Last spring, Lompoc Brewing introduced Kick Axe Dry-Hopped Pale Ale as a seasonal tribute to the Timbers Army, the fan club for the Portland Timbers MLS soccer team. In response to the popularity of the beer, Lompoc has added Kick Axe to its brand portfolio as a year-round product, both on draft and in bottles. Kick Axe makes its 2012 debut at a release party Friday, March 2 at Lompoc Sidebar, 3901 N Williams Ave., from 4 to 10 p.m.

Fans will find the beer has the same crisp flavor, but a brand new look. An updated label design features a decidedly Northwest feel. It was developed in partnership with WAAMCo, the design and idea team of Woody Adams and Andrew MacKenzie. The new Kick Axe label is the first in a series of new label designs that will appear later this spring.

Kick Axe Pale Ale is a crisp, easy drinking pale ale that’s been dry hopped in the fermenter with whole leaf Cascades, giving off a huge hop aroma. It weighs in at 5.2% ABV and sells for $5 in 22 oz. bottles.
Lompoc will donate $1 per case and $5 per keg to the Timbers Army 107 Independent Supporters’ Trust, the non-profit behind the Timbers Army that supports soccer charities and soccer events in and around Portland. Last year, Lompoc donated nearly $2,000 to the group.

Friday’s release party will also feature Bourbon Barrel Aged LSD, Batch 69 Baltic Porter, Black Hole IPA, Spring Pale Ale and C-Note Imperial IPA. Every beer purchased comes with a raffle ticket: drawings will be held every half-hour for bottles of Kick Axe, and at the end of the evening, a drawing will be held for two tickets to the Portland Timbers season opener on March 12.

Lompoc Brewing, long known as a soccer bar, will be showing all Portland Timbers home and away games this season at the New Old Lompoc, Fifth Quadrant, Oaks Bottom & Sidebar.

For more information about Lompoc Brewing, visit www.lompocbrewing.com. For more information about the new label designs, visit www.waamco.com.