Scofflaw Brewing Co.
Atlanta, Georgia
From meme to beer: Scofflaw Karen From Next Door IPA
What was one of my worst regrets from 2020? Joining the Nextdoor app. Sure, it seemed like a good idea for safety awareness. But then you read it. The stream of self-entitled complaints, and the constant stream of self-righteous posts. It started as “Can I speak to your manager” haircut and memes, and ultimately becoming “Karen.” You can probably chalk this phenomenon up to a Dane Cook stand-up bit from years ago.
Nextdoor is full of Karens, as Scofflaw Brewing found out the hard way when your brewery is next to a neighborhood. Honoring that love/hate/can’t stop reading the comments relationship is Scofflaw Karen From Next Door IPA.
There have never been more Karens our lives…so in honor of Mother’s Day, and for moms protecting their children from vicious servers everywhere, we tip our hats to you, Karen.
The hazy India pale ale speaks for itself, or to the manager directly. To our calculations, “Karen” has been released at least twice by the brewery in the past year, selling out fast each time.
If you missed it last time, Karen From Next Door IPA is back stirring up shit at the brewery. No mute button needed.
Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Brewery only
Latest Return: 5/6/21
6% ABV
Scofflaw Brewing drops 6 Barrel-Aged releases on Black Friday
Atlanta’s Scofflaw Brewing is hosting a massive Barrel-Aged Absentium release on Black Friday.
Absentium is as much a beer as it is a serious of big, rich imperial stouts by Scofflaw. The series started with Bourbon Barrel Absentium, and has since grown to include various barrels and additions. Often times the brewery doesn’t even announce an Absentium release until day of, or often times not at all- just simply stocking the brewery’s to-go fridge.
This Black Friday, the brewery is dropping six different Absentium creations to kick off the Christmas season.
Starting at 8pm on Nomember 29th, brewery attendees can purchase
Cognac Barrel Aged Absentium Stout, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Absentium Stout, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Vanilla Absentium Stout, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Coffee Absentium Stout, Bourbon Barrel Aged Hazelnut Absentium Stout and Rum Barrel Aged Coconut Absentium Stout.
6-packs of the releases and individual bottles will be available.
Image: Scofflaw Brewing
Scofflaw Brewing Basement IPA is coming to 16oz cans
Scofflaw Brewing Basement IPA, one of the most popular India pale ales in Georgia is about to get a little bigger.
For years Matt Shirah and co-founder Travis Herman busy brewing away in the basement of Shirah’s mother-in-law. This IPA bears the name of its birthplace. It has taken Georgia by storm.
MORE: Scofflaw Brewing & Basement IPA turn 1. Atlanta can’t get enough
The first cans were just stickers, followed by sleek black cans. Lately, the artwork has been more badass, thanks to the work of Josh Jameson. Coming very soon – 16-ounce cans.
Prevalence of the 16oz “tallboy” cans have swelled in craft brewing. In Scofflaw’s home of Atlanta, nearby Monday Night and SweetWater Brewing both have regular releases in the larger size.
Scofflaw Basement IPA 16-ounce cans will be available year-round in the coming weeks. Forget 4-packs. Scofflaw’s dropping 16-ounce, 12-packs.
Style: IPA
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Year-round.
Debut (16oz Cans): ASAP
7.5% ABV
PICS via Scofflaw Brewing
Scofflaw Brewing debuts collaboration with Virginia’s Aslin Beer Company
Scofflaw Brewing debuts their hoppy collaboration with Herndon, Virginia’s Aslin Beer Company on Friday, January 25th.
The brewing teams created an India pale ale (yeah, of course, it’s hazy) brewed with “obnoxious amounts” of Mosaic and Strata hops.
Juicy… with a huge aroma/flavor of pineapple, mango, stone fruit and berries with low perceived bitterness.
The Scofflaw/Aslin collaboration is apart of the brewery’s taproom only canned releases. Available while supplies last when the brewery opens Friday. $14 per 4-pack.
Style: IPA
Hops: Strata, Mosaic
Availability: 12oz Cans. Brewery only.
Debut: 1/25/19
7.1% ABV
Scofflaw Brewing to build second location in Atlanta
Scofflaw Brewing is building a second location in their home city of Atlanta, Georgia.
Selig Enterprises, one of the largest real estate companies announced this morning that Scofflaw Brewing will join The Works, an 80-acre mixed-use development coming to Atlanta’s Upper Westside.
Scofflaw’s home at The Works will span 9,000 square feet and serve as the brewery’s main R&D facility. Expect an open design with a large outdoor area featuring games and friend gathering places. The open plan will be designed to give brewery attendees a more intimate look at the brewing process.
“I have a great relationship with the Selig family and their business. There was no question that creating a Scofflaw R&D brewery and tasting room at The Works was the right strategic decision for our team.” -Scofflaw CEO Matt Shirah.
Scofflaw Brewing’s new location will be built alongside a 16,000 square foot food hall by Robert Montwaid known as Chattahoochee Food Works. The food hall will feature food vendors, entertainment and chef-driven events, a test kitchen and artisanal market shops.
The Works is an 80-acre adaptive mixed-use development Atlanta’s Upper Westside, located off Chattahoochee Ave. near Topgolf Midtown. According to Selig, The Works’ vision includes “distinctive retail and dining, imaginative experiences and inspired gathering areas in an interconnected environment preserving the character of Atlanta’s historic industrial Upper Westside. The multi-phased master plan comprises 350,000 square feet of retail and entertainment, 500,000 square feet of office space, 500 residences, 200 hotel rooms and 13 acres of green space.”
Phase One, 27 acres, is currently under construction and scheduled for opening in early 2020.
Image: Beer Street Journal
Confirmed. Unauthorized press release causes Scofflaw/Brewdog controversy
Update 9/28, 9 AM: Finally confirming Scofflaw’s story in regards a rogue press release that was sent on their behalf stating they would give away free beer to President Trump supporters in Brewdog bars, Frank. the publicist has issued a retraction. As Beer Street Journal mentioned yesterday, the failed promotion was invented solely by Frank. The company’s Facebook page mentions the following
Addtionally, UK journalists received late-day email retractions from the agency’s founder, Andrew Bloch. “You may have received an email with incorrect information regarding Scofflaw Brewery entering the UK market, encouraging Trump supporters to join them for a beer. PLEASE NOTE, THIS WAS INCORRECT INFORMATION AND IS NOT A MESSAGE FROM THE BRAND. Please accept my huge apologies for the confusion and do not run the piece.”
Upon seeing the original press release and social media backlash, Brewdog immediately canceled all events with Atlanta based Scofflaw Brewing and pulled all beer from their taps. Shirah and members of the brewery were in London promoting the launch. According to co-founder Matt Shirah, Brewdog never met with the brewery before taking the actions, starting their own “Hope, not Hate Promotion” on their own.
When asked about the fate of their partnerships and if Brewdog had contacted Scofflaw, Shirah stated “Nothing yet. Now we have to work to repair the damage that has been done to any of our relationships and reputations. I doubt we can recover in Europe, but the support from home has been overwhelming. I’m heading home now, as in I am in the air, so that I can spend time with our friends and brewery supporters”.
The original story appears below.
Atlanta based Scofflaw Brewing is spending the week in the United Kingdom, celebrating the launch of their hoppy lineup in the country thanks to partner BrewDog Brewing. The Scottish craft brewery has been contract brewing and packaging Scofflaw’s cans at their new Ohio facility for the last year while Scofflaw expands into a 50-barrel brewhouse.
The opportunity to expand the business partnership came up over the summer, with Brewdog offering to import Scofflaw’s lineup for the Brewdog guest taps in the UK.
The week was moving along smoothly until last night. Frank., a London based Public Relations Firm sent out a press release to their UK based list promoting Scofflaw and Brewdog joint events. Per the release – Scofflaw would give away free beer if the patrons would dress up as Trump supporters.
Outrage ensued, and social media excoriated Scofflaw for their stunt, prompting Brewdog to send out a tweet early this morning.
Beer Street Journal reached out to Matt Shirah for his side the story. Per Shirah, that press release was not authorized by him or his brewery.
According to Shirah, he made the decision to hire Frank. for the week to promote his joint events in the United Kingdom. The only press release Shirah, or Scofflaw authorized was the initial announcement of the brewery partnership and launch in the UK. Nothing else.
“I was unaware of any press release. The first one was the only one they were tasked to release, you saw the one. I gave them nothing else,” says Shirah.
When asked if Scofflaw Brewing or any brewery employee wrote, or authorized this press release, Shirah immediately responded “They did this without my consent or review. Just made it up. Fiction.”
“The PR firm, one agent, went out on their own. Maybe they don’t like Brewdog. Getting killed here. We can’t even leave the hotel room,” Shirah adds.
“Frank made it up and sent it. It was never a plan. never heard of it until it hit the press,” Shirah continues.
Shirah also mentions that Brewdog had no discussion with him or the brewing team. Brewdog saw the social media reaction and opted to pull the beer and end the partnership over Twitter, in public.
Beer Street Journal has repeatedly contacted Andrew Bloch, founder and managing partner of Frank. Our repeated requests for a statement have been denied. The firm has failed to respond to any request.
Scofflaw has been responding to angry fans on Instagram this morning. Another response to note:
-
scofflawbeer@thebrewbrotha we were blindsided. Did not come from @scofflawbeer and was not approved by @scofflawbeer. I think @brewdogofficialdid not know what happened either and just reacted. Ping @frankpublicity with questions. Sitting here trying to get them to respond and trying to the bottom of this…and reading all the threats I am getting. #happythursday
Additionally, this morning Scofflaw posted this to Instagram:
Brewdog’s official statement includes a few discussions on America’s politics, as well as offering free beer to people who stand up for “Hope, not Hate”. It’s also important to note that their mention of “Frank PR” erroneously refers to a New York PR firm. The publicst is based in London, and simply called “Frank.”
FREE BEERS FOR PEOPLE WHO STAND FOR HOPE, NOT HATE
Today we were the victim of Fake News, with Scofflaw falsely promoting an offer for Trump supporters in our bars that we had no idea about.
We’d like to again categorically confirm we did not know of, endorse or approve this promotion and as a result we’ll be sending all the Scofflaw beer from our bars back to the US. We had planned to stock their beers in our bars, and hold collaborative tasting events, but nobody ever mentioned anything about Trump to us.
We will also offer that free beer they promised, but this time it will be Punk IPA (or any of our other headliners) to anyone who shows up to our bars in the name of love not hate. All you need to do is tell the bar staff at any UK BrewDog bar, BrewDog Brussels or BrewDog Berlin Mitte you’re a lover not a hater, and we’ll pour you a free pint.
From what we can tell, the rogue press release about the weird Trump offer was sent to media without us ever seeing it, let alone agreeing to it, from Scofflaw’s PR agency, Frank PR. It’s not just that it wasn’t approved that is the issue for us here – it’s the fact that the offer directly contradicts our own views and values at BrewDog.
We’ve been pretty clear about our views here in the past. When The Donald pulled out of the Paris Accord, we produced a protest beer called Make Earth Great Again, drawing attention to the ingredients under threat from climate change and donating profits to climate change action group 10:10.
This story is developing. Check back for more details as they become available …
Scofflaw Brewing brewery sign gets major upgrade
Scofflaw Brewing hoisting up a shiny new sign on Monday, a major upgrade from the painted logo on the building
Per brewery co-founder Matt Shirah, he wanted to have an even larger sign above the brewery, similar to the Fox Theater, or the iconic downtown Biltmore Hotel sign. “Those are grandfathered in, and in the city of Atlanta your sign apparently can’t be higher than your roof now,” Shirah said.
The hefty new sign was created by local sign maker Henry, Inc. Above, Shirah and J.P. Watts, director of sales watches the first lighting.
“What do you think?”, asks J.P. “Fuck yeah,” Shirah says.
Image: Beer Street Journal