Minnesota breweries team up to help Asheville brewery in need after Hurricane Helene


Minnesota breweries team up to help Asheville brewery in need after Hurricane Helene

SPRING PARK, Minn. -- Several Minnesota breweries are stepping up to help another brewery with deep ties to the state.

New Origin Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina was destroyed during Hurricane Helene.

The power of the storm dropped a 300-ton train and other debris where the brewery once stood.

Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park, is one beer maker lending a helping hand to a competitor 1,000 miles away.

Dan Juhnke and Brian Fetting grew up outside Moorhead. The two founded New Origin Brewing in Asheville five years ago.

"I just consider Dan a true friend, and one of the best brewers that I've ever been around," said Backchannel Brewing owner Josh Leddy. "When we heard of this situation, I mean instantly, it was 'Gosh we've got to brew a beer in their honor.'"

That was the inspiration behind Crunchy Tunes, a New England-style IPA beer collaboration with New Origin. With each beer sale, Leddy said New Origin will receive a cut of the profits.

"Because this is going to be an ongoing effort, probably for years to come for them," Leddy said.

The beer is actually a callback to a previous collaboration between the two breweries.

"Hopefully our small contribution can provide them something," Leddy said.

It's not just Back Channel, nearly a dozen Minnesota and North Dakota breweries are set to collaborate and donate profits.

"It's absolutely incredible. We're thoroughly moved by the efforts that the brewing community has put in," said Fetting, New Origin's co-founder and general manager.

According to Fetting, he's still hopeful New Origin can rebuild after the devastation. Their priority now is seeing what government assistance is available to help out with what remains to be a massive cleanup effort.

An online fundraiser has now raised more than $98,0000 for the brewery.

"It says a lot about how generous they are and how thoughtful they're being, despite struggles that I think everyone goes through to a degree," Fetting said.

Participating Breweries:

Junkyard Brewing Company is hosting a Beer Release and Fundraiser party at the brewery's Moorhead taproom on Saturday, Dec. 28 starting at 4 p.m. A portion of Boss Battle sales during the event will be donated to New Origin's recovery efforts.

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