The Best Places To Buy Back Forty Beer

Back Forty Beer Company is a microbrewery based in Gadsden, Alabama. The company was founded in 2008 by Jason Wilson, who wanted to expose Southerners to the craft beer culture he had been a part of for the previous ten years. Back Forty Beer has since expanded to Birmingham, Alabama, and its beers are available in California and New York. Its offerings include Naked Pig Pale Ale, Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale, and Devil's Staircase IPA. While Back Forty Beer does not appear to be available on BeerMenus, its Gadsden taproom and kitchen are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm.

Back Forty Beer Company's name origin

The name of the Back Forty Beer Company is inspired by an old agricultural term. "Back forty" refers to the 40 acres of land situated furthest from the barn. This plot of land is typically the most challenging to maintain and is often overlooked due to its remote location.

The name is particularly fitting for a craft beer company based in Alabama. In the same way that the back forty acres are historically ignored, Alabama has been widely seen as a wasteland for craft beer in America, with mass-produced light beer being the drink of choice for many Southerners. However, just as the back forty acres are capable of producing a tremendous yield due to their fertile soil, the Deep South's craft beer culture is also fertile and primed for harvest.

The founders of the Back Forty Beer Company, Jason Wilson and Zach Folmar, were inspired to bring great craft beer back to the state of Alabama after a conversation with the Master Brewer at a local brewpub in the small ski town of Crested Butte, CO, in 2003. They enlisted the help of renowned Brewmaster Jamie Ray, who brought with him over twenty years of brewing experience, to develop the recipes for the company's debut beer, Naked Pig Pale Ale.

The Back Forty Beer Company was founded in Birmingham, Alabama, in March 2009, and their first offering, Naked Pig Pale Ale, was made available to the public in June of the same year. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and in March 2010, their second beer, Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale, was released. This beer would go on to win a Silver Medal at the Great American Beer Festival, helping the company expand its distribution throughout Alabama.

Gadsden, Alabama location

Back Forty Beer Company is located in Gadsden, Alabama, and was inspired by an old agricultural term referring to the 40 acres of land situated furthest from the barn. The back 40 acres are historically the most challenging to maintain and are often overlooked due to their remote location. The craft beer market in Alabama had been largely ignored, with mass-produced light beer being the drink of choice for many Southerners. However, the Back Forty team recognised the potential for craft beer culture in the Deep South, just like the fertile soil of the back 40, which is capable of producing a tremendous yield despite being rarely used.

The company chose Gadsden as its permanent home, securing a 27,000 sq ft warehouse built in the 1940s. Back Forty's employees spent 11 months restoring the space and installing equipment. The Gadsden taproom and kitchen are open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am-9 pm. The address is 200 N. 6th Street, Gadsden, AL 35901.

Back Forty Beer Co. offers a range of beers, including Truck Stop Honey, an award-winning English Brown Ale brewed with wildflower honey, and Devil's Staircase, a robust and smooth IPA. They also offer a variety of ales, such as Cart Barn Light, the official beer of the RTJ Golf Trail, and Rollin' in the Haze, a hazy IPA with citrus and floral notes. In addition to their beers, Back Forty Beer Co. hosts events and caters for private parties.

Back Forty Beer Co. has received recognition for its beers, including a silver medal at the GABF, and has been ranked as one of the Best Local Breweries in the U.S. by the Birmingham Business Journal.

Back Forty's microbrewery and taproom

Back Forty Beer Company is a microbrewery with a taproom and kitchen based in Gadsden, Alabama. The company was founded in 2008 by Jason Wilson, who wanted to expose Southerners to the craft beer culture he had experienced over the previous ten years. The name Back Forty refers to an old agricultural term for the 40 acres of land situated furthest from the barn, which is the most challenging to maintain and often overlooked. Similarly, Alabama was seen as a wasteland for craft beer in America, with mass-produced light beer being the drink of choice for many Southerners.

In 2009, Back Forty released its first beer, Naked Pig Pale Ale, which was initially only available in the North-Central Alabama market. The positive response to this beer allowed Back Forty to expand its coverage throughout Alabama, and in 2012, they brewed their first production batch of beer at their new home in Gadsden, including two new offerings: Freckle Belly IPA and Kudzu Porter. By March of that same year, distribution offers were coming in from as far away as California and New York, and demand was exceeding their ability to keep up.

Today, the Back Forty taproom and kitchen are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm. Their beers include a range of ales, IPAs, stouts, and more, with creative names like Truck Stop Honey, Paw Paw's Peach Wheat, and The Mandarin Chief. In addition to their Gadsden location, Back Forty also has a microbrewery at Sloss Docks in Birmingham, which offers a tap room and vast outdoor garden for customers to enjoy.

Back Forty's beer range

Back Forty Beer Company is one of Alabama's first craft breweries, inspired by an old agricultural term referring to the 40 acres of land furthest from the barn. The company aims to expose Southerners to the craft beer culture, starting with classic beer styles and evolving with customers' preferences.

Back Forty offers a wide range of beers, including:

• Naked Pig Pale Ale: A delightfully crisp, handcrafted American Pale Ale with a 6.0% ABV. It is crafted with German malts and five hop additions, creating a perfect balance of flavours.
• Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale: A medium-bodied English brown ale with a 6.0% ABV. Brewed with Alabama Wildflower Honey, roasted malts, and fresh hops, this beer offers a unique balance of sweet and earthy aromas.
• Paw Paw's Peach Wheat Beer: A fruit beer with a 4.5% ABV, brewed with just enough peaches and hops to create a bright and slightly bitter taste.
• Peanut Butter Porter: A complex, malty dark beer with a lightly burnt character. It is brewed with crushed peanuts and a thick malt bill, resulting in a creamy and distinctive flavour.
• Bama Mosa (Bière de Champagne): With a 7.0% ABV, this beer is a handmade Brut Ale crafted with orange juice. It offers a refreshing balance of juicy citrus and a dry finish, perfect for any setting.
• Freckle Belly IPA: A full-bodied India Pale Ale with fresh hops, delivering a powerful blend of citrus, pine, and fruit aromas. It has a firm malt backbone and a bold hop finish.
• The Mandarin Chief (Black IPA): With a high ABV of 11.0%, this Imperial Black IPA is brewed with mandarin oranges, chocolate, and coffee notes. It has less evident hops, resulting in a huge, unique flavour.
• Beach Cat Blonde Ale: A golden ale with a 4.5% ABV, offering a premium and refreshing beer experience.
• Devil's Staircase IPA: Named after an impassable section of the Coosa River, this IPA challenges taste buds with its robust floral and citrus aromas. It is crafted with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops, providing a soft mouthfeel that invites another sip.
• Fuzzy Belly NE/Hazy IPA: A combination of Freckle Belly and Paw Paw's Peach Wheat, this hazy IPA has a 6.7% ABV and offers a peachy twist to the traditional IPA style.
• Ameripack Variety Pack: This pack includes Rattle Trap Red IPA, Snapper Biscuit White IPA, and Freckle Belly India Pale Ale, providing a diverse range of flavours for IPA enthusiasts.

Back Forty Beer Company also offers catering services for private parties and corporate events, with a customizable menu that includes light snacks and full meals, ensuring a unique and enjoyable experience for their customers.

Back Forty's history

Back Forty Beer Company takes its name from an old agricultural term referring to the 40 acres of land situated furthest from the barn. Historically, this plot of land is the most challenging to maintain and is often overlooked due to its remote location. However, the land is very fertile and capable of producing a high yield. Similarly, Alabama has been widely considered the wasteland of craft beer in America, with mass-produced light beers being the drink of choice for many Southerners.

In 2008, it was illegal to produce or sell beer in Alabama that exceeded 6% ABV, which eliminated many beer styles offered by craft breweries. It was also illegal to operate a tasting room at a brewery or sell beer directly to the public, and to package beer in containers larger than 16 ounces. Despite these challenges, founder Jason Wilson, inspired by his experience in the craft beer culture, reached out to renowned Brewmaster Jamie Ray in 2008 to develop recipes for the Back Forty Beer Company. Their goal was to introduce Southerners to craft beer culture, starting with classic beer styles.

In June 2009, Back Forty released its first beer, Naked Pig Pale Ale, in the North-Central Alabama home market. The positive response to this initial offering led to the release of their second beer, Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale, in March 2010. Later that year, Truck Stop Honey won a Silver Medal at the Great American Beer Festival, which sparked interest from distributors and allowed Back Forty to expand across Alabama.

With the increased demand and distribution offers, Back Forty secured a Small Business loan to build its own facility in Gadsden, Alabama. In January 2012, Back Forty brewed its first production batch of beer at its new home, releasing two new beers: Freckle Belly IPA and Kudzu Porter. By March of the same year, the company had received distribution offers from as far as California and New York, with demand exceeding their production capacity.

In the summer of 2018, Back Forty Beer Company expanded to Birmingham, Alabama, opening a new microbrewery at Sloss Docks. This location, chosen for its dramatic views and proximity to an active railway, offers customers a tap room and an outdoor garden to enjoy their beers, along with occasional live music. The Birmingham brewery and kitchen, led by owner and CEO Douglas Brown and executive chef Russ Bodner, brew a range of core Back Forty beers and experimental beers available exclusively in the local market.

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