Bays Brewery have announced that their cheeky charity brew Funky Monkey has raised £1,400, bringing their animal conservation total to £28,500.
The family-run brewery joined forces with Paignton Zoo earlier this summer for a special-edition charity ale celebrating plans for ‘Hamadryas Hill’, a new home for the zoo’s troop of baboons.
Available in bottles, cask, and beer boxes, the copper-coloured ale featured fruity hoppy notes and a citrus twist, with 5% of every pint and bottle sold raising funds for wildlife conservation.
“Brewing local beers that give something back is at the heart of what we do, and we love working with our friends at Paignton Zoo, a fellow Torbay business that’s close to our heart with our family links to Kenya,” said Bays Brewery director Peter Salmon.
“Funky Monkey was really well received by our community of beer drinkers, and we are thrilled to have raised such a great amount for animal conservation. A big thank you to everyone who dug deep in their pockets and enjoyed a pint of our cheeky charity ale.”
Funky Monkey is one of a long line-up of ‘animal’ ales made in partnership with Paignton Zoo, with the charity tipples raising more than £28,500 in total for endangered species.
Last year, the brewery and zoo teamed up on Wild 100, celebrating the zoo’s centenary and paying homage its founder, Herbert Whitley, who was the son of a successful brewer from the Greenall Whitley brewery.
Other firm favourites from the two Torbay businesses have included Savanah Ale, Orangutan Ale, Crocod-ale, and Trunk Ale, with 10p from each pint and bottle donated to wildlife conservation.
Paignton Zoo fundraising manager, Will Keen, said: “Wild Planet Trust and Paignton Zoo are incredibly proud of our continued collaboration with Bays Brewery as a corporate partner, and wish to express our sincere thanks once again for their support.
“Not only is their donation gratefully received at a challenging time for Paignton Zoo, but their continued support as part of our Torbay business community demonstrates commitment to people, our animals, and our vital conservation work both locally and internationally. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Bays.”
Bays’ current charity brew, Chopper Ale, is raising much-needed funds for Devon Air Ambulance, to keep its air ambulances flying and fleet of critical care cars responding.
Completing the charity line-up in November will be Jingle Ale, a deep amber ale, with 5% of proceeds supporting Children’s Hospice South West.
