Let someone else do the driving to #PowerBeerFest -- We've partnered with Lyft to provide 50% off a ride to or from the SoWa Power Station on April 28th! Enter coupon code POWERBEER in the Promos section of your Lyft app to receive the discount. Get your tickets today!
Celebrate National Pretzel Day and Mass Beer Week with a Special Collaboration Beer Release from Dorchester Brewing Company, Wicked Twisted Pretzels and the Mass. Brew Bros.
Beer Release Party to be held on National Pretzel Day, Thursday, April 26th at Dorchester Brewing Company in Boston, MA
Boston, MA, April, 2018 - Dorchester Brewing Company (dorchesterbrewing.com), Wicked Twisted Pretzels (wickedtwistedpretzels.com), and the Mass. Brew Bros. (massbrewbros.com) are excited to announce their collaboration beer release and event to celebrate National Pretzel Day, taking place on Thursday, April 26th. The release coincides with Mass Beer Week, a celebration of Mass. produced beer that runs from April 20-28.
The Mass. Brew Bros., in collaboration with Shawn and Josh Briggs of Grafton-based Wicked Twisted Pretzels and their longtime friend and bandmate Todd Charbonneau, head brewer and co-founder at Dorchester Brewing, put their heads together and figured out how to combine pretzels and beer to create the ultimate brew. A five-barrel pilot batch is called Brew Bros. Twisted Dunkel, it's a German style dark lager made with Munich malt, added salt, and 40 pounds of Wicked Twisted Pretzels tossed in to the mash. The beer will be available on draft and in crowlers to go only at the Dorchester Brewing Company taproom.
Having lived in both Germany and Pennsylvania, the latter where National Pretzel Day was established in 2003, the Briggs Brothers are perfect local ambassadors for such an affair. You'll find their hand-crafted, all-natural Bavarian style pretzels, made in Grafton, at dozens of breweries through Massachusetts. A perfect combination, the average American eats more than two pounds of pretzels and drinks more than 20 gallons of beer per year.
The non-ticketed free event, open to the beer-drinking, pretzel-eating public, will be held at the Dorchester Brewing Company taproom at 1250 Massachusetts Ave, Dorchester, MA on Thursday, April 26 from 5:00 to 9:00. Festivities will include the debut of the special collaborative beer, commemorative glassware (free for the first 20 people to buy a pint of the beer), and a raffle for free tickets to the Mass Brewers Guild Power Beer Fest on April 28, as well as some DBC swag. And of course there will be plenty of Wicked Twisted Pretzels (soft and hard) and gourmet mustard available for purchase.
For more information about the event, visit: https://www.dorchesterbrewing.com/events/event/ national-pretzel-day-celebration-brew-bros-twisted-dunkel-beer-release/
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If you would like more information please contact us at massbrewbros@gmail.com.
About Wicked Twisted Pretzels
As kids, Shawn and Josh were introduced to warm, hand-crafted Bavarian style pretzels from the Bavarian Pretzel Hut on family trips to upstate New York. Coincidentally, Josh later lived in Philadelphia and Shawn in Munich, Germany, cities with incredibly delicious pretzels. Unable to find them anywhere else in the U.S., they soon moved back to Massachusetts and set out solve the problem. They perfected their recipe (featuring natural ingredients like fresh malt and roasted barley) in Shawn's kitchen, and are now found in craft breweries, bars and restaurants all over New England, as well as in Whole Foods Markets. Recently they added a line of gourmet mustards.
About Dorchester Brewing Company
Founded in 2016, Dorchester Brewing Company is a partner brewing facility and public taproom located at 1250 Massachusetts Ave in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. With plenty of fresh beer flowing daily, visitors can enjoy up to 20 different drafts on tap including Dorchester Brewing Company house beers as well as partner beers. Dorchester Brewing Company also offers on-site food trucks, events and private events with tours and fresh beer to go.
About the Mass. Brew Bros.
Described as unofficial ambassadors of the Bay State beer scene in a story that appeared in Hop Culture, the Mass. Brew Bros. aspire to be the go-to resource for craft beer drinkers in Massachusetts. Longtime friends whose motto is "spreading good beer," Rob and Bob (they're not actually brothers) have traveled to every one of the Commonwealth's visitable breweries. Their informative website and influential social media presence serve as a statewide database for tracking news and developments on local breweries, as well as trends and insights within the fast growing industry.
Local Breweries Raise a Pint and Funds for the Mass Brewers Guild During #MassBeerWeek
Local breweries are coming together to host “MBG Pint Nites,” with the goal to raise awareness and funds for the Mass Brewers Guild during Mass Beer Week.
Mass Beer Week, held from April 20 through April 28, is the state’s celebration of locally made craft beer.
All breweries, tap rooms, restaurants and bottle shops are encouraged to get involved in the festivities by hosting their own unique events. The only requirement to be involved in Mass Beer Week is that the event must focus exclusively on beer brewed in the state of Massachusetts.
Battle Road Brewing Co., CraftRoots Brewing, Harpoon, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Mayflower Brewing Co., Medusa Brewing Co., Moon Hill Brewing Co., Night Shift Brewing Co., and Sam Adams, will all hold a designated MBG Pint Nite during the weeklong celebration, where a $1 of all beer sales that day will come back to the nonprofit organization.
The Mass Brewers Guild is the state’s trade association that works to protect and promote the interests of craft brewers across the Commonwealth.
Want to support the cause? It’s easy. Flex your pint lifting biceps and belly up to a tap room on the following days to help raise funds for the MBG:
Battle Road Brewing Co.
20 Sudbury St., Maynard, MA
Tuesday, April 24
CraftRoots Brewing
4 Industrial Rd, Milford, MA
Wednesday, April 25
Harpoon
306 Northern Ave., Boston
Wednesday, April 25
Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
100 Clinton St., Framingham, MA
Thursday, April 26
Mayflower Brewing Co.
12 Resnik Rd # 3, Plymouth, MA
Thursday, April 26
Medusa Brewing Co.
111 Main St., Hudson, MA
Monday, April 23
Moon Hill
74 Parker St, Gardner
Thursday, April 26
Night Shift Brewing
87 Santilli Hwy, Everett
Thursday, April 26
Sam Adams
30 Germania St., Boston
Thursday, April 26
Be sure to share, and tag, your delicious beer on social media #MassBeerWeek -- For questions, or more information about the Mass Brewers Guild, visit MassBrewersGuild.org.
What Does Microbrewery Insurance Cover?
In addition to being a craft brewery insurance expert, Ben Cavallo is the owner and principal of C&S Insurance, a proud member of the Mass Brewers Guild. He holds degrees from Emory University and Boston College, as well as CIC, AAI, and CISR insurance designations. He can be reached at 508.339.2951 or ben@candsins.com.
By: Ben Cavallo, owner and principal of C&S Insurance
When breweries are shopping for insurance the most common questions we hear are:
- What does microbrewery insurance cover?
- What comes in the “standard” startup package?
- Which coverages am I required to have in place so I can open a microbrewery, nanobrewery, or brewpub?
Folks starting new breweries—and plenty of long-time owners, too—call to ask for the baseline minimum. After all, running a business comes with all sorts of hidden costs and unforeseen expenses. No one wants to shell out extra money for insurance—which is basically a business tool you can’t see, can’t touch, can’t even use unless something goes wrong.
Unfortunately, we have to give these brewers the same answer: it all depends. Not very helpful in the immediate sense, but individualized needs are the reality of craft brewery insurance. There’s not much standard about it, despite the results you can find online for “business insurance packages.” What’s more, shopping for a cheap, generic option often leaves craft brewers exposed to serious gaps. Here’s a quick look at some examples:
1. Property Insurance
Unlike a typical restaurant or bar, the products and equipment inside your microbrewery are especially costly and time-consuming to replace. In the event of a fire, prolonged power outage, tank leak or other machinery failure, you have to consider the potential loss of business income, product spoilage, and other unique concerns. Only an agent with experience in microbrewery insurance can advise you property coverage blanket limits based on your in-house capacity.
2. General Liability Insurance
Allegations of wrongdoing don’t just damage your brewery’s reputation; they’re often expensive and drawn-out legal events—and that’s before they even get to a courtroom. It’s difficult to anticipate how much liability coverage you’ll need (on a “per occurrence” basis and in aggregate) without enlisting an industry professional. Even if you opt to forego certain coverages as a startup operation, it’s important to at least understand the different types of risk and protection—from liquor liability, to special events, to employment practices liability (employee lawsuits)—as your brewery grows and evolves.
3. Workers’ Compensation Insurance
We know lots of microbrewery startups begin with a pair of spouses, siblings, or hometown buddies, which might seem to negate the workers’ compensation discussion… But the truth is that most small businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are required by law to have a valid workers' compensation policy at all times—even for a staff of just two people. If your business is an LLC, LLP or otherwise qualifies for exemption, there’s still a conversation to be had. Chances are you don’t intend to be a two-man (or two-women) show forever. Anticipating the measures and protocols that will affect your workers’ comp rates is a smart thing to start doing now. Take advantage of the free advice you can get from a dedicated brewery insurance agent.
Bottom line: when you ask yourself, “what does insurance cover?” you should be prepared to sit down and have a longer conversation with an agent who is an expert in your industry. He or she will listen to your complete business description and ask a series of questions designed to map your unique risk profile. Meanwhile, learn more about the factors that affect microbrewery insurance rates and carrier options:
What does Cyber Security and Data Protection Mean for your Brewery?
By: Tim Hillberg
Risk Manager for Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage
thillberg@starshep.com
When meeting with my clients, our discussions always touch upon Cyber Security and the need for Cyber Liability Insurance. With the seemingly endless stream of public breaches and amped up government regulatory attention, it is easy to see why this is the topic du jour.
My client’s reaction to the topic typically falls in one of two categories:
Concerned:
1) No current cyber loss mitigation plans or procedures in place. They want to put something in place, but do not know where to start. Think- “Help I’ve fallen and can’t get up!”
2) Some cyber loss mitigation plans/procedures in place and looking to expand.
Not Concerned
1. Some cyber loss mitigation plans/procedures in place and they believe their systems are “tighter than Fort Knox”.
2. No plans/procedures in place and they do not care to implement any.
Why are my clients concerned?
1) Large Breaches- Equifax, Sony, Home Depot, Target and the SEC are all front page examples of cyber incidents. Many wonder if they are the next.
2) Cyber Terrorism and State Actors- Russia, China and North Korea. Could they come after my business?
3) Hackers focus on smaller companies- Easier targets due to lesser security. Smaller companies also have relationships with larger corporations (think HVAC contractor and Target).
4) Rogue Employees- What if a disgruntled employee sabotages my business?
5) Ransomware- What if my computers are locked up for ransom?
What are the statistics?
- Average Cost of a Stolen Record- $141.
- 10% of events are caused by rogue employees.
- Damages caused by Ransomware are 15 times greater than they were in 2015.
- 22% of incidents involve a broken business practice.
- Regulators are considering harsher penalties for known violations
What types of claims do you see in the brewery space?
- Ransomware- Hackers holding your system hostage. Costs include the actual ransom (if you choose to pay it), system rebuilding costs, downtime and effected party notification costs (if applicable).
- Business Interruption- A computer system hack could cause the production line shut down. Property policies do not cover cyber incidents.
- Data Breach Notification Costs- A computer system hack could cause potential for data breach notification which also occurs during a ransomware attack.
Example: A Brewery’s computer system was breached and the credit card information of 2,000 customers was stolen. The total cost of this claim was $169,514. The brewery in this instance did not have a cyber policy in place and was on the hook for the total cost. Had they purchased the cyber policy which was offered to them for $1,000, they would have only been responsible for the policy deductible.
Is there protection available for my brewery?
YES! Broad, responsive policy forms are available and include security and privacy liability (arising from third party claims; including regulatory actions). Policy definitions are broader as well. Forms are no longer limited to the theft or disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information as defined by a specific state statute.
Insurance carrier capacity is at an all-time high with many new entrants to the market. In turn, pricing is favorable for clients and terms are broadening. Many carriers are introducing new forms with streamlined coverage offerings. Both first and third party coverage is readily available.
In addition, policies include free access to online training and support including cyber risk webinars, access to expert breach response teams in the event of a loss, and updates on changing data security laws. In some cases, the value of these services exceeds the premium paid for the policy.
While my clients all have different risk tolerance levels, I stress the importance of being educated on the topic of cyber. Every business owner has fiduciary responsibilities to their company and ignorance, especially in the cyber security space, is no longer an excuse.
The Spencer Brewery Announces the Release of Second in Fruit Series and Craft Assortment 4-pack
St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, MA is home to the first certified Trappist Brewery outside of Europe. The monks and brewmaster at Spencer Brewery have developed and received approval to produce and sell nine different beers, ranging from classic Trappist ales to traditional German-style lagers from the International Trappist Association. The ninth beer to be approved is their Grapefruit IPA, which will be released in limited quantities and is the second in the brewery’s Fruit Series.
Spencer’s Grapefruit IPA is brewed with grapefruit and Citra hops. There is a ruby red hue in its color, and it is tart and clean with a closing bitterness characteristic to IPAs (6.5% ABV).
This Grapefruit IPA from Spencer will be introduced to the market first in their new Craft Assortment 4-pack. This 4-pack will feature the brewery’s American Craft beer offerings, which include their original IPA, feierabendbier (Pilsner) and Festive Lager. Spencer’s Craft Assortment 4- pack is now available at retail.
The Spencer Brewery’s Grapefruit IPA will be available at retail in four packs, as well as on draft throughout The Spencer Brewery’s distribution network after April 16, 2018. We hope it is enjoyed, pairing with family and friends.
About The Spencer Brewery
Spencer, MA is home to St. Joseph’s Abbey, a community of Trappist monks who follow the Benedictine counsel of ora et labora (pray and work). One of the ways the monks support themselves and their charitable outreach is by brewing and selling the beer that they make in The Spencer Brewery, located within the monastic enclosure. The Spencer Brewery opened in 2013 and is the first certified Trappist brewery located outside of Europe. Spencer brews both traditional bottle-conditioned Belgian style ales, like their European brothers, as well as American Craft beer styles. The Spencer Brewery team is excited about launching their new Fruit Series during 2018.
WACHUSETT DOUBLES DOWN ON THEIR 2018 IPA PORTFOLIO
Craft Brewer Launches “Mass Soul” and “Wally JR”, Two New Year-Round IPAs in New England Market
As the craft beer market continues to evolve, Massachusetts-based Wachusett Brewing Company is introducing two new year-round beers to complement their existing portfolio.
The first new entry, Mass Soul, is a modern, tropical style IPA. Featuring Galaxy, Citra & Centennial hops, Mass Soul is a luscious and delicious IPA with a ripe blend of passion fruit, pineapple and other tropical fruit notes that compliments the soft mouthfeel and unique vibrancy of this medium bodied brew.
“Mass Soul was originally concepted to express the personality of the Wachusett brand. The name says it all”. said Christian McMahan, President of Wachusett Brewing Company. “Our brewers then created a beer that took things to another level, and the result is an IPA that we think tastes amazing”
The second new entry, Wally Junior, is a New England Session IPA. Wally Junior has all the citrus character and hop backbone of the highly rated New England IPA Wally, with a more sessionable ABV of 4.5%.
“A session version of Wally was a natural progression for us” said McMahan. “We have seen great success in Wally and also Wally Juice, our blood orange rendition of Wally. We love brewing and drinking New England IPAs and wanted to give our fans a more approachable option in the category, especially in time for summer”.
“Mass Soul” will be released on draft, 6-pack cans and in a new IPA Mix Pack mid-April. “Mass Soul” is 6.5% ABV and 60 IBU. “Wally JR” will be released on draft and in 6-pack cans. “Wally JR” is 4.5% ABV and 50 IBU.
For more information about Wachusett Brewing Company, visit www.wachusettbrew.com.
Naukabout Brewery Grand Opening in Mashpee, MA on Thurs. March 29th 2018.
The Newest Addition to the Cape’s Emergent Craft Beer Scene is Here.
Years in the making, the Naukabout Brewery & Taproom is finally ready to open its doors and start pouring beers. Located on an iconic property that once housed The Flume Restaurant at 13 Lake Ave in Mashpee, the brewery is just 10 miles from the Sagamore Bridge and has views of both Lake Mashpee/Wakeby and the Mashpee River.
The 7bbl brewhouse has been in full production mode for the last month getting eight brand new beers ready for the public. For the grand opening, the public will have the opportunity to try a wide-array of hop-forward beers as well as some lighter and darker fare. In addition to enjoying the beers on draft customers will have the opportunity to take cans to-go so they can enjoy their favorite styles at home.
“We are excited to be joining the growing force of local Cape Cod artists and creators — from glass blowers, wine makers, oyster farmers, musicians…— we’re eager to give locals and visitors something special to experience on The Cape.” Cape-native and CEO Peter Murner said. “We have this picturesque location up on the hill overlooking Lake Mashpee, we’re gearing up to open the doors at the end of March. The grand opening has been scheduled for Thursday, March 29th from 4-8pm.”
The initial planning and permitting for the Mashpee brewery started back in 2015, however, the Naukabout story began over 30 years ago with a cofounders’ father. He would come home from work, change out of his work-a-bouts, and tell his sons to “change into their nauk-a-bouts” in order to “get outside for some fun!” In 2008 the ideology of “doing what you love to do, after doing the things you have to do” came to life in the form of Naukabout Music Festival. A few years later in 2012, the group transitioned into Naukabout Beer Co. and began contract brewing while the search for a brewery site began.
“We couldn’t be any more excited to finally be brewing at our own location. Contract brewing was a great way to get started, but now with our own facility we can focus on crafting limited-release, small-batch recipes that reflect the uniqueness of our peninsula and the people here.”
CEO Peter Murner expressed. “We can’t wait to give folks another reason to come to Mashpee. Whether your shopping at The Commons or traveling down Route 6 you’ll only be a few minutes away from a tasty brew.” Murner’s core team is rounded out by Head Brewer, Leif Rotsaert who recently made the move cross-country to join the team and Cape-native Ryan Ellis who is the Head of Sales.
In the past decade, the number of operating craft breweries has grown to over 5,000 nationally. In recent years Cape Cod has jumped aboard that movement and is quickly becoming a beer overs destination. The Naukabout Brewery & Taproom will mark the Cape’s fifth of its kind with more rumored to be on the way. The Naukabout team is eager and excited to be part of a regional transition that will add even more to the charm of Cape Cod.
