As the air grows winter-crisp and the mercury continues to drop, Terrapin Beer Co. helps fans bundle up with Side Project 24: Turtleneck Gingerbread Winter Warmer. Turtleneck was the winner of Terrapin's second annual Employee Homebrew Challenge.
The Employee Homebrew Challenge is the brainchild of Terrapin VP Sales/Marketing Dustin Watts. The Challenge splits all Terrapin employees into assigned teams containing members from each department. The mission is straightforward: formulate a beer recipe and brew a 5-gallon batch, choose a name, design a label concept, develop a marketing strategy, and present the brew as creatively as possible in a skit to all co-workers and a panel of judges at the company holiday party. There are no style guidelines or rules, though the project must fit the "Side Project" line of inventive, unique beers, must be feasibly brewed on a commercial level, and all aspects of the project (brew ingredients, marketing materials, etc.) must stay within the provided $75 budget.
"I saw the Employee Homebrew Challenge as a great way to get our employees working together across departments on a fun project that has a real reward," said Watts. "Employees get to see how other departments in the brewery contribute to each step required to get a beer on shelves from start to finish, so it's also educational. Besides that, all these skits make our holiday party a ton of fun!"
The members of the winning team are Abigail Agati (sales), Erin Appel (marketing), Henry Friederich (packaging), Jennifer Gresenz (tour), Kelly Guglietta (tour), Lee Maine (tour), Morgan Maine (tour), Andy Rattner (sales), David Stock (packaging), and Brandon Stull (brewer).
From the label:
Terrapin's 2014 homebrew contest winners have created "Turtleneck" spiced winter warmer. Initially brewed in the backwoods of Athens, Georgia, or someone's kitchen, this gingerbread cookie inspired beer was artfully crafted by a crack team of Terrapin employees. Since no gingerbread men or women were harmed in the making of this beer, we hope you will enjoy with a clear conscience.
The third annual Employee Homebrew Challenge is currently underway. The winning beer will be chosen at Terrapin's holiday party and released as Side Project 26 in late 2015. A new twist has been added for this year; all beers must feature peppercorn.
Turtleneck is packaged in 1/6 BBL kegs and 22 oz. bottles and will be available throughout Terrapin's distribution network.
Terrapin Beer Co. has a portfolio of six year-round beers, four Seasonal Sessions beers, the Monster Beer Tour collection of four high-gravity selections, and the Side Project series of one-time releases. Terrapin co-owners John Cochran, President, and Brian "Spike" Buckowski, Brewmaster, have developed a reputation for high-quality beers that push the boundaries of creative brewing. Terrapin Beer Co. is open to the public for tours every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. with live music and tastings. The brewery is located at 265 Newton Bridge Road in Athens, GA. The tours are an excellent opportunity to taste Terrapin's full line of award winning beers at their freshest and to see the brewing process first hand. For more information visit the website or Facebook page.
