From shooting hoops to holding hands so they don’t drift apart, sea otters get up to some otterly adorable antics, but you won’t see them frolicking off the Oregon Coast. A nonprofit organization founded by tribal and conservation leaders wants to change that — and you can support their work by drinking beer.
Wild sea otters were hunted to extinction in this region by the early 20th century; today, the state’s largest population of sea otters lives at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. One step in seeing Oregon become a haven for wild sea otters is raising awareness about their environmental significance — so Elakha Alliance challenged local breweries to create “sea otter-themed” beer using Maris Otter barley malt.
Nine breweries answered the call and will donate a portion of their otter-themed beer sales to Elakha Alliance’s cause. Each concoction will be presented at the third-annual Oregon Otter Beer Festival taking place Saturday, April 13, 7-10:30 p.m., at OMSI. Attendees get to sample and vote for their favorite brews, snack on pizzas and appetizers, vie for raffle prizes, and attend informative talks.