PORTLAND, Ore. – Widmer Brothers Brewing today announced the last two beers in the 30 Beers for 30 Years Series: Kill Devil Brown Ale, which represents the year 2012, and Massive Upheaval IPA, representing 2013 in the brewery’s 30-year history. The two beers mark the conclusion of the ambitious year-long small batch series.
The 30 Beers for 30 Years Series began one year ago on Widmer Brothers’ 30th Anniversary, April 2, 2014. Every month throughout the last 12 months, Widmer Brothers brewed significant recipes in small batches at the innovation pilot brewery at the Rose Quarter, each representing individual years in the brewery’s history.
Each beer also features unique label art from 30 different artists and graphic designers from the Portland area; each artist chose a beer, learned about its origins, and created their own graphic interpretations in the form of a bottle label.
In total, thirty different beers were brewed and bottled at the brewery’s 10-barrel pilot brewery. 30 artists were commissioned, creating 30 unique pieces of art. Bottles were released monthly in batches of two to four, and 30 cases of each beer were distributed in the Portland area only from April 2014 to April 2015.
“It is bittersweet to see the 30 Beers for 30 Years Series come to a close,” said Kurt Widmer, co-founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing. “Initially Rob and I were hesitant to have a big anniversary celebration, but I’m glad that we did the series. On one hand it was a lot of hard work and coordination for the team, but on the other hand, it was a really fun trip down memory lane, and a huge honor to see the vision come to life. We are proud that our team accomplished such an ambitious undertaking.”
For the last two releases in the series, Widmer Brothers brewed two of the biggest beers in the series. Kill Devil Brown Ale – a rum-barrel-aged imperial brown ale brewed with palm sugar, two kinds of molasses, and Calypso hops – was originally released as part of the Brothers Reserve Series in 2012.
Massive Upheaval IPA is the last beer in the series and the second series release that wasn’t previously brewed and distributed in some fashion. Massive Upheaval is a look to the future as Widmer Brothers took the recipe for Upheaval IPA, which was developed in 2013 and released in the year-round lineup in February of 2014, and brewed a bigger, imperialized version for the 30 Beers for 30 Years Series.
Samuel Robinette of Accidental Color created the Kill Devil Brown Ale label, and John Fish of This is Folklore created the Massive Upheaval IPA label. The two labels, and all label art from the series, can be found at 30Beersfor30Years.com.
Widmer Brothers is hosting a wrap-up party for the 30 Beers for 30 years Series today at the White Owl Social Club in southeast Portland. The party will go from 3:00 p.m. to close, and will feature beers from the series and displays of all label artwork. Many of the artists will be in attendance, as will various brewers from Widmer Brothers. Kurt and Rob Widmer will make an appearance, as well.
For more information on Widmer Brothers Brewing, please visit widmerbrothers.com or see what the brewery is up to on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the Beers
Kill Devil Brown Ale – 2012
Whiskey barrel aging had become commonplace by 2012, so we looked to the next frontier and did some extensive digging to acquire used rum barrels from Puerto Rico. We decided to play off the theme of rum and brew a big brown ale using two different types of palm sugar, and two types of molasses, Black Strap and Sweet Barbados. The name refers to a historic term for rum, Kill Devil. 9.5% ABV
Massive Upheaval IPA – 2013
In 2013, we began brewing an unfiltered, unexpected, unapologetic and uncompromised IPA called Upheaval IPA. We’ll be launching this beer in early 2014. For the 30 Beers for 30 Years project, we’ll brew a bigger, bolder, badder version of Upheaval to celebrate the launch of this new year-round IPA.
About Widmer Brothers Brewing
Widmer Brothers Brewing was founded in 1984 in Portland, Ore. Brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer, with help from their dad, Ray, helped lead the Pacific Northwest craft beer movement when they began brewing unique interpretations of traditional German beer styles. In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing introduced the original American-style Hefeweizen, which elevated the brewery to national acclaim. Since then, Hefe has grown to become Oregon’s favorite craft beer and the brewery has continued to push the boundaries, developing beers with an unapologetic, uncompromised commitment to innovation.
The brewery currently brews a variety of award-winning beers including Hefe, Upheaval IPA, Alchemy Pale Ale, Drop Top Amber Ale, a full seasonal lineup, and a series of limited-edition beers. For more information about Widmer Brothers Brewing, visit www.widmerbrothers.com.