This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Tom White.
In this week’s Hoplinks, a local brewery looks to help those in need, charges are filed after a brewery’s staff are robbed, rare beer is set to hit the Buckeye state, New Yorkers get access to even more fresh beer, and it’s been a rough week for many at AB’s “The High End.”
WEST TOWN, CHICAGO — In the wake of the devastating hurricanes that hit over the last few weeks, Goose Island is stepping up to the plate to help with relief efforts. 100% of proceeds from the sale of the Chicago exclusive Old Man Grumpy at their Fulton & Wood taproom will go to help those in need. The brewery also announced the beer will soon be packaged, with $1 for every 6-pack sold going to the fund. So what are you waiting for? Get your drink on! [THR Wire]
BOURBONNAIS, IL — In one of the oddest and most disturbing stories of the year, a man has been charged with the armed robbery of BrickStone Brewery in Bourbonnais Monday morning. Police were called after an employee walked in the robbery, finding four co-workers bound and gagged. One of the employees was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious, though was later released. [Kankakee Daily Journal]
CINCINNATI, OH — Rhinegeist has announced plans for their upcoming Rare Barrel Fest. Taking place on October 28th, the festival features a huge selection of breweries from around the country all pouring what promises to be one impressive tap list. If you’re thinking about making the drive to Cincy for the event, tickets are on sale now. Be sure to check out our interview with Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding. [THR Wire]
NEW YORK, NY — Here’s an interesting concept: Hopsy is launching in NYC this week with the goal of bringing brewery fresh beer to local doorsteps. The concept revolves around a network of drivers who pick up small draft packages of beer from participating breweries and deliver them immediately to each customer. We’d love to see this in action ourselves. When is this coming to the Windy City? [THR Wire]
USA — It was a rough last week for AB’s “The High End” division as the company announced the layoff of nearly 400 jobs. While the branch of the company that manages the craft brewery acquisitions now under the AB umbrella seems to have been significantly reduced, it’s said the employees from the breweries themselves were unaffected. [Beer Street Journal]
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Photo of an open fermentor at Bourbonnais’ BrickStone Brewery, from our Spring 2017 interview with brewer Alex Lovinggood — by Jack Muldowney.