Tuesday 9 May 2023 will mark a decade of their collaboration, brewing specially crafted beer sporting Maiden’s most notorious characters on the label.
The marriage of metal and malt is a beautiful thing. So beautiful in fact that Stockport-based beerheads, Robinsons Brewery are celebrating 10 years of their hugely successful Trooper Beer in collaboration with heavy metal moguls, Iron Maiden.
Robinsons Brewery has been around in Stockport for over 185 years and has amassed a collection of 260 pubs, inns and hotels across the North of England and Wales. Whereas Iron Maiden have racked up over 100 million record sales, nearly 2,500 live performances across 64 countries and a whopping 17 studio albums. Both impressive in their own right, but neither hinting at the potential of a crossover.
Thanks to our fans, Trooper has become a permanent feature with beer lovers around the world, and it’s still growing.
In fact, it was the band showing interest in the brewery that kickstarted the unlikely collaboration. Rocker and real ale fan, Bruce Dickinson said: “I’m a lifelong fan of traditional English ale; I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when we were asked to create our own beer. I have to say that I was very nervous: Robinsons are the only people I have had to audition for in 30 years. Their magic has been to create the alchemical wedding of flavour and texture that is Trooper. I love it.”
Since joining forces a decade ago, Bruce Dickinson has played a major role to develop the flavour profile of Trooper beers, resulting in ongoing visits to Robinson's Stockport-based brewery site.
The first collaborative beer launched in 2013 with a 4.7% ABV premium ale known simply as ‘Trooper’, has gained global success, firmly establishing itself as one of the leading British ales. It is exported to 68 countries worldwide.
Let’s face it. Beer and metal music just goes hand in hand.
To celebrate the decade of collaboration, Robinsons’ head brewer, Martyn Weeks and Bruce Dickinson, vocalist of Iron Maiden are launching a brand new Imperial Stout called Trooper X.
The 660ml bottle will yield an impressive 10% ABV and the bottled liquid gold will come in a special edition presentation box (for those who like to preserve their limited run beverages instead of drinking them).
Speaking on the launch of the ten-year anniversary tipple Martyn said: “Trooper X is packed full of roasted malt flavours which perfectly balance the complex and delicious aromas. This is the ultimate super smooth sharing beer which, if you can resist drinking straight away, will mature in the bottle and get even better with age.”
Those who aren’t a fan of stouts won’t be feeling left out either, as the original Trooper Beer brewed and sold this year will feature a special anniversary label to mark the occasion.
Along with Trooper X and the original brew, the Trooper beverage family includes a range of seasonal and special run beers covering all flavour profile bases, like their Fear of The Dark stout, Sun And Steel sake-infused pilsner, Red N’ Black porter and Hallowed Belgian-style beer.
Talking of the collaboration, Bruce Dickinson said: “I’m immensely proud that Trooper has reached this milestone. To get to 10 years is a brilliant achievement, and I’m having a great time working with Robinsons and our partners around the world coming up with some fantastic beers. We are delighted to add ‘Trooper X’ to the roster and there’ll be more beers to come as our Trooper family continues to expand and provide new beers and choices to our fans everywhere.”
Oliver Robinson, Managing Director of Robinsons said: “Our collaboration with Iron Maiden and Trooper continues to go from strength to strength each year. When we started brewing with Bruce in 2013, I don’t think any of us could have anticipated the success of Trooper. Fast-forward 10 years and with over 8 limited edition beers, 35 million pints sold worldwide, and drinkers enjoying Trooper in over 68 countries worldwide, we're incredibly proud to have Trooper as part of the Robinsons family.”
The special run will be available from IronMaiden.com from 9 May.
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