VISTA: Breweries help in fight against deadly disease

Saturday party at Green Flash Brewery in Vista to raise money for FightALD.org

By PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | Friday, November 14, 2008 10:01 PM PST ∞

VISTA ---- An event at a local brewery Saturday is fueling the fight against an often misdiagnosed and deadly disease.

Green Flash Brewery in Vista has decided to dedicate all proceeds from its sixth anniversary party to FightALD.org, an organization that works to educate doctors and the public about adrenoleukodystrophy, a genetic disorder that is difficult to diagnose and kills one in 15,000 boys each year.

The local beer-making community was touched by the disease in 2003, when 8-year-old Sawyer Sherwood ---- the son of Stone Brewery brewer Bill Sherwood ---- died after a six-month battle with the devastating illness.

That same year, Stone Brewery released a Belgian-style ale called Sawyer's Triple that was created by Sherwood. The ale came out just days after Sawyer's death and sold out immediately. Money raised went to help pay for the boy's medical expenses.

On Tuesday, Stone released a new batch of Sawyer's Triple and will be offering tastes of the beer for $1 at the Green Flash event on Saturday. Stone is also selling 22-ounce bottles and pints for $6 at its world bistro and brewery in Escondido.

All of the proceeds go to support Bill Sherwood and his wife, Janis, in their efforts to broaden awareness of adrenoleukodystrophy, also known as ALD.

Janis Sherwood said proceeds will hopefully pay for the foundation to visit children's hospitals throughout the nation and raise awareness among doctors about ALD, which often goes undiagnosed until it is too late for effective treatment.

"There are still little boys dying of this disease without an accurate diagnosis, and that is what we're trying to stop through education," she said.

A genetic disorder that breaks down the insulating membrane that surrounds nerve cells in the brain, the malady is most common in boys ages 4 to 10. ALD causes accumulation of fatty acids in the brain, which often leads to death.

Symptoms include behavioral changes like withdrawal, aggression, poor memory and difficulty in school and physical problems ranging from loss of vision to lack of coordination.

If symptoms are properly diagnosed early, studies have shown that bone marrow transplants and treatment with "Lorenzo's Oil" ---- a combination of oleic and erucic acids featured in the 1993 film of the same name ---- can delay progression of the disease. But if doctors misdiagnose, as was the case for Sawyer, brain damage ensues and the prognosis becomes fatal.

When it became clear that his son needed an expensive bone marrow transplant, a tribute beer immediately came to mind for Bill Sherwood. But Sawyer's Triple is not the typical Stone product: the company is known for muscular ales seasoned with armloads of bitter, crisp hops.

A triple is a much more subtle creation with complexity that comes in part from Belgian candy sugar.

"I'm not sure why I decided on a triple," Sherwood said. "I guess its always been one of my favorite recipes, and it was a style that Stone hadn't done before."

Janis Sherwood said she is positive her son would have appreciated the tribute, even if he could not have a sip.

"If he knew about it, he would be like, 'Yes, I have a beer named after me,' " she said.

The Green Flash party will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at 1430 Vantage Court in Vista. Admission costs $30. For more information, visit greenflashbrew.com/2008celebration.html.

Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.