This past fall, twelve Total Wine & More store team members from eleven states traveled to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, California for a special Sierra Nevada Beer Camp. Beer Camp is an intense two-day immersion in craft beer and brewing, during which attendees select a style of beer to brew and the beer’s ingredients, and work with brewing experts in Sierra Nevada’s state-of-the-art pilot brewhouse to brew the beer.

The Total Wine & More Beer Camp Team

Working as a team, our group zeroed in on brewing a beer that would be unique, flavorful, intriguing, appealing, sellable, and memorable. Pale Stout, a.k.a. White Stout, is a nearly extinct beer style rooted in 18th and 19th century English history. Our Beer Camp version includes some modern craft brewing twists. Named Fade to White, this pale stout is golden in color with a creamy texture, displaying a rich aroma of baker’s cocoa and roast coffee, akin to a chocolate-covered espresso bean.

Fade to White measures 7.1% ABV and 43 IBUs. The grain bill comprises Two-Row pale, smoked malt, acidulated malt, wheat and oats. Aurora hops provide bittering, with Aurora, Celia, and Australian Cascade hops for finishing. Additional ingredients include star anise, coffee and cocoa powder. Fermentation was with ale yeast.

Rob Hill, adding the malt

“We’re incredibly excited to share Fade to White with our customers,” says Rob Hill, Certified Cicerone at Total Wine’s home office. Hill, who attended Beer Camp with his Total Wine colleagues, added, “Our Beer Camp experience was incredible. Sierra Nevada’s dedication to quality, process innovation, sustainability, product consistency, and all things craft beer is evident in everything they do. Beer Camp is expertly run and a great education.”

Fade to White Pale Stout is draught only and will be available for sale in growlers beginning 5:00 P.M. local time on Friday, January 30 in all of Total Wine’s 36 stores with growler stations. Check www.totalwine.com/whatsontap for store locations and growler tap listings.