Scuttlebutt head brewer Matt Stromberg isn’t a huge music fan.
It would be hard to tell, though, with all of Scuttlebutt’s recent collaborations. After teaming with Everett Music Initiative for two recent events, the Everett brewery is now joining with Seattle-based radio station KEXP to brew Transistor IPA, a crisp, Northwest-style IPA that will hit shelves Sept. 1.
All proceeds from sales of the beer will go to benefit the KEXP New Home in Seattle Center.
“I’m not a big music guy, but I do know that people are passionate about both,” Stromberg said. “And like music, there are so many genres and styles of beer.”
Scuttlebutt started a sponsorship with KEXP last year, but when the brewery found out about the campaign to fund a new home for the independent radio station it decided to reach out and see if it could help. Brewing a beer was an easy choice.
“KEXP is independent in the music world and we are in the beer world,” Stromberg said. “It’s a nice fit.”
KEXP Morning Show host John Richards agreed.
“They are a local, family run, family owned brewery who makes great beer, and we are a Seattle-based radio station run by the community, for the community — it couldn’t be a better pair,” Richards said in a press release. “We are grateful for this partnership and can’t wait to share this delicious beer with the city.”
Stromberg said the plan came together quickly. Scuttlebutt and KEXP put the finishing touches on the collaboration in April and the brewery started shipping the beer to wholesalers last week, meaning it took about four months to do what usually takes about a year.
“That’s phenomenally fast,” Stromberg said.
The process was helped by Lakuna Design, of Newport, Rhode Island. KEXP called in a favor to Throwing Muses drummer and co-founder of Lakuna Design Dave Narcizo to have his firm design the label and packaging. Stromberg said that design work usually takes 4 to 6 months, but Lakuna Design finished in three weeks.
Transistor IPA is an American-style IPA based off Scuttlebutt lead brewer Eric Nord’s recipe for the brewery’s Demarcation IPA. Both beers are brewed with Columbus, Chinook, Glacier and Nugget hops, but the Transistor recipe has a lower gravity than the Demarcation, making it more drinkable.
“We wanted this to be a very drinkable beer so that we can keep the donations as high as we could,” Stromberg said.
The first unofficial tasting of the beer was at KEXP’s Raw Power concert Sunday at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Partygoers at a VIP pre-show dinner were served the beer, and Stromberg said the feedback was good.
Like both partnerships with Everett Music Initiative, Stromberg said he’s anticipating this campaign to be a big success. The first Rock the Boat event on Aug. 1 drew 1,200 to the Everett waterfront for an evening of beer and rock music. That’s nearly three times what Stromberg said they were expecting.
“We’ve really enjoyed working with (Everett Music Initiative),” Stromberg said.
Scuttlebutt is planning to collaborate with EMI on a Rock the Boat 2 next summer.
Aaron Swaney: 425-339-3430; aswaney@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @swaney_aaron79. Follow the Hops and Sips blog at www.heraldnet.com/hopsandsips.
Kickoff party
KEXP Morning Show host John Richards and the Scuttlebutt team will host a kickoff event for Transistor IPA at 5 p.m. Sept. 1 at Moe Bar, 1425 10th Ave, Seattle. The beer will hit shelves of local grocery stores and can be found on tap at popular restaurants, clubs, bottle shops and in the Scuttlebutt Brewing tasting room on the same day.
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