Breweries support great causes

Give. Help. Donate. Contribute. All words we want to follow and fulfill. With devastating earthquakes, tsunamis, national tragedies, famine and illness at every turn, our hearts break and we desperately search for which worthy cause gets our next dollar. At their core, most humans want to do good. To provide relief, the tightly knit craft beer community of San Diego makes giving both delicious and easy. Check out these charitable beers and their deserving causes:

Ballast Point Boob Check and Ingrid’s 1 in 8: Both of these brews target one thing: breast cancer. Boob Check Awareness Ale is a collaboration with White Labs and teams up with local business to promote and fund breast cancer research like the Susan G. Komen 3-day. Ingrid’s 1 in 8 Awareness Ale is named after a survivor, the beautiful Ingrid Alvarez of the beloved Bay Park watering hole, High Dive. At the time this beer was first brewed in 2010 with Coronado Brewing, one in eight women was being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Green Flash Treasure Chest: Changing from year to year, this charitable beer also funds breast cancer research in local communities. With fests popping up all over the country, Green Flash hosted its fourth in San Diego in 2014. The brew was a barrel-aged version with plum. Dubbed Plum Little Freak, the brew was fermented in red wine barrels with house Brettanomyces, then conditioned with plums for six months. What will it be this year? Stay tuned!

Keep A Breast Foundation: One of San Diego’s favorite craft beer ladies, Melanie Pierce (most of you will remember her from Pizza Port), is working with the international Keep a Breast Foundation on the coolest project I’ve heard of yet. In Brews or Bust, she is plastering the chests of 12 female brewers, and the results will be painted and on display at GABF (Great American Beer Festival) this year. This groundbreaking display for the festival will also include an auction and sale component. In preparation, Melanie and team have been busy casting four of our own female craft brewers: Jen Chase of Automatic Brewing Co.; Dande Bagby of Bagby Beer Co.; Devon Randall, formerly of Pizza Port Solana, soon to be at Arts District Brewing; and Kim Lutz of Saint Archer Brewing. Look for images on social media, and if you are headed to GABF this year, be sure to show your support! Please go to www.keep-a-breast.org for more information.

Urbn Street BraveCort Irish Stout: As a mama, this one pulled my heartstrings immediately. Head Brewer Callaway Ryan has teamed up with the BraveCort Foundation, in honor of the founders’ young son, who passed away from childhood brain cancer. Events are held in communities and the funds go directly to that area to fight the destructive disease. For info on how you can help, visit bravecort.com.

Do you know of other local breweries doing great things for charity? Write in and tell us, we would love to give them recognition. Remember folks, it’s easier than you think to give. Whatever causes you decide to support, be sure to raise a craft beer glass to it. Cheers!

With 15 years in the restaurant and beverage industry and more than 700 reviews under her belt, Laurie Delk is a one-stop guide to all things craft beer, wine and spirits. You can follow Delk on Twitter @100beers30days or Instagram @sandiegobeer. Send ideas for featured drinks to laurie@promiscuouspalate.com.

Source: DiscoverSD