Oakland Zoo

East Brother Beer Co. has pledged to donate 20% of the proceeds from the sales of their Freighter Series Beers to their namesake, East Brother Light Station. This is a series of beers inspired by the same ships that the light station guides.

“Way before we started making beer,” comments co-owner Rob Lichtner, “we had the difficult job of figuring out what we were going to call ourselves. While driving across the Richmond/San Rafael bridge one day, we noticed a building in the middle of the Bay: East Brother Light Station. Built in 1873, the light station has watched over the San Pablo/San Francisco Bays for over 140 years. We knew right then that East Brother was the name for us.”

On April 1, 2021, the Lighthouse’s only source of power, an underwater cable, stopped working, leaving the Bed & Breakfast on the Island inoperable. They are currently trying to raise $150,000 to help finance an alternative source of energy. “We’re committed to doing everything we can to help!” continues Rob. “And that’s right; we’re bringing back your favorite Ales for a good cause.”

They’ll have English Strong, Belgian Tripel, and Russian Imperial Stout available on tap. So, get on down to the taproom and enjoy a pint, or take a growler home. La Santa Torta is at the brewery daily.

Make a reservation or order to go online  https://www.eastbrotherbeer.com/sip-pickupanddelivery. (510)-230-4081

East Brother Beer Co. is located at 1001 Canal Blvd in Richmond.

What’s New at the Zoo?

Oakland Zoo is now selling beer and wine! Take the gondola up to the top and you land in California Trails where native California animals live in the natural habitat of the Oakland hills in live native plant and animal habitats.

Panoramic views overlooking the San Francisco Bay Area await you outside the Landing Café, where you can purchase chef-inspired cuisine and beer & wine to take with you as you visit the animals up there.

If you time it right, (about 3:30pm) you  can see the mountain lions up close. When it is feeding time, these sleek, confident big cats pounce out of hiding.

Moving down to the Gray Wolf Compound, the four young ones are now two years old. We missed them during the 2020 pandemic shutdown and seeing them now is amazing. They seem almost as big as their parents.

Parents Siskiyou and Sequoia arrived at Oakland Zoo in April of 2018 as part of a partnership with the Zoo and California Wolf Center, an organization dedicated to helping wild wolves return to California after being extirpated during government run anti-predator campaigns a century ago.

The Zoo hoped they would mate. Wolves  usually mate for life and take time to develop relationships. Upon their arrival, everyone (zookeepers, vets, docents, staff, visitors) made every effort to ensure the wolves had an ideal environment for their comfort and emotional well-being. And voila! Four pups arrived in 2019.

On this sunny day at the zoo, the docent was throwing fish down to the wolves. Sequoia let the pups eat first and then went into the bushes to find his own dinner. Visitors can’t help but stand there and watch these beauties for long periods of time. Take a look at this video of the gray wolves when they were babies all the way up to their first birthday.

The Oakland Zoo is dedicated to conservation worldwide and sustainability here at home. Find out more about their programs on their website. Oakland Zoo ia open on a limited basis at this point. You must make a reservation. Check their website for updates. Hours daily: 10am – 6pm with last entry at 4pm and last gondola ride up to California Trails at 5:15pm.

Think about becoming a member.  There are lots of benefits. And the Oakland Zoo is offering a membership discount! The great thing about being an Oakland Zoo member is that you have free admission so you can just go to the zoo for an hour or so whenever you want to play hooky. Or you can make an afternoon of it. Join by May 31 and receive 15% off the membership price with code: ZOOMEM. Help them save our animals!

Photo of Siskiyou & her four pups/Steven Gotz

Other photos: ML Thiercof,  SF on the Bay

Video courtesy of Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Road
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 632-9525