Local Brewing Company Inspired To Craft Historic Beer (Photo) -05/03/18
Vancouver, WA – Fortside Brewing Company®, a brewery founded to help strengthen craft beer culture in SW Washington, has brewed something special after researching one of Vancouver’s most famous beers of yesterday – Hop Gold beer. After reading an article* in one of Clark County Historical Museum (CCHM)’s annual History Books, Mike DiFabio, Beer Ambassador and Co-owner of the Vancouver-based company, knew he had to try and recreate it.
Mr. DiFabio said, “I was so inspired by the history book that I decided to try to remake the historical Vancouver beer. Here at Fortside, we feel that bringing to light Vancouver's rich history of brewing beer is great part of our what we do.” He continued, “I made it in the style that I thought would be closest to the original, a Dortmunder Export Style Lager (pale lager influenced by the Pilsner). I also did some further research about how it might have been brewed and if anyone else still made it. From what I found, no one else does.”
As it turns out, Timothy Augustin, Co-owner of Ben’s Bottle Shop has a degree in history and also wanted to get into the beer’s past. So, on Friday, May 4 at 6:00 PM in Ben’s Bottle Shop, Fortside Brewing Company® will be unveiling their take on Hop Gold beer. The event is open to the public and located at 8052 East Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98664.
Brad Richardson, CCHM’s Executive Director said, “The entire museum staff is very excited about the news. Mike surprised us all with his inspired creation.” He continued, “We work every day to connect the past with the present, and this is exactly what Fortside has done by brewing this historic beverage.”
Vancouver and Clark County have a long tradition of brewing, and Hop Gold beer in particular was one of the area’s most famous. Originally brewed by the Star Brewery Company, Hop Gold became internationally known during the Spanish-American War in 1897 when Star sent 330 cases to Admiral Dewy and his sailors after the defeat of the Spanish fleet in the Bay of Manila.
The museum would like to heartily thank Fortside Brewing Company®, Mr. DiFabio, and Ben’s Bottle Shop for making this special event happen. We invite everyone to join us for a taste of history on Friday.
For more information on the beer’s history, please contact the museum at 360-993-5679 or by email at info@cchmuseum.org. For more on the event, contact Ben’s Bottle Shop at 360-314-6209 or email bensbottleshop@gmail.com. See you there!
*CCHM 2010 History Book article, There’s No Trouble Brewing in Clark County – From Henry Weinhard to nanobreweries, beer making goes on by Celeste Fleming.
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Fortside Brewing Company was founded on the ideal of strengthening craft beer culture in SW Washington (the "Fort"-side of the mighty Columbia River). The "Fort" (Fort Vancouver) is a monumental landmark in the Pacific Northwest that persists as a strong, powerful and resilient symbol of this areas heritage. We are all about brewing beer worth being passionate about. Fortside produces beers people enjoy tasting, smelling and experiencing. Beers made with local ingredients that express a local style. Find us at 2200 NE Andresen, #B, Vancouver, WA, Tuesday - Saturday from 4:00 - 10:00 PM, Sunday from 1:00 - 8:00 PM. For more information contact us at (360)524-4692 or info@fortsidebeer.com.
The Clark County Historical Museum is operated by the Clark County Historical Society (CCHS), which is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization governed by a Board of Trustees. Our vision is to facilitate a more educated and connected community through meaningful engagement with history. CCHM is located at 1511 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 – just off the I-5 and Mill Plain Blvd. Daily hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. For further information, call 360-993-5679, email info@cchmuseum.org, or visit cchmuseum.org.
