Brew at the Zoo Is Back With Craft Beers and Adorable Sloths

The Palm Beach Zoo's unique craft-beer event, Brew at the Zoo, returns for its fourth year on April 2, playing host to a gaggle of local breweries. 

It's the beer-festival format that has drawn acclaim across the country, where adults enjoy an evening sampling locally produced ales, ciders, lagers, and other fermented drinks while taking in the sights of wild animals and beautiful outdoor surroundings.

At the Palm Beach Zoo's event, all the beer that will be available is brewed in Florida, with more than half of the participating breweries within 50 miles of the zoo and none more than 200 miles away. It's touted as a celebration of the growth of the industry.

"Getting your craft beer from Florida, especially close to home in South Florida, means less carbon emissions from transporting the product," said Ron Brooks, events manager for Palm Beach Zoo. "Plus, local breweries create local jobs. Both important considerations in living sustainably. Also, many craft brewers are very conservation-oriented in their daily operation." 

For $35, zoogoers are able to participate in this sampling event, which takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 2 and includes all the samples you can muster. The aptly named the Brews Brothers will be on hand to perform in the plaza, and if previous years are any indication, expect to find a lot of people "dancing" come the tail end of the night. For those seeking a more King of the Jungle-type experience, there is a $65 VIP option, complete with a half-hour early admission, a T-shirt, extra beer samples not available to the general crowd, and food courtesy of Carrabba's Italian Grill. Only 200 of these are available.

That's all nice and dandy, you may say, but whose will you be drinking?

Well how about: Accomplice Brewery and Ciderworks, Bangin' Banjo Brewery, Barrel of Monks Brewing, Brew Bus Brewing, Concrete Beach Brewery, Copperpoint Brewing, Devour Brewing, Due South Brewing, Florida Beer, Funky Buddha Brewery, J. Wakefield Brewing, Khoffner Hand Crafted Ales, LauderAle, Miami Brewing, Ookapow, Saltwater Brewery, Side Door Brewing, Tequesta Brewing, Twisted Trunk, and Wynwood Brewing?

Food for the rest of us will be available from Flavor of Munich, T.C. Melts, Flanigan's, Applebee's, and Tropic's Cafe.

It's best to car-pool or find parking across the street at Dreher Park, as the limited parking at the zoo itself fills up fast. 

The fourth-annual Brew at the Zoo takes place at Palm Beach Zoo (1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach) from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 2. Admission is $35. Visit palmbeachzoo.org.

Doug Fairall is a craft-beer blogger who focuses on Florida beers. He is a Certified Beer Server and has been a homebrewer since 2009. For beer things in your Twitter feed, follow him @DougFairall and find the latest beer pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.