Brewing up a discussion

the vindicator

BOARDMAN — The documentary “Beer Wars” will be shown at 430 theaters nationwide — including Boardman’s Tinseltown — at 8 p.m. April 16. The special one-time showing will be followed by a live panel discussion simulcast from Los Angeles with independent brewers and beer industry experts and hosted by pundit, economist and actor Ben Stein. Tickets will be available at the box office.

“Beer Wars,” by filmmaker Anat Baron, examines the small, independent brewers who take on the large corporate beer-makers by creating innovative brews.

Baron is a former beer industry executive. His film follows two entrepreneurs — Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware and Rhonda Kallman of New Century Brewing and Boston Beer Co.

“While following Sam and Rhonda during the production of the film, I realized that their struggles mirrored those of entrepreneurs in general — raising money, taking risks, getting their product to consumers and managing growth,” said Baron. “I made ‘Beer Wars’ because the beer industry is a reflection of America today. I hope it makes people think twice about the choices they make.”

The live panel discussion will include Calagione, Kallman, Greg Koch of Stone Brewing, Charlie Papazian of Brewers Association, Maureen Ogle (beer historian) and Todd Alstrom of BeerAdvocate. It will provide an inside perspective of the struggle independent brewers face in a corporate-dominated world. The panelists will field questions in a live, talk-show style discussion.

For more information about “Beer Wars,” visit www.beerwarsmovie.com.