Founders anticipates Sunday release of official ArtPrize beer

Founders Brewing, the official brewery for ArtPrize 2014, has announced this year's limited release that will be offered at all official ArtPrize events and distributed around Michigan, Wisconsin, greater New York City and the greater Chicago area. The beer will be released to the public on September 14 and on tap at Founders on September 16 for a limited time. 

Mosaic Promise is a collaboration between Founders and local stained glass artisans Kolenda Art Glass. The golden ale is brewed with both single malt and single hop combination.

“Mosaic Promise is a delicious, simple beer that we experimented with in our taproom months ago. It worked out well because we use Mosaic hops, and the art from Kolenda that we’re using for the label is something of a stained glass mosaic. Sometimes things just fall into place," says Dave Engbers, co-founder. 

"Experimenting is a big part of what we do here at Founders," says brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. "Every year we get to try out several new and exciting hops, and Mosaic was a hop variety that really impressed us with its unique and broad range of flavors. The Golden Promise pale malt that we used provides the perfect canvas for these hops to be featured on. I wanted to showcase the depth of flavor that can be achieved with just a single malt and single hop variety, while still keeping the beer perfectly balanced and easy to approach."

In 2013 the Kolenda Art Glass team featured "Ninkasi," an ArtPrize entry exhibited in the Founders taproom. Founders enjoyed the piece so much that they purchased the piece to remain as a permanent fixture in house. 

“'Ninkasi' is a celebration of Michigan harvest and, well, beer!" says Matt Kolenda, owner. "The vibrant colors of the mouth blown, antique glass provide an amazing pallet to display the timeless art of traditional glass painting and staining. Just as new, creative brewers everywhere are challenging age old custom of brewing beer, 'Ninkasi' puts an exciting spin on the common perception of what stained glass form is and was 'supposed' to be- a modern Nouveau. She’s fun, flirty, a little mysterious and encapsulates everything this little, big town of ours means to us and our community."

 Proceeds from sales will go to benefit future ArtPrize programming.