Local Baltimore brewery Checkerspot Brewing Company is launching a limited-release collaboration brew with Samuel Adams’ Brewing the American Dream, they announced on Thursday.
Brewing the American Dream is a range of philanthropic programs supporting small businesses across the nation, and each year they select one brewery to collaborate with Samuel Adams’ experts at their Boston brewery to craft a special beer. The 2022 winner was Checkerspot Brewing Company.
The launch party is tentatively scheduled for May 5 and will be hosted at Checkerspot Brewing Company in South Baltimore.
The collaboration is called the Brewer Experienceship, and the Experienceship winner is chosen from applicants nationwide seeking this valuable mentorship.
Checkerspot founders Judy and Rob Neff used this apprenticeship to help create a rye IPA “utilizing Vienna Rye Malt sourced from local Maryland purveyor, Bear Branch Malt, and will be available in limited quantities on tap at Samuel Adams Boston Brewery and Checkerspot Brewing Company in Baltimore,” according to Samuel Adams representatives.
Brewing the American Dream is now welcoming applications for the 12th iteration of the Brewer Experienceship program, and entries are open until April 10, 2023 at this link. The program supports small business owners in the food, beverage, and brewing industries by giving them access to capital, coaching, and marketing opportunities. Samuel Adams hopes to build vibrant communities by strengthening businesses and creating local jobs.
They have provided coaching and mentoring to more than 14,000 business owners nationwide, helping to create or maintain more than 9,000 local jobs. They have also helped more than 4,100 small business owners secure more than $96.5 million in loans.
The Neffs are thrilled with the experience and collaboration.
“Winning Brewing the American Dream’s Experienceship has been better than we could have ever imagined,” said Judy Neff. “The mentorship from experts across Samuel Adams and The Boston Beer Company is so valuable to a smaller brewery like Checkerspot, at a critical time in our brewery’s growth.”
The Boston Beer Company enjoyed the collaboration as well.
“It’s been such a pleasure to develop the collaboration beer with Judy and Rob of Checkerspot and we cannot wait to see how they continue to flourish and grow as brewers,” said Jennifer Glanville Love, Director of Partnerships & Collaborations at Boston Beer Company. “As our Brewing the American Dream family grows larger each year, we are so pleased to continue our efforts and find the next up-and-coming craft brewery to benefit from our Experienceship program.”
