If you just woke up this morning, you might not have read it yet…but Braxton has let us in on the details of their next beer release. It was first written about this morning by Jesse Folk over at WCPO.
The beer is called Trophy…we first got a little sneak peek of it when the approvals for Braxton’s line-up started going through the TTB before their opening date, but it hasn’t been talked about until now. The brewery describes Trophy in a very nostalgic way that really hits on their theme beautifully:
It was just a trophy. A bit of gold colored plastic set atop a small wooden base. You probably got yours as a Cub Scout or maybe in Knothole baseball. And you gave it a place of honor on a shelf, where it would be joined by others as the years advanced. But now, when you remember that trophy you feel a rush of emotion, as you recall your moment of greatness. Or maybe the “get ’em next year” response if greatness fell short. And now, we’re proud of the unseen things that trophy represents – the work, the sweat, the hours of practice under a hot sun. That’s how we feel as we salute our home, Northern Kentucky. We call this special pale ale Trophy. It’s brewed in honor of the people of this great region. Because they’re the genuine gold at the top of the trophy. May it never tarnish.
Each batch features a different hop profile and will only be brewed four times a year. The first batch will feature Hull Melon hops. We’ll also be donating a percentage of sales back to the city we brew and live in.
So you can see where this beer will fit into their portfolio… it’s a beer that is ever changing, and reflecting some of the favorite hop flavors of the brew team. Think of this as a “salute to hops”.
When I was sitting and reading the press release, though, it struck me that they are getting this wrong. The brewery is touting this as a “New Beer” and a “New Cause”, but that’s not how I see it. Yes, you can’t argue that this is a new beer… and they are donating 5% of the proceeds (which will be matched by their distributor, Stagnaro) to the COV10 organization…which is definitely a new cause. Braxton, though from the beginning isn’t just about beer, or a place to find and drink new beers. The entire existence of Braxton Brewing revolves around building something for others. As I wrote recently when I talked about their new coffee program, It’s about providing a place for people to start something new and realize their dreams.
The COV10 organization along with Braxton will use the money donated to help identify initiatives that will help move Covington forward. This progression of their neighborhood, and their involvement in that is certainly not a new cause for them…it’s the entire reason they are located where they are, doing what they are doing in the manner that they have chosen to do so. So in my opinion…no, Braxton is wrong by doing things very right.
If you want to get your hands on some of Braxton Trophy Pale Ale with Hull Melon Hops (they are said to have a low bitterness, and a high fruitiness including strawberry, melon and apricot flavors) You can head on over to Braxton this weekend (they open at 4 on Saturday) If you’re one of the dedicated people who donated to the Kickstarter campaign, you probably already have your ticket to the Braxton Builder’s party this weekend, where you’ll get first crack at it.