Each year NABC celebrates the life of the late Jason Gore — a colleague, friend and co-conspirator – by brewing an ale named in his honor. It’s called Hard Core Gore, and it’s a unique beer for a unique man, who would have been 31 years old on March 21, 2014.
Jason’s motto was “Live life to the fullest and learn as much as you can,” and these words are forever worth remembering. When he died after a courageous fight with cancer, there was grieving and sadness, but the NABC family refused to lose sight of the joy Jason’s life brought to all of us for so long. We never will.
At the time of Jason’s death, a Bruce Springsteen song came to mind, and it still aptly conveys what we’ll always feel about Jason. Here are a few chosen stanzas.
They built the Titanic to be one of a kind,
but many ships have ruled the seas
They built the Eiffel tower to stand alone,
but they could build another, if they pleased
The Taj Mahal, the pyramids of Egypt are unique, I suppose,
but when the built you brother, they broke the moldWhen they built you brother
they turned this dust to gold
When they built you brother
they broke the moldThey say you can’t take it with you
but I think that they’re wrong
All I know’s I woke up this morning
and something big was gone
Gone in to that dark ether
Where you’re still young n’ hard and cold
Just like when they built you brother
and broke the mold
When Jason left us, they broke the mold, but he left a beery legacy in Hard Core Gore. It has slightly differed in composition over the years, but remains at heart a rambunctious Belgo-American IPA, as crafted by Ben Minton at NABC’s Research & Development brewery. For 2014, Ben has referred back to the original Jared Williamson formulation for inspiration.
2011: 9.5% ABV, 120 IBUs
2012: 8.1% ABV, 156 IBUs
2013: 11% ABV, 135 IBUs
2014: 9.5% ABV, 195 IBUs
Hard Core Gore is a very limited, draft-only release, and can be enjoyed at NABC’s two New Albany locations beginning on Friday, March 21.
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Hard Core Gore 2014
Belgo-American India Pale Ale
ABV: 9.5%
IBU: 195
Color: Golden-hued amber.
Flavor: Highly hopped in all known ways, and full-bodied with a fruity Belgian character.
Compare to: Stone Cali-Belgique, Houblon Chouffe.
Description: A unique beer for a unique man.
Recipe Suggestion: Trevor Gore reveals his brother’s favorite tricks while working in the pizzeria kitchen:
“He would take the buffalo sauce and barbecue sauce and mix them together to make a hot ham and cheese sandwich covered with this combined sauce, or use the sauce to make a buffalo chicken pizza topped with ranch dressing.”
Hard Core Gore’s hybrid Belgo-American international character paired alongside spicy Buffa-BBQ sauciness; we’ll say only that it’s fully appropriate. Concoct with creativity, and eat as much as you can.