What do a young girl, cancer, hope and homebrewing have in common?
   
In 2010, four-year-old Emma German was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a malignant childhood cancer. Emma’s dad, Chris, a member of the Jack of All Brews homebrew club, sells grain and brewing supplies to commercial breweries and homebrew shops. Jack of All Brews (JAB) wanted to do something special for their friend and his family, so after some brainstorming, the club decided to host a beer-centric benefit for Emma.  
   
The club contacted several local Minnesota breweries and brewpubs who generously supplied the club with beer to serve at the event as well as donated prizes to hand out. When all of the equipment, products and promotional items started arriving, however, the club decided they wanted to create an even bigger draw to increase event attendance. When JAB members learned that Northern Brewer had created an English brown ale kit called “Emma’s Ale,” with all the proceeds going toward pediatric cancer research and treatment at Children’s Hospital and Clinics, the lightbulb turned on and JAB members incorporated a homebrew challenge into the benefit: brew your own version of “Emma’s Ale.”
   
From all-grain, boil-in-bag and extract with grain versions, many enterprising JAB members embraced the brewing challenge and added some unique twists to the base recipe: pumpkin, spices, smoke, vanilla, bourbon-soaked oak chips and many more formulas — more than 18 different interpretations were concocted!
   
By the time the day of the benefit arrived, homebrew supply companies, yeast companies, club members and local liquor stores had all jumped on board for an amazing lineup of silent auction items, and the staff from Brewing TV captured the action and even donated a televised brew session to the silent auction. Emma and her brother Brady got in on the fun by drawing the winning raffle tickets.
   
During the benefit, taps and bottles of the various “Emma’s Ale” interpretations were rotated and the public had an opportunity to vote for their favorite version. It was very hard to choose the best, as a lot of club members pushed the envelope of the English brown style. The winner of the traveling Golden Mash Paddle Trophy, however, was Keith Brady, who brewed a chipotle and honey version. The runner-up was Emma’s dad’s German cocoa-nibbed ale.
   
Not only was the event a great time, it earned $3,300 for the family! The event has also generated a significant nationwide response from other homebrewers and clubs who have brewed the “Emma’s Ale” kit. Emma received chemotherapy treatment and had her tumor removed at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, followed by a bone marrow transplant at Fairview University Children’s Hospital. As of October, 2011, Emma’s final bone marrow biopsy results were negative for neuroblastoma, which means that she is officially, 100%, really and truly CANCER FREE.
   
The “Emma’s Ale” kit is still available from Northern Brewer, so it’s not too late to brew up a batch and help cure childhood cancer! If you want to follow Emma’s progress, check out her CaringBridge site: www.caringbridge.org/visit/emmagerman
   
To see video of the Hope for Emma Event and tell us about your experiences with the Emma’s Ale Kit, go to: www.jackofallbrews.org.
   
Donations can be made to “Hope For Emma” fund at:
State Bank of Belle Plaine
PO Box 87
201 West Main Street
Belle Plaine, Minnesota 56011-0087