The partnership between the University of Connecticut Division of Athletics and Kinsmen Brewing Co. of Milldale, Conn., was sparked by Jeff Delucia. He a former UConn Huskies football co-captain who’s now the manager of Kinsman Brewing.
“Husky Hops is a great tribute to our Husky spirit,” said David Benedict, UConn Director of Athletics. “We are particularly proud of being able to partner with a growing local company and participating in an industry which is growing throughout Connecticut and the region.”
It is debuting at Rentschler Field during the UConn-Yale football game this weekend.
The new IPA is described as “medium bodied yet refreshing” with a base made from clean American pilsner malt and fluffy malted wheat with intense notes of pineapple, white peach and tangerine. “We had been discussing the idea of a special Husky craft beer with the University for quite a while,” said Kinsmen co-owner, Bruce Staebler, “and we are so proud of the product developed by our team.”
The Husky Hops label is graphically arresting and all-husky, featuring a close-up of the full front face of Jonathan, the University’s vaunted canine icon, with his penetrating, piercing eyes in muted shades of dark blues offset by the product’s name in bold white letters outlined in red.