'Here, Hold the Flashlight': Bell Tower Brewing Co. rallies dads to make Father's Day beer

Dads grill, repair, tinker and mow, and they're often looking for a hand with the chores.  When the work is finished, it's not a stretch to imagine them relaxing with their favorite beer.

One local brewery is rolling out a beer made by an assembly of fathers in honor of the knowledge, wisdom and escapades they share with their family.

For their 37th beer in their seven months of existence, Kent's Bell Tower Brewing Co. has whipped up a grapefruit IPA with some dad-themed  details in celebration of Father's Day.

Released on Friday, the new brew named "Here, Hold the Flashlight,"  is described as a  "citrus-forward IPA boast[ing] a delightful combination of Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops."

According to the brewery: "We also added a healthy dose of fresh grapefruit zest. This beer pairs best with family."

Ryan Tipton — one of Bell Tower's co-founders— explained that the name comes from the fond memories associated with the phrase.

"Whether it was wrenching a car," reads the description, "on a camping trip, in the attic or on some other adventure, we've all been handed a flashlight and heard our father say 'Here, hold the flashlight.' "

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The Father's Day brew began its journey on May 7 in Bell Tower's downstairs brewhouse with a holiday-appropriate twist.

Tipton and Bell Tower's head brewster  and co-founder Jennifer Hermann brought together some of the dads in the Bell Tower family to create a beer brewed by dads specifically for Father's Day.

The dads involved included Tipton's two brothers, Benjamin and Seth; his father, Chuck; and his father-in-law, Mike Adams. (Tipton's wife, Bridget, is also a Bell Tower co-founder and designer.)

Unfortunately, Hermann's father, former Kent State history professor Kenneth Wayne Hermann, died from brain cancer in 2009.

One of Bell Tower's fermenters is inscribed with his initials, K.W.H.

"My dad is here in spirit," Hermann said. "Because I can't brew with my dad, I invited all my other dads to come brew with me."

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In addition to containing all the ingredients one would expect to find in any beer — grain, hops, yeast, and water — Hermann utilized grapefruit peel to impart a refreshing juiciness to the brew.

"I'm anticipating the grapefruit peel will add some bitterness," said Hermann, "so we're kind of backing off the actual hop bitterness so that we don't overshoot it and it's not too astringent."

Peeling the case of grapefruits and measuring the hops were the purview of the assembled fathers.

At one point, Chuck tested out a method of peeling grapefruit he'd seen on YouTube. He impaled a grapefruit on the end of a drill bit, and while Adams held a grater, Chuck turned on the drill, spinning the grapefruit against the grater. No one was maimed, and the contraption did its job relatively well.

The re-appropriation of tools for something other than their intended purpose is the kind of chicanery that fathers have been engaging in since time immemorial.

In total, the day's efforts produced seven barrels of "Here, Hold the Flashlight," a total of 217 gallons, equaling 1,736 pints.

The dads all have experience brewing in Ryan's garage — Ryan's "laboratory" as Chuck calls it.

"Once a month we would brew as a family. We called it 'Brew Day,'" Benjamin said. Typically they would brew 10 gallons at a time, a considerably smaller scale than the 270 gallons the gathering of patriarchs worked to concoct and make ready in time for  Father's Day.

Over the course of the day, Hermann directed the proceedings. From checking temperatures to overseeing the dads' efforts measuring hops and peeling an inordinate amount of grapefruit, she explained each step for the benefit of the gathered.

Brewing beer involves a lot of waiting around for the next step, keeping an eye on things in the meantime. Sometimes it feels like watching paint dry. All there is to do for a vast majority of a brew day is to check things, Hermann said.

Watching the bursts of activity in between periods of stagnation gives the impression that brewing is best enjoyed as a team effort, more so if the team is comprised of your family.

Even Seth's 2-year-old daughter, Remy, got in on the fun. From her father's arms, she peered into the enormous stainless steel kettle, monitoring closely the churning, swirling progress of the hoppy-smelling concoction, and beaming the whole time — the next generation of craft brewers getting an early start on the trade, perhaps.

Without a doubt, Hermann and the assembled Tiptons enjoyed their work that day.

"It was nice that the boys got together. I think they learned a lot," Hermann said.

The 6.5% ABV and 67 IBU  "Here, Hold the Flashlight" is available while supplies last  at Bell Tower Brewing Co. at  310 Park Ave. in Kent is open noon to 9 p.m. on Father's Day if you want to taste for yourself what these brewing dads helped whip up.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at dkreider@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Grapefruit IPA brewed by Bell Tower dads in Kent for Father's Day