Pacific Western Brewing unveiled a new beer on Wednesday. Inside the bottle it is a Festbier, a brew that celebrates the harvest season and the German brewing traditions attached to Octoberfest. On the outside, the labeling celebrates Prince George milestones.
The four labels commemorate: the city's 100th anniversary in 2015; the Canada Winter Games coming to Prince George in 2015; the anniversary of UNBC's foundation 25 years ago; and the growing Hometown Heroes program operated by PWB turning beer sales to support for B.C. athletes and coaches.
PWB's brand manager Paul Mulgrew said the old brewery used to make an autumnfest beer in its history and it included the municipal crest in celebration of Prince George itself, so this recipe and this marketing concept both sprang from that.
"We are going to tour the province and talk to our establishments in other towns and hope that they are pro-B.C. and celebrate our province through this new product," Mulgrew said. "We are celebrating four different factions of Prince George all doing positive things for the province, and I hope that is a rallying point. We are so proud of our Prince George history, it keeps evolving as the city does, and this is how we can do something to celebrate that. It is to spread the brand messaging about Prince George all over the province."
"I can't tell you how impressed I am," said mayor Shari Green, after her first taste at the unveiling ceremony at the PWB factory. "First of all, the beer tastes great. As you know, the [PWB spring water at their factory] in Prince George is really great, but secondly the branding is outstanding. The concept of celebrating the key events for Prince George this next year is a natural fit. Everything about this – the bottle itself, the cork coasters – it is all top-notch and a perfect way to get ready for 2015."
"The timing is wonderful," said senior UNBC official Mark Dale, only one day after the university community began its 25th anniversary celebrations, and the first week of classes for the new school season. "We value this partnership and look forward to serving this beer in our Thirsty Moose Pub. So here's to success."
"This is our time to celebrate and tell our story of what we do in the north," said Canada Winter Games official Todd Doherty. "We have a homegrown organization right here [PWB] that invests so much in our community, and this helps fulfill a greater opportunity for our region. Here's to everything you're doing, it's amazing."
Mulgrew said the Festbier would be available in draft form and on store shelves by the end of the week. It "has a strong malt base with a pinch of Hallartau Select hops." It comes in a four-pack of bottles, each one adorned with the respective partners' commemorative label.
