Ninkasi Brewing Releases 3 Rare and Delicious Beers for Summer Enjoyment

(EUGENE, OR) —A leading force behind Ninkasi Brewing Company is the thirst for constant creativity and quality. In an effort to embody this throughout its brewing collective, Ninkasi developed its Rare and Delicious (R&D) Series in 2012. These beers capture the creativity of each member of Ninkasi’s brewing team – enabling each to design their own beer from start to finish—and draws upon more than 90 years of combined brewing experience to create high-quality, draft only beers available for a limited time throughout Ninkasi’s distribution footprint.

This July, Ninkasi’s R&D Series offerings expand to include Eugene Esteem, a California-style common ale; Kolsch and Bohemian Pils, brewed in celebration of the Oregon Brewers Festival. Mainly distributed to Oregon, these rare brews can be found in limited availability throughout California, Washington and Idaho.

“The Rare and Delicious Series allows our brewers to pursue creative mastery through making beers they have never made before,” explains founding brewer and co-owner, Jamie Floyd. “Each brewer combines creativity and research to produce a new beer that explores new ingredients, yeasts or processes in the quest to create something new and tasty!”

Ninkasi’s R&D Series not only allows the brewers to explore new recipes, but allows local consumers to try the new Ninkasi styles. “These beers may develop into future beers or beer enjoyed for what they are,” says Floyd.

Eugene Esteem

Brewer: Anders Johansen

Style: California-style Common Ale

ABV: 5.4%

IBU: 35

Starting Gravity: 1052

Malt: Ida-Gold Barley, Foggy Bottom Barley

Hops: Northern Brewer

Available: Draft Only

Amount Brewed: Seven Batches

Distribution: Oregon and Washington, limited availability in California and Idaho

URL: www.ninkasibrewing.com/eugene-esteem/

Description: This is a Ninkasi take on the California Common-style of beer.  Brewed with locally-grown, micro-malted barley, Ninkasi brewer Anders Johansen worked with Christensen Family Farm in McMinnville to grow, harvest, and malt the barley for this brew – more than 4,000 pounds worth! Using lager yeast fermented at ale yeast temperature, this is a dry, crisp amber beer with woody, rustic hop notes, light fruitiness and subtle caramel and toasty malt aromas.

Food Pairings:  Barbeque; Peppery or Tangy Cheeses, Pork, Poultry, Fish, Shellfish, Tropical Fruit Desserts

Kölsch

Brewers: Paul Cook, Jamie Floyd, Mark Henion
Style: Kölsch-Style Beer

ABV: 4.5%

IBU: 22

Starting Gravity: 1044

Malt: 2-Row Pale, Pilsen, White Wheat

Hops: German Spalt

Available: Draft Only

Amount Brewed: Single Batch

Distribution: Oregon, limited availability in Washington, California and Idaho

URL: www.ninkasibrewing.com/kolsch/

Description: In tribute to the favored beer of Cologne (Köln), Germany, this is a Ninkasi take on the traditional German-Style Kölsch. Fermented at ale temperatures and conditioned at colder lager temperatures, this golden-colored beer has a subtle, crisp sweetness. We brewed ours with 2-Row Pale, Pilsen and White Wheat malts and German Spalt hops, creating a balanced and sessionable brew.

Food Pairings: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Pastas, BBQ, Most Meats, Shortbread Cookies, Fruit Tarts

Bohemian Pils

Brewers: Paul Cook, Jamie Floyd, Mark Henion

Style: Bohemian-Style Pilsner

ABV: 5.0%

IBU: 38

Starting Gravity: 1048

Malt: Bohemian Pilsner, Premium 2-Row, Acidulated

Hops: Hallertau, Czech Saaz

Available: Draft Only

Amount Brewed: Two Batches

Distribution: Oregon’s Oregon Brewers Festival, California and limited availability in Idaho

URL: www.ninkasibrewing.com/bohemian-pils/

Description: This is a Ninkasi take on a Bohemian-style Pilsner, which is a medium-bodied golden lager with spicy, floral aromas from the style’s signature hop, Saaz. We brewed ours with Bohemian Pilsner, Premium 2-Row and Acidulated malt, as well as Hallertau hops to produce a beer that’s refreshing and well-rounded, crisp and complex.

Food Pairings: Indian or Thai Curries, Chinese, Japanese or Asian Cuisine, Blue Cheese, Cheddar, Lemon Shortbread, Berries

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 a 55-barrel brewing system located in Eugene, Ore. Ninkasi’s Flagship beers—Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Believer Double Red, Oatis Oatmeal Stout, and Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout—are sold throughout Oregon, Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and British Columbia. 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.