Four years ago, three childhood friends teamed up to raise money in the fight against cancer.
One friend is an artist; one is a brewer; and one works with a foundation that supports Paceline, a cancer research fundraiser. Together they created Happy To Help and a strawberry blonde beer was created.
Happy2Help, the sequel, will be released Aug. 23.
“I’ve been tweaking the recipe this year. It’s a little bit sweeter, a little less hops forward, and a bit more strawberry,” said Adam Fulmer, head brewer at Savannah River Brewing Co. about Happy2Help, a strawberry blonde beer that will raise money for Paceline in support of the Georgia Cancer Center. “I want to craft a beer to have the most amount of people who are going to enjoy it and seek it out for all of its flavor components.”
The limited edition will be launched at an event the same day as BeerFest, which will be at the Bell Auditorium.
Fulmer said he hopes people will stop by Savannah River Brewing Co. around noon sample the beer and grab some food before heading to the Bell from 3 to 6 p.m. for BeerFest, where people can get a samplee. Organizers want to tie it into Paceline, the annual bike ride fundraiser which will add a new walk/run component to PaceDay this year, by having a ride or walk on Aug. 23.
The limited edition will feature a new package design created by Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman and his Happy robot. Only 100 cases or 2,400 cans will be distributed; it will also be on tap. But when the tap runs dry, no more will be brewed.
When the first Happy beer was released, it sold out in a little more than a month, raising more than $10,000. Hopes are for more than that, and there may be some additional merchandise available to add to the bottom line.
Another reason for Happy2Help is awareness – especially of the Georgia Cancer Center.
Ian Mercier, president of the MCG Foundation, said many people in Augusta are still unaware that the Georgia Cancer Center is located in Augusta. They often think it’s in Atlanta and don’t know the work it does.
A campaign such as Happy2Help brings together the community just like Paceline does, he said.
“Cancer is the horrible unifier,” he said.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards and received the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
