seeking to minimize contact with elements of ordering and paying (e.g. signing bills with pens used by strangers, tapping on iPads or other devices when paying).

In a period of great strife for small business, CardFree merely seeks to provide a form of defense for restaurants and chefs looking to survive the crisis.

“We reached out to CardFree after seeing a social media post offering assistance to small businesses like ours,” says Justin Vallely, owner, chief technologist of Denver-based The Empourium Brewing Company, CardFree’ first ever craft brewery customer. “Not only did they build a tremendous online store for us in under two weeks, they did so at no cost to us. Their generosity and genuine desire to help the little guy has been so heartwarming.”

ABOUT CARDFREE

CardFree provides the only integrated solution to mobilize and enhance the customer experience for maximum ROI. Our award-winning platform provides end-to-end services to engage consumers with offers, loyalty, order ahead and payments. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company has been recognized as a “Fierce 15” company by Fierce Wireless, as having the Best Mobile Merchant Platform by Frost & Sullivan and as Best Mobile Start-up by the MEA Awards. For more information please visit www.cardfree.com or contact info@cardfree.com.

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For PR/media inquiries, please contact:

Meghan Patke/Daphne Barahona

Modern Currency PR

meghan@moderncurrencypr.com/ daphne@moderncurrencypr.com

323.377.7210

Bruz Beers Delivers: New Beers For Spring and Quarantine Trivia Night

Like many others in our community, we’ve been trying to keep up and adapt to what’s becoming the new normal. We’ve appreciated the support that has been shown since this all started happening, and we value the connection that we have with our community. It’s been tough to not be able to cheers with you all in person, but we value the safety and health of our community and are committed to serving you our beer in the safest possible way.

While we’ve been trying to quickly adapt to the ever-changing landscape over the past few weeks, we haven’t stopped creating and producing new beers for all to enjoy. In this past month, we have already released two beers and have more coming up.

What’s Currently Available

• Little Easy - Little Easy delivers real Belgian IPA character in a session-strength beer that is easy drinking and full of flavor. Have one, or several. Little Easy is a great beer to spend the evening with! 5.1% ABV

• Bee Bop de Miel - Bee Bop de Miel is a saison style beer made with over 200lbs Cipo Uva Brazillian honey. We fell in love with this delicate honey when Bee K'onscious Honey brought us some samples a couple months ago. It translates into this light and delicate bier de miel so well. It's a fairly dry bier but gives just the lightest touch of that delicate floral honey character, and surprisingly drinkable at 7.5% ABV

Upcoming Releases

• Golden Oak Barrel-Aged Tripel - We also finished bottling up our Golden Oak Barrel-Aged Tripel. Two versions - aged in Bourbon barrels or Port-finish barrels. Bourbon and oak notes dominate the nose and the flavor profile is richly malty with notes of honey, vanilla and whiskey. Finishes long and dry with complex spice and fruit layers. ABV 9.2% Look for these to be released soon — we’ll only have it available in very limited quantities.

• Two Collaboration Fest Beers - We created two Collaboration Fest beers with two different breweries. Although the Fest itself has been cancelled, we will still be sharing these special beers with you. Stay tuned for exciting news regarding these beers and their releases soon.

Our (New) Cans

The special COVID-19 version of 16 oz cans have been a hit! Come grab a single can or even a four pack of some of our favorite beers and enjoy them at home. We are all surviving this together, so you may as well have a keepsake afterwards.

• Dawg Daze IPA — A true Belgian-style IPA. It brings together rich Belgian malts, a lively Belgian yeast and a feisty blend of Goldings, Amarillo, Citra and Simcoe hops for a bold and harmonious IPA that will leave you longing for more! 7.4% ABV

• Serenite Grand Cru — Our Silver Medal Winner GABF 2019 - Deep amber in color, a nose of malt, fruit and a touch of smoke. Taste notes of brown sugar, plums, grapes, cherries, raisins, coriander and chocolate. Medium-full bodied with a long, dry fruity finish. 13.2% ABV

• Solange Belgian-style Blond Ale — Sparkling, effervescent and dry, Solange is lively and full-flavored, with unsurpassed drinkability. Solange is a Belgian-style Blond Ale that is all about big flavor in a golden session ale- 5.8% ABV

Virtual Events - Trivia Night!

Once again we are coming at you with a Quarantine Trivia Night from the comfort of your own home! Grab your favorite drink, put on your PJs and a pen & paper, and enjoy 6 rounds of Trivia! This is free!! Simply go to the Bruz Beers Facebook page, click on videos, and wait for the fun to begin at 7pm.

We’re Now Offering Free Home Delivery Every Friday!

• Delivery — We are offering a weekly delivery service to your front steps. All orders received by 7 am on Fridays will be delivered on Friday. Weekly delivery will commence every Friday so get your orders in and we will bring badassery to your doorstep! Must live within 15 miles of the brewery or reside in the Golden area. $50 minimum for free delivery. Thank you for your support during the virus shutdown. Please tip your driver directly.

• Brewery Pick Up — We are open daily 3p-7p at the main brewery for to-go orders and walk up service.

• Bruz Off Fax — We have consolidated our team to the main brewery, and unfortunately will not be offering walk up service at Bruz Off Fax at this time. You can take advantage of our delivery service though! We look forward to having beers again on the amazing patio there soon.

You can now order our beers online here.

We look forward to opening our taprooms as soon as we can, and enjoying beers with you all!

— The Bruz Beers Crew

Beer Drive-Thru, Live Virtual Cellar Tastings, and Flatten The Curve Virtual Race at Ponysaurus Brewing

As we’re adapting to the new circumstances that have become our new normal, we are heartbroken to have to suspend service in our taproom. However, the health and wellbeing of our guests and staff is of the utmost importance to us — and we look forward to pouring for you when we are able to reopen.

The COVID-19 epidemic has forced us to take an honest look at our beliefs, and we believe that self-quarantining practices are best for our staff and our community. In other words, we want you to stay home, but if you have to restock your shelves, we encourage you to do it responsibly.

While our taproom services are closed, we are dedicated to continuing to supply beer in the safest manner possible. We’ve implemented a Beer Drive-Thru program and have been working closely with wholesale accounts that are supplying bottle shops, grocery stores, and restaurant take-out menus.

Continuing to purchase goods from local businesses will ensure that we have the opportunity to welcome you back to the taproom in the future.

Cold Beer is Just a Drive-Thru Away!

We are committed to serving our community beer in the safest manner possible while complying to the stay at home order - you don't even leave your vehicle. Simply order beer (online or call), drive over, pop your trunk, & *bam* you've got delicious beer! Right before we place your beer order in your trunk, each pack is dunked in a sanitation bath that is 100% food safe and certified to kill COVID-19. 1-6pm, 7 days a week. Click here to browse our Beer Drive-Thru menu!

A Special Set From Our Cellar

The already complex and nuanced flavors of our Reserve Ale amplify over time, which is why we cellared a limited number of our 22oz bottles, waiting for the perfect occasion to release them. This stressful, isolating, upside-down month seems like the perfect time to share an extra-special beer experience (separately but together).

Each Set Includes:

• 3 Vintages of Reserve Ale 22oz Bottles: 2016, 2017, & 2018

• 3 12oz Glass Tulips

• Live Virtual Tastings hosted by our Cellarmaster & Director of Production

• Our gratitude for your support of Ponysaurus Brewing Co.!

Flatten the Curve Virtual Race

Keep social distancing, run, and support our employees! Register for the Flatten the Curve Virtual Race by April 20th to run a 5k or a 19k during the month of April. All registered participants will receive a race shirt & pint glass. And 100% of proceeds from this race will be given to participating breweries. Make sure to join the Ponysaurus Brewing Co. 'team' when you register to directly benefit our employees. Click here to register!

Along with those initiatives, we’re also doing various virtual events, including Beer Chats — be sure to check our social media and join in on our various events.

Please stay safe out there, and sign up for our newsletter to receive updates!

— The Ponysaurus Team

Perrin Brewing Offers Digital No Rules Day and Fresh Releases To-Go

The first quarter of 2020 has been one of Perrin Brewing's most innovative periods ever. During this challenging time, the brewery is able to offer fresh beer to go through the Perrin Pub; and earlier this month, they were able to adjust their annual No Rules Day Event, a celebration of the sought-after No Rules Imperial Vietnamese Porter, to a one-day-only online ordering format, which saw great results. Through safe, socially distanced methods, Perrin is dedicated to providing their neighbors in the Comstock Park area and throughout the state of Michigan with innovative liquid craftsmanship. The brewery's newly released brews and springtime offerings include the following:

Low Rise IPA (4% ABV, Year-Round):

Low Rise IPA is boldly hop-forward and brightly aromatic thanks to a generous amount of piney Sultana hops and citrusy, tropical Citra hops. At only 100 calories and 2g carbs per 12 oz. serving, it's the perfect fit for those seeking a low-calorie adult beverage with full flavor.

Lake Time Tea (5% ABV, Year-Round):

Being on Lake Time means freedom from the clock. No agendas, schedules or deadlines - just the water, sun and sky. Made for enjoying after a run, hike, water-skiing or lounging on the beach, Lake Time is only 120 calories. Any time can be Lake Time with Perrin's Lake Time Hard Iced Tea.

Grapefruit IPA (5% ABV, Seasonal Release):

Grapefruit IPA returns for the season as juicy and citrusy as ever; now in a redesigned package. The new can features fresh, bright grapefruit slices on a modern matte white background. With aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, a delicate tartness and a sweet, malty backbone ending in a clean finish, Grapefruit IPA was the first IPA of its kind and remains Michigan's summertime refresher.

Call Me Hazy - Juicy IPA (7.5% ABV, Rotating IPA Release, Call Me Hazy Series):

Call Me Hazy - Juicy IPA is a juiced up IPA packed full of intense hops for a hazy, complex brew with a bright finish. The brew kicks off Perrin's new rotating Call Me Hazy IPA series, which will allow Perrin's brewers to explore the breadth and depth of hop flavor.

Northern Dream IPA (7% ABV, Limited Release, Side Hustle Series):

Northern Dream is brewed with vast amounts of intense, flavorful and resinous hops. The hop-forward, dank, piney flavor evokes a dreamy walk through deep woods. No matter where you reside in Michigan, you'll be transported Up North with every sip of Northern Dream IPA.

Pick up these beers and more at the Perrin Pub today, now serving packaged beer and delicious food to go. Click here to view the menu, then call the Pub at 616-551-1957 to order, pay and arrange a pickup time. The above brews are also available at fine craft beer sellers throughout the state of Michigan. Please direct questions to Lindsey VanDenBoom at lindsey@perrinbrewing.com.

About Perrin Brewing Company

Established in 2012, Perrin Brewing Company is a young and rapidly growing craft brewery based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Perrin is committed to crafting high-quality and consistent brews and has garnered a loyal local following and a strong reputation for its unique beers. The brewery has won numerous awards including "The World's Top New Beer Release of 2015" by RateBeer for its No Rules Vietnamese Porter. Through the 2015 partnership with CANarchy, Perrin has experienced exponential growth among package offerings, out-of-state distribution and an increase to over 25,000 barrels of production.

Silver City Brewery Announces "Ziggy for All" Initiative, Benefiting Big Table and Central Kitsap Food Bank

It has been nearly a month since the COVID-19 pandemic radically changed the lives of everyone in the Pacific Northwest for the foreseeable future. In that time, the people of Washington State have demonstrated great strength, courage, and responsibility towards keeping each other as safe and healthy as possible. We are deeply proud to be Washingtonians, and part of the Washington Beer community.

While we still face many challenges, the outpouring of support that we've received towards our staff and industry partners has been truly remarkable, and we're excited to share a new initiative that will benefit those in our community that have been financially impacted the hardest by the pandemic, while providing a top-notch, affordable craft beer option to our customers.

Silver City Brewery is proud to unveil #ZiggyForAll. Here’s the details:

• Now available exclusively at our Taproom in Bremerton, we will feature a weekly case sale on 16oz tall-boy cans of Ziggy Zoggy Lager, 24 cans for $24.99.

• For each case of Ziggy Zoggy 16oz cans sold, $10 will be donated to one of two charities, rotating weekly.

This week’s non-profits:

• For Kitsap County, we've partnered with the Central Kitsap Food Bank. Since 1989, the Central Kitsap Food Bank have been leaders in providing sustenance to families in need, in our home community.

• For the Greater Seattle area, we've partnered with Big Table. Big Table cares for the restaurant and hospitality industry by building community around shared meals and caring for those in crisis, transition, or falling through the cracks. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Table has shown great leadership in providing resources to our service industry partners who have been furloughed or laid off during this period of social distancing.

Our vision statement at Silver City Brewery is anchored by the phrase, "Beer for One, Beer for All." As a brewery, we seek to provide high quality and innovative craft beer experiences on the individual level (beer for one), as a means of enriching the lives of our community, teammates, and customers alike (beer for all).

The "Ziggy for All" initiative is an opportunity for us to put these values into practice as a means of caring for our community, while continuing to serve our customers quality craft beer at an affordable price.

For more information, visit www.silvercitybrewery.com.

Urban South Brewery Pivots from Beer to Hand Sanitizer Amid Nationwide Shortage

Urban South Brewery, the largest craft brewery in New Orleans, recently won a bid to produce 50,000 eight ounce bottles of hand sanitizer for the State of Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Through extensive research and outreach, Urban South was able to identify and partner with other Louisiana manufacturers to secure the raw materials necessary to take on this project. Orders for hand sanitizer have exceeded 120,000 bottles from local hospitals, grocery stores, nursing homes and other small businesses. 

"In such unfamiliar and challenging times, it's important for us to support other businesses impacted by this crisis and support our community in a time of need," said Jacob Landry, founder of Urban South Brewery. "This is a unique opportunity to keep our team employed and working while meeting a critical need in the community that has supported us for the last four years." 

Rather than only remaining in their typical operations, Urban South employees will use their beer production and packaging skills to instead bottle hand sanitizer amid the nationwide shortage. This means that both front of house and back of house employees will remain fully employed due to this new pivot. Businesses or healthcare agencies interested in placing wholesale orders for hand sanitizer can contact the brewery at info@urbansouthbrewery.com.

To serve the community in a responsible manner during city-wide closures of bars and restaurants, Urban South Brewery is open for to-go beer sales only until further notice. Fans can place orders online and pick up beer at the Tchoupitoulas Street taproom from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

Urban South Brewery will also be hosting various virtual events to stay connected with our community — be sure to head over Facebook to take a gander at what’s coming up in the pipeline.

About Urban South Brewery 

Founded in 2016, Urban South Brewery inspires community and fellowship through the gospel of good beer. With deep roots in Louisiana and a new satellite location in Texas, Urban South - HTX, the award-winning brewery is making its mark in the beer industry. Recent accolades include: 2020 Beer Army Awards (Gold and Silver), 2019 U.S. Beer Open Championships (Silver), 2019 Best of Craft Beer Awards (Bronze), 2019 Beer Army Awards (Gold and Silver), 2018 US Beer Open (Silver), 2018 Can Can Awards (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and 2018 Beer Army Awards (Gold). Urban South prides itself on being strong community partners, and - with a belief that beer is a family affair - the brewery features a family-friendly taproom. For more information, please visit www.UrbanSouthBrewery.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest information on events and new releases. @urbansouthbeer @urbansouth_htx

Four Saints Brewing Company Maintains Community Connection in Asheboro, NC

Photo courtesy Four Saints Brewing Company

Five-year-old Four Saints Brewing Company is the first and only brewery in Randolph County, a rural county in the heart of North Carolina. We opened our doors just a few years after the town legalized any form of alcohol sales after being dry for decades. Needless to say, it quickly became the go-to gathering place for all generations and both locals and visitors.

Through partnerships, the brewery honors local traditions — such as ceramic mugs that belong to our brewery’s regulars were turned in nearby Seagrove, an internationally renowned pottery community.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the brewery has adjusted its gatherings to remain connected to community. Virtual concerts, happy hours and even trivia take place multiple times a week. Not to mention, the beer releases are as creative as ever, such as last week's Berliner Punch Berliner Weiss.

Here are a few ways Four Saints build their hometown connection as it adapts to the current situation and strives to be a good community citizen.

Creating a (virtual) gathering place

Since opening in May 2015, Four Saints Brewing Company has been a community gathering place in downtown Asheboro, North Carolina. From couples on date nights to families with children or dogs in tow, the brewery is the go-to spot for seeing others. During social distancing, the brewery has taken its get-togethers online.

• Having beers together, apart — We are encouraging our patrons to tag us on Facebook or Instagram while they enjoy their beers at home. Settings for virtual happy hours have ranged from bonfires and back decks to kitchens and home offices. Future virtual gatherings include Have a Beer with the Brewer and Taproom Trivia. Here’s our Facebook and Instagram links!

• Virtual Concerts — We often host live music over the weekend, so those events have become virtual concerts via Facebook. Past bands have even created virtual tip jars and split the pot with bartenders.

• #ChatNChill Series — Owner Joel McClosky kicked off a Facebook live #ChatNChill series put on by Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau. He gave some brewery history, answered questions and showed off some of the brewery's coveted pottery mugs hand turned by local Seagrove potters. The video is available here.
  

Partnering with neighboring businesses

Four Saints continually partners with restaurants, attractions, nonprofits and other local businesses. Now is no different. Every Tuesday, Four Saints serves as the pickup location for take-and-bake lasagnas and ravioli prepared by Matt Korrow of Paradigm Foods. The homemade dishes (and canned beer) may be ordered online and picked up in one spot, so customers can enjoy dinner and drinks in the comfort and safety of their homes. (Korrow prepares his food in the kitchen of a local steakhouse, so the partnership actually includes three downtown Asheboro businesses.) You can order food and beer online, ahead of time!

Online ordering and curbside pickup

Breweries are considered an essential business under North Carolina's Stay at Home order. Although the Four Saints taproom is closed for onsite consumption, the brewery has implemented online (and call-in) ordering and curbside pickup, so customers may safely and conveniently acquire their favorite beverages while making necessary errands.

• Website for online orders: https://www.foursaintsbrewing.com/store/

• Phone number for call-in orders: (336) 610-3722

• Hours for pickup: Tuesday-Friday, 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, 1-8 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.

We hope that you’ll continue to join us for some beers together apart, live music, and our #ChatNChill series!

— The Four Saints Brewing Company team

Comrade Brewing Combats COVID-19 with Beer To-Go and Delivery via Craft Alley

DENVER, CO— Comrade Brewing acted in accordance with the public health order Tuesday, shutting down dine-in service. Comrade continues to sling their award-winning beer at their South Denver tasting room, and has partnered with Craft Alley for Crowler delivery service. 

Comrade has to-go beer available from 1 to 7pm Monday through Friday, and noon to 7pm Saturday and Sunday, and will take orders over the phone for pick-up at (303) 748-0700. Craft Alley also now offers Comrade as part of their delivery service. 

To say thank you to their customers, Comrade is offering $1 off Crowlers of Superpower while supplies last, and covering the glass growler cost of all 64oz fills.

“It’s important to shop local and at family owned businesses whenever possible,” says David Lin Comrade’s Chairman and Founder. “This shutdown is unprecedented and has completely upended the hospitality industry. If you're able to, a little extra tip goes a long way.” 

Comrade continues to pay employee health insurance premiums as well as continuing vision, dental, and 401k during this time.  Bartenders are also doing extra cleaning, maintenance, painting, repairing vandalism and getting the taproom looking better than ever. 

For more information, contact David Lin at chairman@comradebrewing.com. 

ABOUT COMRADE BREWING

Launched in 2014 by David Lin and Marks Lanham, Comrade Brewing is often noted as one of Denver and Colorado’s masters of the India Pale Ale style, home of the flagship Superpower IPA. Comrade also brews the award-winning Yellow Fever Chile Beer, the Koffee Kream Extra Coffee Milk Stout, and the REDCON Irish-Style Red Ale year-round, as well an array of rotating seasonals and lots of collaboration beers with fellow brewing companies. Comrade’s trophy case now sports 5 medals from the Great American Beer Festival® and a 2016 World Beer Cup® gold award, among others. Find the brewery online at comradebrewing.com.

Follow Along Drifter Brewing Company's Captain’s Log During Their Strict 21 Day Lockdown

Our Co-Founder and Captain, Nick, video chatting with Operations Director, Carl.

While the United States is under a nation-wide shelter-in-place order, South Africa is now officially a week into a lockdown. Unlike other parts of the world, their lockdown is extremely strict. Strict may even be putting it lightly.

Residents can’t leave their houses for walks, even to walk dogs, and no alcohol is allowed to be sold anywhere, which includes supermarkets, liquor stores, and more. This also means that restaurants and cafes are completely closed, with no delivery options. The only time residents are able to leave their residence is to buy essentials, such as groceries and medicines. The country even set up police roadblocks and military patrols in neighborhoods to ensure compliancy, as people are getting fined or arrested if they aren’t out to do essential shopping. Recently, two surfers in Jeffrey’s Bay tried to go out for a paddle and were arrested.

While this does cause difficulties for Drifter Brewing Company and other breweries and small businesses in South Africa, we feel that this decision is smart and will help flatten the curve a lot quicker than what we’re seeing in other parts of the world where lockdowns aren’t as stringent.

A large consideration into enforcing the strict lockdown is how many people are already immune-compromised with TB and HIV, and how many millions are living in close proximity to one another in townships (slums) with zero running water. Coronavirus would be a massacre in these areas, which is why governments across the continent are cracking down hard.

So what have we been able to do at Drifter?

As soon as the case numbers started coming in, we realized that we would be heading down the same path as many countries already have. Because of that, we quickly adjusted from looking at less distribution to bottle shops and restaurants and more towards at-home deliveries. In light of that, we set up a Shopify site and encouraged folks to buy directly from us.

Then, we were thrown for another loop. Last Monday evening, March 23rd, we received the news that the entire nation would be going into a strict lockdown from Thursday, March 26th, at 11:59 pm that would last for 21 days. When the knowledge of no alcohol being sold was announced, we knew we had to hustle in the window of time remaining. Needless to say, that week was absolutely hectic.

“I wanted our staff to stay healthy and safe,” shares Anna Anderson, one of Drifter’s Co-Founders, “I did a majority of the deliveries myself while most of our team worked remotely besides the brew crew.”

Drifter’s next challenge was what to do about the brewery with none of us being able to go in physically as this isn’t classified as essential work and we’re not allowed to leave our houses unless we’re deemed in one those industries. We need someone there to check tanks, top-up electricity (which is on a pay as you go system here in South Africa), and generally make sure things are okay at our location for the three weeks of lockdown.

While we were scrambling after hearing the news of the 21 day lockdown, Nick, our co-founder and captain of the Drifter ship, was overseas for business. He flew back to South Africa on that Thursday, just a mere six hours before the borders were completely closed. He’s now self-quarantines at Drifter, which solves our problem of finding someone to check on everything.

But does that mean he’ll spend the 21 days alone in the brewery? That’s to be determined. In light of this, we’ve started a YouTube series about his adventures of his daily activities — including building a swing from the eye beam — and documenting it all in his Captain’s Log.

“In terms of looking ahead, the only thing we can control right now is social media,” says Anna, “So we're trying our best to keep the brand and spirit alive while we take the daily and weekly knock of no sales.”

— The Drifter Brewing Company crew

Strange Craft Beer Company Releases Its First Canned Beer: Strange Times

DENVER, CO— The immense amount of support the craft community has shown to one another is heartwarming and shows the strong spirit of the industry. Strange Craft Beer Company is able release their first canned beer, aptly named Strange Times, as a direct result of the kindness and generosity of friends in the industry.

Strange Times is a Baltic Porter barrel-aged for three months in a Kentucky Wheated Bourbon barrel provided by Argonaut Wine & Liquor. The resulting beer stands up well to the sweet floral and bold vanilla notes of t he bourbon barrel, coupled with hits of spice and cinnamon as it finishes. Strange Times will be a very limited release of 750 cans.

Heres’s how it all came together with the help of our special community. Strange Craft’s own Dave Palmer designed the tongue-in-cheek artwork featured on the inaugural cans. The cans were provided and filled by Codi Manufacturing, a Colorado canning line manufacturer who generously offered to can beers for front range breweries after the breweries were suddenly shut down as part of the COVID19 stay at home order.

The Baltic Porter recipe is a collaboration between Strange Craft and Freetail Brewing of San Antonio, Texas. This batch was initially brewed for the Colorado Brewers Guild’s 7th Collaboration Festival, which has been cancelled due to the current pandemic.

Tim Myers, Strange Craft’s head brewer shares, "We brewed a seven barrel batch, but only put four barrels in Rye Whiskey barrels that had just held Freetail's award-winning La Muerta Imperial Stout. I had all this extra Baltic Porter that we were just going to tap when Argonaut's James Fisher called me about a Kentucky Wheated Whiskey barrel he had just received. His timing was perfect, and we filled it the next day."

As it says on the label, "In these unprecedented times, it is important that we not lose sight of what is most important - family, friends, and neighbors. We must support one another, because only together can we overcome this challenging ordeal." Strange Craft is honored to participate in this limited release collaboration with Argonaut because they’ve consistently been supportive of Strange Craft.

You can find Strange Times only at Argonaut Wine & Liquor and the Strange Craft taproom for to-go sales starting April 2nd. But at 750 cans, this special release won't last long!

ABOUT STRANGE CRAFT BEER CO.

When Strange Craft Beer Co. opened south of Denver’s Mile High Stadium in May 2010, it was the first nanobrewery in the city brewing one barrel of beer at a time. Strange has since become a destination spot for Colorado beer drinkers, and taken home multiple Great American Beer Festival® medals and World Beer Cup® awards. Late in 2017, Strange Craft joined forces with Wit’s End Brewing Company to create Denver’s first co-tasting room. Both brands are brewed on Strange Craft’s now 10BBL brewhouse and served at Strange Craft’s original (now shared) space on Zuni Street. Learn more at strangecraft.com.