Hawkers / Against the Grain Rum Barrel Aged Bo & Luke Down Under Maple

TASTING NOTES

A six-month rum barrel-aged Imperial Smoked Stout, using smoked malts and infused with maple syrup. Rich and decadent with hints of maple and smoky goodness which is all wrapped up in a robust, full-bodied Imperial Stout.

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

Hawkers
Founded back in 2014, and launched in February 2015, the company has its roots much earlier. Mazen Hajjar, their founder, started the Middle East’s first craft brewery back during the July 2006 war between Israel and Hizbollah. By the time he left, his old company was exporting beer to 26 different countries including Australia. After one of his trips to Australia and while hawking beers in a Sydney suburb, the decision to start a brewery in Australia was made.

Against the Grain Brewing, USA
Louisville’s craft beer scene in the 90s was grayer than Aunt Claudine’s thinning hair.
Every pale ale was a pale ale, every porter was a porter and so on and so forth. It was different then, but truth be told that’s where the tale of Against the Grain begins. Jerry Gnagy, Sam Cruz, Adam Watson, and Andrew Ott found themselves working at one of the grayest Louisville breweries of all time doing what they loved but not the way they wanted.

Fed up and dissatisfied with the brewing status quo they banded together and drew up a business plan on a yellow legal pad. It wasn’t the best, but they found out early on they had a knack for taking something shitty and making it the shiniest turd in all the land. More importantly, they found they had the drive collectively to make beer better.

By 2015, the culture of beer was growing and the brewpub began to feel the growing pains. It was time to expand. The partners opened a three-vessel, 30-barrel brewhouse 20 blocks away from the pub in downtown Louisville. The facility was to act as the production arm of Against the Grain. They increased production by 400% and began canning brands to adorn shelves around the world. Today you can find Against the Grain in up to 43 states in the U.S., upwards of 25 countries around the world, and, of course, right here at home in Louisville, KY.