New Craft Beer Brewed in Honor of Pope Francis’ U.S. Visit

A New Jersey-based craft brewery will be debuting a new beer called “You Only Pope Once,” just in time for Pope Francis’ visit to the United States at the end of September.

The president and co-founder of Cape May Brewery, Ryan Krill, told the Catholic News Agency that he was raised Catholic and wished to invent a beer to commemorate the historic papal visit.

 

When you realize you're famous enough to have a #craftbeer named after you http://t.co/08Rg11kkw3 #PopeinPhilly pic.twitter.com/xjztbB2JGO

— Brew Studs (@BrewStuds) August 17, 2015

 

Cape May Brewery decided to issue a new, limited-edition ale that fits in with the Pope’s preference for lighter brews. According to Krill, the brewery will produce 500 gallons of the #YOPO beer, a hoppy ale consisting of 5.5% alcohol.

“We jokingly said we added an ‘unholy’ amount of hops,” Krill said.

Cape May’s director of sales, Justin Vitti, said the ale is intended to pair well with Argentinian beef, in honor of Francis’ home country, as well as with the traditional chimichurri sauce often used on Argentinian steaks. Krill said that the salsa’s citrus, pepper, and piney flavors complement the hops used in the beer.

When naming the ale, Krill said they ran through a number of options before finally settling on #YOPO: You Only Pope Once.

“We wanted to do something that was respectful and tasteful and still a little bit of fun, so we landed on #YOPO,” he said.

Krill said he would have the beer available for the Pope and hopes that Francis will get the chance to taste it. “If he wants it I will happily pour him a glass,” he said.

This is not the first time special beers and liquors have been produced in honor of the Roman pontiff. Trinitas Cellars in Napa Valley has a Zinfandel named for Pope Francis’ predecessor, appropriately called RatZINger, as well as a Malbec—Argentina’s bestselling red wine—called Cabernet FRANCis.

The Moa Brewing Company, located in Marlborough, New Zealand, also produced a “Grodziskie,” or Polish-style wheat ale, called “John Paul,” in honor of Poland’s most famous son, Saint John Paul II.

#YOPO will be available by September 21, but only on draft.

Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter @tdwilliamsrome.