COLUMBUS, Ohio – Land-Grant Brewing Company is excited to announce the sixth beer in their series of Space-Grant themed beers, Stargazer Black IPA brewed with Crimson Cup Coffee. The annual series, named for an aerospace-focused spin-off of the Land-Grant University Program, seeks to celebrate the spirit of space exploration and discovery through the release of deep-space-black IPAs.
Stargazer distills Land-Grant’s mission of community, education, and story-telling into a beautifully designed and masterfully crafted can of beer telling the intertwined story Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan and the Hubble Space Telescope. Sullivan—a member of the vaunted 1978 astronaut class of “Thirty Five New Guys” and Columbus resident—was the first female American astronaut to complete a spacewalk, served on the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope thirty years ago, ran COSI from 1996-2005, headed the Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy at Ohio State, and served as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) before releasing her memoir Handprints on Hubble this past year.
The can art for Stargazer takes its inspiration from the unofficial emblem of that famed 1978 class of astronauts in which a swarm of thirty-five cartoon astronauts float in, above, and around a space shuttle. Given Dr. Sullivan and that class’ involvement in the Hubble’s deployment and maintenance through the years—and with this year marking the famous telescope’s 30th year in operation—we swapped out the shuttle for the telescope but left the amazing team of astronauts suspended in space.
“I’m delighted that Land-Grant chose to salute Hubble – a truly magnificent flying machine – and my Class of ’78 colleagues with their latest brew,” said Sullivan on the project. “I hope their clever design inspires people to reach for the stars.”
“When researching ideas and potential themes for this year’s Space-Grant beer, starting first at the Hubble 30th Anniversary, I dug deeper into the telescope’s history and was amazed that the story had such a connection to not just Columbus, but our neighborhood,” said Walt Keys, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Land-Grant Brewing Company. “I immediately read Dr. Sullivan’s book and came away inspired, the amazing folks at COSI were able to connect us and it’s been a real honor and privilege to have been able to meet her and to have her involved with this year’s Space-Grant beer. It’s a true example of the connectivity that is possible through a community built by craft beer. That it can create these experiences and allow us to share these stories in a truly shared way.”
The beer itself varies slightly from year’s past in its notable addition of Crimson Cup Kenya Kanake coffee: “We do a small coffee version of our Space Grant IPA series every year, and they always are a brewer’s favorite, so we were really looking forward to being able to do the whole batch with coffee this time around,” said Dan Shaffer, Head Brewer at Land-Grant Brewing Company. “ Brandon and Joe at Crimson Cup led us through a line up of really stellar and interesting coffees, but we all agreed the tropical, lime and caramel notes from the Kanake were made for an IPA. The combination of Citra, Cashmere and Sabro hops has tangerine, tropical, melon, and coconut aromas that meld with the coffee. The process has really influenced my idea of what coffee is and how it can be utilized to enhance a beer.”
Stargazer Space-Grant Black IPA with Coffee will be available at the Land-Grant taproom on Friday, January 24th and in craft beer retailers around Central Ohio in the following Week. It registers a 7.8% ABV and will retail for $11.99/six pack with a portion of its proceeds benefiting the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Kathryn D. Sullivan’s Book, Handprints on Hubble, was released on MIT Press in 2019 and is available from their website and fine book sellers everywhere.
About Kathryn D. Sullivan
Kathryn D. Sullivan is a NASA astronaut (retired), former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), former President & CEO of the COSI, and an inductee in the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Her memoir Handprints on Hubble was released in 2019 by MIT Press.
About Land-Grant Brewing
Land-Grant Brewing Company, an award-winning production craft brewery in Columbus, Ohio, was born from a passion for painstakingly-crafted beer, powerful design, and a mid-western devotion. Land-Grant is defined by their dedication to the craft of producing championship quality craft beer, intention to sustainable brewing, and commitment to the betterment of the Columbus community. Beer lovers can enjoy Land-Grant craft beer at their Franklinton Taproom and Beer Garden at 424 W. Town Street, or pick up a six-pack at a variety of grocery stores or beer distributors throughout Central Ohio. Connect with Land-Grant on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. For more information, please visit http://www.landgrantbrewing.com.