When I was a kid growing up in Scotland, one of my favorite television shows was called “Animal Magic“. The show, which ran from 1962 to 1983, was part of the BBC’s children’s programing. It’s host Johnny Morris provided the show’s young viewers with content about the animal kingdom that was both entertaining and educational. As I have visited craft breweries over the years I have come to appreciate the affection that many brewery owners have for the animal kingdom, particularly dogs. This is a topic that I have written about on several occasions – see here and here for example. Dogs seem to be a particular favorite of craft breweries. It is not difficult to find a brewery where dogs seem to be as welcome as their two-legged companions who drink the beer that the brewery produces.
On a recent trip to Indianapolis, I was reminded of the the love that many brewery owners have for our four legged friends and other animals s well. The trip was the first road trip that I had taken since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. My wife and I travelled there with my oldest daughter and boyfriend (now fiancé) for a couple of days of relaxation and sightseeing. As both my daughter and her boyfriend are craft beer aficionados visits to a couple of craft breweries were included in our itinerary. One of the breweries that I particularly wanted to visit was Metazoa Brewing Company. In February 2020, I had met Metazoa’s owner Dave Worthington at the Beer Marketing and Tourism Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. Being the super nice guy that Dave is, there was a standing invitation to visit Metazoa the next time I was Indianapolis. About a week before we left for Indy I emailed Dave and arranged for a time to drop by the brewery to say “hi” to and catch up. I knew a little bit about Metazoa as a result of my conversations with Dave in St. Petersburg. For example, I knew that Dave is passionate about animal welfare and that 5% of Metazoa’s profits are donated to animal welfare charities. However, as I was to find out, Dave’s commitment to animal welfare extends beyond just donating part of his brewery’s profits.
After arriving at Metazoa, the first thing that Dave did was to make sure that the four of us had a beer in our hands (or a soft drink in the case of my wife). Metazoa has an impressive line-up of beers, some of which have medalled at beer festivals/championships, including the Great American Beer Festival, the U.S Open Beer Championship, and the World Beer Cup. I opted to try Wicked Pawsome, a Hazy IPA, that had won a Bronze Medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival. And I have to say – Wicked Pawsome was Wicked Awesome. Not surprisingly, given Dave’s love of animals, there are several of Metazoa’s other beers whose names are inspired by the animal kingdom. These include Puppy Slumber Party (a Peanut Butter Milk Stout), Fast and Furriest (an American IPA), and Gnat King Kölsch (a Kölsch). The name of the brewery, Metazoa, also reflects Dave’s love for animals. The term Metazoa refers to “a major division of the animal kingdom that comprises all animals other than protozoans and sponges. They are multicellular animals with differentiated tissues.”
But Dave’s love for animals goes well beyond the name of his brewery and some its beers. As noted above, Metazoa donates 5% of its profits to a number of different animal welfare organizations. Organizations currently supported by Metazoa include Prison Greyhounds, Save the Chimps, and the Humane Society of Indianapolis (aka IndyHumane). These organizations do amazing work. For example, Prison Greyhounds “fosters retired racing greyhounds and teaches them basic house manners prior to their adoption into permanent loving homes,” while Save the Chimps “offers life-long care for chimpanzees rescued from research laboratories, the pet trade, and entertainment industry.”
It is almost impossible to visit Metazoa and not be reminded of the Dave’s passion for animal welfare. Its taproom walls are decorated by chimp art. Each piece of art is the work of a chimpanzee that has been rescued by the Save the Chimps organization. Below each piece of art, the story of the artist is there for you to read and learn from.
After chatting inside Metazoa’s taproom.,Dave took us outside to show us the brewery’s dog park. The dog park is impressive, and is funded by monies from the brewery, institutional sponsors, and individual dog lovers. To say that it is impressive is an understatement.
My visit to Metazoa was a reminder of the generosity of the craft brewing industry, and the desire of many brewery owners to be an asset to their community and to give back to it. Data from the Brewers Association showed that in 2016 America’s 5,600+ craft breweries raised $73.4 million for various charitable causes. That’s an average of over $12,000 per brewery. Before he established Metazoa, Dave donated to a wide range of animal charities. Like many of us who give to our favorite charities, Dave donated $50 here, $100 there. The brewery has provided him with a platform to expand and extend his generosity. And, for Dave, it’s not just about donating money to animal welfare organizations. It’s also about raising awareness about some of the issues surrounding animal welfare. And, on a more local level it is about making dog owners and their pets welcome. If you are ever in Indianapolis, be sure to drop by Metazoa and enjoy one of their wonderful beers – a small part of every pint consumed go to some very worthy animal causes.
