Brewing Community Mourns Loss of Friend Kerri Rose

PHOTO: Kerri and Matt Rose with their son, born in September; family photo

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LORTON, VA -- Patch first wrote about Matt and Kerri Rose in 2013, when they told us about their plans to follow their dream to open a brewery. Matt quit his job as an aerospace engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton and the two opened Forge Brew Works in Lorton.

Sadly, Matt delivered the news over the weekend to friends and family (on a GoFundMe page that was set up several months ago to help with bills) that wife Kerri, 32, has passed away after a battle with stomach cancer:

“Kerri’s husband Matt here. Kerri passed away last night from complications due to the cancer. I can’t express how much you all have meant to us both and Lance over this, and in accordance with her wishes all the money left over after medical bills will go to Lance’s education fund that we set up when he was born. Kerri loved your words and support so much. Thank you so much again, and we love you all.”

Friends have raised more than $50,000 the past four months to help the family, after the cancer was diagnosed.

A fellow brewer, Fair Winds, also in Lorton, hosted 19 other brewmasters Jan. 7, to craft “Kerri’s Cure.” Plans were to divide the beer among the 20 participating breweries and release it for sale to craft beer lovers on Friday, Jan. 29. Patch will post any updates about the sale as they become available.

Kerri gave birth to a son in September; it was her pregnancy that diagnosed her cancer. Read her story or make a donation here.