ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI - Fans of the legendary animated series, Voltron, Defender of the Universe, will soon have a new way to indulge in their love for the iconic show. 4 Hands Brewing Company has announced the launch of a series of beers inspired by Voltron that will be brewed in collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences, WEP, LLC and a few of the most highly regarded breweries from around the country.

“I’m thrilled to be working with 4 Hands Brewing Company  to release the first-ever Voltron beer. Having been a 4 Hands consumer for quite some time, I’ve always admired their creativity, ingenuity and of course, great tasting beers. It only made sense for two St. Louis-born legends like 4 Hands and Voltron to come together to delight beer drinkers and mecca-anime fans alike,” said Bob Koplar, president of WEP. 

The first beer to be released, Volume One, is a 7.5% ABV hazy IPA brewed with Narrow Gauge Brewing Company out of Florissant, Missouri. To impart tons of citrusy hop flavor and aroma without substantial upfront bitterness, the beer was hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops and then fermented with Omega Yeast’s Hello Gazer, a thiolized yeast strain that delivers intense notes of guava, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and stone fruit through a metabolic process called biotransformation.

Including the launch of Volume 1 in the spring of 2023, the full schedule will be:

Volume One: Narrow Gauge Brewing, Florissant, Missouri

Volume Two: Southern Grist Brewing, Nashville, Tennessee

Volume Three: Hop Butcher for the World, Chicago, Illinois

Volume Four: Tripping Animals Brewing, Doral, Florida

Volume Five: WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley Colorado

Volume Six: Barrel-Aged Blend created with all participating breweries

Kevin Lemp, 4 Hands Brewing Company’s founder, added, “We love collaborations and building equity in our beers through storytelling and when we were presented with the opportunity to work with the Voltron team, 10-year-old Kevin got very excited! Voltron was a major part of my childhood and I remember videotaping Saturday morning episodes so I could rewatch them.” He continued, “In order to maximize the reach of this project, we’ll spend two years working with brewery friends from across the country in the hopes that these beers and the story will allow our fans to reminisce on simpler times, being young and not having a care in the world.”

In addition to creating amazingly flavorful beers over the next 20 months, the brewery is working with Josh Rowan, the St. Louis-based artist behind most of their labels, to bring the anime series to life by featuring the five lions from which Voltron is composed on each successive label. 

Fans of 4 Hands Brewing Company and Voltron should expect to see the first beer landing on shelves beginning in May. Please follow 4 Hands Brewing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates.

About WEP, LLC

St. Louis-based WEP, LLC has produced and distributed children’s animation for over 35 years, creating some of the world’s most memorable characters.  WEP is the creator and IP holder for shows including: Voltron, Defender the of the Universe and Dener, the Last Dinosaur and, among others.  WEP is a Koplar Enterprises company.  For more information visit www.wep.com and www.voltron.com.

Photos Courtesy : 4 Hands Brewing Co.