Westwood's West Side Brewing is teaming up with the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) to offer a brand new, limited-edition brew called Braille Ale.
The raspberry gose, brewed with raspberries and spices, will be one of the first cans ever made featuring raised braille.
"The beer can is meant to spark conversation and awareness around inclusivity for those who are visually impaired," a press release reads.
Instances of inclusive brews are few and far between, both here and abroad. Beer cans in Japan have been using braille since 2008 to help drinkers identify them as alcohol — so they can purchase the beer, or avoid it. And in 2019, a Michigan brewery used braille to describe the flavor profile of their canned Braille Pale Ale to drinkers. But that's pretty much it.
West Side Brewing is hosting their release event from 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 27, when guests can stop by and purchase an $11.99 six-pack of the brew. A portion of the sales proceeds will benefit CABVI, a local group that provides support and services to those affected by vision loss.
Big Dogg's BBQ food truck will also be in attendance from 5:30-10 p.m. and a portion of their sales will also be donated to the organization.
Following release day, the specially brewed beer will be available at the taproom in both growlers and six-packs.
West Side Brewing is located at 3044 Harrison Ave. in Westwood.
