Press release… The Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), the state’s official brewers guild, has released its event details and list of panel participants for the 2019 Meeting of the Malts, the association’s popular annual event that gathers the most acclaimed breweries to discuss the state of the craft beer industry.
Meeting of the Malts 2019 will take place Thursday, April 25 from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. EST at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey. The event will once again bring together the industry’s elite to discuss subjects critical for the continued growth of craft beer. This year’s spirited panel discussion will include: Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewery), Wendy Yuengling (D. G. Yuengling & Son), John Trogner (Troegs Brewing Company), and Shaun O’Sullivan (San Francisco-based 21st Amendment Brewery). All four breweries have landed on the Brewers Association’s 2019 list of the top 50 producing craft brewing companies based on beer sales volume. The panel discussion, which will run from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., will be emceed by David Steinman, Senior Editor of Craft Brew News at Beer Marketer’s Insights.
New to this year’s event is Bar Stool to Bar Stool, a sure-to-be engaging discussion on the past, present, and future of Pennsylvania’s three-tiered distribution system. Participants will be Jim Koch (Boston Beer Company) and Craig Purser (National Beer Wholesalers Association). The discussion, which will occur prior to the Panel, will be emceed by Benj Steinman, President of Beer Marketer’s Insights. Also new to Meeting of the Malts 2019 will be the Craft Beer Economic Update & Forecast by Bart Watson, Chief Economist of the Brewers Association.
“Meeting of the Malts will once again provide a critically important platform to address many of the issues facing the future of craft beer,” said Dan LaBert, Executive Director of the Brewers of Pennsylvania. “Craft Beer in Pennsylvania remains extremely strong. To help ensure an even brighter tomorrow, it’s essential to learn from one another, and have fun doing it. Meeting of the Malts provides that opportunity. After many successful years in the Lehigh Valley, the BOP is excited to come to Hershey, particularly as Harrisburg Craft Beer Week kicks off the day after Meeting of the Malts.”
Draft Magazine has named Meeting of the Malts as the #12 (out of 101) rated beer experiences on the industry bucket list. While several brewers have participated in previous Meeting of the Malts, new to this year is Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment Brewery and Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery.
The 21st Amendment brewpub opened its doors in 2000 in San Francisco’s historic South Park neighborhood with O’Sullivan spearheading the brewing process. In addition to quickly becoming one of the city’s favorite pubs, 21st Amendment began expanding beyond the Bay Area by helping to pioneer the movement to canned craft beer. Known for artistic packaging, witty names, and delicious brews, 21st Amendment is sold in 28 states.
“We love Pennsylvania!” said O’Sullivan, 21st Amendment’s Co-Founder and Brewmaster. “Not only do you all drink a lot of our beer, but your great state has been the epicenter of some of the most important moments in our country’s history. Many of those moments have inspired our company ethos and the stories behind our beers. Let’s grab a cold one at Meeting of the Malts, and talk about Benjamin Franklin–that’s the stuff dreams are made of.”
Oliver is a James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster. Brooklyn Brewery brewed its first batch of Brooklyn Lager in 1988, and has since known the world over, from its sister breweries at Nya Carnegie in Sweden, EC Dahl’s in Norway, Jeju Brewing Company in South Korea, HK Yau Brewing Company in Hong Kong, London Fields Brewery in the UK, and Svyturys Brewery in Lithuania. Brooklyn Brewery beers can be found in more than thirty countries.
Following the panel discussion will be a four-course dinner from 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., each course being paired with a beer from select panelist’s breweries. During the meal, the BOP will host a Beer Silent Auction, an opportunity to bid on unique and collectible items from a variety of breweries including autographed, one-of-a-kind items from the country’s finest breweries.
After the dinner comes the Pennsylvania BrewPub Festival from 9:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., featuring Pennsylvania-based brewpubs. Attendees will receive 4-ounce pours and light appetizers.
For the third consecutive year, Meeting of the Malts will also include the Legislative Growler Awards, an honor that recognizes a person or organization the BOP considers a partner in the industry, one who continually strives to promote and protect Pennsylvania’s craft beer industry. Honorees will be announced at a later date.
The Hershey Lodge is located at 325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033. Accommodations deadline is April 17.
