LOCKDOWN LEADER: Brewdog

 
Brewdog beer cans of Barnard castle eye test beer

This is not a belated April Fool’s Joke. Controversial brewery BrewDog has crafted a beer called ‘Barnard Castle Eye Test’, poking fun at government advisor Dominic Cummings and his alleged lockdown breach. Profits from the limited-edition brew, described as “short-sighted beer for tall stories,” will fund free hand sanitiser for healthcare workers.

This isn’t the first time that UK brewery and pub chain BrewDog has ridden the wave of controversy to craft humorous and timely products. The company, known for its guerrilla marketing tactics, is behind such beers as Dead Pony Club, Elvis Juice and Punk AF, to name but a few.

BrewDog’s latest inspiration comes from Tory senior advisor Cummings, who claims to have taken a 50-mile round trip from his parent’s house in Durham to Barnard Castle in Teesdale in order to test his eyesight after recovering from Covid-19. 

Cummings’ story was widely mocked across the internet and BrewDog jumped on the bandwagon, releasing Barnard Castle Eye Test, a “New England, Old School IPA,” in May.

“The people have spoken. So, we decided to actually do it,” BrewDog states on its official Twitter account. “All profits from the New England IPA will be directed towards funding free hand sanitiser for the NHS and healthcare charities.”

The first batch of the limited beer, described as “dry-hopped for a juicy hit with pineapple, mango and hint of zesty lime,” sold out almost instantly. The second batch is now available for pre-sale on the BrewDog website, but we can imagine it’ll sell out as quickly as the hole Cummings is digging himself, so be quick.

 
LOCKDOWN LEADERSLysanne CurrieNews, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Leadership, Lockdown Leader, Brewdog, Barnard Castle, Dominic Cummings