Lincoln Park Zoo, DryHop Brewers create new beer to raise money for polar bears

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Lincoln Park Zoo is collaborating with DryHop Brewers on a new beer that will raise money for polar bears and raise awareness of climate change, the zoo said.

The beer "Ursus Mapletimus" is a smoked maple imperial white ale that will be released at the Lincoln Park Zoo's fundraiser "Zoo-ologies: A Midsummer Night's Roar" on May 20. The beer will then be available at DryHop, 3155 N. Broadway, starting at 6 p.m. on May 24 during Craft Beer Week.

For each pint of Ursus Mapletimus sold, DryHop will donate a dollar to the Lincoln Park Zoo's work on behalf of polar bears.

"This collaboration continues to bring animals in need to the forefront of conversations, helping shed light on the threats to species such as polar bears," said Lincoln Park Zoo Executive Vice President Megan Ross, Ph.D. "In order to help save polar bears from the impacts of human-induced climate change, we need to work together, making this partnership with DryHop Brewers even more meaningful."

Ursus Mapletimus is the fourth collaboration beer made by DryHop for the Lincoln Park Zoo. The brewery was inspired to work with the Lincoln Park Zoo after DryHop's owner visited polar bears' habitat in Churchill, Manitoba.

"It's unbelievable that this is our 4th year collaboration on a beer with Lincoln Park Zoo! Time flies when you're brewing beer to support such a fantastic local organization like the zoo. This year, we brewed a Smoked Maple Imperial White Ale to raise funds in support of the zoo's polar bears Siku and Kobe, as well as polar bears across the globe," said DryHop Brewers Head Brewer Brant Dubovick.

The Lincoln Park Zoo's polar bear exhibit "Walter Family Arctic Tundra" opened in November 2016. For more information, visit lpzoo.org.