Guinness Releases Baltimore-Brewed Experimental Beer Regionally

Up to now, Guinness fans have had to travel to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery outside Baltimore to sample some of the brewer’s experiments intended for an American audience.

But now, the company said, fans can buy Guinness Salt & Lime Ale on shelves in select cities in the Mid-Atlantic.

For a limited time this spring and summer in select areas including Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia (as well as in the brewery’s taproom) as a limited seasonal addition to the Guinness family.

Outside the brewery, the beer will be sold in six packs of 12 ounce cans for a suggested retail price of $10.99.

Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, home of Guinness in the U.S. and the center for all of its experimental beers on this side of the Atlantic, has released more than 300 limited, brewery-only beer recipes in the last two years, which continue to be met with significant fanfare from visitors. Salt and Lime Ale emerged as a leader in market demand for its fruit-forward taste and drinkability.

Salt & Lime Ale is balanced with key lime puree and sea salt from the mouth of the Chesapeake. At a 5% ABV, it is a pale yellow ale with forward notes of lime peel, biscuit and light salt. The locally-sourced, hand-harvested sea salt adds a layer of complexity on the finish, counteracting the tartness from the limes.

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Gallo Eyes South Carolina for East Coast Bottling, Distribution Center

The new facility would be a $400 million investment and provide employment for up to 500 people.  But there’s a problem:  Gallo wants to open tasting rooms where people can sample the company’s wines, and that is running into resistance.

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Beam Suntory Details Sustainability Strategy

The distiller’s sustainability program is called “Proof Positive” and includes these goals:

  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 50 percent across direct operations by 2030, with an ambition to remove more carbon than is emitted across the entire value chain by 2040. Notably, the Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery, set to open later this year in Clermont, KY, will be the company’s first distillery powered by renewable energy, and Beam Suntory sites across the world have begun transitioning from higher carbon fuels, like coal and fuel oil, to lower carbon fuels, such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas. The company has also begun evaluation of options to transition to renewable fuels across distilleries globally.
  • Reducing water usage for every unit of production by 50 percent by 2030 and replenishing more water than what is used in direct operations to water sources, shared with local communities and nature, by 2040. Beam Suntory’s Natural Water Sanctuary Program is inspired by Suntory’s unwavering dedication to sustainable water quality. It reflects an ongoing commitment to protecting the source of water for future use in its spirits and for surrounding communities. Both Maker’s Mark and the James B. Beam Distilling Co. have established Natural Water Sanctuaries in Kentucky to protect local water sources that are vital to the crafting of bourbon.
  • Planting more trees than those harvested to make whiskey barrels a commitment to plant 500,000 trees annually by 2030. With Beam Suntory’s iconic bourbon brands aging only in new charred oak barrels, the world category leader is stepping up to ensure a sustainable source of American White Oak for future use in production, and to support sustainable forestry practices. 
  • Working only with suppliers that use sustainable practices by 2040.  
  • Using 100 percent recyclable packaging and 40 percent recycled materials by weight across the packaging portfolio by 2030.
  • Investing $500 million to promote responsible decisions and positively impact behavior by significantly expanding responsibility-led brand communications, elevating the Drink Smart platform, and supporting evidence-based partner programs. The company aims to engage more than 300 million consumers by 2030 with messages and tools designed to promote responsible decisions and reduce harmful drinking.
  • Enabling expanded choices by developing, introducing and investing in awareness of low- or no-ABV products in key categories, including whiskey, tequila, gin, vodka and ready-to-drink, by 2030.
  • Providing nutrition and alcohol content information on packaging or online for 100 percent of products by 2030.  
  • Reaching 50 percent women in leadership positions globally, 45 percent racially and ethnically diverse employee representation in the US, and achieve an industry-leading sense of belonging among employees by 2030.  
  • Contributing 1 million cumulative volunteer hours to communities around the world by 2030 and continuing to invest in initiatives and organizations that support on-trade partners, build stronger communities, and promote social justice.
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65% of Bordeaux Vineyards Certified Environmental

More than 65% of the Bordeaux vineyards are certified environmental — a new benchmark for the region. Bordeaux also leads all French AOPs in the volume of High Environmental Value (HVE) certifications for their wineries, having accomplished the top level of sustainable certification in France and a 30% increase in organic agriculture.

Bordeaux is one of the first wine regions to have approved new grape varieties that can alleviate hydric stress associated with temperature increases and shorter growing cycles.

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Organic Wines Score 6.2 Points Above Conventional Wines

And biodynamic wines scored even higher — 5.8 points above organics.  Biodynamic wines scored even higher, reasoned wines did no better, and in some cases worse, than conventional wines.

That’s the conclusion of an analysis of the ratings of more than 128,000 French wines, 8% from the broadly defined organic and biodynamic categories, published in three leading French wine publications.  The analysis was conducted by UCLA Anderson’s Magali Delmas and Kedge Business School’s Olivier Gergaud

  • The lack of added sulfites in U.S. organic wines may account for some wine marketplace concerns about quality; without preservatives, a wine is likelier to go “off” sooner. The USDA even has a separate certification for wines “made with organically grown grapes” that permits added sulfites.
  • Biodynamic wines are a separate category. They’re produced without artificial fertilizers and pesticides and follow even more stringent farming practices. Biodynamic wineries, based on principles developed in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, stress the creation of a self-sufficient and healthy ecosystem. Many raise livestock for fertilizer, and they water, prune and harvest according to lunar and astrological cycles. Some added sulfites are permitted. Wines that follow these principles are certified by independent organizations, such as Demeter International and Biodyvin, not by governments.
  • France has a third group of wines that falls between conventional and organic. Producers practice what they call “reasoned agriculture,” which claims to use more sustainable and less environmentally harmful methods but lacks the imprimatur of organic or biodynamic third-party certification.

What accounts for the strong performance of organic and biodynamic wines in the study? Some wine experts contend that these wines have higher “aromatic purity” because, in conventional wines, pesticide residues can leave a hint of chlorine in the bouquet. Biodynamic producers say their practices enhance a vineyard’s natural “terroir,” the characteristic taste imparted by a wine’s environment.

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SGWS to Distribute Canopy Growth’s CBD Beverage Portfolio

Canopy Growth Corporation (“Canopy Growth”) which is 38.6%-owned by Constellation Brands, said Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS) will distribute its U.S. portfolio of CBD-infused beverages. This partnership announcement follows the recent launch of –Quatreau,  Canopy’s first line of CBD-infused beverages sold in the U.S market.

“Through this groundbreaking partnership, we will leverage Southern Glazer’s established distribution network to bring our CBD beverage portfolio to retailers and consumers across the U.S. market,” said Julious Grant, Chief Commercial Officer, Canopy Growth. “The leadership team at Southern Glazer’s shares our values, priorities, and future-forward view of the category. Together, we are committed to creating an immediate strategic route to market for Canopy’s premium CBD beverages.”

Southern Glazer’s will distribute Canopy Growth’s CBD beverages, beginning with its CBD-infused sparkling water brand Quatreau, across seven states, with additional states in the months to come. Southern Glazer’s will be selling Quatreau through its existing commercial infrastructure, including its industry-leading Proof e-commerce platform at sgproof.com.

Canopy Growth is one of the first U.S. CBD beverage producers to access the nationwide network of a large-scale alcohol distributor to reach consumers across the U.S. at mainstream retail stores. The agreement also showcases the benefits of the company’s strategic relationship with Constellation Brands.

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