New Coalition

(LONGMONT, CO) - In today's day and age with everyone trying like hell to kill one another, two craft brewers with different philosophies and from opposite sides of the country are actually putting aside their differences to, wait...yes, work together. No flashy mergers or hostile international takeovers, just two craft brewers interested in taking over your palate with unusual beers. Left Hand Brewing Company from Longmont, Colorado and Terrapin Beer Company from Athens, Georgia, are collaborating on a series of one-time releases each year, calling the coalition the Midnight Project. The first release is Terra-rye'zd, an Imperial Roggen Schwartz Lager, with very limited availability - only six states will carry the brew.

"The entire 'Midnight Project' was born late one night" says Chris Lennert, VP of Operations for Left Hand. "We had finished a successful beer dinner in Athens together, as well as a beer festival in Decatur, and were having a few pints at the Brickstore Pub to celebrate when the idea started to take shape."

"We've been friends with Left Hand for years," says Dustin Watts, Director of Sales & Marketing for Terrapin, "and really just thought about doing a beer dinner together out in Colorado during the Great American Beer Festival later this year (Saturday, October 11th @ the Kitchen in Boulder). Then, somehow, it turned into making a beer together."

After several months of back-and-forth recipe concoction and name brainstorming, Terra-rye'zd was finally brewed at Left Hand Brewing Company. Terrapin's Head Brewer, Spike Buckowski, flew to Colorado in late July to brew the black rye lager with Left Hand's VP of Brewing Operations Joe Schiraldi and Head Brewer Ro Guenzel. "I think Terra-rye'zd is a pretty incredible, interesting beer," said Ro, "but the prospect of ever having to brew it again is terrifying!" The brew literally terrorized Left Hand's new 60-bbl brewhouse, or as Ro claims "anyone who has ever brewed with close to 50% rye malt can understand the terror."

Spike couldn't agree more. "The Terra-rye'zd experience was one of pure terror. Not only in brewing it, but the madness of travel added to it." He started his day brewing in Athens, got on a late flight that night to Denver, had a few hours of sleep, and started brewing early the next day all day. Then it was back to Georgia early the next morning for another full day of brewing. "All in all, it was definitely well worth it. Great travels, great times and definitely a great beer."

Terra-rye'zd is a beguiling black rye lager that will hold you hostage with its complex flavor, and make you want to ransom off your neighbors' children for another bottle. The spice derived from the judicious amount of rye malt will bombard your palate. Don't turn your back on the hops, which we took all the way to level orange. After the assault the flavors will disappear until they rear up again with each sip.

Medium-bodied, with 6.6% alcohol by volume with 37 IBU's, Terra-rye'zd will be available in 22 oz. bombers and ½ bbl kegs starting in early October. It will only be available in the Southeast states where both breweries have a presence (Tennessee (Nashville only), North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida (Tampa/Fort Myers only)) and Colorado.