Beers for the Badlands
Thank you for supporting BCA and North Dakota breweries!
Laughing Sun Brewing Co. and Atypical Brewery & Barrelworks are supporting Badlands Conservation Alliance through Beers for the Badlands, a campaign to raise awareness about the need to protect public lands in western North Dakota.
Laughing Sun and Atypical each brewed a limited edition beer for the campaign, and will be donating $1 to BCA for each draught beer sold.
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“North Dakota's public lands belong to each and every one of us. It’s our responsibility to protect them for future generations. There’s nothing better after a day in the Badlands than to reminisce over a cold local craft beer with friends and family,” says Shannon Straight, executive director of BCA. “We're grateful to Laughing Sun and Atypical for joining us and supporting our mission to defend the Badlands.”
Laughing Sun brewed a honey lager. It was made with North Dakota malt and honey, and has cherry and floral notes. The can’s artwork was designed by Brandy Duarte. One dollar per six pack sold will be donated to BCA.
Mike Frohlich is co-founder of Laughing Sun and former President of North Dakota Brewers Guild. Frohlich grew up hunting in North Dakota and has been hunting in the Badlands for 35 years. He is an avid hunter who hunts deer, antelope, elk, grouse, turkeys and the occasional pheasant in the Badlands. Frohlich’s favorite stomping grounds are near the Short Ranch and National Grassland areas west of the Little Missouri. “It’s one of the places I treasure,” Frohlich says, “Seeing herds of elk and bighorn in that area, hunting out there every year. I relish the idea of being in the Badlands in September on the next bow hunt.”
Atypical brewed a honey sumac saison. The flavors begin with notes of pear, banana, and honey sweetness; sumac contributes a bit of warm spiciness. Atypical will have 25.4 oz. cans available for sale as singles, with $1 of each can sold donated to BCA.
“This is the first saison we’ve brewed here at Atypical, and it's a fitting style for the Badlands Beer,” says Eric Johnson, co-owner and brewer at Atypical. “Saison was traditionally a farmhouse style of beer, made seasonally and often with additional spices or other locally available ingredients. It only made sense to create this as a base to incorporate some of the awesome honey that North Dakota produces. The last part of the equation was sumac. It plays perfectly into the recipe; it's an ingredient I've wanted to use for a while, and it's also a nod to Indigenous people’s cultural significance in the Badlands.”
Nick Holwegner and Eric Johnson are co-owners of Atypical and members of the North Dakota Brewers Guild. “I've had nothing but wonderful experiences visiting the Badlands,” says Holwegner. “It's a unique place that makes you feel like you're in a completely different world the moment you step into that ecosystem. I fondly remember hiking through the vast terrain with my family and friends, enjoying the views and diverse wildlife. It’s one of North Dakota's greatest assets and is definitely worth protecting.”
Laughing Sun Brewing Co. is an award-winning brewery and BBQ restaurant in Bismarck, ND that hosts live music and events with local artists.
Atypical Brewery & Barrelworks, founded in 2018 by Nick Holwegner, Eric Johnson, Brady Dixon, and Dylan Davis, is a craft brewery located in Minot, ND that focuses on barrel-aged sour ales and other unique brews. Atypical hosts several special events and concerts throughout the year and partners with their community to help fundraise for important causes.
Badlands Conservation Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the badlands and rolling prairie ecosystem comprising western North Dakota’s public lands, both state and federal. We provide an independent voice for conservation-minded North Dakotans and others who appreciate this unique Great Plains landscape.