Press Release: Belgium’s PALM Beer To Co-Create One-of-a-Kind Brew with Local Brewers
Belgium’s PALM Beer To Co-Create One-of-a-Kind Brew with Local Brewers
San Diego’s Newest Specialty Import Partners with San Diego Brewing Company & Carlsbad’s Pizza Port
San Diego, CA (April 10, 2008) – The brewmaster for PALM beer, San Diego’s newest specialty import from Belgium’s largest independent brewer, will collaborate with local brewers to create a unique beer that pays tribute to American and Belgian craft brewing styles.
PALM made its debut in New York in November marking the first time it has been available in the U.S. San Diego, the brew’s second launch city, has quickly embraced the newcomer with more than 20 accounts tapping the specialty beer within its first month in the market.
The idea for a joint brew with local San Diego brewers came about when the importers of PALM, Latis Imports, sat down with them to talk about their mutual love of craft beer. “With the World Beer Cup coming to San Diego in April it seems there’s no better time to start trading the best ideas and styles for the benefit of the global craft beer community. Belgium is so passionate about beer and we see much of that same enthusiasm and talent in San Diego’s beer community,” says David van Wees, beer veteran and CEO of Latis Imports.
Alex De Smett, PALM’s brewmaster in Belgium has started collaborating with local brewmaster Jeff Rouleau of San Diego Brewing Company to create a Belgian Style Triple with a very unique ingredient.
“Alex and I are brewing a Belgian Style Triple incorporating American grown hops and a non-traditional brewer’s sugar to keep the body light and the alcohol around 8 percent. The twist is we are using a large percentage (up to 35 percent) of Peeps Marshmallows from Easter as the sugar addition. It’s the world’s first ‘Peeps Beer’ and we intend to call it Peep Show,” says Dean Rouleau, brewmaster at San Diego Brewing Company.
Rouleau is looking forward to learning about Belgium’s lost history of making world-class triples and he plans to share American brewers’ expertise of being “heavy handed with hops and their ingenuity of using indigenous ingredients.”
Jeff Bagby brewmaster of Pizza Port in Carlsbad will also team with De Smett during his visit to the U.S. for the World Beer Cup mid-April.
San Diego Brewing Company tasting event:
The first taste of what will most likely become a very special brew carefully crafted over a few rounds will be at the San Diego Brewing Company April 15 from 8 – 9 PM. For more information call 619-284-2739.
About PALM:
Modern Brewery Age tasting notes praised its “delicious maltiness, balanced with fruity characteristics of the yeast” and rated PALM five out of five of its prized check marks.
PALM Breweries is still owned by the family holding of Jan Toye, a passionate brewer, whose lineage is connected to the start of the brewery in 1747 in the province of Brabant in Belgium. Today, the PALM Breweries portfolio boasts a host of specialty brands, including its flagship PALM, Belgium’s best selling Belgian Ale, Estaminet Premium Pils and a range of Abbey Beers from SteenBrugge.
About Latis:
A collective 25 years of experience in the U.S. and global markets leading brands like Rolling Rock, Labatt Blue, Beck’s, Bass, Stella Artois and Hoegaarden drove van Wees and Giardina to create a company that mirrored their passion for developing premium beer brands. And so the idea for Latis was born and given life in Connecticut’s diners and well-equipped, free wireless public libraries. At the heart of Latis is a mission to build a portfolio of authentic, craft beers from independent brewers with rich history, traditions and pride. Latis is named after the Celtic goddess of beer and water. The company is headquartered in Ridgefield, CT. For more information www.palmbreweries.com.