Food & Drink

Craft beer: Life-changing brew in support of stem cell campaign

Co Down breweries Mourne Mountains and Beer Hut have collaborated on a new strawberry sour called Dragonfly to raise money for the Eimear's Wish stem cell charity
Co Down breweries Mourne Mountains and Beer Hut have collaborated on a new strawberry sour called Dragonfly to raise money for the Eimear's Wish stem cell charity Co Down breweries Mourne Mountains and Beer Hut have collaborated on a new strawberry sour called Dragonfly to raise money for the Eimear's Wish stem cell charity

WHEN we think of strawberries and summer, it conjures up images of punnets with a dollop of cream served up at Wimbledon alongside the high-class tennis on show.

Whether the world-famous tennis tournament is able to shift as many strawberries as they normally do this year considering the restrictions on spectators is another matter.

However, what will hopefully be flying off the shelves in the coming weeks is a new strawberry sour called Dragonfly which is a collaboration between Co Down breweries Mourne Mountains and Beer Hut.

The beer itself is a beautifully refreshing summer tipple and has been brewed to raise money for the Eimear's Wish Charity as well as increasing awareness of stem cell donors.

The charity was set up in memory of Eimear Smyth who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, in September 2016 and died on June 27 2019 from complications of a donor Stem Cell transplant. She was 25.

The Dragonfly symbolises resilience, love and hope. Eimear had all those qualities and more. Eimear's dying wish was for more people to register as stem cell donors.

At least 33p from the sale of each can of this unique beer will go to Eimear's Wish Charity, who promote stem cell donor awareness and support teenagers and young adults who have cancer or in need of a stem cell transplant.

As well as raising money and awareness of a worthy cause, this beer is a complex and fresh tasting sour. It pours a bright amber colour in the glass with a radiant pinkish hue and a slight white head.

On the nose, there are aromas of fresh and sweet strawberries, giving you the sense of the fleshy inside of the ripe and juicy fruit.

On the palate, you get a nice hint of that fresh sweetness before a tart and tangy sour taste takes over. The sour vibes are almost tempered by an ever so slight sweet biscuit malt while the freshness also elevates hints of melon.

Although Beer Hut are well versed in sours, this is the first brewed at Mourne Mountains and what better way to mark that milestone than by brewing a beer that can change the lives of so many people.