Founders Brewing Co. announced a new local partnership program: Crafted in Michigan Collaboration Series.
Founders is creating two new exclusive taproom beers with Detroit nonprofit Bees in the D and City Built Brewing Company. The brews will be available for a limited release in both taprooms beginning in March while supplies last. The Crafted in Michigan Collaboration Series is a new, quarterly release of taproom exclusive beer that aims to bring awareness to local Michigan crafters through partnerships and collaboration.
In Grand Rapids, the Founders team partnered with City Built Brewing Company to create the Werewolves of Michigan. The West Coast IPA is brewed with hydra hops for a hint of stone fruit and citrus accentuated by mosaic hops for an IPA drinking experience that’ll leave people howling for more, Founders said.
Werewolves of Michigan will be available in limited quantities in Founders’ Grand Rapids and Detroit taproom beginning March 12.
“We were very happy to get the invite from Founders to collaborate. I had been a mug club member there for 10 years prior to opening City Built, and it felt a little like reconnecting with old friends,” said Ed Collazo, owner of City Built Brewing. “My goal has always been to provide learning experiences for our staff. Networking and working with other brewers is a big part of that and in this case, it was cool seeing our brewer, Rob, dig deep into recipe development with the Founders Brewing Co. team.”
“The City Built crew asked if we’d be interested in brewing a West Coast-style IPA for this collab, and that sounded great to me,” said Jeremy Kosmicki, Founders brewmaster. “It’s a bit of a throwback style these days, as hazy IPAs have kind of taken over the mainstream. We’re each bringing a favorite hop of ours to the table, and together, we designed a malt bill that will finish crisp and clean.”
In Detroit, the Founders teamed with Bees in the D to create Gaia Nectar, a juicy German wheat beer made with real honey. Gaia Nectar will be available in Founders’ Detroit and Grand Rapids taprooms beginning March 5.
“It was suggested to me to reach out to Bees in the D when I was looking for a honey vendor last year, and as soon as I connected with the team, I knew that this had the potential to be a really great partnership,” said Natalie Iseli-Smith, Detroit head brewer for Founders. “I’ve since brewed several batches of beer using Bees in the D honey and figured they’d be a great partner for our Crafted in Michigan series. Using a delicate German wheat malt bill and yeast, I designed this recipe around showcasing some of my favorite complementary flavors from nature: honey, citrus and spice, against the backdrop of a traditional classic. The result is a refreshing, light-bodied, juicy, sweet and slightly earthy wheat with lots of mimosa-esque characteristics.”
“We thrive on partnerships with other local businesses, and by collaborating with Founders, it allows us to reach new audiences and share more about the importance of our pollinators,” said Brian Peterson-Roest, co-founder and president of Bees in the D. “We take pride in knowing this beer is contributing to the health of our honeybee colonies — just by utilizing the honey in the recipe.”
The City Built Brewing Company and Bees in the D collaboration brews are the first in the Crafted in Michigan Collaboration Series. Each quarter, Founders will continue to partner with local businesses to build relationships and bring awareness to Michigan crafters.
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