eric.mckay's blog

We're currently smack in the middle of two fantastic beer weeks, the third annual Syracuse Beer Week and the inaugural Richmond Beer Week. While event listings are available on the website for each festival in table view, grid view, map view, or as a downloadable PDF, these options may not be ideal for review while on the go.

All 94 events have been posted to RichmondBeerWeek.com. Check them out in table, grid, or map view.

Holly Prestidge of Richmond Times Dispatch wrote a terrific article today on the use of beer as an ingredient in making delicious meals.

Read the article: Beer can be destined for more than your glass

Featured brewer: Brooklyn Brewery

The L. Knife & Son Companies are extremely honored to be recognized as the 2010 Beverage World Beverage Wholesaler of the Year.

At noon today, after three days of intensive sampling, critiquing, and sometimes excruciatingly difficult decision making with a great team of judges, I finished my first tenure as a GABF judge. It was a really incredible experience, and I really hope to be able to return again next year.

One thing I found really impressive about the judging was how well the stewardship was handled. Everything was extremely well organized. The 125 stewards who volunteered their assistance at the competition average an astounding 15 years of service. That's pretty remarkable.

Less than an hour from now, I will officially become a judge of the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. For any who are wondering about the road that leads up to judging, it's been a pretty intensive one, and for good reason. There's an extensive application process that includes a beer industry resume, with a minimum of about 7 years of industry experience, and letters of reference from various parties, including at least one Brewers Association member brewery.

After kicking off the second Milwaukee Beer Week tomorrow, I'll be heading to Denver and will have the distinct honor of joining some of the most distinguished members of the craft beer industry (with some highly discerning palates) as a judge at the Great American Beer Festival.

As a follow up to our initial post regarding the tragedy at Hartford Distributors resulting in the loss of eight innocent lives, many have expressed interest in how they can provide support to the victims' families. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced the establishment of the Hartford Distributors Memorial Fund.

Donations may be sent to:

Teamsters Local 1035 Hartford Distributors Memorial Fund
c/o Teamsters Local Union 1035
400 Chapel Road, 2-B
South Windsor, Connecticut 06074

Here's a great article from BeerNews.org on an upcoming beer from Terrapin, which should be coming to the Virginia market sometime soon. We'll keep you posted.

This morning, we received the heart wrenching news about a shooting at Hartford Distributors in Manchester, Connecticut. We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy involving a member of the Great Brewers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hollander and Stack families and with all of the fine people at this wonderful company.

While the details of this tragic event are not yet clear, we will follow up with any opportunities to offer support to the victims and their families.