SAN DIEGO – First introduced at Padres Beerfest in 2014, AleSmith Brewing Company is getting ready for the fifth anniversary of San Diego Pale Ale .394. Brewed in collaboration with Hall of Fame inductee, Tony Gwynn, this hoppy pale ale has become synonymous with the city where it was born.
It all started in early 2014 when Tony Gwynn expressed interest in creating his own beer. A mutual friend introduced him to AleSmith Owner, Peter Zien to discuss a potential collaboration. Their initial meeting included an informal AleSmith beer tasting, after which Tony knew he wanted his beer to be “light with a kick.” After further discussion, he elaborated that it should be full of hop character and light in body and color. The Gwynn family provided feedback on each of the multiple test batches created as a result of that meeting. The winner was a golden pale ale full of American hop flavor and aroma, with a subdued bitterness and a malty sweet finish. Named in honor of Tony’s career-high batting average, San Diego Pale Ale .394 has since won the hearts of craft beer fans in San Diego and across the United States.
Considered by many to be the unofficial craft beer of San Diego baseball, AleSmith will soon be celebrating this new classic with game-friendly 19.2 oz. cans. In addition, an unfiltered version, aptly named Hazy .394, will be released this May.
AleSmith owner Peter Zien, recalled a conversation with Alicia Gwynn, “Shortly after Tony passed, I asked Alicia about going forward with the beer – or not. She emphatically replied, ‘We need to keep Tony’s dream alive. He wanted this beer everywhere and anywhere for baseball and craft beer fans to enjoy.’ I promised her that we would put our heart and soul into every drop of .394 brewed, and it’s been wonderful to watch how well it has been received!”
This iconic beer continues to support the Gwynn’s nonprofit, a 501c3 organization dedicated to providing support for underprivileged San Diego youth. Fans are also invited to visit the Tony Gwynn Museum, open daily inside the AleSmith tasting room, where a large collection of authentic Tony Gwynn memorabilia is on display. The brewery will be further honoring “Mr. Padre” with a birthday celebration on Thursday, May 9, which will serve to raise funds and awareness for his foundation. Follow @alesmithbrewing on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for soon to be released event details.
Find AleSmith Brewing Company online at:
- Official Website: http://alesmith.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AleSmithBrewing
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/AleSmithBrewing
- Tasting Room Instagram: www.instagram.com/alesmithtastingroom
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/AleSmithBrewing
About AleSmith Brewing Company
Forged in 1995, AleSmith has been recognized by consumers and critics alike as one of the world’s foremost craft brewing companies behind accolades that include medals won at prestigious national and international beer competitions. In addition to being well established within its hometown of San Diego, AleSmith was acknowledged by the RateBeer community as the 6th Best Brewery in the World in 2018. The brewery is also a three-time winner of the Champion Brewery Award at the San Diego International Beer Competition, where it received a Silver Medal in 2018 for Old Numbskull American Barleywine Ale. Further recognition for individual beers includes a 2016 Gold Medal for Old Numbskull, and a 2017 Bronze Medal for Wee Heavy at the Great American Beer Festival. AleSmith is celebrating its 24th year in business and occupies a 109,942 square-foot facility with a state-of- the-art brewery. AleSmith’s range of acclaimed beers, which includes Speedway Stout, Nut Brown Ale and San Diego Pale Ale .394 is distributed in 28 U.S. states and 8 countries.