Cincinnati brewery creates Fiona-inspired beer

A Cincinnati brewery has just created a New England Style IPA dubbed Team Fiona — and you’ll soon be able to buy the beer at a Butler County grocery.

The IPA can from Listermann Brewing Co. bears the face of the Cincinnati Zoo’s beloved baby hippo, and 25 percent of proceeds will go to benefit the 4-month-old as she continues to grow, according to the brewery.

Listermann said it hopes the cans will become collector’s items like Bengals Who Dey cans from the 1980s.

“We love creative partnerships like this one where we can take their passion for local craft beer and blend it with our passion for animals,” Chad Yelton, vice president of marketing and communications for Listermann, said in a statement.

Jason Brewer, general manager, said Team Fiona isn’t bitter like typical IPAs.

“It is a rather new style in which the beer has a very soft mouth feel, hazy appearance and is bursting with fruit/juice flavor … coming in at 6.2 percent, we feel like this beer and style make Team Fiona perfect for the summer,” Brewer said in the statement.

Listermann Brewing Co. will hold a tasting at 10 a.m. on June 10 at the brewery, located just two miles from the Cincinnati Zoo.

On June 12, four packs of Team Fiona IPA will be available for purchase at four Kroger locations: Oakley, Hyde Park, Anderson and Harper’s Point.

The beer will also be sold at Jungle Jim’s stores in Fairfield and Eastgate, and Cappies in Loveland.