We joined hundreds of Central New Yorkers last Friday evening for the Rosamond Gifford Zoo’s annual Brew at the Zoo fundraiser.
Nearly 70 breweries and wineries from CNY and beyond offered samples to guests thronging every pathway, from the primate park to the penguin tank to the elephant preserve.
Inspired by our sudsy safari, we came up with a list of ten animal and drink pairings sure to please even the most discerning connoisseur, enjoy!
Hundreds of Central New Yorkers attended the Rosamond Gifford Zoo’s annual Brew at the Zoo fundraiser last Friday. Nearly 70 breweries and wineries from CNY and beyond offered samples.Steve Featherstone
1. Animal: Alpaca
Drink: 2024 First Degree Off-Dry Reisling, Three Brothers Winery
Pairing Notes: Arid as an Andes Mountain breeze with a bouquet of dry grass and carrots. Deceptively cute, assertively fluffy, and serves more attitude than a cheap California chardonnay. Prone to spitting if you confuse it with a llama.
2. Animal: Red Wolf (Critically Endangered)
Drink: Rosemary Yuzu Vodka Seltzer, Lake Hour
Pairing Notes: Rare, misunderstood, and like the canned cocktail industry itself, its continued existence is a miracle. The red wolf’s elusive nature pairs well with a fizzy drink that requires exotic additives to make it thrive.
3. Animal: Snow Leopard
Drink: Old Man Winter Ale, Southern Tier Brewery
Pairing Notes: Rich toasted maltiness with musky undertones of frightened mountain goat and marmot. Don’t mistake the snow leopard’s just-resting-on-this-rock-over-here vibe for lack of depth. This cat is a crisp, cold killer best consumed on the edge of a cliff before it gets its claws in you.
4. Animal: Red Panda
Drink: Honeycrisp Hard Cider, 1911 Established
Pairing Notes: Adorable, sweet, and slightly confused about its own identity—is it a skinny panda? A floofy fox?—just like CNY weather in the fall. The red panda’s chimeric energy matches this cider made from honeycrisp apples, and goes down smoother than sunlight filtering through autumn leaves.
5. Animal: Asian Elephant
Drink: Abbey Ale, Brewery Ommegang
Pairing Notes: Big, bold, and full-bodied, this 8.5% ABV dubbel can be more trouble than a charging bull elephant if you don’t pace yourself. Pour slow and bury your trunk into a fluffy head that settles into a bouquet of licorice, hay, and wilted lettuce. A second or third pint will make even an elephant forget.
Hundreds of Central New Yorkers attended the Rosamond Gifford Zoo’s annual Brew at the Zoo fundraiser last Friday. Nearly 70 breweries and wineries from CNY and beyond offered samples.Steve Featherstone
6. Animal: Gray Wolf
Drink: Run Wild IPA, Athletic Brewing Co.
Pairing Notes: A sober, locked in, non-alcoholic brew ideal for lone wolves who need to stay alert. It’s like imbibing 100-proof self-reliance, with notes of campfire smoke and elk sweat that will leave you howling at the moon long after the rest of the pack has passed out.
7. Animal: Colobus Monkey
Drink: Mass Riot New England IPA, Prison City Brewing
Pairing Notes: Mischievous, hyper, and more fun than a barrel full of monkeys, this Citra-hopped sour will have you swinging from the trees. Seriously, it will. Last year a guy jumped into the Primate Park with a six-pack of this stuff and zookeepers had to call the Syracuse Fire Department to get him down.
8. Animal: Bactrian Camel
Drink: Citrus Long Drink, The Long Drink
Pairing Notes: What’s a Long Drink? Heck if we know. How long can a Bactrian camel go without water? A long time, probably. Would a Bactrian camel drink a Long Drink after two weeks in the Mongolian Desert? If you popped the tabs for it, sure. But we suggest not chugging 15 gallons at a time like a Bactrian camel would. You’d be out for a long time, maybe forever.
9. Animal: Chilean Flamingo
Drink: 2024 Dry Rosé, Fox Run Winery
Pairing Notes: The flamingo’s flamboyant and effortless elegance demands a pink drink equally obsessed with aesthetics. This is an exuberant, fruit-forward wine made for sipping slowly on a sun-drenched patio while wearing dark shades and silently judging other zoo guests for their lack of style.
10. Animal: Andean Bear
Drink: Porter Porter, Freight Yard Brewing
Pairing Notes: Chocolaty brown with a light tan head, this dark porter embraces you in a bear hug of sweet malt and yeasty aroma of fresh baked bread. If you’re trying to cut back on carbs, drink this beer only on cheat days. Pair with a slice of chocolate lava cake and a big dollop of regret. Then hibernate for a week.
Steve Featherstone is a certified zoo sommelier. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com.
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