One of our fave times of year is here again - Organic September and, this year, we’ve doubled the impact of our celebratory, special edition beer called Against the Grain.
We’ve joined up with social enterprise, Tap Social Movement, an Oxford-based social enterprise that turns brewing, baking and hospitality into training and jobs for people leaving prison.
It's a beer with a story worth telling twice: once for the wildlife, and once for the people.
First, the important bit: what's in the glass?
Against the Grain is a 4.2% ABV Extra Hazy Pale Ale - tropical, gently bitter, with a citrussy lift from added orange peel. Think sunshine in a glass, minus the sunburn.
Why "organic" isn't just a label
The beer arrives in time for Organic September, the Soil Association's annual campaign putting a spotlight on organic food, drink and the difference it makes: for the environment and for us.
Stroud Brewery has been walking this walk since 2008, when it was officially certified organic by the Soil Association. Our founder and MD, Greg Pilley, explains why it still matters:
"Organic farming and production is one of the most surefire ways for consumers to be sure that their money is truly making a positive impact upon re-building our wildlife populations and natural environment."
And the science backs him up:
"Research shows that farming without using chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides leads to at least a third more wildlife living on the farm compared to conventional farming methods [1]. This also means there are fewer chemical residuals getting into the groundwater and left in the crops."
For Greg, it's personal as much as it is practical:
"Being a dedicated organic brewery has been extremely important to myself and the brewery since 2008, when we were officially certified as organic by the Soil Association. It's also why we're keen to take part in Organic September every year to help spread the message: choosing organic helps us all care for the wild and ourselves."
Now, the people bit
Stroud Brewery is well known for its environmental and community credentials, however, this collaboration stretches that mission a little further, into the lives of people rebuilding theirs.
Tap Social Movement creates paid training and employment for prisoners and prison-leavers across its breweries, bakery, cafés and pubs. The numbers speak for themselves: none of its participants have reoffended within a year of leaving prison, against a national reoffending rate of 59%, and 89% are still in work. It's currently the UK's Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year, as awarded by Social Enterprise UK, and it's tightening up its own environmental footprint too — committing to buy at least half its non-labour supplies from independent suppliers within 50 miles of its sites.
Until now, an organic beer hadn't made it into Tap Social Movement's range. Stroud Brewery was only too happy to fix that.
Tess Taylor, Tap Social Movement's co-founder, sums up why the partnership just made sense:
"We're big fans of Stroud Brewery and are so stoked to have had the chance to work and collaborate with them on Against the Grain to celebrate Organic September. This is such a great opportunity for our two socially-minded breweries to come together and show how we're playing a small part in helping to build stronger communities and a greener, more sustainable planet. It also adds a new layer to our beer offering for customers: on top of helping some of the most marginalised people in society, Against the Grain is also helping us care for wildlife."
Where to find it
Against the Grain is available in Stroud Brewery's taproom and by mail order via the website, as well as at Tap Social Movement's own venues.
Two breweries, one beer, and a whole lot of good going on beneath the froth.
[1] Tuck, S. L., et al (2014) Land use intensity and the effects of organic farming on biodiversity: a hierarchical meta-analysis. The Journal of Applied Ecology, 51(3), 746–755.
