ATLANTA, GA (February 19, 2007) – Terrapin Beer Company, makers of the award-winning Terrapin Rye Pale Ale and Golden Ale, has been named the Official Beer provider for the 2007 Tour De Georgia. The partnership complements Terrapin Beer's passion for the sport of cycling, which includes its involvement with several Athens-based cycling teams. 
   

Terrapin Beer Company was started in April 2002 by John Cochran and Brian Buckowski. Their beers achieved immediate acclaim, winning a gold medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival and a silver medal at the 2004 World Beer Cup. 

As the Official Beer of the Tour de Georgia, Terrapin brands will be served exclusively in all Yellow Jersey Clubs. These hospitality areas will be located at each finish Host Venue during the seven-day event, April 16 – 22, 2007. Terrapin will introduce event promotions later this spring such as post-race parties and merchandise giveaways.

"Terrapin Beer Company has been working closely with cycling in Athens through our involvement with the @theHUB/Terrapin Bike Team, Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling Team, and the Athens Twilight Criterium," said Cochran, a University of Georgia graduate. "We are very excited to now support cycling on a much grander scale. The Tour de Georgia is one the top cycling events in the U.S. and Terrapin Beer Company is proud to be the official beer sponsor."

  

One of the four seasonal beers on the Terrapin Monster Beer Tour is the Wake-N-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. This beer is made with a special blend of coffee created by Jittery Joe's Coffee, also based in Athens. Jittery Joe's Coffee is the title sponsor of the Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling team, which participates annually in the Tour de Georgia as one of the invited 15 professional teams.   
  

"We are very excited to announce a multi-year partnership with another popular Georgia brand, Terrapin Beer. Terrapin Beer's home of Athens has always been a mecca for cycling, and now it's home to several Tour partners in Terrapin Beer and Jittery Joe's Coffee. It's our pleasure to continue to showcase Georgia companies and their products to the world-wide exposure that the Tour de Georgia creates," said Chris Aronhalt, Executive Director of the Tour de Georgia and Managing Partner of Medalist Sports. "We pride ourselves in providing a first-class hospitality experience to our partners, guests and spectators, and Terrapin Beer is the perfect promotional partner." 

Terrapin Beer Company was founded by two brewers with a shared a passion for high quality beers. In a salute to their entrepreneurial spirits, Brian "Spike" Buckowski and John Cochran struck out on their own to create innovative and aggressive beers. They founded Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, GA and a legend was born. Terrapin currently brews two year-round, award-winning beers - the Rye Pale Ale and the Golden Ale. The company also produces a line of four high-gravity seasonal brews known as the Monster Beer Tour. This includes the Big Hoppy Monster, the Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, the Rye Squared and the All American Imperial Pilsner. For more information on Terrapin Beer Company visit www.terrapinbeer.com or call the toll-free hotline at 1-888-557-BEER.
 

The Tour de Georgia is North America's premier, professional cycling event and rolling festival of community activities. The Tour was first held in 2003 and has become a spring tradition with a varying route of over 600 miles of racing. Over 2.3 million spectators have traveled to Georgia to watch the event in the past four years, and direct economic impact has totaled over $121 million. The event is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (2.HC ranking), and USA Cycling, Inc. (USA Cycling Pro Tour Calendar), making the event one of the top stage races for elite athletes around the world. Two of the past four winners have also been on the Tour de France, including 2004 champion Lance Armstrong. The Tour's official beneficiary is the Georgia Cancer Coalition. The Tour de Georgia is owned by the Georgia Partnership for Economic Development (GPED) and is managed by Medalist Sports (www.medalistsports.com). Route information, merchandise and sponsor information will soon be available at the official website, www.tourdegeorgia.com.

  

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, please visit www.georgia.org.

The Georgia Cancer Coalition is an independent, 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization located in downtown Atlanta. The Coalition was incorporated under the laws of the state of Georgia effective July 27, 2001. Both the Internal Revenue Service and the Georgia Department of Revenue have granted tax-exempt status to the Coalition. The mission of the Georgia Cancer Coalition is to reduce the number of cancer deaths in the state. In so doing, Georgia intends to become a national leader in cancer control by accelerating prevention, early detection, treatment and research. The Georgia Cancer Coalition brings together leading Georgia hospitals, universities, biotech firms, civic groups, non-profits, and government agencies to provide cancer research, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer. The Coalition was created to coordinate cancer-dedicated expenditures from the State's share of the National Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund. The Coalition is registered as a Charitable Organization with the Secretary of State. The official website is www.georgiacancer.org.