What do you get by combining a classic pre-Prohibition recipe with one of the South Sound’s favorite beers? A blend of historic proportions! Leotucky Lager (5% ABV), the latest collaboration between friends Rob Horn of Triceratops and Chris Knudson and Paul Pearson of Well 80, captures the malty magic of Pennsyltucky Lager and Leopold’s Original 1896 Lager, the beer that started it all for Olympia Brewing Company.
“When Leopold Schmidt, a German immigrant, established what later became the Olympia Brewing Company in 1896, he introduced Olympia Beer, a type that had become known as American Lager,” explained Paul Knight, Olympia’s Brewmaster from 1961-1997. “It was a product of highest quality and flavor, yet was moderate in alcohol and hop character. With the benefit of the famous artesian spring water, his Olympia Beer quickly established itself as an outstanding example of that type. Both Olympia Beer and Leopold Schmidt became famous throughout the nation. It should be considered a craft beer of its time.”
By incorporating elements of this refreshing, malt-forward Pre-Prohibition Lager and the crisp, award-winning Amber Lager that’s made Triceratops a local favorite, Horn and Pearson created something that speaks to the past and present of the South Sound region. A full flavored beerthat doesn’t sacrifice approachability, Leotucky Lager honors Washington’s brewing legacy while inviting drinkers to consider the ways craft brewers have changed today’s landscape.
“I’m fascinated by local history and the rise of the Olympia Brewery,” said Knudson, Well 80’s founder. “And Olympia Beer in the late 1800s and early 1900s parallels the growth and development of our region. The original release [of Leopold’s first Lager] was in the fall of 1896, only seven years after Washington became a state. To boot, the beer is fantastic!”
“I was a fan of great lagers before I even started homebrewing years and years ago,” Horn said. “And every once in a while Paul and I will blend Tucky with Leo’s Lager just for fun. So the chance to hang out with two of my best friends in the industry and use a recipe that’s 130 years old as inspiration for a new beer was too good to pass up. Plus we canned it! Who isn’t going to smile at the image of a 19th-century brewing baron riding a three horned dinosaur?”
Beginning this Friday, July 31st, beer fans can find Leotucky Lager at the Triceratops tasting room in Tumwater and Well 80’s brewpub in Olympia. And in the weeks ahead, this small-batch collaboration will appear on shelves and tap lists at select retailers across western Washington.
