I got back into the brewery to create this one in honor of my dad, Sam, who was legendary for his Gin Fizzes. Sam lost his battle with cancer back in 2007, just before the official opening of FiftyFifty. He never lost his zest for life, and he was one of the biggest champions of our "crazy idea" of opening a brewery. He could always find something in life to celebrate, and it was always "5 o'clock somewhere".

With that inspiration, we set out to make something completely original that you could open and drink anytime. We chose to brew an Imperial Kolsch-style ale for its unusual combination of ale yeast fermented like a lager, making something a bit more dry with some fruity aromas, as well as higher in alcohol to stand up to the barrel aging process. To get some of that creamy mouthfeel of a real Gin Fizz, we brewed it with some vanilla and lactose. For the refreshingly tart citrus component, we added some lemonade concentrate to the fermenter, which also upped the ABV a bit more. And being FiftyFifty, we of coursed aged it in Gin barrels, with some juniper berries thrown in for good measure.

What's extra special is the timing of this release. Sam was a massive fan of March Madness, and even started his own legendary pool which lives on today. Every year the staff at 5050 shows up extra early for Gin Fizzes at tip-off for the first and second rounds. So this year is extra special, and we hope you'll all join us for the Madness! You can get Sam's Fizz this week in the Pub, or from the club.