Last year, more than 100 craft breweries from throughout the country, including many in New Jersey, signed onto a Resilience IPA beer collaboration that shared the same recipe to brew a beer and use sales revenue to support victims of California wildfires.

Now, as the COVID-19 pandemic shutters small businesses around the globe, an even bigger effort has craft brewers creating an All Together IPA to help hospitality workers unable to earn a living during the coronavirus lockdowns.

The All Together IPA project is the brainchild of Brooklyn's Other Half Brewing Co., and has inspired more than 40 of New Jersey's breweries to sign on.

In their call out to the world's breweries, Other Half said, "There is an inextricable link that binds together everyone in the hospitality industry. Brewers, servers, bartenders, bussers, dishwashers, GMs, buyers, chefs, owners — we are all in this together. In this industry, when one of us struggles, the rest of us pick them up. It's baked into who we are.''

All Together is a "worldwide, open-ended beer collaboration created to raise support for the industry we love so much,'' Other Half said in announcing the project on the official website. "It's an effort to raise awareness and provide relief, even in the smallest way, to those who are struggling.''

At presstime, some were brewing beer, while others were still adding their names to the project. Breweries were being asked to find ways to use part of the funds to support restaurant and other hospitality workers in need in their own communities, and use the rest of the proceeds to keep their own businesses afloat.

While the state's many craft breweries support local nonprofits and other good causes all year long, so many breweries coming aboard as their own tasting rooms are shut down is especially notable.

During the lockdown, many New Jersey breweries are only making money selling their beer for take out or delivery, with limited hours and limited staffing.

More:NJ breweries are allowed to deliver beer in wake of coronavirus, Phil Murphy clarifies

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Earlier:South Jersey brewery wins NJ Brewery of the Year in international beer competition

'These are our friends'

In Glassboro, owners of Axe & Arrow Brewing Co., are early adapters of the collaboration, which gives breweries the option of using a single recipe to brew either a New England (hazy) or West Coast IPA.

Krystal Lockman, co-owner of the brewery, said she found out about the project on an Instagram post by another brewery and felt compelled to join in.

"There are a lot of restaurants where we are located on Rowan Boulevard, near Rowan University,'' she said, so the hit taken by restaurant workers feels very close to home.

"Our beer is already made so all we have to do is package it and sell it for take out. We can do that working a skeleton shift. Restaurants can't really do that. A lot of our friends on Rowan Boulevard had to close because they couldn't even make the takeout model work. We can do it: We are not paying ourselves a salary, and we are just there to keep the lights on really.''

She added that the area's many restaurants bring people to their part of town, which means customers for the brewery.

"Seeing others having to shut down and not knowing when they can open back up, and having the collaboration come up and being able to help the hospitality industry as a whole just kind of resonated with us. These are our friends. We walk to see them every day for lunch. For many of the servers, the tips are their livelihood. That's how they pay their bills and they could really be up a creek.''

Lockman said Axe & Arrow will brew the All Together IPA this week and it will be ready to can and sell by the end of the month. A portion of the proceeds from a seven-barrel batch will be donated to South Jersey hospitality workers in the greatest need.

"I've reached out to a couple of restaurants in our area ... and I've asked them to nominate people. This won't be an immediate fix: The beer still has to sell. It will definitely help, but it won't be an immediate fix for anybody.''

Breweries participating in the All Together project are provided with the same label, designed by Stout Collective and printed by Blue Label at cost, with a place to add their own brewery logos, she said.

Lockman said the All Together project has made a difficult time a little brighter.

"It’s been really awesome to how many people are selflessly giving up these profits when it would help them to keep (the money) in their own four walls. We are seeing people doing good all over in this crazy, crazy time.''

'Industry-wide hopefulness'

Carton Brewing in Atlantic Highlands is no stranger to giving back through beer; just last month, the Monmouth County operation honored late Rush drummer Neil Peart with a beer to raise funds for research into glioblastoma, the type of brain cancer Peart had been diagnosed with.

Brewery co-founder Augie Carton explained why his company had to be part of this endeavor.

“Small independent breweries are part of the hospitality industry as a whole, while having our own unique issues at the same time,” said Carton. “When the suggestion of a segment wide project was made, we had to jump in to support. Since then, it’s gone open source and we’ve seen such involvement and participation locally and nationally that the obviously good idea was revealed as inspired. We are grateful to Other Half for their leadership on this, and inspired to see the industry-wide hopefulness it has revealed.”

Carton's version of All Together was set to be released Wednesday, April 8. The brewery said they are still determining which charitable organization will benefit from the beer; if the brewery can't find a charity that specifically fits the needs of their local Bayshore community, the profits will simply go to keeping the lights on and paying staff, Carton said.

All Together continues the strong relationship that Lakewood's Icarus Brewing has established with fellow businesses across the state, owner Jason Goldstein said.

"From day one at Icarus through now we have had the support of countless restaurants, bars and package stores around New Jersey," Goldstein said. "Three years of building bonds and getting to know the individuals who make up these establishments: business owners, GM’s, servers, chefs, kitchen crews, bar managers, package store employees and many more.

"If it were not for these individuals taking a shot on our beer and supporting our craft, we would not have seen any of the success we have been lucky enough to experience. Now, in a time when they are most in need, we feel it is our responsibility and our privilege to give back and support our friends across the industry in any way we can. We are all in this together, and together we’ll come out of this stronger and more resilient than ever."

All Together follows previous charitable Icarus releases that have supported its area police departments, Toys for Tots, the American Civil Liberties Union's People Power platflorm supporting voters' rights and the New York City Memorial Stair Climb honoring Sept. 11, 2001, first responders.

Icarus' edition of All Together, expected to be released for pick-up and home delivery on April 15, will go towards the Beverage and Food Employee Crisis Support Fund supporting restaurant and hospitality workers in need.

'Raise awareness, provide relief'

Pitman's Neck of the Woods brewery is also a part of the project.

"Here at Neck of the Woods we are excited to announce our participation,'' the brewery stated on its Facebook page.

Neck of the Woods plans to brew the hazy, 6.5 percent New England IPA version featuring Mosaic, Citra, Cascade, Simcoe and Columbus Hops.

The brewery plans to get started brewing All Together this week "and we plan to get it into your hands by the end of the month.''

Meanwhile, the Pitman brewers will continue to offer core beers, seasonals and popular variants such as the recently tapped 7.5 percent ABV Coffee PTP Porter and Spicy Mochaccino PTP Porter.

All Together, Jersey strong

Ghost Hawk Brewing Co. in Clifton also will participate. Owners Steve Bauer and Tom Rachelski, with brewmaster Chris Sheehan, plan to put their own spin on the All Together formula.

At presstime, these New Jersey breweries also had signed onto the All Together project, with more expected to join this week, according to Alexis Degan, executive director of the New Jersey Brewers Association: 7 Mile Brewery, The Alementary Brewing Co., Angry Erik Brewing, Atco Brewing Company, Backward Flag Brewing, Bolero Snort, Bradley Brew Project, Brotherton Brewing Company, Cross Keys Brewing Comapny, Czig Meister Brewing Comapny, Double Nickel, Death of the Fox, Departed Soles, Eight & Sand, Fort Nonsense, Four City, Gusto, Highrail, Jersey Cyclone, Last Wave, Little Dog, Lone Eagle, Lower Forge, Ludlam Island, Montclair Brewing, Neck of the Woods, Oyster Creek, Red Tank Brewing, Red White and Brew, Ship Bottom, Source Brewing, Spellbound, Three 3's, Toms River, Tuckahoe, Twin Elephant and Westville.

On its website, All Together organizers encouraged craft brewers to stay strong:

"While we may not be able to come together in person right now, that spirit can never be taken away from us. If we do our part to protect and support each other, that spirit can actually be strengthened,'' they said.

For the official list of participants, and updates about the global project, visit All Together.

Tammy Paolino covers restaurants, breweries, food trucks and arts events for the USA TODAY New Jersey Network. She’s an award-winning reporter and editor who has covered the Garden State for more than 30 years. Reach her at tpaolino@gannett.com or 856-486-2477 or on Twitter @CP_TammyPaolino. Help support local journalism with a Courier-Post subscription.