Great Lakes Brewing – Harvest 2012 Pale Ale & Fighting Heart Irish Red Ale Honors Johnny Kilbane

(Cleveland, OH) – Great Lakes Brewing is proud to announce the release of Fighting Heart Irish Red Ale, a new Pub Exclusive brew named in honor of Cleveland-born fighter Johnny Kilbane.

Fighting Heart Irish Red Ale will be tapped on September 25th at 6:00 PM in the Beer Cellar of GLBC’s Ohio City Brewpub. This free public event coincides with the 100th anniversary of Kilbane’s victory against Abe Atell, which made him the World’s Featherweight Champion, a title he held longer than any fighter in the history of boxing. GLBC will donate $1.00 from each pint sold to the Johnny Kilbane estate’s memorial fund. Light appetizers will be served while supplies last.

GLBC Pub Brewer Joel Warger chose the roasty, malty Irish Red style to honor Kilbane’s heritage. The beer will be available exclusively on tap at the GLBC Brewpub while supplies last.

Fighting Heart Irish Red Ale is named after a poem written by Kilbane, and is a collaboration between GLBC, and Kevin and Erin O’Toole, great grandchildren of Kilbane. “Johnny was Cleveland’s first international sports hero,” notes Kevin O’Toole. “He was a shining example of how anyone can literally come from nothing to achieve great success and then use that success for the betterment of the community.”