You're only halfway through the week and already that celebratory barrel-aged you saved for the weekend is calling your name, but first make sure it's not spoiled from a Lactobacillus infection. Let another edition of This Week In Beer News hold you over to the weekend.
This week went relatively smoothly compared to last: no insane break-ins, stabbings, or beatings in the name of beer -- although with the frenzy that is the growing craft beer revolution, you can never completely rule it out.
However, some things are getting serious with the rising popularity of gluten-free beers, a labor dispute with one of America's largest production breweries and Wal-Mart's hoping to strike gold with more beer sales.
Wal-Mart Wants to Increase Beer Sales
Bloomberg news reports that Wal-Mart has been quietly, but aggressively, attempting to increase its beer market share over the past year, doubling the number of alcohol buyers, offering discounts on brands, and expanding its craft beer selection. Even though increasing alcohol sales would go against the late Sam Walton's philosophy on alcohol, recently Wal-Mart's corporate attitude on this has been changing. Just last year two Walton grandsons successfully campaigned to overturn a ban on retail alcohol sales in Wal-Mart's home county of Benton.
MillerCoors and Union Reach Labor Agreement
Some dissatisfaction is afoot in Milwaukee as more then 400 workers at the MillerCoors brewing facility there picket off the clock last Thursday over labor disputes with the company. The workers' contract expired on August 2, but was extended until the 13th. The Union and the brewery had been in active discussions when today both parties were able to reach a deal. There has not been a work stoppage at MillerCoors since 1983.
