Record demand for Iron Maiden beer

Family brewery Robinsons in Cheshire is brewing three batches a day for the first time in 175 years in order to keep up with demand for Iron Maiden’s new beer.

Iron Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson has seen huge demand for his Trooper beer

The Sun newspaper reports that over 100 countries have signed up to stock the cask ale, created in collaboration with the heavy metal group’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson.

Robinsons’ managing director Oliver Robinson is putting in six-day weeks in order to meet demand for the beer, which goes on sale on 9 May.

Over 250,000 pints of Trooper have been pre-sold in the UK ahead of its release.

“We haven’t spent a single penny on advertising. This is history in the making for brewing,” Robinsons’ marketing director David Bremner told The Sun.

The brew is named after Iron Maiden’s 1983 single, The Trooper, inspired by the Charge of the Light Brigade.

The label features a charging figure on a battlefield dressed in a red military jacket holding a sword and tattered Union Jack flag.

According to its makers, malt flavours and citric notes from a blend of bobec, goldings and cascade hops dominate the 4.7% abv golden ale.

Best known for its Old Tom ale, Robinsons has been making beer at its Unicorn Brewery in Stockport since 1838.

The Iron Maiden collaboration is not the brewer’s first foray into celebrity beer – in 2011 it teamed up with Manchester band Elbow on Build a Rocket Boys! beer.

With 15 studio albums under their belt and close to 90 million albums sold, Iron Maiden continue their Maiden England World Tour this summer.

Celebrity drinks will be explored in depth in the May issue of the drinks business.