UK brewery Northern Monk launches high altitude beer costing £1,000

Leeds-based Northern Monk brewery has launched the UK’s most expensive bottle of beer, brewed at the country’s highest peak.

(Photo: https://www.instagram.com/tomjoyphoto)

Named after the summit of the UK’s highest peak where it was made, Northern Monk believes its new beer, Ben Nevis, is the highest altitude brew in British history.

The 11% ABV Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is made from ingredients foraged from the mountain itself by four of the brewery’s staff, including blaeberries (also known as bilberries) and ‘Dew of Ben Nevis’ water, used in the production of Ben Nevis whisky. the brew spent 2 months ageing in a whisky barrel donated by the Ben Nevis Whisky Distillery in Fort William.

There are just 50 bottles available, priced at £1,000 per 330ml.

All proceeds taken from the sale of the Ben Nevis beer will be donated to the For the North Foundation, a grant scheme created by Northern Monk back in September which dedicates all funding to projects that are ‘designed to benefit the North, its people and its communities’.

The first bottles of beer were auctioned off at an event at the Northern Monk Refectory in Manchester on Thursday 7 November, during a screening of a short documentary of the climb.

More than £7000 was raised on the night to fund the first project. Founder Russell Bisset said the first grant recipient will be announced at the end of the month.

Russell Bisset, Northern Monk’s founder, said the project was launched to “create pieces of high-impact activity that will raise awareness and encourage donations. Brewing the UK’s highest altitude beer at the summit of Ben Nevis seemed like a pretty good place to start!

“Since we launched the Foundation mid-September, we’ve received grant applications from so many thoroughly deserving causes, and we’d like to thank everybody that’s donated funds so far for their generosity and support.”