Date: April 17th, 2007
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April 2007 Alaskan Brewing ranks 8th in the nation among craft brewers Alaskan Brewing Co. ranked No. 8 on the Brewers Association's 2006 list of Top 50 craft brewing "We cheered when we heard the news," said Linda Thomas, General Manager of Alaskan Brewing Co. "We make great beer in a place we love. It's exciting that such a simple business model has attracted a strong enough fan base to make us one of the nation's leading craft brewers." Craft beer is the fastest growing segment in the U.S. alcohol beverage category, with a 17.8 percent increase in supermarket sales in 2006, according to Information Resources Inc. The Brewers Association reports that about 78 percent of craft beer was produced by the Top 50 craft brewing companies. The nation's nearly 1,400 small breweries surpassed 6.7 million barrels in 2006. Total craft beer industry sales have grown 31.5 percent over the past three years and early 2007 indicators point toward continuing sales growth, the Brewers Association reports. Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association, cited evolving consumer tastes for the surge in craft beer sales. "There's a change in lifestyle going on," Gatza said. "People are trading up and that is what is creating such strong demand for craft beer." What is a craft brewer? Popular Alaskan Summer Ale now available in all markets The sight of orca pods in Alaska's Inside Passage near Juneau hails the return of the award-winning Alaskan Summer Ale. This year the popular seasonal kölsch-style beer is being offered in all markets where Alaskan beer is sold, from Alaska to Arizona, for the first time.
Alaskan Summer Ale has been part of Alaskan Brewing Co.'s award-winning history, racking up six awards from the California Brewers Festival, the North American Beer Awards and the L.A. County Fair since the beer's launch in 2002. Most recently Alaskan Summer Ale won a silver in the German-style kölsch category at the 2006 L.A. County Fair, which enjoyed more than 1.5 million visitors. The drinkability of this seasonal beer also wins over consumers and beer experts alike. "Easy drinking and refreshing," said one consumer on the popular Beer Advocate web site. "Very pleasant brew, nice for a hot day," said another. Scott Kerkmans, Draft magazine Beer Director, chose our summer seasonal as the beer of choice to pair with mahi-mahi in the March/April 2007 issue. Alaskan Summer Ale doesn't "overshadow the rich taste of the fish, and when the time comes to cleanse your palate between bites, the kölsch is fruity and stimulating enough to do the job," he wrote. Kerkmans was also recently named Chief Beer Officer of Four Points by Sheraton Hotels, so the guy must know what he's talking about. Such glowing reviews by consumers and beer experts alike are reflected in Alaskan Summer Ale sales. According to Information Resources Inc., in 2006 Alaskan Summer Ale was the No. 1-selling summer seasonal brand in Alaska and Washington. Across the limited markets in which Alaskan Summer Ale was sold in 2006, the popular summer beer posted 17.6% growth. Alaskan Summer Ale is a beer to look out for and drink. And, thankfully, now it is available in all of Alaskan's markets, which include Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Beer Drinkers are catching the Alaskan IPA wave
An Alaskan fan recently sent us this e-mail: "KUDOS on your new IPA What a delightful mouthful it will be a great summer thirst quencher." Learn more about Alaskan IPA at alaskanbeer.com or contact Amy Woods for samples, high-resolution artwork or more information at 907-780-5866 or awoods@alaskanbeer.com. |
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Please contact Communications Manager Amy Woods at awoods@alaskanbeer.com or 907-780-5866 for more information, beer samples or photos. |
companies. The craft brewery, which is based in the small coastal community of Juneau, Alaska, was the only brewery from Alaska to make the list.
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