By David Johnson
It’s no surprise that West Virginians love their beer. In fact, with 30.3 gallons of per capita beer consumption every year, the state ranks above the national average of 28.2 gallons. Cheers to that!
However, did you also know that West Virginians love firefighters? In fact, the Mountain State boasts the third highest percentage—91.3 percent—of volunteer firefighters in the United States. And with nearly 12 million acres of forestland to protect from fires, these volunteers are especially important to West Virginia.
Now, West Virginians can combine these two loves thanks to the arrival of a fast-growing craft beer company called Fireman’s Brew, which just launched a partnership with Mountaineer Craft Alliance to distribute its award-winning beers throughout the state. In addition to offering a premium line of handcrafted ales and lagers, Fireman’s Brew is also committed to giving back to the firefighter community upon which it was founded. The company proudly donates a portion of company proceeds to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring fallen firefighters and providing assistance to their surviving families.
“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than Mountaineer Craft Alliance to help introduce West Virginians to our premium line of handcrafted ales and lagers,” says Roger Baer, CEO of Fireman’s Brew. “We are confident they will help us expand our reach in this important market and entice local residents to try our beer not only for its great taste but also for its philanthropy and support of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, a nonprofit close to our hearts.”
Conceived by two Los Angeles-based firefighters after extinguishing a brushfire in the local mountains, Fireman’s Brew grew out of their vision to create a premium line of handcrafted ales and lagers that would quench their thirsts after an exhausting day on the firelines. The Fireman’s Brew collection of micro-brewed beers are created using only the finest of all-natural ingredients to deliver bold, full-flavored, traditional tastes and easy drinking refreshment. And their firefighter roots are never far away.
Fireman’s Brew’s Blonde Beer
“We started this company by selling the beer out of the trunks of our cars, and we counted on the support of many
firefighter friends to help us get this brand off the ground,” says Rob Nowaczyk, founder of Fireman’s Brew. “Today, we are available from coast to coast in 15 states, and we continue to expand quickly. As we grow, we will continue to give back to our firefighter community.”
Through the agreement with Mountaineer Craft Alliance, Fireman’s Brew signature beers will be distributed to both
on-premise and off-premise locations in 12-ounce-bottle six-packs, twelve-pack samplers and kegs, including:
- Fireman’s Brew: Blonde, a Pilsner-style lager with 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV)
- Fireman’s Brew: Brunette, a German-style doublebock with 8 percent ABV
- Fireman’s Brew: Redhead, an amber ale with 5.5 percent ABV
“We can’t wait for West Virginians to be able to quench their thirst with Fireman’s Brew collection of micro-brewed beers,” says Joey Campbell, craft brand manager at Capitol Beverage.
“With three great tasting beers made with only the finest of all-natural ingredients, a compelling brand story and firefighter heritage, Fireman’s Brew is the perfect addition to West Virginia’s growing craft beer market,” agrees Larry Oleksa, president of Mona Supply Company.
Fireman’s Brew looks forward to building a relationship with local firefighters and beer lovers.
About the Author
David Johnson is the chief operations officer and chief financial officer of Fireman’s Brew, Inc. and a graduate of the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies.
