Celebrating an organization’s centennial year is worthy of a year-long series of events, and that’s exactly what United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona is doing for its 100th anniversary.
The non-profit recently announced the upcoming release of a unique beer that’s been tailor-brewed by the local Ten55 Brewing Company — a fine way to commemorate the historic birthday. The UNITED Summer Ale will be available at restaurants and bars across southern Arizona beginning on Thursday, May 19.
Flavorful contributions
The crafty beverage is a “light, crisp, and seasonal sipper with a slight spice.” If you think about it, it’s perfect timing for a new release being that the weather’s getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter, and the days seem to be longer.
Also, it’s a loving way to show your support.
Ten55 Brewing Company will be donating a portion of proceeds from the beer’s sales to United Way’s Community Impact Fund. This specific fund supports more than 230,000 residents of Tucson and southern Arizona for life, which is either through partnerships, education, financial wellness, and more.
Brewing lifelong friendships
The inaugural batch of UNITED Summer Ale was created on Friday, April 14 with United Way staff, volunteers, and community supporters on hand to observe the preliminary mashing.
“We’re honored that our friends at Ten55 Brewing Company have chosen to commemorate our 100th anniversary in this creative way, and I’m inspired that our United Way is a connection to the company’s culture of giving back,” said Tony Penn, president and CEO of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.
“It’s been fun to watch this process unfold and we’re looking forward to toasting this celebration of a century of service, all summer long,” said Penn.
All of those that were in attendance during the ceremonious process got a behind-the-scenes tour of the beer’s ingredients, including the rare Grains of Paradise, which is a peppercorn indigenous to western Africa with notes of ginger, cardamom, citrus, and juniper.
The beer lands at an approachable 5.8 percent on the ABV scale — something Chris Squires, managing partner of Ten55 Brewing Company, is proud to deliver it the local beer community.
“When we first discussed the potential of this project late last year, my answer was ‘yes’ before any detail had been worked out,” said Squires. “I’ve long been a proponent of United Way and the critical catalyst role it plays, I’ve volunteered at their events, and I’ve seen the impact of their work in our community, and it’s a privilege for my team to publicly stand with them on this milestone moment in their service to Southern Arizona.”
So, don’t allow the release date to slip your mind. The beer will be available on tap at the brewery and multiple other locations around town beginning on Thursday, May 19.
Ten55 Brewing Company is located at 110 E. Congress St. For more information, visit 1055brewing.com. If you’d like to learn more about the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, visit unitedwaytucson.org.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
