Left Hand Brewing raises nearly $500,000 in 2014

Left Hand Brewing Co. raised $490,265 in 2014. In the last 3 years, amid much growth activity including increasing volume (41 percent bbl removed increase since 2012), five new market entrances, and earning international honors at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival, Left Hand Brewing has provided over $1.2 million for the community since 2012 in funds and in-kind donations. Events and promotions hosted by the Left Hand Foundation included:

Bike MS & TLH – $323,458
Bike MS is a two-day, 150-plus mile bike ride raising funds and awareness for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society with rides throughout the country. Guided by Left Hand leadership, Team Left Hand Brewing is a community team of 229 riders for events in Colorado, Florida and North Carolina / South Carolina. In their 7 years of riding, Team Left Hand broke the $1 million fund mark this summer, raising a grand total of $1,026,711 since 2008 for the NMSS and earning entrance into the Circle of Distinction. This year, Team Left Hand is striving to raise $385,000 total and will open their fourth team in Ohio, with registration for interested Colorado riders now open.

Left Hand Brewing Foundation & High Five Event Series – $104,000
In 2014, Left Hand continued their successful community event series, High Five Events, with each event raising funds for the Left Hand Brewing Foundation and to be contributed to local organizations. Hops & Handrails, Left Hand’s hybrid craft beer and rail jam festival, raised $17,009 for SOS Outreach. Culture Jam, the brewery’s diversity celebration & concert raised $1,000 forIntercambio Uniting Communities and the Longmont YMCA. Leftapalooza, a tribute band competition and concert, raised $21,926 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Longmont Oktoberfest raised $28,466 for Safe Shelter of the St. Vrain and A Precious Child. Moreover, all five events including the brewery’s inaugural nitrogenated beer festival and performance art show, Nitro Fest, raised an additional $42,982 for the Left Hand Brewing Foundation to be distributed at later date for community emergencies.

Homefront IPA – $21,000
Homefront IPA is a collaborative beer project produced by nine U.S. breweries to raise funds for Operation Homefront– a national non-profit providing emergency assistance to military families and wounded warriors. Sales from Left Hand’s Homefront offering raised $21,000 for the Operation Homefront Rocky Mountains Office.

In addition to LHBC projects, Left Hand funded $41,807 in retail value of in-kind donations to local charities, bringing Left Hand’s final community donation to $490,265 for 2014. Left Hand Brewing will continue to focus on their core value in 2015, to be a community minded organization.

“We have been really humbled by the generosity and advocacy of our community in recent years,” comments Chris Lennert, VP Operations & TLH Captain. “For everyone that has attended a High Five Event, sponsored one of our riders or events, or volunteered, you have helped us break $1 Million for Multiple Sclerosis and charitable organizations that impact our local community. We are excited to grow our giving in 2015 while adding to the fun for attendees and participants. It’s going to be an epic year.”

The brewery’s2015 High Five events series kicks off with the Hops & Handrails on March 28.