Local brewery supports veterans

Three Creeks Brewing Company celebrated a partnership with Warfighter Outfitters and their release of the new Warfighter Pale Ale on Saturday at their production facility on Barclay Drive.

Sales of the brew will raise money for Warfighter Outfitters, a Sisters-based nonprofit for disabled veterans founded by Brett Miller, a wounded combat veteran of the war in Iraq.

"This is a huge win for both organizations, and we're stoked to be supporting our community and the larger world of veterans that we would otherwise be unable to reach," said Three Creeks Brewing Co. owner Wade Underwood.

Hundreds of people came out to the brewery's celebration which included a few volunteers from three other nonprofit organizations that recently merged with Warfighter Outfitters: Front Lines to Tight Lines based in Portland, Veteran Outdoor Adventures based in Roseburg, and Team Overland out of Southern Oregon. All four nonprofits have served disabled veterans by providing no-charge fishing, hunting or whitewater rafting excursions in the great outdoors.

Warfighter Outfitters also brought along a few of their boats to show off, including the unveiling of the nonprofit's new 32-foot BWC Gatling series twin boat that was a donation from Wounded Warrior Project.

"We were without a big boat for nearly two years because of the grant process. We needed one big jet-boat for certain trips that we take on bigger waters," Miller said. "When we finally got the boat, I noticed four keg taps on it, so I went to my friend Wade Underwood and talked about getting some beer on the boat for the veterans..."

Warfighter Pale Ale looks like Three Creeks Brewing's biggest seasonal release. Ever.

"We've been really excited about working up a hop forward pale ale and were playing with some new hop varieties that just came together perfectly. We are getting a great IPA-type of presentation with lower ABV and I'm loving this beer," Underwood said. "We are very happy to raise funds and awareness for Warfighter Outfitters."

Marsha Marr was on hand enjoying the food and craft beer with her son Josh, a war veteran himself. She said, "It's a wonderful thing Three Creeks Brewing is doing for Warfighter Outfitters, they are totally awesome."

Jeanette Pilak, executive director for Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, worked with Brett Miller years ago and was here to celebrate the cause.

"He encourages me, inspires me, gets more work done despite his disabilities, and helps more people than I have in my lifetime," Pilak told The Nugget.