By Nyla Patzner
Over 2,000 craft beer and food lovers will ascend up the hill to The Living Desert where more
than three dozen vendors will be serving their beers, wines, cider, menu favorites, and sweet
treats at the zoo’s Brew at the Zoo, happening Saturday, May 4th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
A fundraiser for the zoo, guests can be reassured they are “Saving Wildlife One Beer at a Time,”
as they enjoy four themed beer gardens offering craft beer, food tastings, live music, animal
encounters and all in the most unique setting- a zoo!
Those that have been following the opening of the new Coachella Valley Brewing Co. will be
thrilled to learn of their collaboration with The Living Desert. A designer brew, The Living Desert
Big Cat Brew, was created by the Coachella Valley Brewing Company especially for The Living
Desert.
The recipe was dreamed up by The Living Desert Curator of Plants, Kirk Anderson and Coachella
Valley Brewing Company Brew Master, Chris Anderson. “We were inspired by the big cats to
create a bolder beer with a bite”, remarked Chris Anderson. “We considered a variety of plants
for the brew but ultimately selected sage as the center note for our signature ale,” noted Kirk
Anderson. “People are always interested in practical uses for plants. Hopefully beer making
will ignite an interest in modern day ethnobotany.” The beer was inspired by native sage plants
found throughout the gardens. White sage, a California native sage, will be one of the special
ingredients in The Living Desert Zoo Brew and was handpicked from the park for use in the
brew.
A portion of the proceeds from sales of The Living Desert Big Cat Brew will benefit the park and
will be available year round at the park’s café and grill and through the brewery itself.
Guests will also enjoy an interactive photo booth, a relaxation station by Bliss and Bodyworks
and quadricycle demonstrations by Rhodes Cars. The exclusive VIP Lounge will include a private
reception at the Chase Gallery, premium wine and beer, deluxe appetizer buffet, animal
encounters, live jazz combo and unlimited access to general Brew at the Zoo.
In celebration of the park’s new brew and the upcoming Brew at the Zoo, The Living Desert
offers “Top Ten Reasons to Drink Beer for Conservation at The Living Desert”:
1. Humans have been drinking beer since the 5th millennium BC, why stop now?
2.
The Budweiser Clydesdales weigh up to 2,300 pounds and stand nearly 6 feet at the
shoulder. But our cheetahs can out run them at 65 mph.
In a study on intoxicated ants, it was noticed that the insects that had too much
to drink were picked up by nest mates and carried home. Don’t worry, we offer
designated driver tickets for your nest mates.
3.
4. The better to hear Mexican wolves howling at my next tesguino party. Tesguino is a
corn beer made by the Tarahumara Indians of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico.
Tesquino parties are infamous in the mountainous back country of western Mexico.
5. You too can hope to maintain a full bladder like a desert tortoise storing water for a dry
spell. But beware; if you pick me up I might pee on you.
6. This is your big chance to digest fermented grain – just like our ruminant friends.
7. Get your fix of magnesium, selenium, and folate with a beer.
8. The Living Desert zoo’s water conservation education efforts mean more water to brew
beer with.
9. A chance to toast to The Living Desert’s active conservation efforts, such as its
involvement with the Channel Islands and the Island Fox!
10.
Support The Living Desert animals that show us the wonder of wildlife everyday!
* Drink and drive and you might end as food for condors.
Craft Beer Tastings Include:
Ace Cider Apple
Ace Cider Perry
Babes
Big Sky Brewing Co
Coachella Valley Brewing
Firestone Pale 31
Firestone Pivo Pils
Wine Tastings:
Leese~Fitch Winery
William Hill Winery
Tulip Hill Winery (VIP)
Restaurants & Food:
Beach House Frozen Yogurt
Bellatrix
Ben & Jerry’s
bluEmber/Rancho Las Palmas
Buffalo Wild Wings
Cheesecake Factory
Clementine
Coldstone Creamery
Jensen’s
Mario’s Italian Café
Old Spaghetti Factory
Olive A Sudden
Piero’s Pizzavino
Popchips
Renaissance Esmeralda Hotel
Shermans Deli
Sullivan’s
Goose Island 312
Goose Island Honkers Ale
Hangar 24 Orange Wheat
Hangar 24 Summer Ale
Lost Coast Brewery
Maui Brewing Co.
Moose Drool Ale
Other Beverage Vendors:
Aquafina
Mr. Pink
Nika Water
New Belgium Rampant
New Belgium Ranger IPA
New Belgium Shift
Shipyard Brewery
Shock Top
Shock Top Raspberry
Stone Brewing Co.
Tommy Bahama
Westwood Catering
So raise a glass of your favorite nectar and toast the conservation efforts of the coolest zoo in
town. See you at the zoo!
Tickets are $40 for members, $55 non-members. VIP Lounge: $125. Also offered is a Designated
Driver ticket at $35, whereby holders will enjoy unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. At the door
prices are: $45 member, $60 non-member, Designated Driver $35. Online ticket reservations
will be taken through midnight on May 2nd (available at the door after that).
