Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, second only to skin cancer. It is also highly treatable; especially with early detection.

That last part is the key. Men have to be checked. Checking the prostate involves getting to a doctor, getting over yourself and letting a doctor in the back door. It is not a big deal and it can save your life or more importantly your sex life.

November is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. In order raise awareness, to convince men to get themselves checked, and to raise some money for the cause, ZerØday Brewing Company brewed Double Finger Double IPA. A big and intense Double IPA brewed with Loral Hops a new variety that I first encountered and wrote about when drinking 291 Experimental IPA at Moo-Duck Brewery in Elizabethtown.

The notes found in the 291 IPA are found in abundance in the Double Finger. To the point where I wondered if they were the same hop variety. The Double IPA essentially took the floral and lemony citrus flavors to 11. The dark fruit notes I recalled from the former beer were not as prevalent in the latter. Loral hops is a remarkable hop variety in the intensity of the notes and their starkness. These are easy to define flavors that just work.

The strong malts of this beer buttresses the hops and gives it exceptional mouthfeel. The two together lubricate the beer and allow the high ABV to slip in with ease. There is no astringency here. You can relax and just ride this one out.

ZerØday did a kickoff party that I could not attend but looked to be a great time. This really drove the point home for those in attendance and paying attention on social media about the need to get yourself checked. But Theo and Brandalynn aren’t just stepping up with awareness; you can’t pay the bills with that. Of the proceeds for Double Finger, 10% of this 10% beer will be going towards the cause and will really penetrate the problem.

This is a very good beer and by drinking it you are doing a little good too.

Don’t Fear The Finger.

Post-Script:

#NovemBEER

ZerØday also released a beer this past weekend for and in conjunction with the Harrisburg Marathon. It is Air Horn One, a session IPA. It is showing up all around HBG in bars that partner with ZerØday. I have not had it yet but you should probably check it out as their session IPAs have been generally pretty good.

ZerØday has really taken on an important role in the Midtown of Harrisburg. They are part of the neighborhood and it’s things like these beers and inviting people into the process that makes them feel like part of the community more than just the neighborhood watering hole.

Maybe the biggest driver of that, but few have noticed, is the fact that ZerØday is occasionally a classroom as Theo and Brandalynn are teaching a brewing sciences class on behalf of HACC. Which has me asking: “What aren’t they doing right now?”

I really tried to keep the double entendres to a minimum but even this line feels like one.