American Craft Beer Week 2011

American Craft Beer Week is upon us yet once again.  Monday May 16th kicked off a week long celebration of craft beer all across the nation, while places like Chicago, Seattle, San Antonio, Minnesota, Nevada, and Long Island celebrate their own regional beer weeks.

Why is American Craft Beer Week important? Well, because it celebrates an industry whose economic impact often goes overlooked.  In an industry completely dominated by a few corporate breweries, craft beer has seen steady growth while overall beer sales have been in decline.  Production volume grew 11% since last year while overall retail sales grew 12%.  This speaks volumes for a small and independent sector that makes up less than 10% of the overall beer industry in the United States.  Besides sales and production growth, the industry is constantly expanding with an 8% increase in operating breweries since last year, adding to the 100,000+ existing jobs.

American Craft Beer Week exists to highlight an industry that not only produces a fresh, high-quality, and locally-made product, but an industry that gives back to their communities and neighborhoods, values innovation and tradition at the same time, helps promote the idea of quality over quantity, and has helped cultivate the United States into the best place on Earth to drink damn good beer.

So in honor of all the craft brewers out there making sure you have excellent beer to consume, head out to your local brewpub and grab a pint or growler to show your support, tip a few back at a local restaurant or bar, and pick up a nice bottle or two at your local retail shop. I know I will.

Learn more about American Craft Beer Week at Craft Beer Dot Com.

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week at these local spots:

Rockford, Illinois isn't the largest city, but it does have a local brewpub, a solid local restaurant scene, some great spots to grab a pint of quality beer, and a small, but dedicated group of craft beer geeks, home brewers, and general beer lovers. If you live in or around Rockford, IL, here's what's going on this week as part of American Craft Beer Week:

Kryptonite Bar will be celebrating all week with Craft Beer Bingo with some pint glasses and tshirts to give away to participants.  Sign the Declaration of Beer Independence.  On Tuesday get $2 off any craft beer on the menu.  Plus, the staff will be putting their favorites on special every day. Check out this for any additional features and specials.  Kryptonite features a well-tailored selection of craft bottles with draft lines coming this summer.

Kryptonite Bar is located in downtown Rockford at the intersection of State and Main.

Artale Wine Co. will be offering free craft beer tastings Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 6 to 7:30 PM.  Each day will feature a different selection of 8-10 craft beers. The name says "wine", but they have one of the most respectable beer selections in town.

Artale Wine Co. is located at 6876 Springcreek Rd. near Perryville in Rockford.

 The Olympic Tavern will be offering a different $4 craft beer pint all week long from the likes of New Belgium, Clown Shoes, Sierra Nevada, and Flying Dog. Check out more details here. Olympic has a substantial beer selection and constantly changing taps with a tap expansion on its way.

The Olympic Tavern is located at 2327 N Main St in Rockford.

 Carlyle Brewing Co. is Rockford's only locally-owned brewpub.  Stop in for the freshest beer in the area and get a jalapeno cheese-stuffed pretzel. You won't be disappointed.  Popular brews include their Stout and Vanilla Cream Ale.  Their selection rotates consistently and there's almost always something new every few weeks.  My personal favorite is the American Strong Ale (when it's on the menu).

Carlyle Brewing Co. is located at 215 E. State St in Rockford just east of the River.


If any of the three people that read this know of other events going on around town for ACBW, don't hesitate to let us know.

Cheers, and happy American Craft Beer Week!


Me Drink Beer