Kelp is not only healthy, sustainable and nutritious, but it’s the special ingredient in the latest release from Sussex-based Bedlam Brewery.
The Bedlam team have a keen interest in the environment, the South Coast and marine life. Rob Shepherd, MD, has been fascinated by all things seaweed-related since early 2021 and Sally O’Connor, Communications Manager, is a year-round cold water and Channel Swimmer.
A day of excellent talks and presentations at the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project’s first ever Kelp Summit in November 2021 included a film preview of ‘The Man Who Loves Kelp’ by Big Wave Productions (hopefully to be shown on BBC or channel Four). The footage included emotional documentary evidence from Eric Smith, underwater diver, about the dramatic loss of the once abundant kelp over time due to the devastating storms of 1987 followed by bottom-towed trawling gears leaving just a few small patches along the Sussex coast.
Following a successful campaign that was supported by many local residents as well as Sir David Attenborough, the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw was enacted in March 2021 banning bottom-towed trawling gears from the nearshore seabed off the Sussex coast.
The hope now is that the regeneration over time of Sussex’s remarkable kelp forest will provide a home for hundreds of species just off the coastline, creating a vast habitat and marine ecosystem and furthermore help to sequester carbon in our fight against climate change. This was huge encouragement for the team at Bedlam Brewery to want to help bring kelp back!
Bedlam Brewery were thrilled when the attendees at the talks enjoyed a pilot brew of Kelp! #HelpOurKelp Porter so much so that they decided to release the beer in can and keg in support of this campaign.
A 5% porter brewed using organic, sustainably sourced Cornish kelp, which produces flavours of liquorice, salt and umami, alongside cacao nibs for a dark chocolate bitterness and fig which gives a round sweetness. A mix of 5 malts bring a smooth toffee and biscuit flavour base to this complex, dark and deliciously flavoursome beer.
Henri Brocklebank, Director of Conservation Sussex Wildlife Trust and Chair of Sussex Kelp Restoration Project said “At the end of a day of passionate and emotional presentations, a glass of Bedlam Brewery’s Kelp beer created a memorable finale for the day. It was really popular with attendees and we are delighted that Bedlam are continuing with this brew and donating 5% of the proceeds towards The Sussex Kelp Restoration Project.”
Orders
Available to order in 30 litre kegs via email orders@bedlambrewery.com and 440ml cans via their website www.bedlambrewery.co.uk
Tel: 01273 978015
Find out more about how Bedlam Brewery is working with the Sussex Wildlife Trust to save the Sussex Kelp forests and join the community at the heart of this ambitious ecosystem restoration project by following
https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/helpourkelp
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About Bedlam Brewery
Bedlam is an award-winning socially responsible brewery based on a farm at the foot of the South Downs National Park, Sussex. They feel passionately about the environment, their community and embrace their beautiful, rural location which inspires the beer they create and love to share.
Big Wave Productions
https://www.bigwavetv.com/productions/the-sussex-kelp-restoration-project/
Press release from Bedlam Brewery
Contact:
Sally O’Connor, Communications Manager
sally@bedlambrewery.co.uk