It’s commonplace for craft breweries to help out charitable causes. Beer and humanitarianism go hand-in-hand and, often, a brewery and charity are connected by a common thread. Such is the case with Rouleur Brewing and the Padres Pedal the Cause initiative. The Carlsbad-based, biking-themed interest is producing the official beer for this year’s charity ride, which will take place November 16.
Rouleur owner and brewmaster Rawley Macias sponsors four local cycling teams, one of which is for the RIDE Triathalon team. One of the members of the team is Lauren Diaz, the COO of Padres Pedal the Cause, so she knew just where to go when her non-profit found itself in need of a brewery supporter. Presented with the opportunity to do good through a shared passion—and, of course, beer—Macias jumped on board.
“I feel that all businesses, especially those in retail, better serve their community by giving back,” says Macias. “For us, we wanted an outlet to do so and wanted the outlet to be a long-term relationship with a great cause. Padres Pedal the Cause is local, cycling-related, run by people we know, and raises awareness and funds targeted at defeating a disease the kills millions of individuals a year.”
The disease Macias speaks of is cancer. Since its inception in 2013, Padres Pedal the Cause has donated more than $10 million to fund 59 cancer-research projects within San Diego County. One hundred percent of donations raised through the efforts of participants in its annual charity ride are donated directly to research. Diaz and company hope to increase overall funds raised this year by introducing the cause’s first-ever “beer for the cause”. That’s where Rouleur comes in with Pedaleur, a 5% alcohol-by-volume session IPA hopped exclusively with hot newcomer hop varietal, Strata.
“I chose this beer style for two reasons,” says Macias. “One, we are in San Diego and I feel that beer representing Padres Pedal the Cause should relate back to our region’s most popular style…the IPA. Two, because this beer will be served to thousands of individuals after they finish their ride, most participants will be tired, and I figured that a lighter beer would be the most appreciated.”
Although this year’s Padres Pedal the Cause event won’t take place for roughly a month-and-a-half, Pedaleur is already available in draft format at Rouleur’s tasting room. One dollar of every pint sold there will be donated to the charity organization. Macias also intends to distribute the beer to accounts that are willing to contribute a portion of proceeds from the sale of the beer to Padres Pedal the Cause.
In addition to the beer, Rouleur is looking to form multiple cycling teams to participate in the event, where the beer will be available in cans donated by Macias, making for yet another multi-faceted, organic instance of the local brewing industry helping the greater San Diego community.