USA, OR: Deschutes Brewery launches first beer in its Class of ’88 collaboration series

Deschutes Brewery, North Coast Brewing Company and Rogue Ales have teamed up to create a traditional barley wine as the first in Deschutes Brewery’s Class of ’88 collaboration series, craftbeer.com reported on March, 15.

The series will include a number of commemorative beers to celebrate the 25th anniversary of craft breweries around the country that were founded in 1988.

The Class of ’88 Barley Wine was based on the guidelines published in renowned beer connoisseur Fred Eckhardt’s The Essentials of Beer Style, which was originally published in 1988. Each of the three breweries working on the project brewed their own interpretation of that original recipe. The three resulting barley wines have a common heritage and ingredients, and brewers from Deschutes Brewery, North Coast Brewing Company and Rogue Ales teamed up at each respective location to brew the beer(s).

“Working collaboratively to create this barley wine has been an adventure for all of us,” said Cam O’Connor, brewmaster for Deschutes Brewery. He spent time at both Rogue and North Coast as they brewed their versions of the beer together. “Sharing ideas and partnering to celebrate this landmark date in our shared histories promises to result in some extraordinary beer. The best part of the process, for me, was the camaraderie experienced spending time at each other’s facilities.”

The three beers will differ from brewery to brewery, as they each used different hops and malts while following the same stylistic guidelines. Release events are being planned for the third week in April when a limited amount of 22-ounce bottles will be made available to the public and at retail.

Other planned brews in the Deschutes Brewery Class of ’88 series include a Smoked Imperial Porter with Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland and a Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale with Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company.

15 March, 2013