They say, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” but I’m taking a gamble, just like I did in roulette (no, I did not win big like we all hope to do), and sharing anyway!
A little bit of Vegas goes a long way. From the lights, action, and entertainment, to the food and friendships with fellow industry partners. While the “The Entertainment Capital of the World” isn’t for everyone, we were thrilled that over 9,500 people from over 60 countries were registered at the event. What emerged from the conference were many excellent conversations about collaborating with breweries on future beers, ingredient and malting education opportunities, and future innovation ideas.
Did you take a spin at the Welcome Reception? Thank you to everyone who stopped by to taste some delicious beers and participated in our prize wheel at the Briess booth. We had a blast meeting and having so many laughs with all of you, as we stood in anticipation of what prize you were going to win! While most walked away with Briess charcuterie boards, hats, t-shirts, duffel bags, and Malted Milk Balls, we give a special shoutout to Zach Oyen, of Potosi Brewing, for winning the grand prize of a pallet of our newly introduced Heritage Gold™ malt. We’ll be waiting for a phone call to taste that freshly brewed beer, Zach. 😉
everyone’s faces.
The Buzz in the Briess Booth
All past CBC eventgoers know they can always count on Briess to feature six different beers each day in our taproom. But what was the buzz all about, this year? If you haven’t seen the social media posts I’ve been sharing, we rolled out two new malts!
Heritage Gold™ – a European base malt grown in the Bighorn Barley of Wyoming + Montana. Made using a traditional malting process, including 5-day germination. Malt complexity and depth shine in golden and dark beers, such as English Ales.
Crystal Red™ – an innovative, new roaster-produced crystal malt delivering the most intense source of red color available on the market. Adds beautiful orange and red hues to Pale Ales, Lagers, and IPAs (Red Pale Ales, here we come!).
Interested in a sample or ready to try a new recipe? Reach out to your Briess Division Manager today.
R&R Time
When it came time to sit back and relax, I went to the “Friendliest Place in Town,” which is no other than The Silver Stamp, located in the downtown Arts District. Dive bars are found all throughout where I live in Sheboygan, WI, and this place reminded me of those at home – vintage beer signs, a cozy, comfortable atmosphere, along with bartenders and other patrons who instantly become your friends.
The craft beer list was quite impressive, featuring beer from all over the world, including Belgium, other European offerings, American and locally. My favorite was a Kriek Mariage Parfait, which was aged in wooden casks for about 6 months and included 8 oz. of wild cherries. Unsweetened, unfiltered, unpasteurized, with no artificial flavors, preservatives, or coloring = pure Belgium perfection. But at 8% ABV, this delicately sweet Kriek could have been dangerous.
Alongside that, I joined the Briess Division Managers and some industry friends perfecting our swing at Top Golf and enjoying some tasty BBQ along the way.
Victories at the World Beer Cup
Talk about pure dedication, creativity, and spirit from over 2,060 different breweries, across 50 countries (wow!), submitting over 9,300 beer entries for the World Beer Cup. We raise a glass and congratulate the 329 winners taking home the gold, silver, and bronze in Las Vegas, including 41 states right here in the U.S. View all the 2024 winners here.
See you in Indy for CBC 2025!
Set your sights on Indianapolis, because CBC is heading that way, April 28-May 1, 2025. It’s certainly not full of neon lights like Vegas, but it’s home to a vibrant and thriving beer scene. I just learned there are 42 breweries that are within walking distance, and you can easily hop from one to another.