Hap & Harry’s Tennessee Beer is collaborating with the Grammy award-winning band Kings of Leon to produce a limited-edition release called Revelry amber ale, to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation and support research on juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
The Nashville-original collaboration started in 2016, while the band was recording their seventh studio album, “WALLS,” in Los Angeles and couldn’t find their favorite beer, Hap & Harry’s Tennessee Lager, owned by the R.S. Lipman Brewing Company, because it’s distributed only in Tennessee. The band eventually contacted Hap & Harry’s directly and ordered a few cases.
Nic Donahue, the son-in-law of Robert Lipman, who created Hap & Harry’s Tennessee Beers, recalls when he first met the band. “I got to meet the Kings at the Music City Food + Wine Festival. We discovered we have a lot in common: kids the same age, a passion for food and music, our families live here in Nashville. Add to that we all appreciate the opportunity to enjoy great beer with great friends,” Donahue said in a press release.
Hap & Harry’s will debut the beer at this year’s Music City Food & Wine Festival, which takes place this weekend: Sept. 15-17.
In total, 330 cases of Kings of Leon Revelry Amber Ale will be available for purchase at the festival; at the Kings of Leon concert at First Tennessee Park on Sept. 29; and on draft and in cans at select bars in Nashville.
“We call Nashville home and Hap & Harry’s has become our go-to local craft beer. As we began planning Music City Food & Wine Festival and the first concert at Nashville’s minor league ballpark, we thought we’d develop a special edition beer to celebrate those two events and raise some money for a cause near and dear to our heart in the process,” said Nathan Followill, the drummer for Kings of Leon.
The limited-edition Revelry Amber Ale is a light and clean sessionable ale with restrained chocolate malts. The name was inspired by a song from the 2008 Kings of Leon album “Only by the Night,” called “Revelry.”
The Arthritis Foundation advises, however, to drink alcohol only in moderation.
A few studies reported that enjoying a pint with some regularity might in fact reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. This is because moderate alcohol consumption reduces biomarkers of inflammation, which make the joints swell and ache.
Alcohol’s anti-inflammatory effects are also thought to be one of the reasons it appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in moderate drinkers – with the key word being moderation, meaning less than a glass of wine or beer daily.
However, once a person has some form of arthritis, drinking may have more downsides, as some prescription medicines don’t go well with alcohol, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Taken with acetaminophen, methotrexate or leflunomide, for instance, alcohol can make you more susceptible to liver damage.
It is estimated that 300,000 children in the United States have juvenile arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to lead the fight for the arthritis community, offering life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, and supporting advancements in science and community connections.