JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Remembering the heroes of war and the turning point of World War II, Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the landing of armed forces in Normandy, France.
Veterans United Craft Brewery in Jacksonville has a unique way of remembering what happened and honoring those who served. It's a one-of-a-kind receipe that delivers the D-Day IPA.
"I think it's absolutely incredible," said Scott Harloff, a customer. "I think, number one, the beer itself has got that true juciness and great IPA flavor, but the meaning behind it is even, to me, more important given we're coming up on the 75th anniversary of D-Day."
The D-Day IPA is a collaboration between Veterans United and a brewery in Normandy called 2 Caps. The ingredients in the beer include French malt and American hops.
It took about seven months for the brewmasters to invent the receipe and produce the beer.
"This is the only place, other than that brewery in France, that you can get it in the world," said Daniel Carr, a Veterans United bartender.
There's the intangible sentiment, too, remembering the sacrifice that would save the world from Nazi domination.
"They sacrificed a lot," said Bob Buehn, a veteran and part owner of Veterans United. "A lot of them didn't come home, and the few that are left you know they tear up when they think about the guys they left behind on the beach there."
"You need to raise your glass to the veterans who landed on those beaches, who ran the boat ashore, ran through the machine gun fire onto the beaches and really turn the tide of the war," Buehn continued. "Here's to them."