NOW IN CANS: Cape Sundew

CAPE SUNDEW

DOUBLE IPA

8.0% ABV // 16.0 P // 85 IBU

big body + pine + tropical

Much like it's namesake, a bright colored carnivorous plant, Cape Sundew appears brilliant yet delicate on the outside, with a powerhouse in the middle-- showcasing one of our favorite hop profiles yet. Heavily hopped with Eureka, Citra and Sabro, Cape Sundew is packed with fruit flavors ranging from stonefruit, to coconut and citrus, with the slightest amount of bitter resin. Deep in color and smooth on the palette thanks to the malted oats and Vienna malt, Cape Sundew delivers as a well-rounded, crushable double IPA perfect for all your late summer shenanigans!

HOPS:
Eureka, Citra, Sabro
MALT:
2-row Pale, Black Malted Oats, Vienna

NOW ON DRAFT: Blackberry Ron

blackberry Ron

Blackberry IPA

7.0% ABV // 14.4 P // 35 IBU

blackberry + pineapple juice + slightly bitter

For the first few years we released a fruited variant of Captain Ron, we used a different fruit every year. This year we're stoked to be bringing back Blackberry Ron. The sweetness from 500 lbs of blackberries compliment the pineapple and bitterness of Captain Ron. We are pumped with how this year's batch turned out. This is a beautiful beer to enjoy outside on the patio while the sun is shining! Get some while you can, very limited quantities available only on draft!

HOPS:
Wai-iti, Huell Melon, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Oats, Carapils

Employee Feature: Andy

Meet Andy, the brains behind Aslan’s marketing for the past two years. Without his constant positive attitude in the office and attention to every detail, this past year of craziness would have looked a lot different!

Andy’s love for craft beer started with a sip of Live Oak Hefeweizen, from Austin, Texas where he went to college. “It tastes like summertime bubblegum, and it was such a stark difference from all the cheap lagers you’re used to drinking in college,” he said. That beer opened his eyes to the world of craft beer.

He spent some time studying in Copenhagen, Denmark, where his knowledge and appreciation grew, living a short bike ride away from Mikkeller & Friends. Shortly after, he moved to Seattle, and as we all know, there is no shortage of breweries down there. The friendly and passionate beer culture and community enticed him, along with the brewing process; he knew that at some point he wanted to work in a brewery. 

Andy moved to Bellingham for the Director of Marketing position at Aslan in June of 2019. After about four years of working at a large tech company in Seattle, he needed a change, and Aslan was the place! “I wanted a new gig where I could be surrounded by passionate people, and help grow something that was a little bit more tangible and real,” said Andy. “So I started looking for jobs, mostly in the brewing industry.” That’s when he found Aslan.

And now here’s the bittersweet news: After about two years here, Andy is celebrating his last week here at Aslan this week. We are so sad to say yet another goodbye to a member of our team, but so incredibly proud and stoked for where he is heading next! Andy and his girlfriend Mary felt that after six years in the Pacific Northwest, it was time to return a bit closer to home and family. Having grown up in Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, Andy jokes that he can’t really get farther away from home being in Bellingham unless he moved to Alaska. They decided that Colorado is a happy medium, with some family being there and travel being a lot easier. “I wanted to retrace my steps a little bit and move somewhere a little more central, like Colorado, that has all the things I love about Washington but is a little bit closer to family,” he said.  

One thing that Andy helped provide to Aslan’s marketing is perspective. He saw a lot of importance in using everyone’s voice to tell the complete story of Aslan. “Everyone at Aslan has a different experience and a unique story to tell. These collective experiences across everyone at the company is what really makes Aslan, Aslan. Rather than trying to distill everything that's happening, and having one person representing and sharing it, I aimed to cast a wider net with our storytelling/branding and showcase who we are as a brewery and community,” he said.

There are many things that Andy will miss about working at Aslan, but the one thing he will miss the most is the people here. He really appreciates the true passion that people in every department have for the product and service they are providing, while also prioritizing fun and “horseplay.” 

“It's truly a rare thing to have, the balance of both [hard work and horseplay], and it's the people that make those two things possible that I’m going to miss the most. When you're surrounded by that, you're encouraged to work harder and be the best version of yourself at work,” he said. “​​I don't think that many places have the combination of passion, and effort, with horseplay [like Aslan does].”

And of course, he will miss the beer! Aslan doesn’t distribute to Colorado (yet!) so his one parting request is for Brand Manager JD to get that happening and have other coworkers switch off sending him beer until then! 

Thursday is Andy’s last day so be sure to stop by and wish him well with his next chapter!

NOW IN CANS: Captain Ron

Captain Ron

Hazy IPA

7.0% ABV // 14.8 P // 40 IBU

medium body + pineapple juice + faint bitterness

Every summer we look forward to the time between the 4th of July and fresh hop season. That's because a very special IPA comes out today! Captain Ron is a brewery favorite. This beer is jam packed with New Zealand hops with a splash of German Huell Melon. You're greeted with a rush of aromas of pineapple, white wine, and orange juice. The soft mouthfeel provided by the oats helps create the tropical vibes these hops are looking for. Flavors of citrus (grapefruit and lime specifically), pear, and pineapple balance out a faint, pleasant bitterness creating a drying sensation that feels akin to a mimosa. This beer is vacation in a can. Grab a pint or a six pack and take your vacation today!

HOPS:
Wai-iti, Huell Melon, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Oats, Carapils

Magic Skagit: Dave Hedlin of Hedlin's Family Farm

Dave Hedlin

Located right in the heart of La Conner, Hedlin’s Family Farm has been farming produce since 1906, for three generations with a fourth lined up. The current owner of the farm, Dave Hedlin, has been farming in this location with his wife Serena Campbell since 1974, after working on the farm with his grandfather and taking some years off to get an education. In the last 25 years, Dave’s farm has become almost fully certified organic. Becoming certified organic wasn’t too difficult for him since they have always used more sustainable farming practices. “We've always had a real strong sense of stewardship for the environment and the community, so it wasn't a big change for us,” said Dave.

At Aslan Brewing Co, we get a large amount of our malt through Hedlin’s Family Farms, who supply the organic grain to Skagit Valley Malting. With making certified organic beer comes difficulties of finding organic ingredients, and we are so lucky to get organic malt only 35 miles away!

Farming organically is very important to the Hedlin family. They value the planet and its resources, as well as the closely surrounding community, and being an organic farm helps create sustainability within those values. Even though it might create a more expensive product, it is worth it to them. “[Our customers] expect a high degree of stewardship from us, and we work hard to provide that, and they work hard to provide a price where we can pay a living wage to our employees and take good care of the land.”

At Hedlin’s Family Farms, they grow a large variety of produce from grains to vegetables to fruits. Dave describes the farm as “diverse even by Skagit county standards.” The location of the farm in the Skagit Valley, along with the climate definitely plays a huge factor in the success of farming in the area.

“We call it the magic Skagit, and truly it is a magic place,” said Dave, “We're in the top half of 1% of soils worldwide. And if you combine that with our maritime climate, we're able to grow over 80 crops of commercial significance here.”

Some produce they grow includes eggplant, cabbage, beets, spinach, a large variety of tomatoes, and of course, grain. They also produce a large variety of seeds.

At first, grain was something that they grew for soil enrichment and occasional profit, but with specialty markets, like organic beer, it has become a bigger part of their farm. The grain also breaks disease cycles on a number of other crops that they grow. Keeping the soil rich while also profiting from the grain makes it a lot more fun, according to Dave!

The Hedlin’s Family Farm has seven year-round employees, two of which are family members and then a group of five brothers, the Rodriguez brothers. Of the Rodriguez brothers, the eldest has been working on the farm for 36 years. During peak harvesting seasons they have about 35 to 40 seasonal employees. Dave considers himself very lucky to have such dedicated employees that have been with the farm for so long.

The Hedlin’s Family Farm is just one of the many awesome partners that Aslan Brewing Co. has that takes the intentional steps to make a more environmentally friendly product. “I think there's a real opportunity in America today to basically reinvent food, and I think Aslan is doing that to some extent here with their organic beer,” said Dave. Thank you, Dave!

Photo Credit: Skagit Valley Malting

NOW IN CANS: Yakima Select

yakima select

Organic Washington Pilsner

4.7 ABV // 11.6 P // 40 IBU

light body + herbal bitterness + crisp

Yakima Select is a Pilsner brewed to celebrate the beauty of the growing region we call home. We wanted to prove (to ourselves) that using strictly Washington-grown organic ingredients, we could still produce a proper Pilsner. This beer uses one malt variety from Skagit Valley Malting and one hop variety from Roy Farms. For all the simplicity, this beer has nuance and character. The malt provides a light, bready body that carries the herbal and lemon flavors from the hops to a clean, drying bitterness. Yakima Select is undoubtedly Washington and is as Cold as the Cascades. Grab a six-pack and enjoy on your next Northwest adventure. Cheers

HOPS:
Roy Farms Hops
MALT:
SVM Pilsner

NOW ON DRAFT: Strawb-Hab Disco Lemonade

Strawb-hab disco lemonade

Organic Berliner Weisse

4.5% ABV // 11 P // 3 IBU

tart + spicy + fresh strawberries

Last summer, in the name of research, we created four small batches of new Disco Lemonade flavors. You drank them, you voted on your favorites, and now a year later, we made a big ole batch of the winning flavor: Strawberry Habanero!

Strawb-Hab keeps all the tartiness that you love in Disco, but with a heavy, spicy punch. Fresh strawberry flavors kick in on the backend, drawing you in for another sip. Best enjoyed with other spicy food or by the closest body of water.

HOPS:
Perle
MALT:
2-Row, Wheat

Employee Feature: Maddi S.

If you’ve ever interacted with Aslan’s social media then you probably know who this gem is… Meet Maddi, Aslan’s Marketing Manager and social media wizard.

Maddi started her work here at Aslan as the Event Representative in 2017 where she traveled around and poured brews at festivals. Her current position as the Marketing Manager began as an internship in the marketing department. “I honestly kind of weaseled my way into the role and just kept bringing it up. And then finally they were like, yeah, we could probably create a role for you,” she said. 

In the last two years interning and working in the marketing department at Aslan, a lot has changed and grown. “We've just become a lot more inclusive and also a lot more female-focused, which I think is great,” she said. “There has also been more focus on community-driven events, working with nonprofits, spotlighting local artists, and the addition of our ambassador program”. 

Maddi is most proud of Aslan’s TikTok account that was launched by her this past year. It started off as a joke but quickly became very popular. “We got a lot of people from the community messaging us, telling us how these videos were making their day. It was too easy to just not do, you know, like it's good entertainment and it's tons of fun.” 

After her almost four years here at Aslan Brewing, this week Maddi is moving on to work fully remote as Marketing Manager at Trip Outside, an outdoor adventure company. “This is like my dream job and something I never thought I could achieve. I'm so thankful for Aslan for giving me that step up. I wouldn't be able to do this job without having worked [here].” With this new job, she is excited to travel and explore new places around the US with her dog, Nugget, in her truck and camper. 

Maddi reminisced on a couple of her favorite moments here at Aslan Brewing. One day she came into work and everything in the front of house was running smoothly, but the second she walked into the back she found utter chaos. Apparently, someone had drilled a hole into the wall and hit a water pipe and water was just spewing out of the wall. All hands were on deck trying to clean up the mess, squeegeeing the floor, and trying to contain the water. “It was not funny when it happened, but now looking back on it, it's really funny!” she said. 

Like many others here, she also really enjoyed any time she got to hang out with her coworkers outside of work. Lake days, camping, and bike rides are some of her favorites. 

It is very bittersweet that Maddi is leaving, but we are so excited for her to move onto something that she’s dreamed about for a long time.

“I just love everyone in this building. I'm just immensely thankful to everyone. And I'm thankful to Jack and Andy for giving me a shot as a student. I was this really inexperienced student and they just gave me this huge opportunity and now it's taking me places that I couldn't have pictured myself going, especially in such a short amount of time.”

Tuesday will be Maddi’s last day, so swing by before then and wish her well on her next journey! She will still be spending a lot of time in Bellingham and hopefully around Aslan locations too!  “You guys can't get rid of me! I'll be around,” she laughs.

NOW IN CANS: Tenth Life

TENTH LIFE

Organic India Pale Ale

6.7% ABV // 14.8 P // 75 IBU

medium body + stone fruit + bitter

We were thrilled about being approached to brew a beer with one of our favorite Oregon breweries, Boneyard Beer. It only made sense that we would brew an IPA together, the only question was: To haze or not to haze? We landed on a beautiful and clear west coast IPA. Tenth Life is bursting with aromas of apricot, mango, and pine. All of the fruity and floral flavors you'd expect from a classic West Coast IPA are present. Notes of citrus, melon, and cedar contribute to a resinous bitterness that lingers perfectly on the palette. Available throughout WA and at Boneyard Beer Pub in Bend!

Label Art by Connor McPherson

HOPS:
Ekuanot, Centennial, Azacca, El Dorado, Mosaic
MALT:
SVM Pale Malt, Munich, Vienna

Employee Feature: Jess

Meet Jess,

Seattle Lead and Beer Educator Extraordinaire. Jess has been working with us since October of 2019, and boy do we feel lucky to have her! While the past year and a half have been no walk in the park, Jess has somehow managed to make it feel like one. 

The best way to describe Jess’s work ethic may very well be “all hands on deck.” She’s got her hands in a little bit of everything and when she doesn’t understand something, she’s quick to dive in to change that. “It's just always been important to me to understand,” says Jess, “even if I'm not working directly in every aspect of it, [i like to] understand every part– from the front of house to the back of house.”

Jess has worked in the beer industry for 5 years now, getting her start at Reuben’s Brews in Seattle. “It was tough to get into this industry,” notes Jess, “I felt like I had to continuously prove [myself].” Nonetheless, Jess took to this challenge, vigorously immersing herself in all things craft beer while working at Reuben’s. She notes how she would regularly wander to the back to see what the brewers were up to, asking a slew of questions and striking up conversations about the brewing process whenever given the opportunity. “I think it's good to not only know what's going on, but to actively try and participate in it” says Jess.

This eagerness and determination to learn the ins and outs of craft beer is what propelled Jess into the idea of Beer Education, something that became an important part of her role at Reuben’s. During her time there, Jess built and ran Reuben’s beer education program alongside another coworker, Shawna Cormier. Together the two worked to teach classes and host pairing events for companies and private parties on behalf of Reuben’s. 

Shawna, a home brewer and Certified Cicerone, encouraged and inspired Jess to grow her knowledge in all things beer– eventually convincing Jess to also become a Certified Cicerone and to complete the Beer Judge Certification Program so that she could judge at home brew competitions. The two became fast friends, unified by their love for local craft beer.

Prior to meeting Jess, Shawna started what is now known as the Seattle Beer School (SBS)– a beer education and events company. It wasn’t long before Jess became involved in that too, helping Shawna host and teach at events across Seattle and online. The pair have now taught and hosted upwards of 25 events for the Seattle Beer School, while simultaneously co-hosting a podcast called Cheers to Beers.

“My whole life is based around beer” laughs Jess.

Jess’s knowledge on all things beer is nothing short of impressive, and if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to attend one of her classes, we couldn’t recommend it more. She’s incredibly well-versed and well-educated on the world of beer, making for an exceptionally fun educational experience. Her and Shawna also do a wonderful job at creating an inclusive space in which they hope folks of all backgrounds feel welcome.

Be on the lookout for more events run by Jess, such as the Fremont Dungeness Fest down in Seattle on July 10th. And if you can’t make that, be sure to stop by the taproom to pay her a visit! She’d love to answer any questions you have about our beer or suggest delicious food pairing options for your favorite to-go beers.

NOW IN CANS: Hefeweizen

HEFEWEIZEN

Organic Bavarian-Style Ale

5.0% ABV // 12.6 P // 15 IBU

lemon zest + medium body + clove

We can't think of anything better on a hot day than sipping on a cold, refreshing beer. Back again as our ode to summer, our traditional Hefeweizen is double decocted, creating a deeper malt profile with delicate flavors of vanilla and wheat bread.

Expressive German yeast paired with Hersbrucker hops creates lemon and clove flavors reminiscent of a lemon tart. All of this comes together with a beautiful crisp finish that will make you want another sip.

Label Art by Kristen Frakes

HOPS:
Hersbrucker
MALT:
Pilsner, Wheat, Carahell, Caramunich

NOW IN CANS: Mountain Lion 2021

MOUNTAIN LION

Organic Hazy Pale Ale

5.8% ABV // 13 P // 55 IBU

tropical + light body + woody

Mountain Lion is an ongoing collaboration between Aslan and our friends across town at Kulshan Brewing. This Hazy Pale Ale is bursting with aromatics of strawberry, kiwi, cotton candy, and pine bark. Flavors of grapefruit, pine, and black tea lead into a smooth, pleasant, lingering bitterness. A Hazy Pale Ale for the IPA drinker, this year's Mountain Lion is designed to be easier drinking and more sessionable. We couldn't be more excited to be getting back to in-person collaborations and having beers with our neighbors.

Illustration by Lily Lovell

HOPS:
Pacific Gem, Azacca, Ekuanot, Sabro
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Wheat, Oats

NOW IN CANS: B Proud

B PROUD

Organic Hazy IPA

6.5% ABV // 55 IBU // 14 P

citrus + medium body + tropical

Happy Pride Month! We're stoked that B Proud is back for its third year in a row. This Hazy IPA has an aromatic punch of fruit stripe gum and guava with flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, and sweet orange. With a large portion of wheat in the mash, this beer is very smooth, giving off piña colada vibes.

Proceeds from B Proud will go to Northwest Youth Services and their Queer Youth Project. This program is dedicated to supporting and advocating for at-risk and homeless LGBTQ+ youth, through school-based youth supports, the Trans Fashion Treasury, free counseling, LGBTQ+ parent resources, and more.

HOPS:
Cascade, El Dorado
MALT:
2-Row, Wheat, Vienna

NOW IN CANS: Totality Pale Ale

TOTALITY PALE ALE
7th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL RELEASE

Organic Pale Ale

5.4% ABV // 12.2 P // 69 IBU

grapefruit + melon + pine

Brewed as a celebration of our seventh anniversary, Totality is a mashup of classic Pale Ales and the new wave of Hazy Pale Ales. A lower than average (for a hazy) percentage of wheat and oats lends to a lighter body and a more drinkable beer. Initially, this beer presents softer flavors of cotton candy and honeydew, but over time the bitterness builds, and flavors of lime, orange bitters, and evergreen needles dominate the palate. This mashup of styles lends itself to a pleasant experience, intriguing the drinker with every sip.

HOPS:
Barbe Rouge, Centennial, Huell Melon
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Oats, Wheat

NOW IN CANS: Totality Pilsner

TOTALITY
7th Anniversary special release

Organic Pilsner

4.5% ABV // 10.6 P // 30 IBU

cracker + melon + crisp

This is not your average Pilsner. Using American ingredients in this beer is enough to question whether this beer is actually a Pilsner. With immense respect to the pioneers of the Pilsner style, we can now interpret this style in a different light. Totality's nose is grainy sweet, with hints of marshmallows and berries. Initial flavors of honeydew, strawberry, and crackers carry through, balanced with a pleasant, lingering bitterness. This beer is a celebration of everything we love about traditional Pilsners while highlighting non-traditional hop choices.

HOPS:
Barbe Rouge, Centennial, Huell Melon
MALT:
Pilsner

NOW IN CANS: Montego

MONTEGO

Organic Pale Lager

4.6% ABV // 10.8 P // 15 IBU

crisp + light body + smooth

Our favorite summertime lager is back! Taking inspiration from another beer with a different color stripe, Montego is a beautifully delicate yet uncomplicated lager. Best enjoyed at the beach or on the Bellingham Bay with friends. We hope you'll be picking up the good vibrations while having fun, fun, fun all summer long. Wouldn't that be nice?

HOPS:
Hersbrucker
MALT:
Pilsner, Carahell

NOW IN CANS: Disco Lemonade

DISCO LEMONADE

Organic Berliner Weisse

4.5% ABV // 11 P // 3 IBU

tart + light + refreshing

Disco Lemonade has long been the beacon we look for to kick off the beginning of summer here at Aslan. For months, we dream of Disco on the patio, Disco the lake, Disco the trail, or Disco by the grill. Summertime in a can is finally here! Our seasonal Berliner Weisse has a pleasant tartness that gives flavors of bright citrus, sourdough, and granny smith apples. It's refreshing and has a surprisingly light body for how much wheat we use. We're happy to have this beer back for its 7th summer. Here's to longer and warmer days! *Disco Lemonade isn't vegan

HOPS:
Perle
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Wheat

NOW IN CANS: Slow Sipper

Slow Sipper

Organic Hazy IPA

5.9% ABV // 13 P // 55 IBU

sweet orange + tropical + medium body

A collaboration years in the making, we teamed up with Seattle band The Dip to create a beer as smooth as the song which bears the same name. Slow Sipper is a Hazy IPA, reminiscent of an orange creamsicle on a hot summer's day. Citra and Mosaic hops are the stars of the show, showcasing strong lemon and lemon aromas with flavors of sweet orange, grapefruit, and pineapple. A high percentage of wheat and oats lend softness to the body. Pair this beer with any The Dip album, especially while sitting in the sun on a lovely spring day.

Join us today (5/7) at the Seattle Depot and Aslan Seattle for a special celebration. The Dip created a custom playlist that we will be playing all afternoon to keep the vibes high. The first twenty folks to buy a six-pack of Slow Sipper at both locations will receive a vinyl record of the band’s most recent EP ’The Dip Plays It Cool'!

We also created a limited run of Slow Sipper glassware that will be available at both locations. Proceeds from Slow Sipper draft, cans, and glassware will go to the good folks over at the National Independent Venue Association, the organization behind #SaveOurStages.

HOPS:
Mosaic, Citra
MALT:
2-Row Pale, Oats, Wheat, Vienna

Employee Feature: Layne

Say hello to Aslan's Brand and Sustainability Manager, Layne! Once described as Aslan's "face at the door," Layne plays a huge role here at Aslan. Whether it's handling multiple accounts across town, taking care of all of our Organic certifications, heading the donations program, or being the mastermind behind some of Aslan's best TikTok's– Layne is a bit of a not-so-secret, secret weapon.

Having worked with us for just over a year now, it's been impressive watching Layne's immense growth over the past year. She's quick to take on new responsibilities or side-duties that go far beyond her job role– and she always manages to do so with the utmost positivity. When Layne's not buzzing around the brewpub striking up conversations with everyone in her path, she's usually out serving as Aslan's "beer fairy"– delivering samples to one of her several accounts or making deliveries.

“I used to dream about working here” says Layne, “I would wear Aslan merch all the time, and my friends and I would come to the brewpub and whisper “hire Layne” into the atmosphere. I even had my grad party here and made everyone do that” laughs Layne. “I was manifesting”.

A recent graduate from Western, Layne was working four other jobs at the time she heard about the open position at Aslan– but that didn’t stop her from applying. “I had actually already applied for a position once here, but I didn’t get it, which was discouraging” recalls Layne, “but then I interviewed again for the open sales position, and felt pretty good about it,” says Layne. A few weeks later she was hired and brought in as Aslan’s new Sales Rep– a job she’s been crushing ever since.

That was back in December of 2019. Come March of 2020, everything Layne knew about her new job changed. “It was really weird” notes Layne. “Coming into a job and not knowing anyone, then going into quarantine just a few months later”. With Covid-19 shutting establishments down all over the city of Bellingham and halting beer sales, Layne found she was running out of work to do. So, in an effort to stay busy, she began absorbing other duties around Aslan– such as the sustainability and donation programs.

These programs are now mainly overseen by her –no small feat for a one-woman show– though she’s quick to make it look easy.

Beyond Aslan, Layne takes a lot of pride in being a mother to her two cats, Mitsy and Kramer— also known as “the light of [Layne’s] life” (her words, not ours). She loves cooking as well, though she’s too bashful to claim it as a serious hobby. “I wouldn’t call myself a cook,” says Layne, “but I do really love to cook”. She also enjoys going for walks or heading up to Mt. Baker to snowboard on the weekend. “Craft beer also used to be a hobby of mine”, adds Layne, “but now that I work in it, I need to find a new hobby. If anyone knows of any they should let me know” she laughs.

Layne is a true gem. Always positive, full of hilarious anecdotes, and an unmatched work ethic. Call it manifestation or call it destiny– We're lucky to have her around here as our multi-talented, many-hats-wearing employee.

Thank you, Layne!

Bellingham Sister City Series

At Aslan Brewing Co., it's no secret that we are fans of traditional beer styles. Over the years, we've been inspired by and explored beer recipes from all corners of the world. During this exploration in 2019, we came across an incredible nonprofit in town named the Bellingham Sister Cities Association (BSCA) and reached out to them with an idea. We were interested in brewing a Japanese-Style Rice Lager and wanted to see if we could name it in honor of our sister city in Japan, Tateyama. The BSCA was all on board, and we partnered with them around the release and promotion of Tateyama.

2019 Tateyama Release Celebration

Coincidentally, a few Tateyama residents just happened to be in town to compete in Ski to Sea. We had the lucky opportunity to celebrate the release with them and exchange beer between our two cities. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and support from the BSCA!

After the release of Tateyama, the BSCA presented Aslan with a plaque of sorts thanking Aslan for this partnership. It featured the Tateyama can and included six empty spots for our other remaining sister cities… nudging us to turn the one-off project into an entire series.

It took us a little longer than expected, but last month we finally released the second beer in our Bellingham Sister Cities Series, Punta Arenas! Located in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region of Chile, Punta Arenas is home to the oldest brewery in Chile, Cerveza Austral. For our inspiration, we based the recipe on their flagship Helles Bock. We also wanted to tie this beer into historical brewing in Chile as a whole. An essential part of beer history in Chile is Chicha; a fermented corn drink not too different from beer (although it is un-hopped). As a nod to this traditional use of corn in fermentation, we used corn as a large portion of the mash.

The City of Punta Arenas, Chile

Outside of beer collaborations, the BSCA is an active organization with a very storied history. To learn more about the BSCA and how it started, we sat down with BSCA leaders Ross Grier and Scott Blume to get the full rundown.

In 1956, in an effort to lessen the chance of future world conflicts, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed a people-to-people program between the United States and other nations that would involve people and organized groups at all levels of society. The program was originally housed under the National League of Cities. This became Sister Cities International in 1967. The general idea was "if you become friends, then you stop being enemies. When you get to know people, there is usually more in common than is different," says Ross.

The City of Tateyama, Japan

In 1958, a Japanese company based in Tateyama was doing frequent commerce in Bellingham, and that relationship evolved into our first official sister city. Over the years, six additional sister cities have been added.

Most of our sister city partnerships start out as a person-to-person relationship with another town, and if there is enough interest, it can become a more formal relationship. To become official, both cities sign a written agreement, elevating the partnership to a civic level. People come and go, but the city-to-city relationship stays.

One of the more interesting origin stories was between Bellingham and our now sister city in Nakhodka, Russia. This relationship "came about because the Bellingham Cold Storage family was doing business with a Russian Fishing company. It was the only commercial joint venture between the US and Russia through the middle of the Cold War. Later on, the third generation of these families ended up marrying each other. Dude, it's like a movie!" says Ross.

Mary Hooker (BSCA Punta Arenas City Chair), Seth Fleetwood (Bellingham Mayor), and Pinky Vargas (Bellingham City Council Member) celebrating the release of Punta Arenas

Today, sister cities give residents of Bellingham the ability to have a connection with cities all over the world, and there are many ways to get involved, small or big.

It's still too early for in-person gatherings with the BSCA, but they've got some exciting Zoom events over the next couple of months, including a Mongolian New Years celebration, a Sister Cities beer virtual class, an international art exchange with South Korea, and a Japanese Gardening class.

If you are looking to really get involved, "homestays are where citizen diplomacy happens. You get to know people one on one, even if you can't communicate with them verbally," says Scott.

The first thing to do is become a member for $25 on bsca.org. That will get you updates on upcoming events and additional ways to get involved.

A huge thank you goes out to Ross, Scott, and all the folks over at Bellingham Sister Cities Association for their partnership on this series. We are very stoked to explore more sister city beer projects in the years to come!