Wit’s End Brewing Company Mai The Fourth Maibock Returns
Wit’s End Brewing Co. will release their fourth annual Maibock lager, Mai The Fourth, brewed specially for Star Wars Day on Friday, May 4th.
DENVER, CO — Wit’s End Brewing Co. will release their fourth annual Maibock lager, Mai The Fourth, brewed specially for (the universally recognized) Star Wars Day on Friday, May 4th.
It is a period of lagered brews. Wit’s End Brewing Company, brewing from a hidden base with Strange Craft Beer Co., have made their fourth annual beer in support of Star Wars Day, May 4. During the Brew, Wit’s End managed to use their secret mashing techniques and extended lagering to produce MAI THE FOURTH, a Maibock lager with enough flavor to fill an entire taproom. Pursued by summer month, this classic spring style races to glasses aboard draft taps and in Crowlers that can serve the people and restore lager to the galaxy…
Mai The Fourth, a traditional German-style lager, is brewed to highlight malt characters without too much sweetness, uses German hops to help balance it out, and was fermented with Bavarian lager yeast to produce clean, malty flavors with a touch of fruity grape notes.
“There are two things that we've always been a big fan of here at Wit's End, Star Wars and a good beer pun,” explains head brewer Tyler Bies. “This beer was brainstormed four years ago as a way to celebrate May The Fourth. We always try to highlight big malt flavors in our beers, so our take on a Maibock is at the upper end of the style for color and ABV.”
The result is a malty balanced beer weighing in at 7% ABV that could frighten you with its sorcerous ways. Craft beer padawans, know your limits on this one…
Mai the Fourth will be released on draft and in Crowlers at the StrangeWit tasting room on Friday, May 4 at 12pm, with food from My Angel's Fine Cuisine and limited edition Mai The Fourth t-shirts for purchase.
For more information about Mai The Fourth or Wit’s End Brewing Company, contact Aaron Sprengeler at aaron@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT WIT’S END BREWING COMPANY
At the dawn of the fourth wave of craft beer (in 2011), Scott Witsoe opened Wit’s End Brewing Company and hasn’t looked back since. Through the years Wit’s End has added some hardware on the walls including GABF® and World Beer Cup® awards, and forged a new partnership with Strange Craft that exists in the form of a co-tasting room and brewhouse near its original location in Denver’s Valverde neighborhood. Now brewed by Head Brewer Tyler Bies, Wit’s End flagship beers, such as Jean Claude Van Blonde and Green Man Ale, are available on draft at Strange Craft’s tasting room at 1330 Zuni St Unit M, Denver, CO 80204. Find the brewery online at witsendbrewing.com.
RadCraft 2017 Year In Review
In 2017, RadCraft's partners brewed more than 93,000 BBL of beer, employed 1,154 people, and contributed more than $100,000 to charity.
RadCraft’s partners brewed more than 93,000 BBL of beer, malted 400,000 pounds of barley, and distilled a small but significant volume of American Single Malt whiskey in 2017.
photo by Emily Sierra Photography
Last year our partners employed 1,154 people across the country, and served their world-class beer in five states. They debuted more than 15 packaged products on the market, which included Strange Craft’s 125th anniversary beer for The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa and Deerhammer’s first extension of their flagship product, Port Cask Finish American Single Malt.
RadCraft partners contributed more than $100,000 to charitable efforts throughout the calendar year.
A few of RadCraft’s tribe dug deep into their brands, refreshing and in some cases completely overhauling their label design and beyond. Lone Tree Brewing Co. underwent a complete company rebrand via Anthem Branding in the spring, and later in the year Bonfire Brewing began refreshing their canned beer labels one by one.
Lone Tree Brewing Company was awarded a gold medal for its Mexican Lager and a silver medal for its Hop Zombie IPA at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival® in the American Style Lager or Light Lager category and the Imperial Red Ale category, respectively. RadCraft partners also brought home awards from the San Diego International Beer Festival and the Colorado State Fair, among others.
Strange Craft joined forces with Wit's End Brewing Co. on Denver's first brewery co-tasting room and brewhouse at Strange's location on Zuni Street. Wit’s End Head Brewer Tyler Bies took over as Head Brewer of both brewing operations in December 2017.
Asheville-born Thirsty Monk, brewer of Belgian-Rooted Modern Ales and operator of world-recognized craft beer bars expanded its family of pubs to Denver, Colorado and Portland, Oregon. The Monkification of these locations is underway.
That’s only a snapshot of what our partners are up to. Here are their complete 2017 Year in Reviews.
Strange Craft Beer Co. / Wit’s End Brewing Co.
RadCraft secured more than 2,000 earned media placements for our partners in 2017. We helped with the launch of a new brewery brand— congratulations to Spice Trade Brewing on all of its successes in year one— and the development of online presence for a company that’s been thriving for more than 13 years— props to The MBM Group, which also hired its first managing partner Anna Nadasdy this year.
photo by Colin Bridge
In February, RadCraft Founder Emily Hutto launched the #dailystout campaign. Learn more about the effort and its 2018 development here.
In May, Little Shop of Floral made more than 20 bouquets of #GrowlerFlowers using our old growlers for our Moms on Mother’s Day. This was the soft launch of The Growler Flowers Project, a hashtag on Instagram and Twitter. There is so much more to come.
Over the summer we challenged beer-loving photographers to submit their depiction of “Summer Beer” in the Summer Session Photo Contest. The winner, Chris Rand, won our hearts with this photo of Bella and a Mountain Tap Brewery Crowler.
Throughout the year RadCraft had the honor of participating in several educational functions dedicated to professionals in the craft marketing space. If you would like resources from any of these conferences and events, feel free to reach out.
In January, our Founder Emily Hutto gave a presentation at the January Business of Beer event at Comrade Brewing advocating social media as a market research tool.
In March she moderated a panel during Colorado Craft Beer Week that celebrated the community of the breweries along the C-470 Corridor (Keep up the #C470beer hashtag, folks!), and another discussion on best practices for brewpub marketing at the inaugural Beer Marketing & Tourism Conference.
In November she had the opportunity to speak at both the North Carolina Craft Brewers Conference and the Colorado Brewers Summit about best practices for brewery blogging and brewery public relations strategies, respectively.
Also in 2017, RadCraft was stoked to be included in two podcast episodes, both focused on our favorite topic: craft beer marketing. Thank you to Steve Schmidt at Market the Brew and Ryan Wheaton at Branding Brews for their time and great conversations!
Market The Brew, Episode 030: PR: Authentic Narratives for Unique Breweries
Branding Brews, Episode BB020: Creating a Content Calendar
In December, RadCraft celebrated its 5th anniversary. Read our reflections on five years in business here.
photo by The Brewtography Project
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2018
We're currently in the throws of Stout Month, using the hashtag #dailystout to document our fundraising efforts for Water For Good.
We're excited to welcome Ska Brewing to our tribe of radical crafters. Say hello to Ska, everyone!
We're heading to Nashville for the Craft Brewers Conference in April, where we're collaborating with fellow craft marketing companies— Promote The Brew, CODO Design, and more— as co-expo vendors. Get ready.
We couldn't do what we do without our partners, our collaborators, and our friends in the craft beer community. Raising our glasses to everyone who contributed to a successful 2017 at RadCraft. Cheers to 2018!
Wit’s End To Close Current Location, Tap Moving Day Belgian Pale Ale at Strange Craft
Moving Day was brewed with oats, wheat, honey, married with Hallertauer Herbrucker and Denali hops, and fermented with a blend of the two brewery’s respective yeast strains.
Photo by The Brewtography Project
DENVER, CO — For every (Wit’s) end, there is a (Strange) new beginning.
Saturday, November 25 is Wit’s End Brewing’s last day in business at its current location on West 2nd Avenue, Unit 13, 80219.
On December 1, Strange Craft and Wit’s End Brewing Company will tap their collaboration Moving Day, an Imperial Session Belgian Pale Ale, to commemorate the combining of their brewhouses and tasting rooms.
Moving Day was brewed with oats, wheat, honey, married with Hallertauer Herbrucker and Denali hops, and fermented with a blend of the two brewery’s respective yeast strains. It rings in at 5.5 percent ABV, slightly higher in alcohol than a traditional Belgian Pale, hence its Imperial Session title.
This beer is a bittersweet celebration of Wit’s End and a Strange Craft’s new venture. “Oats and wheat are Wit’s End and Strange’s adjuncts of choice,” says Wit’s End Founder Scott Witsoe. “We added honey for a sweet counter to the soft herbal bitterness of Hallertauer Herbrucker and Denali hops— for the old and the new... see what we did there?”
Moving Day will tap at the Strange Craft - Wit’s End Brewing co-tasting room on Zuni Street on December 1 when it opens for business at noon. It will only be available on draft and in Crowlers to-go. Crowlers of Strange and Wit’s End beers will be available at the co-tasting room beginning December 1.
If you would like more information about Moving Day or Strange Craft and Wit’s End Brewing’s co-habitation contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT STRANGE CRAFT BEER COMPANY
When Strange Craft Beer Co. opened south of Denver’s Mile High Stadium in May 2010, it was the first nanobrewery in the city brewing one barrel of beer at a time. Strange has since become a destination spot for Colorado beer drinkers, and taken home two Great American Beer Festival® medals and two World Beer Cup® awards. Visit the brewery online at strangecraft.com.
ABOUT WIT’S END BREWING COMPANY
At the dawn of the fourth wave of craft beer, Wit’s End opened its original nanobrewery in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since. Through the years Wit’s End has added some hardware on the walls including GABF® and World Beer Cup® awards, a new 7 BBL Brewhouse, and more amazing memories than it could ever hope to share. It will remain an artisanal Denver brewery that continues to be fueled by dreams and inspired by the limitless potential of craft beer… join Wit’s End on the journey! witsendbrewing.com
Wit’s End Brewing Co. Moves Operations and Tasting Room to Strange Craft
Strange Craft Beer Co. and Wit’s End Brewing Co. will share Strange Craft’s brewhouse and tasting room on Zuni Street in the first co-tasting room in Denver, Colorado.
From Left: Scott Witsoe, Tyler Bies, Tim Myers; Photos by Colin Bridge
DENVER, CO — Strange Craft Beer Co. and Wit’s End Brewing Co. announced their plans today to share Strange Craft’s brewhouse and tasting room on Zuni Street. The first of its kind in Denver, Strange and Wit’s End’s co-tasting room will brew and serve beers from each brand’s portfolio.
Wit’s End plans to close its current facility before the end of the year and looks to sublease the facility to an aspiring new brewery. The Wit’s End brew crew will begin brewing at Strange Craft in coming weeks.
Wit’s End Head Brewer Tyler Bies will take over as Head Brewer of both brewing operations. These changes will allow both breweries to share resources and let Strange Craft Founder Tim Myers to focus on operations and managing the business, while Wit’s End Founder Scott Witsoe will step down from daily management to explore other endeavors.
With a bittersweet goodbye to Wit’s End’s old facility where Scott Witsoe used to brew his beers one barrel at a time comes exciting new opportunities with Strange Craft. The first is a bittersweet collaboration brew to celebrate their co-habitation, a hoppy Belgian Session Ale brewed with honey called Moving Day. It will be fermented with a blend of Strange Craft and Wit’s End’s house yeast strains.
“The craft beer environment has changed dramatically since Strange opened in 2010 and Wit’s End opened in 2011,” says Myers. “Local neighborhood breweries need to innovate and get creative to stand out in the increasingly crowded market. I have thought for years that a shared facility solved many of these challenges. Sharing brewing facilities, staff, and rent reduces overhead significantly. Combining brew staff allows for greater recipe creativity and innovation— which we hope will lead to more satisfied patrons.”
"Tim and I already share many of our great customers, and now we can bring everyone together into one happy craft beer family,” adds Witsoe. “We will have at least four Wit’s End taps flowing at all times. And I will have a tiny corner of the brewery where I can play with recipes on a small scale.”
After the move, Wit’s End will continue to serve its flagship beers— Jean-Claude Van Blond Belgian-style Blonde Ale, Wilford Belgian-style Oatmeal IPA, and Green Man Ale that lies somewhere between an IPA and a Red Ale— as well as rotating seasonal drafts at the new co-tasting room. Strange Craft will keep the taps flowing with its core lineup, One Barrel Wednesday brews, and an array of other experimental and collaboration beers.
Click here for a detailed statement from Scott Witsoe about the evolution of Wit's End Brewing Co.
For more information about Strange Craft and Wit’s End’s co-tasting room and brewhouse contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT STRANGE CRAFT BEER COMPANY
When Strange Craft Beer Co. opened south of Denver’s Mile High Stadium in May 2010, it was the first nanobrewery in the city brewing one barrel of beer at a time. Strange has since become a destination spot for Colorado beer drinkers, and taken home two Great American Beer Festival® medals and two World Beer Cup® awards. Visit the brewery online at strangecraft.com.
ABOUT WIT’S END BREWING COMPANY
At the dawn of the fourth wave of craft beer, Wit’s End opened its original nanobrewery in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since. Through the years Wit’s End has added some hardware on the walls including GABF® and World Beer Cup® awards, a new 7 BBL Brewhouse, and more amazing memories than it could ever hope to share. It will remain an artisanal Denver brewery that continues to be fueled by dreams and inspired by the limitless potential of craft beer… join Wit’s End on the journey! witsendbrewing.com