Local brewery finds way to connect people and pets through special beer

COLUMBIA-TUSCULUM, Ohio (WKRC) — A Cincinnati beer is so pup-ular, some might call it the cat’s meow. Streetside Brewery launched what it thought would be a one-time promotional ale. Three years later it continues to mix good beer and good pets.

It’s always yappy hour at Streetside Brewery. Minnie Moo, Scooter and Terra are three of the eight new beer can cover models.

Garrett Hickey, owner of Streetside, said, “we started thinking it was going to be a one-off beer, just brew once and see how it goes. And now it’s something we’ve brewed 20 different times.”

Hickey said 300 cases and 600 kegs later, they have raised over $10,000 and found forever homes for almost 60 adoptable dogs and cats. “Every time we put it on, it’s in the top five of beer sold. It’s one of the reasons we keep bringing it back, is because it’s so popular.”

Hickey described the flavor of ‘Who’s a Good Beer' as “citrusy, watermelon and a little bit of pear.” The name is a nod to the saying ‘who’s a good dog’. It’s became one of their most popular beers.

25% of every four-pack sold and $1 from every pour in the taproom is given back. Two Cincinnati shelters are benefitting, the Ohio Alleycat Resource (OAR) and the Save The Animals Fountain (STAF).

A cat Lucille was on the first round of cans in 2020, so was Tommy Lee, who found his forever home after his new owner John Wallace saw him on the cans back in the spring of 2020.

A volunteer with STAF, Michelle Taft, said she contacted them after seeing a picture of the dog and can on social media. “He and Tommy have been together ever since. He says Tommy saved his life and I think it’s vise versa. Tommy had been there for a while as well.”

But there’s not always a happy ending – yet. Another volunteer, Jamie Chandler, said Noelle is a dog who, at three and half years old, has spent two and a half years in the no-kill shelter.

“Noelle was featured quite a while ago and unfortunately she is still looking for a home. So it does bring awareness to STAF and what we do and how we can help save these dogs,"Chandler said.

With this doggone good brew at Streetside in Columbia-Tusculum, anything is paw-sible.

The new batch of Who's A Good Beer is on tap now at Streetside and cans are for sale in select Tri-State stores. There is an Adopted Pet reunion planned for Sunday, May 28 from noon to 2 p.m. at the brewery.