New York, NY– October 20, 2010 – Shmaltz Brewing Company, ringleaders of the new Coney Island Craft Lagers® and HE'BREW – The Chosen Beer®, continues the national launch of its new line of sideshow-inspired beers with the seasonal release of Coney Island Freaktoberfest® (Blood Red Lager, 6.66% alc). Proceeds help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn's historic Coney Island neighborhood. Shmaltz Brewing celebrates the national release of Coney Island Freaktoberfest®as they host and participate in several National and NYC events this fall. Coney Island Freaktoberfest®is available in 4 packs (12 oz. bottles), and a very limited supply of kegs will appear at specialty shops and select bars nationwide starting now.
The ultimate Halloween beer, Coney Island Freaktoberfest® is artfully crafted to lure the spirit's deepest rapture, conjured to exorcise the grim horrors of the armies of soulless Lagers everywhere. Shmaltz's Blood Red Lager is boiled and toiled in their stainless cauldrons with 6 malts and 6 hops, and comes in at 6.66% alc.
Upcoming Coney Island Freaktoberfest® special events include:
Sunday, October 24 @ Beer Revolution (Oakland, CA): Freaktoberfest® will be featured alongside other select Coney Island Craft Lagers® and HE'BREW Beers®.
Wednesday, October 27 @ Sip (NYC): Donny Vomit, the current MC of the Coney Island Sideshow, will perform his daring act and Freaktoberfest® will be the featured beer of the evening.
Thursday, October 28 @ New Beer Distributors (NYC): Shmaltz Brewing will feature Freaktoberfest®, Geektoberfest®, Rejewvenator®, Luna Lager®, Human Blockhead® and Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.®.
Thursday, October 28 @ Cigars & Stripes (Chicago, IL): Shmaltz proprietor Jeremy Cowan will present the 2nd Annual Freaktoberfest Festival in Chicago featuring six Coney Island Craft Lagers® available for tasting, plus a Halloween themed food menu and live entertainment.
Sunday, October 31 @ Black Swan (Brooklyn, NY): Freaktoberfest®, Mermaid Pilsner®, and Coney Island Lager® will be on tap for $5 all night. Black Swan will feature a special Halloween food menu and a costume contest.
Join lager freaks and beer geeks all across the country as they enjoy Shmaltz's new Coney Island Craft Lagers® Variety Pack. The Variety Pack includes three 12 oz. bottles each of Coney Island Lager®, Sword Swallower®, Albino Python®, and Mermaid Pilsner® (currently draft only). This is the ONLY way to get Mermaid Pilsner® in a bottle during 2010.
When asked recently in an interview if Shmaltz Brewing was "going mainstream" by adding a new line beyond the award-winning Jewish celebration ales under the HE'BREW banner, proprietor Jeremy Cowan countered: "I guess if circus sideshow freaks are more mainstream than Jews, Shmaltz is going mainstream!" Cowan states, "For over 125 years Coney Island has been and continues to be America's Playground. Shmaltz Brewing is ecstatic to celebrate that flavor, spirit, and future through this exceptional line of unique craft lagers."
The masters of ceremonies launching Coney Island Craft Lagers® include proprietor Jeremy Cowan, Shmaltz Art Director and Brooklyn resident Matt Polacheck, brewer Paul McErlean (Mendocino Brewing Company, Saratoga Springs, NY) and Brooklyn-based tattoo artist Dave Wallin who created the outrageously original label illustrations.
With the unequivocally distinct brewing recipes and artwork of Coney Island Craft Lagers®, Shmaltz Brewing aims to expand its own tradition of designing unique creations that can stand with the country's best gourmet microbrews.
About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Shmaltz Brewing Company was acknowledged byBeverage World Magazine as "Best American Craft Brewer 2010" and won the "Best In Show 2010" title, after being named "Breakout Brand" for 2009. Shmaltz was recently named one of the "Top 20 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies" bySan Francisco Business Times, and is a recipient of the "Distinguished Business Award" by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
Established in San Francisco in 1996 with the first batch of 100 cases of HE'BREW Beer® bottled, labeled, and delivered by hand, Shmaltz has sold over 8 million bottles of beer to date. Along with their acclaimed line of HE'BREW Beers®, Shmaltz introduced its new line of sideshow-inspired Coney Island Craft Lagers® with seven featured attractions including Coney Island Lager®, Albino Python®, Sword Swallower®, Human Blockhead®, Mermaid Pilsner®, Freaktoberfest®, and Luna Lager(TM). Proceeds help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn's historic Coney Island neighborhood.
Shmaltz offerings are available in over 25 states through over 30 wholesalers at more than 1500 retail specialty shops across the U.S. including Beverages & More, Whole Foods, Total Wine, select Krogers, and Cost Plus.
Shmaltz Brewing beers have appeared in such distinguished media outlets asThe New York Times, CNN Headline News, The Onion, Beer Advocate Magazine, Celebrator Beer News, Ale Street News, The Today Show, Bravo, NPR's "Weekend Edition," New York Magazine, Newsweek, Elle, SELF, Men's Health, BUST, Playboy, Associated Press, Reuters, MSNBC, San Francisco Magazine, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, Washington Post, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, MAXIM.com, Forbes.com, Smartmoney.com, Entrepreneur.com, andEpicurious.com.
For more information, please visit www.shmaltzbrewing.com.