Starr Hill Releases New Summer Seasonal May 1st – Grateful Pale Ale

Virginia’s largest and most award-winning craft brewery, is kicking off the summer with the introduction of its new summer seasonal beer, Grateful Pale Ale.

Grateful is a medium-bodied session pale ale brewed with two-row and caramel malt. The beer is also brewed and dry hopped with a mix of Topaz, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops which produces a huge citrusy, piney hop aroma and flavor, but the beer is refreshing and easy to drink.

“Creating and brewing Grateful Pale Ale has truly been a labor of love,” said Mark Thompson, founder and master brewer of Starr Hill. “Like so many craft beer drinkers, we love hops. But sometimes on hot summer days, a big, hoppy beer is just too much. Grateful Pale Ale is a perfectly balanced beer that’s very hop forward, but it’s also a bit lighter and easier to drink than traditional pale ales which we think make it an ideal choice for summer.”

Grateful Pale Ale will be available at retail beginning May 1 in six-packs (12-ounce bottles) and kegs (1/6 and ½ barrels). The beer is 4.7 percent alcohol by volume, 26 IBUs and will be priced at parity to other Starr Hill brands. Grateful Pale Ale is currently available in Starr Hill’s summer variety pack (12-pack) called The Life. The Life contains three bottles each of Grateful Pale Ale, Northern Lights India Pale Ale, Starr Pils Lager and The Love (wheat beer).

Grateful Pale Ale will be supported with point-of-sale materials, glassware and a new on-premise campaign called “Be Grateful.” As part of the sampling campaign consumers will be prompted to share what they are grateful for. Consumers can submit videos or posts via Starr Hill’s facebook or twitter pages or write in on the Grateful Board during promotions at bars and restaurants.

“The idea behind the ‘Be Grateful’ campaign is to connect with our loyal Starr Hill consumers and let them share what they’re grateful for,” said Thompson. “We are grateful to be able to brew great beer and share it with friends every day. We’re excited to hear from Starr Hill fans, get to know what makes them tick and give them an opportunity win Starr Hill merchandise while sampling Grateful Pale Ale.”

Grateful Pale Ale will be available through July. It will then be replaced by Boxcar Pumpkin Porter, Starr Hill’s fall seasonal beer.

At the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in 2011, Starr Hill was awarded a gold medal in the Vienna lager category for Jomo Lager, a light-bodied amber lager. The company also won silver medals for two of its specialty beers, Monticello Reserve Ale (indigenous beer category) and Smoke Out (smoke beer category). The company has won 17 GABF medals and two World Beer Cup medals since its founding.