Listermann's New Hip(po) Beer

You've followed her every step of the way, from her premature birth to her first swimming lesson. Today, Fiona, the Cincinnati Zoo's celebrity baby hippo, is four months old, happy, healthy and continuing to steal hearts across the city — so much so that Listermann Brewing Co. has created a brand-new beer in her name.

Team Fiona is a New England style IPA, complete with collector cans with the hippo's cute little mug on the front, so you can admire her adorableness and enjoy a cold beverage at the same time. The best part? Twenty-five percent of proceeds from the drink benefit #TeamFiona, which helps cover the costs of her care, vet support and more. 

"It's great when you can turn a casual tap room discussion into reality," said Chad Yelton, the zoo's vice president of marketing and communications, in a recent press release. "I actually thought the idea of a Team Fiona beer was a joke at first, but after hearing about all the Fiona fans at Listermann's, I knew we had something brewing. We love creative partnerships like this one where we can take their passion for local craft beer and blend it with our passion for animals. Similar to the old Who Dey cans from the '80s, we anticipate Team Fiona beer being a collector's item."

Starting at 10 a.m. on June 10, Fiona fans can taste the new brew at Listermann Brewing Co., only 2 miles away from the Cincinnati Zoo. And on June 12, Kroger stores in Oakley, Hyde Park, Anderson and Harper’s Point, both Jungle Jim’s locations and Cappies in Loveland will begin selling four-packs of the beer. Members of Fiona’s care team were invited to help with the brewing process by pouring grain and adding hops, making Listermann’s newest creation even more special. 

“One of my fondest childhood memories is going to the zoo with my family, so it is a dream come true to be able to collaborate with the zoo," said Listermann general manager Jason Brewer in the release. "The people there are fantastic and the conservation work they do is world-class. Watching Fiona grow up has been a true joy. Knowing that our beer will be helping her is going to make this even more special for us.” 

Brewer describes Team Fiona as having a “very soft mouth feel, hazy appearance and bursting with fruit/juice flavor,” so it’s not as bitter as typical IPAs. “Coming in at 6.2%, we feel like this beer and style make Team Fiona perfect for the summer.”