VIB Pod Pack is Back

Vancouver Island Brewing has announced the release of a new collaborative sampler pack to raise funds for the preservation of wild B.C. salmon stocks, a vital food source for the Southern Resident Killer Whales that live in the Salish Sea. Pod Pack 2021 – which follows a similar release in 2019 – features four beers created in collaboration with other island breweries, each of them named after one of the whales in the local pods studied by marine biologists. The beers and participating breweries include: Mike Rosé Pale Ale (5.2% abv) – Whistle Buoy Brewing, Victoria Solstice Plum & Rosemary Saison (4.2% abv) – Ace Brewing, Courtenay Tahlequah Pacific Gose (4.8% abv) – Mayne Island Brewing, Mayne Island Wave Walker Helles Bock (6.8% abv) – Ucluelet Brewing, Ucluelet https://www.psf.ca/support/donate-online Details of the 2021 Pod Pack compiled by Joe Wiebe - https://bcaletrail.ca/vancouver-island-brewing-pod-pack/ Mike Rosé Pale Ale (5.2% ABV) BREWED WITH WHISTLE BUOY BREWING – VICTORIA, BC The namesake of scientist Dr. Michael Bigg, who was known as “the father of killer whale research,” Mike (J-26) is a 30-year old male member of the J-Pod who has two living siblings, Alki (J-36) and Echo (J-42), and one younger sibling who passed away before the age of four, Scarlet (J-50). Tahlequah Pacific Gose (4.8% ABV) BREWED WITH MAYNE ISLAND BREWING – MAYNE ISLAND, BC Tahlequah (J-35) became known worldwide in 2018 when she carried her deceased calf (Ti-Tahlequah) for 17 days while researchers monitored her activity. Then, in September 2020, she made headlines again for successfully giving birth to a healthy calf, Phoenix (J-57). She is 24 years old. Wave Walker Helles Bock (6.8% ABV) BREWED WITH UCLUELET BREWING – UCLUELET, BC Wave Walker (L-88) got his name because when he was first spotted riding the wave from his mother’s slipstream. The 28-year-old orca is now the only living member of the L2 family group. Solstice Plum & Rosemary Saison (4.2% ABV) BREWED WITH ACE BREWING – COURTENAY, BC Solstice (L-89) is a 28-year old male who can most likely be found travelling with his mother since the passing of Granny (J-2), one of the best-known orcas in the world who was believed to have lived for more than 100 years. Solstice is the offspring of Spirit (L-22).