"We loved the idea about helping musicians and their crews during a very difficult time dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Level Crossing founder and CEO Mark Medura. The South Salt Lake City brewery is donating $1 per pint to the Salt Lake Academy of Music , a local non-profit that provides instruction and instruments to children and adults.
Crosby Hops Farm CEO Blake Crosby became interested in doing a collaboration beer after learning about Silver City Brewery teaming up with the Bremerton, Washington-based punk band MxPx on a beer called Secret Weapon for the band's 25th anniversary in 2017.
The hop supplier, which provides hops to thousands of breweries across the U.S., wanted to collaborate on a project to help the live music community. "I put myself in the position of someone on the road and all of a sudden income just comes to a complete halt and what you would do. That struck a chord with me," said Crosby Hops marketing manager Zac Schroerlucke, who like Blake Crosby also plays music.
The band MxPx recommended Sweet Relief and Schroerlucke found himself talking to Steinberg. Schroerlucke thought the charity's concept could be adopted by additional breweries, similar to how at least 1,500 breweries followed Sierra Nevada Brewing's lead and made Resilience Butte County Proud IPA to benefit those affected by the Camp Fire in late 2018 .
MxPx's drummer Yuri Ruley joined the Silver City brewers and Crosby Hops team in making the beer, which used Crosby's Chinook and Sterling hops. "Our goal was to create an elevated rock show beer – something light and smashable," said marketing manager Daniel Frantz at Silver City, which has sold all of its Rock On Crafted Lager but made its recipe available for other breweries to try.
"The idea was to make a craft lager, something you could drink a few of at a concert," Schroerlucke said. But breweries were encouraged to tweak the recipe if they desired – and to involve local musicians in the project. "I think that allowed people to get really excited about it," he said.
Rock On beers across the US
Depending on the brewery, Rock On is available in taprooms and in cans (some made 12-ounce cans, others made 16-ounce cans). At Goat Island Brewing in Cullman, Alabama, two local bands (Round 2 and Avenue G ) helped make of the beer, which is available now and into next month on site and at area retailers. Local disc jockey Steve Hathaway (DJ Kudlz), who had created a streaming service for musicians during the pandemic, assisted Virginia Beer Co. in Williamsburg, Virginia, with its Rock On lager, released over the Labor Day weekend.
Austin (Texas) Beerworks altered the recipe slightly with the help of Kyle Shutt, guitarist for hard rock band The Sword , and the beer is currently available in its taproom.
The origin of Sweet Relief
Sweet Relief grew out of the 1993 release of "Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams," an album of the singer-songwriter's songs performed by musical friends including Pearl Jam, Lucinda Williams, and Lou Reed. They made the album to raise money to help pay for Victoria Williams' medical care after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Subsequently, she started the Sweet Relief fund for all musicians with the proceeds.
The Rock On lager project has raised $20,000 so far for Sweet Relief's COVID fund. Beyond the money, the initiative "has been a great awareness driver," Steinberg said. "We are trying to pay for stuff for people who are in an emergency crisis."
Crosby Hops and the breweries hope to make the beer an annual offering. The pairing makes sense as music plays in most tap rooms and is blasted in the brewhouse when it comes time to clean tanks and equipment. "I've never met anyone in the beer industry that said, ‘I do not like live music'," Schroerlucke said.
Level Crossing's Frantz is on board. "We would absolutely love to build on the success of the Rock On initiative next year, especially as concerts continue to come back," he said.
Rock On participating breweries
Austin Beerworks – Austin, TexasBrokerage Brewing – West Lafayette, IndianaCamp Colvos Brewing – Vashon, WashingtonCrucible Brewing Co. – Everett, WashingtonFifth Hammer Brewing Co. – Long Island, New YorkFort George Brewery – Astoria, OregonVirginia Beer Company – Williamsburg, VirginiaFirst Magnitude Brewing Co. – Gainesville, FloridaGoat Island Craft Brewing – Cullman, Alabama Goose Island Beer Company – Chicago, IllinoisGreat Notion Brewing – Portland, OregonHive Beer – Westerly, Rhode Island Initiative Brewing – Redmond, OregonKulshan Brewing Co. – Bellingham, WashingtonLaguna Beach Brewing – Laguna Beach, CaliforniaLevel Crossing Brewing – South Salt Lake City, UtahMechanical Brewing Co. – Cherry Hill, New JerseyNavigation Brewing – Lowell, MassachusettsOne Trick Pony Brewery – Lansing, IllinoisPeoria Artisan Brewery – Peoria, ArizonaRainy Daze Brewing Co. – Poulsbo, WashingtonSierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Chico, CaliforniaSilver City Brewery – Bremerton, WashingtonSka Brewing – Durango, ColoradoStarr Brothers Brewing Co. – Albuquerque, New MexicoStormcloud Brewing Co. – Frankfort, MichiganTop Rung Brewing Co. – Lacey, WashingtonUrban Family Brewing Co. – Seattle, WashingtonOld Coast Ales – St. Augustine, Florida
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