Brewery releases IPA to benefit fire relief efforts
SANTA CRUZ >> A local brewery and taproom recently finished brewing their newest, distinctive batch called Big Basin IPA.
Not only did New Bohemia Brewing Co. ( NUBO) name its newest brew after California’s oldest state park, which recently was ravaged by the CZU August Lightning Complex fire, but the historic Big Basin also inspired the beer’s taste.
NUBO’s owners Mike Hochleutner and Dan Satterthwaite both live in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“The fires were obviously front and center in our minds for the few weeks they were burning badly,” Hochleutner said. “Among the many tragedies it caused, the news that Big Basin State Park was devastated, hit us all hard.”
Hochleutner explained that Satterthwaite and Mike Barker, NUBO’s head brewer, were working on a few beers at the time including a West Coast IPA.
“As we were discussing its characteristics, which we knew was going to have a lot of pine and resin flavors from the hops, we decided it would be fitting to make it a homage to Big Basin,” Hochleutner.
Their efforts didn’t end there.
“We knew we wanted to contribute some proceeds to support fire recovery ef
forts, but it really just started as a personal reaction and a way to process these events, which were pretty intense,” Hochleutner said.
NUBO plans on donating $2 for each beer sold (or $8 per four-pack) to the Sempervirens Fund, for their Big
Basin Recovery drive.
The Big Basin IPA was just finished Sept. 23. It will take a few weeks to get into stores, but it’s available online at nubobrew.com. They expect sales to continue through October.
“It’s a small contribution
in the face of all the damage the fires caused, but I also hope the beer itself helps evoke some optimism about the resilience of our local forests in the face of adversity, while calling on us to take responsibility to protect them
on behalf of future generations,” Hochleutner said.
NUBO isn’t the only brewery that is doing what it can to help fund the fire recovery.
Discretion Brewery organized a collaborative release of the Santa Cruz Strong Blonde Ale. This was supported by a dozen brewer ies, includ in g NUBO. All money raised from the sale of the Santa Cruz Strong Blonde goes to the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz Coun
ty’s fire response fund. Approximately 80-100 cases of 24 cans will be distributed to participating breweries.
Contact the individual breweries or visit their website for more information:
• Discretion Brewing, Soquel: discretionbrewing. com.
• Fruition Brewing, Watsonville: fruitionbrewing. com.
• The Slough Brewing Collective, Watsonville: thesloughbrewing.com.
• New Bohemia Brewing Co., Santa Cruz: nubobrew. com.
• East Cliff Brewing Com
pany, Santa Cruz: eastcliffbrewing.com.
• Humble Sea Brewing Co., Santa Cruz: humblesea.com.
• Steel Bonnet Brewing Company, Scotts Valley: steelbon.net. vSanta Cruz Mountain Brewing, Santa Cruz: scmbrew.com.
• Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, Capitola: rusticales. com.
• Shanty Shack Brewing, Santa Cruz: shantyshackbrewing.com.
• Uncommon Brewers, Santa Cruz: uncommonbrewers.com.
• Woodhouse Brewing Co., Santa Cruz: woodhousebrews.com.