Drink Beer for a Great Cause (and it’s really tasty beer from Florida Keys Brewing Co!)

Drink Beer for a Great Cause (and it’s really tasty beer from Florida Keys Brewing Co!) - A couple of people posing for the camera - Florida Keys Brewing Co

There’s a new beer that’s going to support coral research and rehabilitation efforts in the Florida Keys. 

On May 17, Florida Keys Brewing Co. in Islamorada officially launched the new brew, “Resistant Strain.” It’s a double hibiscus kolsch, made with local honey, and named in honor of Mote Marine Laboratory’s research to discover disease-resistant coral strains that can be used to re-skin coral reefs.

“Florida Keys Brewing and its staff are all a bunch of fun-loving hippies who want to help protect our reefs,” owner Cheryl McBay said. “We especially love what Mote is doing. Our reefs are incredibly important, and we will do anything to help protect them.”

Florida’s coral reefs are facing a deadly and rapidly spreading coral disease outbreak, putting them at risk of extinction. Mote scientists are racing against the clock to secure the reefs’ future. 

Born and raised in Islamorada, McBay grew up snorkeling, fishing and enjoying the beautiful reefs. Now that she has kids, she hopes they have the same amazing experience that she had.

Proceeds from every purchase of “Resistant Strain” will directly benefit Mote’s coral disease research and restoration efforts. For more information about Florida Keys Brewing Co., visit floridakeysbrewing.com. For more information about Mote’s coral health and disease research, visit mote.org/research. 

Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.