Fort Collins, Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing and Ventura, California-based Flying Embers have teamed up to create a beverage that expertly combines the passions of both companies as well as their individual strengths as brewers. Last week the duo launched Oh, Hi!, a session sour beer they described as, “one part California, one part Colorado, and all parts crushable.”

New Belgium Brewing was founded in 1991 and has become a household name in craft beers. Flying Embers, on the other hand, launched in 2017 and is known for its unique selection of hard kombuchas and hard seltzers.

Ojai Says Oh, Hi!

“Oh, Hi! is the enchanted result of a combined love of all things funky and fermented,” stated Lauren Limbach, Wood Cellar Director and Blender at New Belgium Brewing. “To create Oh Hi, we combined each of our bases so that both cultures would shine and added a hint of a signature ingredient from each of our geographical regions.”

“When you close your eyes and take a sip, it’s like having the windows rolled down on a road trip from Ojai to Fort Collins,” Limbach continued.

Oh, Hi! is crafted with Flying Embers Original Essence, an unflavored hard kombucha brewed with black tea and herbs known as adaptogens, which some health and wellness experts claim help the body combat stress. According to the company, its “adaptogen root blend of ginseng, turmeric and ginger makes this OG flavor delicious and refreshing.”

Original Essence is then blended with New Belgium’s golden sour beer, which has been aged in wood for added flavor. The brew is finished with Colorado sage and Pixie tangerines from Ojai, California–birthplace of Flying Embers and inspiration for the name Oh, Hi! The beer features an ABV of 6.5% and aims to please both beer and kombucha lovers.

“New Belgium’s sour program is world class and getting to pair their Golden base sour with our Flying Embers Kombucha core base is an opportunity to create something really unique for both craft beer and hard kombucha fans to enjoy, “ insisted Tom Ryan, Senior Director of National Accounts at Flying Embers. “You always know that you are going to get the highest quality product when you try a New Belgium or Flying Embers product.”

Socially Responsible Collab

The companies are both socially responsible and dedicated to their communities. In addition to being certified as a B-corporation, New Belgium is home to Fat Tire Amber Ale, which recently became the first carbon neutral beer in America. The company has donated more than $29 million to charity since its inception.

Flying Embers was founded during the Thomas Fires of 2017 and donates a portion of its proceeds to first responders as well as emergency community necessities and environmental rebuilding in the wake of natural disasters. The company also carbonates its products with recaptured CO2 from its brewing processes.

As part of their Oh, Hi! partnership, the companies are working together to donate $10,000 to the Embers Foundation, Flying Embers’ 501(c)(3). The beverage brand’s website states that through the non-profit it dedicates “1% of all company revenue to address first responder and community needs nationwide, through wildfire prevention and education, real-time natural disaster response, and recovery.” The Oh, Hi! team’s donation will benefit the California Fire Foundation and the Colorado Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed.

New Belgium Expands Beyond Beer

New Belgium’s exploration of hard kombucha isn’t its first foray into Beyond Beer, ready-to-drink (RTD) territory. The craft brewery launched Fruit Smash Hard Seltzer earlier this year. The seltzer comes in three flavors including Pink Lemonade, Tropical Punch and Berry Blast. They contain 100 calories each and an ABV of 4.7%.

Oh, Hi! is soon to be available throughout Colorado and California in retail locations such as Total Wine, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Bevmo.

Shirani Jayasuriya
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