I’m getting drunk for you

Really Good Beer is really good… really!

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Do you like beer? Do you like making positive choices for the planet as a consumer?

Well, say hello to your new vegan beer supplier!

Launched in March 2021, Really Good Beer is all about sourcing beer from small breweries and chaneling partial profit to good causes.

That sounds EXACTLY like my drop of amber.

What is the ethos behind Really Good Beer? The gang over there says:

Our mission? To create gorgeous beer that helps solve important problems whilst you’re drinking it. Clever huh? OK, not Einstein clever, but we like to think we wouldn’t be kicked out of A-level business studies.

After realising that the five largest mega-brewers in the world make nearly 60% of all the beer on Earth, Really Good Beer jumped into action.

What was the plan of action to make sure they could make a difference to the world of beer and the world in general?

First: we brewed our first beer in a shared space in Hackney but we realised the better model was to get our beer brewed at existing small breweries (who really know their stuff).

We spent a long time (and tasted a lot of beer) finding the right partners and now work with several; they are all small, independently owned, focused on sustainable production, and (pretty much) all award-winning.

And second: we track down the most impactful projects and charities seeking to solve some of the planet’s biggest problems to pair with each of our beers; then we think of a low-key genius name that brings together the beer, cause and charity partner.

The beers are never mass produced and Really Good Beer are committed to giving 2.5% from the sales of all their beer to initiatives that tackle the biggest problems facing people and the planet.

Really Good Beer has just been named in the Top 12 IPAs in The Independent Best Buys and named as “Best Beer with Purpose”. Amazing! (read more about that here)

You can also read about some of the small charities each beer supports online here.

It sounds like a winning situation all round. Beer from small producers and money for charities… and I almost forget to mention that all the beer from Really Good Beer is vegan!

Click here to buy through the web shop (soon to be in bars and stores) and follow Really Good Beer on Instagram.

Sheffield pub turns food menu 100% vegan

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The vegan revolution shows little sign of slowing down in the UK and this city centre pub announcement is further proof.

The Old House is a popular watering hole on Devonshire Street that has been serving vegan options on their food menu for a while, however they have now made the decision to switch to 100% vegan food and cocktails as they come out of lockdown.

Locals can book tables now in anticipation of the May 19, 2021 reopening and really get fired up by the tantalising menu.

Check it out below.

The menu is packed with tempting comfort food including all day brunch, stacked burgers, and loaded fries.

But it isn’t just the food!

All of the cocktails will be vegan, too. Fill up on plant-based drinks and snacks.

You can follow The Old House on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on menu additions.

Need to book a table? Head over to The Old House website. The Sunday roast dinners will be especially popular.

Vegan tapas at Beer Engine Sheffield

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A few days ago I was invited to try the vegan food options at The Beer Engine in Sheffield, South Yorkshire which has just reopened.

The food menu is tapas style and all super tasty. Yes, I ate everything I’ve listed below:

  • caramelised onion hummus with olives and pita
  • padron peppers with sea salt
  • agedashi tofu
  • tomato bruschetta
  • miso and maple cauliflower wings
  • patatas bravas with vegan aioli
  • loaded nachos
  • fried plantain with pineapple salsa

Click on the image to see all the food via my Instagram account.

They have renovated the beer garden of the pub with plants, lights, and umbrellas so rug up and get down there between Wednesday and Sunday. Come summer, this place is going to be packed solid every single day.

You can see the Beer Engine food menu online here.

You can follow The Beer Engine on Instagram.

Festive vegan beer delivered around UK

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I think you would be hard-pressed to find an industry struggling as much as independent brewing right now.

What an absolute sack of shit year it has been.

The bars and pubs that breweries rely on for moving most of their stock have been closed or are themselves on the verge of closing forever. Taprooms at breweries, normally a direct line of selling, have been closed on and off all year.

I decided to treat myself to a delivery from my favourite vegan beer producer as an act of solidarity during this unprecedented time… and I’d like to think of few people reading this will do the same thing!

Brass Castle is an independent brewery in Yorkshire.

If you ever attended any of my Vegan Beer Fest events around the UK, you’ll remember Brass Castle as a regular trader. They even ran the jumbo bar at the London outing of the event a few years running.

Every single beer produced and sold by Brass Castle is vegan, including all the gorgeous cans in their 12 Days of Christmas beer advent calendar!

This box is a 12-can selection pack of various Brass Castle faves, hidden behind advent calendar-style doors. All the beers are vegan-friendly and certified gluten-free.

The pack comprises:

  • Pilsen Thrills 3.9% Pilsner (440ml can)
  • Hoptical Illusion 4.3% Citra/Comet Pale Ale (330ml can)
  • Well Wisher 4.5% Citra/Columbus Golden Ale (440ml can)
  • Dune Bug 4.7% Lemon & Samphire Gose (440ml can)
  • Fruit Lupe 4.8% Mosaic/Blueberry Pale Ale (440ml can)
  • Brewtalism 5.2% Grapefruit Wit Beer (440ml can)
  • Bad Kitty 5.5% Vanilla Porter (330ml can)
  • Christmas Kitty 5.5% Festive-spiced Vanilla Porter (440ml can)
  • Sunshine 5.7% West Coast-style IPA ( 440ml can)
  • Hygge Figgy 5.7% Fig, Blueberry & Almond Porter (440ml can)
  • Burnout 5.8% Beechwood Smoked Porter (440ml can)
  • Wallop 7.4% wood-aged Yorkshire-style Stingo (440ml can)

This box is available for pre-order now and will begin to ship out of Brass Castle from November 26, 2020.

This is the perfect gift for yourself or any other beer lover in your life, as well as a great way to support an independent vegan business.

Click here to order the vegan beer advent calendar now.

Follow Brass Castle on Instagram.

Vegan and gluten free beer from Scotland

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I’m a big beer fan and I love sharing brewed news with you, especially when it’s an independent business behind the scenes.

The good people of Bellfield Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland make vegan-certified beer and they sell it online for shipping all around the UK.

And extra news?

All the beer from Bellfield is also certified gluten free.

Bellfield sent me a bunch of their beers to try and I currently have them chilling in the fridge!

You can order for UK delivery from the Bellfield online shop.

Be sure to follow Bellfield Brewery on Instagram.

Vegan beer out of Brixton

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I got a taste of Brixton delivered to my house a few days ago and it was delicious!

Brixton Brewery sent me a few cans of their Coldharbour Lager and they went straight into the fridge to chill. They didn’t survive too much longer.

Do you like beer? Keep reading.

What do the Brixton Brewery style/taste notes say about this vegan beverage? It’s a lager that is crisp, clean, and floral. It is fresh, vibrant, and alive with flavour. The ABV is 4.4%.

You can order online for UK delivery and get free shipping for orders over £30. You can also buy takeout from the Brixton Brewery Taproom on Station Road, right in the heart of Brixton.

Follow Brixton Brewery on Instagram.

Vegan spirit drink with pineapple!

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I get quite a few gifts from PR people over here at FGV headquarters, but a particular item this week really got me excited.

Check out this fabulous drink called Aloha 65.

Aloha 65 is a spirit drink infused with pineapple, lemon, ginger, and scotch bonnet chilies. That sounds equally intense and delicious.

The product is vegan (labeled as vegan on the bottle), is 27% ABV, and can be ordered directly from the company online for UK delivery.

There is free delivery on orders £25 and over. The company has given me a special discount for FGV readers. Use code FGV20 to get 20% off when you shop directly for Aloha 65 online at their shop.

And what about that little bottle in the photo?

Aloha 65 also make a hot sauce and that is vegan, too!

I am super pumped to try the drink. I’m considering investing in an ice crusher just for this purpose.

Follow Aloha 65 on Instagram.

Kylie releases vegan rosé wine

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2020 is a strange year.

But even when you get used to expecting the unexpected, it is still surprising that Kylie Minogue has released her own vegan rosé wine!

Check it out.

Kylie released a quote to mark the launch of the vegan-friendly rosé:

I have a great passion for rosé and have loved working for the last two years on developing Kylie Minogue Wines. Working with the brilliant team at Benchmark Drinks we have created a rosé that I am truly enamoured by, it’s fresh, light and the perfect pink.

The Kylie rosé is priced at £9.00 for the regular release bottle and £17.00 for the gift box edition.

Tesco is listed as a stockist at the moment, but when I searched I was told they are currently out of stock.

You can buy directly from the drinks company for UK delivery. Click here to shop for Kylie rosé.

What do you think? Are you excited to try this wine curated by Kylie?

Bottomless vegan brunch in London

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No matter if your Valentine’s Day is going great or less than desirable, this news is guaranteed to make it better.

Superstar purveyors of plant-based comfort food Young Vegans are launching a bottomless vegan brunch at their pizza restaurant in Bethnal Green, London!

What is a bottomless brunch?

Don’t worry, you get to keep your pants on. Bottomless brunch means you get to drink and eat as much as you can/want from a selected menu for a set amount of time.

The Young Vegans bottomless brunch features unlimited pizza AND unlimited Prosecco or beer for 90 minutes for a flat rate of £30 per person!

The bottomless brunch is available only via advanced bookings on the Young Vegans Pizza Shop website or Open Table for times between midday and 5pm every Sunday, starting on Sunday February 16, 2020.

Some of the rules for the bottomless brunch:

  • You must eat everything (no leftovers/takeaway)
  • Doesn’t include any side dishes
  • Only one pizza at a time per two people

I love the sound of this bottomless brunch!

The drink menu also features organic wines and cocktails (such as a gorgeous Bloody Mary), Aperol Spritz, gin and tonic, and their special Hackney Mule for extra cost. The beers are from Hackney Brewery, which brews just 15 minutes from the restaurant.

Click here to book your bottomless brunch.

Follow Young Vegans Pizza Shop on Instagram and Twitter.

Celebrate anniversary of a London vegan Landmark

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How time flies when you are having fun being compassionate!

The legendary London vegan pub The Spread Eagle is getting ready to celebrate its two year anniversary.

The birthday party for the vegan pub is taking place on Saturday January 25, 2020 between 9pm and 2am.

Facts you should now:

  • Onsite food experts Club Mexicana (who run the regular kitchen at the pub) will be serving
  • Spread Eagle will be handing out 50 free margherita shots (be early)
  • The event is FREE ENTRY
  • A DJ will be spinning fab tunes

See the exact location of The Spread Eagle in Homerton thanks to Google Maps.

If you can’t get along for the birthday party, be sure to follow them on Instagram and visit ASAP.