Fort Collins Colorado

Still breaking ground in their 20th year, New Belgium Brewing has dipped into the world of publishing with Tour de Fat; Sights, Sounds, Feelings, Flavors, a coffee table art book celebrating the first eleven years of the Colorado brewer’s traveling, philanthropic bike festival. The limited edition hard cover book chronicles the trials and triumphs of building an event from the ground up. From the early years when the whole show fit in the back of a pickup truck to 2010’s hometown Tour de Far with more than 15,000 attendees, the story is a first-person narrative from the cyclists, carnies, performers and car swappers who lived to tell the tale.

“Having seen this thing grow up from the get-go,” said New Belgium Spokes Model, Bryan Simpson, “the book truly reflects and celebrates the blood, sweat and perseverance it took to build this event into a powerful philanthropic engine and a bike advocacy building block.”

The project stems from a long-standing collaboration with Fort Collins-based independent publisher, Wolverine Farm Publishing. WFP staff and volunteers have traveled with the tour for the last six years extolling the virtues of literature married to activism and art. Publisher Todd Simmons published and edited the book.

“Tour de Fat rises above every other summer festival in its commitment to artistic integrity, philanthropic protest, and complete worship of the bicycle, and this book is merely an extension of that—a wildly flung tail of the last eleven years,” said Simmons.

This season Tour de Fat is expected to surpass $2 million raised for bike advocacy since its inception. With stops in 13 cities throughout the summer and fall, the Tour raises money for non-profits thru beer sales and challenges one driver from every city to give up their car for a year in exchange for a bicycle. Every event starts with a costumed bike parade followed by a mix of music, vaudeville and general spectacle topped off with the actual swapping of a car for bike and a celebratory dance party.

The book is available online at or at Tour de Fat events throughout the year.

On April 9, 2011 Odell Brewing will re-release its Double Pilsner, a former Single Batch Series beer. The long-time favorite will return for the summer season as part of the brewery’s new line of 4 pack offerings.

“Double Pilsner is our brewers’ guilty pleasure,” said Head Brewer, Joe Mohrfeld. “We love brewing it for ourselves, but we also want to share it with our friends.”

Traditional Pilsners mask nothing, and Odell Brewing’s Double Pilsner is a creative adaptation of the classic Bohemian Pilsner with a strong noble hop character that balances the rich Pilsen malt base. Delicate and refreshing, yet strong and assertive, Double Pilsner weighs in at 8.1% ABV and leaves the palate with a remarkably crisp finish.

Odell Brewing will celebrate the return of Double Pilsner in the brewery’s Tap Room on April 9th and at select events during Colorado Beer Week. For more information on Colorado Beer Week events, please visit www.cobeerweek.com.

On April 4, 2011 Colorado’s Odell Brewing Company will begin selling its hand crafted beers in Idaho, which will be the 10th state in the brewery’s distribution region.

Odell Brewing has partnered with Stein Distributing in Boise, Watkins Distributing in Idaho Falls, King Beverage in Lewiston and Centennial Distributing in Coeur d’Alene. The initial launch will include 90 Shilling, IPA, Cutthroat Porter, Myrcenary Double IPA, as well as the brewery’s Seasonal brands.

“We are very excited to enter the Idaho market,” said Eric Smith, Director of Sales and Marketing for Odell Brewing. “There is an up-and-coming craft beer culture in the state, and we look forward to contributing to that enthusiasm with our unique offerings.”

Odell Brewing co-workers, including founder Doug Odell, will travel to Idaho beginning April 4th to celebrate the launch with a weeklong series of fun events throughout the state. A list of these events can be found on the brewery’s website at www.odellbrewing.com/idaho

On February 19, 2011 Odell Brewing will release Friek, the newest offering in its Single Serve series of beers. Friek is a creative amalgamation invented by the brewers, blending a Kriek style ale with a Framboise.

Multiple Kriek Lambic ales were brewed over the past three years and fermented with a combination of yeasts (some wild), lactobacillus, and pediococcus. Then, 3500 pounds of sweet and tart cherries were added, and the beer was transferred into oak barrels where it aged taking on the cherry flavors. As the beer matured, Framboises (raspberries) from Schroyer Family Farms in Fort Collins were hand-picked by Odell Brewing co-workers and readied for the beer. The fresh raspberries were added just before the final blending.

Light and effervescent in the nose, Friek marries a tart cherry pucker with a bright raspberry finish. The two flavors comingle on the tongue, and the lactobacillus creates a sour complexity that accentuates the fruit. The beer is 100% bottle conditioned in Champagne style cork and cage finish bottles.

“Friek demonstrates our respect for the traditional Lambic style ale,” said head brewer Joe Mohrfeld, “We brewed the beer in a way that both embraces this tradition but also incorporates American craft beer innovation.”

Odell Brewing will celebrate the release of Friek, with a Tap Room “Friek Out” on February 19, 2011 from 4-6pm. The Cupcake Cruiser will be at the brewery serving red velvet cupcakes with orange raspberry cream cheese icing. Guests can enjoy samples of Friek paried with the cupcakes as well as live music by The Commoners.

Friek will be available in limited quantities throughout the brewery’s nine state distributor region at a suggested retail price of $17.99 per bottle.

New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, announced plans today to expand their market territory along the eastern seaboard. The Colorado brewer will open Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. in September of 2011. The added territory will bring the nation’s third-largest craft brewer to 29 states.

“We had significant expansion in 2009 when we added five states,” said New Belgium Sales Director, Joe Menetre. “We wanted to make sure we had the capacity to keep up with that demand, so we expanded our fermentation cellar to address future growth as well. We’re looking forward to selling our beers in and around the nation’s capitol.”

No decisions have been made regarding distributor partners, brands or package for the new markets.