Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Brewery has a recipe for autism inclusion

Members of the nonspeakin­g community help create Golden Road's new Get on Board IPA

- By Richard Guzman riguzman@scng.com

For its latest seasonal release, Southern California’s Golden Road Brewing came up with a generously hopped and fruity beer dubbed the Get on Board Hazy IPA.

Brewed with citrus and showcasing flavors of juicy orange, Eureka lemon and subtle peach, it’s meant to pair with the spring season.

But there is a lot more meaning behind this beer.

It has a deep personal connection to the brewery’s founder and was created in collaborat­ion with members of the autistic community.

“This is the most special beer we’ve ever created,” said Golden Road founder Meg Gill, whose 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed with nonspeakin­g autism and was the catalyst for this collaborat­ion. “It brings together my first baby, the business and my real first baby, and it gives back to a community that I feel has brought me the gift of communicat­ion with my daughter.”

The new beer will be released at the brewery’s Anaheim location on Tuesday, which is World Autism Awareness Day. It was created with the help of four nonspeakin­g autistic people who use a letter-board method to point out letters and spell out words. They used this system to work with brewers in the creation of the new beer, from hops to can. “The four spellers created the beer recipe, style and the creation of the marketing,” Gill said.

The collaborat­ors, who were nicknamed the Fab Four, are members of the nonprofit Spellers Freedom Foundation, which helps nonspeakin­g autistic people learn to communicat­e. They are also featured in an upcoming five-episode online series titled “Underestim­ated: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeakin­g Spellers.” The series will launch on underestim­ated.tv on May 26, and Episode 3 will feature the collaborat­ion with Golden Road.

To create the new IPA, the Fab Four first took lessons on beer making and marketing from Golden Road brewers with the help of spelling therapists before selecting the beer style. The process took about six months, and yes, the Fab Four are all older than 21, so they can taste their creation.

“It’s floral, citrusy, happy deliciousn­ess. And we’re very excited for the release,” Gill said.

“And they loved the beer,” she said of the Fab Four, who will be at the release party.

More importantl­y for Gill, the collaborat­ion will bring attention to nonspeakin­g autistic people, and net proceeds of the new beer’s sales will benefit the Spellers Freedom Foundation.

“Having a daughter who was diagnosed with nonspeakin­g autism and getting connected with different ways of communicat­ion has been challengin­g, but also a bright light in our world,” Gill said. “The brewery hopefully can be a positive example to the community of how to truly be inclusive for people with disabiliti­es as well.”

Golden Road Brewing is at 2210 E. Orangewood Ave., Anaheim. The beer release party will take place from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday. For more informatio­n, go to spellersfr­eedomfound­ation.org or goldenroad.la.

 ?? PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOLDEN ROAD BREWING ?? Four nonspeakin­g autistic people took part in Golden Road Brewing’s project to create a new beer as a fundraiser, learning about brewing and marketing before offering their input.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOLDEN ROAD BREWING Four nonspeakin­g autistic people took part in Golden Road Brewing’s project to create a new beer as a fundraiser, learning about brewing and marketing before offering their input.
 ?? ?? Proceeds from the IPA will benefit a nonprofit helping some autistic people learn to communicat­e.
Proceeds from the IPA will benefit a nonprofit helping some autistic people learn to communicat­e.

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