Happy 25th Anniversary to Elysian Brewing in Seattle, WA. As part of their May 25th Anniversary, Elysian held a special remote media special tasting event hosted by founders Joe Bisacca and Dave Buhler. To make this all happen, Elysian sent out what has to be one of the most amazing sampling boxes I’ve ever seen in my 13-year “history” of writing about beer. The box included not only multiple layers of new and historical Elysian beers, but also tasting glasses and some really cool items like a Cupcake Royale cupcake mix (of course I made them!—see photo below), a pinewood derby car kit, a “Snake In A Can”, Salt & Seed candy, a pint glass with a measuring cup, an actual pumpkin seed, Elysian stickers and a cool historical guide book. If that’s not enough fun, Elysian sent a 2nd box of tasting glassware to make the tasting event even more special.
I wanted to follow up on the event and fill you in on some of the details that came out of the event and some of the first looks in this “thoughtfully chaotic” box of fun.
The event included a tasting of these six beers:
- Prometheus (Named for a character that stole fire form the gods and brought it to man (maybe the beer idea was borrowed a bit), Crystal malt, Chinook, Centennial & Cascade hop, label by Fantagraphics)
- The Wise (ESB, First beer ever brewed at Elysian in 1996, Northwest hops & malt, Chinook, Centennial & Cascade hops)
- Space Dust IPA (Early sample batch Galaxy hops that arrived beat up/dusty, Original label was accidentally based on Pop Rocks packaging but Pop Rocks did not contest the trademark, current label has their musings about what to put on the label)
- Contact Haze (First released in 2020, created as a national brand, 4.5-pounds of Sabro & Southern Passion hops per barrel)
- Salt & Seed (Came from an umeboshi salted plum experiment, label is not photoshopped (you can see alligator clips at the top), Huell Melon hops, same soured base to be used in Altered Contact)
- Snailbones (27 Different labels, originally part of Manic IPA Series)
I also learned the following details and new/fun information from Joe & Dave @ Elysian:
- Joe was 12-years old when he co-founded Elysian (wink, wink!)
- The Avatar Jasmine IPA label contains seeds that you can peel and plant.
- The inner black box forms a photo booth.
- The Flagship beer model of brewing no longer applies.
- Beer is fun! Never forget that.
- ** Keep in mind these notes were taken after sampling 6 different beers, some over 8%-AbV!
A big thank you to Aaron, Rachael, Joe and Dave as well as everyone at Elysian for putting on such a great event. This is a big milestone for Elysian and I’m excited to see what’s coming next. Happy 25th Anniversary and thank you all for including me in the celebration.
Cheers to 25-Years!
Here’s the full Press Release:
Seattle-based brewer celebrates milestone with one-of-a-kind anniversary box filled with beautifully chaotic, surprise experiences… and beer
SEATTLE, WA - MAY 20, 2021 – Seattle’s Elysian Brewing, which began in the grunge-fueled, flannel-laden ‘90s, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2021. Since opening the brewery’s doors in May of 1996, Elysian has constantly experimented with unique flavor profiles, reimagining what craft beers can be. To date, Elysian has brewed thousands of beers and is always seeking inspiration for its next product, imaginative packaging and label design.
At the heart of Elysian is a rebel spirit that has driven the brewery to continue innovating and pushing boundaries, and today Elysian is amongst the top performing craft breweries in the US. Amongst the brewery’s most popular beers are Space Dust IPA, a bold, balanced 8.2% West Coast style IPA, and Contact Haze, a 6% ABV hazy IPA that offers citrus notes alongside flavors and aromas of raspberry, current, guava and passion fruit.
Since its inception, Elysian has become an integral part of the Seattle community; opening brewpubs, restaurants and a taproom; forging partnerships with local institutions such as KEXP, The Vera Project, Seattle PRIDE, Fisher House, and Fantagraphics; and hosting annual events like the Great Pumpkin Beer Festival, which for many locals is the unofficial kickoff to autumn.
“Elysian was built from a love of subversive music, artistic rebellion, and great beer,” said Elysian’s co-founder Joe Bisacca. “By staying true to our DNA, being unafraid to experiment, and keeping consumers at the forefront of everything we do, we’ve been able to stand the test of time and deliver the beers our fans want for 25 remarkable years.”
To celebrate the milestone, Elysian created a one-of-a-kind, limited-edition anniversary box, available exclusively for sale in the brewery’s home state of Washington. The box offers way more than just beer or throwback recipes, as it offers surprising brand experiences that invite beer drinkers down a rabbit hole and into the world of Elysian in a thoughtfully chaotic way. Some notable experiences include:
- KEXP Mixtape: A mixtape in collaboration with and curated entirely by iconic Seattle radio station, KEXP.
- Snailbones Artist Remix: 27 artists remixed the Snailbones IPA label, resulting in 27 different label designs, randomly distributed amongst the boxes.
- Bikini Downhill The Game: An 8-bit style video game accessible through the box that’s based on Elysian’s Bikini Downhill event hosted by Crystal Mountain.
The brewery noticeably injected the same high energy its events are known for, as well as the same attention to creative detail Elysian’s label designs are known for, into the items and beers within the box, resulting in a unique combination of items meant to bring the 25th anniversary celebration into the homes of the people who have made Elysian what it is today.
The limited-edition box is available for purchase by residents in Washington at www.elysianbrewing.com/xxv-announcement beginning on May 20th for $96.00. Beer lovers located outside of Washington can still join the celebrations by checking out the limited-edition 25th anniversary merch collection that will ship nationwide from the brewery’s website.
For those interested in learning more please visit: https://www.elysianbrewing.com/ or @elysianbrewing.
About Elysian Brewing
Elysian Brewing opened its doors in 1996 when bold art and music defined Seattle. Over the past 25 years, the brewery team has carried this same spirit in the way they brew their beer - shaking up classic styles, using unusual ingredients, and learning from experimentation. They push creativity beyond their brews. Each beer label is made by an in-house team who pull inspiration from design, photography, clay, paint, needlepoint, and even the occasional tattoo. Have a beer at one of the brewery’s Seattle locations or check out www.elysianbrewing.com / @elysianbrewing.
And just for fun:
Hazy Daze Beertail by Elysian Brewing
Ingredients:
- Elysian Brewing’s Contact Haze IPA
- .5oz Guava juice
- .5oz Pineapple juice
- .5oz Orange juice
- .25oz Lime juice
- .5oz Simple Syrup
- 1.5oz Light Rum
Instructions:
- Stir and strain over ice
- Top off with Contact Haze Hazy IPA
- Garnish with an orange twist
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