Pelican Brewing Company has teamed up with five local figures passionate about the Oregon coast for the launch of the new Updrift IPA campaign. Pelican has always embraced their identity as a beach born brewery along Oregon's sleepy but beautiful coastal range. Pelican is an integral part of their hometown in Pacific City and has migrated down the coast further with outposts in Tillamook, Cannon Beach and soon Lincoln City.

More from a press release:

The Updrift Campaign to pay homage to that sense of place and a flock of locals who do what stirs their souls and inspired the ideal companion beer for adventure—welcome Updrift IPA.

“Adventure is our purpose and beer is our passion—it’s what gets us up in the morning and stirs us to do more and explore this place we call home,” says Jim Prinzing, CEO, Pelican Brewing Company. “The North Coast is rich with adventure to experience and we wanted to honor the stories of the people and beer that make this place so special.”

Meet the flock that inspires Pelican to brew what stirs the soul

Pelican invited five local fellow fanatics to share how they live and immerse themselves in the organic and stimulating coastal lifestyle. They are adventurers who embody the gritty, authentic and spirited personality inherent in the Pelican experience. The Updrift Campaign follows five passionate locals who—like us—wake up every day in a place that reminds them that amazing is possible.

Meet the Updrifters:

Pacific City’s surfing power couple

Al Ciske and Sandy Smith share a deep zeal. As Pacific City’s dynamic surfing power couple, they live and breathe salt water and fresh sea air—driven by the pull of the ocean and a passion for riding waves. They epitomize the local surf lifestyle, covet the beach culture, and are principals in the tightknit surf community of the North Coast. They have created a life at the beach with the same intention and purpose that Pelican brews. When not actually in the water, Al is a specialty contractor for Seastack Construction and a full-time surfboard shaper at NME Shapes, a company he founded, owns and operates. Sandy is a guest services manager at Headlands Coastal Lodge and Spa where she helps guests explore the area and options for exhilarating adventure. Learn more about what drives this energetic duo!

He’s one legendary doryman

For some longtime Oregon natives, the thought of Pacific City conjures up the vision of majestic dory boats gracing the shores and plowing the breakers there. These waters are one of the only places in the world where dories can launch straight from the beach—an  age-old dory culture has lured adventure seekers for decades. One local fixture on the dory scene is Joe Hay. He and his partner, Wendy, are the owners and operators of Haystack Fishing, a charter fishing service that’s been running the waters for almost 25 years. With a deep respect for the ocean and its bounty, Joe takes pride in his work and maybe most importantly, the sense of community and belonging his feels in this little slice of heaven. Check out Joe’s story—it’s a delight.

Meet one of Pelican’s chief innovators

When Pelican brewers brainstorm a new beer, they don’t necessarily start with a recipe or a list of ingredients—rather Pelican brewers imagine what they want to experience, how do they feel and what are they enjoying while drinking the beer? Pelican’s Cat Wiest and team were tasked with creating the perfect adventure beer—the consummate reward at the end of a rousing activity. Mission accomplished! According to Cat, “Updrift is unique because it’s a crushable IPA. It’s cleansing. If I’d just hiked to the end of Cape Lookout, or hauled out of the water after a swim in the bay, this is what I’d want.” Cat had a dream of living on the North Coast where today she hikes, swims, forages, and of course brews exceptional beer. She’s an innovative ‘creative’ whose incredible travel experience and work in the fishing industry informs her brewing—and she’s got a compelling story to tell about how she got here.

Raised by the North Coast

Jarett Juarez’s passion for the North Coast runs deep. Whether riding motorcycles in the Coast Range, spearfishing off the jetty or driving his hand-built VW Bus Roxy through winding forest roads, adventure is never far from Jarett’s mind. His drive to learn, create, and adventure is fueled by his upbringing right here on the North Coast, where titles don’t stand for much, and hard work is respected above all. Raised by a commercial fisherman, Jarett’s thirst for adventure and the ocean matches that of Pelican Brewing. It’s in their blood and engrained in their soul. Learn more about Jarett’s personal connecting and calling to the North Coast.

Meet the perfect adventure companion

Updrift was crafted with adventure in mind—both to explore bold new flavor combinations and to honor Pelican’s roots on the North Coast. Pelican brewers composed an irresistible adventure-in-a-can when they crafted Updrift. Long on unexpected flavor and refreshment, Updrift is the perfect thirst-quenching reward at the end of any outdoor feat. Available now—and year-round—in 12 oz. cans, 6-packs, mixed IPA 12-packs, and on-tap at Pelican brewpubs and other participating watering holes.

“We needed a companion, a beer that matches our adventurist spirit—a beer that is equally refreshing and unexpected as the environment we’re surrounded by in Pacific City. So, we brewed Updrift with this intention as we do with every beer we imagine,” says Darron Welch, founding brewmaster, Pelican Brewing Company. “We thought of it all—the where, who, when, how will this beer be enjoyed. Then we designed the ingredients to reach the experience goal. We knew Updrift needed to be refreshing, medium lean in texture, and have a crisp finish to quench your thirst after ascending Cape Lookout or after a surf session.”

Drifting against the current, Updrift moves against the grain of predictable flavor, bringing a bright clean hop aroma chock full of tropical, stone fruit and zesty citrus. Underpinned by a foundation of toasty malt, the punchy assertive hops rise upward in a crescendo of flavor, leading to a clean hoppy finish. Atop the dune, the trail or after catching the big wave, Updrift belongs on your next adventure to ascend the crest of hop character!

ABV: 7.1%  |  IBU: 70  |  PLATO: 16º

Pelican continues to be one of the most decorated breweries in the Pacific Northwest, earning well over 450 medals including several Gold Medals this year alone at the World Beer Cup, Australian International Beer Awards and North American Beer Awards. 

Like all Pelican beers, Updrift is born at the beach by a team of award-winning craft beer makers known for brewing styles of beer that they themselves love to drink. Cheers!

For a list of all of Pelican’s award-winning beer, click here.

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.