The following article was originally posted on DallasNews.com Beer Blog. Read the original here.
Last year, when Green Flash Brewing Co. let Alpine Beer Co. brew beers at its facility in Mira Mesa, California, many of us beer nerds wondered if Alpine’s hoppy delights would finally make it out of the brewery’s home state. We were not sure how or when, but we had hope for the first time. The intention of that first partnership was to help Alpine raise capital for growth of its’ own fully realized capacity in Alpine, California.
Honestly, that was the first time I heard about Alpine’s knack for great hoppy beers and not-too-shabby sours. New Belgium Brewing Co. collaborated with Alpine sometime ago for the Super IPA. We were fortunate to get some here in Texas, and I remember it being pretty darn good. Still, I didn’t take the time to learn more about Alpine then. Generally I focus on the beers in front of my face and tend not to chase or trade.
Well, Alpine is about to be in front of all of our faces in March.
Green Flash have been my good friends for some time now and for good reason. They make wonderful beers. I remember the first keg of West Coast IPA that came to Texas some seven or eight years ago. I was told that I must buy it because my distributor knew I would like it. And damn, he was right.
Back then, we had to wait about every four months for one keg of West Coast IPA. Oh my! How things have changed for Green Flash since. That’s what makes the Green Flash/Alpine partnership so logical. Green Flash knows firsthand the hard work it takes to get beer distributed anywhere in this land. So of course, founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley and brew master Chuck Silva would have respect for the wonderful beers crafted by Pat McIlhenny and the crew at his small Alpine brewpub with only 1,500 barrels of capacity a year.
Photo Credit: Tim Stahl
Green Flash Brew Master Chuck Silva, Alpine Founder/Brew Master Pat McIlhenny and GF Founder Mike Hinkley
As far as I can tell — from a distance and through some hearsay — Pat McIlhenny is a very intentional, passionate and particular brewer. He began home brewing in 1983 during his career as a firefighter. In 1999, after a little hands-on experience and a stroke of luck obtaining a brew system, he decided to start Alpine Beer Co. Coincidentally, he started off contracting his McIlhenny’s Red with AleSmith down in San Diego until he could get the brewery in his hometown off the ground nine months later. That enabled him to brew some of the most brilliant hop-driven beer and quality sours, all the while being a firefighter, until he retired as a captain in 2009.
That retirement came between McIlhenny’s brewery expansion in 2008 and brewpub construction in 2010. That doesn’t read like hearsay to me. That is more like testimony to a driven man inspired to create beauty through the science and artistry of brewing beer. Not to mention, Alpine Beer Co. has been family run with his wife and son the entire duration with now only 20 employees.
Two years ago, riding around with Green Flash’s Chuck Silva one day on a small tour of breweries, we stopped at AleSmith for some tastes and immediately Silva began talking shop with the guys of AleSmith. Before anyone knew he was offering his surplus of hops to AleSmith after they mentioned their shortages. Hops are as valuable to brewers now as spices were to the gold to traders centuries ago. It makes perfect sense to me now that Green Flash would be willing to help out. When the evolution of the partnership turned into an acquisition, I didn’t think twice about the intention of the deal. As co-founder Mike Hinkley has said, “It is a win-win.”
Silva and McIlhenny get to nerd out on recipes. Employees from both companies will mix cultures. Alpine employees get health insurance and 401k for the first time. Green Flash gets to help distribute their beers. Also, it is a very savvy and friendly means of growth that is seemingly much different than AB/InBev purchasing craft breweries. Their futures are bright.
Photo Credit: Alpine Beer Co. The famous Nelson Golden Rye IPA
When Alpine arrives next month, the company will bring world class beers that originated from a small town outside San Diego. Say what you will about “best of” lists, but currently Alpine holds six beers in Beer Advocate’s Top 250 Beers of the World. That is no small feat considering Texas only has four in the list, which just happen to be Live Oak’s Hefeweizen, Jester King’s Atrial and Aurelian, and Lone Pint’s Yellow Rose.
Distribution will bring Alpine Ale, Capt. Stout, McIlhenny’s Red as well as the famous Nelson, Duet and Hoppy Birthday in draught only to begin with. Keep an eye out at your local craft beer savvy bar and restaurants coming in March sometime.
Drink Alpine or go to bed!
Matt Quenette has been working in beer industry for seven years throughout D-FW and currently resides at the Meddlesome Moth as beer director for the last three-and-half years.
