Lagunitas to brew new beer for Buffalo Wild Wings

I believe it was Plato who first offered forth the philosophy of “Wings, Beer, Sports,” that eventually became the tagline for Buffalo Wild Wings. B-Dubs remains committed to this mantra by seeking out partnerships with craft brewers (although, brewers with some Big Beer backing) to offer unique beers to its patrons.

The latest such partnership: Lagunitas Brewing Co. has designed the perfect complement for eating wings and watching sports in Fandom Ale — a hoppy pale wheat ale that will be available on tap in all Buffalo Wild Wings locations throughout the United States for a limited time beginning now.

“Everything we do, from our food to beverages and in-restaurant viewing experience, is for our love of the sports fan,” said Todd Kronebusch, vice president of guest innovation at Buffalo Wild Wings. “We’re upping our game in craft beer innovation by offering this limited release from Lagunitas Brewing Company, which was designed with the sports fan in mind.”

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Why a hoppy wheat beer?

Surveys with Buffalo Wild Wings Guests showed they enjoy balanced, easy-drinking beers with full flavor, specifically wheat beers and pale ales. As a result, Fandom Ale is a full-flavored fusion of wheat beer and pale ale, with a rich dark gold color. It features a citrus aroma and just the right balance of malt sweetness and hop character that stands up to hot, spicy wings without overpowering the palette.

Fandom Ale also pairs well with Buffalo Wild Wings’ other sauces, seasonings and burgers. With an alcohol by volume of 5.5 percent, Fandom Ale allows fans to drink responsibly while watching their favorite sporting events.

“Fandom Ale is the 39th of our ‘Fusion’ craft beers, a special series in which we brew unique recipes in batches with very special limited releases that reflect a true fusion of the creativity and ideas of our brand,” said Karen Hamilton, director of communications for Lagunitas Brewing Company. “We worked to come up with something approachable, interesting and fun for sports fans. We’re excited that Fandom Ale will be the first Fusion to be distributed to every state in the country.”

With more than 1,200 locations in North America, Buffalo Wild Wings serves more draft beer than any other restaurant in the country. In 2013, Buffalo Wild Wings was the first to offer another limited-time craft beer called Game Changer, which quickly became a Guest favorite.