Found this on the BII website

http://www.bii.org/topical/2012_olympics

Last Wednesday saw the official launch of the two new beers that Dunscar Brewery are producing to help raise money for the Nat Lofthouse Memorial Fund.

Defensive duo David Wheater and Tim Ream, along with Club Chairman Phil Gartside, called into the Bleachworks members’ bar to help pour the first pints of ‘Lofthouse’ and ‘Lion of Vienna’.

25p from every pint sold of Lofthouse (ABV 4.1 percent) and Lion of Vienna (ABV 4.4 percent) will be donated to the Memorial Fund.

The two ales will be sold at over 120 pubs in the local area, including the Brewhouse and the Bleachworks members’ bar. They will also be available on a home matchday in the Lion of Vienna Suite at the Reebok Stadium.

Aside from the launch of two beers, the brewery also held an auction, which raised in excess of £6,500 to be donated towards the Fund.

Club Chaplain Phil Mason said: “It was an excellent evening enjoyed by everyone, which remembered and celebrated all that was great about Nat.

“The evening has given a huge boost to the Nat Lofthouse Memorial Fund and helped us move closer to creating a fitting statue to the great man.

“Thanks must go to Dunscar Bridge Brewery for all their commitment to supporting the fund with two new beers and for organising an excellent evening.”

Article Taken from Bolton Wonderers FC

A consumer group is campaigning for the government to cut ‘crippling’ beer taxes, which it blames for more than 300 pubs calling time in the last six months.

According to new figures from the Campaign for Real Ale, Lancashire was by far the hardest-hit county, with 68 closures in the six months from September to March. Three closed their doors in Manchester and 16 in Cheshire.

Camra said more than 33,000 consumers have now signed a national e-petition calling for an end to above-inflation beer tax increases in response to a 42 per cent increase in duty since 2008.

It is lobbying to force a parliamentary debate on the issue, which it says is causing great damage to communities across the country.

Chief executive Mike Benner said: “A threat to the future of traditional pubs is also a threat to countless social groups within Britain that thrive because of their local.

“Unsustainable beer tax increases by the government are ripping the heart out of community centres.”

Nationally, pubs are closing at the rate of 12 a week – eight in suburban areas and four in rural areas.

But city centre high street pubs are performing better, with just six closures in six months.

John Walker, chairman of the Blackpool-based Federation of Small Businesses, added: “It isn’t just beer taxes that are crippling our pubs. One of the biggest problems is that tenanted pubs are paying over-inflated prices for beer and excessive rent imposed on them by the pub companies that own them.”

He called on the government to commission a review of self-regulation of the pub industry.

Stop the beer duty escalator - click here to sign the e-petition

The Campaign For Real Ale (Camra) says 12 pubs are closing across England, Scotland and Wales every week.

The consumer group says the figure, up to the end of March 2012, is a drop on its previous findings. Despite the fall, Camra is concerned about the number of suburban and rural pubs shutting for good.

“It’s encouraging to see it slowing down but behind that figure we’ve seen 4,500 pubs close since 2008,” said Camra’s Chief Executive Mike Benner.

“It’s certainly not good news.” ’Unaffordable activity’

It blames the rate of closures on the recession, the tax on beer being too high and supermarkets selling alcohol cheaply.

“Going to the pub is increasingly becoming an unaffordable activity,” said Mike. “A third of the price of every pint you buy is now taxation. Excise duty on beer has increased by 42% since 2008.”

Camra wants to see a halt on above-inflation beer tax increases and has launched an e-petition.

The Government says they are taking action to support pubs.

“We have doubled small business rate relief for two and a half years, which gives up to 100% rate relief for small firms including pubs.” said Communities Minister Bob Neill.

They also say they’re tackling the cheap deals offered by supermarkets. There are currently plans to introduce a minimum price of 40 pence per unit of alcohol in England and Wales.

Similar proposals are being considered by the Scottish Parliament.

That could see the end of multibuy or buy one get one free deals.

However, it’s unlikely any minimum pricing introduction would substantially reduce the gap between buying a beer in store and buying a pint in a pub.

A piece on Acorn Brewery on BBC Radio Sheffield here covering their Juibilee ale God Save The Queen. It is about 2hrs 10mins (12.10pm) into the show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00qgp5y

With fewer than four months to go until entries open for The International Brewing Awards 2013, two brewers from opposite ends of the world have been given an advance free entry to the competition after winning recent prize draws held by organisers Brewing Technology Services.

The Warwickshire Beer Company, based in Leamington Spa, won its entry at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) conference last month, while The Swan Brewery of Perth, Australia – part of the Lion beverage and food company – struck lucky at the Asia Pacific Convention in Melbourne. Both win entry for one beer into the competition, which is judged in Burton-upon-Trent next February.

Jerry Lewitt, director of The Warwickshire Beer Company said, “We’re delighted to have won an entry into this, our first international beer competition. Our beers have been well-received in domestic contests, with Duck Soup bitter winning a Gold Award from SIBA, so we’re excited to be taking this next step and putting our beers up against those from brewers around the world.”

Entries to The International Brewing Awards officially open on 1st August this year. The entries from Warwickshire Beer and from Swan are the first of the 800-plus expected, based on the last competition, held in 2011.

Ruth Evans, director of Brewing Technology Services, said, “We’re delighted to welcome these first two entrants to the International Brewing Awards, both of them new to the competition. Judging by the interest already expressed by many brewers around the world, we’re confident that many more will follow as soon as entries open.

“We’re anticipating an uplift in the number of entries compared to last year, but it’s more important to maintain the competition’s diversity, both in the styles of beer entered and in the countries represented, which is broader than most international beer awards. Last time, we received entries from brewers in more than 40 countries, representing a wonderful array of beer styles.”

She added, “One of the strengths of our competition is its open structure, which allows judges to assess beers not on tightly-defined guidelines but on the use of ingredients, integration of tastes, aromas and perceptions of quality. Brewers who innovate or interpret styles in their own way are therefore not disadvantaged and indeed we welcome entries from interesting and unusual beers.”

The entry fee for the International Brewing Awards has been kept the same as for the 2011 competition at £150 (+VAT at UK rate) per beer. Also retained from 2011 is the duty suspension, meaning that no brewer will have to pay duty on beers they submit to the competition. Brewers can register their interest in the competition and receive an entry form after 1st August, via the Awards website: www.brewingawards.org

A number of sponsors for the 2013 Awards have been confirmed: AB Vickers; Murphy & Son; BFBi, Institute of Brewing & Distilling; New Zealand Hops; Simply Hops; Anton Paar; Micro Matic; British Guild of Beer Writers; drink Technology + Marketing; All Party Parliamentary Beer Group; Publican’s Morning Advertiser; Briggs; M F Refrigeration; National Brewery Centre and Rankin Brothers & Sons. The Japan Craft Beer Association is once again a partner to the event and will encourage its members to enter.

Boulder, CO – The Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries—today released its annual lists of the top 50 craft and overall brewing companies in the U.S., based on 2011 beer sales volume. Of the top 50 overall brewing companies, 36 are small and independent craft brewing companies.

“In the last 15 years, craft brewing has gone from one percent of the overall beer market to almost six percent in 2011,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “We attribute a large part of that growth to the many talented brewers who are providing beer lovers with more beer style and flavor choices than ever before.”

http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/media/press-releases/show?title=brewers-association-releases-top-50-breweries-in-2011

Truro’s independent and family run Skinner’s Brewery is celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee by creating a new ale.

‘Royal Wave’ will be available nationwide throughout May until the end of the Jubilee bank holiday. It is a hoppy and fruity golden ale with ABV 4.4%.

Skinner’s characteristic cartoon artwork on the labeling realises a play on words. As opposed to waving to her people as the name indicates, the Queen is here portrayed surfing with dignity in full regal attire on a Cornish wave. She is not alone – a trusty corgi is also in attendance on her shortboard.

Chief Executive Steve Skinner is proud of this special product.

“’Royal Wave’ is Skinner’s original way of celebrating the Queen’s reign. The beer is a really lovely summer ale that is perfect to toast the Sovereign with. The artwork that we’ve developed for the beer is unique and brings a little Cornish humour to the celebration.”

The artwork is created by Nick Beringer and Stuart Thorn and the name of the beer was selected through an in-house competition. Pat Sargeant, a tour guide with the brewery, came up with the fitting name.

For more information on Skinner’s Brewery please visit www.skinnersbrewery.com