Over the past year, Seattle’s Ghostfish Brewing (probably the most-acclaimed brewer of gluten-free beers in the nation) partnered up with a few different breweries to share the gluten-free love, as we reported here. Most recently, it teamed up with Icicle Brewing of Leavenworth, Washington to create a robust, wintery gluten-free beer: Snowpocalypse Prepper.
“We’ve had a handful of collaboration brews in 2022 involving gluten-full breweries,” says Brian Thiel, Co-Owner/Managing Member at Ghostfish Brewing. “These collaborations are always special because it allows fans of both breweries, who may never have tried a Ghostfish or Icicle beer before, the opportunity to experience something different and unique. For me, a taste of Snowpocalypse Prepper makes me think of all the holiday smells in the air this time of year down the main street of Leavenworth.”
Fans of Icicle Brewing may have never sampled a beer from Ghostfish or any other gluten-free beer. This gives them the chance to try something new. That’s the point of these kinds of collaborations. Snowpocalypse Prepper is truly gluten-free, which means they’re produced at Ghostfish Brewing’s facility in Seattle. Not gluten-removed or gluten-reduced, but really gluten-free.
The beer is now on tap and available in cans at Ghostfish Brewing in Seattle. Icicle Brewing will soon receive a shipment of Snowpocalypse Prepper. too. Look for it at their taproom in Leavenworth. Also, it will be distributed, so look for it at retail outlets as well.
Chris Patrick, a brewery at Leavenworth Brewing who worked on the collaboration project says, “The inspiration to create this beer was based off the idea of a holiday cookie. Icicle Brewing was instrumental to making sure I had the resources available to nail the style we were collaborating on. The style of bock is a personal favorite of mine. The style lends itself to rich flavors, typically best enjoyed during the colder months.”
According to Reid Ackerman, the head brewer at Ghostfish Brewing, the project was a natural extension of an existing relationship. “Chris was a former brewer at Ghostfish, so really it’s a revisiting of that experience and connection,” says Ackerman. “He moved some years back and has been brewing at Icicle since. We knew around what time [of the year] the collab would be happening so considering the time frame and our current offerings, it was an easy choice to land on something holiday inspired. The beer itself is built around the concept of a Christmas cookie.”
Details
- Name: “Snowpocalypse Prepper”
- Style: Bock
- ABV: 6.6%
- IBU:24
- Info: Bock spiced with allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, clove,
Tellicherry peppercorns, and aged with vanilla - Aroma: Gingerbread, mulling spices
- Tasting Notes: Slightly spice forward, sweet malt to round out the
spice bite, medium, silky body. Faint vanilla component tying spice
elements - Fermentables: Millet, Rice
- Hops: Perle, Willamette
For more news about recent beer releases, visit the Washington Beer Blog’s New Beer Releases page.