Days of the Beer, February 9

The beer for today is Upland Brewing Company, Nut Hugger Brown Ale.

On February 9, 1961, John Martin Kruk was born in Charleston, West Virginia.

Kruk is most famously a baseball player. He began his pro career with the San Diego Padres in 1986. His breakout year was 1987, when he hit .313 with 20 home runs, 91 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. On April 13, 1987, Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn, and Kruk became the first players in major league baseball to open a game with three consecutive solo home runs. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during the 89 season.

With Philly, he was selected as an all star in 91, 92, and 93.

He finished his career with the Chicago White Sox in 1995. His career batting average was .300; he had 100 home runs, and 592 RBI.

He is currently a Baseball Tonight analyst on ESPN.

During Spring training in 1994, an errant pickoff throw from Mitch Williams hit Kruk in the groin and broke his protective cup. He later complained of pain in his groin. Doctors then diagnosed that he had testicular cancer and he had one of them removed.

As to the beer:

Sometimes, it’s good to be a bit nutty. Take, for instance, our Nut Hugger Brown Ale, a unique twist on a traditional recipe. The familiar, pleasant bitterness you would expect from a brown ale is present, tempered by a full, chewy caramel malt. However, things get interesting once you taste the hints of roasted biscuit and the chocolaty aroma, and to top it off, a touch of sweetness in the finish. Orignially, brown ale hails from England, where it first emerged in the 1600’s. The inclusion of American hops, however, lends Nut Hugger Brown Ale a satisfying bite.

Upland Brewing Co. Nut Hugger Brown Ale is 6.2% ABV. It has 41.4 IBU. The beer is seasonal will be available again in May.

So, for John Kruk's broken Nut Hugger, and his remaining nut, have an Upland Nut Hugger Brown Ale.