Partnership yields scenic views on tasty brews
Nod Hill Brewery collaborates with Friends of Weir Farm for limited-edition craft beer
Local microbrew afficionados may soon see a familiar scenic landscape on select distributors' shelves after Ridgefield's Nod Hill Brewery releases a limited edition, small craft “Friends of Weir Farm India Pale Ale” June 12.
David Kaye, Nod Hill Brewery founding partner and general manager, said Monday that the collaboration came about after the brewery was approached by the group that advocates for the national historic park.
“Weir Farm is just a couple miles down the road from us,” Kaye said. “A lot of people know its there, but not a lot of people know that it is a national park, and it just seemed like a nice opportunity to bring a little recognition to this beautiful place that is close by to us.”
Kaye added that this is a first-time collaboration with the Friends of Weir Farm.
“We are excited to collaborate with Nod Hill Brewery to raise public awareness of Connecticut's jewel within the National Park Service,” Therese Servas, a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Weir Farm, said in a release.
An event celebrating the launch will be held at the brewery from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“Hopefully, it will be outdoors in our biergarten if the weather cooperates,” Kaye said. If not, he said, the event will be held inside. A live performance by ‘On the Trail,' a bluegrass music band, will be playing from noon to 3 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public.
The custom beer label to be featured on each 16ounce can, created by local artist Bobbi Eike Mullen, features an image of Julian Alden Weir, the park's namesake, painting the historic landscape.
Mullen, along with other members from the Friends of Weir Farm will be in attendance to answer questions about the historic park Sunday.
“We hope visitors will
make time to visit the park, just two miles, or about five minutes, away from the biergarten, to enjoy its trails and landscapes, experience the new visitor center and
enjoy the new outdoor art exhibit of life-sized Art Bears featuring contemporary artists' paintings of the park,” Servas said in the release.
The summery ale will only be available at the brewery in the week following its release, before it is sent out to select local distributors the week after.
Kaye said the best place to snag a four pack or two of the limited release will be at the brewery, located at 37 Ethan Allen Highway in Ridgefield.