Beverage holiday highlights American-made beers

As National American Beer Day approaches, American breweries add new offerings

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In his 2010 song “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer,” country artist Billy Currington lists all the things he’s not skilled at. Throughout the song, and as the title suggests, he notes that the only thing he’s competent in is drinking beer. “I wasn’t born for diggin’ deep holes / I’m not made for pavin’ long roads / I ain’t cut out to climb high line poles / But I’m pretty good at drinkin’ beer,” Currington sings.

Those who are also “pretty good at drinkin’ beer” and those who enjoy the beverage can celebrate the upcoming holiday: National American Beer Day. The holiday falls on Sunday, Oct. 27. Ahead of the holiday, here are a few American breweries with new releases:

Blue Point Brewing: In support of Movember, a charity that raises funds and awareness for men’s health issues, the Patchogue, N.Y.-based brewery is continuing its men’s health awareness campaign with a new brew. Movember “shines a light on key men’s health issues,” the brewery says, from mental health to cancer, and encourages open conversations and proactive engagement. In honor of the initiative, Blue Point announced a special release of its classic double IPA, Big Mo. Featuring mosaic hops and an alcohol-by-volume (ABV) of 8%, the hazy double IPA sports a distinctive mustache design on its label to celebrate Movember. A portion of proceeds from Big Mo will be donated directly to the Movember Foundation. “With Big Mo, we’re not just celebrating a classic double IPA; we’re embracing the spirit of Movember and the vital conversations it inspires,” said Mark Burford, founder of Blue Point, in a statement. “With every sip, we honor the significance of men’s health and invite everyone to join in discussions that can truly make a difference.” Next month, the brewery is set to host a series of Movember fundraising events at its flagship brewpub. Big Mo is available at the brewery and retailers in Long Island.
Founders Brewing Co.: Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., unveiled its fall and winter beer lineup. A new fall/winter variety pack features the fan-favorite Oatmeal Stout and Vanilla Porter, as well as two new exclusive offerings: Winter Bock and Blonde Roast. Winter Bock is described as a smooth, rich, dark lager, while Blonde Roast is a golden pale ale that features a touch of lightly roasted coffee, the company says. Founders also released the All Day Variety Pack, with the classic All Day IPA, a session IPA; All Day Haze, a session hazy IPA; All Day Single Hop, a session mosaic IPA; and All Day Chill Day, a session cold IPA. The alcohol-by-volume (ABV) for the IPAs ranges from 4.7% to 4.9%. Chill Day is described as a “refreshingly crisp Cold IPA brewed with an assemblage of hops for subtle, yet flavorful, punch of pineapple, floral and lemon notes,” the company says. All Day Single Hop has notes of intense pineapple, citrus and dank hop aromas, featuring a light body, mild bitterness and clean finish, it adds. Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops create an “explosion of aroma” in the All Day Haze. Meanwhile, the classic All Day IPA is for easy drinking. It’s naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops, the company shares, making it “the perfect beer for anyone looking to make the ordinary extraordinary and the good times great.”
Lawson’s Finest Liquids: Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, Vt., announced a release of the Freestyle IPA as an ode to experimentation and the early days of the brewery. Described as a light and approachable IPA, Freestyle is a brewed pilsner malt that “allows the unique character of Talus hops to shine alongside a soft, West Coast-style bitterness,” the brewery says. “The beer recipe throws it back to the early days of Lawson’s Finest, before we opened our taproom and when all our brews were imagined on the original system inside our Crooked Cabin in Warren,” said Sean Lawson, founding brewer, in a statement. “That time involved a lot of experimenting. I had a stockpile of ingredients and would freestyle the brew schedule depending on what I was feeling that days.” Freestyle IPA was first brewed in summer 2023 by Lawson and CEO Aeline Druart as a training exercise for the brewery’s first-hired CEO. It was inspired by collaboration, the freedom to experiment and ingredients popular with West Coast brewers. Freestyle IPA can be found for a limited time at Lawson’s or at retailers where Lawson’s is available.

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Chloe Alverson is Beverage Industry’s associate editor, writing and editing for the magazine about all sorts of beverages and companies. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and resides in Metro Detroit.