WILK Friday BeerBuzz – 26 July 2013 – Flying Fish FU Sandy w/Gene Muller

I’m sad to admit that we’ve made it over 170 episodes on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz and not featured today’s brewery.  After all, this was one of the first breweries I remember sampling at some of my earliest beer festivals, so my craft-beer-memories are very fond for their beers.

Hopefully we fixed that today by featuring Flying Fish Brewing Co on the show.  Coming to us from Somerdale, NJ, Flying Fish had a very interesting start in the brewing industry.  Started as the world’s first virtual brewery, Flying Fish hit the web in 1995 with a really cool site that drew in lots of media attention, and ultimately some investors.  A year later in 1996, the real brewery opened it’s doors and Flying Fish Brewing Co was born.

It was a real treat welcoming Flying Fish Brewing  founder and president Gene Muller on to the show today.  Gene not only founded Flying Fish, but is also eager to share his experiences & business lessons with other up and coming brewers.  Gene was at the helm when in 2012 Flying Fish opened their new brewery in Somerdale, NJ.  It was exciting to get the updates on the new brewery from Gene and it was great to hear that this new brewery has quadrupled their production and has become the largest brewery in NJ since prohibition.

We didn’t forget to sample a beer today, and Gene was nice enough to send us a bottle of his new Forever Unloved Sandy.  This beer is actually named FU Sandy, and it is brewed to benefit the New Jersey victims of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy.  Gene has already donated over $45,000 to various charities involved in storm relief from the initial keg-only release, but with the 1000 cases of FU Sandy bottles he’s releasing now, Gene is hoping to donate $25,000 more.

FU Sandy is a hybrid Wheat / Pale ale that uses 2-row malt and white wheat malt.  This beer also uses an experimental hop called ADHA 483 that has never been used in a beer before.  FU Sandy has a great fruity nose and a wonderful silky mouthfeel making it very easy drinking.  Add to that FU Sandy benefiting such a worthwhile effort and you have reason to seek it out for yourself or buy some of the FU Sandy, T-Shirts, Hats & Pint Glasses.

Finally what Friday BeerBuzz would be complete without trying to pry some new beer info out of our guest, and it was really exciting to hear the latest news in the Flying Fish Exit series from Gene.  Stay tuned for the follow up for Exit # 16 – Wild Rice Double IPA.

Thank you to Gene Muller from Flying Fish Brewing, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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