Wild Leap Brew Co. Releases First Pair of Craft Beers

‘Local Gold Blonde Ale’ and ‘Chance IPA’ Available Now on Tap in West Central Georgia

Wild Leap Brew Co. is proud to announce the release of its first pair of craft beer offerings. Local Gold Blonde Ale and Chance IPA are both available now on tap regionally at fine establishments in the local six-county region of Coweta, Fayette, Harris, Heard, Meriwether and Troup counties. And though released as a pair, the two brews are not twins. Each has a rich story all its own.

“Local Gold is our tribute to LaGrange,” said Chris Elliot, head brewer for Wild Leap. We had so much support from the community, from people who wanted to help us launch our brewery. We thought this must be what it felt like when settlers would dig for gold and strike it rich, so we wanted to honor them. That’s why we named our first beer after the ‘golden locals.’”

Local Gold is a blonde ale that Chris describes as “dry, crisp, light and refreshing.” It’s an easy-drinking, hybrid-style beer that blends elements of a German Kolsch, English Bitter and American Blonde Ale. With its mix of earthy, spicy and floral English and Noble hops, it’s versatile enough to complement a variety of foods or enjoy on its own.

The other new Wild Leap release is an India Pale Ale (IPA) called Chance. With its mild malt backbone, it is definitely more East Coast than West Coast. This deep golden craft beer features a tropical, citrusy aroma and flavor with a hop blend of grapefruit, melon and passionfruit.

The name ties in perfectly with the brand’s overall theme of taking a wild leap. As Chris noted, “We want Chance to serve as an inspiration. It will mean different things to different people and hopefully remind them to follow their dreams.” With its sweet, tropical blend of flavors, maybe it will inspire dreams of exotic locales and beach vacations? Chance will be a year-round staple for the brand.

The more you explore the world of American craft brewing, the more you notice the passion, creativity and camaraderie that goes into each new release. Wild Leap’s first pair, Local Gold and Chance, is an experience of subtle flavors and aromas derived from innovative ingredients. Even though the IPA style of brewing a beer like Chance is over 175 years old, it’s still more of an art than a science that involves getting the balance of hops just right. “Beer constantly gives off an aroma while you’re drinking it,” said Chris. “That part of the flavor comes from the hops. We spend a lot of time trying to get the aroma right.”

As brew master for Wild Leap, Chris says his job is to ensure their craft beer is an enjoyable experience for everyone. He wants to “bridge the gap” between the connoisseur and the uninitiated – the ‘beer nerds’ and the average person going to the store to pick up a six pack. “We want to make something approachable that even those new to craft beer can appreciate,” Chris says. He predicts that Wild Leap will grow with the customer and we’ll explore more unique tastes together.

“The most fun part of my job now is the experimenting and designing beer,” said Chris. “There are so many variables when you’re mixing the ingredients together but all of the trial and error is completely worth it. What I like about the architecture of the new brewery is that our whole process will be transparent. Unlike a lot of other industries, you’ll be able to walk through the brewery with a glass of beer in your hand and engage with the brew master. We’ll be able to show people how beer is made and they’ll be able to let us know what they like,” he added.

As for hints about what’s next for Wild Leap, there’s always something brewing. The team is working on a seasonal calendar. Once restoration of the historic brewery building is complete, they will expand the lineup to include packaged beers. Maybe even enter their craft beers in a few competitions? Wild Leap Brew Co. is on track to open mid-to-late summer 2017 as an anchor in the thriving new downtown of LaGrange, Georgia.