- May Explorer Series to Feature Limited Time Selections Until the Keg Runs Out -

BOULDER, Co. (May. 11, 2015) - Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, a traditional casual dining restaurant known for its expansive selection of craft beers, is continuing its Explorer Series with the fourth installment kicking off on May 20. For this series, Old Chicago has collaborated with Minnesota-based Summit Brewing Company to create the featured selection.

Old Chicago's craft beer experts visited Summit Brewery to assist in the brewing process of the featured collaboration for the series. Together, they created the Cracking Wit, a witbier that combines traditional elements of Belgian White Ale with a new U.S. hop variety and a unique strain of yeast. Fresh ground coriander and lemon peel contribute a distinctive spicy and citrusy aroma, with fruity esters from the yeast enhancing complexity. Single hopped with Equinox, a superb new U.S. hop variety, provides strong notes of tangerine and papaya. The Cracking Wit is exclusively available at Old Chicago locations in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"Partnering with Summit Brewing Company for this series has been a real treat for us," said Jason Murphy, Old Chicago's brand manager. "Being with the team in Minnesota during the brewing process and watching the brewmasters work their magic was an incredible experience. Having a hand in the behind the scenes work is crucial to us because we like to make sure that we're serving our guests the absolute best. We're thrilled with the way the collaboration turned out, and are eager for everyone to be able to try this unique and flavorful selection."

In addition to the Cracking Wit, the series also will feature other selections from Summit Brewing Company, and will be available until the kegs run out. Selections include :

• Hopvale Organic Ale - Featuring 100 percent organic U.S. hops, malts and lemon peel, this brew captures intense grapefruit, pine and lemon hop characters in a supremely drinkable session ale
• Extra Pale Ale - Brewed since 1986, this extra pale ale features caramel undertones with biscuity malts superbly balanced with an earthy hop bite and juicy citrus flavors
• Sága IPA - Named after the Norse goddess Sága, drinking companion of the God Odin, this India pale ale features a tropical hop aroma and a clean, assertive bitterness

As an added perk, guests who try the Summit selections will be able to take home their very own Summit and Old Chicago collaboration pint glass for just two dollars.

A leader in the traditional casual dining space, Old Chicago has been serving handcrafted cuisine and local craft beers across the nation for 37 years. Old Chicago is committed to quality creations and to showcasing local, regional and national craft brewers while providing great value in a welcoming atmosphere. To learn more about Old Chicago, visit www.oldchicago.com.

About Old Chicago

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (Old Chicago) is a traditional, casual dining restaurant specializing in Chicago-style pizzas, taproom classics and craft beer. Founded in 1976, Old Chicago operates in 22 states with 96 restaurants. With over 30 craft beers on tap, Old Chicago is also the home of the World Beer Tour which rewards members for enjoying 110 of the best craft beers from across the globe. Visit www.oldchicago.com to learn more and to find the restaurant nearest you. For information about franchise opportunities, visit www.ocfranchising.com.

About Summit

Situated on the bluffs of the Mississippi, Summit Brewing Company has been brewing craft beer in St. Paul since 1986.   One of the original sodbusting craft breweries in the Midwest, Summit is now available in 17 states including Minnesota, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Arkansas and Wisconsin.  Summit produces 15 varieties of premium craft beer, including eight year-round beers, five seasonal beers, and the limited release Unchained Series and Union Series.  Since its inception, the brewery has been a consistent pioneer in the craft beer movement. For more information about Summit, please visit www.summitbrewing.com.

About CraftWorks

CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc. is the largest craft brewery restaurant operator in the country with nearly 200 franchised and company-owned restaurants primarily operating under the Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants and Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries brands.  As a leader in the casual dining segment, CraftWorks also operates strong regional brands, including ChopHouse and Big River, and employs more than 12,000 people throughout the U.S.  All of CraftWorks' restaurant brands have innovative menus with made-from-scratch food and a vast selection of unique craft beer, as well as unbeatable service and loyalty programs that tout over a half-million active members.  Based in Broomfield, Colo., CraftWorks is not only committed to serving its loyal guests, but also the communities in which its restaurants operate.  In 2000, the CraftWorks Foundation was formed and has contributed millions of dollars positively impacting communities throughout the country. For additional information about CraftWorks, the foundation and its craft brewery restaurant brands, please visit www.craftworksrestaurants.com.

Tuesday, May 26 at 6 pm
Quad Cities Food Hub
421 W. River Dr.
Davenport

Chef Chad Cushman "The Crepe Guy" and guest Chef Joshua Gray will demonstrate how to pack a picnic for a family outing. They will be using whole food ingredients to show how to create beautiful and nutritious portable dishes for a fun and memorable lunch outing.  Guests will sample the prepared items. This event will take place in the upper banquet room at the Freight House. This space offers beautiful views of the river and the city while you enjoy the culinary adventure. $20 Register online by May 23rd.

Menu:
Cold soup
Dip
Salad
Sandwich featuring Baked by Jake's bread
Fresh seasonal dessert
Soda Stream ginger ale

Join us for summer events and classes! Eat, Learn, Shop and Grow with us in June

America has fully embraced craft beer.

• On average, a new brewery opens its doors every single day in the U.S., according to NPR.

• Craft brewers now account for one out of every 10 beers sold in the U.S.

• Higher learning institutions are adding brewing minors, certificates and even four-year programs.

"Craft beer completely disrupted what was once believed to be a very traditional business," says Steven Earles, CEO of Portland-based Eastside Distilling (www.EastsideDistilling.com). 

"We believe craft spirits will follow the same path as craft beer. It's basically a slam dunk, according to the data... and our overall hunch."

In 2008, when Earles' distillery launched, there were only 210 craft distillers in America. Now, there are more than 700. Whiskey and bourbon continues its rapid growth. Helping to fuel this recent growth, women now represent 37 percent of the whiskey drinkers in the U.S., compared to just 15 percent in the 1990s.

And stories continue to unfold regarding possible bourbon shortages due to high demand. Innovations in distilling methods to create new flavor profiles are taking charge. Earles' distillery uses locally sourced barrels and ingredients for their infused whiskeys and rums.

"Some states like Washington and Oregon - where we are based - have strict laws regarding quality control on distilled spirits," Earles says. "We're proud to be from the northwest and that we use locally sourced ingredients."

Earles discusses America's growing taste for quality spirits, and what craft may mean for the future of the liquor industry.

•  Bourbon and whiskey will continue in popularity. In the past decade, there has been a nearly 40 percent growth in sales of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey in the United States, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Bourbon is now the hottest distilled spirit in the world. In the U.S., bourbon and Tennessee whiskey revenue has leapt 47 percent throughout the past five years to a total of $2.68 billion in 2014. An International Wines and Spirits Record (IWSR) survey commission by Vinexpo predicts that global bourbon sales will increase by nearly 20 percent more in the next five years, and the Aristocrat Group Corp. (ASCC) is making plans to capitalize on that growth.

•  New flavor profiles will be sought by consumers, especially millennials and women. While consumers look to craft liquor for authenticity, women and 20-somethings are especially open to expanding their palates. Recently, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky has blazed quite a trail in the industry. The brand exploded in just a few short years, from just shy of $2 million in 2011 to $63 million in 2013 to $130 million last year, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Those numbers do not include drinks sold in bars. Fireball is the fastest-growing major brand of liquor in America. Major industry players, including Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, have since come out with their own versions of the flavor.

"While Fireball has proven to be more than just a flavor of the month, we're counting on consumers seeking out still more twists in their liquor," Earles says.
"Our locally sourced Oregon Marionberry Whiskey, for example, is a popular choice."

•  Lifestyle imaging will likely expand. While bourbon and whiskey have skyrocketed in popularity, advertisements have delved into the lure of what those spirits have meant to the popular imagination: earthy, direct, real. That will likely continue, but it will expand, too. Bacardi, which owns brands including Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Martini, has hired a new Vice president of fashion. The idea is to create an image/alliance with the fashion world.

"Perhaps Bacardi is ceding whiskey and bourbon to one image - the salt of the earth - whereas Bacardi's efforts for their clear liquors are now meant to be aligned with a more glamorous lifestyle," he says.

About Steven Earles

Steven Earles is the CEO of Portland-based Eastside Distilling, (www.EastsideDistilling.com), a producer of master-crafted spirits created from local ingredients and focused in small batches to ensure unparalleled quality. He is responsible for Eastside's day-to-day operations as well as overseeing the company's brand development and financial strategy. Earles, who joined Eastside in 2009, has more than two decades of executive experience and orchestrated the development and building of one of the largest land-development companies in southern California.