GTHS Hits the LCBO with Happy Tails Ale
A collaboration between The Collingwood Brewery and the Georgian Triangle Humane Society brings delicious beer to the LCBO, nets more exposure and funds for GTHS
You can’t miss it in the liquor store: the Happy Tails beer can has a playful drawing of a dog on it with a rainbow of colours in the background. The pet-promoting quaff is the result of a new collaboration between The Collingwood Brewery and the Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS).
Happy Tails is the brainchild of GTHS Executive Director Sonya Reichel, who witnessed a similar effort in the United States. Reichel and her team met with Chris Freeman, General Manager and Head Brewer at The Collingwood Brewery in late 2021…and the rest is history.
“It’s an amazing relationship,” says Reichel. “ Community partnerships like these make a huge impact to the work that we do. Happy Tails will raise much-needed funds, as well as exposure. LCBOs receive high traffic, so having our logo present raises awareness about the work, which is a powerful thing.”
Freeman and The Collingwood Brewery got on board immediately. “We are all big on animals here,” he says. “I have a dog and cats at home and the brewery has been dog friendly since day 1—we love to support causes we believe in. I thought of this particular beer right away—it’s perfect for the GTHS,” says Freeman. “Like the design we had made for the can, it’s a beer that’s happy and light-hearted.”
Freeman decided to bring back a popular brew, Hazy Session Ale, as Happy Tails Session IPA. At 4.5% alcohol, this is a sessionable, floral and fruity beer that doesn’t pack the punch of a strong IPA. Late-hopped with Mosaic and dry-hopped with Sabro, it’s an unfiltered session ale redolent of clementine and coconut. Light, hazy and delicious, it’s a very quaffable, easy-drinking beer.
The GTHS had a local launch event for Happy Tails at the brewery in Dec 2021 and it has been selling well at The Collingwood Brewery Retail Shop and Tap Room ever since. Happy Tails has now hit LCBO shelves locally and at approximately 200 stores across Ontario.
“We are continuing the rollout, as interest has exceeded our expectations,” says Freeman. “The LCBO love the idea. We are hoping to have Happy Tails at 350 to 400 LCBO locations by the end of November.”
To find out if Happy Tails is stocked at your local LCBO, visit www.LCBO.com and search ‘Happy Tails” or “Collingwood Brewery”.
