The annual release of Bob’s Brown Ale is one of Seattle’s oldest and proudest craft beer traditions.
Even when expertly executed, Brown Ale is rarely considered a sexy or adventurous beer style. It might be tasty, with round and soft malty flavors balanced with a hint of hoppy goodness, but few people get too excited about brown ale. And then there’s Bob’s Beer, the brown ale bearing Bob’s name. It’s on tap right now at Georgetown Brewing’s taproom. It’s also on tap as of right now at Beveridge Place Pub. Why? Because Bob. Because today, May 14th, is Bob’s birthday.
Georgetown Brewing releases Bob’s Brown Ale at this time each year (roughly around Bob’s birthday) as the cornerstone of a long-running philanthropic endeavor. The beer raises funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Washington and Alaska. If that’s all you know about Bob’s Brown Ale, that’s fine. However, there is a much bigger story behind the beer. Below, I share that story. Much of it is excerpted from a story I wrote for Sip Magazine several years ago.
Most people don’t know that before the cofounder of Georgetown Brewing began brewing Manny’s Pale Ale, and all those other great Georgetown beers, Manny Chao worked as a counselor at a camp for kids with cancer. That’s where he met a young camper who would have an indelible impression on him. The two became friends, and Manny drew inspiration from the courage with which Bob Hirsch fought for his young life.
For years, Bob travelled with his family from their home in Alaska for treatment at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Like many families with children treated at the hospital, Bob’s family stayed at Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for families facing the direst of circumstances. The philosophy is simple—children heal best and most wholly when their parents are nearby.
Bob lost his brave battle with cancer shortly after his 21st birthday. Soon thereafter, Bob’s brother suggested that Georgetown Brewing name its next beer after Bob. Although Manny thought that was a fine idea, he had something better in mind: a philanthropic brew honoring his friend, with the brewery donating all proceeds to Ronald McDonald House.
Each year on Bob’s birthday, May 14, Georgetown Brewing releases Bob’s Brown Ale (draft only, though at one time it was canned). The brewery organizes a few events, but for the most part, the beer does all the work, benefiting the cause with every pint and pitcher poured. It will be tapped at dozens of locations around Puget Sound.
Now, in 2025, the Bob’s Brown Beer project has been going strong for, well, let’s just say a couple of decades. Modestly, the brewery doesn’t like to say how much money it has raised for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska, but rest assured, it’s a number that includes seven digits.
“Bob would be proud,” says Manny. “Wherever he is, he’s grinning big knowing that the beer he inspired is helping so many people and bringing so much pleasure to our beer bellies. Everyone that is involved—from making Bob’s, to selling it, to drinking it—is giving back to our community. It’s pretty dang cool.”
