Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is set to release a new line of locally inspired beers. The Brewer & Artist Series pairs a Hardywood brewer with a local artist of their choosing. Together they collaborate on the concept behind the beer style and the art that will be displayed on the bottle.
“We thought this would be a great opportunity to showcase some of the local talent in the Richmond arts scene and, at the same time, highlight some of our brewers as artists in their own right and offer some insight into the inspiration behind some of their creations,” said Patrick Murtaugh, co-founder and master brewer at Hardywood. The first beer in this series will be available in mid-April: Hardywood Walpurgisnacht, a German-style smoked Maibock, which will be a limited, brewery-only release.
“As night falls on the 30th of April, people across Europe come together to revel around bonfires, dance, and be merry,” Brewer Ken Rayher explained. “Known in Germany as Walpurgisnacht, the festival commemorates the arrival of spring in a folklore-steeped celebration meant to ward off the last evil spirits of winter. Hardywood Walpurgisnacht takes cue from its namesake, welcoming spring with a traditional Maibock brewed with Pilsner, Munich and Vienna malts that’s accentuated with a generous helping of beechwood-smoked malt, lending a mellow smoky character to this rich, deep-golden lager. The perfect accompaniment for combating the chill of an early spring night or for firing up the grill on those first warm days of the year.”
The label art is created by local artist and illustrator Katie McBride. Her work spans a range of tones and themes – from whimsical, children’s book-style images of animals doing people things; to conceptual editorial illustration; to maps and infographics; and now, pretty metal-looking beer labels. She has also served as a co-chair of the Richmond Illustrators Club and taught at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond for several years. She holds a B.F.A. from VCU and also attended the Illustration Academy. Be sure to check out even more excellent art on the Katie McBride website.
A little background on Hardywood: Founded in 2011 by two lifelong friends with a passion for craft beer, Hardywood Park is proud to be a member of the thriving craft beer scene in Richmond, Va. Being environmentally and socially responsible is a core value for Hardywood Park, with all power sourced from renewable energy sources. Hardywood also employs high efficiency equipment that helps minimize water usage at the brewery, recycles its residual grain for composting and feed, uses 100% recycled packaging, uses reclaimed and sustainably “TreeCycled” wood for furniture, fixtures, tap handles and coasters. For even more brewery info, head over to the Hardywood website.
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