HARTFORD, Conn.— On Jan. 23, the Hanging Hills Brewing Company will release HeAthen Homecoming Pilsner, a collaboration beer with the much loved rock band The Drive-By Truckers. The beer will be released in celebration of their run of Homecoming shows at famed Athens, Ga. music venue The 40 Watt Club.
The Connecticut microbrewery is a long time fan of the Truckers and HeAthen Homecoming marks the second year in a row that the band and the brewery collaborated on a beer. Once again, the brewery has partnered with band artist Wes Freed to design the label. The Drive-By Truckers have turned this yearly event into a fundraiser for the the musicians’ mental health advocacy non-profit, Nuci’s Space (https://www.nuci.org) and this year will be no different. Proceeds of the sale of HeAthens Homecoming will also be donated to the Athens non-profit.
The beer takes its name from the Homecoming shows but also the term HeAthens is one of endearment that the band’s fans have used to describe themselves. The keller pilsner style beer is 4.7 percent and brewed with pilsner, carahell and carapils malts and hopped exclusively with Liberty hops. HeAthen Homecoming will be released on draft and in cans at the Hanging Hills tasting room at 150 Ledyard St in Hartford, Conn. on Jan. 19 at noon and then starting on Feb. 14-16 at the 40 Watt Club for the Homecoming shows while supplies last. This year’s run of shows is made more special by the reunion of band members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley’s previous band, Adam’s House Cat, for a one night show on Feb. 13.