Blood donors in the First State will have opportunities this summer to exchange hot blood for cold suds.
The Blood Bank of Delmarva is partnering with seven Delaware craft breweries to hold blood drives this summer. They’re calling it the “Blood for a Brew” series.
The breweries provide coupons for discounted beers at all donor centers and blood drives. They also host drives and release a limited-time-only beer called “You’re so Vein.”
“They tell me it’s an India Pale Ale with blood orange,” said Blood Bank spokesman Tony Prado. “Now, I’m not a beer connoisseur, but that sounds to me like a lovely summer brew that people might enjoy as part of the experience.”
The participating breweries are 2SP, Revelation, Big Oyster, Tall Tales, Camp Adventureland, Dogfish Head and Crooked Hammock. They’ll each be making their own version of “You’re so Vein.”
Prado notes the campaign comes a couple weeks after a national blood shortage was declared.
“In the blood banking world that’s pretty scary, because in the ebb and flow of this business where you tend to have a feast or a famine—that’s just the nature of the beast,” he said. “When things are low locally, you can at least turn to the national market for help and vice versa.”
Blood drives were more scarce during the pandemic. Prado says he’s hopeful they’ll continue to pick up.
Each day 350 blood donors are needed to keep 19 hospitals in Delmarva stocked with the blood products they need.
The tour started in June 9 2SP Brewing Company in, Aston, Pa and at Revelation Brewing Company in Milton, Del. Another drive was held Friday at Camp Adventureland in Middletown. The series ends in mid-September.
