Skagit Valley’s craft beer community, comprised of a diverse group of legendary and new, innovative brewers, is bringing an exclusive collaboration to fans for Skagit Beer Week and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The breweries of Skagit Valley joined forces to create the 2020 Skagit Valley Spring Lager, a beer celebrating Skagit Valley’s home-grown barley and the Valley’s independent craft brewers. Thanks to Farmstrong Brewing, who donated its time and tank space, this limited-edition keg, and can release will be available throughout Skagit Valley starting March 27th, the first day of Skagit Beer Week (SBW), and the date of the Skagit Valley Spring Lager release party at Farmstrong Brewing.
Skagit Valley Spring Lager debuts this year and is a collaboration with all 14 Skagit Valley breweries. The breweries led the recipe development and brew day for the 2020 Skagit Valley Spring Lager. “Craft beer is a huge part of the Skagit Valley’s agriculture heritage,” said Julie Burgmeier, Director of SBW and Skagit Farm to Pint. “To create a collaboration beer with local barley, made by our very own independent craft breweries, is such a great way to represent our entire community. This annual release is something exciting that fans can look forward to when they think of Skagit Beer Week each year.”
The 5 percent alcohol-by-volume (ABV) lager’s mission is to raise awareness for local craft brewers. The base malt, donated by Skagit Valley Malting, is a new varietal – Bow Pilsner, grown in Bow (Skagit Valley) by the Knutzen Family. “This new malt has a profound heritage being closely related to Copeland and should develop a crisp and refreshing Fest beer that is complemented by Oregon grown Saaz and Tettnanger hops,” said Thane Tupper, Farmstrong’s Head Brewer. The brewers decided on a lager style to showcase the agricultural production of the Valley with a highly quaffable and approachable lager.
Garden Path Fermentation will be taking a barrel full of wort before fermentation, back to ferment naturally for a barrel-aged 2021 Skagit Beer Week collaboration beer.
To start this year’s Skagit Beer Week, March 27th – April 5th, join the brewers at the Skagit Valley Spring Lager release party at Farmstrong Brewing. At 7:30 p.m., fans may join a countywide virtual toast by posting on social media using #skagitbeerweek and tagging @skagitfarmtopint. By toasting with the limited-edition Lager, beer enthusiasts and novices alike will appropriately honor the collaborative spirit of Skagit Valley craft brewers and Skagit Beer Week. You will also be supporting a great cause as a portion of all the Skagit Valley Spring Lager proceeds will be donated to the YMCA Oasis Teen Shelter.
Fans will be sampling the 2020 Skagit Valley Spring Lager at Skagit Farm to Pint FEST on Saturday, April 4th, at the Heritage Flight Museum. The festival will feature beers from all Skagit Valley breweries highlighting Skagit Valley malt and paired with locally grown cuisine. More information at skagitfarmtopint.com.
CONTENT FROM ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE
