IPA for India brewers fundraise for India Covid help

Libby Elswood Sam from Goffs Brewery pouring in beer ingredientsLibby Elswood
All breweries used the same ingredients for the beer which each can add their original touch too.

Craft brewers are producing new beers to raise money to help tackle the Covid-19 crisis in India.

IPA for India was the idea of Libby Elswood, owner of Goffs Brewery in Gloucestershire.

Fifteen breweries from across the UK will brew their own versions of a classic India Pale Ale recipe.

All of the profits raised will be donated to the Sewa UK charity to fund PPE, temporary hospitals and support for rural areas in India.

SEWA UK is coordinating a UK response on-the-ground in India, providing medical supplies and community aid kits to those in the hardest hit rural areas.

Ms Elwood said she was moved to help after watching distressing scenes from India on TV.

"I felt that as a beer community we must be able to do something so posted on social media and here we are, brewing the beer."

India continues to be overwhelmed by Covid-19 with hospitals and health centres unable to cope with the scale of the crisis.

Libby Elswood Bunny Hop Brewery team, Libby & Sam from Goffs Brewery and Right Fresh Standard Brewery teamLibby Elswood
Fifteen breweries across the country signed up to help raise money for India

Breweries and suppliers who wanted to help quickly signed up to the idea.

The breweries include Bang the Elephant, Black Storm Brewery, Blackjack Brewing Co, Bliss Brew Co, Brass Castle Brewery, Bunnyhop Brewing, Errant Brewery, Fresh Standard Brewery Co, Goffs Brewery, Grafham Brewing Co, Hollow Stone Brewing Co, Little Mesters Brewing, Navigation Brewery, Ride Brewing Co, Yorkshire Heart Brewery.

"Getting all of the malt, all of the hops, all of the yeast to 15 breweries round the UK has been a logistical challenge and has been a little bit like herding cats at times, but we are there, we are ready".

The ingredients were sent out to the breweries by Ms Elswood so the beers would all have the same base recipe.

Two of the breweries, Fresh Standard in Stroud and Bunnyhop in Bristol joined Goffs Brewery in Winchcombe for the brewing day.

"The brewing process takes about a week so deliveries will be going out shortly," said Ms Elswood.

Local pubs have already signed up to sell the beers including The Turks Head in Gloucester and The Dog House in Coleford.