Shmaltz Brewing turns 13 this year, which in Judaism marks the year of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the coming of age for a Jewish boy or girl. Shmaltz embraces this monumental occasion by inviting consumers to submit Bar/Bat Mitzvah photographs for potential inclusion on the label of Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah. The national contest runs from now until July 4, 2009; photos can continue to be submitted until Chanukah 2009 as all images will be posted on the Shmaltz website.

Shmaltz welcomes pictures of all Bar/Bat Mitzvah men and women (21+ only)! Bring on the braces, awkward suits, frizzy hair, ''80s-tastic family portraits with Aunt Linda and Uncle Dan... and celebrate the day you became an adult. The "winning" photos in each of these categories will receive a HE''BREW Bar Mitzvah Gift Set and be featured on Shmaltz''s website: "Best Hair," "Best Family Photo," "Most Awkward Moment," "Youngest-Looking Adult," "Funniest Shot," "Best-Dressed," "Best Braces," and "Best Dance Moves."

Shmaltz looks forward to laughing with you, not at you... Please send photos with your name, date and location of event to info@shmaltzbrewing.com. If you are on Facebook, join their group "The Jewbelation 13 Project," and check out some photos they''ve collected, post your picture, and become a fan of Shmaltz Brewing and HE''BREW Beer.

The national launch of Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah will take place at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, CO from September 24-26, 2009. This winter, HE''BREW will host special Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah parties in New York City and San Francisco, CA. Since its inception in 2004, Shmaltz''s Jewbelation series has been touted by critics receiving top accolades including "5 Stars" from Celebrator Beer News, "Best Holiday Beer" by Pacific Brew News, and 2007''s Jewbelation Eleven has a score of 97 out of 100 with Ratebeer.com. A recent issue of Beer Advocate (Volume II, Issue VIII) commented, "Today, Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing Company is arguably making some of the best contract-brewed beers in America."