American craft beer takes centre stage in the UK this summer

American craft beer will be in the spotlight this summer as the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association for small and independent American craft brewers – returns to the UK with a major presence at its flagship event; London Craft Beer Festival (LCBF), 17-18 July at Southwark Park, London.

A wide range of sought-after, UK-rare, world class quality American craft beer will be showcased at this year's festival including 16 American craft breweries and over 40 different style-diverse beers from all over the States. Six brewery representatives will be travelling from the U.S. to pour beer and interact with festival goers. This year's line-up highlights the cutting-edge innovation of the American craft beer scene with everything from crisp and refreshing lagers and tart, fruity sours to hop-forward IPAs in a variety of styles, classic wheat beers and a selection of big, bold and experimental delights. The range reflects the creativity, quality, and diversity that has made American craft beer a global phenomenon.

Many of the breweries will be making their UK debut at the Festival while others are well-established favourites. Festival-goers can discover new breweries alongside iconic and respected brands in American craft brewing and all beers will be air-freighted to maintain freshness. Breweries participating (and travelling representatives) comprise:

• 3 Sons Brewing Co

• AleSmith Brewing Co

• Allagash Brewing Co

• Blackstack Brewing Co

• Bootstrap Brewing Co

• Coldfire Brewing Co – Stephen Hughes, Master Brewer/Owner

• Deschutes Brewery – Ashley Pond, Director of Business Development

• Dry Dock Brewing Co

• Hinterland Brewery

• Knee Deep Brewing Co – Andrew Moore, Owner

• Left Hand Brewing Co

• Shogun by Embolden – Wiliam Sutjiadi, COO

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co – Steve Grossman, Global Ambassador

• The Virginia Beer Co – Chris Smith/Robby Willey, Co-Founders/Owners

• Toppling Goliath Brewing Co

• Urban South Brewery

A series of Masterclass tastings with the brewers themselves will take place throughout the Festival at the following times:

• 1.00pm, Friday 17 July

• 7.00pm, Friday 17 July

• 1.00pm, Saturday 18 July

With the FIFA World Cup in full swing in North America and the 250th Anniversary of Independence in July other opportunities to sample American craft beer this summer include:

• Waitrose is running an American craft beer promotion across 220 of their stores featuring Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Samuel Adams Boston Beer and Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA from July - November. The latter is making its debut in the UK and authentic, genuine Samuel Adams Lager from Boston is returning.

• Tilray is rolling out eight genuine American craft breweries and pouring 18 new beers across the BrewDog estate to maximise the summer of sport and America's 250th Anniversary of Independence.

Lotte Peplow, Brewers Association's American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe, comments: "This summer presents a brilliant opportunity to explore the diversity and quality of American craft beer. With the FIFA World Cup and 250th Anniversary of American Independence providing the backdrop, there's never been a better time to discover new and exciting beers from across the U.S. Whether you're doing the weekly supermarket shop, out with your friends or visiting LCBF you'll find an outstanding selection of American craft beers to choose from, many of which will be making their UK debuts. This year the Brewers Association's stand at LCBF will feature a fresh, new look reflecting the authentic heritage and pioneering spirit of American craft brewing. Visitors can expect an exceptional range of highly rated, award-winning beers that demonstrate the innovation, creativity and world-class quality for which American craft brewers are renowned."

The UK remains an important market for American craft beer exports and the third largest in the world accounting for 8.3% of all global exports.

Free downloadable resources to help you enjoy and understand American craft beer are available at www.brewersassociation.org or www.craftbeer.com

American craft beer is available through selected bars, pubs and dining venues as well as bottle shops, off licences, supermarkets and on line from Athletic Brewing, Brew Export, Beer Merchants.com, Cask International, Cave Direct, Distant Lands, Hop the Pond. and Sierra Nevada UK

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA's independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine, and Brewers Publications is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA's American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru mobile app. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Issued on behalf of the Brewers Association, 1327 Spruce Street, Boulder, Colorado, 80302 USA. www.brewersassociation.org

For more information:

Lotte Peplow at lotte@brewersassociation.org, +44 (0)7973 698 414

Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.