Shropshire Brewery in boost for men’s mental health charity
An independent brewery in Shropshire has launched a new beer in partnership with a leading men’s mental health charity – with a portion of each bottle sold going towards supporting the charity’s work.
Hobsons Brewery, based in Cleobury Mortimer, has officially launched ‘Shed Ale’, a non-alcoholic beer brewed in partnership with the UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA), which aims to reduce loneliness and isolation amongst men by offering them spaces to connect, converse and create.
The light and aromatic 0.5% beer is brewed in the style of an IPA and contains a large dose of hops, giving it a captivating smell of citrus and tropical fruits, followed by a pleasant bitterness.
Containing just 22 calories, the 500ml bottled beer is now available in cases of 6 and 12 from the Hobsons Brewery website. Individual bottles will also be available from selected retailers, that are soon to be announced – with 10p from every bottle sold being donated to the UKMSA.
Nick Davis, founder of Hobsons Brewery, said: “Crafted with our friends at UKSMA, Shed Ale is branded with the messaging ‘Don’t bottle it up’, which encapsulates the important message for those who could benefit from a Men’s Shed. Our latest beer provides a new opportunity for people to enjoy the taste of a good pale ale without the alcohol and at the same time raise funds and vital awareness of the charity’s work in supporting the health and wellbeing of men.”
He continued: “Whether it’s woodworking, metalworking, repairing and restoring, electronics, model buildings, or even car building, UKSMA offers a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, promoting social connections and friendship building through sharing skills and knowledge.
"We look forward to ‘shedders’ across the country being able to enjoy a bottle or two of our latest alcohol-free IPA.”
A long-time supporter of the UKMSA, Hobsons Brewery recently teamed up with the charity when it transformed Portcullis House at the Palace of Westminster into ‘The Parliament Shed’, which was used as a temporary ‘Men’s Shed’ to highlight the health, wellbeing and social benefits of community-run Men’s Sheds.
Charlie Bethel, chief executive officer at UKMSA, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Hobsons Brewery on this exciting project.Not only does it raise funds for Sheds across the UK, but it also raises awareness of Sheds and their improvement on wellbeing and impact on local communities. We are looking forward to seeing Shed Ale put UK Men’s Sheds at the forefront of more people’s minds.”
Founded in 1993, Hobsons has spent the past 31 years expertly crafting a popular array of cask, keg, and bottled beers. All of its beers are brewed using locally grown Maris Otter Malting barley, with the majority of brews utilising British hops from local hopyards coupled with Hobsons House Yeast — a completely unique ingredient to its beers with its own flavour characteristic.
For more information on Shed Ale, please visit https://www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk/product/shed-ale-6-pack/
