Press release from Hi-Wire Brewing:
Donate to Ukrainian Refugees By Drinking This Beer. That’s the purpose of the latest collaboration between Hi-Wire Brewing and Riverbend Malt House, and the simple and effective sentence also happens to be the name of the resulting pale ale.
With Riverbend donating 100% of the malt and Hi-Wire brewing the beer, one dollar from every pint sold directly benefits refugees of Ukraine as facilitated by Asheville non-profit Svitla Nadiya – meaning “Bright Hope” in Ukrainian – an organization created specifically to direct funds and clothing to Ukranians who have been displaced by the current war with Russia.
When Riverbend Malt House approached Hi-Wire to collaborate on this project, it was a no-brainer for the brewery to immediately agree. Hi-Wire Brewing’s head brewer, Luke Holgate, said, “Asheville has a large population of Ukrainians who are an integral part of our community and so this cause was a way to directly support families both here and in Ukraine.”
“This effort goes beyond politics or world views – for us it’s about helping people,” said Scott Hickman, Riverbend Malt House CEO. He added, “We’re grateful to partner with Hi-Wire to produce a product that gets people involved, and glad we can help by donating 100 percent of the malt for this beer.”
Donate to Ukrainian Refugees By Drinking This Beer (5.5% ABV) is a drinkable pale ale brewed with Citra, Simcoe, & Cashmere hops. This draft-only release will be available in all seven Hi-Wire taprooms beginning in the brewery’s three Asheville locations on Friday, April 29, and then rolling out to the remaining four taprooms in Durham, N.C., Knoxville, Tenn., Wilmington, N.C., and Louisville, Ky.
A divergence from traditional donation avenues, raising a glass in support of a good cause is a concept familiar to Hi-Wire Brewing having released a similarly named ‘Donate To Service Industry Workers By Drinking This Beer’ in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Sometimes people who want to help in a situation don’t know where to start and how to help in ways that are directly impactful,” said Holgate. He continued, “Having a pint with friends is something the people of Asheville love to do anyway, so knowing that you are also supporting a local as well as global cause makes that pint go down a little easier.”
Svitlana Eadie, founder of non-profit Svitla Nadiya, said of the collaboration, “We are so pleased to be working with local companies Hi-Wire Brewing and Riverbend Malt House for the benefit of Ukrainian refugees, and it means so much to us to see the concern and support coming from our community.”
Donate to Svitla Nadiya through FreeFunder.
Contact Svitlana Eadie at svitlana@svitlanaskitchen.com for more information about the nonprofit.
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