Archives for July 2024

Women In Beer – The Portland Edition

July 19, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

Growing up a Portland native I have always known I wanted to be in the craft brewing industry. As a woman I dream about a day where the craft brewing industry sees as many female brewery owners as males. My long-term vision is to start a brewery of my own with a female brew master. With this on my mind, I was feeling inspired lately by the hard working women I am around and decided to pick their brains. I was lucky enough to conduct some interviews with some powerful women involved and leading the way in the craft brewing industry.

The most challenging part of being a woman in beer is the “boys club” mentality that we face everyday. “You kind of have to prove yourself,” as Molly Tyler, former Administrative Assistant at Base Camp Brewing Co. puts it. Like most admins, Molly was the glue of Base Camp and did all the grunt work to keep the company going. Not only is it a boy’s club in the brewing industry, but also, female brewers are combatted everyday with struggles of how they function in a brewery. Being a brewer is a very manual job and can be even harder for women.

The industry has seen a shift in the last five years. What used to be a male dominated industry has transitioned and now women fill about fifty percent of positions. Karolyn Simon, Associate Brand Manager for Kona Brewing Company, has been in the industry for 7 years. She has felt the movement. “I don’t think the industry is dominated by males as much anymore… maybe on the brewing and packaging side, but definitely not in the other parts of the business. I have met so many female brewery reps, marketing pros, QA techs, and beyond lately! That shows where we’re going. When society changes I think the industry changes too.”

Karmen Olson, Director of Innovation at Craft Brew Alliance, sums it up very well. “In the last five years there has been a lot of progress. In five years from now, I see the movement continuing. In ten years from now we should expect gender equality. That can’t happen without the influence of men in the industry as well.” We have seen this shift and now it’s time to continue on that momentum and make sure that gender equality seeps into every aspect and role of the craft brewing industry. Whether you’re rinsing kegs, or designing packaging, the main focus is that we all are doing what we love in a community that we love.

For more information on how to get involved in the craft brewing community for women in your city check out the Pink Boots Society.

Story by Austin Foster – BeerInfo’s Portland Craft Beer Writer

Third Eye Brewing Named Best Brewery at the U.S. Open Beer Championship

July 15, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

Oxford, Ohio(2024) – Breweries from the coast of Kona, Hawaii to the rocky coast of Portland, Maine sent more than 9,000 beers representing over 170 different styles to the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Today, the U.S. Open Beer Championship announces the medal winners and Grand National Champion.

Third Eye Brewing of Hamilton, Ohio was awarded the 2024 Grand National Champion by winning 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. Their gold medal winners included Higher Consciousness, Double Astral, Dark Aura, and Inner Sight. Third Eye Brewing is known for brewing some style-defining beers that are consistent winners throughout many competitions. Most notably, Third Eye won the Brewery of the Year at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival.

Monday Night Brewing, from Atlanta, Georgia placed second overall by winning 4 gold and 4 bronze medals. Gold medals included Spoken Wisdom, Tears of Our Enemies, Madrigal, and Simple Illusion. Monday Night Brewing not only makes great beers, this Georgia brewery has finished in the U.S. Open’s Top Ten Breweries several times.

Sun King Brewery out of Indianapolis, Indiana placed Third by winning 3 golds for their Barrel Aged Scout Badge, Banana Daquiri, and their Collaboration Beer, Up For Anything, brewed with 18th Street Brewery. They also took home a silver and 2 bronze medals. Sun King Brewery has been crowned Grand National Champion in the 2019 and 2022 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

The U.S. Open Beer Championship judges more beer styles than any other competition in the world. The U.S. Open is also the only major beer competition to allow the gold medal winners of the AHA’s National Homebrew Competition to participate. This year, 3 homebrewers won medals which ties the U.S. Open record. Big congratulations go to Christopher Burgess from Castle Rock, CO for winning a gold medal for his Like Falling Off A Bike, Brutt IPA, to Lucas Orr from San Diego, CA for winning a gold medal for his Kilt Dropper, Strong Scottish Ale, and to Mark Kunzelmann from St Louis, MO for winning bronze for his Belgian Pale Ale.

The U.S. Open judging was held at the U.S. Open Event Center in Oxford, Ohio. The U.S. Open became the first beer competition to be held in its own venue which is a 6,000 square-foot Amish pole barn located on a small farm. The barn consists of a judging area, a serving area, two 450-square-foot coolers, an office, and a nano brewery. To see “The Barn”, Click here to see a YouTube video of the 15th Anniversary of the U.S. Open Beer Championship.

Most importantly, we would like thank all the volunteers and judges. The majority of our volunteer staff were from 6 different countries and 11 different states.

Top 10 Breweries in 2024’s U.S. Open Beer Championships
1. Third Eye Brewing — Ohio
2. Monday Night Brewing – Georgia
3. Sun King Brewery – Indiana
4. O.H.S.O. Brewery Gilbert – Arizona
5. Cherry Street Brewpub at Halcyon – Georgia
6. Urban Artifact – Ohio
7. Boulevard Brewing Co. – Missouri
8. Feather Falls Brewing Co. – California
8. Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. – Iowa
9. Sonder Brewing – Ohio
10. Burgeon Beer Co. – California

2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship Medal Winners – Click Here

Pink Boots Category: Toms River Brewing takes home the Gold
The U.S. Open Beer Championship partnered with the Pink Boots Society, an organization that assists, inspires, and encourages women and non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage profession through education, to create the Pink Boots Blend Category. The organization has partnered with Yakima Chief Hops for several years to sell a special hops blend to benefit the Pink Boots scholarship fund, and all beers developed using this hop blend were eligible to enter the category. Hear Us Roar, brewed by Toms River Brewing in Toms River, NJ, brought home the gold medal. All entry fees for the category will be matched by the U.S. Open Beer Championship and donated back to the Pink Boots Society Scholarship Fund.

What’s in a Name?
U.S. Open beer judges always enjoy the creativity behind the names that breweries choose for their products, and judge winners subjectively (based on laughter volume) at the competition’s conclusion. This year’s Top 10 on the laughs meter included:

Top 10 Beer Names at the U.S. Open Beer Championship
1. Barrel-Aged Macadizzamia Nizzut – Unrefined Brewing – Florida
2. All Cap’n, No Crunch – Tarnished Hallow Brewing Co. – Indiana
3. Just Give Me ALL The Bacon – Akademia Brewing – Georgia
4. Fat Kids Birthday Party -Cherry Street Brewing at Vickery Village – Georgia
5. Not My Gumdrop Buttons – Model A Brewing Company – South Carolina
6. Hot Sauce Committee – Good Line Beer Co. – Texas
7. The Elves Have Gone Too Far – Bickersons Brewhouse – Washington
8. Bones Are Their Money – Site-1 Brewing Co. – Nebraska
9. Spaghetti Policy – South O Brewing – California
10. Hopswitch Engage – Afterglow Brewing – Virginia

Andy’s Frozen Custard and Lakewood Brewing Co. Build the World’s Largest Beer Float

July 15, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

DALLAS— Andy’s Frozen Custard® and Lakewood Brewing Co. will build the world’s largest beer float at Lakewood on Saturday, June 29 at 1 p.m. using 50 scoops of Andy’s World Famous Frozen Custard, the best-frozen treat in the entire world, and 50 pints – a full keg – of Lakewood’s Temptress, the number one selling craft milk stout in Texas. The previous record was set in February in Ohio using about 20 pints (9 liters) of Third Eye Brewing’s Higher Purpose Milk Stout and 36 Graeters Vanilla Ice Cream scoops.

Andy’s will be on-site at Lakewood with its treat truck from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a fresh full menu of rich, thick and decadent treats, featuring smooth and creamy vanilla and chocolate frozen custard, transformed into luscious Concretes, Jackhammers™, shakes, and sundaes. Undecided treat seekers can get creative and customize their own treats with vanilla frozen custard and topping favorites like fresh fruit, hot fudge, and Andy’s famous roasted pecans.

Those in attendance can also register to win Andy’s for a year, as well as a Lakewood Brewing Lion’s Den Annual Membership, which offers one complimentary beer per visit with no annual limit. Both Andy’s and Lakewood merch will be available to commemorate the occasion, including a free Andy’s and Lakewood glass for the first 100 guests.

“Andy’s and Lakewood are brands known for a superlative focus on product quality, using only the finest ingredients and selling what we have carefully made in-house,” added Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood Brewing. “Marrying the two to create one of the most iconic symbols of summer will be one for the record books.”

Whether it’s a midday outing with the kids or a much-needed mid-day office break, Andy’s offers a sweet treat anytime and for everyone, offering frozen custard that is always Made Fresh Hourly™. In addition to locations in Carrollton, Frisco, Lake Highlands, The Colony, Hillcrest Village, and Prosper, Ranchers Frozen Custard operates the Andy’s Treat Truck in Klyde Warren Park and will be opening a new location in Allen this summer.

Lakewood is most notably known for its Temptress Imperial Milk Stout and offers a portfolio that also includes Stub’s – Texas Pils, year-round IPA’s, lagers, stouts, and popular seasonal offerings like Sunburst Wheat, all of which draw beer lovers to the Brewery and Taproom at 2302 Executive Drive in Garland. Lakewood beers are available on shelves Texas-wide and can be found using Lakewood’s online Beer Finder.

About Lakewood Brewing Company
Lakewood Brewing Company is a family-owned, independent craft brewery making Seriously Fun Beer. Lakewood exploded onto the DFW brewing scene in 2012 and became famous for its Temptress Imperial Milk Stout, now the best-selling craft stout in Texas. Its diverse beer portfolio includes IPA’s, Lagers, seasonal, and limited release beers. For more information, visit Lakewood Brewing’s official website.

About Andy’s Frozen Custard
Founded in 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri by Andy’s parents John and Carol Kuntz, Andy’s Frozen Custard has been providing the freshest frozen custard in the business for 37 years, giving ice cream the “cold shoulder” by scooping, mixing and presenting handcrafted frozen custard treats with speed and a smile. Since the beginning, the family has had one dream: to share what makes them happiest with everyone else, and to warm hearts, one scoop of frozen custard at a time. With a focus on product quality, customer service and community involvement, Andy’s has grown into the nation’s largest frozen custard-only business, with more than 2,000 employees and 136 company-owned and franchised stores across 15 states proudly serving the World’s Finest Frozen Custard. Andy’s also offers the ‘Yum Squad Loyalty Club,’ designed to say “thank you” to loyal customers by earning points to redeem towards a free treat for every dollar spent. For more information or for details about franchising opportunities, check on Andy’s Frozen Custard online.

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Breakside Brewery reveals 2024 beer release calendar

July 12, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

Portland and Milwaukie, Oregon based Breakside Brewery has announced their 2024 beer release plans for new year-round offerings and brand new series that will keep the lineup fresh. 2024 includes plans for more 19.2oz cans, and a new beer offered exclusively in that packaging format (and draft), and a draft-only stout for dark beer lovers that love a malt forward expression. To keep things interesting, Breakside will expand its rotating series of IPA’s and Lagers (8 beers each!) while also continuing releasing various small-batch pub beers throughout the year.

Ben Edmunds, brewmaster for Breakside Brewery, said, “we’re planning an exciting lineup for 2024 that includes lots of new canned beers, collaborations with friends from around the country, and a more West Coast IPA than you can shake a stick at. Despite whatever headwinds there are in the beer market right now, we are more committed than ever to producing a wide-ranging, changing, and delicious set of beers every day. If you love great beer, we’ve got you.”

About Breakside Brewery

Breakside Brewery opened in 2010 in Northeast Portland as a restaurant and pub brewery and has grown to be a highly regarded regional brewery producing 30,000 barrels annually. The brewery is known for its broad portfolio of award-winning, innovative beers. In 2013, Breakside expanded operations to Milwaukie, OR with a production facility and taproom capable of producing 40,000 barrels of beer per year. Today, Breakside operates five locations in the Portland area as well as a taproom on the Oregon Coast in Astoria, Oregon. In 2019, Breakside became one of only a handful of employee-owned breweries in the country.

In addition to winning many national, international, and regional awards for its beers, Breakside was named Brewery of the Year in 2017 and 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the Oregon Beer Awards and the 2018 Best of Craft Beer Awards. Breakside sells beer on draft and in package in Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Northern California, British Columbia, Alberta and Japan.

For more information please visit https://www.breakside.com

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Durango breweries release new craft beer honoring 50 years of the Colorado Trail

July 12, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

Durango breweries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Trail by brewing a specialty craft beer.

Ska, Steamworks Brewing, Anarchy, Carver, Animas and High Trestle brewing companies banded together to produce the Hit the Trail Pale Ale.

“We always like to support what we can with the Colorado Trail,” said Ska Marketing Director Kristen Muraro. “A lot of people finish hiking the trail and come by the breweries in town to have a beer and celebrate after they’ve completed the trail.”

The Colorado Trail was first conceived by the Roundup Riders of the Rockies in 1973. It was formally connected in 1988. Since then, it’s become one of Colorado’s popular attractions, as hikers will trek from Denver to Durango by foot (or bike) and vice versa.

This is the first time the breweries have collaborated on this scale since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the philanthropic arm of Durango’s brewing community, called the Bootlegger’s Society, the group felt it was an opportunity to help the Colorado Trail Foundation.

Twenty percent of all proceeds from each beer sale goes toward the Colorado Trail Foundation. The nonprofit organization employs four full-time employees, with the mission of educating people about the trail.

The beer will be sold on tap at all participating breweries for what will likely be two weeks, Muraro said. It will not be available for wholesale purchase.

She said specialty brews tend to do well in Durango.

“Most of our limited release beers are very popular,” she said. “ … People love trying something that they can’t have all the time.”

Carver Brewing Co. head brewer Patrick Jose said it’s been a success so far after its June 28 launch.

Jose said the brew was developed by a brewery in Salida, but participating breweries were able to choose how the beer was finished, giving each a slightly different flavor.

“Everybody uses different varietals for dry hopping,” he said.

He said it takes about six to seven hours to brew the beer and then about 2½ weeks for the yeast to ferment.

Carver Brewing Co. has historically participated in the Colorado Trail fun, offering a free beer to those who have successfully finished the trail.

“Last year, we gave over 600 pints away for free, so I think we got almost every single one of them as a result,” Jose said. “We’ve always had kind of a special relationship.”

The beer will likely be available for another two weeks and possibly through the end of the month, depending on its popularity.

“Steamworks has a couple more kegs,” he said. “But it could be two to three weeks there, and I know Anarchy has a little bit more than that.”

For more information please visit https://skabrewing.com/

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White Bay Brewery, Sydney Australia, Announces Partnership With Sydney Swans Aussie Rules Football Club

July 7, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

White Bay Brewery has announced a 3-year partnership with the Sydney Swans as “Official Beer of the Swans” for seasons 2024-2026.

The partnership is a key pillar of White Bay’s strategy to embed itself as a leading Sydney brewery and brand, and to extend our reach from the Inner West to all of Sydney, whilst linking our passionate customers to Sydney’s favourite sporting team. As an extension of this, White Bay Brewery has also partnered with Merivale to pour XPL & PILS at the SCG and Allianz Stadium.

In conjunction with announcing the Sydney Swans partnership, White Bay Brewery along with our equity partner & brand adviser Richards Rose is pleased to present a fresh new brand direction anchored by the iconic W logo. In launching the new W brand direction, we have made our Extra Pale Lager beer a permanent fixture in a stunning red and larger 375ml can.

White Bay’s owners have invested a further $1m into the business, to support the new growth of the brand.

“We are excited to bring our new brand and Sydney Swans partnership to life” said White Bay Brewery Co-Founder, Adam Trippe-Smith. “As a small brewery on the Balmain Peninsula, we decided recently it was time to elevate our beers to all of Sydney. As a 21-year Swans member, it was an obvious choice to partner with the Swans to achieve this. I am hoping it might also assist my right foot kick on the run from the 50m line.”

Sydney Swans CEO, Tom Harley, added: “The entire club is excited to welcome White Bay, one of Australia’s leading brewers, to the Swans family. White Bay and the Swans are both aligned in our goals of delivering a great experience to our audience.”

“I wish to add a massive thanks to the team at Richards Rose for this iconic brand direction and an additional high five to all our investors for supporting the latest capital raise” added Adam Trippe- Smith.

For more information please visit https://whitebay.beer/

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Lallemand Releases LalBrew Pomona, the Yeast for Modern, Hop-Forward Beers

July 7, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

Lallemand Brewing is pleased to announce the upcoming release of its latest innovation LalBrew Pomona™ Modern Hybrid IPA Yeast. LalBrew Pomona™ is a hybrid yeast that was selected for flavor and fermentation performance in hoppy beers. Named after the goddess of fruit trees, LalBrew Pomona™ produces a unique and juicy flavor profile with notes of peach, citrus, and tropical fruits. This strain was developed by our partner Escarpment Laboratories, an innovative Canadian yeast company and industry leader in solution-based yeast selection and hybridization.

“We used yeast breeding to cross a highly aromatic strain with a super robust and reliable strain. Then we used a process called adaptive lab evolution to adapt it to the unique fermentation conditions of IPAs, enhancing biotransformation and haze.”

Richard Priess, CO-founder of Escarpment Laboratories

The result of this research and selection is a fruity, stress-tolerant, and robust strain that enhances biotransformation and haze for modern IPA styles. This product will be available in 500g as of tomorrow and will be available in 11g sachets in the coming months.

Since their introduction into the craft market around 2003, hazy IPAs have firmly cemented themselves as a pervasively popular and highly demanded style in the brewing universe. With its carefully selected flavor profile, LalBrew Pomona™ answers the market’s ever-present demand from brewers chasing the divine balance of fruit and hop flavors. Commercial trials have received rave reviews, and we anticipate this to be one of our most beloved strains for many years to come.

In a nutshell, why is LalBrew Pomona™ a game-changer?

· High Biotransformation potential

· Unique flavor profile with notes of peach, citrus, and tropical fruit

· Selected for fermentation in high-gravity and highly hopped wort

· Haze-positive for stable haze

· Robust and repitchable

For more information please visit https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-states/

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Tennessee Brew Works, Turner Häus Brewery & Uncle Nearest Create Barrel-Aged Queen’s Legacy Stout

July 5, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

Nashville-based craft brewery Tennessee Brew Works, Chicago-based Turner Häus Brewery, and Shelbyville-based Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey are joining forces for a remarkable event that celebrates community, unity, and cultural advancement in the craft beer industry.

Together, they proudly announce the release of “Queen’s Legacy,” a unique stout aged in Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey barrels. The second iteration of this collaboration, this beer is a tribute to the legacy of the iconic Tennessean, “Nearest” Green, the world’s first-known African American master distiller, and the
continuation of his legacy through his great-great granddaughter, Victoria Eady Butler.

The Queen’s Legacy release event will take place on October 21st at the renowned Bedford Nashville, promising an unforgettable evening of craft beer and spirits, storytelling, and cultural celebration.

Guests attending this exclusive ticketed event will have the opportunity to savor the Queen’s Legacy beer, crafted collaboratively by Tennessee Brew Works and Turner Häus Brewery, with the added touch of Uncle
Nearest Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler, who hand-selected the Uncle Nearest Whiskey barrels used for aging the beer.

Queen’s Legacy is a fitting tribute to Victoria Eady Butler, a remarkable woman who carries forward the legacy of her great-great-grandfather, Nearest Green, also known as Uncle Nearest – the mentor to Jack
Daniels and the world’s first known African American Master Distiller. The name “Queen” in the beer’s title also honors all the matriarchs who have positively impacted our lives.

Queen’s Legacy, with an ABV of 7.6% and IBU of 30, presents a harmonious blend of sweetness, dry coffee, roasted malted millet, and subtle fruity notes from the hops and yeast. The infusion of vanilla, oak, almond spice, and caramel flavors from the Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey barrels adds an exquisite layer of
complexity to this truly special and delicious beer.

We are extremely excited about the long-awaited release of the Queen’s Legacy,” said Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, “The collaboration with Turner Haus Brewery and Tennessee Brew Works is unique and special, as is this special Caribbean-style stout.”

“We are honored to once again partner with our friends at Turner Häus Brewery and our Tennessee neighbor, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. We can’t wait for our guests to try Queen’s Legacy and enjoy a truly unique hand-crafted beer touched by the essence of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey,” said Christian Spears, Founder and President of Tennessee Brew Works.

“The Turner Häus Brewery team could not be happier to partner with Uncle Nearest and Tennessee Brew Works and celebrate our diverse heritage with this uniquely historic product in the craft beer and distilled spirits industry. Collectively we each understand how important it is to embrace diversity and heritage simultaneously, a fundamental mission our brand.”

For More Information:
https://www.tnbrew.com/beer/queens-legacy

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Boardwalk celebrates Giant Dipper centennial with custom craft beer by Discretion Brewing

July 5, 2024 by Dustin Scoggins

Santa Cruz’s iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster turns 100 this month, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is celebrating the centennial with a bespoke bubbly.

The Boardwalk partnered with Discretion Brewing, an 11-year-old local brewery based in Soquel, to brew a commemorative beer to mark the centennial. Giant Dipper Golden Ale, a low-alcohol blonde ale with a hint of hop flavor, will be released next Saturday, May 18, in 19.2-ounce cans and on draft at the Boardwalk and Discretion Brewing. That same day, a public ceremony will be held in front of the Giant Dipper to honor a century of rides, followed by a fireworks show that evening on Main Beach next to the Boardwalk. Later this month, the cans will be released throughout the local community and beyond through Discretion’s beer distribution channels.

The Boardwalk has collaborated with different local breweries on specialty beers over the years, including Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and Humble Sea Brewing Co., and partnered in 2011 with Hallcrest Vineyards to create a commemorative wine for the 100th birthday of the Boardwalk’s Looff Carousel. “We felt that the historic and iconic Giant Dipper’s 100th anniversary also deserved a special beverage, something perfect to sip on at the beach in the summer,” said Karley Pope, the Boardwalk’s marketing and sales director. “Discretion Brewing has an amazing team, a good following and great beer, so when they expressed interest in a collaboration, we thought they would be great partners for the Giant Dipper 100th [anniversary] beer.”

Giant Dipper Golden Ale will be available through the summer, and perhaps longer, depending on consumer demand, say Discretion owners Rob and Kathleen Genco.

Discretion already has a relationship with the Boardwalk; a selection of its cans and draft beers have been available for purchase there for several years. But the Gencos were excited to partner with the seaside amusement park to create a custom brew to mark the historic occasion.

Kathleen says she’s ridden the Giant Dipper since she was a kid. “I still ride it. I love it. And so to be involved in this is a personal thrill as well – for me, for my kids, and now for our grandkids, who also ride the Giant Dipper,” she said. “It’s one of those iconic things about Santa Cruz that even the locals love.”

After several Boardwalk representatives visited the brewery and tasted its current beers to hone in on a style profile, head brewer Jack Beiting took their input and created a recipe that was inspired by Discretion’s Castle Beach extra pale ale and its Stefano Italian-style pilsner. “I found a middle ground between the two, took the best and merged it into one beer,” said Beiting. “The goal was to create a full flavor while still being really drinkable and refreshing.”

For more information please visit https://www.discretionbrewing.com/

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Censored Munky Launches Inaugural Beer in Partnership With White Lion Brewery

July 5, 2024 by Spencer Mapes

CHICOPEE, Massachusettes— Censored Munky Brewing Company announces the launch of its inaugural beer “Freee Speeech!!!”. Based in Chicopee, Censored Munky is in partnership with White Lion Brewing Company out of Springfield to contract brew and distribute the inaugural beer, with forthcoming plans for Censored Munky to have a brewing operation and tasting room in Chicopee, an effort that will employ 3-5 people initially.

Two of the founders have over 100 years of family roots in Chicopee. “There was no better place to start our company than in Chicopee, where there is a working-class culture, and our French/Irish family roots are from the area. This all speaks to our passion for great beer, to have fun, and to have lively conversations”, says Rick Roque, area investment banker and Co-Founder.

Freee Speeech!!! is an American IPA that has a mild hop profile with hints of tropical fruit and citrus that is smooth and clear. Censored Munky pairs its beer with design concepts to illustrate political satire in this heavily politicized climate. The company intends to launch an assortment of beers to make fun of political parties, elected officials, conspiracies, and anything else the Munky desires.

“We made Freee Speeech!!! our flagship beer and first design because of the importance of the First Amendment”, says John Phillips, Chicopee resident, Chief Munky and Co-Founder. “It was a revolutionary concept and freedom that was won in the days of old. It took power away from those who controlled information. We should always strive for truth, dialogue, and laughter”.

Tommy Reynolds, Co-Founder, states “Our t-shirts, merchandise, can designs and messaging bring a fresh perspective on the world we live in with humor, wit, sarcasm and satire. By combining visual aids, a paired unique taste, and a thirst for laughter, we aim to bring people together via a shared vision; we realized censorship sucks.”

Freee Speeech!!! will be available at liquor stores, bars, and restaurants across Massachusetts starting April 20, 2024. It will be on tap at White Lion Brewing Company in both Springfield MA and Amherst MA, and at Massie’s American Bistro in Chicopee MA beginning on April 20th.

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