We had a hunch our Alaskan IPA was exceptional—and phenomenal sales in its limited distribution prove we were right. We’re excited to introduce Alaskan IPA to California, because this beer’s taste, imagery and value-laden message belong here.

Alaskan IPA is the first new release in five years for Alaskan Brewing Co., the most award-winning craft brewery in the history of the Great American Beer Festival. First released in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest in April, Alaskan IPA was recently named one of the hottest new craft brands for 2007 by Daniel Wandel, senior vice president of Information Resources, Inc., (IRI).

Wandel made that assessment based on the first 13 weeks of IRI data since the release of Alaskan IPA. Alaskan was the No. 1-selling IPA in Spokane and No. 7 in the even more competitive Seattle market, according to IRI for the week ending July 15.

Sales are as strong at the tap as they are in chain stores. For example, Alaskan IPA is now the only IPA on tap at the historic McCoy’s Firehouse in Seattle after outselling two other IPAs. Alaskan IPA is also the permanent IPA handle at Fado Irish Pub in Seattle after blowing through 18 kegs when it was featured as Beer of the Month.

What sets Alaskan IPA apart
Alaskan IPA is outperforming our expectations in the Pacific Northwest, but I feel like it was made for California. The blonde color, the citrusy nose and the medium maltiness that is balanced by the refreshing hop finish will appeal to Californians. And the electric colors and surfing imagery are as unique and appealing as the taste.

This year Alaskan IPA will be sold in liquor stores, bars and restaurants in limited California markets, with full distribution in California and Reno planned for the first quarter of 2008. The first locations to receive Alaskan IPA are Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, Napa, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Jose.
 
Making a difference one beer at a time
Another reason why I think Alaskan IPA will continue to grow in popularity in the Pacific Northwest and will take off in emerging markets like California is because it’s a beer with a conscience. Alaskan Brewing Co. is giving 1% of all IPA proceeds to help clean up and preserve the Pacific Ocean and coastlines in an initiative called the Coastal CODE. Since Alaskan IPA’s introduction in April, the fund has already awarded grants to local groups cleaning up beaches and providing ocean conservation education in Alaska, Oregon and California.

We have created neckers, stackers signs and a web site, www.coastalcode.org, to promote the 1% initiative. We have also created T-shirts that say “making a difference one beer at a time” that we are selling in our brewery gift shop and at our online Gear Store. We are donating $5 from the sale of each shirt to the Coastal CODE Fund. We know the message is resonating with customers, because it is currently one of our best-selling shirts.

I’m excited that Alaskan Brewing’s Coastal CODE is supporting California Paddle 2007, www.californiapaddle.com, in which extreme athlete Tom Jones is paddling the entire 1,250 miles of California’s coastline to raise awareness of the issue of plastics in the ocean. In addition to giving Tom funding to support his journey, we are working closely with groups to plan public paddleout and beach cleanup events in Santa Cruz, Malibu, Huntington Beach and San Diego throughout the fall.

We are also planning fun fundraising activities including bar promotions and a beer dinner at the swank new Comme Ça restaurant in West Hollywood with chef David Myers, a media favorite with publications such as Food & Wine magazine.

We hope you are supportive of Alaskan IPA, because this beer is making a difference both in sales and in preserving our ocean resource.