Bob Pease, CEO/president of the Brewers Association — the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers — looks at key activities for American craft beer and brewers in February
We’ve a busy month ahead for American craft beer, kicking off this Sunday with a great excuse to sample brews from across the pond — while experiencing the Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Super Bowl is America’s most iconic sporting spectacle, and 2019 marks the conclusion of the 100th season. Like the Super Bowl, American craft beer is also iconic, having been credited with starting the craft beer revolution that is sweeping the world today.
There’s no doubting the success of the American craft beer industry in just a few short decades, and one of the key reasons for its success is proximity to the freshest examples of highly sought-after hop varieties. Fresh and well taken care of raw materials make for better beer, and by visiting the hop fields and selecting the varieties themselves, American craft brewers are able to develop flavour profiles in beer that are difficult to match without the same level of control.
Combine quality and freshness of raw materials with brewing expertise and it’s easy to see why American craft beer is renowned for quality the world over, borne out by the number of medals and top honours American brews win at high-profile international beer competitions.
Later in February, Dr J Nikol Jackson-Beckham, the Brewers Association’s Diversity Ambassador, will make her debut appearance in the UK with the keynote speech at Cloudwater’s Friends, Family and Beer Festival, on February 21 and 22. in Manchester. In the States, her role is to visit state guilds and the craft brewing community, talking about best practices for diversifying both customer and staff bases.
At the Brewers Association, we believe craft beer is for everyone and continue to be proactive in advancing diversity and inclusion. Keynoting the Industry Expo of the Friends, Family and Beer Festival will be Dr J’s first speech in the UK.
The Brewers Association Export Development Programme will be conducting a series of masterclass tastings at the BrewLDN Festival, London, from February 27 to 29, comprising a range of high quality, innovative, and full-flavoured American craft beers, presented by our American craft beer ambassador for Europe, Lotte Peplow, and several American craft brewers who have travelled over for the Show. (Timings are 8pm-8.45pm on the Friday, and 1.30pm-2.15pm on the Saturday.)
The UK is an important trading partner for American craft brewers and represents the second largest export market (after Canada), with 16.6% of all exports. American craft beer is available on tap in pubs, bars, and clubs, and from major supermarkets, independent retailers, bottle shops, and online retailers.
Only a few days remain to secure early bird registration for the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in San Antonio, Texas, from April 19-22 (register before February 6). There’s more info and registration details at craftbrewersconference.com/
And if you’re a keen beer and food lover, tickets for SAVOR, An American Craft Beer and Food Experience in Washington, DC, on May 15, go on sale on February 19. There’s more info at savorcraftbeer.com/
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts.
The BA represents 4,000-plus US breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers.
The BA organises events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week.
The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine, and Brewers Publications is the largest publisher of brewing literature in the US.
Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru mobile app.
