San Jose, CA (June 15, 2022) – The San Jose Barracuda (@SJBarracuda), top affiliate of the San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks), are proud to announce they have partnered with Mad River Brewing Company (@madriverbrew) to become the first team in the AHL to serve a tribal beer.
Mad River Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery located in Humboldt County and has been churning out the “best-quality beers” for more than three decades. The handcrafted ales have won multiple awards including gold, silver, and bronze medals from the Great American Beer Festival, which offers the most prestigious awards in the industry.
“We are really excited to partner with Mad River Brewery for the upcoming season and provide fans with an award-winning craft beer option at our games,” said Eric Grundfast, Barracuda Director of Business Operations. “Beyond just its fabulous product, this partnership highlights the team’s continued mission to provide a platform for smaller businesses in our diverse community.”
The partnership with Mad River Brewery, which is tribally owned by the Yurok Tribe, signifies the continued commitment by the Barracuda organization to share its platforms with diverse partners. In 2022-23 the Barracuda will have multiple promotional nights to celebrate our community’s diversity.
“We are incredibly honored to become a partner with the San Jose Barracuda. Telling our own story, having a space for others to see and experience our product is a first in the history of the sports world and a new chapter in the NHL and AHL,” said Linda Cooley, CEO Mad River Brewery. “This partnership represents a turning point for diversity and inclusion. The San Jose Barracuda and San Jose Sharks are putting into action a need for visibility, recognition, and support for tribal business, which is directly tied to tribal sovereignty. As a Yurok Tribal member, Indigenous woman, and mom, it’s a monumental opportunity. Mad River Brewery has been crafting first-class ales for over 30 years. Now it is time we share our craft and our story with Barracuda fans, the hockey fanbase, and all those who come to San Jose’s newest arena.”
“The Yurok Tribe and Yurok Agricultural Corporation have made it a priority to stay true to who we are through telling our own story, standing up to tokenism, and insisting we find partners like the Sharks/Barracuda who stand behind this mission,” Toby Vanlandingham, President, Yurok Agricultural Corporation, Yurok Tribal Councilman. “As more doors open, we move forward with pride in our story and our products. Mad River Brewery craft beverages are certified Yurok Country products that belong in this new and beautiful arena.”
Mad River Brewing Company will be the entitlement sponsor of the East Bar which is located at the 200 level of Tech CU Arena and is expected to be part of the Barracuda’s first annual Hoptoberfest.
About Hoptoberfest
Hoptoberfest is a craft brewing event that will be hosted in the month of October at Tech CU Arena during a Barracuda game. The festivities will start pre-game and run through the 1st intermission. Fans will have the opportunity to taste a variety of local craft beer from all over the Bay Area. Full details and a date will be released at a later time.
About Tech CU Arena
Tech CU Arena is a state-of-the-art, 4,200-seat arena located in San Jose. It is the home of San Jose Barracuda. Tech CU Arena is a partnership between Sharks Sports & Entertainment and Technology Credit Union, a full-service, federally insured not-for-profit credit union headquartered in the heart of San Jose. With more than 155,000 members, Tech CU provides a wide array of financial products and services, including personal banking, financial management, private banking, commercial lending, and business banking. Learn more at www.techcu.com.
About Mad River Brewery
Mad River Brewery, a women-led Independent Craft Brewery located in Humboldt County, California has been brewing best-quality beers for more than three decades. MRB employs a time-honored, cut-no-corners approach to hand-crafting the finest quality ales, receiving four Gold Medals, four Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal from the Great American Beer Festival, which offers the most prestigious awards in the industry. Paving the way for a new Native American category in craft beer, the Tribal Brewery, owned by the Yurok Tribe, has introduced new products that promote the decades-long fight for environmental restoration and justice. Mad River Brewery is committed to producing the best-quality beverages on the planet and continues to employ the most holistic brewing methods to craft products that are in a league of their own