Ninkasi Brewing Brings Back Believer Double Red Ale

(EUGENE, OR) —Back by popular demand, independent Oregon craft brewer Ninkasi Brewing Company announces the return of Believer Double Red Ale to its Seasonal Release Series available Dec. 2016 through April 2017. In partnership with the brewery’s Beer is Love donations program, a portion of all Believer sales will go to three national non-profits: Conscious Alliance,Team River Runner and Women Who Code.

Established in 2012, Ninkasi’s Beer is Love program offers beer donations to registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations throughout each of the 14 states where Ninkasi beer is sold. The program supports non-profits doing work in five core categories: women, equality, recreation, the environment, and arts and music. Since inception, Beer is Love has worked with more than 800 organizations. “It is an honor to partner with great organizations throughout every community where we sell our beer,” says Emilie Hartvig, national donations manager for Ninkasi and its Beer is Love program.

Originally released as a winter seasonal in 2006, Ninkasi co-founders Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge brewed Believer Double Red Ale as a way to thank those who believed in their mission: to start a craft brewery dedicated to community. It is a natural fit for the brewery to commit the sales of Believer to organizations doing good work.

Believer returns to the shelf in 12 and 22-ounce bottles and on-draft later this month through April 2017. Ninkasi will donate $1 per case and $7 per keg of Believer sold to three non-profit organizations who exemplify the foundation of Beer is Love. “We are thrilled to bring back Believer and support organizations who are doing amazing work to support women in tech, recreation for veterans, and communities in crisis through arts and music,” explains Hartvig.

Conscious Alliance (www.consciousalliance.org)

Based in Boulder, Colo., Conscious Alliance is a national organization supporting communities in crisis. The organization operates through a three-tier approach: emergency food relief to communities across the United States; empowerment programs for youth in impoverished regions of the country; and nutrition, exercise and gardening education for youth in economically isolated Native American reservations. Conscious Alliance operates ongoing grassroots food collection and hunger awareness programs by organizing food drives at concerts and music events. The donations collected benefit local food pantries nationwide and economically isolated Native American reservations.

“We are thrilled to partner with Ninkasi and share Believer with Conscious Alliance’s supporters nationwide,” said Justin Levy, executive director of Conscious Alliance. “As an organization with a mission to empower communities through music, art and action, it’s a natural fit for us to collaborate on this campaign that helps give back to our communities.”

Team River Runner (ww.teamriverrunner.org) 

Team River Runner is a volunteer-driven, national nonprofit organization offering wounded and disabled veterans an opportunity to regain independence with an adventurous, adaptive paddle sports program. Team River Runner promotes camaraderie and teamwork as veterans problem-solve and learn paddling techniques in pools, lakes and whitewater rivers.

“The Team River Runner family is thrilled Ninkasi has selected us for the upcoming Believer release,” says Team River Runner executive director, Joe Mornini. “It takes the collective efforts of organizations and companies to create positive energy; we know the added support of Ninkasi will help increase awareness of our program.”

Women Who Code (www.womenwhocode.com)

Women Who Code is an international non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. The organization is building a world where women are proportionally representative as technical leaders, executives, founders, VCs, board members and software engineers. Women Who Code has executed more than 4,200 free events around the world, garnered a membership exceeding 80,000, and has a presence in 20 countries.

“Women Who Code is proud to be partnering with Ninkasi, and we applaud them for their dedication to helping our cause of building a more diverse, inclusive, and dynamic technology industry around the world,” explains Jennifer Tacheff, Women Who Code VP of business development.

Voting Opens January 2017!

The three benefitting organizations will have the opportunity to engage their followers by asking for their vote on Ninkasi’s Facebook page and Beer is Love website. Votes will be totaled at the end of the campaign in April 2017 and will determine how the donation pool will be allocated among the three organizations. Each organization will receive a minimum donation of $5,000 with the final donation pot divided based on number of votes and total Believer sales: first place receives 50 percent, second receives 30 percent, and third receives 20 percent. To vote, visit www.facebook.com/ninkasibrewing or www.beerislove.com between Jan. 1, 2017 and April 30, 2017.

Believer Stats
Enjoy Believer. Support Beer is Love.
Unlike a typical Red Ale, Believer balances a rich malt complexity with a plentiful hop presence. Notes of caramel, toffy, fig, and date ease into earthy and floral hops, making this Double Red Ale incredibly drinkable and full-flavored.

• Style: Double Red Ale
• Series: Seasonal Release Series
• Available: December 2016 – April 2017
• ABV: 6.9%
• IBU: 60
• Malt: 2-Row Pale, Munich, Crystal, Carahell
• Hops: Centennial, Summit
• Packaging: 12oz. 6-Pack, 22oz. Bottles, Draft
• Distribution: Alaska; Alberta; Arizona; California; D.C.; Colorado; Idaho; Maryland; Nevada; New York; Oregon; Texas; Utah; Washington; Vancouver, British Columbia
• Tasting Notes: Multiple malts are used to create caramel, toffy, date, fig, subtle chocolate, and a hint of roasted malt complexity. The hops lend to an earthy and floral hoppiness to balance the malt. The balance of the two aspects with the alcohol content make for an incredibly drinkable and full-flavored beer.
• Food Pairings:        Pork; Lamb; Duck; Pizza; Rich, Creamy Cheeses; Toffee; Chocolate

About Ninkasi Brewing Company
Founded in 2006 by Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, Ninkasi Brewing Company continues to grow from its first batch of Total Domination IPA, to two brewhouses, a 55-barrel and a 90-barrel brewhouse, located in Eugene, Ore. Ninkasi’s Flagship beers—Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Dawn of the Red IPA, Easy Way IPA, Hop Cooler Citrus IPA, Helles Belles Helles Lager, and Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout—are sold throughout Alaska; Alberta; Arizona; California; D.C.; Colorado; Idaho; Maryland; Nevada; New York; Oregon; Texas; Utah; Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The brewery remains privately-owned and is committed to community support and giving. Ninkasi’s Beer Is Love program offers in-kind donations and support for organizations throughout its footprint. For more information, call 541.344.2739 or visit www.NinkasiBrewing.com.