There is a story behind each Ales for ALS™ brew. Every beer from the program – which benefits the essential research to end Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) – reflects the passion of a brewer both for their craft and for helping a great cause.

For many brewers in the program, the drive to help comes from a deeply personal place – not just to support a good cause, but also because their own lives have been touched by ALS. Many Ales for ALS™ beers are brewed in honor of a family member or loved one who passed from the disease, or who is currently battling it.

In celebration of this year’s crop of Ales for ALS™ beers, we spoke to some of the brewers in the program about their personal ALS stories, and how they inspired them to get involved – and the beers themselves. Today we’re joined by Razia Gonzalez, a brewer at Charlotte, North Carolina’s Pilot Brewing Company.

ALS TDI: How has your life been affected by ALS?

Razia Gonzalez: To be honest with you, I hadn't really heard about ALS until the Ice Bucket Challenge. Unfortunately, not long after that, my mom was diagnosed with ALS. My story is a little bit unique because, for the most part, when you're talking about someone with ALS, you're typically experiencing a two-to-three-year time frame from diagnosis to when someone passes. Sometimes it's longer than that. It was a very different story for my mom. She was diagnosed at the end of 2018, and from diagnosis to when she passed was almost exactly 90 days.

As a caregiver and caretaker, you have to step up to the plate very quickly for something like that. My mom was 59 when she passed. When you're stuck in a situation like that, you feel absolutely helpless. It's so different than a lot of the other diseases we encounter that might have treatment or cures.

ALS TDI: Why did you get involved with Ales for ALS™?

Razia: I was kind of stuck in that hopelessness, like, "what am I going to do?" when I came across Ales for ALS. So, this has been my passion project over the last couple of years, to help try and drive more awareness in the Charlotte market. I'm hoping to kind of tie together those two passions, my love of beer and giving back to the community and now this personal connection. How can I drive more awareness? How can I raise more funds and ultimately, hopefully find an end to all of this, whether it's a treatment or a cure?

ALS TDI: What is your 2021 Ales for ALS™ beer?

Razia: Our 2021 Ales for ALS™ beer is called Not All Heroes. It is an opportunity to shed light on the hard work that's happening behind the scenes at ALS TDI. I think a lot of people don't really know that they exist or know what their mission is. So, it's a really great play on words when you're talking about not all heroes wearing capes. For me, that's what ALS TDI is, these are the heroes that are working so hard to help and end ALS.

It’s a dry hopped pilsner with mosaic and citra hops. So, you're getting a lot of those really refreshing citrus notes at the end of it. The dry hopping really lends to more of that aroma and flavor without being super bitter. I'm a big IPA drinker and I wanted something that was almost a hybrid for someone who really loves easy drinking, crushable beers, more of a pilsner or lager drinker, and kind of melding that with someone who might be more of an IPA drinker.

ALS TDI: How did your experience with ALS inspire the beer you brewed?

Razia: I landed on a pilsner, inspired by the Ice Bucket Challenge. Pilsners are fermented at colder temperatures. And for me, when I think of the ice bucket challenge, that's what I think of – chilly temperatures. Also, my mom was such a big fan of being outdoors and the sunset. I'm almost embarrassed to say it sometimes, but she was also a Budweiser drinker. As a craft beer consumer, it would hurt my soul to have to go into the grocery store and buy it. And, you know, I felt like this is something that she would enjoy. I really wanted it to be something that I felt like a lot of people could enjoy and they could enjoy it outdoors. All of that just kind of tied together with kind of the orange and yellows that you're going to see on the label, that symbolic sunset, and that feeling of outdoor peace.

You can find Not All Heroes on tap and in cans at Pilot Brewing’s taproom in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Not All Heroes T-shirts, stickers, and candles – all benefiting ALS TDI. Act fast, supplies are limited!

For more information about Ales for ALS™, click here.