Credit: PA Internet News Agency
Thirteen beer-related projects have been awarded $704,985 from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
The grants were announced by Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday and will enhance the Pennsylvania beer industry through promotion, marketing, and research-based programs and projects, according to his office.
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“Brewing beer is an important industry to Pennsylvania’s economy that is growing,” Wolf said in a statement. “These grants build on the bipartisan efforts to modernize our beer laws and support the industry to create job opportunities from the farm to the brewery, pub and grocery store.”
The 2016 Act 29 liquor reform act authorized the PLCB to award up to $1 million in grants to help develop and grow the state’s beer industry.
“Pennsylvania has a long, proud history of producing some of the finest malt and brewed beverages in the country,” said Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Chairman Tim Holden. “Pennsylvania-based breweries are flourishing, and the PLCB is proud to support the continued development of the commonwealth’s beer industry through these grants.”
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“With 300 licensed breweries and a 300 percent increase in breweries in the past six years alone, brewing beer is a $5.8 billion industry in Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The grants PLCB awarded today pave the way for continued growth in Pennsylvania’s malt and brewed beverage industry.”
| Grant Project | Grantee | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Pursue Your Hoppiness: Identification of 12 beer trails geographically linking breweries based on the state’s existing tourism regions, and creation, development, and employment of a single, identifiable brand identity for Pennsylvania’s malt and brewed beverage industry. | PA Department of Community and Economic Development, Pennsylvania Tourism Office | $127,500 |
| Distributors Training and Development: Three regional marketing workshops across Pennsylvania for beer distributors that (D licensees) that will allow industry experts to provide distributors with information and tools to take advantage of recent changes in Pennsylvania law to remain an integral part of the Pennsylvania beer industry. | Malt Beverage Distribution Association | $95,000 |
| Design and Development of Improved Drying Technologies for Pennsylvania Hop Growers: Development of research-based recommendations for dehydrating fresh hops with a focus on preserving hop aroma compounds currently in demand by Pennsylvania breweries. | The Pennsylvania State University | $70,559 |
| Effect of Fungicides on Pennsylvania Hop Aroma Quality: Evaluation of the effects that fungicides have on the final quality of hops and beer brewed with those hops. | The Pennsylvania State University | $65,595 |
| “Poured in Pennsylvania”: A feature-length documentary film that will explore the state’s craft beer industry, including its impact in agriculture, tourism, and the economy in order to both educate viewers and spur beer tourism throughout Pennsylvania. | GK Visual LLC | $65,000 |
| Beer Tourism: The Digital Ale Trail: Development of a new app – a comprehensive, immersive mobile experience for residents and tourists to experience the best of the commonwealth’s beer industry at the touch of their fingers – to raise the profile of Pennsylvania breweries | Brewers of Pennsylvania | $60,000 |
| “What’s Brewing”: A television series promoting all aspects of Pennsylvania’s evolving brewing scene to raise the visibility of Pennsylvania’s growing craft brewing industry and increase tourism. | CCI Communications | $50,000 |
| Pennsylvania Craft Malt Production and Promotion for Commonwealth Brewed Beverages: A project to increase production, promotion, and research and development of Pennsylvania craft malt while increasing the quality, profitability, and sale of commonwealth brewed beverages. | Deer Creek Malthouse | $49,214 |
| PABrewReview.com: Improvement and expansion of a brewery review website using user-submitted ratings to provide consumers with a consolidated source of information for each brewery in the commonwealth, searchable by location and other categories. | PA Brew Review | $39,970 |
| Professional Development and Education Program: Direct education of individual brewers in western Pennsylvania increasing their knowledge and improving the quality of beer produced through the offering of professional speakers, technical seminars and other professional development opportunities. | Master Brewer’s Association of Pennsylvania, District Pittsburgh | $35,000 |
| Pittsburgh Brewery Guide: An innovative and interactive online and print guide to breweries across Allegheny County focused on increased knowledge of unique local brewing traditions, tourism and economic impact. | Pittsburgh Brewers Guild | $30,000 |
| The Hops on Lots Pittsburgh Project: Development, in conjunction with a local community, of an urban hop farm to supply a local brewer for creation of a truly local beer for the community. | Hops on Lots Pittsburgh | $10,000 |
| Bringing Brewers and Farmers Together: Two “matchmaking events” in 2018 to connect interested farmers with local brewers in order to strengthen Montgomery County’s role in the local brewing economy. | Montgomery County Planning Commission | $7,147 |
“These grants represent a strong cross-section of research, marketing and education initiatives important to the commonwealth’s beer industry,” said William Brock, president and CEO of Elk County-based Straub Brewery and chairman of the PA Malt and Brewed Beverages Industry Promotion Board.
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The profits from the PLCB, which operates Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores, are returned to Pennsylvania’s general fund.
There has been debate over the years to get rid of the PLCB and provide a more open liquor system in the state.
