NJ beer: Craft beers support veterans, Sandy recovery

Alex Biese | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Good Beer: Check out Backward Flag in Forked River This woman owned, military inspired brewery explodes with craft beer goodness.

Across New Jersey, craft breweries are giving back this summer — and you can join their mission by drinking good local beer.

A North Jersey craft brewery has unveiled a new beer to support the American Legion.

902 Brewing Company in Hoboken partnered with American Legion Post 107 in the city for Heaven, Hell or Hoboken India Pale Ale, with a portion of the beer's can and draft sales supporting the rebuilding of the post.

902 Brewing Company, located on Monitor Street, has been a Hoboken fixture since 2012. American Legion Post 107, the local branch of the veterans' assistance organization, was founded in 1921, and its Second Street facility suffered severe damage during 2012's superstorm Sandy.

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Heaven, Hell or Hoboken IPA, with its 6.5 percent ABV, flows in honor of the troops who would depart from the city's port.

“We heard about the rebuilding of the American Legion and thought it would be a great way to give back to the Hoboken community that has embraced us,” Colby Janisch, president of 902 Brewing, said in a statement.

There is also a GoFundMe campaign running at the moment to support Post 107.

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Post commander John Carey has been working for two years to rebuild the post and add six housing units for homeless veterans in the process.

“The Hoboken businesses and residents have been so generous in helping the vets and this is just another great campaign idea to raise money and awareness for what we are looking to accomplish,” Carey said in a statement.

The Heaven, Hell or Hoboken IPA fundraising campaign began on Memorial Day, and you can visit http://902brewing.com/locations to find out where you can purchase 902 Brewing Company products across the state.

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Down in Forked River, Backward Flag Brewing released its first canned beer, Something's Missing, at the company's Challenger Way facility noon Sunday, July 1.

Backward Flag began canning beers for the first time on June 18, with that first canned product set to be released this past weekend in four-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Backward Flag kicked off its canning line with Something's Missing, the initial entry in the Forward Assault series dedicated to raising awareness for organizations that help veterans move forward. A portion of the proceeds from Forward Assault beers will be donated to veterans' charities.

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(For more on Backward Flag Brewing, watch the video at the top of this story.)

Something's Missing, an India Pale Ale with 6.8 percent ABV that clocks a zero on the international bitterness unit (IBU) scale, was brewed in collaboration with Rory Hamill, a Marine Corps veteran and activist who lost a leg serving in Afghanistan.

Hamill chose to support the We Defy Foundation, which helps veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries through Brazilian jiu jitsu and fitness training.

Backward Flag Brewing owner Torie Fisher is a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq. Last year, Fisher started Arms 2 Artisans, providing veterans with paid training in the craft beer industry.

Monday, July 2 through Sunday, July 8, $1 from each Backward Flag beer at the Asbury Festhalle and Biergarten on Lake Avenue in Asbury Park will benefit Arms 2 Artisans.

For more on New Jersey's craft beer scene, watch the premiere episode of our new video series, Jersey Brewed: