Cheers To The Great Barrier Reef

What's better than helping to save the Great Barrier Reef? Drinking beer to do it! Surely there's nothing more Australian than that! Get excited because it's official, The Good Beer Co. is brewing Great Barrier Beer - a tasty Indian pale ale that will donate 50 per cent of its profits to the Australian Marine Conservation Society to help save the Great Barrier Reef. Cheers to that!

The brainchild of James Grugeon, The Good Beer Co. was inspired by similar social change initiatives in the UK and USA. Two Fingers Brewery in the UK donates money for prostate cancer while US brewer Finnegans donates to help feed the homeless. Unsurprisingly, James was convinced Aussies would be more than happy to drink up and help save the Earth.

Brewed by Bargara Brewing Company, which is quite appropriately located in Bundaberg, the Great Barrier Beer has been brewed right next to the world famous reef it is trying to save. After alcohol copping some flak in recent months, as well as talk of increasing the tax on beer, Grugeon said that it was time beer was used as a force for good.

It all started with a crowd-funding campaign in which Grugeon hoped to raise his goal of $100,000. Although the campaign was a little slow to start with, initially only managing to raise $37,000 but after a strong PR and social media campaign, a surge in last-minute orders from bars and pubs saw $60,000 in pre-orders come through for the first batch.

The first batch brewed 38 kegs and 12,000 bottles of the Great Barrier Beer which will go out to more than 360 people, pubs, venues and companies on pre-order. The beer was even launched by Minister for the Great Barrier Reef Steven Miles MP who had the pleasure of pouring the first pint at Brisbane bar Brewski, and the beer even made an appearance at the Sustainable Living Festival Melbourne.

According to all initial reports, the beer tastes more than great. Even Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gave it a try as part of a visit to the brewery. In fact the beer is already winning awards, with the Indian pale ale being chosen over an Australian blonde in Brisbane last year as a people's choice. So it not only tastes great, but is environmentally friendly too.

Using all Australian ingredients, the Great Barrier Beer features Australian grain, Australian hops and even Queensland rainwater. Solar energy is also used during the brewing process, meaning that the 50 per cent of all profits going back into protecting the Great Barrier Reef is environmentally conscious throughout the entire process.

Beer drinkers in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne will soon be able to enjoy the Great Barrier Beer in bars, with hardcore fans able to pre-order the next batch online. The beer will be officially launched at a free event in Brisbane on 24 March.
Joining forces with former Powderfinger bassist John Collins, the Good Beer Co.'s crowdfunding launch will be held at iconic venue The Triffid (owned by Collins) as part of Sounds Good, a free event to support local Brisbane bands. Sounds Good will kick off at The Triffid from 6pm on Thursday March 24.

(9th March 2016)