Hippies love hops
Published by Paige Panter on 6.16.2008 at 3:32 p.m.Skinny Dip, New Belgium Brewing’s low-cal summer seasonal and long-hailed symbol of warm weather recreation, now stands for much more.
In celebration of the impending removal of the Condit Hydroelectric Dam, activists in Fort Collins, Colo. recently skinny-dipped in the White Salmon River while holding “Save Our Rivers” signs. Environmentalists opposed the dam on the grounds that it disrupted the local ecosystem and threatened the river’s specie populations. Removal of the dam will mean restored watershed and salmon habitat; environmentalists hope to see a corresponding jump in currently diminishing salmon populations of the western United States.
New Belgium, which has a longstanding commitment to corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship, was there to get in on the action, or at least to get a few shots for this season’s Skinny Dip ads. The beer, with 108 calories per 12-ounce bottle, was crafted as an alternative to summer's traditional light beers. Brewmaster Peter Bouckaert formulated the bright blend of kaffir lime and sterling hops in answer to New Belgium founder and tri-athlete Jeff Lebesch’s request for a beer that would quench his thirst after outdoor athletic endeavors without sacrificing taste and body. Skinny Dip is available in New Belgium markets through September. For more information (and some naked hippie footage) go to www.newbelgium.com.