Right Brain Brewery Founder and CEO Russell Springsteen Talks Gin Joy Ale

We spoke with Right Brain Brewery Founder and CEO Russell Springsteen about Gin Joy Ale.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This was a group effort. The recipe is a riff on our popular Cake Walk Vanilla Cream Ale made with real Madagascar vanilla beans. 

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
We acquired the gin barrels from our go-to supplier, Grand Traverse Distillery. I wanted to age a lighter beer in them so the gin could pop through. Since we always have Cake Walk in tanks, it was an easy decision. It's essentially a barrel-aged porch beer.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The name comes from the flavor. To me, it tastes like ginger ale, thus the name Gin Joy Ale. It has that nice botanical nose. 

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Gin Joy pairs so well with many foods, from fresh green salads to fish, but we think it always goes with a nice warm breeze on a summer night.

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