Winter might not be here, but colder temperatures have arrived signaling the return of Phoenix holiday ales, Surly Gnome Winter Warmer and Krampus Kandy White Stout, and a new addition, the Snowglobe Spice Holiday Ale. Snowglobe, is a blond ale brewed with honey and spices and infused with cranberry, orange, and apple. It is a refreshing winter ale and a departure from the traditional winter warmer styles.
Being housed in a former mortuary allows for some non-traditional beer names and artwork, even for the holiday beers. The Surly Gnome Winter Warmer has a skeletal gnome, Krampus Kandy White Stout has a cuddly but fierce fierce Krampus. Snowglobe, the third holiday beer couldn’t just be cuddly, it needed a holiday monster. Meet the Yule Cat. The Yule Cat, from Icelandic folklore, eats people who don’t receive any new clothes before Christmas Eve. Sketches began and at some point the conversations over the sketches morphed into an idea for community outreach with a coat drive.
In partnership with Harmony House of Mansfield, Ohio, the Phoenix Brewing Company announces their first winter coat drive- Fight the Frost and Help Ward off the Yule Cat. the drive begins November 14th with the tapping of holiday beers: Surly Gnome Winter Warmer and the newest release, the Snowglobe Spiced Holiday Ale. The last day for coat donations will be December 5th, 2018 during the Krampus Kandy White Coffee Stout release.
Donations of new or gently used winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves for men, women, and children will be accepted at the Phoenix Brewing Company, 131 N. Diamond Street, Mansfield, Ohio, 44902, during open taproom hours from November 14 to December 5, 2018. Skybox Packaging of Mansfield has graciously provided containers to help store and sort donations until they can be delivered to Harmony House.
Chief Executive Officer for Harmony House, Kelly Blankenship says "We see a spike in homelessness around the holidays and they usually arrive without winter coats. Right this moment we have 17 children, 10 women, and 20 men staying at the shelter. They usually try to survive the cold in a hoodie, but they truly need decent winter coats."
In 2017 Harmony House served over 539 individuals with 418 adults and 121 children from 59 households with lodging, meals, and laundry facilities. Harmony House also provides a client-centered goal plan; referrals to other local agencies for assistance; life skills training in budgeting, household management, interpersonal skills, interview training, and transportation to appointments and job interviews. They also help with securing housing and when funding is available, financial assistance with deposit and rent. All totaled they helped with close to 18,000 nights of lodging and 54,000 meals for the year. Those wishing to donate directly to Harmony House Homeless Shelters can mail or deliver items to Harmony House Homeless Services Inc., 124 West 3rd Street, Mansfield, OH 44902.