As the nation celebrates the 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Greene King is marking the occasion with a new, limited-edition British ale, called Purple Reign, which will be available in almost 1,000 pubs throughout May and June.
‘Purple Reign’ is a majestic floral and fruity golden ale and, at an easy-drinking 4.2% ABV, is the perfect pint to accompany the celebrations and toast the landmark birthday of the UK’s longest reigning monarch. The name of the ale, until now a closely guarded secret, was unveiled at The Finery pub, London, on 20 April 2016 and the public was invited to try free samples ahead of its launch exclusively into Greene King pubs.
‘Purple Reign’ will be available across the country in time for the first May bank holiday weekend and guests will be hard-pressed to miss it on the bar, thanks to the distinctive purple colour of the beer pump handle, which features an eye-catching gold inscription of the popular lyric, ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow’.
Purple has long been associated with royalty and is the colour of choice for the landmark birthday celebrations as well as the first class stamps created in her honour last year. Taking inspiration from the song ‘Purple Rain’, the name and look for this ale is a light-hearted yet considered tribute to Her Majesty on a milestone birthday.
Chris Houlton, managing director of Greene King brewing and brands, said: “We have a time-honoured tradition of brewing beers to commemorate royal occasions, including our Jubilee Ales brewed in 1977 and 2002 for Queen Elizabeth II’s silver and golden jubilees. We have invested in supporting the on trade to make the most of the celebrations and the extended licensing hours in June with this beer, which with its unique name and look offers a real talking point for guests and great stand-out on the bar.”
Maureen Swindles, Brand Manager for Greene King and longest serving employee explained more about the beer. The handcrafted recipe for ‘Purple Reign’ features sweet pale malt made from East Anglian barley and classic English Challenger, Pilgrim and First Gold hops, with Styrian late hop variety adding tropical and citrus fruits; all resulting in a refreshing and fruity golden ale with a floral and spicy fragrance that will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, and perhaps even to Her Majesty herself.
Traditional nibbles were on hand for use to enjoy whilst drinking the beer.
Many of the participating pubs will auction off the purple hand pump once the celebrations are complete, so guests will have an opportunity to take home a commemorative piece of history.
‘Purple Reign’ will be available on cask in Greene King Locals, Taylor Walker, Chef & Brewer, Old English Inns and selected Pub Partners across the UK from the end of this month.
Until we drink again… Cheers!
Leave a Reply