Dick Leinenkugel introducing John Cochran and and Brian “Spike” Buckowski founders of Terrapin Beer Company at Brewers Unleashed : Terrapin Edition
As we headed up a downtown elevator for a Tenth and Blake party featuring Terrapin Beer Company, we couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong. Was this award-winning craft beer outfit being sold?
Tenth and Blake recently acquired a 25% minority stake in Georgia-based Terrapin. The craft beer division of macro-brewing giant MillerCoors held a tasting event on Dec. 15 on the 16th floor of its Loop location as part of their Brewers Unleashed series.
When we reached the penthouse, Tenth and Blake’s Lisa Z. ushered us into the bar. We were taken aback. At the top of a Chicago Loop mid-rise is a badass bar with a killer view.
tasty out-of-market Terrapin treats: Pumpkinfest and Rye Pale Ale
“Here’s the taplist, some beers are sure to be gone sooner than others.” Lisa said.
So how did Terrapin—a small brewery with limited distribution in the Southeast and two New England states—end up in this setting? According to John Cochran and Brian “Spike” Buckowski (two former Deadheads who founded Terrapin), Tenth and Blake loaned the brewery an undisclosed sum in exchange for the 25% non-controlling ownership stake. John and Spike said the bottom line is Tenth and Blake offers support, be it financial or technical.
“They are not going to tell us what to do,” John said. “But now we have this mothership behind us. They say: ‘if you need it, it’s available.’”
Tenth and Blake bartenders
John and Spike said they have not made any commitments with Tenth and Blake for expanded distribution of their year-round offerings, so don’t expect Terrapin Hopsecutioner bottles to show up at your local liquor store anytime soon. But lucky for us, the Terrapin co-owners brought five staples for the event.
- Rye Pale Ale, 5.5% abv—Spike’s self-professed favorite of Terrapin’s offerings, we found this smooth drinking pale to be the least impressive beer of the night. However, deference is due to this flagship brew, which won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2002.
- Hopsecutioner IPA, 7.2% abv—We have a particular affinity for this beer. We’re both regular visitors to the Tampa Bay area, and this bitter beauty is ubiquitous in central Florida. It did not disappoint on tap.
- Pumpkinfest, 6.1% abv—A true original. This Octoberfest-pumpkin hybrid was a standout of the night. Clove and cinnamon are at the front of the spicy brew, but be cautious: the clove can numb your tongue and weaken your palette.
- So Fresh & So Green, Green, 6.7% abv—Terrapin’s 2011 wet hop harvest ale was made with 100% Challenger hops flown overnight from the Yakima Valley in Washington. The hops did not disappoint. While not our favorite harvest ale of the year, this beer puts on a clinic on the use of Challenger. We give it a solid thumbs-up for construction and execution.
- Wake ‘N’ Bake, 8.6% abv—We promise we won’t always select the stout as our favorite beer at a tasting, but in this case we can’t resist. This coffee-oatmeal imperial stout is hop forward (50 IBUs) but well balanced. Wake ‘N’ Bake is crafted with a cold brew of freshly roasted and ground Jittery Joe’s coffee beans placed directly in the tank. Simply put, it’s a dynamic coffee stout worthy of its many accolades. And it’s all local.
Terrapin taphandles
So is Terrapin selling out? John and Spike insist it isn’t, and we are led to believe them. Terrapin uses local ingredients, is cautious about expansion and maintains that the liquid in the bottle is what matters. According to John, the partnership with Tenth and Blake will actually allow the brewery to be craftier than ever.
“We’ll be able to do more barrel-aged stuff, more unique things,” Spike said.
If Terrapin can continue to make artisan beer while leveraging MillerCoors’ knowledge and experience, the true winner will be the beer drinker.
–Shea & Steve
***Chicago Beer Geeks would like to thank Shea Gibbs and Steve Larson for their awesome Guest Correspondent article
For more about our beer adventures, follow us on Twitter – Shea @I_P_Shea & Steve @BeerNaked.
