Save the Black Warrior 2010

SWEETWATER BREWING COMPANY COMPLETES 2010 EDITION OF SAVE THE BLACK WARRIOR

Annual Campaign Raises Money & Awareness for Black Warrior Riverkeeper in Alabama

For Immediate Release
October 29, 2010

ATLANTA – SweetWater Brewing Company has completed the 2010 edition of its month-long “Save the Black Warrior” campaign in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Dating back to the annual program’s launch in 2008, Save the Black Warrior has raised more than $30,000 to support Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s nonprofit river patrol and water quality monitoring efforts.

Countless citizens visited their favorite restaurants and bars throughout the program and purchased paper fish for $1, $5 or $10, or a custom-made “Save the Black Warrior” t-shirt. Patrons signed or decorated their paper fish for display throughout the businesses. Awareness for Alabama’s Black Warrior River increased immeasurably through Black Warrior posters and fliers SweetWater created for 39 participating businesses. The 2010 program raised nearly $10,000 for Black Warrior Riverkeeper; with more donations incoming as several locations continue to sell merchandise. Visit www.blackwarriorriver.org/shop for a list of venues still offering the limited-edition shirts.

“Save the Black Warrior has been such an upbeat, interactive, and successful program,” said Charles Scribner, Executive Director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. “SweetWater and the participating businesses in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa have raised much-needed funds and awareness for the vital but vulnerable Black Warrior River watershed.”

The top Birmingham-area fundraising location was The J. Clyde, followed by Blackwell’s. The top Tuscaloosa fundraising location was Innisfree, followed by Egan’s. These leading fundraisers won SweetWater Brewery tours and Black Warrior Riverkeeper patrol boat trips. To see the complete list of 39 establishments involved in Save the Black Warrior, visit http://savetheblackwarrior.com/participating-accounts/

Save the Black Warrior was led by SweetWater’s Alabama Market Manager, Melissa Williams, and coordinated by local beer distributors Birmingham Beverage and Supreme Beverage. SweetWater runs similar river protection collaborations with other Waterkeeper Alliance organizations, including French Broad Riverkeeper, Mobile Baykeeper, Savannah Riverkeeper, and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Mountain High Outfitters and Silverock Cove generously sponsored Save the Black Warrior, which included kick-off concerts by bluegrass favorites Rollin’ in the Hay in Birmingham (Rogue Tavern) and Tuscaloosa (Brown’s Corner).

SweetWater Brewing Company (www.sweetwaterbrew.com) is an Atlanta-based craft brewery specializing in aggressive West Coast style beers. SweetWater’s brews are unpasteurized and designed to be consumed fresh so distribution is limited to the Southeast. The award-winning line-up of year-round brews includes SweetWater 420, SweetWater IPA, SweetWater Blue, Sch’Wheat and Georgia Brown. SweetWater also features a Catch and Release series of beers available on a limited basis throughout the year, and an experimental, one-time-only Dank Tank series. The SweetWater Brewery, open for tours every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 p.m., is located at 195 Ottley Dr NE, Atlanta GA 30324.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper (www.blackwarriorriver.org) is a citizen-based nonprofit environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. A proud member of Waterkeeper Alliance, Black Warrior Riverkeeper was the Alabama Environmental Council’s 2007 Conservation Organization of the Year and the American Canoe Association’s 2008 Green Paddle Award winner. Nelson Brooke, staff Riverkeeper, won the Alabama Rivers Alliance’s 2010 River Hero Award.

For more information contact Charles Scribner, Executive Director at 205-458-0095 or [email protected].

Media Contact: Tara Murphy – 360 Media, Inc – 404-577-8686 or [email protected]