Algae, a particular element included in the beer, distinguishes it from other brews and honours Deep Bay research.
Deep Bay Marine Field Station at Vancouver Island University (VIU) and Love Shack Libations are raising awareness of climate change research.
They collaborated to produce “There Gose the Ocean,” a gose-style beer that will debut at Victoria Beer Week at Lift Off!, a special event for recently released beers from BC brewers.
“Across Canada we really need to drive home the message quickly that we are experiencing major changes in our local environment and partnering with a brewery to get that message out is invaluable,” said Dr. Timothy Green, VIU’s Canada Research Chair in Shellfish Health and Genomics.
The owner of Love Shack Libations, Dave Paul, wants to support Deep Bay’s research while also giving back to the neighbourhood. There is a website link on the label of every beer bottle that takes users to further information on the Deep Bay research.
“I really hope people enjoy it, but I also hope that people will stop and follow the link and see what the VIU research centre is doing to try and help save us,” he said. “Drink beer – save the oceans.”
The distinctive component that distinguishes this beer is algae. Deep Bay was picked because it uses the algae it generates in its lab to feed oyster larvae.
Researchers in Deep Bay are looking at how shellfish will respond to climate change. Breeding scallops and oysters helps scientists learn how they react to stresses brought on by climate change, such as ocean acidification, marine heat waves, and atmospheric rivers.
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and seas. As a result, the oceans become more acidic, which makes it harder for shellfish to develop their shells.
The difficulty, according to Green, is getting this knowledge out to the public and keeping it front and centre in their thoughts. VIU researchers publish publications on their climate change discoveries. Green claimed that despite a climate emergency, society is not acting quickly enough.
Deep Bay collects water samples in repurposed beer bottles. According to Green, repurposed beer bottles fit nicely in the amber bottles they require so they can seal them.
SOURCE: Vancouver Island University
PHOTO CREDIT: Vancouver Island University/YouTube