Sierra Nevada Brewing calls Chico, Calif. Home, so when the Camp Fire ravaged the area, the brewers took it personally.
Owner Ken Grossman and his family quickly set up a relief fund to support friends and neighbors who were affected by the blaze, seeding it with $100,000, but they decided to go a step further a few days later, announcing a new IPA, where 100% of the beer sales would be donated to that fund. Then the company reached out to its friends in the brewing community.
Those friends, to put it mildly, came through. As of 11 a.m. PT Tuesday, more than 1,000 breweries lined up in solidarity with Sierra Nevada to make Resilience Butte County Proud IPA. Each will use the same recipe and in each instance, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.
Virtually all of the craft beer world’s well-known brands will offer Resilience on tap, as will hundreds of smaller regional brewers. The brewery says is expects to raise more than $1 million through sales of the beer.
Thank you @ButteSheriff@KoryHonea for helping us brew Resilience Butte County Proud IPA today. And thank you to the 1,000+ breweries brewing #ResilienceIPA around the world. Grateful doesn’t begin to describe it. #ButteStrong#ButteCountyProudpic.twitter.com/qFwSpIuOI6
— Sierra Nevada Beer (@SierraNevada) November 28, 2018
The beer should be ready for beer lovers to enjoy around the first of the year. Many brewers may set up additional vehicles for donations beyond tap sales as well.
The Camp Fire hit close to home for Sierra Nevada beyond its geographic proximity. Fifteen percent of the company’s employees lost their homes in the blaze, according to KCR News Channel. The fire was finally fully contained just a few days ago.