Beer lovers can now get a taste of Spring Hill College with the debut of Portier Pale Ale. The locally brewed ale will be introduced tonight at McKinney’s. 

Braided River Brewing Company has partnered with Spring Hill College to debut the beer just for the College. Portier Pale Ale was crafted by Hannah Shankman, a 2019 alumna of Spring Hill. 

“The beer is super sessionable,” said Shankman, meaning that it contains low levels of alcohol. “It’s styled to fit the kick-back vibe that McKinney’s gives.

“[Portier Pale Ale] is super juicy, so you can easily pick out the orange and pineapple flavor notes. The bitterness is dialed way down so that all beer lovers from beginners to seasoned can enjoy it,” Shankman added

Two special launch events will be held tonight at McKinney’s. From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., students, faculty, and staff can join Aramark staff and brewers from Braided River to celebrate the launch of Portier Pale Ale. Then at 6 p.m., the event opens to the public. The first 50 people attending the public event will get a custom pint glass. There will also be t-shirts, music, games, snacks and, of course, beer. 

After hearing about the launch of this new beer, senior Jake Foster said, “It’s awesome that they made a beer specifically for Spring Hill and I can’t wait to try out the new badger brew the next time I’m at McKinney’s.” 

Spring Hill is joining dozens of other colleges and universities who have developed their own officially licensed beers, including the University of South Alabama, who also worked with Braided River to develop a unique beer for their university.

Braided River is a locally operated brewery that is focused on crafting quality products inspired by the Gulf Coast and on sustainability efforts. For more information about Braided River Brewing Company visit https://www.braidedriverbrewing.com/.