Summit Brewing Collaborates with Old Chicago

19 May 2015---SAINT PAUL, MN – Summit Brewing is collaborating with Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, a traditional casual dining restaurant known for its expansive selection of craft beers, on a brand new brew. The beer is called Cracking Wit and it will be available starting May 20 as part of the restaurant’s continuing Explorer Series of exclusive, limited-edition craft brews.

Old Chicago’s craft beer experts visited Summit Brewery to assist in the brewing process of 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 hopping with Equinox, a superb new U.S. hop variety, provides strong notes of tangerine and papaya. Cracking Wit is exclusively available at Old Chicago locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska.

“The Cracking Wit project really allowed us to take our great partnership with Old Chicago to another level,” said Damian McConn, Head Brewer at Summit. “Having Old Chicago assist with design of the brand, raw materials selection, and actual brew-house operations brought an extra degree of creativity and excitement to the final beer. This was truly a great collaboration and a tremendous amount of fun.”

In addition to Cracking Wit, this limited series will also feature the following selections from Summit Brewing Company:

• 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 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 own Summit and Old Chicago collaboration pint glass for just two dollars.

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 15 states including Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, 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 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.