On Sept. 6, Capitol Creek Brewery hosted an event celebrating a collaborative project with Two Leaves and a Bud. The final product, named Two Leaves and a Hop, is a saison ale brewed at Capitol Creek Brewery and infused with tea from Two Leaves. The brew has been enjoyably received by customers of both companies.
The party included live music by local artist Logan Fletcher, a beer-purchase raffle and a plethora of prizes and swag bags for attendees to take with them. Local Jimmy Uvodich won the raffle.
“Everybody enjoyed themselves,” Alli Elam, Two Leaves and a Bud’s social media manager and customer care representative, told The Sopris Sun. And, “I was floating around and spending quality time with my team. Overall, it was a nice bonding experience.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Capitol Creek’s master brewer, Mat Johnson. “The highlight was meeting the folks of Two Leaves and a Bud and the [Basalt] Chamber,” he shared. “At the end of the day, collaborations like this foster new friendships and provide an opportunity to get to know other members of the community.”
Johnson met Elam through one of his coworkers, and they hit it off immediately. During one particular hangout, they discussed using tea leaves in a brew.
“It was [actually] my boyfriend, who works at Capitol Creek and is good friends with Mat, who suggested we brew a beer with tea.” Elam clarified.
The project moved smoothly once Mat selected a tea and went to work. Later, Two Leaves posted about the collaborative brew, which caught the attention of the Basalt Chamber of Commerce.
“It was awesome that they approached us and showed interest in our work. I think they’re helping facilitate these relationships between businesses on a more personal level,” Johnson shared.
Elam added that the connection between the businesses and the Chamber’s promotion of the product, inspired them to brew more batches.
“It’s fun for people to see what’s going on and to have good friends and local companies that bring up brainstorming ideas together,” said Elam. “Plus, it’s just fun to collaborate. I think if you have the mind set and aspiration to want to collaborate with people, you can make some magic happen.”
Johnson piggybacked on that, saying he enjoys collaborating with companies outside of the brewing industry. “Collaboration amongst brewers is very common. I think it’s fun to have collaborations spark up with other companies outside of the beer business,” he said. “It intrigues me, and there are more opportunities to be creative.”
He explained that he has networked with local coffee roasters, food upcyclers looking to utilize the brewery’s spent grains, farmers and even mountain bike companies.
“I’m interested in partnering with other businesses; whether it’s people producing something I can add to the beer or a food item — there are many different ways to collaborate,” Johnson expressed. “I’m super stoked about partnering with local companies again soon, especially with the changing seasons.”
Two Leaves is no stranger to collaborating in various capacities. For instance, and on the heels of the Sept. 6 release party, the tea company partnered with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers to work on maintenance of the Arbaney Kittle Trail, adopted by Two Leaves a number of years ago.
Plus, “Two Leaves started a program in January of this year called Community in a Cup,” Elam added. “Our first collaboration was with Pollinator Chocolate in Carbondale, where we had a tea and chocolate pairing.”
For more updates on Two Leaves, or to inquire about collaborating, visit www.twoleavestea.com For more on Capitol Creek, visit www.capitolcreekbrewery.com