Fire Island IPA - our new non-alcoholic beer
This week’s launch of Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF: 11th - 27th August) at Edinburgh’s Biscuit Factory, also sees the launch of our very own alcohol-free beer, Fire Island IPA (0.5%) in collaboration with EAF and Waverley Care.
An American Red IPA, it’s been brewed to be both alcohol (0.5%) and gluten free and named in memory of the celebrated, Edinburgh gay nightclub, Fire Island.
In a nod to the name, caramelised and roasted malts impart a bright red/orangey, flame-like colour and deep malty flavours of toasted bread, biscuit and subtle caramel.
Oats and maize provide a high proportion of gluten free fermentables, adding add body and balancing out the assertive hop bitterness of ‘El Dorado’ and ‘Citra’ - two hop varieties grown on the West Coast of the USA. These hops bring flavours of citrus, tropical fruit and piney/resinous back notes.
Fire Island has been fermented with a specialised yeast strain allowing us to limit any alcohol production and so keeping the ABV below 0.5%.
And why Fire Island?
It’s been named in memory of the celebrated, pioneering gay nightclub that opened its doors on Edinburgh’s Princes Street in the late 70s. Fire Island holds a significant place in the history of Scottish nightlife and the LGBTQ+ community and its impact continues to be celebrated and remembered fondly.
Renowned as one of the largest gay venues in the city, and reportedly visited by celebrities including The Village People, Eartha Kitt and Divine, the club was one of the first in Scotland where DJs mixed their own tracks as opposed to just announcing them. It had a devoted following as this article in Edinburgh Live explains.
The heyday of the club coincided with the first case of HIV being reported in the UK, an event that ushered in years of fear, stigma, and misinformation around HIV and those living with it.
Thanks to the advances in HIV treatment over the years, someone living with HIV on effective treatment can't pass it on through sex and can go on to live a full and healthy life. This means that we could reach a point where there are no new transmissions of HIV. However, the stigma and misinformation around HIV persist, and to this day, people living with HIV still carry the burden of decades of discrimination and misinformation about the condition. It is this stigma and fear of an HIV diagnosis that continue to prevent many people at risk from getting tested and knowing their status.
Donations to Waverley Care
We felt it was entirely appropriate to mark the launch of our new beer by donating 50p from every pint and 10p from every can sold to Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV and hepatitis C charity, so that we can help - in a small way - support their work and their latest campaign in helping Scotland #GetToZero new HIV transmissions by 2030.
About Waverley Care
Waverley Care is Scotland's leading HIV and hepatitis C charity, and everything they do is guided by the experiences of the people they support– this ranges from shaping the services they deliver through to how they influence national policy around sexual health and blood borne viruses. Founded in 1989 during a crucial moment in Scotland's HIV history, Waverley Care initially focused on providing dignity and support to those dying of AIDS in the UK's first purpose-built AIDS hospice. As treatment improved for people with HIV, their focus shifted from palliative to preventative care.
Today, Scotland is making significant progress towards being one of the first countries with no new HIV diagnoses, as the Scottish Government has committed to achieving zero new HIV transmissions by 2030.
Waverley Care's current #GetToZero campaign urges Scottish Government to do more and calls out on every person in Scotland to play their part to help Scotland get to zero. This can be by taking an HIV test, talking about HIV and challenging outdated stereotypes surrounding the condition.
For more information, visit waverleycare.org/gettozero.
About Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF)
Edinburgh Art Festival is the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art and returns from 11 – 27 August 2023. Founded in 2004, EAF works with local and international partners to present an ambitious and meaningful programme of exhibitions, events and projects across the city. Since its beginnings, the festival has featured exhibitions including international and UK artists at a pivotal point in their career alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures, and a programme of newly commissioned artworks that respond to historic sites in the city. Find out more at edinburghartfestival.com.
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