e Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire has announced a new partnership with English rugby legend, Phil Vickery MBE to create a traditionally brewed beer to take the name of his rugby nickname, Raging Bull. Phil Vickery, the 2011 celebrity Masterchef winner, lives with his family in Gloucestershire and is now well-known for championing the local producer.As a fan of traditional real ale, with experience of home brewing, Phil is currently working with the Bespoke Brewing Co. to develop his own beer and is closely involved with developing the taste profile, ABV and recipe which is set to be launched and distributed nationally towards the end of May.
The brewery itself is steeped in brewing history, based on the site of the old Wintles Brewery in the Forest of Dean, formerly a large independent Victorian brewery. Closed down in the early 1900′s, the site was resurrected as a brewery by local businessman, Mike Bayliss (pictured left), to bring back hand crafted ale to the area. Since its launch, Mike has produced CAMRA and SIBA award winning ales, a bespoke label design service and an on site real ale pub, The Brewery Tap.
Mike Bayliss, founder of the Bespoke Brewing Co, says: “It’s great to be working with Phil particularly as he has such an in-depth knowledge of the traditional brewing process. It’s a very exciting time for us to be taking his beer recipe to market and we’re confident beer and rugby fans nationwide will approve. This has always been about launching a quality pint – a beer with longevity. We definitely share a passion for quality beer as well as rugby!”
Phil Vickery MBE comments: “I’m very proud to be bringing Raging Bull Beer to market, it’s a quality pint and it gives me the opportunity to champion an industry and an area of the country close to my heart. As a home brewer, I’ve built up lots of knowledge over the years and working with Bespoke Brewery is proving a great experience, giving me the opportunity to learn from the experts.”
