Broken Bat Brewery in Walker’s Point is collaborating on a beer with an unlikely partner: Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association Local 215.
The Milwaukee Fire Department Irish Red Ale will help raise funds for the union’s charitable fund and Ignite the Spirit MKE which will use the funds to support firefighters and their families in the city.
The 4.8 percent ABV beer was brewed by Nick Guthery, who started as the head brewer at Broken Bat Brewing last May after notching nearly a decade of brewing experience around the state.
The beer will be packaged in 16-ounce cans.
“This beer will be tapped and served by firefighters and paramedics from MFD, on March 15, at Broken Bat starting right at noon when we open for the day,” Guthery says.
“We will have two bands playing all day long – Joe Richter and John Calarco from 1 to 3:30 p.m., and Hillside Rebellion from 4 to 7 p.m. With it being St Patrick's Day weekend, there will be an appearance from the Greater Milwaukee Fire and Police Pipes and Drums at 3:30 p.m.
Guthery says that the beer was inspired by his great-grandfather, and the label art explains further...
“Baseball flowed through Jerry Crowley’s life. Starting with fanning 15 batters in his first professional start for the 1940 Sheboygan Indians, he was able to combine baseball with his service to the United States Marine Corps during WWII and later with the Milwaukee Fire Department.
“Over three seasons in the Langsdorf League, he went 17-7 pitching for MFD. In 2003, Jerry earned a place in the Old Time Ballplayers Association of Wisconsin Hall of Fame. Head brewer Nick crafted an easy drinking Irish red ale in honor of his great-grandfather and the men and women of the Milwaukee Fire Department Local 215.”
The beer is in the tank awaiting canning next week.
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.
