IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson Talks Trooper Ale - "It’s Easy To Piggyback On Someone Else’s Brew And We Turned Down Many Cheap And Tawdry Offers"
April 18, 2013, 11 years ago
British hard rock legends IRON MAIDEN recently teamed up with Cheshire family brewers Robinsons to create a new beer, Trooper. Real ale fan and history aficionado Bruce Dickinson, Maiden's vocalist, played a major role in developing the unique flavour of the beer, entailing ongoing visits to Robinson’s brewery in Stockport. Dickinson's on-stage Union Jack flag-waving military character is an iconic element of the band's live concerts and 'The Trooper', written by bassist Steve Harris, is one of Maiden's most popular songs and one of the highlights of any Maiden show.
“It’s easy to piggyback on someone else’s brew and we turned down many cheap and tawdry offers, people saying that we sell records so we can sell beer.”
It wasn’t until he met with Robinsons – which previously brewed fellow rock band Elbow’s beer – that Dickinson decided to take the plunge.
“Robinsons played quite hard to get, which we liked,” he continues. “They have a lot of credibility as a brewery so they had a lot to lose and wanted to make sure we were serious about it.”“I am very proud of this beer. I like beers with a lot of body that punch above their weight in terms of flavour without knocking you on your arse.
“Being a little sort of chap if I drink three pints of ESB I know about it the next day. We wanted to make something where you can have a few pints and not be flat on your back.”
Read more at Off Licence News.
According to Robinsons: "Trooper will be available from May and we're working very hard to secure distribution to countries all over the world. We love your enthusiasm and we'll keep you updated with all the when and where info as we get closer to launch date."
