Photo Flash: SCHOOL OF ROCK Joins Broadway Brews Project with 'School of Hops' IPA

The Broadway Brews Project is an initiative put together by The Happy Hour Guys (Mark Aldrich and Jimmy Ludwig) to pair hit Broadway shows with local craft brewers, to brew a special one- off beer, themed in relation to their show for a charity of the show's choosing. The Broadway Brews Project launched its first collaboration called Rise Up Rye, partnering with Gun Hill Brewing Company and the cast of the smash Broadway musical Hamilton.

"We're so excited to have School of Rock join us along with such a fantastic brewery- Carton Brewing," said Happy Hour Guys' Jimmy Ludwig. "The School of Rock cast was instrumental in helping us create this delicious beer that will help benefit a fantastic cause," he adds. "Our goal is a Broadway six-pack-six shows, six craft brews that benefit six distinct charities." Adds Mark Aldrich, " We're very specific when we consider pairing a show with a brewery and in this case it's a perfect match. Taking chances to make a difference for the greater good is what School of Rock and the beer are both about."

"Celebrating craft beer, music and Broadway - we couldn't be prouder to join forces with School of Rock and The Happy Hour Guys, " said Augie Carton, co-owner and partner at Carton Brewing. "Our creative sessions with this dynamic, talented cast were simply amazing--they created something truly spectacular that, most importantly will help Sing for Hope bring the arts to many New Yorkers who can't afford it."

A lushly layered Imperial Black IPA, School of Hops will only be available in cans at the Winter Garden Theater concession and on tap and in cans at the Carton Brewing taproom. Says Augie Carton, "We went for enough alcohol to push the idea of an 'Aqua-net Hair spray' thing; enough malts to get kind of a leathery texture; and hops additions that give this strawberry roll-out lip gloss smell that, to me, is every concert I went to at the Stone Pony in the late 80s." He adds, "And with so many young theatergoers attending School of Rock, we took that strawberry inspiration and made a flavored seltzer called "School of Pop." Plans for future Broadway Brew collaborations are already underway.

Currently in performances at the Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway), School of Rock - The Musical is based on the smash hit 2003 film of the same, featuring music from the movie, as well as an original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater, a book by Julian Fellowes and direction by Laurence Connor. Based on the hit film, School of Rock - The Musical is a hilarious new musical that follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school's beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.