Hamden Firefighter Brews Special Beer To Honor Massachusetts Firefighter Killed in Line of Duty

By purchasing a pint, you could help the daughter of a fallen firefighter from Worcester, Mass.

A limited-time only IPA in honor of Christopher Roy is on tap at BAR - New Haven on Crown Street.

Roy, 36, died in the line of duty on December 9 while fighting a five-alarm at an apartment building in Worcester.

“It’s good that we have the brotherhood that you know stands behind each other,” Hamden Fire Department Lt. David Wood said.

That brotherhood was on display at the funeral attended by hundreds of firefighters a few days after the deadly fire.

“Four and five wide down the whole street,” said Wood, who represented the Hamden Fire Department at the final farewell for Roy.

“You look you know at family life without a father you know how are these kids, or child in this case, you know going to cope with that and down line are they going to have money to go to college because now their sole provider is gone,” Wood said.

The Worcester firefighters’ union has set up a fund for Roy’s 9-year-old daughter Ava.

“A lot of us are fairly humble about it,” Wood told NBC Connecticut. “I don’t even like being on the news, but this is for a good cause.”

A 14-year Hamden firefighter, Wood is also the head brewer at BAR. He decided to brew a special beer called “Last Alarm IPA” to honor Roy.

“Fairly balanced,” Wood said, “but very piney and resinous, has a lot of Simcoe hops.”

A dollar from each pint sold is donated to the Ava Roy fund.

“It means a lot to be able to support a fellow brother and family,” Wood said.

A week since the first pour, the specialty beer has been selling well.

“If you do want to try it, try to come down quick,” said Wood, who expects “Last Alarm IPA” to only remain on tap for about another week.

Donations to support the daughter of firefighter Roy can be made at www.iaff1009.org.