As part of its 40th anniversary celebration, the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge will roll out its limited-edition Wild Daze Ale on Dec. 4 starting at 4 p.m. at the Fort Myers Brewing Co. in Fort Myers, with island events to follow throughout the month.
The outdoor stations of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s Wildlife on Wheels mobile interactive experience will be onsite, along with food trucks, music, trivia games and other goings-on.
The brew — a smooth and light-bodied golden ale with a subtle hint of sweetness — will be available for a limited time of about six months after its rollout, depending upon how long supplies last.
Bailey’s General Store, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grill, Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts and The Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market will sell it on Sanibel and Captiva, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the conservation, research, education and land acquisition efforts at the Sanibel refuge.
Bailey’s will host tasting events on Dec. 8-9 and Dec. 18-19 from 2 to 6 p.m. and will set up a table with information about the refuge and DDWS. For the Dec. 18-19 events, the WoW outreach experience will be on site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chaired by April Boehnen of the DDWS, the Wild Daze Committee commissioned native Miami Latina artist Emily Alvarez to design the label for the beer. Throughout December, the Refuge Nature Store’s locations — at the refuge and 2250 Periwinkle Way, plus online at ShopDingDarling.com — will carry special Wild Daze Ale merchandise based on Alvarez’s art.
For more information, visit dingbeer.com or contact Boehnen at 239-472-1100, ext. 4.
