Brewery brews to save Gulf shores

Abita Brewing Company —founded in 1986 in Louisiana— will be releasing a 7% alcohol-by-volume wheat pilsner in mid to late July. That busting of beer style categories might be interesting enough for remark.

More noteworthy is that the brewery will be donating 75¢ from each bottle sold of S.O.S. (Save Our Shores) to a fund wholly dedicated to ameliorating the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. According to David Blossman, president of Abita:

We have established “SOS – A Charitable Fund” that will assist with the rescue and restoration of the environment and helping people and their families survive this disaster. The Northshore Community Foundation administers the fund and 100% of all the money will go to charity. An advisory committee made up community members will ensure that the funds get into the hands of the folks in need quickly and efficiently.

Read the rest of the interview at beer blog BeerUtopia.

The beer will not be sold, ironically, in two states directly affected by the oil spill. Alabama forbids the sale of beer in 22 ounce bottles, and Mississippi forbids the sale of beers of greater than 5.9% alcohol by volume.

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Caveat lector: As an employee of beer/wine wholesaler, Select Wines, I distribute Abita beer in northern Virginia.