Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is putting a little more German influence into its seasonal Oktoberfest brew by collaborating with a different German brewing partner on each of its annual releases.
The inaugural collaboration will be with Brauhaus Riegele, a family-owned brewery that operates in Germany's Bavaria region and has been in business for more than 600 years.
"We're honored that Brauhaus Riegele, a real cornerstone of German craft brewing, is kicking off this Oktoberfest collaboration with us," said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada's founder, in a statement.
"We're both family owned, our children are hands on, and we share a passion for great beer. We're aligned in so many ways, and we're excited about the outstanding beer that's emerged," he said.
Like Sierra Nevada, for whom Grossman's son Brian co-manages the company's Mills River, North Carolina, brewery, Brauhaus Riegele also features a father-son duo.
Dr. Sebastian Priller-Riegele is the company's 27th-generation master brewer and works alongside his son Sebastian, a world champion beer sommelier.
The Sierra Nevada and Brauhaus Riegele Oktoberfest collaboration is scheduled for an August release and promises to give beer drinkers "the ultimate Oktoberfest, a Bavarian festival beer unlike any they've experienced in the U.S."