Archive of News, Reviews, and Accolades

October 22, 2020: Winter seasonals are arriving now at your local beer spot! Sam Smith's Winter Welcome, this year supporting the USBG; Sam Smith's Gift Box (check the video!); Lindemans Gift Box and Westmalle Trappist Gift Box (new for 2020) News releases: .pdf with pictures here; text-only here.

#OrvalDay is Saturday, March 20, 2021! Join us, and share your pics! Facebook , Twitter, Instagram.

September 21, 2020: #OrvalDay is Saturday, October 3, 2020! Join us, and share your pics! Facebook , Twitter, Instagram. Our charity partner this year is Safe Water Network

August 10, 2020: Pinkus Organic beers now in 4-packs! Pinkus, est. 1816, is the first all-organic brewery of the modern era News in .pdf, with pictures ; or text-only.

July 7, 2020: Wonderful beer, now easier for Americans to pronounce! Ayinger Bavarian Dark Lager (Altbairisch Dunkel) is now in 4-packs. News release in .pdf with pictures here in .pdf ; a text-only version is here.

June 3, 2020: Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is delicious, Certified Organic, and naturally gluten-free - and now it's available in the US in cans! News release in .pdf and in plain text. Sam Smith's Organic Cider is also sold in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, and big 18.7 oz. bottles.

March 16, 2020: Orval Day is Sat. Oct. 3, 2020: We've rescheduled #OrvalDay to October 3, 2020. More: Orval Day page. We'll donate 50 cents for each Orval Trappist Ale sold on #OrvalDay to our charity partner Safe Water Network.

January 2, 2020: Robert Burns (1759-1796), Scotland's famous poet, is often commemorated on his birthday, Jan. 25. Join or hold your own Burns Night party, and serve classic ale from Scotland's Traquair Brewery. Info sheet here in .pdf ; we're adding local events here on our Burns Night Page.

October 2, 2019: Our winter seasonal items are appearing soon! The 30th annual release of Sam Smith's Winter Welcome Ale; a new Sam Smith Gift Box; a new Lindemans Gift Box, and a Westmalle Trappist Gift Box. All four items recapped in this news release.

August 20, 2019: Eagerly awaited each year, beloved and delicious, Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen is shipping to your local spot, in half-liter bottles, four-packs and kegs! News in .pdf, with links and graphics; text-only version here.

July 9, 2019: Samuel Smith's Brewery and MdV are pleased to announce Organic Perry - sparkling pear cider- ON DRAFT! USDA Certified Organic, naturally gluten-free & delicious. News in .pdf, with links and graphics; text-only version here.

June 4, 2019: Pinkus Brewery and MdV are pleased to announce Pinkus Organic Munster Alt ON DRAFT!, a rare style from the world's first all-organic brewery. News in .pdf, with links and graphics; text-only version here.

March 18, 2019: Westmalle Trappist Dubbel on tap! Starting in April, kegs of this enchanting dark Belgian ale will be pouring in the US. Supplies are limited; accounts will show up on our retail beer finder as they order. News release in .pdf, and as text-only. #WestmalleDraft

February 19, 2019: Announcing Lindemans Young Lambic, a draft-only, unblended "young" batch of lambic from the past brewing season, with very low carbonation and gentle sourness. A very unusual style, even in Belgium - quantities are extremely limited! News release in .pdf, and as text-only.

February 19, 2019: #OrvalDay is Saturday March 23, 2019! Hundreds of accounts will join us to celebrate this excellent Trappist ale: news release in .pdf, with links and graphics here; text-only version here. Participating account list here. Our 2019 #OrvalDay charity partner is Safe Water Network.

January 22, 2019: We have the best beers for Valentine's Day: Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout, lambics from Lindemans Framboise (raspberry), and Strawberry! A news release .pdf with cool photo is right here.

January 2, 2019: Robbie Burns Night, a celebration of beloved Scots poet Robert Burns (1759-1796), is January 25 and falls on a Friday in 2019. Celebrate with exquisite ale from Scotland, Traquair House! Some regional events (with more to come) and a Burns Night info sheet are on our Burns Night page.

October 1, 2018: Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale '18-'19 - 29th release; this year with kegs, too! - and Gift Box are coming soon - we have a news release in .pdf and also one in plain text. Look for Winter Welcome and Gift Boxes starting in October!

June 5, 2018: Samuel Smith's in cans! Due to consumer and retailer demand, the true classic Nut Brown Ale and brilliantly crisp Pure Brewed Organic Lager will soon be sold in four-packs of cans. Our Samuel Smith Cans .pdf product sheet has more details. Look for Smith cans in the first half of July '18.

August 8, 2018: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen - highly anticipated every year - is arriving at your beer spot now, in 4-packs, half-liter bottles, and kegs! More details in .pdf right here and as plain text right here. Use our beer finder to locate US retailers.

June 4, 2018: Introducing Belgium's finest witbier in cans! You can see the lovely package on our Du Bocq Blanche de Namur page; we have a product sheet in .pdf for even more detail. Look for Du Bocq Blanche de Namur cans for sale in the US by the end of June 2018.

May 23, 2018: Lindemans Brewery has started packaging four-packs of Framboise (Raspberry) Lambic, Peche (Peach) Lambic, and Strawberry Lambic! Look for them starting in June '18. More details in .pdf right here.

May 21, 2018: Introducing Zundert Trappist, one of just 11 Trappist breweries in the world. Export to the United States beings September 2018. News release in .pdf, and as text-only. #ZundertUSA.

April 4, 2018: The Eighth Annual Samuel Smith Salute, a tribute to the small, family-owned, independent British brewery that has inspired so many American brewers, will be held in the second half of May - most events May 17- 19, 2018. News release in .pdf, and as text-only. #SamSmithSalute.

March 7, 2018: Announcing the second US Samuel Smith draft release: kegs of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale will be going on tap in April! Limited US national distribution will be in place before the #SamSmithSalute, May 17-19, 2018. Press release in .pdf here; text-only version right here.

April 16, 2018: Ayinger Maibock, a beautifully big, rich, full-bodied lager, is available now, but it is draft only and in very limited quantities. (Try our beer finder.) We have a product sheet right here in .pdf, and a tasting video from Bavaria on our Maibock page.

February 21, 2018: Orval Day is Saturday, March 24, 2018! Help us celebrate this global icon of beer greatness, and help us support our charity partner MAP International. We have a news release in .pdf here and a text-only version here. #OrvalDay

September 6, 2017: Announcing Lindemans Strawberry Lambic, Lindemans first new fruited lambic in over a decade. The aromatic sweetness of strawberry matches the complexity of lambic perfectly. Here's a news release in .pdf, and as text-only. There's a great introductory video on our Lindemans Strawberry page.

January 16, 2018: Valentine's Day is Wednesday, Feb. 14: your sweetheart wants chocolate and berries! Of course, that means Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout, Lindemans Strawberry Lambic, and Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic. Here's a Valentine's Day news release .pdf, and as text-only.

November 1, 2017: Announcing Lindemans GingerGueuze, the second Botanical Lambic release in the US. Look for it near you in November. Press release in .pdf here; text-only version right here.

October 3, 2017: Winter seasonals arriving soon! Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome - the 28th annual release of the first imported seasonal beer in the US; Samuel Smith's Gift Box, new for 2017; and the Lindemans Gift Box. Here's a news release in .pdf, and a text-only news release.

August 24, 2017: Huge news - Samuel Smith's and Merchant du Vin are excited to announce that Samuel Smith's kegs will be shipped to the US for the first time ever! News release as a 969 KB .pdf here; text-only version here.

August 23, 2017: Merchant du Vin and Ayinger Brewery are excited to announce that Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen - in 4-packs, half-liter bottles, and kegs - is appearing now at great beer spots across the US. News release as a 1.4 MB .pdf here; text-only version here.

July 19, 2017: We're pleased to announce that 4-packs of 12 oz. Samuel Smith's Organic Apricot Ale & Organic Strawberry Ale are coming in August, joining the current 550 mL bottles. Demand for an on-premise size & growing popularity of multi-packs led to this new package. Product sheet, 276 KB .pdf, here.

June 9, 2017: Belgian Beer Week is coming, July 14-21, 2017! Spearheaded by importers of Belgian beers and by Flanders Investment and Trade, this is a week to discover, celebrate and drink beers from Belgium. Our regional events pages have features near you. #BelgianBeerWeek.

April 4, 2017: Announcing: Ayinger Bavarian Pils! This beautiful golden lager, crisp and inviting, is selling in the US now in 4-packs & on draft, and will be available year-round. A news release with pictures is here as a .pdf of 304 KB. A text-only version is right here.

March 15, 2017: Announcing: the seventh annual Samuel Smith Salute, coming April 16 - 22, 2017! News release as a 1.6 MB .pdf, with links and graphics, is right here; a text-only version is right here.

March 1, 2017: Orval Day 2017 is Saturday March 25! News release as a 1.5 MB.pdf right here; a text-only version is here. More about Orval Day, and events across the US, can be found here; more about this iconic Trappist brewery (including a 5 minute video) is here. #OrvalDay2017.

February 23, 2017: Trappist range found to have life! While Earth-like planets around the star Trappist-1 may not have life, every bottle-conditoned Trappist beer that we import does: let's name the #TrappistPlanets! News release as a .pdf of 735 KB right here. Toast the star with the beer: Orval, Rochefort, or Westmalle.

January 3, 2017: Announcing: Samuel Smith's Organic Perry, delicious Certific Organic sparkling pear cider! News release as a .pdf of 145 KB right here; a text-only version is right here.

January 26, 2017: We have the perfect beers for Valentine's Day (Tues. February 14, '17): Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout and Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic. News release as a .pdf of 1.2 MB right here; a text-only version is right here.

October 4, 2016: Great winter seasonals from MdV are appearing now at retailers across the US: the 27th annual release of Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome; an all-new Lindemans Gift Box; the Samuel Smith's Gift Box. News release as a .pdf of 168 KB right here; a text-only version is right here.

August 2, 2016: Annual favorite Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen is beginning to arrive at beer spots now, and will be at most beer spots by Labor Day. News release as a .pdf of 248 KB right here; a text-only version is right here.

July 19, 2016: Yorkshire Day is August 1, and that's also the official kickoff for the 2016 release of Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo. This delicious barrel-aged, bottle-conditioned strong ale is extremely limited - get it when you see it in August! Stingo 2016 details here as a 319 KB .pdf.

April 23, 2016: The 500th Anniversary of Germany's Reinheitsgebot! This 1516 edict from Wilhem IV of Bavaria is still important to brewers in Germany, and is the main topic of our April 2016 e-newsletter. Raise an Ayinger or Pinkus beer to experience the #Reinheitsgebot yourself!

February 24, 2016: Orval Day 2016 will be held Saturday, March 26, 2016. News release as a .pdf of 1.2 MB right here; a text-only version is right here. Check our events pages for an Orval Day event near you: join us appreciating a Trappist brewery that brews a true global classic, Orval Trappist Ale.

Feb. 2, 2016: A perfect Valentine's Day gift suggestion: Chocolate & Raspberries! Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout & Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic, that is . . . News as a .pdf of 190 KB right here; a text-only version is here. A two-page product sheet on this delicious beer combo is right here.

Nov. 23, 2015: Lindemans Oude Kriek Cuvée René and Lindemans/Mikkeller SpontanBasil are coming to the US in February 2016! Oude Kriek announcement here in .pdf; SpontanBasil announcement in .pdf here; a news release for both in text only is right here.

Jan. 5, 2016: The Sixth Annual Samuel Smith Salute is coming, January 23 - 31, 2016! News release as a .pdf of 800 KB right here. Check our events pages for an event near you, & raise toast to this iconic, independent British brewery!

October 1, 2015: Winter seasonal releases are coming soon! News here as a 246 KB .pdf with pictures. A text-only version is right here. Our winter items are: Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome (26th annual release!), the Samuel Smith Gift Box, the Lindemans Sampler Pack, and Ayinger Weizenbock.

August 4, 2015: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen is arriving at beer spots now, and there's pretty big news: this year four-packs are joining half-liter bottles and kegs! News here as a 294 KB .pdf. A text-only version is here.

May 12, 2015: We had a lineup of pioneering American brewers Salute Samuel Smith's Brewery on April 15, 2015 - check out the photo: a 246 KB .pdf. Additional pictures here; event was at Saraveza in Portland, OR.

March 5, 2015: Merchant du Vin and Ayinger Brewery are pleased to announce that Ayinger Maibock, a bold, elegant, amazing and limited draft-only lager, arrives around the beginning of April. News: 220 KB .pdf with graphics & text only.

March 5, 2015: The fifth annual Samuel Smith's Salute is going on now! News: 256 KB .pdf with graphics & text only. For events near you, visit our News & Events page.

January 31, 2015: Ratebeer.com's annual "best of" awards are based on many thousands of reviews. This year, Ayinger & Samuel Smith's were among the World's Best Brewers; Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is the Top German Beer & Top Strong Lager. More Ayinger: Altbairisch Dunkel is World's Top Dunkel; Brauweisse is World's Top Hefeweizen; Oktober Fest-Marzen is World's Top Oktoberfest. Rochefort Trappist 8 & 10 were on the World's Best Beers list.

January, 20, 2015: Valentine's Day is Sat. Feb. 14, '15! Chocolate (Stout) and Raspberries (Lambic) sound like a nice Valentine, don't they? News: 192 KB .pdf with picture & links & text only. A recipe for blending the two beers is right here.

November 12-14, 2014: MdV particpated in FHC China, the biggest trade show for imported food and beverages. See pictures on the MdV Facebook page:

Post by Merchant du Vin - Specialty Beer Importers Since 1978.

September 28, 2014: Winter Seasonals are here! News: 248 KB .pdf with pictures & text only. (25th release of Sam Smith's Winter Welcome; new boxed sets from Sam Smith's and Lindemans; Ayinger Weizenbock.)

August 5, 2014: The 2014 release of Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen - bold, deep, beloved lager - is here! News: 365 KB .pdf with pictures & text only..

July 15, 2014:Green's Gluten-Free IPA - made from gluten-free ingredients - has joined the MdV portfolio. News: 422 KB .pdf with pictures & text only.

June 17, 2014: Merchant du Vin and Du Bocq Brewery are pleased to announce that Du Bocq Saison 1858, a classic and traditional Belgian Saison, has joined the MdV portfolio. News: 930 KB .pdf with a picture & text only.

April 11, 2014: 2014 World Beer Cup ®: Green's Dry-Hopped Lager - Gold, Gluten-Free Beer category; Green's Endeavour Dubbel - Silver; Ayinger Alt Dunkel - Bronze, Dark Euro Lagers. 4,754 beers competed; 281 won medals (.pdf).

October 22, 2013: Merchant du Vin-Asia adds Du Bocq, Dupont, and La Trappe to China portfolio. News: 4.6 MB .pdf with pictures & text only.

On April 16, 2014, a large group of Iowa State University's "Intro to Wine, Beer & Spirits" class toasted Samuel Smith during the Salute:
ISU Smith Salute toast

March 11, 2014: The fourth annual Sam Smith Salute - a tribute to the British brewery that has played a leading role in the American beer revolution - is coming in April. 299 KB .pdf with graphics; here is news in text-only. Find local events here.

March 11, 2014: Announcing the limited release of Ayinger Maibock, a rich, bold, inviting spring seasonal beer. Available on draft only. News release: 220 KB .pdf with graphics; a text-only version is right here.

February 6, 2014: The Ayinger Brewery and Celebrator Doppelbock were selected "best brewery in Germany" and "best beer in Germany" by ratebeer.com's "Best for the Year 2013."

January 21, 2014: For Valentine's Day, Friday Feb. 14, '14, Chocolate and Raspberries! Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout and Lindemans Framboise Raspberry Lambic, that is . . . News release: .pdf with pictures; a text-only version is right here.

December 31, 2013: Pinkus Organic Ur-Pils was selected by The Tasting Panel Magazine as the "Class of 2013 - Most Original." The review can be viewed on p. 148 right here. Founded in 1816, Pinkus is the first organic brewery of the modern era.

December 26, 2013: Below is a video of a traditional Flemish hop harvest song performed at t'Hoppecruyt, a hop farm near Poperinge, Belgium, during a Belgian Family Brewers Association November 2013 media event. Benedikte Desmyter-Coutigny, the performer, runs this hop farm with her husband.

November 30, 2013: Wine Enthusiast Magazine has announced their "Top 25 Beers of 2013" and the list includes Rochefort Trappist 10, Ayinger Brauweisse, Du Bocq Blanche de Namur and Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale.

September 30, 2013: Winter seasonals coming soon: Sam Smith Winter Welcome, Lindemans Gift Box, Sam Smith Gift Box & Ayinger Weizenbock! News: .pdf with pictures; a text-only version is right here. The '13-'14 Winter Welcome label can be seen right here as a 1.2 MB .pdf.

July 30, 2013: Announcing Green's Enterprise Dry-Hopped Gluten-Free Lager, which will join the Green's beers currently sold in the US this August. News release: 452 KB .pdf with a photo; a text-only version of 1.9 KB is right here.

November, 2013: The Epicurious five best "Winter Beers for Food Pairing" include Rochefort Trappist 10 and Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock.

August 6, 2013: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen is coming! News release: 247 KB .pdf with a label graphic; a text-only version of 3.9 KB is right here.

July 17, 2013: The fifth annual US release of Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo is Aug. 1, Yorkshire Day. News release: 393 KB .pdf with a photo; a text-only version of 1.5 KB is right here.

May 13, 2013: The June '13 Wine Enthusiast Magazine reviews wheat beers - the top three are from MdV! Du Bocq Blanche de Namur & Ayinger Brau-Weisse tied for first; Ayinger Ur-Weisse was third. Complete reviews here (1.1 MB .pdf).

Jan. 10, 2013: We are pleased to announce that Blanche de Namur, witbier from Belgium's Du Bocq Brewery, has joined the MdV portfolio. More: .pdf, with images (417 KB); news in text-only; and a family portrait .jpeg (879x1249; 2 MB).

December, 2012: The Wine Enthusiast Top 25 Beers of 2012 includes Traquair House Ale at #2; Ayinger Celebrator doppelbock at #12; and Lindemans Cuvée René Gueuze at #15.

June 25, 2013: Every Day With Rachael Ray Magazine taste-tested gluten-free beers and picked Green's Discovery Amber Ale - made from gluten-free ingredients - as a top choice. See the full feature right here.

On April 10, 2013, the band Taddy Porter visited the Seattle office of Merchant du Vin and played a few songs. They are touring now - check their website and go see them! Here's a video of the first single off their new album, "Fever."