Gene Connolly has been a beer lover all his life. Now, he has the distinct privilege of having a beer brewed in his honor.
The former principal of Concord High School was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2014 while still serving as the head of the school. His unwavering fight against the disease has lead to Concord Craft Brewing Co.’s new brew, “The Principal.”
Pouring for the first time on Thursday, the light bodied and dry hopped pale ale will raise money for ALS research until the kegs run dry.
In the fall of 2017, Concord Craft owners Dennis Molnar and Beth Mayland said they heard about the Ales for ALS program. Brewers sign up for the program and the organization will send a special blend of hops to the brewery, with $1 from every pint being donated to the ALS Therapy Development Institute. The program has partnered with over 140 breweries and raised over $1.75 million, according to its website.
Molnar said Connolly enjoys full flavored beers and the flavor of the new beer fits Connolly’s character well, describing it as a “juicy pale ale.”
“Fun, interesting, exciting,” Molnar said. “The whole idea is to have a beer that can sell because then we get more money that we can donate to ALS.”
It’s no secret how passionate Connolly has been about the fight against ALS – he continued as principal at Concord High even as his speech and mobility diminished and he allowed the Monitor and filmmaker Dan Habib to document his journey. Connolly and his wife Patty were at the pouring celebration with several family members.
The tasting room was packed tight with customers eager to try to the new brew. Glasses clanking, toasts being made and customers sporadically cheering Connolly’s name made for a lively atmosphere.
“He’s been a pillar in the community and we wanted to pull him into the fold also,” Mayland said. Concord Craft was able to brew 15 barrels of “The Principal” giving them a donation range of $3,000-$4,000 after all the beer is sold.
Patty Connolly, Gene’s wife, said it always amazes her how much love and support Concord has shown their family.
“The town has really come together for us,” Patty Connolly said. “It takes a lot of pressure off of us knowing we have the support.”
Molnar and Mayland said they didn’t know Gene Connolly before creating the brew, but when they heard about the program and his story, the idea for “The Principal” was born. The two brewers ran the idea past the family, who were honored to have the beer made in Connolly’s honor.
Many local restaurants and bars have agreed to pour “The Principal.” Cheers Grille and Bar at the end of the block is no exception.
Owner Bonnie Osgood said Cheers had already sold more than 45 glasses before Thursday’s big dinner rush. For every pint that Cheers sells, $1 will go directly to a fund for the Connolly’s medical costs.
“We’re a community,” Osgood said. “Sticking with each other, being in a community, helping each other out. It’s tight knit, it’s really tight knit.”
Osgood does not know Connolly personally, she said, but her son attended Concord High School while Connolly was the principal.
Concord Craft has plans to participate in the program again next year. Ales for ALS only provides hops during the spring. Depending on how much of “The Principal” is sold and how quickly, Molnar said next year’s batch might have to be a double.
Donations can be made to the Connolly family at gofundme.com/connolly-tough.
(Jacob Dawson can be reached at 369-3325, jdawson@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @jaked156.)