LITTLETON
The Schilling Beer Co. has joined craft breweries around the United States in a fundraiser for victims of Northern California’s wildfires.
Schilling Beer and more than 1,100 breweries will brew and sell Resilience Butte County Proud IPA per the recipe of Chico, Calif.-based Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. The New Hampshire company has already played a significant role in the initiative by granting a temporary license for use of its “Resilience” trademark.
Opened in September 2013 in a former grist mill on the northern bank of the Ammonoosuc River, Schilling Beer has been a runaway success.
In June, the company completed construction next door of a 7,500-square-foot building that features a tasting room and more space for brewing, retail and packaging.
At the time, Schilling also introduced its sour-beer program and the Resilience line of American pale ales.
Because Schilling trademarked the name “Resilience,” Sierra Nevada Brewing needed its permission to allow Resilience Butte County Proud IPA to be brewed. Schilling was very happy to give it, said CEO and co-founder Jeff Cozzens, on Wednesday.
First and foremost, the cause — raising money for the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Camp Fire Relief Fund — is a great one, said Cozzens. Once the Camp Fire is extinguished, the fund will distribute all donated money to partner organizations “that are dedicated to rebuilding and supporting the communities that have been affected.”
All of the sales revenue will go to the fund.
Another upside of participating in the Resilience Butte County Proud IPA initiative, Cozzens said, is the chance to work with Ken Grossman, the founder and owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing.
Chris Deapo, who is Schilling’s head brewer, said Grossman is the “grandfather of craft brewing” and that without him and Sierra Nevada Brewing to lead the way, “We don’t exist. We are here because of Ken Grossman.”
Grossman is expected to be in Littleton in mid-December to assist Schilling in brewing up to 10 barrels of Resilience Butte County Proud IPA.
Cozzens said Grossman contacted him last week and within 24 hours of that conversation, Schilling’s attorney, Cathleen Stadecker of Downs Rachlin Martin, had drafted an agreement.
The craft beer industry is known for its sense of community and the Resilience Butte County Proud IPA initiative is an unparalleled example, said Cozzens. He downplayed what Schilling is doing, saying the idea belonged exclusively to Grossman and Sierra Nevada Brewing.
“It’s awesome that they’re leading this and it’s a huge honor to brew with Ken,” said Cozzens, adding “from what I understand in speaking with the folks at Sierra, the damage is apocalyptic and the least we can do is to facilitate some aid coming from this part of the country.”
Robin Gregory, who is Sierra Nevada Brewing’s communications manager and Sarah Santana, its legal, regulatory and compliance manager, said the help is welcome.
As of Tuesday evening, the Camp Fire has claimed 88 lives and 158 people are still unaccounted, said Santana, citing California fire officials who said the Camp Fire has burned 153,336 acres and destroyed 18,793 structures, nearly 14,000 of which were residences.
Gregory said the idea for the Resilience Butte County Proud IPA actually came from the Russian River Brewing Co., which after the Tubbs Fire, launched the Sonoma Pride beer effort in Santa Rosa, CA.
“Camp Fire Relief has been a very personal effort for us,” Gregory wrote in an e-mail. “Many of our employees lost homes and our community that we love so dearly has been severely impacted. We knew right away that we wanted to brew a fundraiser beer and invite other breweries to do it with us.”
Sierra Nevada will brew 2,400 barrels of Resilience; the brewing community is expected to contribute at least 10,000 additional barrels. Nine of the participating breweries, according to published accounts, are in the Granite State.
In addition to Schilling, the breweries are Out.Haus Ales of Northwood; Cisco Brewers, Portsmouth; Great North Aleworks and Backyard Brewing, Manchester; Monadnock Brewing Company, Langdon; the Copper Pig Brewery, Lancaster; Bad Lab Beer, Somersworth; and Deciduous Brewing Company in Newmarket.
