The Humboldt Park gator — also known as Chance the Snapper — has added to his celebrity with a new beer being brewed in his honor.
The alligator was seen swimming in the Humboldt Park lagoon in early July. After several failed attempts, the gator was eventually captured by Frank Robb — nicknamed “Alligator Robb”— on July 16 and now resides at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida.
To commemorate the “bitey outlaw spirit” of the famous gator, Revolution Brewing is releasing a beer named after him. The beer, called Humboldt Gator, debuted Wednesday.
This isn’t the only way the city has paid tribute to Chance the Snapper and the man that nabbed him. Robb threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field the night after he was captured. Robb flipped the switch turning on Buckingham Fountain the next day. Chance has similarly been immortalized with a bobblehead in his honor by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
The Chance the Snapper bobblehead
National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
John Palos, the brewer of the beverage, said he was inspired to create the beer after seeing how quickly the city was taken by Chance the Snapper.
Palos said Chance’s meteoric rise to fame “resonated” with him and that such “unique moments,” like extreme blizzards and stifling heatwaves, are evocative of Chicago.
“A lot of breweries try to be a reflection of [their] community,” Palos said.
Humboldt Gator is a Belgian-style “witbier” with added flavors of pineapple and coconut. Describing it as “piña colada themed,” Palos said the beer is also meant to represent Chance’s Humboldt Park roots, which has a high population of Puerto Rican residents.
Humboldt Gator will be available only at Revolution Brewing’s Logan Square brewpub and Avondale brewery and taproom.
According to Revolution spokesman John Carruthers, for every pint sold of Humboldt Gator, $1 will be donated to West Town Bikes, a nonprofit that offers youth programs and bicycle mechanic classes.
Carruthers said the beer will begin its rotation as a weekly new beer, but may make its way into their list of regular products.
“We’ll see how Chicago likes it,” Carruthers said.
Florida alligator expert Frank Robb shows off the alligator he rescued from the Humboldt Park Lagoon
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
