Beer of the Week: Rewild
A pale more than a year in the making with meaning going far beyond the glass arises as a new year-round beer for Pure Project Brewing
Going beyond flavor, aroma, balance, drinkability and the ability to slake one’s thirst while taking the edge off, there’s something that can make a good beer even better – the ability to make a positive impact or make the world a better place. This typically comes when a brewing company contributes a portion of proceeds from the sale of a particular beer to a charity effort or nonprofit organization that aligns with its own goals or ideals. Thanks to generous local breweries, I had the opportunity to collaborate on nearly 100 such beers through a campaign I developed to raise funds for the Lupus Foundation of Southern California. I could lie and tell you that they were all exceptional beers of the highest caliber, but in all honesty there were some clunkers that I didn’t love. Brewing to help a worthy cause or organization is great, but at the end of the day, quality is key. People are putting up their hard-earned dollars after all, which is why I appreciate the strenuous amount of R&D work and quality control that Pure Project Brewing put in when calibrating this week’s featured beer, Rewild. A pale ale brewed in the San Diego style, it is incredibly balanced and bone dry, delivering piney, citrusy hop essence in a quick, brilliant burst. What makes this good beer even better is its support of international conservation group WILDCOAST’s restoration of mangrove forests in Mexico. And this isn’t a one-and-out fundraiser. Rewild (which is on tap at Pure Project’s taprooms and will officially launch on Monday, April 6) is the Vista-based company’s newest core beer, meaning it will be available and helping support WILDCOAST’s efforts year-round. That’s an admirable level of commitment in keeping with the company’s 1% for the Planet status. But best of all – for the donee and drinkers alike – it’s a really great pale ale!
Adding a beer to your core lineup is deeply intentional. It has to earn its place and say something about who you are as a brewery, and we believe Rewild does exactly that. Citra and Centennial have always been one of our favorite pairings; there’s a vibrance and earthiness to them that felt especially right for a West Coast pale built around regenerative tree-planting. These hops come through beautifully in the beer with bright citrus up front and a touch of pine, followed by a crisp, refreshing finish. We spent over a year on this one, talking through what we wanted it to taste like and what we wanted it to mean beyond the pint. Rewild is a beer that points towards nature and serves as a reminder of why wild places like mangrove forests are so important and need protecting. WILDCOAST’s mangrove tree-planting and restoration work is exactly the kind of initiative that Rewild was brewed to support. We’re proud to partner with an organization doing meaningful work to help rewild our planet’s natural habitats.”
Winslow Sawyer, co-founder & Brewer, Pure Project Brewing
Pure Project Brewing’s taprooms are located at 1305 Hotsprings Way in Vista, 2825 State Street in Carlsbad, 9030 Kenamar Drive, Suite 208 at the Brewery Igniter campus in Miramar, 2867 El Cajon Boulevard in North Park, and 2865 Fifth Avenue in Bankers Hill