Western Australian microbrewery, Nail Brewing, has created a unique batch of its award-winning Nail Ale using water from an Antarctic iceberg.

The beer has been brewed to raise money for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which assisted to harvest the ice for the brew.

While pursuing its mission of saving whales, the crew of the Sea Shepherd took a brief detour to harvest some Antarctic ice from a passing iceberg. When the ship landed back in Tasmania, crew member Kevin McGinty transported it back to Western Australia and passed it on to Nail brewer John Stallwood. Nail Brewing then brewed the special batch of 30 bottles of Nail Ale, an Australian pale ale, using using Edith Cowan University’s brewery.

The 30 bottles of what has been dubbed the first Antarctic pale Ale will be auctioned to help raise money for the Sea Shepherd. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization whose mission is to end what it sees as the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront what it claims are illegal activities on the high seas.

The original Nail Ale was a back-to-back gold medal winner at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2009 and 2010 and was the only Australian pale ale to win gold in either year. Though based on Nail Ale, Antarctic Nail Ale has a slightly higher alcohol level at 5.2% abv.

The Antarctic Nail Ale is bottle conditioned to provide natural carbonation to the beer. The brewer says the beer is best kept at room temperature in the dark until chilling down for drinking.

More information.

Auction details here.

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The Sea Shepherd's Kevin McGinty on the iceberg before obtaining the ice

The Sea Shepherd approaches the iceberg

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