As the one year mark of Colorado’s devastating 100 Year Flood draws near, City Star Brewing and Spirit Hound Distillers are teaming up to release a very special collaboration brew: Flood Hound Ale.
Last September the St. Vrain River flooded, devastating the small town of Lyons, Colorado, which included Spirit Hound Distillers. Once flood waters receded and the craft distillery was restored their surviving rum barrel was bottled and Mountain Bum Rum was released. Affectionately dubbed “Flood Rum” by locals, Mountain Bum Rum quickly sold out and the empty barrel made its way to Berthoud, Colorado where City Star Brewing filled it with Red Necktar, an American style red ale.Though Berthoud escaped the majority of the wrath of Colorado’s 100 Year Flood, the City Star crew felt the effects of the natural disaster. One employee was displaced permanently and five others, including brewery owners John and Whitney Way, were displaced from Lyons for six weeks in the flood’s aftermath. The connection between the two small towns of Berthoud and Lyons is strong, and the choice for Spirit Hound to send their “Flood Rum” barrel to City Star was easy to make.
Flood Hound Ale, the collaboration rum barrel aged ale, was named by Lyons residents on a community Facebook page and will be released in Lyons on September 13th during the Cyclists 4 Lyons and Viva Lyons benefit. City Star Brewing will pour four beers at the event, including Flood Hound Ale, alongside Spirit Hound Distillers and their selection of high quality craft spirits.
City Star Brewing co-owner Whitney Way says, “We are honored to collaborate on Flood Hound Ale with our friends at Spirit Hound Distillers, and even more so to give this beer back to the community of Lyons. This surviving rum barrel is a reminder of the devastating flooding, but also symbolic of Lyons’ amazing sense of community and perseverance. We look forward to pouring this beer in Lyons on September 13th in reflection of the past year and also keeping in mind that there is still a lot of hard work to be done in recovery from this disaster.”
Produced by the Town of Lyons, Oskar Blues’ Cand’aid Foundation, Cyclists 4 Lyons and the Office of Governor Hickenlooper the 9/13 event will be held at Bohn Park in Lyons and benefit the flood relief efforts of Lyons Community Foundation and CAN’d Aid Foundation. The event will include bike rides, kids area, breweries, food trucks, a special appearance by Governor John Hickenlooper and live music, including a featured performance by The Infamous Stringdusters.