Jeff and Sierra Nevada brewer Isaiah Mangold chatting during the test brew for the Southwest Group's American Stout at Beachwood Long Beach - check out the sound guy in the background!
The epic Beer Camp Across America is BACK!
By now just about anyone who knows anything about craft beer is familiar with Sierra Nevada’s groundbreaking Beer Camp series from last year – where they invited some superb, big name breweries to their facility in Chico, CA to brew unique, one-off beers that they then bottled and kegged for our drinking delight. The series allowed for some terrific creativity that provided a unique view into some of the best brewing minds in the country – not to mention incredible exposure using Sierra’s already massive distribution capacity and network.
They then followed this effort by hosting a travelling beer festival, visiting a handful of cities all over the US where the Beer Camp beers were featured along with other great beers from participating breweries.
Well, they are going to be doing this again for 2016, and Bagby Beer has been invited to join! It’s no secret we are big fans of Sierra Nevada, and continue to be super grateful for their foundational contributions to modern-day craft beer movement – it is not an overstatement to say that without Sierra Nevada, there is a good chance this industry would be very, very different today. Needless to say, we cannot begin to express what a massive great honor this is. There are just 30 breweries across the country who have been asked to be a part of this…and when you consider there are about 100 breweries in San Diego County alone, you begin to get a sense of what a special treat this is for us.
Shot of Julian's calendar on the wall of his brewery in Long Beach - September 30th was the big day for the test batch!
So, what does this mean? It probably means we’ll get a bit of attention from folks far away! It means Bagby Beer Company’s name will be on packaged beer (for the second time, actually – see below!)! It’s a pretty big deal, and we hope you feel as proud as we do to be a part of this. The Southwest group we are a part of includes Beachwood (host), Smog City, Societe, and Lost Abbey – what a ridiculously talented and creative set of brewers. The beer is a bold, hoppy, roasty American Stout.
There is a whole itinerary that details the process, when the beer will be made, packaged and distributed. We’ll do our best to keep you informed as we move along the schedule. For now, check out the latest video detailing the beers being made for the 2016 Beer Camp Across America.