As published in Attitude, Brewdog recently made it to the headlines by being accused of mocking transgender and homeless in their advertisement. The company is back to the scene once again with the world's first non-binary transgender beer with profits raise going towards LGBT organizations that support charities aiding transgender youth communities. "We see a huge number of parallels between BrewDog and Queerest of the Queer - we're cut from the same cloth and believe in much the same things," explains Dr J, the organization's co-founder.
'No Label' is a 4.6% ABV Kölsch that has been brewed with hops that have changed sex from female to male flowers prior to harvest. They use these hops "to emphasize that, just like humans, beer can be whatever the hell it wants to be, and proud of it," as stated on their website. Hops growers normally just utilize female hops because the seeds produced by the male plants are undesirable for brewing.
The company said: "We have looked at the traditions of brewing - where female hop plants are used and male hop bines discarded (as the flowers don't grow into full cones). For No Label, we have sourced Jester hops - a varietal naturally prone to altering sex whilst growing - and brewed No Label with 20kg that have undergone this change and grown male flowers; to add diversity, rather than restrict it."
In order to associate 'No Label' with the Kölsch style, it has been processed with ale yeast and then cold-conditioned to give attributes of a lager. This would limit the difference between the binary worlds of lager and ale. The beer extends equally with people who recognize themselves in a comparable 'non-binary' way, as transgender - a community of people that is still to a great extent under-recognized by society.
On Friday 6th November, from 12 pm, No Label will have its launching on draft at their newest venue, BrewDog Soho, on Poland Street in London.
You can find out more about investing in BrewDog at www.brewdog.com/equityforpunks
