Ninkasi Brewing Celebrates 10 Years with N10 Imperial Blended Ale

EUGENE, Ore.—June 16, 2016 — June 15, 2006, Ninkasi Brewing Company set out with a single mission: Perpetuate Better Living. Operating under this core purpose, the brewery has grown from a two-man team to become the 36^th largest craft brewery in the United States, operating entirely from its facilities in Eugene, Oregon and employing more than 100 employees. Producing award-winning craft beers, giving back to each community that serves its beers, and garnering national recognition as a top employer are just a few milestones the brewery has achieved in its first decade.

“We are excited for what we’ve been able to accomplish since 2006 and are even more excited about what the future holds,” explains Ninkasi CEO and co-founder, Nikos Ridge. “Ninkasi exists because our customers support what we do; we take that to heart every day.”

With distribution in 14 states and two provinces, Ninkasi continues to grow its craft offerings to a lineup of seven, year-round Flagship Series beers, a rotating Seasonal Release Series, Special Release Series beers, and Rare & Delicious (R&D) small-batch releases.

Since its founding in 2006, Ninkasi has prioritized community impact in each and every state where its beer is sold. Ninkasi’s Beer is Love donations program supports more than 300 non-profits annually with donated beer to be used for fundraising initiatives and other gatherings.

As an employer, the brewery has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon” by Oregon Business Magazine for two years. Last year, the brewery received national recognition ranking on the “The 100 Best Places to Work in 2015” list by OUTSIDE.

“I am so proud of our team and the achievements we have made together in this amount of time,” says Ninkasi co-founder and founding brewer, Jamie Floyd. “Mostly I am happy that we have folks who have supported us all along and we are still drawing in new beer lovers every day.”

THE BEER: N10 IMPERIAL BLENDED ALE
To kick off its summer of celebrations, the brewery will release N10, a commemorative Imperial Blended Ale, available in limited 22-ounce bottles throughout Ninkasi’s distribution footprint beginning this July. Featuring a collectible outer box, the iconographic artwork for N10 was crafted in collaboration with Ninkasi’s in-house art department and Portland-based muralist and artist, Blaine Fontana.

“N10 is a very special beer, blending together five cornerstone recipes each telling its own story about our brewery,” says founding brewer and co-founder Jamie Floyd. “This beer is big, flavorful and heavy-hitting.”

N10 is crafted of 50% Imperial Stout, 10% Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 12.5% Imperial Total Domination IPA, 12.5% Imperial Maiden the Shade IPA, and 15% Critical Hit Barleywine. The result? A blend that offers a striking hop intensity followed by a rich backbone of caramel and roasted malt.

N10 Stats

N10 commemorates ten wild and wondrous years of independent brewing in Eugene, Oregon. Crafted with Imperial Stout, Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, two Imperial IPAs and Barleywine, these five heavy-hitting beers collide to celebrate one unforgettable decade. Big and flavorful, our N10 blend offers a striking hop intensity followed by a rich backbone of caramel and roasted malt. Enjoy now or save for later, this beer is crafted to change over time in the most delicious way.

• Style: Imperial Blended Ale
• Available: July 2016 – depletion
• ABV: 10%
• IBU: 100
• OG: 1096

Imperial Stout, 50% of final blend
Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 10% of final blend
Inspired by our past and celebrating our future, these Imperial Stouts feature a rich complexity paired with a sizeable hop profile, giving the final blend deep, roasted notes that better with age.

Imperial Total Domination IPA, 12.5% of final blend
Imperial Maiden the Shade IPA, 12.5% of final blend
Our history of crafting highly-hopped beers began on day one. N10 incorporates two Imperial versions of our cornerstone IPAs, Total Domination and Maiden the Shade, offering a big, citrus and floral hop hit.

Critical Hit Barleywine, 15% of final blend
A nod to our nerdier side, Critical Hit Barleywine possesses an impressive level of port-like characteristics. As it ages, the caramel flavors and bitterness intensify to create a complex finish.

THE PARTY: N10 CELEBRATION
Ninkasi opens its doors for a free celebration with its fans and community, Sunday Aug. 14 from 12pm to 9pm at the Ninkasi Tasting Room (272 Van Buren St., Eugene, OR). The event will feature live music, food carts, merchandise, and specialty beers on-tap.

For those not in Eugene, Ninkasi fans can find specialty N10 Anniversary crowns featured on all Ninkasi bottles starting in July.

Follow Ninkasi online for N10 content and celebration updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Ninkasi Brewing Company
Founded in 2006 by Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, Ninkasi Brewing Company continues to grow from its first batch of Total Domination IPA, to two brewhouses, a 55-barrel and a 90-barrel brewhouse, located in Eugene, Ore. Ninkasi’s Flagship beers—Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Dawn of the Red IPA, Easy Way IPA, Helles Belles Helles Lager, Oatis Oatmeal Stout, and Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout—are sold throughout Alaska; Alberta; Arizona; California; D.C.; Colorado; Idaho; Maryland; Nevada; New York; Oregon; Texas; Utah; Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The brewery remains privately-owned and is committed to community support and giving. Ninkasi’s Beer Is Love program offers in-kind donations and support for organizations throughout its footprint.