Enjoy $6 Cabin Fever growler fills through the entire month of February at New Holland Brewing Co. Restaurant and Pub! (66 E. 8th Street, Holland, MI.)

We would like to welcome Anna Lisa to the team! She was hired on full time following her internship which she completed this winter. Her role with NHB is our in house graphic designer. “Basically I make aesthetically pleasing graphics for advertisements, web features, band posters, etc.” Says Anna Lisa. “I was the graphic design intern for the past few months and New Holland decided they wanted to keep me around (probably for sheer entertainment). Beer and design are my two biggest passions, so why wouldn’t I want to work here? I’m living the dream!”

We asked Anna Lisa what she thinks is her strongest quality for this position and what areas will be most challenging for her, “Creativity oozes out of me, and I’m pretty sure that was why I was hired. That and my charming personality.” Let’s not forget her wit! Anna Lisa is rarely without a funny comment or observation. “I’m still learning how to do great design, quickly and efficiently. Juggling projects is going to be fun to learn as well,” said Anna Lisa. 
 
Born in San Jose, California, Anna Lisa grew up in Saugatuck. “While I was still a wee babe, my parents drove us all across the country in a giant yellow hippie VW bus, to Saugatuck, where I grew up. I attended College for Creative Studies, located in Detroit (Rock City!). Detroit is one of my favorite places in the world, it has a lot of fantastic hidden gems. I majored in Illustration, which is essentially professional doodling.”  

Anna Lisa was introduced to the field of craft brewing at an early age. “My father has been home brewing for as long as I can remember, and I was dragged into it. I went to more beer festivals than any child should. Now that I can actually partake in the consumption of alcohol, it’s incredibly fascinating. That and I’m obsessed with beer label design.” Well, that works out for us! Previously employed at Salt of the Earth (Fennville) as a hostess, and bread delivery girl, Anna Lisa is excited to join the corporate world and utilize her degree. Dragon’s Milk is all time favorite NHB brew, but at the moment, you will find her drinking Envious. 

We asked Anna Lisa what her hobbies include. Surprisingly enough, she told us she likes to “Draw, draw, draw!” She started a webcomic for kicks and grins, so that’s been occupying a lot of her time. “I occasionally play video games, read comics and on Monday nights, I can be found at the pub with a drawing group I help run called Drink and Draw.” Someday, Anna Lisa would like to move back to Detroit and start up her own studio there. 

We would like to welcome our newest team member, Lindsay Sprick to the NHB family! Lindsay’s ambition and passion for the craft beer industry made her stand out form the crowd. We are excited to support Lindsay as she helps us reach a broader market and increase awareness of our company. We sat down with Lindsay one-on-one to get to know her and ask her a few questions:

NHB:  Describe your role with us here at New Holland Brewing.  What responsibilities do you have?

Lindsay: I am New Holland’s Beer and Spirits Ambassador for the Eastern territories (SC-NJ)! My responsibilities include putting in beer orders for distributors for each state I work in, representing the brewery with tastings, at beer festivals, and at a whole slew of other events, and just generally being the best source of New Holland beer and spirits information on the east coast!

NHB: When did you start with the company?  What made you want to work here, as opposed to another brewery? How did you hear about the job?

Lindsay: I started working with New Holland on February 6th. I found out about the job in October and really wanted to work with New Holland because it is a fantastic company as well as being a very well-respected national craft brewery. (Not to mention everyone is absolutely amazing!)

NHB:  What is your strongest quality for this position and what areas will be most challenging for you? 

Lindsay: I think that my ability to make friends everywhere I go will really be one of my biggest strengths for this position. My friends and family make fun of me all the time for walking into a store, striking up a conversation with someone and then having plans to meet up with them later for a pint. On the other side of that though, I think it will be really challenging for me to be away from my friends and family more often. I am looking forward to traveling and meeting people and of course, to talk to them about beer, but I love being home and going to breweries there with all my close friends. It’s something I will do a lot less of, and I’ll have to get used to that.

NHB: Where are you from originally?  Where did you attend college?  

Lindsay: I was Born in St. Louis, but raised in Charlotte, NC, and now live in Durham, NC. I attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for my undergrad, and graduated with a B.S. in Economics with an Emphasis in Business Administration. Immediately after that, I attended Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law for one year. In the end, the desire to sell craft beer won out, and here I am!

NHB: How did you get into the craft beer industry, more specifically, sales?  Have you always worked in this field? 

Lindsay: It all really started with my desire to discover more kinds of craft beer. I have always been a big foodie and when I discovered the world of beer, it made sense to me to get out there and try everything I possibly could. As I discovered this amazing beverage, I wanted to tell everyone about it, and I realized more and more that I wanted to be a huge advocate of craft beer, and be given a chance to sell it! New Holland is the company that has given me a chance to make this dream come true. I’m no longer just a beer enthusiast in NC. Now, I’m a Beer & Spirits Ambassador and I get to sell some amazing beer and spirits!

NHB:  Where were you employed previously? 

Lindsay: I was most currently a waitress in Durham for eight months. In law school, I wasn’t allowed to hold a job for the first year, so I really couldn’t do anything outside of law school (other than go to every craft beer event I could get my hands on!).

NHB: What is your favorite NH beer?  NHAS cocktail?

Lindsay: It’s a big tie between Dragon’s Milk, Pilgrim’s Dole, and Blue Sunday. It really just depends on my mood and the weather- that determines which is my favorite at the time. I am extremely partial to Dragon’s Milk though, which was my first NH beer ever. When it comes to spirits, I have quite a bit to learn, but from what I’ve had so far, Hatter Royale makes a pretty awesome Hoparita!

NHB:  What do you do for fun?

Lindsay: I think my favorite thing to do outside of drinking craft beer is to bake with it. I make craft beer cupcakes and I bring them to my local brewery (Fullsteam), bar (Goodfellows), or to the beer dinners my group of friends at home hold monthly. Other than that, I like messing around on twitter (@UnfitRedhead), reading sci-fi/fantasy novels or beer books, and playing video games like a boss (Skyrim, currently).

NHB: Are you married, kids, pets, family?

Lindsay: I am a single ginger that wears fedoras and kind of just does her own thing. I have no children and no pets (though I would love to own a husky). I am very close to my family, which consists of my mom, dad, older sister, and younger brother and visit them in Charlotte, NC often. We like to party it down on Lake Norman in NC, make some awesome food together, and generally go out and listen to bands together. They’re all really excited for me to join the NH family, and I am as well!

NHB:  What are your long term goals with NHBC as well as your personal career goals?

Lindsay: I believe strongly in loyalty to your home. NHBC is my new home and I hope to be with the company selling beer for a long time! I really want to grow the brand into a stronger presence in NC and the south, especially so I can share awesome beer (and spirits!!) with the people I’ve spent the last two years talking craft beer with. My personal career goals right now are focused on me becoming a great sales rep for NHBC, and learning how to be that. I want to be a national advocate for craft beer, and really help people learn how to embrace all styles of beer!

NHB: Thanks so much for your time, Lindsay!! Welcome to the team!

Sorry for the inconvenience!! Hope to see you at our booth at the Michigan Brewer’s Guild Winter Beer Festival in Grand Rapids!

Plans for Valentine’s Day? Stop down to the restaurant and pub and enjoy dinner for two including Caesar or house salad, steak or chicken with a white wine butter sauce, mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus followed by two mini strawberry cheesecake desserts for just $24.99. This special runs on February 14th only and starts at 5pm!

Gravity Head 2012 is an event that kicks off on Friday, February 24, with the (now) traditional Gravity Head Tailgate Breakfast at the Public House, at New Albanian Brewing Company. This year, New Holland is their featured brewery and we will be in a category by ourselves, because it’s the end of the world as we know it, and we might as well celebrate with our brethren. Accordingly, they’ll all be on tap on Friday, February 24, when Gravity Head’s 14th bacchanal begins!

Here’s our beer list:

New Holland Barrel Aged Charkoota Rye
(22C) Rum Barrel Aged Smoked Rye Doppelbock
8.4% abv
(See below) New Holland’s distilling arm, Artisan Spirits, crafts “freshwater” Michigan Amber Rum. Emptied rum barrels are used to age regular Charkoota for eight weeks, adding another complex layer of flavor.

New Holland Blue Sunday “Gravity Head Sour Blend”
8.7% abv
From the brewery’s cellar library of barrel-aged Blue Sunday Sour source ales comes this exclusive Gravity Head custom blend, put together solely for the 2012 event.

New Holland Charkoota Rye
(22B) Smoked Rye Doppelbock
Circa 8% abv
Pigs indeed can fly, as illustrated by this tribute to the porcine, ranging from Porkapalooza to the glories of the charcuterie. Rye and four barley malts, including cherry-smoked.

New Holland Dragon’s Milk
(22C) Barrel Aged Stout
Alcohol by volume: 10%
Aged in bourbon barrels for four months, with accompanying vanilla notes, and a name that derives from historical examples of English special strong ale reserved for the privileged. Fox hunting, anyone?

New Holland Envious
(20) Fruit Beer
Circa 8% abv
From the brewery’s Cellar Series, utterly unique fruit ale aged on oak. Michigan pear juice and chardonnay yeast create a second fermentation, and the ale is finished with local raspberries.

New Holland Golden Mean
(18C) Belgian Tripel
8.1% abv
A New Holland pub exclusive, shipped just for Gravity Head. It’s a classic Belgian Tripel, tawny golden, with hints of clove, apple and chamomile in the nose.

New Holland Imperial Hatter
(14C) Imperial IPA
Alcohol by volume: 9.4%
A member of the High Gravity Series, with plenty of grapefruit and citrus overall, bitterness in front, dry-hopped at the end, and suitable for falling down rabbit holes.

New Holland Silent Night
(18E) Belgian Strong Dark Ale
11% abv
Another house ale usually seen only at New Holland’s pub, Silent Night is referred to as “Biere de Noel”, seasonally for the yuletide, but not spiced.

Cheers to Gravity Head 2012!!!

Please click here to read more.

Click here to view Fred’s blog and read all about the brew.

Click here to view the entire photo album on Facebook.

Whole Foods Market® and The Beer Wench present 
“Beer is for Lovers” virtual Twitter tasting


BERKELEY, Calif. (January 30, 2012) – Move over red wine and Champagne, craft beer is giving this Valentine’s Day a run for the money. Sparks are sure to fly as Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) and The Beer Wench (@TheBeerWench) combine forces for another hour of live beer tasting fun.



Aptly themed “Beer is for Lovers,” the virtual tasting is on February 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. EST, live on Twitter. Join Whole Foods Market and The Beer Wench as they taste through a playful quartet of palate-tantalizing beers, sure to bring out the romantic side of even the most cynical beer lover. All it takes to participate is a Twitter account and a beer in hand. To follow the conversation, use the hashtag #WFMBeer in your tweets.



For this event, four craft breweries across the country will participate to present a lineup of beers worthy of Cupid’s praise. Whether you plan on snuggling up with a loved one or celebrating with friends on Valentine’s Day, any or all of these beers will do the trick.

The featured beers include:

• The Poet, New Holland Brewing Co.: The Poet has a rich, smooth malt character enveloped in tones of roast and chocolate. A soft mouth-feel brings luxurious flavors and soothing aroma. The Poet is a seductive companion to dinner and dessert, especially beef, mushrooms & chocolate. 5.2% abv.

• Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA, Flying Dog: In the words of Gonzo artist Ralph Steadman, Raging Bitch is “two inflammatory words…one wild drink. Nectar imprisoned in a bottle.” With fruity funk and hop bite, it’s big, bold, beautiful, and complex, just like a Raging Bitch should be. 8.3% abv.

• Chocolate Stout, Bison Brewing: Often referred to as Barry White’s voice in a bottle, Bison’s Chocolate Stout is a dark, slow-pouring aphrodisiac of the smoothest proportions; rich roast, slightly bitter but, oh so luscious. 100% certified organic, 100% certified orgasmic. 5% abv.

• Total Domination, Ninkasi Brewing: Multiple hops collide in balanced perfection, dominating the senses, achieving total satisfaction. From the Pacific Northwest, birthplace of the modern IPA, comes a beer whose name says it all. 6.7 abv.


Every fifteen minutes, the focus will shift to a different brewery as brewmasters and brewery representatives actively answer questions and share stories about the beers and the breweries. The February 7 “Beer is for Lovers” Twitter Tasting schedule is:



7 p.m. EST: New Holland (@newhollandbrew) “The Poet”

7:15 p.m. EST: Flying Dog (@flyingdog) “Raging Bitch”

7:30 p.m. EST: Bison Brewing (@bisonbrew) “Chocolate Stout”

7:45 p.m. EST: Ninkasi (@Ninkasi) “Total Domination”

8 p.m. EST: After-party (free for all!)



In addition to tasting via Twitter, Whole Foods Market will be streaming the tasting live, with The Beer Wench, from it’s Coddingtown store located in Santa Rosa, CA. All are welcome to join the event in person, or watch it live on the Whole Foods Market LiveStream channel (http://www.livestream.com/wholefoodsmarket).

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

The Poet, New Holland Brewing Co.:
The Poet has a rich, smooth malt character enveloped in tones of roast and chocolate. A soft mouth-feel brings luxurious flavors and a soothing aroma. The Poet is a seductive companion to dinner and dessert, especially beef, mushrooms and chocolate. 5.2 percent abv.

Media Contacts:
Ashley Routson, drinkwiththewench@gmail.com
Ashley Hawkins, ashley.hawkins@wholefoods.com

About The Beer Wench

Known amongst the craft beer community as The Beer Wench, Ashley Routson is a self-proclaimed craft beer evangelist and social media maven on a mission to advance the craft beer industry through education, inspiration and advocacy. Ashley currently is the “Director of Awesomeness” at Bison Brewing in Berkeley, CA — where her responsibilities include everything from brewing to marketing, sales, PR, and being an all around ninja. Ashley is also the founder of DrinkWithTheWench.com and BeerMixology.com.

About Whole Foods Market®

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 64,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 14 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2011, the company had sales of more than $10 billion and currently has more than 315 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Enjoy our takeout specials this Sunday, February 5th, for the big game! We will be offering a large one-topping pizza and a 6-pack of our winter seasonal, Cabin Fever for just $20. Or, bring your growler down for discounted growler fills of Cabin Fever. See you Sunday!

Beer enthusiast and chef, Cleetus Friedman, visited our pub on Monday, January 9, 2012 to brew a collaboration beer with NHB brewer, Brandon MacClaren. Originally from Baltimore, Cleetus attended the University of Maryland before moving to Chicago in 1995. Happily married and a father of twins, Cleetus  comes from a culinary background. “I have worked as a chef for most of my adult life. I will always have a passion for great food!” 

In 2008, Friedman started City provisions as a catering company, and by 2010, Cleetus had opened the City Provisions Delicatessen. Focused on local produce, farmers and artisans, City Provisions features coffee, pastries, quiche, deli salads, charcuterie, and raw meat. Sounds great, right? But what does all of this have to do with beer?  As we mentioned earlier, Cleetus is a huge fan of craft beer. Along with miscellaneous grocery items and gourmet candy, City Provisions features a wide selection of beer, wine and spirits to go. In addition, they have three rotating taps at the 28 seat deli. 

“We try to source our produce from local farmers within 250 miles of our deli,” says Cleetus. ” I’ve always been an advocate for supporting fair trade and local artisans.” Cleetus plans to continue collaboration brews once a month with other breweries, and already has brew days scheduled through May. Farm dinners are another way Cleetus bonds with fellow beer enthusiasts. “We gather a group of craft beer lovers, take a bus to a featured farm where we enjoy a tour, different craft brews, great food and great conversation.” Farm dinners end with a five course beer dinner and a bonfire.  

The collaboration brew is a chocolate malted milk stout and you can expect to see it on tap at City Provisions as well as New Holland Brewing Co. Restaurant and Pub in mid-february. Stay tuned for details on the City Provisions release party! 

Thanks for brewing with us, Cleetus!