A collaboration with St. George Spirits
Our friendship with St. George Spirits started 30 years ago. Back then, both Sierra Nevada and St. George were in relatively early days. We opened in 1980, and St. George started just two years later in 1982, both kicking off our respective craft industries in Northern California.
But it wasn’t until 1997 that we started working together. St. George was known for their eau de vie—a clear, fruit brandy—but was starting a whiskey program. Like beer, whiskey begins with grain. Once mashed with hot water and fermented, the resulting liquid is “wash,” an alcoholic base needed for distilling. Up until distilling, the process is not unlike making beer.
But brewing equipment is expensive, especially when beer isn’t your primary business. So, St. George gave us a call. Together, we brewed a wash that St. George used to make their first Single Malt Whiskey.
It worked out. Today, St. George has won awards many times over for their whiskeys. Their offerings have expanded to include gins, vodkas, liqueurs, and specialty spirits like absinthe verte.
Years later, we sent St. George a batch of our cult favorite Ruthless Rye IPA, which they distilled into a whiskey. Then, they laid it down to rest on American Oak for eight and 11 years, adding a touch of that very first Single Malt Whiskey from all those years ago. The result was Ruthless, a rare and special whiskey that’s a true collaboration.
Now, the story comes full circle. Created exclusively for Friends of the Family, Barrel-Aged Ruthless Rye IPA is the next chapter in this deep and lasting friendship.
“As a distiller and blender, Sierra Nevada’s Ruthless Rye IPA truly inspires me with its tropical hops and dense rye texture,” says Dave Smith, St. George’s Head Distiller/Blender. “It’s one of my favorite beers of all time.”
But aged in whiskey barrels, it becomes something else entirely. Barrel-Aged Ruthless Rye IPA was aged in the same barrels used to age Ruthless whiskey, lending the beer a deep [FLAVOR/AROMA NOTE] while keeping its flavor profile consistent. The result is [TASTING NOTES FROM ISAIAH]. <— MORE INFO HERE
This beer is a natural evolution for us, a continuation of a friendship of respect and admiration that spans decades.
“I have been a fan of St. George’s products for many years,” says our founder, Ken Grossman. “I think they’re some of the most talented and creative distillers in the world.”
The feeling, it seems, is mutual.
“We have consistently found ourselves inspired by the creativity and excellence of our friends at Sierra Nevada,” says Dave Smith.
Like you, St. George is truly a friend of the family.
