Brewers across Iowa, nation team up to raise money for Camp Fire victims

When Matthew Wolf, one of the owners of Iowa Brewing Company in Cedar Rapids, saw the news about the deadly Camp Fire that burned the town of Paradise, California, he thought about his college-aged children's friends, many of whom are from California, including the areas of the state that burned.

So when the brewery had a chance to help raise funds for the impacted communities, he didn't hesitate. Iowa Brewing Company joined more than 1,000 breweries across the country on Tuesday to brew a beer dedicated to the cause.

One hundred percent of sales of Resilience Butte County Proud IPA will go to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

The Camp Fire, which so far has left 88 dead, with 158 still unaccounted for, scorched 240 square miles over 17 days. It was contained Sunday.

The relief fund, established by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., will be distributed to organizations dedicated to rebuilding and supporting communities affected by the fire.

When Sierra Nevada put out a call for other breweries to get involved, the responses was immediate.

'We're excited to do it. We like to get involved with local charities, but as part of the craft brewing industry, which is pretty tight knit, this is an opportunity to be part of something bigger,” Wolf said. 'It's something we kind of jumped on ... It's one of those things you don't have to think about much.”

Participating breweries all used the same recipe to produce the beer, which most will release in coming weeks.

SingleSpeed Brewing in Waterloo pulled together seven Eastern Iowa breweries for a collaboration brew of the IPA Tuesday. Brewers from Lion Bridge Brewing Company in Cedar Rapids, Backpocket Brewing in Coralville, Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, Jefferson County Ciderworks in Fairfield, Dimensional Brewing in Dubuque and Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. in Decorah worked together at SingleSpeed on Tuesday. They split the costs between them and will each distribute a portion of the beer in their taprooms.

Lion Bridge will receive five half barrel kegs - about 600 pints of beer - and will tap them Dec. 22.

'The craft beer world and brewing community is this great thing. There is a sense of collaboration, of helping each other out when we need help,” Lion Bridge co-owner Quinton McClain said.

He said it was gratifying to see that sense of community put to use in response to the wildfire.

'You kind of feel like, here in the middle of the country, you're not able to do a whole lot, but then you can help by doing what you do, which is to make beer,” he said.

J. Wilson, head of the Iowa Brewers Guild, said he knows of 29 breweries across Iowa that have participated.

'That's basically thirty percent of the breweries in the state of Iowa,” he said. 'It feels great. It is one of those rare opportunities where you have a peculiar skill and you can help people in a way you never would have realized.”

What breweries are participating?

The 29 Iowa breweries the Iowa Brewers Guild has listed as participating in the Camp Fire Relief Fund brew. One hundred percent of sales of Resilience Butte County Proud IPA will be donated to the fund. Other breweries not on this list may also be participating. Look for the release of the beer at taprooms around the state in mid-December.

Brightside Aleworks, Altoona

Millstream Brewing Company, Amana

River Ridge Brewing, Bellevue

Reclaimed Rails Brewing Company, Bondurant

Boone Valley Brewing Co., Boone

Second State Brewing Co., Cedar Falls

Iowa Brewing Company, Cedar Rapids

Lion Bridge Brewing Company, Cedar Rapids

Backpocket Brewing, Coralville

Great River Brewery, Davenport

Pulpit Rock Brewing Co., Decorah

Toppling Goliath Brewery, Decorah

Confluence Brewing Company, Des Moines

Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewery, Des Moines

Exile Brewing Company, Des Moines

515 Brewing Company, Des Moines

Dimensional Brewing, Dubuque

Jubeck New World Brewing, Dubuque

Jefferson County Ciderworks, Fairfield

Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City and Solon

Peace Tree Brewing Co., Knoxville

Contrary Brewing Co., Muscatine

Worth Brewing Company, Northwood

Limestone Brewers, Osage

NoCoast Beer Co., Oskaloosa

Fenders Brewing, Polk City

Jackson Street Brewing, Sioux City

Fox Brewing, West Des Moines

SingleSpeed Brewing, Waterloo and Cedar Falls

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