When California’s deadly Camp Fire wiped out the entire town of Paradise and other surrounding areas, Sierra Nevada sprung into action, announcing plans to brew a special pale ale with all proceeds benefiting the people of the region.
Over 1,400 brewers around the country signed up to make the beer in their own taprooms—nearly a quarter of all the breweries in the United States. But more than half of those brewers have yet to send any money raised from the beer to Sierra Nevada.
The news came from a leaked letter from Sierra Nevada to participating brewers. (Sierra Nevada has confirmed its authenticity to Fortune.)
The brewer, however, says it has been in contact with many of the brewers and, while the numbers are “concerning,” it expects them to honor their commitment. They just need more time.
“It is important to note that the beer was in market until April 30, so many breweries and retailers have just recently seen those funds come in,” the company told Fortune. Breweries of all sizes stepped forward in this Herculean effort and we are hearing from more of them each day. We deeply understand the challenges of operating a brewery and are actively working with our friends to establish realistic timelines for donations. We are however hopeful that those funds will be received as soon as possible so we can continue funding this essential work.”
Every dollar spent on Resilience IPA was meant to benefit Butte County recovery efforts. (Sierra Nevada worked with suppliers for the ingredients to be donated to participating brewers.) While the company is still awaiting a significant amount, Resilience has already raised millions of dollars, which Sierra Nevada has put to good use, helping to fund disaster recovery groups, child trauma reduction efforts, providing bus passes for students and more.
The Camp Fire hit close to home for the Chico-based brewer. Businesses in that city, including Sierra Nevada, had an average of 15% of their workforce lose homes. The fire burned more than 150,000 acres, destroyed more than 13,000 homes, and killed at least 85 people in Northern California last November.
