Collaboration has steadily grown in popularity within the wider craft beer world with brewers finding pretty much any reason to collaborate with local, national and overseas brewers or, indeed, those outside the realm of beer: coffee, wine, clothing, TV, sports, food, events, bands...
Brewing a beer for charity seems as good a reason as any to organise a brew day and, although Firefighters Red Ale might not be the first beer brewed for charitable purposes, or the first red ale named after firemen we've written about, it just may be the first beer brewed in Australia that saw brewers collaborating with firefighters, in this case the volunteer firefighters of WA’s South West. The beer was brewed with a few local vollies present (some are heavily involved in the brewing industry) with all proceeds going to help future fire and emergency efforts.
Along with the local vollies, Cheeky Monkey also hosted other brewers from the region: Artisan Brewing, Bootleg Brewery, Eagle Bay Brewery, Rocky Ridge Brewing Co, Cowaramup Brewing Co and Wild Hop Brewing Co. Possible claims to fame aside, Firefighters Friend is a bold 4.5 percent ABV American red ale loaded with caramel malts and citrusy American hops, brewed to a very palatable 30 IBU with plenty of body and a lasting finish.
Grab yourself a can of this limited release and raise a glass to the hard-working firefighters of WA.
Jono Outred
Published July 23, 2019 2019-07-23 00:00:00
