Washington, DC October 21, 2015 - If there’s one thing that socially responsible businesses have learned, it’s that they can’t go at it alone. Whether it’s implementing responsible sourcing initiatives or creating a positive corporate model to make an impact on sustainability, there is strength in numbers. So where did Ben & Jerry’s turn for help & inspiration for its latest ice cream flavor? Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing. Never has the phrase “polishing off a pint” been so perfectly poised in any partnership for a delicious double-entendre.
Collectively committed to making a better impact in their global communities, the two B Corp companies proudly introduce Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale ice cream, which will be featured in Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops as well as in pints across the country as a Limited Batch flavor this fall (MSRP $4.89). The concoction consists of New Belgium Brown Ale Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Swirls & Fudge Brownies. The ice cream, arriving on shelves this month, was unveiled Wed evening at a Washington D.C. launch “Brew-Ha-Ha” in the confines of the historic Howard Theatre. The launch event was heralded as “a night of music, climate activism, beer, and ice cream.” Musicians Galactic and Dr. Dog performed at the unveiling of Ben & Jerry’s newest ice cream flavor to highlight climate activism.
New Belgium Brewing and Ben & Jerry’s jointly pursued a partnership with Protect Our Winters, an organization founded by pro-snowboarder Jeremy Jones, to bridge the gap between the winter sports community and the necessary action to address climate change. “We wanted to partner with a business that shared our progressive values, fun spirit, and desire to take action giving fans an opportunity to act on climate. New Belgium quickly became the perfect choice,” said Jay Curley, Senior Marketing Manager at Ben & Jerry’s. A portion of the proceeds from the ice cream and the beer will benefit Protect Our Winters. Attendees at the launch event were encouraged to request action via governors in their home states to embrace Protect Our Winters and the Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium combined forces on a Ben & Jerry’s-inspired beer as earlier announced by the brewing company in April 2015. Although the beer is just hitting markets now in October, the story made a springtime splash with the announcement of Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale http://nbb.beer/BenandJerrysBeer. New Belgium’s Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, a limited special release, is laden with dark roasted malts, chocolaty tones and hints of vanilla. Both the beer and ice cream will be available now through the holiday season while supplies last.
“We are incredibly excited to be working with a like-minded business, creating top-notch flavor sensations and leveraging our collective efforts to bring awareness to B Corps and climate issues,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium’s PR Director. “Beer and ice cream are a beautiful pair, and getting to turn folks onto the work of POW makes this collaboration that much more meaningful.”
Beer floats have never had a more perfect pairing…
For more information about Protect Our Winters, visit www.protectourwinters.org.
For more information about New Belgium Brewery, visit www.newbelgium.com
For more information about Ben & Jerry’s, visit www.benjerry.com
ABOUT PROTECT OUR WINTERS
Protect Our Winters (POW) was started in 2007 by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones who witnessed first-hand the impact of climate change on our mountains. After having been turned away from areas that had once been ride-able and seeing resorts closed due to lack of snow, Jeremy saw a gap between the winter sports community and the action being taken by us all to address the problem. Snow-based recreation in the United States is estimated to contribute $62 billion annually to the US economy and supports over 940,000 jobs. So when we look at the cost of inaction, it’s serious business. We are the environmental voice of the global snow sports community, united towards a common goal of reducing climate change’s effects on our sports, our industry and local economies through education, advocacy and community-based activism. POW was founded on the idea that the collective power of the winter sports community is massive, and if we can all work together, the end result can be revolutionary. Together We Can Protect Our Winters. www.protectourwinters.org
A beer made for ice cream, and an ice cream made for beer. As Forest Gump might say, “We and Ben & Jerry’s are like peas and carrots again.” By now, you know the second big offering coming out of our collaboration with the famous ice creamery: Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale, an ice cream that not only pairs perfectly with our Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, but also contains a few sneaky ingredients that should win over both ice cream and beer lovers: Malts and hops.
So did we put actual beer into the ice cream? Well, not exactly. For this particular collaboration, we brewed up something that’s more of a flavor ingredient than something you’d pop open after work, and it wasn’t easy. “What’s unique is that we were brewing something to share that really tried to speak to the essence of beer, without it really being beer,” says special projects manager Penny Gil-Stuart.
The project began on what we like to call Brewhouse 3, our mobile, home-brew-sized equipment that we occasionally use to test-brew really tiny batches. The goal was to create a liquid that could capture the flavor of beer and blend neatly into a bold, flavorful ice cream.
So what does the liquid look like? Fairly syrupy, to be honest. We included a whole bunch of pale, caramel, and chocolate malts, and a hefty dose of Nugget and U.S. Goldings hops to create a thick ingredient that’s both incredibly malty and hoppy. When it was all said and done, we shipped Ben & Jerry’s 220 kegs of the stuff to include in the Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale ice cream. Pretty neat stuff.
So, now that you know about both the beer and ice cream, there’s only one thing left to do: Drop a scoop of the ice cream into the beer, and enjoy.
Pour-Over Pairings:
When two things you love come together, well, it's bound to be delicious.
New Belgium and Ben & Jerry's, it turns out, have a lot in common. We're both B Corporations, which means we hold ourselves to high standards when it comes to things like transparency, treatment of our workers and suppliers, and measuring our impact on communities and the environment. It's no surprise, then, that we both agree that the only thing better than pairing amazing brews with famous flavors is teaming up to have fun in support of a good cause.
Which is why we're so excited to finally introduce what we've been working on: a new beer, Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, and a new ice-cream, Salted Caramel Brownie Ale. A portion of the proceeds from sales of each will be going to Protect Our Winters (POW), an organization started in 2007 by snowboarder Jeremy Jones to combat climate change.
But there's more than one way to get your fix of beer and ice cream. We recommend these deliciously complementary pairings, in all their palate-pleasing glory:
Fat Tire Amber Ale & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Take a leisurely ride on Fat Tire as it rolls around your tongue with toasty, caramel-y goodness. Kicks of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough provide an icy finishing rush.
Abbey Belgian-Style Dubbel Ale & Chunky Monkey
You are a complex person. Your friends hang on your every word. Poetry, you might say, is chasing a malty, crimson brew—the air sparking spicy and sweet—with giant dripping spoonfuls of Chunky Monkey. End scene.
Ranger IPA & Americone Dream
Can a good thing be too good? This is your chance to find out. Come for the bursts of fruity hops and crisp chocolate, stay for the dark dance of caramel malts and chilled caramel swirls.
Snapshot Tart Wheat & Cherry Garcia
Snap, crackle and tart. Dive into a cherry dream. The only downside is that, eventually, you'll have to wake up.
Trippel Belgian-Style Ale & Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Go ahead, live dangerously. At 8.5% ABV, Trippel has a lively kick—a perfect partner for the decadent masterpiece that is Chocolate Fudge Brownie.
1554 Black Lager & The Tonight Dough
Admit it, you deserve this. Don't be shy. Every bite's a friendly scrum of flavor, so get in there—lighten up and give in to the dark side.
Rampant Imperial IPA & Phish Food
The pines sway in the wind. It's evening, the sun is going down. You hear music coming from across the field. There's a house, light shining through the windows on the tall grass. You approach, the music grows louder. This is what that music tastes like.
Accumulation White IPA and Strawberry Cheesecake
Ah, the bitter and the sweet. Too much of one or too much of the other, and no one's happy. Thank goodness for cheesecake, which can smooth over all differences.
Want to enjoy these pairings just the way our flavor experts intended? Try our tried-and-true pour-over method:
Step 1: Find a small glass or bowl that holds between 5 and 8 ounces.
Step 2: Scoop a 3-ounce portion of ice cream into the bowl, and let it soften
Step 3: Gently pour 2 ounces of craft beer over the ice cream
Step 4: Mix slightly to break up the scoop into the beer
Step 5: To set your palate, pre-taste the pairing with a slight sip of the combo
Step 6: Enjoy thoroughly, repeat as needed, and take photos to share with friends
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