Terrapin Beer, Saw Works Brewing team up for football rivalry collaboration brew

Here at Craft Brewing Business, we’re big fans of beer with a theme. So we’re already tailgating in anticipation of the game day-inspired brew that two football rivals are planning. Athens, Ga.’s Terrapin Beer Co. Brewmaster Brian “Spike” Buckowski is teaming up with Knoxville’s Saw Works Brewing Co. Brewmaster Dave Ohmer for a limited-release offering to commemorate the football rivalry between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers.

“I know a lot of East Tennesseans will be excited to experience this collaboration,” said Adam Palmer, Saw Works president and co-founder. “It’s an honor to be co-brewing with the team at Terrapin, and we are looking forward to a great football weekend come October.”

The breweries have nicknamed the beer 35th Parallel Ale, poking fun at the current (and nationally publicized) “water war” between Tennessee and Georgia due to the disputed state line on the 35th parallel.

“We‘re just glad to be brewing in Tennessee … we know they have plenty of water to spare!” joked Spike Buckowski, Terrapin brewmaster and co-founder.

While the breweries plan on celebrating with fans in Knoxville on brew day, bars and restaurants in East Tennessee are already being selected as locations where the beer will be available starting Oct. 1, 2013 — four days prior to kickoff.