Welcome, Iron and Air readers! This story is about a beer brewed in honor of a man with a love for custom bikes. There may be a few bottles of the beer kicking around Massachusetts after its December release… more importantly, though, this beer and its story personifies everything that the guys behind Iron and Air, Beerpulse, Cambridge Brewing and readers like you stand for…a relentless passion for something whether it be bikes or beer or whatever. We raise a pint to you and your passion. We hope you’ll read Darryl’s story and cruise around the site for a bit afterwards. Cheers!
(Cambridge, MA) – Cambridge Brewing is releasing its second beer in bottles and this one has a special story behind it.
Initially brewed in 1990 by CBC’s Head Brewer, Darryl Goss, Tripel Threat was the first Belgian Style beer every commercially produced in the U.S.A.. Spicy yeast character is balanced by complex malt and citrus notes. Our label pays homage to Darryl’s beloved vintage motorcycle. Darryl has been diagnosed with ALS, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this beer will promote research for a cure Lou Gherig’s Disease.
MetroWest Daily wrote about Goss and his struggle with the illness last year.
“As frustrating as this is, I cannot imagine how terrible this must have been for those with ALS or any other speech loss as recently as 20 years ago. I read an account, before I had ALS, of the great jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, who had ALS, being honored at the Carter White House in about 1977. He was with many other artists, but unlike them, (he) could only sit in his wheelchair, crying. He couldn’t write or speak his thoughts.
“I wouldn’t characterize myself as a technophobe; I have a technical background that includes having been an automotive technician, motorcycle restorer, craft, or “micro,” brewer, brewery designer and technician.
A self-taught brewer, he was “the first in the country to make a Belgian style strong ale,” which earned a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 1992.” Also in 1992, “I was the first brewer to make a Bavarian style hefeweizen (wheat beer) using the proper type of yeast. That’s also a very popular style now.”
To learn more about ALS, please visit the ALS Association website.
Tripel Threat is only available in Massachusetts for a limited time.
Courtesy of current Head Brewer, Will Meyers, below is a pic of Darryl’s fully restored 1965 HD Electra Glide, which inspired the label for Tripel Threat. He rode it, or his 1968 BMW R60/5, to work nearly every day.
Good article on Darryl and his beer. To set the record straight and for the purpose of accuracy, the blue and white Harley Davidson Electraglide shown in the photo is indeed the motorcycle Darryl meticulously restored in the early 1980″s, although the photogragh is a picture I emailed to Darryl right after I restored the bike again after I purchased the bike from him after he realised he could not ride it anymore. I ride this motorcycle on a daily basis, putting about 8000 miles a year on it. Also, one of his other bikes, the BMW mentioned in the article, was not a 1968, it was a 1973.
PS…as a tribute to my friend Darryl, he still rides on…I carry some of his remains in one of the saddlebags of his (and my) pride and joy, the 1965 Electraglde. He comes inside with me to various brewpubs all a round New England and New York state. Keith
Is the Panhead for sale?
Sorry Jim, not for sale.
Have a red 65 electraglide panhead with sidecar sitting since 86 in garage all original the paint on the sidecar is perfect & the tank f&r fenders have a nice faded pinkish pitena what would this be worth roughly had it running 3 yrs ago may need tires due to age & possibly rings from sitting so long without being kicked every once in a while
Ryan, your bike is certainly worth a good sum, especially if it is indeed original paint etc. How much? Depends on condition and originality. Is it for sale? Where are you located? Keith