When you brew beer in honor of the personnel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, you receive a salute on Peaks and Pints. I’ve given props to Harmon Brewing’s Stryker Stout, as well as nods to the ownership at Odd Otter Brewing Co., composed of current and former soldiers. Tacoma’s Narrow Brewing Company just announced they brewed Lead the Way IPA, in honor of the Pointe du Hoc Foundation, which supports the special operations warriors of 2nd Ranger Battalion, stationed at JBLM.
The 6.8 percent ABV, 80 IBU India Pale Ale will be released during Tacoma Beer Week at a party on Thursday Aug. 6. Brewed with NW 2 row malted barley, hopped with all Yakima hops including Magnum, Willamette, Columbus and S07270, and triple dry hopped; the last addition being whole hop Cascade. “It has an awesome nose and finishes with the NW style IPA kick,” according to pre-release hype.
According to a news release, “The idea for the beer started after the Brewery formed a special bond with a Ranger and his wife. They were in the taproom on the night before one of his deployments. That first meeting turned into a friendship and led to an introduction to the Ranger Community and the Pointe du Hoc Foundation. Named for the 10 story cliffs Rangers scaled on D-Day, the PDHF is a 501©3 whose mission is to honor the courage, fortitude, and selfless sacrifices of 2d Battalion Rangers and their families who have served in the unit from WWII to the present.”
For every Lead The Way IPA sold during the Aug. 6 release party, Narrows Brewing will donate a dollar to the Pointe du Hoc Foundation. In addition, the brewery will donate 50 cents for every bottle sold in the world.
“We are a local brewery supporting our local heroes,” states Narrows managing partner Scott Wagner in the news release. “We want these guys to know how much we appreciate what they do. Honoring them with a label, and creating an ongoing donation to PDHF was a fun way to do it.”
The Pointe du Hoc Foundation, which was founded in 2011, is a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the families of the 2nd Ranger Battalion at JBLM, as well as to recognizing and commemorating Rangers and their families, from WWII to the present. As part of that, the foundation sustains a memorial park, constructed in the Ranger compound at JBLM, built as a lasting tribute to their fallen. An upcoming fundraising event is the Ranger Regatta being held Aug. 27. The regatta is being sponsored by PDHF and the Tacoma Yacht Club and includes a reception, a Puget Sound Regatta, and a salmon bake and gathering at Wollochet Bay. Information and donation opportunities are available at www.pointeduhocfoundation.com.
NARROWS BREWING CO., noon to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, 9007 S. 19th St., Tacoma, 253.327.1400
Photo Credit: U.S. Army Rangers, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, advance toward their objective during Task Force Training on Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., Jan. 22, 2014. Rangers conduct rigorous training to maintain their tactical proficiency. Photo credit: Spc. Steven Hitchcock
