What do penguins and beer have in common? The Shedd Aquarium. For the fourth year, the Shedd and Revolution Brewing have partnered on Penguin Hops, a pale ale brewed with hops grown at the aquarium. The beer will be released at a party Wednesday at the Shedd (1200 S. Lake Shore Drive 312-692-3288, 5-10 p.m. $18. Tickets: sheddaquarium.org/penguinhops).
The Shedd garden contributed about 8 pounds of cascade and centennial hops, according to horticulture manager Christine Nye. Though it may seem like an unexpected partnership, $1 from each pint ($6) sold at the party and at Revolution brewpub and brewery supports the Shedd’s conservation and research projects.
“What I like about it is it gets people’s attention. Beer inspires people,” Nye said. “Anything that gets people to notice plants are important to our lives is the way to go.”
Penguin Hops is sweet and malty on the nose with a fresh, floral flavor. It’s a mellow beer brewed with non-beer enthusiasts in mind, said Revolution head pub brewer Wil Turner, who also contributed homegrown hops from his Evergreen Park home. “Everyone might not all be beer people—I didn’t want to make a crazy IPA,” he said.
This year Revolution produced about 930 gallons, twice as much as the first year. “Twice as much goes to the cause,” Turner said.
Nye planted the hops in the 1,200-square-foot garden about eight years ago and was initially sharing them with homebrewers. Most of the plants, including tomatoes, kale and cucumber, are grown from heirloom seeds, or seeds from plants that have been passed down generations to preserve certain flavor qualities. This year, the Shedd garden donated about 1,000 pounds of food to Pacific Garden Mission homeless shelter in the South Loop.
“I like to show people what food looks like,” Nye said. “I try to bring the garden in line with Shedd’s mission of conservation.”
The Penguin Hops tasting party at the Shedd includes a discussion with Turner about the brewing process and with a Shedd penguin expert about the rockhopper penguin, which the beer is named after. Indianapolis folk artist Josh Turner and local pop group The Hudson Branch will perform at the release.
Can’t make it to the party? Grab a pint at Revolution brewery and brewpub and the locations listed below, where $1 per pint will be donated to the Shedd.
For more eat & drink news, click here.
