Press

Craft brewer, BrewDog, today unveils a brand new beer using hops that have undergone a hermaphroditic gender change. The beer, which will launch at BrewDog’s new bar in Soho this week, is a Kölsch, identified neither definitively as a lager nor an ale, but can be considered both.

• The 4.6% ABV Kölsch style beer, named ‘No Label’, has been brewed with hops that have undergone a ‘sex change’ from female to male flowers prior to harvest.
• It will go on sale to coincide with the opening of BrewDog’s new venue in Soho in a bid to “take back” an area previously renowned for its diversity.
• The brewery has partnered with LGBTQI+ events organisers, Queerest of the Queer for the launch, and will be donating profits from sales of No Label to the organisation.
• The beer is intended as a statement against taboos and received norms of any kind, with the label copy asserting: ‘Just like humans, we believe a beer can be whatever the hell it wants to be, and proud of it.’ BrewDog hopes the transgender beer will generate conversation and dispel myths surrounding gender identity.
• The launch of ‘No Label’ will take place at BrewDog’s latest venue, located in Soho in London. This venue will play host to 20 taps of craft beer from around the world, including the brewery’s first Nitro line.
• The bar officially opens to the public on Friday 6th November, and will have ‘No Label’ on tap and in bottle from launch.
• The new bar is located at 21 Poland St, London W1F 8QG
• More information about BrewDog bars and venues can be found at brewdog.com/bars.

QUOTES

James Watt, cofounder at BrewDog commented:

“No Label is a new level of innovation in beer, smashing stereotypes surrounding the brewing process and using hops discarded by the brewing industry due to their “gender issues”. Producing this non-binary, post-gender beer has been a long and careful process and we’re sure that many so-called beer purists will question its legitimacy; but we care more about freedom than labels. Diversity makes everyone and everything richer.”

Cofounder of Queerest of the Queer, Dr J, commented:

“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. Inclusivity is a huge deal for us, and is at the heart of everything we do. When we met the BrewDog team recently, we discussed what it means to live beyond the L and G in LGBTQI+, and delved deeper into the areas where labels don’t really translate anymore. BrewDog was super responsive and respectful and we could see their approach to diversity and inclusivity in brewing is pretty close to what it means to Queerest of the Queer. We’re not putting any labels on the relationship just yet – it’s too early in to decide what this is – but that seems quite befitting of a launch of a beer called “No Label!”