Tom Davis - Brewmaster at Thomas Creek Brewery

IPA's Win Awards!!

Over Labor Day weekend, Thomas Creek racked up 2 new beer awards, this time for both our IPA's! The Savannah  Craft Brew Fest professional brewers competition awarded Thomas Creek with an Honorable Mention for Class Five IPA and Best of Show for Up The Creek Extreme IPA. Our beers were judged alongside offerings from breweries across the country and it is an honor to take 2  of the 5 medals awarded. Wow, thanks Savannah!

Production Soars At Thomas Creek...

Thomas Creek Brewery is producing more beer now in a typical week than what was sold in our entire first year of operation! It is not unusual for our production staff to brew over 240 barrels of beer per week; that is 7,440 gallons of beer (almost 77,000 12 oz. bottles). In fact, two weeks ago we had to brew over 300 barrels of beer to keep pace with demand. Wow!

Thomas Creek Invades The Midwest

We are excited to announce that the full lineup of Thomas Creek beers will be available in Illinois and Iowa beginning in early September, followed by Indiana later in the month. Patagonia Wine and Imports, dually based in Charleston, SC and Cedar Rapids, IA, has assigned Thomas Creek distribution in the Midwest.  Patagonia has a strong portfolio of wines from around the world and is rapidly growing their craft and import beer business; they currently operate in ten states across the South and Midwest, with four more coming in the near future. Distribution in Iowa and Indiana will be state wide with Illinois starting in the Davenport and Peoria markets.

Saying Goodbye To Barley...

Old, blind, goofy-looking, smelly, and weird were some ways to describe Barley; however, he was so much more. He was loving, loyal, hard working, adorable, and he was here everyday to greet anyone who walked through our doors. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to Barley in August. After seeing Drake (Tom's daughter) off to college, he handed the reins over to Porter to oversee the brewery and clean up beer spills.  Porter is Tom's other Border Collie who shows up to work every day of the week and will continue Barley's legacy at the brewery. While he may not be here physically, Barley will always be with us in spirit as Thomas Creek grows into the future.

New Staff @ Thomas Creek

Over the past few months, Thomas Creek has added several new members to our brewery family. Jay Simpson, formerly of Blue Ridge Brewing Co., is now part of the Thomas Creek team. We also added Whit Lanning, a chemistry graduate from NC State, to help out with brewing as we say goodbye to one of our  brewers near the end of the year. Another new addition to the team is Paige Blankenship, who has been hired to run our growing homebrew shop and conduct tours, tastings & beer sales. We are excited to have Jay, Whit & Paige on board, so check out the new faces next time you stop by the brewery!

Something Atypical

Recently, somewhere hidden deep inside Thomas Creek Brewery, our brewers began tinkering with the idea of creating something more unique, something to make people stand up and take notice. Tom wasn’t satisfied with the incredible success of Up the Creek (our 12.5% ABV extreme IPA), nor was he satisfied with inventing the Belgian-Style Porter (Dirty Monk). No, something else needed to be done to really drive home the point, “Don’t Be Typical.” Then, it happened; one day the 3.5 bbl system was free of test batches, there was time in the production schedule, and extra grain in storage. That initial brewing of Conduplico Immundus Monachus, an imperial version of Dirty Monk marked the beginning of what we have come to call our “Atypical Series,” a series a beers that will be wholly unique, but still incredibly delicious. Soon after, Assistant Brewer Matt Manthe’s Key lime and pink peppercorn Saison, Houlbon et Poivre, was in production. Although the small brewhouse had to return to its regular duties for a short time, several uncommon beers are slated to join the first two in the series, both of which are available at the brewery. We hope to release these beers to the public very soon in larger 750 mL corked bottles. Be on the lookout!

Thomas Creek is proud to welcome a new distributor to our family. Pinnacle Imports of Bessemer, AL is our exclusive distributor for the state of Alabama. For years we received calls from Alabama retailers and customers asking for our product. Once “Free the Hops” was successful in getting the ABV limit raised to 13.9%, the requests increased and we listened! Howdy Alabama!!

 
We now have Thomas Creek branded, brown, half gallon growlers. Brown glass prevents the beer inside from spoiling in the light, allowing you to store your pints for days. A beer lineup included in the back text of the growler also allows us to label your beer, saving you the trouble of identifying which beer you are reaching for when your refrigerator inevitably fills up with Thomas Creek growlers. In addition, growlers are refillable; so, just bring your growler back to Thomas Creek for us to sanitize and fill with any of the 13 beers available!

TC Review in SBN

 Check out the latest edition of Southern Brew News for a shining taste review of our Stillwater Vanilla Cream Ale. You can look for the SBN brewspapers in your favorite beer bars, brewpubs, breweries and beer stores throughout the Southeast or read them on-line.  

Brewery Bash 2010!

That’s right folks, it’s that time again. When the weather starts to finally cool down, college football gears back up, the leaves on the trees turn those beautiful rustic fall colors, you know what time it is... time for the annual Thomas Creek Brewery Bash! The Halloween holiday weekend will once again be host to the yearly bash at Thomas Creek on October 30th. More details coming soon!

Dopplebock Wins Again!

In early July, winners were announced for the 2010 US Open Beer Championships (USOBC), a competition unique for allowing entries from both professional brewers and homebrewers. Deep Water Dopplebock won a gold medal in the Dopple/Strong Bock category. Deep Water Dopplebock (7.0% ABV, 30 IBU) is a full-bodied German style lager with a rich flavor. Malty and smooth, but with very little hop bitterness. Toasted nuts and chocolate are the dominant lingering flavors, making this an excellent companion to our Stillwater Vanilla Cream Ale. Check out our dopplebock in  The Beer Devotional and 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die.

VICTORY!! Beer Sales & Samples Now Legal!

On June 7, 2010 Governor Sanford signed House Bill 4572 into law. As we noted last month, the bill is a collaborative effort between the brewers, wholesalers and retailers to allow responsible sampling of South Carolina produced craft beers at the brewery and off premise retail shops.

The benefits will be wide reaching. We have given tours for years, but have not been able to have a sampling area, or sell beer to visitors. We now have the same opportunity for sampling and limited sales that wineries and distilleries in SC have had for years.

If you have not toured the brewery, we invite you to come visit! We will give you an overview of the brewing process from start to finish and show you all the equipment that transforms the grain into the nectar of the gods! We like the tours to be interactive, so don't be shy about asking questions. We are very proud of the beers we produce, and relish the chance to tell you all about them! You may be able to sample a test batch of one of Tom's newest creations or enjoy one of your old-time favorites fresh from the tap.

At the end of your tour, you can now purchase up to 288 oz. of beer per person per day (up to a case of beer, 4 1/2 gallon-size growlers, 2 gallon-size growlers). This is a tremendous way for us to promote Thomas Creek beers with existing fans and newcomers as well. We are inundated regularly by beer enthusiasts who wish to make direct beer purchases from us and we are thrilled that now we can accommodate those requests!

Beers currently available for sale:

Appalachian Amber Ale         Pump House Porter

Class Five IPA                       River Falls Red Ale

Deep Water Dopplebock       Stillwater Vanilla Cream Ale

Dirty Monk Belgian Porter *    Up The Creek Extreme IPA

Dockside Pilsner

* Available in growlers only.

As we are a small staff, we ask that you please call or email to set up a tour time. This is especially important if you would like to bring a group. Call (864) 605-1166 or email info@thomascreekbeer.com.

12th Anniversary for Thomas Creek!

July marks the 12th anniversary of Thomas Creek  Brewery! It seems like just yesterday that we began, but we have been at it for 12 great years!  Tom's brewing career began with homebrewing, and over the years he moved up through the ranks of  commercial brewpub brewing to the large scale microbrewery we are today. Thanks to everyone out there drinking Thomas Creek who helped the brewery get where it is today. We truly could not have done any of it without the loyal support and commitment of our fans. So this month, we raise a toast to you! Be on the lookout for a 12th Anniversary beer from Thomas Creek soon!

Meet The Brew Dogs

Our brewery wouldn't be complete without the brew dogs, Barley & Porter. On any given day when you come in for homebrew supplies or a tour, Barley and Porter will greet you at the door and expect a belly rub soon after. They get to come in to work at the crack of dawn every morning with Brewmaster Tom Davis and are put straight to work upon arrival. General duties include lapping up spilled beer, chasing cases of beer down the conveyer line and border patrol, what a hard job for them right? Barley & Porter are the brewery team mascots; you will even find their likeness on some of our promotional materials such as pint glasses and stickers. They bring a special kind of work ethic to Thomas Creek that could only come from the canine world. Not only do they put in their time, Barley & Porter brighten the place up with their cheerful attitudes and perky personalities. If you've never met them, stop by with a dog biscuit sometime!

Beer Fest Week Schedule!

Tuesday, April 6th, 7:00
Oskar Blues “GUBNA” SC Launch at Barley’s Taproom

Wednesday, April 7th, 7:00
Foothills Pre-Fest Party at Barley's Taproom

Thursday, April 8th, 5:00-6:30
TC On Tap @ Green's www.greensbeverages.com
Come out to Green's on Congaree Rd. and fill up that growler with Thomas Creek beers! Stillwater Vanilla Cream Ale & Deep Water Dopplebock will be on tap side by side, so you can buy 1 of each and make your very own Midnight Train to Madagascar at home!

Barley's Taproom, Greenville, SC

Thursday, April 8th, 7:00 – 10:00
TC Randall Night @ Barley's!! www.barleystaproom.com/greenville
Barley's will be running our Up the Creek Extreme IPA through the randallizer with Amarillo & Mt. Ranier hops and we will be there with some TC giveaways. Barley's will also be giving away 2 tickets to the Top of the Hops Festival!!

Friday, April 9th, 6:30 – 9:30
Brewers Reception- private party


Saturday, April 10th, 1:00 – 2:00
VIP Early Entry to Top of the Hops Beer Festival
www.topofthehopsbeerfest.com/greenville


Saturday, April 10th, 2:00 – 6:00
Top of the Hops Beer Festival!! www.topofthehopsbeerfest.com/greenville
Top of the Hops Beer Fest presented by Thomas Creek & Barley's!!
Join us for the Inaugural Top of the Hops Beer Festival in Greenville, South Carolina on Saturday, April 10th at the BI-LO Center! Two ounce unlimited sampling of craft beers from around the world combined with great food, music and games at the BI-LO Center. This will make for a great afternoon in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina!

Saturday, April 10th - 3:00, 4:00 & 5:00
Brew University classes at Top of the Hops Beer Festival
Class Descriptions...

3:00 - Homebrewing 101: Learn the basic process of making beer with Greenville’s own homebrew aficionado Brian Cendrowski. See the equipment and touch the ingredients that you can use to make great beer yourself.

4:00 - The Evolution of Craft Beer: Thomas Creek Brewmaster Tom Davis outlines the history of how craft brewers have revolutionized the beer industry and reawakened the palate of beer drinkers throughout the American landscape and the Southeast. Q&A to follow.

5:00 - Beer & Cheese Pairings: Beer Expert, John Byce, from Whole Foods Market takes your taste buds on an adventure with 3 Thomas Creek beers & tasty cheese pairings, along with charcuterie & chocolates.

Barley's Taproom, Greenville, SC

Saturday, April 10th, 7:00 – 10:00
Cask Night @ Barley's! www.barleystaproom.com/greenville
A special night of regional cask-conditioned ales, upstairs at Barley's Taproom. Let's finish off beer fest week right!

Top of the Hops Beer Fest!

Folks, next weekend 4/10 is the inaugural Top of the Hops Beer Fest in Greenville at the Bi-Lo Center. Okay, we've been to our fair share of beer festivals over the years and to be honest, we love every last one of them. But come on, Greenville has needed a beer fest for soooo long! We're really pumped up about it and so proud to be a sponsor for Top of the Hops.

Top Of The Hops Beer Fest

The cost is $35 for regular tickets and $60 for VIP. Tickets are on sale at the Bi-Lo Center, Barley's & Green's Discount Beverage.

Please join us on April 10th from 2:00 - 6:00 PM at the Bi-Lo Center. It is truly cause for celebration in Greenville- only more proof that craft beer is evolving and becoming a vital element of our culture. Come raise a glass with us at the Thomas Creek booth!! Cheers!