Drinkers swarm to Honey Bee beer

May 1, 2015

Brakspear’s latest seasonal ale, Honey Bee, has been so popular that the Henley brewer and pub operator has already raised £600 for ‘The Bee Cause’ charity, with four weeks’ sales of the honey beer still to go.

Honey Bee, a 4.4% light, golden ale, is brewed at Brakspear’s Bell Street Brewery in the town and uses honey from beehives at Orwells at Shiplake.  For every pint of Honey Bee sold, Brakspear is donating 20p to The Bee Cause, Friends of the Earth’s campaign to protect all of Britain’s bees.

Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said, “Honey Bee has become the fastest-selling seasonal ale ever brewed at the Bell Street Brewery and we’ve had to put in extra shifts at the brewery to keep up with demand from our pubs. It’s a nice problem to have!

“Honey Bee is a great beer with a subtle honey taste that makes it particularly good for supping in pub gardens, so the warm weather in early April made it a popular choice.  Add to that the chance to support the endangered bee and we have a beer that is flying out of our brewery and our pubs.”

Paul de Zylva of Friends of the Earth said, “We’re delighted that Honey Bee beer has proved so popular, not only because it is raising funds for The Bee Cause, but because it shows that our message about the plight of Britain’s wild bees and honey bees is getting through to the consumer.  Brakspear supported The Bee Cause last year by creating bee-friendly spaces in 50 of their pub gardens, and we’re very pleased to be continuing the partnership.”

Brakspear opened the Bell Street Brewery in May 2013 and brought Brakspear Special, a popular beer in Henley, back to the town.  As well as Special as a permanent ale, the brewery produces a number of seasonal and ‘one off’ beers including ‘Blooming Marvellous’ in support of Henley in Bloom and ‘Two Bells’, commemorating the first ever Henley Club to Pub swim in summer 2014.

Honey Bee will be on sale in Brakspear pubs in and around Henley until the end of May.

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