The 2024 Solar Eclipse Is Also Marked By Suds And Sips

29.03.2024 - 21:41 / forbes.com

In gearing up for the 2024 Solar Eclipse, food and beverage related businesses in destinations along its pathway have been creating celebratory drinks to mark this celestial event. These companies are developing beers and drinks to be enjoyed leading up to and around this space phenomenon.

The Simons Foundation, a New York City-based organization which funds basic science and math research, is leading “In the Path of Totality Beer Collaboration.” It is a partnership between the foundation and 13 U.S. breweries stretched across the eclipse totality path. Each brewery has created a special edition beer inspired by, and released in timing with, the eclipse.

“Craft breweries have exploded in popularity over the last ten to fifteen years, and beyond serving great beer, they’ve become community hubs,” said John Tracey, program director for science, society and culture. “In the spirit of meeting people are, we thought it would be a great way to get people excited about the eclipse. Plus, what is brewing beer if not science? It’s chemistry, fundamentally.”

The partnering breweries are: Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland; Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis; Lost Forty Brewing in Little Rock; Austin Beer Works, Meanwhile Brewing Co. and Zilker Brewing Company in Austin; Lavery Brewing Company in Erie, Pa.; Resurgence Brewing in Buffalo, N.Y.; Coös Brewing Co. in Colebrook, N.H.: Dry Ground Brewing Company in Paducah, Ky.; Henderson Brewing Company in Henderson, Ky.; Scratch Brewing Company in Ava, Ill.; and Celestial Beerworks in Dallas.

“We provided opportunities for them to connect with each other, including hosting a meeting here at the foundation in New York City for all of our partner breweries,” said Tracey. “During that meeting, they decided on a unifying theme — each canned beer will feature a time stamp indicating when totality will take place in their town. Their willingness to work together has been incredible.”

Little Rock’s Lost Forty Brewing contribution is “AR’clipse of the Heart Helles Bock,” a lager with a medium amber color and a moderate ABV. This limited-edition release is available through three sets of drop dates. A set amount of cases are being sold through three sets of drop dates. Two drop dates occurred on March 12 and 26 and the third and final date is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 through Monday, April 8.

For their Path of Totality beer, Sun King, whose flagship location is in Indy, is offering Blonde. It’s a golden ale infused with locally-roasted coffee from SunBean Roasters.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. is releasing a special edition of their Vanilla Blackout Stout to celebrate Cleveland's spot in the path of totality. The imperial stout (9.9% ABV) is brewed with a sliver of vanilla