Back in Florida at the end of the European section of the IRON MAIDEN's Maiden England tour, drummer Nicko McBrain opens the very first bottles of Trooper Ale in the US with his friends Ken Tonkin and Mitch Tanne, at his restaurant Rock N' Roll Ribs.

If you are in South Florida today (August 13th) drop in and join Nicko and some special guests along with 98.7 The Gator and enjoy Trooper British Premium Beer. More info here.

According to Thetelegraphandargus.co.uk, Bradford-based supermarket giant Morrisons has seen its sales of real ale rise thanks to an unlikely source – heavy metal titans Iron Maiden.

In June it became the only supermarket to stock Robinsons Brewery’s Trooper Ale, inspired by the band and brewed in conjunction with their lead singer Bruce Dickinson. Supermarket bosses say sales of the ale have been “phenomenal” and it is their fastest-ever selling newly launched ale. Sales have exceeded expectations tenfold and photographs of the bottle on store shelves have been widely spread on social media.

Robinsons Brewery unveiled the drink in May and with the backing of Morrisons it has now sold over a million pints – six months faster than the brewery expected. The ale takes its name from the band’s classic 1984 single The Trooper and the bottle features the same image as that release – band mascot Eddie taking part in the charge of the light brigade. The beer has the history of the 1884 battle on the back of each bottle.

Mark Land, Morrisons’ ales buyer said: “Trooper has been phenomenally successful since Morissons launched it in June. “The bottle’s label has definitely been a huge factor in its success, as has the push our stores have given it.”

Read more at Thetelegraphandargus.co.uk.

Dickinson chats about the brew below:

For more details on Iron Maiden's Trooper Premium British Beer visit Facebook.