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Comedian Ed Gamble launches charity beer
British comedian Ed Gamble has teamed up with Edinburgh brewery Vault City on a new beer, which lists laughter as one of the key ingredients.
Canned Laughter, Vault City’s latest collaboration, is made with flavours of apple and guava. The brewer also claims that laughter had a big part to play in the brewing process.
Comic-turned-brewer Ed Gamble was tasked with laughing into the tanks during the brewing process, in the hopes of bringing joy to anyone who drinks the new beer.
Vault City co-founder Steven Smith-Hay came up with the idea to incorporate laughter into a beer after exhibiting at the Oslo Craft Beer Festival, where he learnt about the ancient Nordic tradition of “yeast screaming” used to enhance the strength and flavour of a brew.
Smith-Hay explained: “We’re always researching ways to make our beer taste as good as possible, and we never want to be outdone. I thought we’d try laughter instead as we try to keep screaming to a minimum in the brewery.”
Gamble described Vault City as “one of his favourite breweries” on the Off Menu Podcast which he hosts with fellow stand up James Acaster, leading the Edinburgh brewer to get in touch with him.
“We sent him beers, then invited him into the brewery,” Smith-Hay said. “One thing led to another and we decided to brew a beer together. We discussed his favourite flavours and beers in great detail before settling on the recipe.”
He added: “By that point, Ed was all-in and was delighted to laugh into the beer. And I’m glad he was up for it because it tastes amazing.”
The Mock The Week star was proud of his “slightly unconventional” contribution to the brewing process.
“Vault City is one of my favourite breweries – their creativity knows no bounds and this beer might be their most imaginative yet,” he said.
Gamble’s chosen charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), will receive 20% of the sales from Canned Laughter. The beer goes on sale today.
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