Mashing-In News: Grit & Grain Double Episode, Final Rare Beer
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 — Charlie Sheen turns 60 today!
From Tacoma’s hop-soaked podcast and Portland’s new Rosenstadt taproom to Hop Valley’s Eugene pub closure, Vanguard’s 10th anniversary, the last Denver Rare Beer Tasting, David Bruce’s memoir, and NBWA’s sobering sales index, today’s craft beer news mixes history, community, celebration, and industry headwinds into one busy pour.
Grit & Grain waxes Hop King and Lights Out today at Peaks & Pints
Today on the Grit & Grain Podcast, Dustin Stripland and Phil Saurer of the Browns Point Homebrew Club dive into the two big upcoming competitions—Poulsbo’s All American Homebrew Competition, celebrating the boldest U.S. styles, and Tacoma’s Lights Out Dark Beer Competition, where only the blackest, boldest brews can claim victory. The homebrew chat begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Peaks & Pints Events Room, an hour after they chat with Meeker Mansion’s Shelly Schlumpf about Ezra Meeker’s hop empire and the Historical Society’s bold new project: a modern hop barn that will double as taproom, event space, and living museum dedicated to the Hop King’s legacy. (Grit & Grain Podcast)
Rosenstadt Brewery Finally Opens First Taproom in Portland
Rosenstadt Brewery, long known for brewing German-style beers without a home base, has officially opened its first brick-and-mortar taproom in Portland’s former Culmination Brewing space, offering 10 classic German-style drafts, Bavarian glassware, and a café partnership with Fressen Artisan Bakery. (The New School)
Hop Valley Brewing to Close Eugene Pub, Plans Downtown Relocation
Hop Valley Brewing will permanently close its original Eugene pub as part of a rebrand under parent company Tilray Beverage, with plans to reopen in a more central downtown Eugene location within the next year, while its Springfield brewpub and other locations remain open. (The New School)
Wilsonville’s Vanguard Brewing Hosts 10th Anniversary Party
Wilsonville’s Vanguard Brewing will celebrate its 10th anniversary on September 20, 2025 with an all-day “10 Years of Making Beers” party, honoring the legacy of late co-founder Don Anderson with a special beer release, food trucks, giveaways, and community toasts as new owners Ted and Silvia Minshall carry forward the brewery’s veteran-family roots and welcoming spirit. (The New School)
Last Call: Denver Rare Beer Tasting Marks Its 16th and Final Year
The 16th and final Denver Rare Beer Tasting will be held Oct. 9 during GABF weekend, featuring rare and vintage beers from 56 renowned breweries, a free public health screening, and an online auction — all to benefit Pints for Prostates’ cancer awareness mission. (All About Beer)
From Firkin to Fortune: David Bruce’s Memoir Charts Craft Beer’s Rise
David Bruce OBE, founder of the Firkin brewpub chain and early supporter of U.S. craft beer, reflects in his new memoir The Firkin Saga on his entrepreneurial journey—from building and selling his quirky, pun-filled brewpub empire to investing in Brooklyn Brewery and Elysian, shaping modern craft beer on both sides of the Atlantic—while still chasing new ventures at age 77 with the same irreverent energy. (Pellicle)
NBWA August Report Signals Beer Market Contraction Ahead
The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s August 2025 Beer Purchasers’ Index fell sharply to 27 from 40 a year ago, signaling continued contraction across most beer segments as distributors head into fall with higher inventories, though cider and FMB/seltzer bucked the trend with modest growth. (ProBrewer)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
