INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Sun King Brewery, one of the leaders of the independent craft beer movement in Indiana, is joining forces with Michigan’s largest craft brewery, Founders Brewing Co., to release Riding the Rails, a hoppy session lager. Riding the Rails will be released during the 6th annual CANvitational, the Midwest’s largest canned craft beer festival hosted by Sun King Brewery in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.
After the festival, Riding the Rails will be available for a limited time to craft beer fans throughout Indiana and parts of Illinois and Ohio in cans and on draft at local grocery, liquor and convenience stores, as well as at restaurants and bars.
“Our relationship with Founders goes back to the early days of Sun King when we were growing rapidly and working hard to keep up with the overwhelming demand for our beer,” said Dave Colt, co-founder and head brewer of Sun King. “The folks at Founders were always an open book when it came to answering our questions about new equipment, rapid growth and innovation. We have the utmost respect for them and what they have accomplished over the years, and it has been an honor and a pleasure to work with them to create this delicious new beer.”
Sun King and Founders decided to create a hoppy session lager that combines the ease and drinkability of a clear lager with the juicy, hoppy flavor that is popular with Northeast IPAs. It was dubbed Riding the Rails because both breweries have buildings that are adjacent to train tracks, and the can’s art invokes the nostalgic feeling of hopping a train car from Indianapolis to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Sun King is one of my favorite breweries that doesn’t sell beer in Michigan,” said Jeremy Kosmicki, Founders brewmaster. “Their portfolio is stacked top to bottom with delicious, well-balanced offerings in all of my favorite styles. It was a real pleasure to collaborate on a beer with them – we share many of the same brewing philosophies and taste preferences. The sessionable hoppy lager that we made together is a style that I can’t get enough of right now.”
About Sun King Brewery
Sun King Brewing Company is the brainchild of Dave Colt and Clay Robinson. With the help of family and friends – Omar Robinson, Andy Fagg and Steve Koers – the first keg of Sun King beer rolled out the door for delivery in July 2009. Available on tap and in cans throughout Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Cincinnati & Dayton, OH, and Louisville, Ky., Sun King has grown into a leader in the independent craft brewing movement. Sun King’s brewers hand craft flagship, seasonal and specialty beers that have been rewarded with multiple medals at the Indiana Brewers Cup, the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup competitions, and the brewery donates to hundreds of community organizations throughout Indiana. Sun King also owns Sun King Spirits and Tap Room in Carmel, Ind., where guests can sample spirits made collaboratively with local distilleries, handcrafted cocktails, Sun King beers, food from local restaurants and soon, a variety of Sun King’s own small-batch spirits. Visit sunkingbrewing.com for more information. Sun King Brewery is also on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.
About Founders Brewing Co.
Established in 1997 by two craft beer enthusiasts, Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens with day jobs and a dream, Founders Brewing Co. brews complex, in-your-face ales, with huge aromatics and tons of flavor. Founders ranks among the top 10 largest craft breweries in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing. The brewery has received numerous awards from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, and RateBeer and BeerAdvocate users often rate its beers among the best in the world. Located in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., Founders is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild. For more information, visit foundersbrewing.com or follow Founders on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.