Craft brewers care. We can tell that from the many initiatives they undertake both locally and nationally. Here are three examples of efforts underway right now by Milwaukee-area hop breweries.
Every year, the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation partners with a brewery in each state on a special beer to fund pediatric cancer research and this year, Lakefront is the Wisconsin representative.
The Milwaukee brewer’s Rising Hope IPA is a hazy IPA with passion fruit, orange and guava flavors, and profits from its sale will be donated to NPCD to help fund research into less toxic, more targeted treatments for children battling cancer.
The ingredients for the beer were donated by Yakima Chief Hops, Country Malt Group and Amoretti fruit. Each participating brewery will make the same beer.
The beer is expected to be on tap at Lakefront, 1872 N. Commerce St., throughout the month.
“This seemed like an easy decision for such an important and worthy cause”, says Lakefront President Russ Klisch, “come on down and have a pint, knowing you're contributing.”
On Thursday, Nov. 4, in celebration of the beer’s release, Lakefront will double the donation for every pint sold.
If you want to donate, visit nationalpcf.org.
Chili for Charity at Sahale
After a year off, Chili For Charity returns!!!
After a pandemic year off, Chili for Charity is back at Sahale Ale Works, 1505 Wisconsin Ave., #170, in Grafton, on Saturday, Dec. 4, from noon until 6 p.m.
Guests at the free, family friendly event – with indoor and outdoor seating – will sample up to a dozen different chilis for $1 each. Cornbread will also be available for purchase.
One hundred percent of chili and cornbread sales benefit Family Sharing of Ozaukee County.
Vote for you favorite chili or donate your own chili to support this fundraiser and you can will prizes. To register your chili, go here.
To RSVP for the event, go here.
Lion’s Tail’s Movember beer
Though Lion’s Tail is in Neenah (come on, it ain’t that far), the brewery is prepping to build a brewery and taproom in Wauwatosa, so I know you’ll be extra interested in its annual Movember beer release in support of the eponymous men’s health charity.
Lion’s Tail is making Strong but Brittle peanut brittle brown ale.
“The name has two meanings,” says Lion’s Tail Operations & Marketing Manager Nick Leak. “This beer features flavors of peanut brittle and also is a stronger-than-normal brown ale at 6 percent ABV. (And) the name defines a lot of men.
“Culturally there's this perception that men have to always be tough and not show weakness or that they're hurting. But lots of men have health issues – physical or mental – that they hide or don't seek help for because of societal pressures. Movember is trying to open a dialog and change that perception so that more men talk about their issues and seek the help they need before it's too late.”
Leak says Lion’s Tail has partnered with a number of suppliers, including Brewer's Supply Group, Omega Yeast, Blue Label Packaging Co., Lagersmith Canning Co. and Jason Kobishop Design to be able to maximize the proceeds for donation this year.
“All proceeds will donated to the Movember Foundation through our Sales Manager, Eric Henzel's, Movember page,” says Leak. “Through this partnership and support from our customers, the proceeds from this beer will make a donation of up to $5,000. If anyone wants to support this project in addition to purchasing the beer, they can donate here.”
Strong but Brittle will be released on Satuday, Nov. 6 at the Lion's Tail taproom in Neenah on tap and in $14 four-packs to go. The beer should begin to land at retailers around Wisconsin next week.
Lion’s Tail brews are typically available at Ray’s Wine and Spirits, among other area retailers.
“Men's Health is a very personal issue to most members of the Lion's Tail team,” says Leak. “We've lost friends and family to prostate cancer, testicular cancer or mental health issues, the main causes that Movember supports, or suffered from some of those issues ourselves.
“We know the importance of starting a conversation about health, getting tested, and getting an early diagnosis in order to stop men dying too young, and we've seen the incredible things that the Movember Foundation is doing in order to support that mission. The LTB team wants to do our part to help further that cause in any way we can.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
