To appropriately mark his East End Brewing Co.'s first birthday, Scott Smith brewed an extra-special barleywine-style ale -- one that is a celebratory 11.5 percent alcohol and strong enough to cellar.

This Saturday, a bunch of friends have volunteered to help him bottle it in champagne bottles, which he eventually will wrap in pieces of brown paper malt bags hand silk-screened with labels bearing the brew's most appropriate name:

"Gratitude."

Mr. Smith is very thankful to all the people who have helped him create his business -- from volunteer helpers to the some 75 bars that carry his brews to the people who drink them.

This big beer -- made with twice as much malt as, and much more hops than, East End Big Hop -- will continue to condition (ferment) in the bottles for a few weeks, which is why Mr. Smith will keep all 600 to 700 of them not at the unheated Homewood brewery but in his warm home.

They should be ready for distribution and sale by the end of the month, at a cost of about $12 to $15, probably only at the brewhouse during growler hours.

Says Mr. Smith, "I kinda like people to come to me -- that way I can thank them in person, which is, again, the whole idea."

For details and updates: www.eastendbrewing.com.