Matt Bonney was a larger-than-life personality on the Seattle beer scene. Among his numerous contributions to the local beer universe, he opened Toronado Seattle in 2014, but that’s just one part of a long list. Matt unexpectedly passed away in 2019. It was a year later in March 2020 that Toronado Seattle announced that it was closing permanently.

Fremont Brewing recently announced its plans to release Ye Olde Centaur Barley Wine as a nod to a man very deserving of such a tribute. The beer was brewed in collaboration with the folks at Seattle’s esteemed beer bar, Brouwer’s Cafe, which is where Matt made an indelible first impression on many local beer lovers.

Here is the release announcement from Fremont Brewing, which includes everything you need to know about getting your hands on some of the beer.

FREMONT BREWING TO RELEASE YE OLDE CENTAUR BARLEY WINE

A Tribute to Matt Bonney

SEATTLE – Ye Olde Centaur is a collaboration between Fremont Brewing and Brouwer’s Café and is a tribute to beer community legend, Matt Bonney. Matt Bonney was many things in life, son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, mentor, brewer, well-known beer community member and publican. He was a one of kind, affable man that made friends easily and was affectionately known simply as Bonney or The Centaur, to those that knew him. Sadly, in March of 2019 Matt passed away.

“This is our tribute to Matt Bonney, our fallen brother from another mother! Our lover of his wife Lynn, Vans shoes, Cigars, Beer, Clutch, Scotch, Jeeps and Centaur Bonney helped to shape the beer community here in Seattle, was wise beyond his earth years, an inspiration to many, the glue that brought so many together for so many years and so many beers and left us all too soon.

We brewed this beer soon after Matt left us with a group of friends and aged it in barrels that bring elements of the Man, the Myth, the Legend to liquid form. For those of you that knew him, there are peat barrels – he had an affinity for cigars and peaty scotch – Jack Daniels barrels, let’s just say 3 fingers worth in a bucket, and ex-bourbon vanilla bean barrels which reminds us of what his Jeep smelled like.” Said Matt Lincecum, Fremont Brewing and Nat Pellman, Brouwer’s Cafe.

A barley wine ale that has been aged in bourbon barrels, Ye Olde Centaur was brewed with Maris Otter Pale, Triticale Munich, Crystal, Dark Crystal, and Cherrywood Smoked malts, and Northern Brewer hops. It has a 10% ABV with 30 IBU’s and will be available in 22oz bottles and magnums.

It will release for pre-sale via brouwerscafe.com on Sunday, January 3rd at 12PM. Orders will be limited to 2, 22oz bottles per person while supplies last. Order pick-ups will start at Brouwer’s Café on what would have been Matt Bonney’s 47th Birthday, January 5th at 2-5PM time.

Fremont will release Ye Olde Centaur for pre-sale via fremontbrewing.com on Friday, January 8th at 11AM. Orders will be limited to 1, 22oz bottle per person or 1 Magnum bottle while supplies last. Order pick-ups will start at Fremont’s Urban Beer Garden on Saturday, January 9th at 12PM. Please wear a mask when picking up your orders and maintain social distancing best practices.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Ye Olde Centaur will be donated to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) on behalf of the Bonney Family. Learn more about NORD and their mission at www.rarediseases.org