SURREY - British Columbians looking for a precious brew to give to that fantastic someone this holiday season won't have to journey all the way to Mordor. Beers inspired by The Hobbit film series are on the way to store shelves.
Central City Brewers has announced it's releasing three beers in the coming weeks to
coincide with the Dec. 17 release of the final installment of The Hobbit trilogy.
The Surrey craft beer maker will brew and sell Gollum Precious Pils, Smaug Stout (honouring the titular dragon that appeared in the previous film) and Bolg Belgian Tripel (named after the ferocious orc).
Tim Barnes, Central City's vice-president of sales and marketing, said the company began work on the arrangement in August after discovering a U.S.-based partner was close to a deal with Warner Brothers to licence the fantasy trilogy's brand.
He then asked if his company could piggyback on the licensing agreement and get Central City to brew the beer for Canadians outside of Quebec.
"As new movies come out, I think a beer that goes along with the movie is going to be something you see in the future," Barnes said, noting HBO's fantasy series Game of Thrones began licensing its brand for brewers last year.
"We want to position ourselves in the market as potentially the Canadian partner that is the go-to partner for that kind of release."
In October, Central City and Vancouver's Parallel 49 brewery announced a collaboration on North America's first advent-style holiday beer pack, which includes 24 craft brews packaged as Mystery Gift Holiday Countdown. The limitedrelease pack retails for $74.95 in both Alberta and British Columbia.
-with file from Kristi Alexandra