Molson Coors Canada has created a new division to target the craft and specialty beer market in Canada. Called the Six Pints Specialty Beer Co., the division will focus on developing on a portfolio of craft and imported beers. In true public relations gobbledygook, the official news release puts it this way: "Six Pints' core business will focus on providing a menu of tailored beer and business solutions to customers, including category engagement through education, training, industry and consumer insights, product knowledge and quality standards." Molson Coors Canada acquired the Creemore Springs Brewing Co. in 2005 and the Granville Island Brewing Co. in 2009.  Six Pints will build on those two brands. "We are on the verge of a beer renaissance in Canada. Beer lovers across the country are taking their drinking occasions into exciting, new territory with specialty and craft beers," Six Pints President Ian Freedman said. The name Six Pints was chosen because in the late 1700s British soldiers were given six pints of beer a day. To read the full news release, click here.

As I criss-crossed Ohio late last year to do research for my upcoming book Ohio Breweries -- intentional plug! -- I also took short videos with brewers talking about their best selling beer. I've finally started uploading those videos to YouTube. You can click on the "Videos-photos" page on this blog and check out some of them. So far, I've uploaded Anheuser-Busch, Cleveland ChopHouse, Marietta Brewing, Samuel Adams Brewing and Weasel Boy Brewing. I'll try to upload at least one new video a day. At some point, I'll also start uploading photos of all the breweries on that page. Enjoy.

The long-awaited Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood is hoping to open the third or fourth week of June. Brewmaster Andy Tveekrem has been hard at work brewing to have his beers ready for the opening. Tveekrem and co-owner Sam McNulty provided a private tasting and tour Thursday night for myself and Cleveland Plain Dealer beer writer Marc Bona. They still have a lot of construction work to do inside the brewpub -- which includes two bars, giant fireplaces, an outside beer garden, banquet room and gorgeous view of the West Side Market tower. The beer is quite tasty. We sampled a hefeweizen, amber lager, India pale ale, stout, brown ale, Scottish ale and pale ale. Market Garden will focus on session beers, Tveekrem and McNulty told us. But they also will have some high octane brews. They also plan to make their own spirits: whiskey, rum, gin and flavored vodkas. Market Garden will be the only site in Ohio where the spirits are made, sold at the bar and sold in bottles to go, McNulty said.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is lowering the alcohol content in its Tilt malt beverage because of public pressure. Future 24-ounce cans of Tilt will contain 8 percent alcohol, compared with the current 12 percent, the company announced. The new products are expected to be on store shelves this summer. The companies producing fruit-flavored malt beverages such as Tilt, Four Loko and Blast are facing public criticism -- including pressure from state attorneys general -- over the amount of alcohol in those beverages. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a prepared statement: "Fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks, like Tilt, are especially dangerous for underage drinkers, and it's important to do everything possible to protect our youth from the dangers of alcohol use. It is encouraging that Anheuser-Busch is taking a step in the right direction, and I urge other manufacturers to take similar measures."

Willoughby Brewing Co. head brewer Rick Seibt has joined an exclusive club. He learned last month that he passed the rigorous cicerone exam. Seibt is now one of only 11 certified cicerones in Ohio, according to the Cicerone Certification Program. What's a cicerone? In plain language, it means Seibt knows a boatload about beer -- everything from how to make beer to what food goes with what beer to how to properly clean draft lines to picking out flaws when tasting beer. You become a cicerone after passing a test that lasts about three hours and includes multiple choice and essay questions, and beer sampling. "It's a tough achievement," Seibt said. You can try your hand a 10 sample questions for free at the cicerone website. The other cicerones in Ohio are: Chad Bordner of North Canton, who works for Superior Beverage; Robert Gerrity of Rocky River; Jennifer Hermann of Kent; Lee Hill of Columbus, who works with Sierra Nevada; Scott LaFollette of Cincinnati; Grant McCracken of Cincinnati, who works with Boston Beer Co.; Samuel Pecoraro of Dayton; Geoff Randolph of Columbus, who works with Superior Beverage; Andy Tveekrem of Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland; and Derek Zomomski of Cincinnati, who works with Bell's Brewing. And speaking of Willoughby Brewing, Seibt said beer sales have exploded under the new ownership team that took over this year. The brewpub has expanded selling its beer to select restaurants and bars in the Cleveland area. Seibt estimated that sales have at least doubled. Willoughby makes one of the most unusual beers in Ohio: Peanut Butter Coffee Porter. "We can't keep it in stock," he said. "We're working our butts off ... It's a good problem to have. It's a great problem to have." Willoughby won a couple of medals at the recent International Beer Fest in Cleveland. The Moonshadow IPA took home a silver, while the Peanut Butter won a bronze.

Several years ago, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reporter Matthew Daneman and I decided to go on a "beercation" -- a weeklong driving vacation to visit various breweries. Looking back, it was a journey that should have been planned much better. The trip started in Rochester, N.Y., and took us to -- in this odd order -- Niagara Falls Brewing in Canada; Ellicotville Brewing in Ellicotville, N.Y.; Erie Brewing in Erie, Pa.; Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland; Yard's Brewing in Philadelphia; Manayunk Brewing in Philadelphia; Tun Tavern in Atlantic City; Cooperstown Brewing in Cooperstown, N.Y.; Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown; and F.X. Matt Brewing in Utica, N.Y. We were so exhausted toward the end of the trip because of the driving that we skipped a couple of breweries on our list just to go home. So what prompted this reflection? Chicago Sun-Times writer Lori Rackl has penned a travel story highlighting three Midwest cities to visit if you want to take a beer-themed trip. Her suggestions are: St. Louis; Kohler, Wisc.; and Milwaukee. To read her story, click here.

Barley's Brewing Co. in Columbus offers one of the best homebrew competitions in Ohio. Why? Well, if you win, you get to brew your beer on the brewpub system at the downtown location alongside Barley's brewmaster Angelo Signorino. On top of that, your beer goes on tap at Barley's next year. The brewery is accepting entries May 26, 27 and 28 for the 15th annual contest. The winner will be announced June 12. That's also when last year's winner, Andy Schultz, will unveil his Wit's End Belgian Witbier. For full details, including the rules and how to submit an entry, click here. But be warned. The competition is stiff. For example, homebrewer-turned professional brewer Jay Wince at Weasel Boy Brewing Co. in Zanesville is a former winner. His imperial stout recipe -- the same one that won the Barley's competition --snagged a medal at the Great American Beer Festival last year.

West Virginia University is offering an interesting summer course on beer. Students meet twice a week at the Morgantown Brewing Co. for "Barley to Beer" and learn about the history of beer and about safe consumption. "I really wanted to accomplish was that students could see beer in a way that was a little more mature and would drink a little bit more responsibly," Associate Professor Sven Verlinden told WBOY-TV. Anyone looking to get sloshed during class, though, will be disappointed. There's no drinking in the course. To read the full television report, click here.

Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione and Boston Beer founder Jim Koch have teamed up to make an unusual beer for SAVOR, the Brewers Association's annual beer and food pairing event. The beer, called SAVOR Flowers, is made with rosewater, dried lavender, hibiscus, jasmine and rosebuds. The beer also was aged in the same bourbon barrel that Koch used to age the first batch of Samuel Adams Triple Bock in 1993. "Sam and I had a great time gathering those ingredients, and I am excited to collaborate with such an innovative brewer on this beer for SAVOR," Koch said in a prepared statement. Calagione added: "Jim is the godfather of craft beer, and he's got unbelievable ideas about what beer can be, along with the knowledge and palate to make those crazy beer dreams come true." SAVOR Flowers will be available exclusively to those attending the SAVOR event June 3-4 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The dinner is sold out.

Stone Brewing Co., maker of iconic craft brands such as Arrogant Bastard, has announced $26.6 million worth of expansion projects at its Escondido, Calif., brewery. The plans include a new production building, catering business, barrel aging facility and 50-room hotel. Yes, a hotel.  "There's no better way to wrap up a day filled with good eats and craft beer than with a plush bed and a comfy pillow," Stone CEO and co-founder Greg Koch said in a prepared statement. President and Brewmaster Steve Wagner added: "Plus, I'm pretty sure that we'll have arguably the best darn mini-bars in the country." Stone is the 14th largest craft brewer in the United States, according to the Brewers Association. For more details about the expansion, click here.

Josh Noel, a writer for the Chicago Tribune, recently penned a short story about what he calls "one of the moment's most beloved and controversial beer styles." He's talking about black India pale ales, called American-style India black ales by the Brewers Association. Now, IPAs usually are amber in appearance. But, just as the name implies, black IPAs are dark black with a real hoppy aroma. It's quite jarring when you first take a sniff of one, especially since you're not expecting such intensive hop aroma from a dark beer. Most avid beer drinkers will scratch their heads at this hot, new style, knowing full well that the black IPA has been around for awhile. But sometimes the mainstream media -- myself included -- catch on to trends a little late. To read the full Chicago Tribune story, including Noel's recommendations to sample, click here.

Shane Juhl admits he has a pretty cool job. As a material engineer, he builds space hardware and unmanned aerial vehicles. But he's willing to give that up to become a professional brewer. Juhl is the guy behind Toxic Brew Co., which has plans to open in Dayton next year. "I think this would be a lot cooler to do for a living," he said about brewing. "I want to put a smile on someone's face, not drop a bomb on them." We caught up recently by phone. He is in the middle of renovating a building in the Oregon district to turn into his brewery. Juhl, who has lived in Dayton for about 10 years, got into homebrewing because he loves Belgian beers. As everybody knows, Belgians can be quite expensive -- $10 or more a pop per bottle -- and he quickly tired of spending $100 or more a week. He figured he could save some money by brewing them himself. As he got more into brewing, he also wondered the same thing that a lot of craft beer drinkers do in Dayton: Why isn't there a brewery here? The Dayton area is the largest community in Ohio without its own brewery. The story behind the name "Toxic Brew" is an interesting one. He and friends used to experiment with making different alcohol concoctions -- which all stemmed from sampling Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur. After one particular concoction, someone said: "This is just toxic." The name stuck as he put together plans for his brewery. The logo is a skull and cross bones. Initially, Juhl had some second thoughts about using the word "toxic" related to a drink. People either hate the reference or love it. He decided to stick with it because it's eye-catching and a talking point.

Columbus is getting a special beer treat this year: Newcastle Summer Ale. The state capital is one of only a few communities in the United States where the beer is being released. It's available now in bars, restaurants and retail shops. Newcastle, maker of the well-known Newcastle Brown Ale, last month announced a limited edition seasonal lineup that includes the Summer Ale. The other beers in the series -- Werewolf,  Winter IPA and Founder's Ale -- will be released later. “Distinctive and innovative, Newcastle's Limited Edition brews deliver a new, refreshing taste to be enjoyed throughout the year,” Newcastle Brown Ale brand director Charles van Es said in a prepared statement. “By adopting a wide array of flavors—everything from red ales to distinct India pale ales—we're providing a uniquely interesting combination of Newcastle heritage, real ingredients and drinkability to our loyal fans.”

Rust Belt Brewing Co. in Youngstown is participating in a special "Dinner in the Dark" event May 23 in Cleveland that will raise scholarship money in the memory of Matthew Finkel, a chef from Boardman who was killed Dec. 29 in a car accident in Salem. The dinner is at AMP 150 Restaurant, 4277 W. 150th St. The proceeds will help an underprivileged person from Northeast Ohio attend the Culinary Institute of America. The Dinner in the Dark group holds dinners with multiple chefs to raise money for charity. The cost is $40 and tickets must be purchased in advance. Rust Belt will provide a 25 percent discount on growlers and merchandise for those buying tickets. For more details about Matthew Finkel's story, you can read a Youngstown Vindicator article here and Cleveland Plain Dealer article here.

Buehler's Food Markets is the latest grocer in Northeast Ohio to add draft beer sales. The family-owned chain quietly started offering half-gallon growlers Wednesday at its Brunswick store. The "official" opening is Monday. "We had done some research and talked with retailers around the country and they were having a lot of success with these growlers," Bob Buehler said about the decision. In Northeast Ohio, Acme, West Point Market, Whole Foods and Heinen's already offer or plan to start growler sales. The Buehler's draft beer area in Brunswick, called the "Big Beer Exchange," features eight taps. The initial offerings are: Bell's Oberon Ale, Victory Hop Wallop, Stone IPA, Smuttynose Robust Porter, The Brew Kettle White Rajah, Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat, Sam Adams Rustic Saison, and Sierra Nevada Torpedo. The reusable growler will cost $3.99, with the beer extra, of course. Buehler's may add growlers at its other stores, depending on the reception in Brunswick. In addition to adding the draft sales, the beer section in Brunswick will be expanded and feature more than 500 beers. Buehler's also offers customers the ability to buy single bottles of many beers and assemble their own six-pack.

Budweiser is raising money this year for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary scholarships for families of U.S. military killed or disabled while serving the country. In case you missed it, Budweiser is donating $100 for every home run hit this Major League Baseball season as part of its "Here's to the Heroes" effort. The company also plans to donate a portion of all sales from June 6 to July 10 to raise as much as $2 million for the foundation. Consumers also will be able to participate by visiting www.facebook.com/Budweiser or texting HERO to 80888 to make a $5 donation. “Helping to provide educational scholarships to military families is one small way we can show our gratitude to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, protecting the freedoms we hold so dear," Rob McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser at Anheuser-Busch, said in a prepared statement. Budweiser also will feature special patriotic cans in stores this summer and will debut a new television ad paying tribute to men and women in the military.

Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron will release Barrel-Aged BORIS Royale from 1 to 5 p.m. May 26 and May 27 at the brewery only. "This special version of BA BORIS was aged in very special Canadian whiskey barrels, instead of Kentucky bourbon barrels," brewer Fred Karm said in an email. "What you get is a crisper, cleaner character imparted from the barrel aging." The normal Barrel-Aged BORIS has earned a perfect 100 score on Ratebeer.com and has been picked as one of the best beers in the world. The cost is $14.99 for a 22-ounce bottle. There is a limit of two cases per customer.

The popular Blues & Brews festival in Akron is changing venues this summer. The event -- the seventh annual and one of the largest beer festivals in Northeast Ohio -- is moving from the picturesque Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens to the urban park Lock 3 in downtown Akron. More than 65 breweries are expected to participate and there will be more than 150 individual beers available this year. Stan Hywet had previously decided that it didn't want to be affiliated with a beer festival anymore, and Blues & Brews organizers had been looking around for a new site. The city of Akron announced the location in a news release Tuesday as part of a lengthy list of Lock 3 events this year. The festival will be Aug. 6 from 2 to 6 p.m., with a special Brewers' Circle from noon to 2 p.m. Details about the cost weren't immediately released. The event is sponsored by Akron's Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and the food is sponsored by the Winking Lizard.

West Point Market turns 75 this year. And what better way to celebrate than with a beer? The upscale Akron grocer has teamed up with Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. to create an exclusive beer to commemorate its milestone birthday: 75th Anniversary West Point Pale Ale. ''We thought it would be a nice way to promote the anniversary for the store because it ties in so well with food,'' third-generation market owner Richard Vernon said during a recent tour and tasting at the Akron brewery on Grant Street. West Point Pale Ale will be available in bottles — $9.99 for a six-pack — and eventually on draft at the market. West Point and Thirsty Dog will hold a public unveiling and tasting of West Point Pale Ale from noon to 4 p.m. Friday at the store. To read the full story in today's Akron Beacon Journal, click here.

The Little Mountain Home Brewers Association brewed 110 gallons of beer May 7 at Little Mountain Brewing Co., a brew-on-premise business in Kirtland, as part of the American Homebrewers Association's Big Brew on National Homebrew Day. The group has posted a three-minute video about the effort on YouTube:

Christian Moerlein will tap a special cask-conditioned Arnold's 1861 Porter at 6 p.m. Thursday at Arnold's Bar & Grill, 210 E. 8th St., Cincinnati. The beer is being released in honor of American Craft Beer Week and Arnold's 150th anniversary.

The Brew Kettle in Strongsville entered nine beers at last weekend's International Beer Fest in Cleveland -- and won eight medals and the Best of Show for its White Rajah, an India pale ale. Not bad. The Brew Kettle won the most medals of any brewery at the event. "We almost placed everything we entered," brewer Jack Kephart said modestly. "It was nice." Kephart wanted one beer to win above all others -- the White Rajah. Why? Because the competition was fierce within the India pale ale category and he beat out many other stellar beers for that honor. In addition to a gold within the American IPA category and Best of Show honor for the White Rajah, other The Brew Kettle winners were: Old 21, Dark Helmet and Chief's Rye, gold; and Black Jack, Tunguska, Four C's and Quick Kriek, bronze. The funny thing is that the one beer that didn't win was Red Eye PA, an award-winning beer that hauled in a silver medal at last year's Great American Beer Festival. In other The Brew Kettle news, the brewery now sells its retail beer exclusively in 22-ounce bottles but that will soon change. The brewery is investing in a small bottling system and will start selling 12-ounce bottles likely by the end of the summer, Kephart said. That doesn't mean the 22-ounce bombers are going away. They will remain for some of the higher alcohol beers, he said.

Samuel Adams Utopias, one of the strongest and most expensive beers in the world, is back. The 2011 version again clocks in at a whopping 27 percent alcohol by volume. The limited release comes in ceramic, kettle-shaped decanters. The suggested retail price is $150. "Each time we begin the process of crafting our next evolution of Samuel Adams Utopias, we strive to make the new vintage more unique than the last, and the 2011 brew is no exception," Samuel Adams brewer and founder Jim Koch said in a prepared statement. "The brewers and I spent years perfecting it, experimenting with different barrels and aging techniques until we felt it lived up to the long-standing heritage of Samuel Adams Utopias — a quest to push the boundaries of beer. Since I first brewed Samuel Adams Boston Lager in my kitchen, I've made it my life's work to elevate beer and make people rethink the possibilities of what beer can be." Unfortunately, the beer isn't sold in Ohio because of the high alcohol content. To read the full news release, click here.

The second annual Columbus Beerfest will be held Friday and Saturday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The event features more than 200 craft beers, including those from local brewers Barley's, Columbus, Elevator, Gordon Biersch, and Neil House. Advance tickets are $30 and include 25 tasting tickets. The blog Drink Up Columbus has a complete rundown of the event. To read the blog write-up, click here. The official website is here and includes a rundown of other Columbus events happening during American Craft Beer Week.

The first-ever International Beer Fest turned out so successful that organizers are vowing to bring it back to the I-X Center in Cleveland next year. The event featured more than 200 breweries and about 800 individual beers from around the world. The festival and beer competition attracted 8,567 visitors to three tasting sessions Friday and Saturday. Organizers said attendance grew each session. "For a first year show, we were thrilled with the attendance and overall positive comments about the International Beer Fest," I-X Center President Robert Peterson said Monday in a prepared statement.  "We will definitely hold the event in May of 2012 -- dates will be announced soon."

The Brew Kettle won the most medals, including three golds, at the first International Beer Fest last weekend at the I-X Center in Cleveland. The brewery, located in Strongsville, picked up eight medals and also a "Best of Show" honor for its White Rajah, an India pale ale. Since hiring Jack Kephart as brewer, The Brew Kettle has been garnering quite a reputation for quality beer. Last year, the brewery won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival, considered one of the premier beer competitions in the United States. The other "Best of Show" honors went to Rivertown Brewing Co. in Cincinnati, a silver for its Lambic; and Anheuser-Busch InBev, a bronze for its Leffe Blonde. Among Ohio breweries, Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron won the second most medals: five. To see the full list of winners, click here.

Walgreens caused quite a stir late last year when it released its own exclusive brand of beer: Big Flats 1901 Premium American Lager. The low-cost beer --it goes for about 50 cents a can -- has gone over well with customers. So well in fact that the pharmacy chain plans to introduce Big Flats Light this summer. "Trial is high among our shoppers and repeat purchases are growing," company spokesman Robert Elfinger said in an email. "Because of today's economic situation, shoppers are interested in quality products with high value." Big Flats is made by the Winery Exchange in Novato, Calif., and brewed on contract at Genesee Brewing Co. in Rochester, N.Y. It's 4.5 percent alcohol by volume and has 148 calories.  Retailer-exclusive beers are more common than you might think. Supermarket News wrote a story about the trend last month, including a mention of the Kroger Co.'s Port Republic brand. To read the full story, click here.

Elevator Brewing Co. in Columbus has scheduled a slew of events during American Craft Beer Week (May 15-22), culminating with a five-course beer pairing dinner on May 21. I am the guest speaker for the dinner and will talk about my upcoming book Ohio Breweries and craft beer in the state. The menu features: braised beef tenderloin sliders served with Dirty Dicks Nut Brown Ale; beef and barley soup with Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale; a mixed greens salad with Raspberry Heiferweizen; cornbread stuffed cornish game hen with Xtra lager; and chocolate malt cupcakes with Dopplebock. Reservations are required. The cost is $45 per person. The dinner is at 6 p.m. at the brewery, 165 N. 4th St. -- as opposed to the nearby brewpub. Call 614-499-7828 for tickets or more details.

Chris Zeitler wants people to take notice of his small, seasonal brewpub on Middle Bass Island. So he's doing something this year that he hasn't done before: Taking his beer to a beer festival. ''We know microbreweries are the hottest thing right now and we want people to know that we're here,'' said Zeitler, owner of J.F. Walleye's Microbrewery, on the Lake Erie islands just outside Sandusky. J.F. Walleye's is one of about 200 breweries — and perhaps the smallest — that will participate in the first International Beer Fest at the I-X Center in Cleveland this weekend. The event features about 800 individual beers, and medals will be handed out for the best brews by style. There's no better way to spread word of mouth and gain some instant notoriety than serving thousands of beer samples to a receptive audience. J.F. Walleye's, one of four seasonal breweries on the islands, has been around for years, but Zeitler is determined to improve his brewpub's reputation. ''This is a small step in getting the product out there and getting the name out there,'' said J.F. Walleye's brewer Dan Blatt, a full-time teacher in the North Ridgeville City Schools. ''Right now, nobody really knows about it at all and we're hoping to change that.'' He started brewing there this year on a tiny half-barrel Brew Magic system. He describes J.F. Walleye's as a ''nanobrewery'' — the trendy term used for tiny operations. Blatt will serve a mocha porter and blackberry kolsch — simply called Walleye's Dark and Walleye's Light, respectively — at the International Beer Fest. Just like the brewpub, it's Blatt's first venture into a professional beer competition. ''I really just want to see what the public thinks and see what our judging notes are,'' he said. The local beer on the island has always been suspect and for a good reason. The water quality stinks for brewing. But Blatt has found a solution to that. He brings about 100 gallons of water over on the ferry when he's ready to make beer. He hopes by improving the brewpub's beer that it will lead to a larger brew system.

Here's a preview of the label for the new West Point Pale Ale, being brewed for the West Point Market in Akron to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year. The little Thirsty Dog dog inserted into the West Point Market logo is a nice touch. I'll have a full story about the beer in the Food section of the May 18 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal:

There will be no unlimited tastings at the International Beer Fest this weekend in Cleveland -- a disappointing turn for some beer fans. Organizers announced they will use a ticketing system to track the number of tastings because of concerns from state authorities. The $45 general admission ticket will get you 30 2-ounce tastings. That equates to five bottled beers. The $75 VIP ticket gets you 40 tastings. Now, you may not consider that enough beer -- heck there are going to be about 800 beers there. But doing 30 shots of beer is a healthy amount of beer. And as beer festival regulars know, most brewers end up providing more than a 2-ounce sample. (And people who can't use all their tickets give them away to others who can.) Still, organizers said they would provide a refund to anyone who has bought a ticket and decides not to go because of that issue. In a separate announcement, organizers said the festival will feature a “Real Ale Bar” with cask beer. The participating breweries include Cellar Rats, Thirsty Dog and Buckeye. For more details about the event and how to get tickets, click here.

Ohio homebrewers -- and those brewing with Ohio-based homebrewing clubs -- picked up plenty of awards in the first round of the National Homebrew Competition. The following folks received first-place certificates during the regional judging, which took place in Indianapolis: Dana Depenbrock of Cincinnati, in the European amber lager category; Sean Dawson of Columbus, in the amber hybrid category; Paul Shick of Cleveland Heights, in the porter category; and Dave Clark of Seven Hills, in the specialty cider and perry category. For a full rundown of Ohio winners, including those honored for second and third place, and background about the competition, click here. The final round judging takes place in June.

The Toledo Blade has a lengthy feature story about the Great Black Swamp Brewing Co., a new craft brewer in Toledo. The brewery was started late last year by two homebrewers: Paul Traver and Bob Morris. "We make beers we like and beers that will sell. A range of beers fill out our selection," Morris told the newspaper. To read the full story, click here.

Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. in Akron is graduating. The brewery, which has been growing steadily since setting up shop on Grant Street, is no longer considered a microbrewery -- at least according to the Association's definition. Thanks to the fact that Thirsty Dog will soon be able to produce more than 15,000 barrels a year, the brewery is considered a "regional brewery." Microbreweries make less than 15,000 barrels, while regional breweries produce between 15,000 and 6 million barrels. The brewery is adding six 90-barrel fermentation tanks and a 90-barrel brite tank. The first three tanks are arriving this week. "It makes it all more exciting and fun," co-owner John Najeway said. "It's amazing that in 2007 we brewed 1,000 barrels that first half of the year, and a couple thousand barrels in 2008. With this expansion, we're just under 20,000-barrel capacity in four years. It's huge growth. And that growth is due to being in Akron. That's where our biggest growth has been and we're sorta Akron's beer now." Thirsty Dog is the fifth-largest brewer in Ohio, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors, Samuel Adams and Great Lakes.

For years craft brewers have amped up the alcohol levels in their beer, pushing the extreme to differentiate their product from the national brands. But more craft brewers now are adding session beers to their portfolios. Advertising Age writes about the trend. "A lot of the breweries are coming out with really sessionable beers … because I think they are recognizing that if they want to grow their share, if they do want to double it or triple it, they are going to have to make those 'bridgeway' beers to bring more drinkers into the fold," Jennifer Litz, editor of Craft Business Daily, told the magazine. To read the full story, click here.

Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland will unveil its first beer to the public at Friday's International Beer Fest at the I-X Center. The brewery -- which has yet to open -- will tap a firkin of the first batch, called Test Market Ale. "It's an amber ale, 4.9 percent abv, fairly malt forward but balanced with a nice hop aroma and flavor," brewmaster Andy Tveekrem said in an email. The beer also will be available soon at the Bier Markt, which is located across the street from Market Garden in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood. (The Bier Markt owners also are investors in Market Garden.) Tveekrem also said that he and Rick Seibt, the brewer for Willoughby Brewing Co., will make a presentation at 8 p.m. Saturday at the beer festival about the history and unique qualities of cask beer. For more details about the festival, including how to get tickets, click here.

Dayton is a black hole when it comes to breweries -- much to the chagrin of craft beer lovers in that part of Ohio. It's also the largest community in the state without its own brewery. Oh, several have opened through the years but then they just closed up shop a short time later, either victims of bad beer or poor management, according to locals. That may change. Toxic Brew Co. has announced plans to open a brewpub in the city's Oregon Historic District. I reached out to the owners for more details but haven't heard back. The Toxic Brew website says that the brewpub may not open until early 2012. Co-owner Shane Juhl told the Dayton Daily News ?that he's been brewing at home for about six years "and I want to take it to the next level." ?To read the short story in the Dayton Daily News, click ?here.

A majority of American beer drinkers prefer domestic beer and their favorite is Budweiser, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone poll. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents said they choose domestic beer over imports. And the most popular brand was Budweiser, with 25 percent saying that's the beer they are most likely to drink. Miller was second at 19 percent. Samuel Adams was third at 7 percent. Coors, Heineken, Corona, Pabst and Guinness followed. (Twenty-five percent choose some other brand.) The poll also showed that Americans love light beer, with 49 percent saying that's their beer of choice. It wasn't a huge sampling of beer drinkers. Only 345 folks nationwide were surveyed at the end of last month. The margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent. To read the company's report, click here.

The Boston Beer Co. is releasing an interesting new 12-pack for India pale ale fans. It's called "Samuel Adams Latitude 48 Deconstructed" and features five separate IPAs brewed with a different hop. In other words, you can drink them side by side and taste the difference among Hallertau Mittelfrueh, East Kent Goldings, Ahtanum, Simcoe and Zeus hops. So what is the difference? Here's the rundown by Samuel Adams: Hallertau Mittelfrueh offers "a soft bitterness along with delicate lemony citrus, and resinous pine notes." East Kent Golding add "a mellow bitterness with earthy, floral and apricot notes." Ahtanum creates an "orange peel, piney and floral falvor and aroma." Simcoe provides "bitterness and dramatic grapefruit peel and pine resin notes." While Zeus contributes "bitterness and an intense, pungent resinous pine flavor." All those hops are grown in regions within the 48th latitude line, considered a prime hop-growing area. The 12-pack will be available nationwide from mid-May through mid-July and retail for $13.99.

Tired of waiting in line for a beer at the baseball stadium? No problem. At least two stadiums -- Seattle's Safeco Field and Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park -- are now responding to beer orders via Twitter. Fans just tweet their seat location and the beer vendor appears with the order. Joe Sixpack, a columist with the Philadelphia Daily News, writes about the new trend. To read his story, click here.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, which has a brewery in Columbus, reported a 6.5 percent profit in the first quarter, despite falling beer sales. The sales decline was blamed on rain in Brazil and unemployment in the United States. To read a full Reuters story, click here.

Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron will release its seasonal Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale at 1 p.m. Friday at the brewery. Brewer and owner Fred Karm describes the beer this way: "Born from European tradition, our shandy is a refreshing combination of lemon and light malt flavors. Unlike traditional shandy's, Turbo Shandy revs it up a couple notches with a high test, full-flavored approach as only Hoppin' Frog can do!" The beer is 7 percent alcohol and is sold in 22-ounce bottles. To celebrate, the brewery will hold a Hoppin' Frog Night-Out from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Siamone's Pub in Akron. Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale will be available at Siamone's.

MillerCoors, which has a brewery in Trenton in southwestern Ohio, reported that 1st quarter profits rose 8.7 percent, despite lower sales volumes. To read more, click here for a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story. For the company news release, click here.

Brad Clark, the brewer at Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, has put together some interesting variations of Dark Apparition, a high-alcohol imperial stout. Clark, who's a mad scientist when it comes to beer recipes, has created separate small batches of Dark Apparition with maple syrup, orange peel and figs. They will be on sale at the brewpub for in-house consumption only.  Jackie O's also has scheduled its next bottle release for June 25. "We will be releasing bottles of Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition, Brandy Barrel Dark Apparition, Bourbon Barrel Sweet Chocolate Love, and Kentucky Monk," he wrote on his blog.  "I will most likely bottle regular Dark Apparition and maybe even Funky South Paw, if it tastes right by the time of the release. It will be released in bottle form at some point. "

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams has turned down Boston Beer Co.'s offer of five free cases of Samuel Adams Summer Ale. Instead, he will accept a monetary donation to support the city's parks and recreation youth programs, the Youngstown Vindicator reports. Williams, who's not a beer guy, told the newspaper he's not sure about the size of the donation. Boston Beer offered free beer to 10 cities that got slammed with more snow than usual over the winter. Youngstown finished eighth nationwide, with 215 percent more snow than the average for the community. Youngstown got hit with 114.7 inches. To read the entire story, click here.

The Boston Beer Co. felt sorry for all those communities that got hammered with snow over the winter. So the company, with the help of AccuWeather, put together a list of U.S. cities that got pounded more than usual. Youngstown came in at No. 8 because the 114.7 inches of snow was 215 percent more than average. Boston Beer has offered Youngstown city hall free cases of Samuel Adams Summer Ale. If the city won't accept the beer, it'll be donated to a charity, a spokeswoman said. Columbia, Mo., topped the list. Boston Beer is tossing a free party in the community on Tuesday.

Tom Perry, a writer for the Des Moines Register in Iowa, penned an entertaining story about being a beer snob. "They seldom drink beer from a bottle or can," he writes. "For them, quality is more important than quantity, savoring is better than slamming, and when it comes to having choices - the more the merrier. Call them beer snobs, beer geeks, beer connoisseurs. Whatever." To read the entire story, click here.