Brewery revels in Maiden’s Trooper success

Iron Maiden’s Trooper beer has pulled it five millionth pint, one year after it was launched, making it the “most successful new product” ever launched by the Cheshire-based brewery where it is brewed.

The 4.7% ale, brewed by the Cheshire-based Robinson’s brewery, was launched last year in partnership with Iron Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson, a self-confessed real ale enthusiast.

Since its launch five million pints of the ale have been brewed, with it now stocked in UK supermarkets Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and Asda, which are currently exported to and exported to 40 countries accounting for 47% of all beer produced marking its continued global success and resulting in Robinsons more than quadrupling their export sales, which are up 730%.

Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden, said: “When asked a year and a half ago if we wanted to enter into a partnership with the respected Robinsons Brewery to design and brew a real ale for ourselves and our fans, we leapt at the chance. What has been particularly encouraging, over and above the international sales success and even over the tremendous reaction from our fans, is how it has been so warmly welcomed by serious beer aficionados outside the Iron Maiden community. As a dedicated ale drinker myself, I was very aware of the many great beers available and the extremely high level of competition we faced.

“For Trooper to have grabbed people’s imagination and taste buds right from the very start has given us all a real sense of satisfaction.”

Further global expansion of the brand is planned with a Trooper Tracker app set for development to help fans to track down Trooper outlets, while the beer will be the “official ale” of the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth Park on 5 July where Iron Maiden are set to give a headline performance.

Oliver Robinson, Robinson’s joint managing director, said: “Establishing a new beer is a long and difficult process. It’s tough enough to launch a new beer in the UK, but to do so this successfully and to also take a beer global immediately is a different scenario altogether. Brewing over five million pints in a single year is not extraordinary in itself. However, brewing five million pints within the first year of launching a new ale brand is astonishing for a regional brewer like Robinsons.

“Also, 47% of the beer brewed is already being shipped to 40 countries – of which 15 markets are first timers for Robinsons – including 36 out of 50 US States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Brazil. This is quite simply the most successful new product we have ever launched into the export market in our 175 year history. Furthermore this success has, in turn, had a very positive impact on our own brands, such as Dizzy Blonde and Unicorn. Full credit goes to our export partners Sovereign Beverages for their total commitment and for working so diligently.”

“We have big plans for Trooper and are committed to ensuring its future as a premium British beer. To do this we need to ensure that we have the right people in place to make it happen and deliver our vision for this fantastic worldwide beer brand. Consequently, we’re delighted to announce an expansion of our workforce. The team responsible for developing Trooper, promoting it, and bringing it to market has more than doubled in the last six months. As part of this expansion, John Robinson will move from his role as brands manager responsible for 24 of Robinsons’ brands, to focus exclusively on Trooper.”

Taking its name from the Iron Maiden song inspired by Tennyson’s Charge of the Brigade, Trooper is made from a blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops and, according to its makers, is a “deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon.”