Good news, Wisconsin: Batch 19 is coming your way.
Six months after its re-introduction in Colorado, the pre-Prohibition style lager from AC Golden Brewing Co. will be released in southeastern Wisconsin, for now on draft only.
“We’ve seen great success so far in Colorado, and because Wisconsin was a big supporter of Batch 19 back in the day, we think drinkers will be excited about its return,” says Meagan Nelson, marketing manager for AC Golden Brewing Company.
Kegs of the unpasteurized lager are slated to begin hitting bars and restaurants in the greater Milwaukee metro and south to the Illinois border this month. It also will be among the post-tour beers offered in the Milwaukee brewery.
“Retailers in Colorado have told us that when Batch 19 goes on draft, fans are calling to ensure it’s available,” Nelson says. “People are excited and surprised to see it, and we’re aiming for similar success in Wisconsin.”
AC Golden, the craft brewer that operates out of the Coors brewery in Golden, re-released the 5.5% alcohol-by-volume deep golden lager in Colorado in February to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol.
The beer, brewed with noble hops and two malts that deliver a biscuit aroma backed by spicy, herbal notes, is based on a recipe from Adolph Coors an old brewing logbook discovered years ago.
Coors Brewing Co. first released Batch 19 in 2010 in select markets nationwide. After priorities shifted in subsequent years, the brand was pulled from the national market in 2015. But drinkers have been asking for it ever since, notably during or after tours at the Golden brewery.
Since its re-release, it’s expanded into additional bars and restaurants in Colorado and picked up momentum, despite having little to no marketing support behind it, Nelson says.
“Batch 19 has spread by word-of-mouth, and we want to continue to let it grow at its own pace and allow it to succeed on its own,” she says. “We want to let drinkers rediscover this quality, sessionable lager and introduce it to a new generation of drinkers who may never have gotten the chance.”