This election has been exceptionally gruesome and well, strange. And as we transition to our next administration, we’re all in need of some healing and unity — and beer. Luckily, there are some amazing craft beer collaborations to help show us the way.
Craft beer is all about working together, coming together to share resources and creating something truly awesome despite the fact that breweries are technically in competition. So, let us gain inspiration from some of the best beer collaborations in recent craft beer history. Lets us all learn from these examples of brewers putting their competitive egos aside and coming together. Then, let’s gather down at Flying Saucer for some quality chill time. Your efforts may help us learn how to obtain world peace — or at least how the damn electoral college actually works.
OPERATION COLLABORATION
That’s the name of the game. Dallas’ Peticolas Brewing partnered with California’s Green Flash in 2015 to create a top-notch IPA out of experimental hops 07270 and 06277 (the latter now known as Denali AKA Nuggetzilla). The result is a softer IPA than you’d might expect, but pungent and dank all the same. True example of excellent partners excelling together.
image credit: Peticolas Brewing
XOCOVEZA MOCHA STOUT
This is about as collaborative as it gets: Stone Brewing, an American Homebrewers Association homebrewing champion and Tijuana-based Cerveceria Insurgente, all working together to create what has become a favorite of Stone fans and beer fans alike. Its third iteration is available now across the country, so grab some of this Imperial Milk Stout artfully brewed with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk sugar now.
image credit: Stone Brewing
NEW BELGIUM CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
New Belgium reached across the aisle and into the freezer section to collaborate with ice cream legends Ben & Jerry’s. This is the second time the two have teamed up. Last year, they brought us Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale. This time? A well-needed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale. What’s better for healing the soul than gnawing on some chocolate chip cookie dough? What’s better for coming together than sharing a pint of beer (or ice cream)? When the two are combined, THAT’S what. And to make the world an even better place, the proceeds will help benefit Protect Our Winters, a non-profit group raising awareness about climate change. Working together to make something indulgently delicious for a personal cause. Damn.
image credit: New Belgium Brewing Company
COLLABORATION NOT LITIGATION
What do two iconic brewers do when they both create beers aptly called “Salvation?” They do the damned decent thing and they bring them together to form one righteous brew. This mix of Avery Brewing’s Belgian-style Golden Ale and Russian River’s Belgian-style Strong Ale yields a new Belgian-style Strong Ale that is greater than the sum of its parts. Lesson learned: don’t lawyer up, beer it out.
image credit: Avery Brewing Co.
WICKED WEED/JESTER KING RED ATRIAL
Two breweries with incredible loyal followings. Two beers that fans of the respective breweries lose their s*** over. One concerted effort to make a beer that will hopefully blow the mind of the world — like Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy was supposed to. That’s how we got Red Atrial — a 50/50 blend of Wicked Weed’s Red Angel (barrel-aged American Wild Ale with raspberries) and Jester King’s Atrial Rubicite (American Wild Ale with raspberries) that is re-fermented on fresh raspberries to blow our minds. While, this beer won’t be released until late November 2016, we’re already excited for the union. And have a good feeling it will hit the mark much harder than GNR.
image credit: Wicked Weed Brewing
FIRESTONE AND RUSSIAN RIVER STIVO
Pilsner pundits, rejoice! A union “10 years in the making” according to Firestone Walker Brewsmaster Matt Brynildson, has hit taps and our hearts. Brynildson and Russian River owner, Vinnnie Cilurzo, have been supporting each other’s craft beer efforts for over 10 years. The two have provided each other advice about building a brewery and running a wild facility, and we even saw Firestone Walker brew Pliney the Elder during Russian River’s expansion. “That’s f***ing team work” as Tenacious D says. This blend of Firestone Walker’s Pivo and Russian River’s STS blends each brewery’s approach to brewing Pilsner and showcases their appreciation of a style they “like to drink when we’re hanging out.” The result is a smooth, “new age hoppy Pilsner.” That says enough.
image credit: Firestone Walker and Russian River Brewing Company
LAKEWOOD AND RAHR & SONS: A COLLABORATION OF TWO BREWERIES
Two of DFW’s OGs of brewing have been coming together to unite the metroplex with some delicious brews for a couple of years now. 2014 saw a Belgian-inspired Dubbel that took North Texas by storm and showed what teamwork can do. 2015 gave us a rum barrel-aged cherry Baltic Porter that hit just in time for the cooler weather and holiday season. It, again, showed the world the power of brewing in DFW. We can only hope for a 2016 collaboration to help show us the path of unity.
SIERRA NEVADA BEER CAMP
Sierra Nevada Beer Camp was created “to be a true national celebration of craft beer,” according to Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Founder and President. It’s also a true national campaign involving 31 breweries from all over the US who gathered to make the best and most interesting beer they could. Sierra Nevada then travels across the country to celebrate the creations with a series of craft beer festivals. The brewers are divided into regions and work together to make six new brews. 2016 gave us: Sweet Sunny South Souther Table Beer, Pat-Rye-Ot Revolutionary Pale Ale, West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus, Moxee-Moron Imperial Session IPA, Family Values Imperial Brown Ale and Stout of the Union Robust Stout. Styles and flavors that run the gamut. Beers that showcase the diversity of America’s beer tastes. Creativity and teamwork that can only be found here in America. It’s all so inspiring and reminds us of what this country can be when it’s at its best.
image credit: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
