Boxing Rock and Garrison Brewing to Collaborate on Tribute to Gord Downie

(Halifax, NS) -  Over the past few months Garrison Brewing and Boxing Rock Brewing have worked with graphic artist Erin McGuire to develop a limited release craft beer based on his Tragically Hip-inspired artwork ‘By the Numbers’. The beer will release in late-November as a true collaboration and fundraiser for the Brain Tumour Foundation.

Erin McGuire with 'By The Numbers'

This summer past, Erin McGuire, faculty with the NSCC Photography program and Graphic Designer, approached Emily Tipton, Founding Partner at Boxing Rock in Shelburne, with the idea of using his original design for a craft beer label. “When Erin first approached me, we set a release timeline for late fall” said Tipton. “Over the past month we’ve been working to fine tune the label and now, with the loss of Gord, things have grown from a fundraising release into a tribute to an iconic Canadian singer we all knew and loved.”
 Emily then reached out to Brian Titus, President and GM of Garrison, to gauge his interest in making this a collaboration. “No question. We’re massive Hip fans and we’re in!” said Titus. “We traded a few emails with the good folks at Boxing Rock and we soon had a style, recipe and brew-day on the calendar.”
Erin’s artwork ‘By The Numbers’ brings all the numerical references from Tragically Hip songs together into one phenomenal piece. “Last fall when the announcement was made that Gord Downie had been diagnosed with brain cancer I was floored. I’m a lifelong Hip fan and this news left me wanting to do something….anything…to try and help” said McGuire. “The poster I made sold out through In Gord We Trust and I wanted to keep doing good with the concept”
Titled “Courage (for Gord Downie)”, the beer will be a refreshing and premium amber Wheat Ale – bold, beautiful and special - just like Gord. Just over 2000 bottles will be produced with a portion of all sales going to the Brain Tumour Foundation.