By Jennifer Thomas – Senior Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal
Jan 29, 2021
Covid-19 has canceled the 10th annual Queen City Brewers Festival — but it hasn’t stopped area breweries from stepping up to raise funds for charity.
Instead of that annual event, 40-plus local breweries and cideries have collaborated on a Court Shoes Only Double IPA.
The collective effort brings the beer community together in a different way, while raising funds for ACEing Autism, says Nils Weldy, the founder of Queen City Brewers Festival.
“I’m incredibly grateful to see the overwhelming response from the breweries to this initiative. It’s clear they’re having a lot of fun with it,” Weldy says.
Court Shoes Only will be on tap at participating breweries starting next week.
The beer’s base recipe was co-created by Chad Henderson of NoDa Brewing Co. and Chris Tropeano from Resident Culture. Breweries then put their own spin on that base.
Sales will support ACEing Autism program locations in south Charlotte, at UNC Charlotte and in Mooresville. In 2020, the festival generated just over $50,000 to support three Charlotte-area ACEing Autism locations and fund the scholarship program.
“It’s been a thrill to see the breweries embrace the Court Shoes Only initiative — through creative beer interpretations and equally impressive video promotion in some cases — so I can’t say there’s a sense of disappointment, just a different way to celebrate our incredibly talented craft brewery community,” Weldy says.
He says the goal is to resume the beer festival in 2022 if it’s possible to bring breweries and fans together in a meaningful way.
The collaborative beer is presented by the Charlotte Independent Brewers Alliance, which has a mission to promote Charlotte beer and cider while positively impacting local charitable organizations,