Robinsons teams up with Iron Maiden frontman
Light Brigade is a 4.1% ABV golden ale and a proportion of each pint (6p) and bottle (5p) served will be donated to help the thousands of servicemen and women who live with injuries, and are looking to regain their purpose in life.
Help for Heroes met with Robinsons in the summer last year to explore the possibility of launching a beer.
The brewer and rock group also launched Trooper been almost five years ago, which has now sold more than 20m pints worldwide.
As before, Robinsons head brewer Martyn Weeks and Iron Maiden lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson teamed up for create the new and original beer, with the final tasting and approval taking place at Help for Heroes’ Tedworth House Recovery Centre in Tidworth, Wiltshire.
Iron Maiden frontman Dickinson said: “We are very proud to have been asked to get involved. I have been an instructor on several of British Airways’ flight simulator ‘Flying Heroes’ days for Help For Heroes veterans so I know the charity and the work it does well."
Complementing each other
He added: “Light Brigade is our interpretation of a golden ale that maintains the elements of strength and character that are the essence of Trooper but at a more sessionable level. In fact, the two beers complement each other very well.”
Help For Heroes director of marketing and fundraising Beth Miles hoped the beer would help raise “significant funds”.
She said: “We are thrilled that Bruce Dickinson has developed a new beer for us under the Trooper brand with Robinsons.
“We are sure that Light Brigade will have a very popular appeal and raise significant funds, enabling Help For Heroes to empower more veterans to reach their potential and regain their purpose.
“This is the beginning of a partnership, which we hope will see Trooper fans and Robinsons customers join The Force for Good campaign to support the thousands whose lives have been affected by their service.”
Robinsons head brewer Martyn Weeks and Dickinson recently met with veterans at the charity’s facilities.
Incredible facilities
He said: “Dickinson and I were recently invited to visit Help for Heroes in Wiltshire, where we had a tour of the incredible recovery facilities there and met some of the veterans.
“We were both hugely impressed with the work they are doing and launching a new beer in support of this charity is a great way to raise money and awareness for this very worthy cause. Robinsons will also be supporting the charity through fundraising in our pub estate.”
Light Brigade is designed as a session ale for beer and music fans everywhere. It will also be produced on a long-term basis, differentiating it from the other limited-edition Trooper beers including 666, Red N' Black, and Hallowed.
The ale’s original bottle label features Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie on horseback in one of the uniforms of the Light Brigade.
Light Brigade is available to pre-order online now at www.robinsonsbrewery.com for delivery from 1 February and will be stocked in selected pubs from 19 February onwards.
