Karl Strauss Brewing Company is getting back to its roots by brewing a collaboration beer with the Australian brewpub that inspired two young entrepreneurs to open San Diego's first craft brewery since prohibition.
"The Bloke" is a bold, hoppy red ale brewed with a blend of American and Australian hops.
Karl Strauss Cofounder, Chris Cramer, first experienced microbrewed beer when he was visiting Freemantle, Australia in the mid 1980's. "Here I was, halfway around the world, in a city so similar to San Diego, enjoying a pint of bitters at the local Sail & Anchor Pub. The beer was unlike anything I had ever tasted and when I found out that it was brewed onsite, a light bulb went off," says Chris Cramer. "I knew that adventurous San Diegans would embrace the idea of locally brewed beer, and 25 years later, it's amazing to see what our industry has grown into." To commemorate the milestone anniversary, Karl Strauss Brewmaster, Paul Segura, braved the 20-hour flight to Australia to collaborate with S ail & Anchor Pub on a cross-hemisphere inspired brew.
"It was amazing to have the opportunity to collaborate with one of Australia's craft brewing pioneers and to bring the story full circle with a nod to where Karl Strauss Brewing Company was first incepted," says Paul Segura, Brewmaster. Dubbed "The Bloke," the collaboration brew is a tribute to Karl Strauss and his legendary international brewing legacy. The collaboration brew is a bold, hoppy red ale -- showcasing a blend of West Coast and Australian hop varieties. "We thought it would be fun to take a style we're known for -- red ale -- and hop the heck out of it. We brought Cascade and Chinook hops to the party and Sail & Anchor contributed Australian-grown Ella and Galaxy hops," says Segura. The resulting brew is 6% ABV, dry as a bone, and assertively hoppy.
Six 100-hectoliter batches of "The Bloke" were brewed and 2,700 cases will be available across Australia in 12oz bottles. Karl Strauss Brewing Company will receive an extremely limited quantity of bottles available for sampling in its tasting room in late March.
