FORT COLLINS, CO—New Belgium Brewing today announced that Tour de Fat, the traveling tour of philanthropic bicycle advocacy, raised $535,924 for local nonprofits this season, totaling more than $3 million in its 14-year stretch. This year’s total is up almost $40,000 from last year. The event is free, yet all proceeds from beer and merchandise sales and donations from parade participants go to nonprofit organizations focused on making communities a better place to ride a bike.
Tour de Fat celebrates the fun side of bicycle culture, kicking off each festival with a costumed bike parade through city streets. Upon the parade’s completion, thousands of friends rock the park all day with eclectic entertainment, New Belgium beer, bike-themed activities, delicious local food and so much more. The events also encouraged people to think twice about recycling, with an impressive 85 percent of waste diverted from landfills.

Tour de Fat traveled to 12 cities between May and October, attracting a total of 97,500 beer and bike enthusiasts and 57,359 bike parade participants (up 23,100 attendees and 8,096 riders from 2012). New Belgium’s hometown of Fort Collins, Colo. raised the most money ($90,000), and had the most festival-goers and parade riders, both totaling 25,000 people. To see how each city performed, a breakdown is included below.

Tour de Fat also hosted the seventh annual car-for-bike swap, where one brave role model in each city stepped on stage to trade in car keys and pledge to live car-free for one year. Each swapper received a $2,250 stipend to buy their own commuter bike in exchange for their car. Vehicles for Charity auctioned the swapped cars, with proceeds benefitting Tour De Fat’s local nonprofit partners. Each of the swappers is encouraged to blog about their adventures as a two-wheeled local rock star. To read their tales from the road, visit the car-for-bike trade blog at http://trademycarforabike.tumblr.com/.

“Each year just gets better as Tour de Fat extends its reach into communities to share bike love in the most colorful way possible,” said Matt Kowal, Tour De Fat Impresario. “It’s where you can find flamboyant costumes and entire families dancing in the park; it’s the look of communities raising money together alongside funky musicians and mind-blowing magicians.”

“We thank everyone who takes the time to make this kind of magic happen,” added Kowal. “It just feels good!”

To see photos, videos, and other highlights from some of the 2013 tour stops, visit https://www.facebook.com/TourDeFat. For more on New Belgium Brewing, go to http://www.newbelgium.com.

Tour de Fat Breakdown City-by-City

Grand Totals

• Total Funds Raised: $535,925 (not including auctioned car proceeds)
• Attendees: 97,500
• Parade Attendance: 57,359
• Average Waste Diversion Rate: 85%

Atlanta, GA – May 11

• Total Funds Raised: $15,415 (up $9,185 from 2012)
• Attendees: 2,500 (up 1,500 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 300 (up 100 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 85%

Washington DC – June 1

• Total Funds Raised: $35,583 (up $14,673 from 2012)
• Attendees: 4,500 (up 2,000 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 500 (up 187 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 85%

Durham, NC – June 15

• Total Funds Raised: $20,009 (up $3,966 from 2012)
• Attendees: 3,000 (up 800 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 1,000 (up 250 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 87%

Nashville, TN – June 22

• Total Funds Raised: $34,687 (up $16,008 from 2012)
• Attendees: 5,000 (up 2,750 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 1,500 (up 750 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 85%

Chicago, IL – July 13

• Total Funds Raised: $40,476 (up $13,940 from 2012)
• Attendees: 8,000 (up 3,500 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 1,100 (up 350 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 84%

Minneapolis, MN – July 27

• Total Funds Raised: $23,658 (up $3,905 from 2012)
• Attendees: 3,000
• Parade Attendance: 800
• Waste Diversion Rate: 92%

Boise, ID – August 17

• Total Funds Raised: $55,019 (up $5,344 from 2012)
• Attendees: 7,500 (up 1,000 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 6,000 (up 1,000 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 75%

Ft. Collins, CO – August 31 – Most Money Raised and Largest Attendance

• Total Funds Raised: $90,000 (up $10,943 from 2012)
• Attendees: 25,000 (up 4,000 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 25,000 (up 4,000 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 80%

Denver, CO – September 7

• Total Funds Raised: $77,017 (up $5,563 from 2012)
• Attendees: 15,000 (up 4,000 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 11,000 (up 1,000 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 86%

San Francisco, CA – September 21

• Total Funds Raised: $16,574
• Attendees: 3,000
• Parade Attendance: 159
• Waste Diversion Rate: 85%

San Diego, CA – September 28

• Total Funds Raised: $41,486 (up $11,152 from 2012)
• Attendees: 6,000 (up 2,500 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 2,000 (up 900 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 87%

Tempe, AZ – October 5

• Total Funds Raised: $86,000
• Attendees: 15,000 (up 5,000 from 2012)
• Parade Attendance: 8,000 (up 3,000 from 2012)
• Waste Diversion Rate: 87%

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews eight year-round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

FORT COLLINS, CO—With fall officially here and pumpkin beers flying off the shelves, New Belgium decided to challenge other pumpkin-beer-making, craft brewers to a carving contest. New Belgium and six craft breweries have put their knife skills to the test and the final pumpkins for The Big Craft CarveOff are on display atNewBelgium.com/CraftCarveOff. Public voting for the favorite begins October 3 and runs through October 15 at Eater.com. New Belgium will donate $5,000 to a charity of the winner’s choice.

“There’s a proud tradition of pumpkin beer brewing every fall among craft brewers and we figured a great way to celebrate the change of seasons is a good old-fashioned carving contest” said New Belgium Spokesperson, Bryan Simpson. “Several of our brewing buddies jumped on board and did amazing, magical feats to transform simple gourds into works of art.”
New Belgium’s carved entry celebrates its current seasonal release, Pumpkick Ale. Pumpkick is brewed with plenty of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, but it is the healthy dose of cranberries that really makes it stand out.

Other breweries participating in the carving contest include: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Cigar City Brewing, Cambridge Brewing Company, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Saint Arnold Brewing and Schlafly Beer.

“It was a little tricky for some breweries to find pumpkins this early in the season, so we actually had to ship some from Fort Collins,” added Simpson. “The results speak volumes as to how many creative folks we have in our industry. Pretty inspiring. ”

To keep up with the contest, you can follow the hashtag #CraftCarveOff on Twitter and Instagram. New Belgium will also post updates at http://www.newbelgium.com/CraftCarveoff, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/newbelgium and on Twitter @NewBelgium. If you have a pumpkin you’d like to show off, use #CraftCarveOff to post your pumpkin pictures on Twitter and Instagram.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews eight year-round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

(Press Release)

FORT COLLINS, CO—In late September, Odell Brewing will release Fernet Aged Porter, a robust imperial porter aged in emptied Fernet barrels from Colorado distiller, Leopold Bros.

“We have always been huge fans of Leopold Bros.,” said Brent Cordle pilot brew and barrel aging manager at Odell Brewing. “We’ve experimented with a variety of barrels, but Leopold’s Fernet was by far the most unique oak we’ve had the pleasure of working with.”

Fernet is a dark minty liqueur made with herbs & spices and aged in oak barrels. Leopold Bros. has crafted their own unique recipe which includes lavender, honeysuckle, ginger root, bitter aloe, dandelion root, rose petals, chamomile, and peppermint.

“Our Fernet is the most bitter type of Amaro (Italian word for bitter) that is prepared by steeping various botanicals, with a large proportion of bitter roots, in spirit,” said distiller Todd Leopold, “so far as we are aware, it is the first of its kind produced in America since well before Prohibition.”

Odell Brewing began collecting the emptied Fernet barrels, as they became available over the past year, and filled them with a rich porter. The herb-soaked oak has a remarkable effect on the beer. With an 9.8% ABV, the roasty chocolate malt character is infused with hints of mint and licorice creating a decadent aroma and flavor.

Odell Brewing and Leopold Bros. will celebrate their partnership with a special release party on September 26^th at7:00 p.m. at Freshcraft in Denver, and in the brewery’s Tap Room on September 28^th and 29^th. Fernet Aged Porter will be available in limited quantities throughout the brewery’s ten state distribution footprint.

About Odell Brewing – Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-four years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand-crafted, innovative brews. As a regional craft brewery, Odell Brewing is committed to serving the communities in which it distributes by minimizing its environmental impact, sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was named a “Best Company to Work For” in 2013 by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for Friek, 2008 World Beer Cup® – gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for IPA.

About Leopold Bros. - Leopold Bros. is a family owned and operated small batch distillery located in Denver, Colorado.  Founded in 1999.Todd Leopold got his start in distilling after he received his Diploma in Malting and Brewing from the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago in 1996. After graduation, he trained at the Doemens School in Munich, focusing on the production of lager beers. He then apprenticed at several breweries and distilleries throughout Germany. Scott Leopold began his career in manufacturing after receiving a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and a Masters in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.  He spent the early part of his career engineering environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes for Fortune 500 companies, as well as designing waste water treatment systems for both industry and municipalities. Together, the Leopold Brothers designed and developed a unique distillery in which environmental sustainability is a daily practice, and the art and science of fermentation and distillation is practiced at the highest possible level.

FORT COLLINS, CO—Funkwerks, the award-winning Saison-focused brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, has released a limited quantity of Rum Barrel Deceit, a barrel aged Belgian-Style Golden Ale.

Rum Barrel Deceit starts with Funkwerks’ award-winning Belgian-style golden strong ale, Deceit. Aged in oak rum barrels for eight months, with a high percentage of Pilsner malt and a unique Belgian yeast strain, Rum Barrel Deceit is a strong yet deceptively smooth brew. The beer pours a golden color with alluring aromas of fresh apple and crisp white wine. Spicy notes in the flavor are complimented by characteristics inherent in the oak barrels. Slight fruit notes balance the elaborate flavors and transition into a dry and inviting finish. Alcohol by volume is 10.0%.

“We were excited for the opportunity to turn Deceit, our smooth gold-medal winning beer, into a barrel aged beer,” said Gordon Schuck, Funkwerks Co-Founder/Owner and Head Brewer. “Barrel aging makes a beer more complex and limits quantity for a very sought after beer.”

Rum Barrel Deceit is best served at 50 degrees and pairs incredibly well with Dulce de Leche Pound Cake. Funkwerks produced nine and a half barrels of Rum Barrel Deceit. Rum Barrel Deceit is now available on draft and in bottles at the Funkwerks taproom; on draft in select Fort Collins, Colorado locations; and in 750 ml bottles in limited quantities at liquor stores in Colorado, Nebraska, and Arizona.

For more information on upcoming events, beers, recipes and more, visit Funkwerks’ website, follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, and enjoy the blog.

Fort Collins, CO

A new addition to New Belgium’s lineup of year-round releases, this imperial IPA features Mosaic, Calypso and Centennial hops.

ABV: 8.5

ABW: 6.8

COLOR: 8.5

BITTERNESS: 85

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1027

AVAILABLE: AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, DC, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, ME, NV, NM, NC, ND, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY

FORT COLLINS, CO—In September, Odell Brewing will release the next version of its variety 12 pack, Montage. The Fall~Winter package will feature flagship 90 Shilling, the award winning IPA, seasonal Isolation Ale, and a new Roots Release brew called Wellspring.

Inspired by the brewery’s pilot brewing system, the Roots Release brews are experimental, one-of-a-kind, and typically only available in the brewery’s Tap Room. Wellspring, a dry hopped saison, is the first Roots Release offering the brewery will release. Slightly hoppier than the classic Saison, Wellspring is crisp with notes of lemon pepper, banana, and stone fruit.

“Our pilot system is the wellspring of our creativity,” said marketing manager, Amanda Johnson-King. “It’s the heart and soul of our brewery, and we wanted to honor that with our first Roots Release brew.”

Odell brewing will offer three different versions of the Montage variety pack annually, mirroring its seasonal beer release schedule. Each edition will include brewery favorites 90 Shilling and IPA, the current seasonal offering and a new Roots Release offering.

Odell Brewing will release the Fall~Winter Montage in early September, and plans to celebrate with a special Wellspring tapping party in the Tap Room September 14th and 15th.

Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-four years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand-crafted, innovative brews. As a regional craft brewery, Odell Brewing is committed to serving the communities in which it distributes by minimizing its environmental impact, sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was named a “Best Company to Work For” in 2013 by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for Friek, 2008 World Beer Cup® – gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for IPA.

FORT COLLINS, CO—New Belgium Brewing will reveal a whole new look and feel in 2014 with a portfolio-wide packaging refresh due to hit markets in January. The new design reimagines New Belgium’s iconic and playful watercolor imagery from the past 22 years through a modern lens. The artwork will progress many of the themes celebrated in New Belgium’s labels over the years, which have been hand-painted by founder Kim Jordan’s neighbor, Ann Fitch, since the brewery’s beginnings.

“This colorful, handcrafted look has been with us since our inception and the new design brings the portfolio together in a fresh and contemporary way,” said New Belgium’s Strategic Marketing and Branding Director, Josh Holmstrom. “We feel these designs will delight our long time fans while also inviting new folks into the fold.”

The new design, created by Hatch Design of San Francisco, featuring illustration by artist Leah Giberson, will appear on all brands and packages. The only place to officially see the redesigned labels as they are revealed is in the Exclusive Content section of New Belgium’s mobile app. Users can download the app for free by searching “Beer Mode” in the App Store or Google Play.

Ohio beer drinkers will get an early firsthand look at the new artwork when New Belgium opens that market in December 2013.

With nearly 1,800 breweries in the U.S. (up from 42 when I reached legal drinking age in 1978) and countless imported brands, beer companies are constantly engaged in “look at me” marketing. This is the process of announcing the latest imperial this, double that or oddball ingredient that makes the beer “unique.” The brewer is trying to make the best beer possible, but what the marketing folks really are hoping for is news coverage, social media buzz and word of mouth among customers.

The first sign of any success in the market usually brings out the copycats. This makes it almost impossible to determine if it is a genuine trend or just a passing fad. A legitimate trend brings with it a group of beers that have staying power. Only time will tell.

A couple of years ago the “Your Next Beer” column looked at coffee and chocolate beers after it was clear a number of craft brewers were doing more than making experimental batches with these ingredients. Both categories have flourished, with some very nice beers built around these flavors. And if Great American Beer Festival medals are any indication of trends, both coffee and chocolate now have their own categories—chocolate graduated this year from the “Herb and Spice” division.

The history of chocolate goes back around to 4,000 years ago when the Mokaya people in Central America made chocolate beverages. The Aztecs and Mayans were making a spicy drink from the ground beans of cacao tree for hundreds of years before Spanish Conquistadors arrived. Aztecs actually used cacao to pay tributes to their rulers. Pueblo peoples also had a history of using cacao seeds long before any European had ever tasted chocolate. These were not sweet drinks, since refined sugar was not added. But they clearly started our almost instinctual craving for chocolate.

Craft brewers are increasingly experimenting with chocolate. The flavor swings can be pretty dramatic, from something sweet like a Hershey’s Kiss to a more bitter experience like Baker’s chocolate.

Naming one’s favorite beer cities is, of course, a matter of opinion, but I tried to introduce a bit of journalistic objectivity by identifying the criteria that would go into a decision whether to visit. No city on Earth meets all of these criteria (well, Munich comes close), but those on my top 25 list ranked high on at least several. Here they are.

• Local breweries. That means microbreweries and brewpubs, because that’s where you’ll find classic beer and unusual new styles. In some cities, historic regional breweries, such as Yuengling and Spoetzel, play a prominent role in the local beer scene. And touring a brewery, be it micro or macro, is a pleasant way to wile away a few hours.

• History and lore. America doesn’t have breweries inside medieval castles or taverns where Shakespeare drank, but there’s plenty of history to be found. Our country is rich in beer lore, ranging from beer barons’ mansions, like Colonel Pabst’s home in Milwaukee, to craft brewing landmarks such as the Mendocino Brewing Co.’s original location in the appropriately named town of Hopland, CA.

• Hard to find beer. Many a beer lover has visited Portland, OR, and brought back bottles of the formidable Adam and Fred, brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Co. Likewise, travelers to the Great Lakes region have come home with Bell’s Oberon Ale or Consecrator doppelbock. Beers like these are enjoyable travel souvenirs and a great way to impress friends.

• Taverns. In some parts of our country, the corner tavern is still a part of everyday life. These establishments are what author Ray Oldenburg calls “The Great Good Places,” those places outside the home and workplace where a person can unwind with friends and beer fulfills its traditional role as a social lubricant. The nation’s best beer bars are, in my opinion, those that keep electronic distractions to a minimum and invite conversation.

• Beer festivals. It’s no coincidence that many of the nation’s top festivals are in or near its best beer cities. The Northwest, where the craft brewing movement began, is especially rich in festivals. But many cities not in the top 25 have notable festivals worth a visit. A couple of examples: Cincinnati, which stages the biggest Oktoberfest in America; and Syracuse, NY, where the Empire State Brewing & Music Festival is a summertime must.

• Local food. A beer trip is also an excuse to get out of your normal culinary routine: you can eat when you’re hungry and have fun eating. For me, that means trying such local specialties as Chicago-style hot dogs, Texas chili, New England clam chowder, and a Hawaiian plate lunch. After all, man doesn’t live by beer alone.

• Last but not least, public transportation. We all know the drill about drinking and driving. Besides, there are cities, like New York, where a car actually reduces your mobility. A number of cities on the list have safe, reliable transit systems, and some offer an all-day pass for not much more than the price of a pint.