Brewing can be a very slow process; the steps are various and complex, and require a lot of decision-making. But one beer planned at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens took the process to a sloth’s pace, by actually having a sloth help out.
Charlie, a sloth at the L.A. Zoo, picked out ingredients for the zoo’s upcoming Brew at the L.A. Zoo event. The festival brings in craft beers from 40 local breweries, and for the past two years, the zoo has enlisted the help of its animals to make a signature brew.
On #InternationalSlothDay we celebrate Charlie, our Linné's two-toed #sloth. He loves eating flowers and sleeping. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/LAgtMYDd0J
— Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (@LAZoo) October 20, 2016
Last year was Ranger the bear. This year, Charlie was selected as the homebrewing helper. He was given a selection of ingredients from the garden on a table to choose from. Surprisingly, he swiftly chose the pear and roses. From there, it was Simmzy’s Pub, a Los Angeles-area brewpub chain and small production winery, that brought the beer to life.
The resulting brew, “Slothen Bräu,” is a play on a German beer called Löwenbräu, which translates to “lion’s brew.” It’s a “crisp, refreshing German-style kölsch,” according to the event page.
Charlie isn’t the only booze-lover in the animal kingdom. Animals seem to love to sniff out alcohol wherever they can find it. In March, animal control rescued a skunk that got its head stuck in a Bud Light can. In June, an alligator raided a Florida woman’s wine cabinet.
Slothen Bräu will be available at the Brew at the L.A. Zoo event on Friday, August 2, 2019 and at Simmzy’s Pub while supplies last.
