British rock legends Iron Maiden and independent family brewers Robinsons have unveiled a new Belgian style beer, Hallowed.
The new ale follows on from the success of the original Trooper, which has sold more than 15 million pints since its launch in 2013, and earlier limited edition beers Trooper 666 and Red ‘N’ Black.
Hallowed beer has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 6% and it is a Belgian inspired beer to have been brewed in the UK. The beer is also claimed to be the first time Robinsons used Belgian yeast for brewing process.
The bottle used for packing Hallowed uses labelling which pays tribute to Belgian beer. It also depicts Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie wearing a traditional monk’s clothing, a nod to the Trappist monastic brewing tradition in Belgium.
Robinsons said Hallowed will be available from this October for a limited period of four months.
Iron Maiden lead vocalist and ale aficionado Bruce Dickinson said: “What makes this brew pretty special is that we’re adopting a Belgian yeast for the first time. I’m a big fan of Belgian beers, so I jumped at the chance to brew my own.
“While I get very excited about experimenting with new formulas and ingredients, the thing about Belgian beer is that it’s as much a way of life as it is a drink. We’ve tried to bottle that philosophy in HALLOWED, albeit with a British twist.”
Robinsons Brewery head brewer Martyn Weeks said: “It’s all in the yeast. Belgian yeast yields a very distinct taste and presentation. You can sniff out a Belgian beer simply from its aromas: fruity, spicy and earthy.
“Belgian yeasts withstand higher alcohol levels, they attenuate well and create an array of phenolics and esters… put simply, this means more flavour and I think Hallowed drinkers are in for a treat.”
