Cape May Brewing Debuts Big Lebowski-Inspired Collaboration with Left Hand Brewing

Cape May Brewing Co. in Cape May, New Jersey has announced the release of a new collaboration beer with Left Hand Brewing Co. of Longmont, Colorado.

The beer is inspired by the cult classic film The Big Lebowski and is a White Russian Milk Stout called Ties the Room Together, in honor of one of the film's signature lines. (Did it not?) The beer is flavored with coffee beans, cocoa nibs, lactose, and vanilla.

“We started throwing ideas out there,” said Cape May Head Brewer Brian Hink in a release from the brewery, “and I just threw it out there. Left Hand has their Nitro Milk Stout, and something I’d always wanted to do was a big, white Russian-inspired stout.”

The full release from Cape May is below.

Cape May, NJ -- Cape May Brewing Company is pleased to announce their latest collaboration beer, this time with Left Hand Brewing of Longmont, Colorado. Ties the Room Together, a white Russian-inspired cream stout, releases for distribution in New Jersey and Pennsylvania on October 13th with a The Big Lebowski-inspired bash at Cape May Brewing Company’s Tasting Room at 1288 Hornet Road in the Cape May Airport.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Left Hand,” says CEO Ryan Krill. “They’re the real deal. They’ve been around for twenty-five years, and have built their reputation to the point that they’re extraordinarily well-respected throughout the brewing community. We really look up to them.”

Left Hand Brewing has been an internationally-recognized brewing phenomenon since opening their doors in September of 1993. Their original beer, Sawtooth Ale, won gold at the Great American Beer Festival the first year it was entered and won gold again this year.

Since then, Left Hand has continued to grow, and in 2011 the brewery launched America’s original Nitro bottle with their flagship Milk Stout Nitro and the first production run of U.S.-made Nitro widget cans. In addition to their latest collaboration with Cape May, Left Hand has joined forces with scores of breweries throughout the world, including Terrapin, Nørrebro Bryghus in Copenhagen, and breweries in Italy, Michigan, and Colorado.

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at Cape May for this collaboration,” said Eric Wallace, Left Hand Co-Founder and President. “It’s been a great process from start to finish from the initial brainstorming, sharing recipes, designing the Lebowski-inspired packaging, and brewing together. Ryan and his team have built an impressive business over the past 7 years, and we’re proud to partner with another independent craft brewery of their caliber.”

Krill met Wallace through their mutual work with the Brewers Association’s Government Affairs Committee, with the two finding common ground as former leaders of their states’ respective brewers guilds.

“We decided to do something fun and focus on something that’s core to what we do and celebrates indie craft beer,” Krill said.

Once the idea for a collaboration was born, the two breweries began discussing possible recipes.

“We started throwing ideas out there,” said Cape May Head Brewer Brian Hink, “and I just threw it out there. Left Hand has their Nitro Milk Stout, and something I’d always wanted to do was a big, white Russian-inspired stout.”

The idea for an Imperial cream stout flavored with coffee beans, cocoa nibs, lactose, and vanilla was a “no-brainer,” according to Hink.

The beer is inspired by the Coen Brothers’ cult classic, The Big Lebowski. In it, The Dude, Jeffrey Lebowski, quaffs multiple white Russians while lamenting the loss of his rug which “really tied the room together.”

Ties the Room Together is set for release to New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Friday, October 12th with a release party at Cape May’s Tasting Room at 1288 Hornet Road in the Cape May Airport from 5-8pm. Revelers will have the chance to participate in a The Big Lebowski-inspired costume contest, inflatable bowling, collectible glassware, music from and inspired by the film by local musician Will Knapp, The Big Lebowski playing on the big screen, and Left Hand and CMBC giveaways.

For more information on Left Hand Brewing, see their website at lefthandbrewing.com. For more information on Cape May Brewing Company, including for tours and tastings, see capemaybrewery.com or call (609) 849-9933. Open seven days a week, noon to 8pm.

About Cape May Brewing Company:

Once upon a time, 20-something Ryan Krill earned a six-figure salary working in finance and real estate development in Manhattan, while his college roommate, Chris Henke, designed commercial satellites. During a summer weekend at the Jersey shore, they brewed a batch of beer with Ryan’s dad. “Should we open a brewery?” Ryan asked, only half-serious. But, by the following year, the three guys had secured a space at Cape May Airport where they concocted a makeshift brew system and honed their beer-making skills. In 2011, they started with one client. Today, there are hundreds of accounts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania proudly serving the guys’ award-winning recipes. And CMBC’s fearless leaders have never looked back.

About Left Hand Brewing Company:

Employee Owned, Righteously Independent. Celebrating 25 years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. Left Hand is one of the most honored and recognized breweries in Colorado, with 29 Great American Beer Festival medals, 11 World Beer Cup awards, and 9 European Beer Star awards. Famous for our Nitro series, Left Hand launched America’s original Nitro bottle with our flagship Milk Stout Nitro and the first production run of U.S. made Nitro widget cans. Left Hand’s collection of perennial and seasonal beers are available in 41 states, DC and internationally. For more, please visit www.lefthandbrewing.com

Photo Courtesy Cape May Brewing Co.