Brewers plan World Cup beers

Brewers across the country are showing support to the England team by bringing out World Cup-themed beers. The latest brewers to join the...

Brewers across the country are showing support to the England team by bringing out World Cup-themed beers.

The latest brewers to join the footballing action in-clude Batemans, which has designed pump clips to suit all match outcomes; Camerons, whose beer celebrates the life of footballer Arthur Wharton, and Acorn, which has a special brew to help along the nation's World Cup dreams.

The triple pump clip from Batemans aims to offer licensees' customers an empathetic message to cover every eventuality in the competition. The Lincolnshire-based brewery's speciality cask World Cup beer England Expects has a pump clip to convey the hopeful, And The Team Delivers, or on a less optimistic note, We've Blown It.

"The key difference between England Expects and other World Cup beers is our beer covers any eventuality in the competition," said sales director Andrew Reed.

"Wholesalers and licensees are often nervous of over-ordering themed beers in case England get knocked out in the early stages and they are left with unwanted stock. The beauty of our beer is that it has relevance for days after every England game."

The 4% ABV Arthur Wharton Ale from Camerons Brewery celebrates the life of the forgotten north-east legend who was the world's first black professional footballer, and the world's first 100-yard record holder. Camerons will donate 10p of every pint sold towards the building of a statue to commemorate his sporting achievements.

"It will be the first annual cask ale brewed by Camerons to celebrate sporting north-east greats," said marketing manager Yousef Doubooni. "Given that the World Cup is being held for the first time on the continent of Africa and with Wharton being from Ghana, the link was perfect."

And England's Dreaming from Barnsley's Acorn Brewery is another of the football-themed brews ready to hit the on-trade. The 4.5% ABV premium ale has a pump clip sporting a backdrop of the national flag, and the slogan "dreams can come true".

The brewer describes the beer as a "pale, well-hopped bitter brewed with a hat-trick of hops — surely a winner!"

Meanwhile, Woodforde's Brewery has chosen the name Game On for its World Cup beer offering, while Moorhouse has gone for the name Twenty 10 and Peerless Brewery can offer its World Cup Blonde.