Brewery launches Iraq soda operation

David Ayers, head brewer at Glacier Brewing Company, got an e-mail that grabbed his attention last month.

"It said 'I have a very strange request,'" Ayers said with a laugh.

The mystery message from the family of Sgt. Ann Olson of the Virginia National Guard launched Operation Cherry Creme Soda at the family-run, Polson brewery.

In the parched deserts of Balad, Iraq, Olson developed a mighty thirst for the brewery's cherry creme soda. Her family and friends wanted to send her the top item on her "home stuff" list, namely Glacier Brewing Company's cherry creme soda.

Ayers learned that the the soldier fell in love with the soda during a stop in Polson as she traveled around the country last summer.

Her carefree travels came to an end when her unit was called to active duty on Christmas Eve of 2004. Olson shipped out on Dec. 26.

Only a few days later, she found herself at Camp Anaconda, fondly known as "Mortar-itaville", located about 100 kilometers north of Baghdad.

Olson performs as a machine gunner on Humvees. She serves with the 457th Transportation BN/1173rd Transportation Company which runs convoys around Iraq.

A friend of Olson's, Dr. Trina N. Seitz, wrote to Ayers with a few more details about "our favorite warrior." She said Olson joined the military at 21 in 2000.

"Aside from the occasional mortar attack, Ann's real concern lies in the absence of what she calls "home stuff" - good macaroni and cheese, movie theaters without bomb-proof walls, and most of all, cherry creme soda," Seitz wrote.

Ayers said the brewing country was honored to say thank you "to this brave woman for showing all of us what a hero is." He set about designing a custom label in her honor to affix to a case of the company's popular soda.

It features a photo of Olson with her machine gun with "Operation Cherry Creme Soda" in large print and a smaller inscription that says "brewed and packaged exclusively for Sgt. Ann Olson by Glacier Brewing Company in Polson, Montana, USA."

Ayers wasn't surprised that the cherry creme soda left a powerful impression during Olson's one-day stop.

"It has so much sugar that it makes your fillings ache," Ayers said with a laugh.

Glacier Brewing Company created the cherry creme soda as a seasonal item about a year and a half ago. The concoction proved so popular, the company kept producing the soda along with its brewed root beer and regular beer products.

"It reminds you of the old-fashioned creme soda that used to be sold in drug stores," Ayers said.

Created as toast to Flathead cherries, the brewer said the company throws a few real cherries into each batch. Mainly, artificial flavorings pack the cherry punch in the brew.

"I've yet to have anyone who didn't like it," Ayers said.

Normally, the company only sells the cherry creme soda out of its Polson tasting room in pints or in bulk in half-gallon "Growler" mugs. He used some beer bottles to cap up a case of 24 12-ounce bottles of the soda for delivery to Olson in Balad.

Ayers said he wished he could ship a case to every soldier in Iraq. But the all-family, four-person business will have to expand a bit before that becomes a possibility.

Located at 6 10th Avenue in Polson, the brewery started just two years ago. Ayers described it as a big white building about two blocks from the hospital.

He said the brewery added root beer and cherry creme soda as a way to attract families to stop on their way through town.

"We sell an unbelievable amount of root beer," he said. "We make the best root beer in the world."

According to Ayers, Glacier Brewing Company's case of cherry creme soda went first to Olson's family. They have forwarded the surprise on to the soldier who has been a little down in dumps recently.

"They hope it will lift her spirits," Ayers said.

Anyone interested in sampling the cherry creme soda, root beer or German ale will find the tasting room open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Glacier Brewing Company is closed on Sundays until Memorial Day.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com