Smoke Stack received the following products today:
- Lazy Magnolia Timber Beast (more)
- North Coast Le Merle
- North Coast Brother Thelonious
- North Coast Pranqster
- North Coast Old Rasputin
- Products from Napa Smith ( I assume: Organic IPA, Lost Dog Red, Hopaggedon )
The good stuff from North Coast is rolling in now! Napa Smith and a load of Timber Beast showed up too. If you like stores REALLY crowded with great beer then you’ll love our place!
Stokes Distributing of Hattiesburg recently signed an agreement with North Coast Brewing Company.
We will be carrying Old Rasputin, Red Seal, Blue Star, Brothers Thelonious and PranQster to start out with, we should be placing our first order in the next few days, so we are figuring its 6-8 weeks out.
Below are a few recent updates to my initial post New Beers Headed for Mississippi July 1!:
| Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout |  Info: North Coast | BeerAdvocate
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| Brother Thelonious |  Info: North Coast | BeerAdvocate |
| Dubbel |  Info: Ovila | BeerAdvocate |
North Coast Brewing Company confirmed today that they intend to distribute their products to Mississippi soon. See below: (RE: Distribution in Mississippi)
Hi Wesley, We most definitely are. We are in the process of registering our brands now and finalizing our distribution footprint. We plan on rolling out all of our brands with the exception of Old Stock Ale (alcohol exceeds state law). I plan to visit your beautiful state sometime this fall. All the best, Doug Moody Senior Vice President North Coast Brewing Co., Inc.
Great news! See below for a list of beers that North Coast Offers (Excluding Old Stock Ale):
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RED SEAL ALE Malt and hops are beautifully married in this full-bodied, copper-red Pale Ale. Red Seal is generously hopped for a long, spicy finish. An excellent accompaniment to grilled meats and rich sauces. VITAL STATISTICS Style: American Amber Ale 90 Points, Rated |
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OLD NO.38 STOUT Named for a retired California Western Railroad steam engine on the Fort Bragg to Willits run through the Redwoods, Old No. 38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley. VITAL STATISTICS Style: Dublin Dry Stout 85 Points Rated |
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SCRIMSHAW Named for the delicate engravings popularized by 19th century seafarers, Scrimshaw is a fresh tastingPilsner brewed in the finest European tradition using Munich malt and, Hallertauer and Tettnang hops. Scrimshaw has a subtle hop character, a crisp, clean palate, and a dry finish. VITAL STATISTICS Style: Pilsner 89 Points, Rated |
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BLUE STAR Choice American barley and wheat malts are combined with a blend of noble hops to create this light, fruity, refreshing beer. Brewed in the style of the American beer renaissance, Blue Star is unfiltered, the yeast adding a complex note to the flavor profile. VITAL STATISTICS Style: American Wheat Beer 92 Points, rated |
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ACME PALE ALE This easy-drinking Pale Ale revives the name of one of the early icons of California brewing. Clean-tasting and pleasantly malty, Acme Pale is brewed with Yakima Valley hops, American two-row malt and British specialty malts for depth. VITAL STATISTICS Style: Pale Ale 89 Points. Rated”HIGHLY RECOMMENDED” |
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ACME IPA Acme IPA is profoundly hoppy, finished with over a pound of fresh whole hops per barrel. The result of this generous hopping is a beer that is deliciously dry, and eminently drinkable in spite of its apparent strength. VITAL STATISTICS Style: India Pale Ale 88 Points. Rated |
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PRANQSTER Belgian Ales represent the height of the brewers’ art. Sophisticated brewing techniques, yeast blends and unique flavoring elements have elevated the beers of Belgium to the status enjoyed by wine in other countries. PranQster follows in this tradition using a mixed culture of antique yeast strains that produce a floral nose, a full fruity flavor and a clean finish. Available in 12oz 4 packs and 750 ml traditionally corked and wired bottles. VITAL STATISTICS 92 Points, Rated |
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OLD RASPUTIN IMPERIAL STOUT Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia’s Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It’s a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. VITAL STATISTICS Style: Russian Imperial Stout 91 Points, Rated “EXCEPTIONAL” |
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NORTH COAST BREWING
Like a Belgian “Dark Strong Ale,” this beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package features a label picturing the Jazz master himself, and comes in either a 375 or 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish, or 12 oz. 4-packs. VITAL STATISTICS When you buy Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale you also help to support the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz whose mission is to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by America’s jazz masters and to present public school-based jazz education programs for young people around the world. All of these programs are offered free of charge to the students and schools. |
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LE MERLE Le Merle is a rustic ale, pale in color, inspired by the rich brewing traditions of the Flanders region. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute exotic aromas of tropical fruit. VITAL STATISTICS Style: Saison |
Update (5/15/12 9:30 PM):
North Coast Brewing is “hoping to have product in the market by the end of July.”
Thanks to Raise Your Pints, Lazy Magnolia, Phil Bryant, several key legislators, and thousands of craft beer enthusiasts, Mississippi’s legally allowable alcohol limit in beer is soon to be raised. On July 1, 2012 it will be legal to sell beer with alcohol up to 8% ABW or roughly 10% ABV. This will allow several great beers from breweries that currently distribute to the state to be sold now. Below is a list of what beers can be expected on July 1 or shortly thereafter:
These guys/gals have been pushing for the alcohol cap to be increased since day one. They were instrumental in the process of getting this accomplished. You better believe they are brewing up something for July 1 (or shortly after). Lazy Magnolia recently released their Southern Hops’pitality IPA in draft only. This brew hits around 60 IBUs and 6% ABV. They released this as a seasonal brew as draft only (no bottles). My theory is that this will be replaced by a standard year round IPA that is more bitter than 60 IBUs and has a higher alcohol content. I also expect to see some higher hitting stouts and other brews. I’d look to see a lot from these guys in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned here and to their website / Facebook for upcoming releases. I’d expect some news soon! Show these guys that you appreciate their help in getting better beer into Mississippi and modernizing the laws that regulate beer by purchasing their products. Visit their website for their full lineup. See my post to find their Southern Hops’pitality IPA.
Keg and Barrel, the state’s only brewpub, has always pushed the limits as what’s allowable in the state. Expect to see a Russian Imperial Stout and a Double IPA from these guys once the cap is increased. Keg and Barrel is a sponser of Raise Your Pints and helped to get this legislation passed. Please show your thanks by frequenting their establishment.
Expect to see a “Big Firkin” from these guys for Keg and Barrel to celebrate the cap increase. The only place that I know of to find this will be at Keg and Barrel.
Update (5/22/12 9:12 PM):
Because of the way the law reads there can be no beer shipped or in the warehouse prior to the effective date for the law. For that reason we will rack the firkin into a sankey keg and ship it for delivery the day the law goes into effect.
The beer will be a “Belgian” treatment of Freckle Belly IPA. We will extract about 10 gallons of Freckle Belly IPA that is close to finished from the fermenters and then prime it with Belgian sugar and Belgian yeast to take the normal hop intensity and combine it with the complexities of the Belgian treatment for a one of a kind experience just for Mississippi.
According to the folks over at Yazoo, you can expect to see Yazoo Sue distributed to Mississippi. I am not sure of the timeline and would not expect it immediately, but it will definately be sold in Mississippi soon. Please support Yazoo, as they are also a sponser of Raise Your Pints.
| Andy Gator | 
Info: Abita | BeerAdvocate |
| Jockamo IPA | 
Info: Abita | BeerAdvocate |
| Save Our Shore (SOS) |  Info: Abita | BeerAdvocate |
| Abbey Ale |  Info: Abita | BeerAdvocate |
| Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale |  Info: Sierra Nevada | BeerAdvocate |
| Torpedo Extra IPA |  Info: Sierra Nevada | BeerAdvocate |
Blonde
Info: Leffe | BeerAdvocate
| Vanilla Gorilla |  Info: Red Brick | BeerAdvocate |
| HopLanta |  Info: Red Brick | BeerAdvocate |
| Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout |  Info: Leinenkugel’s | BeerAdvocate |
| Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale |  Info: Leinenkugel’s | BeerAdvocate |
| Infinium |  Info: Sam Adams | BeerAdvocate |
| Imperial Stout |  Info: Sam Adams | BeerAdvocate |
| Imperial White |  Info: Sam Adams | BeerAdvocate |
| Wee Heavy |  Info: Sam Adams | BeerAdvocate |
| Imperial Stout |  Info: Sam Smith’s | BeerAdvocate |
| 8 |  Info: Rochefort | BeerAdvocate |
| Trappist Ale | Info: Orval | BeerAdvocate |
| Tripel |  Info: Westmalle | BeerAdvocate |
I would also expect to see more offerings from Rogue in the near future. “And I know the distributors are working on a lot of the imports right now, including some of the Belgians/Trappists.” comments Butch Bailey, president of Raise Your Pints.
Hops & Habanas will carry all of these as they get them from their distributor. Hops & Habanas is a supporter of Raise Your Pints. Please show them that you appreciate their efforts by frequenting their store.
Know of another great retail location to find these brews on July 1? Send it in to news@msbeer.org
Update (5/14/12 10:20 PM):
See my post about new beers coming from North Coast Brewing Company. Not sure of a timeline on this.
Update (5/14/12 11:00 PM):
Leffe Blond is unconfirmed at this time.
Update (5/15/12 9:45 PM):
| Optimator |  Info: Spaten USA | BeerAdvocate |
Update (5/15/12 10:25 PM):
| XS I2PA (Imperial IPA) |  Info: Rogue | BeerAdvocate |
| Double Dead Guy |  Info: Rogue | BeerAdvocate |
| Morimoto Imperial Pilsner |  Info: Rogue | BeerAdvocate |
| John John Dead Guy |  Info: BeerAdvocate |
Update (5/16/12 9:22 PM):
We will be sending Double Chocolate Stout in September. We are currently not making this stout yet, production starts in August.
Update (5/16/12 9:48 PM):
| Oasis |  Info: Tallgrass | BeerAdvocate |
| Velvet Rooster |  Info: Tallgrass | BeerAdvocate |
Update (5/22/12 9:40 PM):
| Long Hammer IPA |  Info: Redhook | BeerAdvocate |
Update (5/23/12 10:49 PM):
| Hop Strike Black IPA |  Info: Tommyknocker | BeerAdvocate |
| Imperial Nut Brown Ale |  Info: Tommyknocker | BeerAdvocate |
| Butt Head Bock |  Info: Tommyknocker | BeerAdvocate |
Update (5/24/12 10:30 PM):
![widmer-logo-225x300[4]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/widmer-logo-225x3004.jpg "widmer-logo-225x300[4]"){kind=logo}
We are working on getting additional beers distributed to Mississippi after the 7/1 ABW limit is increased, but have yet to confirm what those beers will be. Stay tuned.
Update (6/10/12 3:08 PM):
| Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout |  Info: North Coast | BeerAdvocate
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| Brother Thelonious |  Info: North Coast | BeerAdvocate |
| Dubbel |  Info: Ovila | BeerAdvocate |
Update (6/13/12 9:17 PM):
![diamond_bear300[5]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/diamond_bear3005.jpg "diamond_bear300[5]")
| Two Term Double IPA | ![DiamondBearTwoTerm200[5]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DiamondBearTwoTerm2005.jpg "DiamondBearTwoTerm200[5]") Info: BeerAdvocate |
Update (6/21/12 9:50 PM):
![backforty200[5]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/backforty2005.gif "backforty200[5]")
| Freckle Belly IPA | ![FreckleBelly-label200[4]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FreckleBelly-label20041.gif "FreckleBelly-label200[4]")
Info: Back Forty |
| Kudzu Porter |
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![KudzuPorter-label200[5]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/KudzuPorter-label2005.gif "KudzuPorter-label200[5]")
Info:
Update (6/26/12 11:02 PM):
![widmer-logo-225x300[5]](http://msbeer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/widmer-logo-225x3005.jpg "widmer-logo-225x300[5]"){kind=logo}
The following beers should be coming from Widmer shortly after July 1. Sorry for not posting the label and links. In an effort to post more information, I did not do this.
- Pitch Black IPA
- Rotator IPA – 3 Varities
- BRRR – Christmas Seasonal
In April, 2012 Governor Phil Bryant signed into law a bill that will increase the allowable alcohol content of beers sold within the state from 5% to 8% ABW. This monumentous step will allow some great beers to be sold within the state. This bill allows whole new styles to enter the Mississippi market and will get our beer laws in line with the rest of the nation. Obviously we will see more beers from the breweries that currently distribute to Mississippi (See my next post), but I am curious if this legislation will entice other breweries to begin distributing to our state. I contacted several breweries to ask this very question. The replies are below (still waiting on several):
| O’Fallon Brewery | “Thank you for the update. We continue working on growing into other markets.” |
| Schlafly Beer | “The change in the law in MS is great news. We have yet to make any final decisions about expanding distribution in MS but we will keep you posted.” |
| Victory Brewing | “Unfortunately due to capacity issues we’ll be unable to consider any new territories until at least June 2013 when our new brewery is scheduled to be up and running.” |
| Bell’s Brewery | “Bell’s Brewery is currently in the final stages of a major construction and expansion project that includes a brand new brewhouse and additional fermentation capacity. In fact, the new brewery is expected to open in May.
We are working hard to make sure the areas that we currently distribute to will consistently have what they need, when they want it. And unfortunately we won’t be making any decisions on any new expansion to other states until after this project is finished and everything is up and running. “ |
| Dogfish Head Craft Brewery | “Thanks so much for your interest in Dogfish Head! It’s sad to say, at this time we will not be adding any new markets within the next 24 months in order to supply the markets we are currently in. I know it’s hard to hear, it’s hard to say! If you will be travelling anytime soon, might we suggest checking out the Fish Finder at www.dogfish.com (you can search by our beers by zip code). We appreciate your support and if you get a chance come see us here in Delaware sometime!” |
| Boulevard Brewing Company | “Unfortunately at this time Mississippi is not on our near-future radar, however we will certainly make note of this bill for long-term consideration.” |
| Founders Brewing Company | “We hope to make our way in your neck of the woods in the future! Cheers!” |
| New Belgium Brewing | “We appreciate you reaching out to us and we wish that we had better news for you. Unfortunately, we aren’t quite ready to begin distribution to Mississippi. The good news is we just began distribution to the northeast last August (MD, VA, DC) and we plan to keep expanding from there. We are currently exploring some large facility expansions, including a 2nd brewery location, in order to be able to produce higher volumes of beer�this would eventually enable us to fully expand across the country. Hopefully one day soon, you will be able to purchase our beer at your favorite corner market. Thanks for your patience.” |
| Avery Brewing Company | “Thanks so much for reaching out. It may be a bit before we’ve got beer and resources to take care of a new market like Mississippi but keep in touch. You never know what tomorrow will bring.” |
| Deschutes Brewery | “Thanks for taking the time to contact us. Although we’d love to expand to Mississippi soon, we don’t have the beer to ship to any new states at this time. We are planning an expansion of our brewery but that will only allow us to expand further into the areas where we already distribute and to maybe add a couple of more states in 2013. We will definitely keep your state in mind for expansion and do plan on being there…just no date yet.” |
| Green Flash Brewing Company | “Plan is to come that way in 2013 when we have production. Give your Governor a hug for signing the bill.” |
| Boulder Beer Company | “Yeah, we heard the good news on the Mississippi ABV limits being raised, but at this point, we don’t have the production capacity to be able to expand into the state. Hopefully someday we’ll get down there!” |
Summary:
Great news from Green Flash Brewing Company. See my post about their Southeastern Expansion Plans.
Promising news from Founders Brewing Company.
I would not be dissappointed with the rest of the responses. The past few years the craft beer industry has been experiencing many growing pains. Many breweries are at capacity and needing to expand, but lack the capital. Dogfish Head Brewery is trying to expand due to the unprecedented volume they experienced after their TV Show but are facing many legal challenges. Last year, Dogfish Head Brewery and Avery Brewing Company scaled back distribution and stopped sending shipments to several markets/states so they could focus on their core markets and try to cut down out of stocks. In addition to capacity concerns, some brewers are having to order hops two years in advance due to a worldwide hop shortage. All these events my seem to be troubling, but are ultimately good for the craft beer movement. Consider this: while most of the big hitters in the craft beer industry struggle to keep up with demand, ABIn-Bev and SABMillerCoors are loosing market share and are actually seeing decreases in shipments.
On a positive note, Bell’s Brewery just completed a massive expansion and are currently distributed to Alabama. SweetWater is expected to complete a massive expansion this fall and is currently distributed to Alabama. Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium are developing production breweries in Asheville, North Carolina. New Belgium entered Tennessee with great success last year. Breckinridge Brewery planned a $15 million expansion to their production facility, but due to legal issues cannot build in Colorado. They are now looking to build a location on the East Coast. All these developments coupled with the success of products in our state and our neighbors will eventually bring more breweries to the state.
Also, according to Butch Bailey, president of Raise Your Pints, “In addition to that, we’ve heard promising stuff from NOLA and Lagunitus. And I know the distributors are working on a lot of the imports right now, including some of the Belgians/Trappists.”
So … What can I do?
1. Stay optimistic
2. Support Raise Your Pints
3. Support craft breweries by buying their products
4. Contact breweries and let them know you want their products in your local store
Stay tuned for any updates. I’ll update this post and notate it if I receive any more responses that I’m waiting on.
Send any updates to news@msbeer.org
Update (5/14/12 9:45 PM):
| Great Divide Brewing | “Unfortunately, while we are very excited about the changing legislation in MS, we don’t have the production capacity to enter any new states at this time.” |
| North Coast Brewing Company | RE: Distributing to Mississippi? “We most definitely are. We are in the process of registering our brands now and finalizing our distribution footprint. We plan on rolling out all of our brands with the exception of Old Stock Ale (alcohol exceeds state law).” |
Update (5/22/12 9:05 PM):
| Terrapin Beer Company | “Unfortunately, we’re not really in a position to expand our sales territory at this time. Sorry! As it is, we aren’t able to keep up with demand in our current territories. This is something we’re hoping the capacity expansion project we’ve just started will alleviate, though it will be a process a couple years in the making. As our production increases, our first priority will be to fully stock those states we’re already in to which we’ve been unable to send regular shipments. Once we’ve got our current territories stocked up, we’ll be able to consider new markets. We anticipate the earliest we might consider expanding our sales territory is 2013.
Sorry I’m not able to give you awesome news right now! Keep us on the horizon… “ |
Update (5/29/12 9:28 PM):
| Odell Brewing Company | “Unfortunately we do not currently have plans to make it to Mississippi. Our business model is slow and steady which makes it difficult to enter too many new states.” |
Update (6/03/12 9:15 PM):
| Moylan’s Brewery | “If we only had enough beer. We are in talks to expand production for next year.” |
Update (7/02/12 10:15 PM):
| Stone Brewing Company | “Due to the recent changes in beer laws that may allow us to distribute there, Mississippi is definitely on our radar. However, our problem is that we barely have enough beer for our existing territories so it might be a while before we have enough supply to move forward into the Magnolia State.” |
