Our November Sour Sunday release featured our Pineapple Sour Pale Ale, brewed in collaboration with Brave Noise – a movement we’re incredibly proud to support, with a donation to Engender, an Edinburgh based women's charity who have worked for over 25 years to advance equality in Scotland.
The purpose
"Have you ever experienced sexism in the beer industry?"
This was the question asked by Brienne Allan’s Instagram story that swiftly sent shockwaves throughout the industry and became inspiration for the BEVOLUTION.
In honour of those who have spoken out about their experiences of gender discrimination, racism, sexual assault, and harassment, and to drive further awareness of the issues faced by women, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, Brave Noise asked breweries like ours to join their movement.
This is a collaboration with a big goal - Brave Noise advocate safe spaces and inclusive environments in the brewing industry. They ask for transparency when it comes to policies and commitment to long-term work which is why we created and published our Code of Conduct.
Our Pineapple Sour Pale Ale has been brewed to support these values, with a percentage of profits donated to support the cause. We’ve also been working with Siobhan Buchanan (@BritishBeerGirl), the touchpaper that’s helped drive these overdue changes in the UK beer and brewing industry.
The Beer
We wanted our collaboration with @BraveNoiseBeer to be something special. Our brief was to create a Pale Ale and we felt it had to represent what we’re all about at Vault City.
Our Brave Noise Pineapple Sour Pale Ale is a delicious, mixed fermentation pineapple sour beer, dry-hopped with Mosaic and Sabro accentuating the tropical and coconut flavours.
The People
We wanted our Vault City community to hear about the women who’ve helped make this collaboration come to life.
Vendy Rychtecka, Assistant Brewer
“It’s exciting to be one of only a handful of breweries in the UK to be involved with this project. I personally have dealt with sexism in the past, and while there’s been a shift in the industry, there needs to be more action to drive real change. I hope this will build more awareness of the Brave Noise moment and help make a big impact for the brave people who’ve spoken out about their experiences. I’m grateful to be part of Vault City who stand for inclusivity and people’s rights.
I’m also really excited about the beer itself. Our Pineapple Sour Pale Ale is double dry-hopped with Mosaic and Sabro so it has an amazing flavour – hoppy, fruity and sour, something unusual for Vault City.”
Jennifer and Alison Campbell, Mungoswells Malt & Milling
“It’s important to highlight these types of things are happening in the industry. People shouldn’t have feelings of intimidation. Then there are the people who allow it but do nothing. We want to help influence change, and ensure that all people are treated fairly and with respect.”
Siobhan Buchanan, British Beer Girl – Freelance Beer and Travel Writer based in Edinburgh
"I’ve worked in the beer industry for almost four years, and have experienced my fair share of sexism and harassment. I shared my own story with @Ratmagnet and I felt empowered by that, so I thought I would offer up my Instagram - @britishbeergirl - as a platform to people with stories in the UK. I received hundreds of stories, some of which were very powerful and incredibly difficult to read, but the (mostly) positive response I’ve had from the industry has been worth it.
Despite its challenges, I love the craft beer industry; I wanted to use my platform to do whatever I can to help enact change, so that women, non-binary folk and other marginalised groups can feel safe in bars, brewery taprooms, event spaces, and in the workplace. So, I was really excited when the opportunity to do something with Vault City came along, and immediately suggested we brew the UK’s first Brave Noise beer together. I’ve been a fan of the brewery for a few years now, plus they’re local to me, and I know they have a diverse workforce and a commitment to good working ethics.
Thanks to initiatives like Brave Noise and the vocal support from breweries like Vault City, hopefully the need for change in the craft beer industry (and the hospitality industry as a whole) will become too difficult to ignore, and companies will want to ensure that they are well-equipped to safeguard their customers and employees."
