Last week, Asbury Park Brewery and veteran New Jersey punk band The Gaslight Anthem launched a limited-edition beer called Stay Lucky, a hazy but not-too-bitter, hoppy IPA with aromas of peach and mango. It’s sadly only available (for now) in the brewery’s tasting room in Asbury Park, NJ, in either a four-pack to go or on tap.
So there’s a good chance you may not taste it. But Brian Fallon, The Gaslight Anthem frontman and a longtime beer fan, has no concerns about becoming the next celebrity booze mogul. He’s rather busy, having recently released an excellent and melancholy new record with his band (History Books) — which includes a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen, and, in a follow-up EP, a rather cool cover of Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes” — and also started up a headlining arena tour with Joyce Manor.
But if you’re in or around Asbury Park, do stop at the brewery and try the beer (which is named after a Gaslight Anthem song from their 2010 album American Slang). It’s part of a trend, as Asbury Park has released three other limited-edition beer collaborations with musicians. A portion of proceeds from sales of Stay Lucky will go to Red House Music & Rehearsal Studio, a music school in New Jersey.
Below, our fun talk with Fallon (who’s a good-natured and funny dude) about beer, chain restaurant Margaritas and not meeting Glenn Danzig.
InsideHook: How did you get involved with making a beer?
Brian Fallon: I met Brian, one of the guys involved with Asbury Park Brewery, on a sidewalk in Asbury Park. He introduced me to a mutual friend and they were like, “When are you going to do a beer?” And I thought, I do want to do a beer. Asbury Park’s Sea Dragon IPA is pretty good, but maybe they could do a beer for us. It might taste even better.
We joked that it was going to be like 11% or 16% ABV and call it the Day Ender — you know, one and done — but [Asbury Park Brewery’s] Brian is a real salesman of beer and brought up that maybe you want to sell more than one of them before you pass out. Anyway, then we decided to collaborate and then kind of just became friends. It turns out we live down the street from each other. And they’re a local business, so that’s my kryptonite. I love a local business, it’s what makes a community.
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On “No Joy,” the indie-punk group finds love (and synths) in its own bleak wayIH: What was the process of determining how Stay Lucky was going to taste?
Well, I’ve sampled all their beer — some would say too much. But I love them, and Sea Dragon is my favorite IPA. I’m not strictly an IPA guy, but I do love it. So this is an offshoot of that.
IH: The tasting notes describe the beer as having “a little dank.” Can you explain that?
I can only assume they mean it gives you a little kick. A little thing about IPA, it’s like swampy, you know? It’s thick and down and dirty. Like, it’s of the earth. Whereas a Corona is not like that.
IH: Have you ever done anything like this before?
We’ve never been attached to anything, no. Like, most people suck, you know what I mean? [Laughs] We don’t like them. If you’re going to get involved with somebody, they gotta be cool. Like, I know Brian’s mother, and he knows my kids. It just feels like we’re doing this with some friends.
IH: You’re not exclusive to IPAs, though.
I like IPAs, I like lagers. Not really a stout guy. Some of the other band members like a good stout.
IH: Have other bands you’ve toured with made you try their whiskeys or beers?
I’ve come across this twice. One was a beer for [indie pop singer] Karina Rykman, who’s in a much different scene, and the other was a gin and a whiskey, I believe, from Rachel Bolan of Skid Row. He was like, “You should do something like this.” And I’m like, I don’t know, man, if I did gin, it might be illegal, you know? But I can get behind a beer. Maybe not at 18.5% ABV beer or whatever; that’d be too many divorces.
IH: Wait, how did you cross paths with Skid Row?
I’ve liked the band since I was young. I honestly think it was Jon Bon Jovi who introduced us. And we follow each other online on social media. And I know [Skid Row guitarist] Scotti Hill from being online and talking about pedals and stuff.
IH: I was expecting to hear more stories about you knowing Springsteen or Glenn Danzig.
Oh, I’ve never met Glenn Danzig. He doesn’t like to hang out too much.
IH: Even though you just toured with him [when Gaslight opened for the Misfits]?
Yeah, never met him. [Misfits guitarist] Jerry Only was hanging out, though. I’d love to meet Glenn though. Hey, Glenn!
IH: How did you pick Stay Lucky as the name?
It’s a song a lot of people gravitate towards. It’s a cool little Irish thing, and we’re Irish guys making beer. Stay Lucky. It’s cool. It’s almost like a message to the drinker.
IH: You have other songs that would’ve made great beer names: Stay Vicious, Get Hurt…
Ha! We were joking about a bunch of them. If we’d done that 19% IPA we could have called it “Positive Charge.”
IH: What’s your tour rider like as it relates to booze?
When you’re starting out, you’re just happy to have whatever they have. But now we’re old, and they’re pretty sure a couple of tickets are going to be sold, so they give us the good stuff. I’m in my 40s now, you gotta treat yourself and make a stand in your life. And I choose to make a stand on specific beers.
IH: What’s your favorite drinking song?
Oh, it’s gotta be The Pogues, right? Or, wait, I guess it’s maybe “The Snake With Eyes of Garnet” from Shane McGowan and the Popes. I don’t know if that’s a drinking song.
IH: What’s your drink of choice when it’s not beer?
I’m not really a whiskey guy. If no calories were involved, I’d drink all the Piña Coladas and Daiquiris under God’s heaven and drink them all at the same time. But love tequila. It works for me. I don’t get angry. I don’t get upset. I like it too much; I gotta save it for the Cheesecake Factory, for that Ultimate Margarita. That thing is bangin’. I can’t recommend the Cheesecake Factory for anything else, but that Margarita — don’t get the other bullshit Margarita on the menu. Get the Ultimate, it’s got Grand Marnier and I think Patrón. Maybe simple syrup and a lime. It’s really good.
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