In 1979, the BeeGees, Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor dominated the airwaves. Platform boogie shoes and Disco threads were all the rage. And Portland’s favorite gourmet specialty food store was born!
To celebrate 40 years of dishing up top-shelf deli and catering provisions, Elephants Delicatessen tapped Pelican Brewing Company to collaborate on an exclusive craft beer to mark the occasion. Welcome 1979 Pale Ale—a zesty yet relaxed, easy-drinking brew perfect for pairing with your favorite Elephants specialty or any other beloved Portland activity.
“We are incredibly honored to be asked to help celebrate such a terrific milestone,” says Jim Prinzing, chief executive officer, Pelican Brewing Company. “We have deep respect for Elephants’ legacy and culture—few brands have done so much for the culinary landscape of Oregon as Elephants and they truly set the example of what a great Oregon grown company should be. Happy birthday, Elephants! To many more.”
When Elephants Delicatessen found themselves upon their 40th year of business, they wanted to do something a little different. They reached out to Pelican and decided that there is no better way to celebrate than with a beer. Both Pelican and Elephants strive to make their products part of their customer’s day-to-day experiences, and this 1979 beer is no different. A nod to Elephants founding year, the beer was invented with the Northwest in mind. With a pure foundation of Cascade and Centennial hops, 1979 was created to perfectly pair with your favorite lunch in your favorite setting. Grab this Northwest Pale Ale and take a virtual getaway with every sip. You’ll find a bright, clean aroma, zesty citrus flavor, easy drinkability and a rich, golden color. Yum!
ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 45 | PLATO: 13.2º
“When we think of Pelican Brewing, we think of Oregon and an iconic, Oregon heritage brand much like Elephants Delicatessen—Pelican exudes authenticity, craftsmanship and the ability to evoke an experience with their craft and that resonates with all we do here at Elephants as well,” says Cheyenne Terbrueggen, marketing communications manager, Elephants Delicatessen. “Our entire food and beverage team agreed that Pelican would be the perfect partner to help us create 1979—and thanks to the brewers, a truly collaborative experience unfolded. 1979 is all about a celebration—and we wanted to create it with another Oregon brand that we trust and love.”
Team Elephants knew exactly what they wanted in their signature beer and worked with Pelican’s founding brewmaster Darron Welch to choose all of the best fresh ingredients, flavor combinations and brewing processes to create their birthday masterpiece with intention.
“I was really impressed with the way the Elephants team approached this project—their clarity of vision made the process fun and really streamlined,” says Welch. “Their perspective as restaurateurs and caterers is different from ours as brewers, so it was great to see how they jumped into the process of envisioning the beer and evaluating all the malt and hop options to reach the flavor/aroma/color/texture goals. 1979 Pale Ale has a timeless classic character that really reflects what we all imagined as a team.”
Boogie down! Elephants celebrates 40 years and the launch of 1979 Pale Ale on Friday, April 19 from 4—7 p.m. at the NW 22nd location in Portland. Elephants invites guests to join in the festivities for some free beer and snacks as well as T-shirt giveaways and other great beer gear.
“We wanted to create something that our customers could drink everyday—and we wanted it to be an easy going, relaxing thirst-quencher we can pour at all of our taps and sell in our stores for the rest of the year,” says Terbrueggen. “Pelican’s ability to help us tell our story through the beer was just incredible—it’s a collaborative experience we won’t soon forget.”
About Elephants Delicatessen 
A locally-owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now has seven Portland-metro area retail locations and a busy catering and events company, all serving great local foods prepared from scratch. A certified B Corporation, Elephants Delicatessen prides itself on sustainable practices and voluntarily meets a higher standard of transparency and accountability, using the power of business as a force for good.
About Pelican Brewing Company
Pelican Brewing Company was born at the beach in 1996. Here, in front of a rundown old building at the water’s edge, stood three enthusiastic young folks whose thirst for great beer overshadowed their understanding of what it would take to build a brewery. They did it anyway. Thanks to the vision of founding owners Jeff Schons and Mary Jones, Oregon’s only beachfront brewpub became one of the state’s most popular destinations. And now 24 years later, Pelican Brewing Company is an iconic beach brand and one of the most decorated craft breweries in Oregon. Pelican has been honored with more than 450 awards including the prestigious 2015, 2016, 2017 Australian International Beer Awards Champion Medium International Brewery; 2014 World Beer Cup Champion Small Brewery; 2013 Great American Beer Festival Large Brewpub of the Year. Why? Pelican brews are playful, but not frivolous. Brewed with purpose, passion and a deep respect for the craft. Pelican operates brewing and brewpub facilities in Pacific City, Cannon Beach, and its state-of-the-craft brewery in Tillamook, Oregon where it brews 40,000 barrels of award-winning beer annually and distributes to six states. Pelican’s vision, its beer and values were born at the beach where the team wakes up each day in a place that reminds them that amazing is possible. Cheers, Fellow Fanatics!
For more information, visit Pelican Brewing Company.
Contact: Claudia Johnson, Public Relations, 503-799-2220.
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