Over the past few years, we have been steadily growing our following from beer lovers in Russia. It has been a source of pride for a small company such as ours to be exporting 8000miles away, in Eastern Russia. In fact, at the start of this year, we had more permanent Ilkley beer lines in Moscow than we did in Leeds!
However, despite the fact that our beer is being drunk by the Russian people, not supplied to the Russian Autocracy, and that we work with a UK-based distributor, we simply do not feel comfortable doing business in Russia.
So, despite our appreciation of all of the pub staff, sales reps and ordinary Russians who have supported Yorkshire beer over the past few years, we will no longer export to Russia. We had a shipment of 200 kegs ordered before the invasion that was due to go out in late February but we decided to withhold shipping. Instead, we will be organising a number of fundraising initiatives to support the people of Ukraine, and of course showing our solidarity in any way we can.
1. We will take part in the global Hops Not Hate programme:
The concept is simple. A brewery brews a Hops Not Hate beer. Selling the product onto a bar/bottleshop/distributor/importer, they donate half of their net profits to charity. Of this donation, half goes to a local initiative, and half to a global one.
The bar/bottleshop/distributor/importer follows the same principle and hence the beer generates local and global acts of charity every step along the way from brew to glass. Every link in the chain gets to donate to what charity/charitable cause they see fit, although in this case we are suggesting that the charities supported are linked to supporting Ukraine. For Ilkley’s part, we will be donating to UNICEF and to local refugee support groups.
2. Hope through beer.
Beer is brewed to bring happiness. Going forward we will be donating £5 from the sale of every single case of Hope bottles to the UNICEF Ukraine fund. Our Hoptimistic pale ale, at 4% is crisp, hoppy and refreshing. If you’re going to drink one beer during this troubled time, why not a Hopeful one. BUY NOW
3. Charity Beer Festival
This is still in the planning stage, but we will look to stage an event at the brewery – a place for the whole community to come together, a place to show solidarity, and a place to drink beer to raise funds for the people of Ukraine. Keep your eyes peeled on our socials for more updates.. but most likely will be around the Easter holidays…
4. Brew For Ukraine
A message from Yuri Zastavny, from Pravda Brewery in Lviv:
FOR THE PAST WEEK, WAR HAS BEEN UPON US IN UKRAINE. HERE IN LVIV, PRAVDA BREWERY HAS STARTED MAKING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS, INSTEAD OF OUR AWARD WINNING BEERS, TO SHOW STRENGTH IN OUR NATION, AND RESISTANCE TOWARDS RUSSIA.
WE WANT YOU JOIN THE FIGHT, AND HELP US WIN THIS UGLY WAR.
PRAVDA IS OPENING UP OUR RECIPES TO ALL BREWERS WORLDWIDE, AND INVITING YOU TO BREW THEM. OUR FAMOUS LABELS AND OTHER VISUALS ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE, AS WELL.
AS LVIV PREPARES FOR WAR, BREWING IS SEEN AS AN ACT OF HOPE. IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE BEER TO BE READY, BUT WE HOPE THAT WHEN IT’S FINISHED, WE WILL BE DRINKING THIS BEER IN A COUNTRY THAT HAS WON THE WAR.
PLEASE SHARE AMONG BREWERS AND BREWERIES!
PROCEEDS WILL GO TO A RELIEF FUND IN UKRAINE.
WE WILL WIN THIS WAR.
Our brewing team have been adapting Pravda’s famous Ukrainian Imperial Stout for our pilot brew kit. Brewed using beetroot, the limited run 11%+ Impy will be hand bottled in 750ml sharing bottles – watch this space for release date and details of donations.