Brewery’s Founder Mark Stutrud Sources Barley From North Dakota Cousins

“Water is a beer’s foundation,” says Summit Brewing Company’s Founder and President Mark Stutrud. “Hop is like a spice. Yeast is the character. But barley — barley is the soul of beer.” Stutrud and the Summit Brewing team so believe in barley’s significance that we’ve developed a new year-round beer to celebrate it: Summit Dakota Soul.

Featuring a lightly toasted body and pleasant bitterness from spicy and floral hops, Summit Dakota Soul honors traditional Czech-style pilseners without forgetting where it’s from — Grain Country. “If we forget our grain,” says Stutrud, “we forsake our soul.”

Crafted from farm to finish

Crafted meticulously from farm to finish, Summit Dakota Soul features Moravian 37 barley, a heritage variety that imparts notes of English biscuits, honey and graham cracker in the final beer. What’s more, since 2010 it’s been grown exclusively by Mark Stutrud’s cousins near Rugby, North Dakota.

“It’s kinda neat to send our barley to Summit,” says Jim Stutrud of Barton, North Dakota, who plants and harvests the barley on a family farm alongside his son, Todd, and grandson, Josh. “You gotta be proud of it. You raised it. It has a purpose.” Todd and Josh Stutrud agree, adding it’s a point of pride to know where the barley ends up. They like the beer, too, of course.

Stutrud Barley and more

“Bottom line,” says Mark Stutrud, “it makes the beer taste even better when you’ve got Stutrud barley.” Additional ingredients in the new pilsener include Loral hops, a new American variety with appealing floral, citrus and peppery qualities; Czech Saaz hops for floral and spice notes; and Carapils malt for a slightly elevated body and toasted note. At 4.8% ABV and 28 IBU, a long period of cold conditioning ensures a classical approach to the style and a crisp, balanced beer with refreshing drinkability and no gimmicks.

Get Some

Summit Dakota Soul will debut at 4 p.m. at the Summit Beer Hall Friday, January 12, 2018. In the weeks following, Summit Dakota Soul will join our year-round rotation on draft and in 12-packs of 12-oz. cans, as well as 6 and 12-packs of 12-oz. bottles. Look for it on tap and on shelves beginning in mid-January.

Summit Dakota Soul

ABV: 4.8%

IBU: 28

Color: Golden Yellow (5.5 L)

Malts: Moravian 37, Carapils

Hops: Saaz, Loral

Yeast: Lager

Serving Tips: Serve at 38–42º F in a pils glass alongside Havarti cheese, poultry, seafood, Asian food and/or grilled meat, depending on how hungry you’re feeling.