A few staffers at the Shawn and Ed Brewery in Dundas were talking about how they could help during the pandemic.

And then someone mentioned the brewery’s motto, which invokes the roots of the business, founded by longtime McMaster University friends Shawn Till and Ed Madronich.

“We are ‘Forged in Friendship’ — that’s our tag line, and at the heart of what we believe,” said Madronich. “And what do we do for friends, if they are having a tough time? We buy them a beer.”

In this case, given the devastation of COVID-19, it’s 25,000 beers.

That’s how many beers the brewery on Hatt Street has committed to gift to anyone in the community serving and sacrificing in some fashion: whether in health care or a first responder, or lines of work such as transit workers or grocery store employees.

“Yes it’s a lot of beer,” said Madronich. “But to me it’s just the right thing to do. We need to buy a beer for our front line friends.”

This, even though business at Shawn and Ed Brewery is down 50 per cent, with the bar operation shut down, even as they continue to manufacture products for retail.

“We’re alway thinking about what we can do to support the community, although this is bigger and more expensive than what we normally do. But we wanted to rise to the occasion.”

The first beers were gifted on site last Wednesday. “Front line friends” can drive by the brewery and a staffer will deliver the gift to their trunk.

Residents are encouraged to nominate “front line friends” for a beer on Facebook or Instagram, and tag the brewery — each gift is a four-pack — but Madronich says they aren’t going to judge who is worthy.

He was there helping pass out the beer, and hearing the stories from those who stopped in.

“The feeling it gives me, and everyone at the brewery, it was emotional ...You have nurses or doctors or HSR drivers telling their story. I mean, all I could say was thank you, and I’m so glad I can buy you a beer.”