For the first time in the brewery’s four-decade history, Sierra Nevada has transformed its beer into a different beverage.
In collaboration with Alameda, California-based St. George Spirits, Sierra Nevada will release Ruthless, a malt whiskey made with a blend of liquor that includes liquid distilled from the brewery’s Ruthless Rye IPA in 2013, as well as a portion of the first barrel of St. George Single Malt Whiskey.
“I have been a fan of St. George’s products for many years and I think they’re some of the most talented and creative distillers in the world,” Sierra Nevada founder and chairman Ken Grossman said in a press release. “St. George’s friendship has been very meaningful over the years, and I am thrilled that we were able to work together to craft such a special and unique product.”
Although Sierra Nevada has been brewing the wash for St. George’s Single Malt Whiskey since the 1990s, Ruthless is the first co-branded product to emerge from their partnership and marks the first time a Sierra Nevada beer has been distilled into a spirit. After the liquid was blended, it was placed in new American oak casts and used French oak port casks in 2013.
“Ruthless honors and celebrates our friendship as well as our collaboration,” St. George head distiller/blender Dave Smith said in the release. “This is a spirit that has been in barrel for eight years – older than many craft distilleries.”
In addition to brewing the wash for St. George’s Single Malt Whiskey, Sierra Nevada also uses the distillery’s barrels to condition its barrel-aged offerings, including Narwhal, Bigfoot and some of its Trip in the Woods releases.
The whiskey has aroma notes of chocolate, turmeric, pistachio, fruit punch and coconut, according to the press release. Bottles of Ruthless will be available for $75 beginning December 18 at St. George. Sales are limited to two bottles per person.
Similar collaborations between breweries and distilleries have been released in recent years. Sheffield, Massachusetts-based Berkshire Mountain Distillers has long distilled spirits using Samuel Adams beer, and last year expanded its offerings to include the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project. The series, which launched in December 2020, includes whiskeys distilled from Samuel Adams, Jack’s Abby, Brewery Ommegang, Captain Lawrence Brewing, Mass. Bay Brewing Company’s UFO, Spencer Trappist Ale, Big Elm, Smuttynose, Long Trail, Two Roads and Chatham Brewing.