Here at Radio Milwaukee, we have a deep appreciation for good beer — and an even deeper appreciation for a good story. So when our neighbors at Broken Bat Brewing Co. shared the details about their latest offering, it grabbed our attention.
The beer is an Irish red ale that weighs in at 4.8% alcohol by volume, and you might notice from the image above that it doesn’t sport a baseball-related name like the rest of Broken Bat’s lineup. One of the reasons for that is the story behind the beverage, which is too good to obscure with a few clever words.
Instead, what you’ll find dominating the label is a pitcher in throwback gear, mid-windup. The drawing is an homage to head brewer Nick Guthrey’s great-grandfather, Jerry Crowley, who enjoyed a brief career in professional baseball that — according to his Stats Crew player page — ran from 1940 to 1942.
Playing for the Sheboygan Indians, Green Bay Blue Jays, Macon Peaches and Madison Blues, Crowley compiled a respectable 26-14 record that included a 1941 season with Green Bay in which he went 15-8 while striking out 242 batters. According to a post from Broken Bat, he also whiffed 15 batters in his first pro game with Sheboygan.
The post goes on to explain the other thing that stands out about the beer’s label: the logo belonging to the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association Local 215.
After his baseball career wrapped up, Crowley served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and then the Milwaukee Fire Department. Guthrey followed his great-grandfather’s example and was part of the fire service for seven years before taking over as Broken Bat’s head brewmaster in May of 2024.
Almost a year later, he came up with the Irish red ale as a way to honor both his great-grandfather and the individuals who serve our communities. This Saturday, it gets its official debut — just in time for St. Patrick’s Day — at an event that features local firefighters and paramedics providing a different kind of service as bartenders.
The guest employees will be on hand when Broken Bat opens at noon Saturday, and the brewery also lined up entertainment throughout the day:
- 1 p.m. — Joe Richter and John Calarco
- 3:30 p.m. — Greater Milwaukee Fire and Police Pipes and Drums
- 4 p.m. — Hillside Rebellion
The support for the firefighting community goes even further, though, as Broken Bat will donate a portion of the proceeds from its Irish red ale to the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation and Ignite the Spirit MKE, which was created and is managed by Milwaukee firefighters. Both organizations provide support for firefighters and their families to, as Ignite the Spirit MKE puts it, “ensure that our Brothers and Sisters are never left to battle life’s hardships alone.”
You can donate directly to either of those organizations using the links above, and if you want to make your support a communal experience, head to Broken Bat this Saturday starting at noon.
