Chris Hernandez never met fallen Riverside Police Officer Michael Crain or San Bernardino County Deputy Jeremiah MacKay, but as an illustrator, he was asked to capture what both men represented.
"This had to be very, very special and very unique because of what it represented," said Hernandez.
Wicks Brewing Company commissioned the logos for two new beers: Freight Crain and Sheepdog. The craft beers were made to honor the fallen officers, who were murdered last February by former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner.
"There were so many negative things that were involved with that entire incident. It wasn't really the way that they wanted him remembered," said Ryan Wicks with Wicks Brewing Co.
In the months following, Wicks says the Crain family approached him about creating a special brew. Regina Crain says this draft is a fitting tribute to her late husband.
"It's such a great way to memorialize him, I think. Instead of being something that is negative and thinking about what happened, this is something he enjoyed," she said.
Crain, who was nicknamed "Freight Crain" for his time knocking down doors on the SWAT team, is depicted as a charging bull and train.
For MacKay, the logo shows a sheepdog playing the bagpipes, honoring his love for bagpipes. Both logos also carry the badge and call numbers of each of the men.
The craft beers are not only named after the officers, they also reflect their personalities and tastes. For Crain, it's a chocolate milk stout.
"A good, strong, dark beer was where we were going with that," said Wicks.
And for MacKay, it's an Irish ale.
"So we wanted to keep it as an Irish with an American influence in it," said Wicks.Next month, Wicks will unveil the beers at its cops and cars fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit the families of fallen or injured officers.
The fundraiser will be held on Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 11620 Sterling Avenue in Riverside, California.
