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Thunder Canyon Brewery

Thunder Canyon Celebrates Late Employee with Albert Summer Wheat

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After the sudden and tragic death of one of Thunder Canyon Brewery’s beloved employees Albert Rich, it has been decided that the brewery will honor his life every summer with a commemorative beer.

The aptly named Albert, is a refreshing, medium-bodied wheat beer made with honey that reflects the funny, happy and outgoing nature of the late Albert Rich.

Albert passed away in an accident while riding his bike home from Thunder Canyon’s downtown Tucson, Arizona location. Albert had been working in the brewery for three months and as Owner Steve Tracy says, “Albert Rich’s passing was a great loss for all of us at Thunder Canyon Brewery. He was a great guy, hard worker and well-liked by everyone. When we received the news, we thought what better way to commemorate a brewery person than to create a new beer and name it after him.”

Albert had just transferred to The University of Arizona, which inspired Tracy and Thunder Canyon to create a scholarship in his name with the proceeds from the sale of the Albert.

Albert will be brewed every summer at the beginning of July in remembrance of Thunder Canyon brewery’s great friend Albert Rich.

“Albert was just a great guy,” Tracey said. “He was an important part of the family here.”


Thomas AppelThomas Appel’s love for craft beer began after visiting a micro brewery at the end of the world in the Chilean Patagonia. He currently lives in the center of the beer world in Boulder, Colorado, where he is the intern for the craft beer program and a recent graduate from the University of Colorado. A native of the Sunshine State, Thomas can be found enjoying craft beer while getting lost on the beautiful rivers of Colorado!

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