Governor Wolf Announces $705,000 in PLCB Grants for Developing, Promoting Pennsylvania Beers

February 28, 2018

Harrisburg – Governor Tom Wolf today announced the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has awarded grants totaling $704,985 to 13 projects to increase the production of Pennsylvania-made malt and brewed beverages and enhance the Pennsylvania beer industry through promotion, marketing, and research-based programs and projects.

“Brewing beer is an important industry to Pennsylvania’s economy that is growing, said Governor Tom Wolf. “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.”

Act 39 of 2016 created the Pennsylvania Malt and Brewed Beverages Industry Promotion Board and authorized the PLCB to approve up to $1 million annually for development and marketing of the Pennsylvania beer industry.

“Pennsylvania has a long, proud history of producing some of the finest malt and brewed beverages in the country,” said 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.”

“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 Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The grants PLCB awarded today pave the way for continued growth in Pennsylvania’s malt and brewed beverage industry.”

The grant projects, summarized as follows, were recommended for approval by the Pennsylvania Malt and Brewed Beverages Industry Promotion Board.

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 Straub Brewery and chairman of the PA Malt and Brewed Beverages Industry Promotion Board. “We appreciate PLCB’s approval of the projects, and look forward to our continued work with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in administering the grants and supporting the board’s activities.”

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling $15.8 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov.