July 11--Several Tucson breweries are joining a statewide effort to create a beer in honor of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot crew members killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire
"Heroes 19," an American brown ale, will be brewed at the Prescott Brewing Company next week, and will include 19 types of hops donated by 19 Arizona breweries.
All proceeds of the keg sales will go to the families of the fallen firefighters through the Prescott Firefighter's Charities organization.
"Everybody in Arizona has been moved by this tragedy," said Jerry Gantt, executive director of The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild.
"Anything we can do to help the families and make sure that life goes on for them in an acceptable manner is a good thing."
Sixty kegs will be produced and sold in taprooms with the appropriate licensing by early August.
The goal is to raise at least $60,000 at $5 a pint.
All of the Tucson breweries affiliated with the guild offered to lend a hand, said spokeswoman Tiffany Shultz.
Ten Fifty-Five Brewing donated 6 pounds of Mount Hood Hops to the effort.
Owner Chris Squires said he and his business partner John Paul Vyborny were already talking about doing some sort of fundraiser when the idea hit the table.
"This was much better than anything we could have come up with," Squires said.
Dragoon Brewing Company donated 1 pound of Apollo Hops and also volunteered its refrigerated delivery truck to transport the hops from Barrio Brewing and Ten Fifty-Five.
Thunder Canyon Brewery sent its hops contribution through its own distributor.
"There has been a crazy amount of communication and cooperation on this project," said Tristan White, director of sales for Dragoon. "I think it is awesome. It makes us proud that our company is part of this guild."
Shultz said brewers from all over Arizona, including from breweries in Tucson, will participate in creating the beer next week.
Jeremy Hilderbrand, who will soon open Sentinel Peak Brewing Company with co-owners Matt Gordon and Taylor Carter, said that they plan to have representation in Prescott to help.
All three owners are Tucson-area firefighters.
"This is a little more close to home," Hilderbrand said. "It is something that is easy for us to get behind."
When ready, "Heroes 19" will be available at Barrio Brewing, Gentle Ben's and both Thunder Canyon locations.
Follow the beer's progress at facebook.com/ArizonaCraftBrewersGuild online.
Contact reporter Gerald M. Gay at [email protected] or 807-8430.
Copyright 2013 - The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
