Legendary Rock Band Rush Gets Its Own Beer

Rush is probably one of the more polarizing uber-successful rock bands in the world and they’ve partnered with a popular Canadian brewery to release a new beer that could generate another rush.

Here’s the deal…

You either love the Canadian rock band Rush, or you hate them, there’s seldom middle ground. You’ve got to be into to progressive rock to begin with and open to eclectic lyrical motifs that draw heavily on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy, as well as to Getty Lee’s high register vocals.

But whatever your take on the band they’ve had an incredible run having been awarded 4 Platinum and 3 multi-Platinum albums in the US and entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

So yeah, these guys have earned their own beer.

It started during 2015’s R40 tour which commemorated the 40th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart, (who died of brain cancer in 2020), joining the band four decades earlier.

After a gig, someone handed Geddy Lee, Rush’s lead vocalist, bass, synthesizer player and composer, a bottle of “Iron Maiden -Trooper” beer.

Geddy took one look at it and jokingly asked where the Rush beer was.  That moment stayed with the band, and recognizing the growing craft beer movement, particularly in their hometown of Toronto, they decided it was time.

Like with so many bands., beer has always been an important part of the band’s touring experience.  That first after-show beer helping to draw a line between that night’s show and the wind-down that follows.

“When I get off stage, I really, really enjoy an ice-cold beer, it’s like a little reward,” commented Geddy Lee on a recent visit to Henderson Brewery, the award-winning Toronto brewery that Rush partnered with on its first beer.

And the band’s association with the brewery was almost a given, Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson (guitars, composer) were big fans of the hometown brewery and Henderson had previously released a “Put Your Scarf On Geddy” limited edition Canadian Imperial Stout in 2016.

In the summer of 2020 Rush and Henderson Brewing began taste testing many prototype brews and early in 2021 the band and the brewery both felt they had come up with a beer that everyone could stand behind.

In a post on the Rush website, Alex Lifeson, the band-proclaimed Beer Scientist, describes Rush’s first beer this way…

“Rush Canadian Golden Ale is golden in colour with a dense ivory head. It has an earthy aroma with hints of orange-peel, pine and spicy rye. While the emphasis is on refreshment, there are elements of pine, rye spice and a citric hop flavor that add to the subtle complexity of the beer”.

Rush’s 5.5% ABV band-branded brew will debut across Canada on August 30.