WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: In collaboration with Genesee Beer and its Union-represented Workforce, a new Union-Made Hazy IPA is now being offered with the hope it will not only fly off the shelves in the heavy Union Density Cities of Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse - but eventually become a permanent offering of New York State’s oldest brewery.  Pictured above, showing off the new Union beer outside Genesee Beer’s Brewhouse are (left to right): Rochester Building & Construction Trades President Grant Malone (who also serves as District Manager of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 158/District 832); Teamsters Local 118 President Tim Barbeto; and Rochester-Genesee Valley AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation President Dan Maloney (who also serves as President of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1097).  (WNYLaborToday.com Photo)

(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) – In recent months, Organized Labor has been on a roll.  High-profile actions have yielded an amazing new Teamsters contract at UPS, new United Auto Workers (UAW) agreements with The Big Three - and now, another mind-boggling SAG-AFTRA deal in Hollywood.  And with a 70% approval rating of Labor Unions in the United States, it should not come as no surprise that Labor (finally) has its own beer: Union-Made Hazy IPA, brewed by Rochester, New York’s Genesee Beer.

The Genesee Brewery just launched its Union-Made Hazy IPA, a limited release of its Genesee Brewers Series.  Rochester Labor Reps tell WNYLaborToday.com a four-pack of 16-ounce cans (at a cost $11.95 and about 3,000 cases overall) and draft beer is now available at a variety of retail outlets in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse - three very heavy Union Density markets.

The Genesee Brewers Series Union special is brewed with base two row malt, sourced from Western Canada, German Carapils and American wheat.  It’s dry-hopped after fermentation with Wai-iti and Mosaic hops that are added to the kettle in the final stages to provide a juicy, fruit-forward taste and aroma with a hint of bitterness, according to those in the know at the brewery.

The collaboration between Genesee Beer (which employs more than 550 across New York State, including 300 Union-represented Workers at its Rochester Brewery) and its Unions: Teamsters Local 118; United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 13; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 86; Sheet Metal Workers Local 46; and International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 158S, have created a variety of Skilled Trades and Manufacturing positions at the Rochester Brewery, which became a Union Shop back in 1943.

To celebrate those Workers and the work they do, the Union-Made Hazy IPA beer can displays images of those Workers painting from a scaffold and hammering and pouring hops - all within a mosaic background, which the Rochester Brewer said in a distributed press release is symbolic of the craftsmanship that goes into making Genesee Beer.

“This was management and Organized Labor ‘working together for a common cause, but the most important part of all of this is that Workers are front and center’ (not only as the inspiration for the new brew, but who are so prominently featured in the design of the cans in which it is contained),” said the Teamsters’ Barbeto, who joined with Rochester-Genesee Valley AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (RGVALF) President Dan Maloney - who also serves as President of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1097, and Rochester Building & Construction Trades President Grant Malone - who also serves as District Manager of IUOE Local 158/District 832 (All Pictured Below/WNYLaborToday.com Photo), to personally introduce WNYLaborToday.com to the new Union-named libation.

“It’s the ‘importance of what was accomplished.’  This is where Organized Labor and (Genesee) management ‘worked together for a common cause,’” Rochester Building Trades President Malone told WNYLaborToday.com, crediting - as did Barbeto and Maloney, Genesee’s Mike Duemmel (whom has “roots in the Union Movement” himself) for playing an important role in helping push forward the concept of a Union-made beer.   

“‘It was a win-win situation - and now, this is a point of pride,’” said RGVALF President Maloney, adding with a laugh: “I ‘grew up on’ Genesee Beer. ‘In fact, I used to steal it out of my Dad’s fridge.’  ‘There’s a lot of hometown pride in it - like baseball, apple pie and Genesee Beer.’  ‘(The Union-Made Hazy IPA) is poignant, but not overbearing.’  ‘Now we have the finest Union beverage in the State.’”

Asked what feedback the Union Leaders had received from their Members regarding the Union-Made Hazy IPA, they said: “They ‘love’ it.”

Hopes are high on the Union side in two areas.

One, that the beer sells out so the brewery will be convinced that it makes sense to continue its run, possibly even as a permanent addition to its many fine specialty products, which include Spring Bock, Ruby Red Kolsch, Tropical Pineapple Kolsch, Cran Orange Kellerbier and Oktoberfest.

While there are 100,000 Union-represented Workers living in the Greater Rochester Region alone, one would think that selling out several thousand cases of the IPA would not be a problem, but the Union Reps are also using their own Labor pipelines to help spread the word.

“I’ve already sent four-packs out to Teamsters in Washington State ‘and we want to showcase it as a Union-Made beer to all Union Members nationally,’” Barbeto said.

And two, that it will lead to additional Union employment and physical Union-built expansion at the Genesee Brewery in the months and years to come.

There are dozens of Union-filled positions and responsibilities at the Genesee Brewery, including: Brewing Operator; Packaging Operator; Forklift Operator; Industrial Cleaners; Industrial Painters; On-site Plumbers; Masons and Carpenters; Ammonia Refrigeration Technicians; Industrial Electricians; Millwright/Metal Fabricators; Packaging Mechanics; Sanitation Operators; and Shuttle Drivers.

Rochester Building Trades President Malone said during a recently-held news conference (Pictures Below/Photo Courtesy of Genesee Beer) that introduced Union-Made Hazy IPA to the local community: “The ‘message we (also) want to deliver is that the Trades provide viable career’ opportunities.  ‘When you think of Genesee, we want you to think beyond Brewers and understand that it takes a highly-trained workforce to run a brewery.’  Our Members range from Skilled Tradespersons to Operators and Laborers ‘who take great pride in not only making and packaging the beer, but maintaining the brewery for generations to come.’”

At that same news conference, the Teamsters’ Barbeto (show at the podiums below) said: “There’s ‘a shortage’ of Skilled Workers.  ‘More people should consider the Trades, as well as’ manufacturing.  ‘Both can provide rewarding careers with opportunities for advancement.’  ‘It doesn’t get much better than having a great Union job at a great local brewery.’”

Established in 1878, the Genesee Brewery - New York State’s oldest, makes the classic Genesee Value line of beers, Genesee Specialty and Seagram’s Escapes.  

The Genesee Brewery also brews beer and produces other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under contracts on behalf of other companies. 

Genesee’s Value line of beers includes Genesee Beer, Light, Black, N.A. and Ice.

Genesee Brand Manager Tiffany Benning said at the same news conference: “It takes an entire brewery to make great beer.  Warehouse and Packaging Operators, Maintenance Technicians and Tradespersons, Industrial Cleaners and Transport Drivers work together to help us create and deliver world-class beers.  We’re proud of the Union-Made Hazy IPA.  And we’re incredibly proud of our entire workforce for helping to make Genesee the oldest continually operating brewery in New York State.”

WNYLaborToday.com Editor's Note: Product Photos & Photos Of The News Conference Are Courtesy Of Genesee Beer.