On Saturday May 9, Iron Maiden’s Trooper Beer turns 2. 50 UK pubs are helping them celebrate by giving away a free Trooper button badge with every pint. Join the #trooperparty online and send in photos, the best pubs will be rewarded. For a list of locations visit IronMaidenBeer.com.

Trooper is a Premium British Beer inspired by Iron Maiden and handcrafted at Robinsons brewery. Malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon.

Iron Maiden has canned their Trooper beer in 500ml tins. Singer Bruce Dickinson designed and developed the ale with Martyn Weeks, the chief brewer at Stockport family firm Robinsons. Check out a canning video below:

The process begins with empty cans with no tops arriving from the production plant.

The cans go through a rinsing process, and then get filled with Trooper. Once the cans are filled and have their tops on, they take a run through the pasturiser to make sure your beer stays lovely. They get their best before date and other random numbers printed on the bottom, and are flipped over ready for grouping into 4s, and then into 24 packs. The cases are then shrink-wrapped, palletised, and ready for shipping. This initial order is bound for the USA.

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson recently explained the advantages of cans over bottles to the Manchester Evening News; an excerpt follows: “Firstly cans are easier to recycle, require less packaging, get colder quicker and take up less space in your fridge," he said. "Secondly, cans don't break or smash, meaning they can be taken to venues, sporting events, campgrounds, beaches, and music festivals, where glass is not typically allowed. Thirdly, aluminium cans are excellent protection against light and oxygen - beer’s biggest enemies, so your drink tastes fresher longer."