Warning Sign Eisbock, the Team Brewed Lager for the Craft Lager Festival

Warning Sign Imperial Eisbock, a Craft Lager Festival Original

Warning Sign Imperial Eis Bock : “The Earth Saving Beer!”. This Eisbock is team-brewed every year specifically for the Craft Lager Festival, and each year the host brewer changes. The 2008 batch was brewed in Highland Ranch at CB & Potts. Led by host brewer Bill Eye, the versatile brewing group known as the “Good Ol' Boys”, and a mob of Colorado brewers, a total of fourteen breweries contributed to this fantastic batch (the largest group thus far for the collaborative effort). CB & Potts served a great lunch to the feisty group, and a small container of last year's Warning Sign was tapped to remind everyone of the fine reward to come!

The amount produced each year changes depending on the brewer, but typically it is 7-50 barrels (14-100 kegs). The alcohol content of Warning Sign ranges from 10-14% ABV, making the Eisbock one of the stronger lagers you'll encounter. The recipe started from Jason Yester's experience creating imperial beers at Bristol Brewery and his commercial barley wine (Old #23). One theme is to intentionally break the German Purity law, which allows more creative latitude with the recipe.

How did Warning Sign start?
The very first time we brewed Warning Sign was on a homebrew system in a garage. We had to brew three batches that year to fill a keg, because we could only make about five gallons at a time. By the last batch we still hadn't come up with a name. While brewing the last few gallons of homebrew we were sampling some of the finished batches (for scientific purposes, of course), and listening to the Talking Heads. The tune "Warning Sign" came on, and voila, the beer was named.

What's up with the dinosaur?
The catchy logo was designed by the owner of Ska Brewery, Dave Thibideau. When they hosted the team brew he decided to age a small amount on a single oak barrel, and bottle a very special small amount. Needing a label he was searching images on the internet and came across our trusty dinosaur logo. Everyone loved it, so we've stuck with it ever since.

How are the selling, distribution, and profits worked out? Are the profits donated?
Each participating company is given a keg to take home and serve and sell at their brewery. This has really gone far as a grassroots driven campaign spreading the good word about the beer. Besides being served by the brewers who attended the team brew, the only other place it's available is at it's true home, the Craft Lager Festival.