London
Island Records Beer
London
Island is one of the most recognisable and best-loved brands in music, having discovered, developed and supported artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Nick Drake, Amy Winehouse, PJ Harvey and U2. However, it is probably fair to say the label is less well known for its craft brewing pedigree. With the launch of two critically acclaimed beers – a session IPA and a porter – that could all be about to change.
This seemingly improbable story begins back in July 2014, when Glenn Cooper of Island Records invited some friends round to celebrate his birthday, including home craft brewer Robin Pearson, who brought some of his latest creations, including a (then) relatively new style adopted from the US: the session IPA. Beers were drunk, chat was had and then much to Robin’s surprise, Glenn got in touch a few days later and asked if he would be interested in developing a bespoke brew for Island Records for a 500 bottle trial batch.