Tag: Denizens Brewing

International Women’s Day

A little news on International Women’s day and the Year of the Woman!

It has been a while since the last post, but hopefully it was worth the wait. Today is International Women’s Day, and it seemed like the most appropriate time to share what is certainly going to be an auspicious Year of the Woman!

Suffragettes marching for support of the right to vote

2020 (August 18) recognizes the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, and the passage of the 19th Amendment leally granting women in the United States the right to vote.  In January, Denizens (a women –owned brewery) honored this milestone with a collaboration of women brewers in Maryland coming together to create a suffragette stout. This delicious chocolate stout honors those women that came before and fought for civil rights we enjoy today.  Many collaboration brews are ongoing among women in the brewing industry to create brews that celebrate the Year of the Woman.

Brewers Association of Maryland, Winter Warmer Showcase

FeBREWary brought the annual celebratory month for Maryland crafted beer, and the iconic Cupid’s Curse competition at the Winter Warmer showcase. What a tasty competition it was, on Valentine’s Day nonetheless, with chocolate and cherry creating a heavenly stir.  

FeBREWary also saw the third incarnation of the Baltimore Beer Babes Calendar photo shoot, where women from various sectors of the industry in Baltimore came together to raise money for Kennedy Krieger by making a calendar. This annual calendar was the brainchild of Mahaffey’s proprietress Alice Kistner. This year the event was hosted by Checkerspot Brewing Company owner Judy Neff. Calendars will be sold later this spring with many signing opportunities at Mahaffey’s and other locales, with all proceeds sent to Kennedy Krieger.

Trying to live up to Mary’s expectations!

Now that March has settled in warmly, it was also time to delve deeply into the past for two historical beer recreations with Judy Neff at Checkerspot Brewing. The first is a 200 year old special occasion recipe from a very particular woman brewer named Mary, who thought poorly made beer was pernicious. March was the time of year to brew beer due to climate and conditions necessary. It was a labor of love patience, and arm strength. It will rest for two years before serving. After that, it remains an extremely high quality ale that can be stored for eight years! It’s just that good….

Working with Judy Neff in a little more “modern” setup for the legalization brew

Next up is something that will be celebrated much sooner- on April 7- a legalization brew. This historical gem is a recreation of a beer crafted by an extremely talented Irish Brewer. This triple-hopped Baltimore original was consumed minutes after midnight by H.L. Mencken at the Rennert Hotel, when 3.2% beer was legal for the first time after 13 dry years of the failed experiment known as Prohibition.  Although the Women’s Christian Temperance Union led the charge toward Prohibition in the late 19th century, it was also women- many Maryland women- that helped lead us out.

A Crusader for Repeal

Release parties for both brews will of course be held at Checkerspot with much revelry and lots of historical tidbits to share!

Be sure to come on down to the Spot to check out these and many well-crafted brews!

It is International Women’s Day in Year of the Woman after all, and there is much to celebrate and enjoy, so stay tuned!

Small Business Saturday, Football and Beer

Tis the holiday season, a time for gatherings and gratitude, and yes sometimes gifts. We are all familiar with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday and a host of other days I am certain I have lost track of. This strange tradition is rooted in quite a lot of myth and misinformation, and dare I say fun. No I will not argue the merits of getting up at 4 am to catch a fantastic bargain on snow blowers or video game consoles or even a rare bottle of Westvleteren 12, but making a go of it with one (or some of) your favorite people can turn into an adventure that can last an entire day, and memories that last a lifetime. Perhaps that is one of the very reasons we engage in these shenanigans in the first place. Or perhaps it all started with football.

Annually in the 1950’s the Army Navy game would be held in Philadelphia the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Friday after Thanksgiving was a time when hordes of tourists and suburban shoppers flooded the streets of Philly in anticipation of the game, and a little retail therapy with utter pandemonium ensuing. Every police officer was required to work overtime to deal with the fallout. It was the Philly Police that actually dubbed it Black Friday. By the 1980’s the term was rebranded by retailers to denote the official start of the holiday shopping season with big sales, and even bigger profits- removing the influence of the Army Navy game which has since been moved to December. Taking a look at any annual sales report will demonstrate how very successful this rebranding has been. 30% of annual retail sales take place in the month between Black Friday and Christmas. According to the National Retail Federation an average Black Friday shopper spends over $1,000! Incredible really. This is a retailer’s golden hour to turn a profit.

Black-Friday-Old-Days

So, what does all of this have to do with beer? Quite a bit. I was gently reminded by a Brewers Association of Maryland post recently that breweries are small businesses too. Of course I knew that, but many think of breweries as manufacturing entities- often disconnecting the ‘small business’ side that could benefit from the holiday shopping season from the industry they are categorized by. The more than 6 dozen breweries in Maryland. Almost all have a taproom, and benefit from the direct brewery sales, but they also benefit from the 3rd tier retail shopping that takes place at package stores across the state. Like other small brick and mortar businesses in Maryland they are looking to the post-Thanksgiving crowd to help boost their sales, recognition and profitability.

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Diamondback Brewing samplers

 

This year America has had a resurgence in consumer confidence- and spending. The National Federation of Independent Businesses has reported an optimism in the economy that we haven’t seen in years, promoting greater capital investment in small businesses, and an increase in hiring to meet the anticipated demand. This is all fabulous, but there is much for breweries and all small businesses to contend with. Breweries comprise an industry that is capital intensive. The equipment costs can be astronomical. Profitability for breweries has webbed and flowed over the decades, sometimes suffering from hop shortages, and more recently aluminum tariffs. Greg Kitsock of the BA just published an in depth look at the rising cost of aluminum and its impact on craft breweries. Now, most of us wouldn’t mind paying $1 more per 6-pack for our favorite craft beer if it meant the extra shelf life that aluminum cans provide. Competition is tightening however in the craft beer market, and for some folks $1 or $2 might make a difference at the checkout counter through no fault of their own.

Small businesses are the backbone of Maryland’s economy, creating jobs, building communities, and supplying tax dollars to pay for important and necessary services from schools to transportation to critical infrastructure. We all need small businesses, and breweries are immensely important to each and every neighborhood they operate within. A purchase from a local brewery or business is an investment in your community. I ask you all to bear that in mind this and every season.

Pink boots at Denizens Brewing
Gentlemen’s drinks at Hysteria

Now even though Small Business Saturday and Black Friday have passed, get out of the house and go shopping at a small local retailer, preferably with your favorite person/s and don’t forget to make a stop at the nearby brewery. I can guarantee you the service will be friendly, and you are sure to make lasting memories.

Cheers!

P.S. Don’t forget to tune into the Army Navy game on December 8th (preferably at your local brewery) after all they started this adventure in shopping!

Go Navy!

MLK/BAM Update

January 15, 2018
Today is a doubly good day indeed. First and foremost, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was born on this day in 1929. Dr. King forged a path of non-violence at a provocative and difficult time in American history that literally changed the world. That is no small feat. His message of unity and equality have become a part of the fabric of our society.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

This is one message that has personally resonated with me. Everyone will have a different takeaway from Dr. King. Think about his message. Take a moment today and ruminate on Dr. King and his legacy, and perhaps raise a glass to this incredible humanitarian and the gifts he has given to civilization!

Secondly I want to take a moment to share with you the results of the Brewer’s Association of Maryland election for the 2018 Board of Directors. On January 14, 2018 the following Board was chosen:

• President: Cindy Mullikin, Mully’s Brewery – Prince Frederick, Calvert Co.
• Vice-President: Tom Knorr, Evolution Craft Brewing – Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
• Treasurer: Phil Bowers, Brewer’s Alley – Frederick, Frederick Co.
• Secretary: Brett Snyder, Waredaca Brewing – Laytonsville, Montgomery Co.
• At-Large: Hugh Sisson, Heavy Seas – Halethorpe, Baltimore Co.
• At-Large: Adam Benesch, Union Craft Brewing – Baltimore City
• At-Large: Julie Verratti, Denizens Brewing – Silver Spring, Montgomery Co.

Cindy Mullikin may not be a name everyone is familiar with, but they soon will be. Mullikin is a strong, business savvy, no-nonsense, straight shooter. She is measured certainly, but has no trouble speaking up for the Brewers Association of Maryland, and understands how to negotiate the best path moving forward. In such uncertain times as these for Maryland breweries, she is poised to lead. I have absolutely no doubt she will navigate this treacherous path with clarity, and sound judgement. She will persevere for BAM.

Complimenting Mullikin’s ascent is Tom Knorr of Evolution. Knorr’s experience with BAM and the industry in both Delaware and Maryland will be infinitely useful, and often called upon. His willingness to work for legislative changes to benefit breweries will buttress the efforts already underway. Unflinching determination is a keystone to his success.

Longtime member Phil Bowers of Brewer’s Alley will also be an asset, having witnessed the ebb and flow of the Association over the years, along with the changes in legislation, and growth in the industry. He has ridden many storms, and is definitely an asset for BAM.

Brett Snyder of Waredaca is one of the newest members to BAM and the board. The farm brewery opened just over two years ago, and is focused on environmental stewardship, and great beer! This will be another great addition, providing a well-rounded perspective.

Our At-Large members are ones well known to most every craft beer drinker in the state. Adam Benesch of Union, Hugh Sisson of Heavy Seas, and Julie Verratti of Denizens. Benesch is business and beer smart, but his true gift is his ever-calm, ever-attentive presence that invites pleasant/rational conversation even in the midst of the most volatile discussions. Shall we call him Buddha? Perhaps. Hugh Sisson of course broke the mold in Maryland brewing in the 1990’s, and continues to understand the shifting tides of the industry. A steadfast member of BAM to utilize for his wealth of knowledge and experience. Julie Verratti- lawyer, activist, advocate. Outspoken when she needs to be, always fighting doggedly to improve the industry, the beer, and society for that matter. A champion we all want in our corner!

The future is uncertain. We can all be sure that this is a powerful group that has been chosen to helm the Brewer’s Association of Maryland, and I cannot wait to see what 2018 brings!

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