Few things are as beautiful and awe-inspiring as a bald eagle soaring over the city’s skyline and through nature. One exception might be if that eagle was carrying an icy beer in its mighty talons, and if it delivered that beer directly to you.
That was exactly what Phillips Brewing & Malting Co. wanted to create in one perfect experience for the two winners of their “Beer From A Bird” contest. They trained a 4-year old bald eagle named Hercules for the daring assignment.
But after red tape from the Ministry grounded Hercules, Phillips thought quickly on their feet. Instead of having an eagle, they managed to dress up a drone to look like an eagle, which then delivered cans of pilsner to the thirsty contest winners. And Hercules himself was actually at the controls. Check out what happened in Vancouver on June 5th:
At beerfromabird.com, visitors can watch Hercules pick the winners with his beak, hear interviews with the staff of Pacific Northwest Raptors (where Hercules lives and trains), and learn about conservation of these amazing animals. While these birds are often featured in documentaries and TV shows, their involvement with Phillips Brewing is definitely the most original project yet.
Brewery Founder Matt Phillips explains his take on the unusual campaign: “When we consider why we should do something, we often find the best answer to be “why not”. That’s why we transformed a 53’ tractor trailer into the ultimate mobile pub, and why we’re the only brewery in Canada to malt our own barley in-house. Plus, eagles are majestic, bold, and beautiful; beer is often the same.”
Phillips Brewing has been pushing the limits of what craft beer can be since their humble beginnings in 2001. Their giant, homemade gypsy wagon beer bar can be seen around Victoria, and will be in Vancouver for Brewery & the Beast on July 24th.
