Brewpub goes to the dogs: beers for man’s best friend

Moon Under Water offers canine-friendly drinks as part of fundraiser for pet rescue

A Victoria brewpub’s beer for dogs won’t leave pets with a hangover but will raise money for a local animal rescue charity.

Moon Under Water brewed the Beef and Barley Dunkel and the Chicken and Peanut Pilsner — both non-alcoholic drinks and with no carbonation or hops — as part of a fundraiser for Broken Promises Animal Rescue to be held Saturday.

“Our dog is a rescue dog, so it seemed just like a great fit for us,” said Clay Potter, the brewmaster and a co-owner of the brewpub.

The dog beers contain beef or chicken stock as well as glucosamines and salmon oil, and are intended as a treat rather than a meal replacement. They are being sold Saturday during a fundraiser at the brewpub for Broken Promises, a volunteerrun, non-profit charity created 2 1⁄2 years ago by Kathleen Davis and Pamela Saddler.

The rescue centre finds new owners for animals at B.C. shelters that would otherwise be euthanized.

But paying vet bills and feeding the animals adds up. Saddler estimates the charity went through $90,000 last year, spending an average of $300 per animal on vet bills and food.

Foster fees — ranging from $150 for a cat to $400 for a puppy — recoup some of the costs, but additional funding is needed.

“We’re getting low on funds right now, and when we get low we have to stop bringing in pets. This is a big fundraiser for us,” Saddler said.

Initial plans are to sell the beer at $4 a bottle.

The fundraiser, which runs 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at 350B Bay St., will also feature a burger and beer sale and the chance to lay a tile in the brewpub’s café for a donation.

The beverages aren’t Moon Under Water’s first foray into animal treats — the brewpub already made dog biscuits from leftover grains, but was looking to appeal to a larger part of the animal market.

Potter said he has been getting orders for the beer from liquor stores across Canada and the United States, as well as from Bosley’s pet food store, and will look to keep selling it after the fundraiser.

“We’ve taken it to local dog clubs and they go crazy for it. Cats actually go just as crazy for it and love it,” he said.

ADRIAN LAM, TIMES COLONIST Clay Potter, a co-owner and brewmaster of Moon Under Water, with his four-year-old dog Brew and one of the brewpub’s new non-alcoholic canine beers.