Iron Maiden have announced their latest boozy collaboration with Robinsons Brewery. The heavy metal icons-turned-beer brewing whizz-kids have again teamed up with the brewery responsible for the Trooper range of drinks with the launch of Sun And Steel, the sixth beer in the Trooper range.
Taking its name from the Piece Of Mind song of the same name, the new lager is a 4.8% ABV pilsner-style, double fermented hybrid lager made with both lager and saké yeasts. The brewery have claimed Sun And Steel as one of the most complex beers it has made in its history. It also marks the first lager to be introduced to the Trooper range.
The idea for the beer came from Bruce Dickinson, with help from Robinsons’ Head Brewer Martyn Weeks, and is said to have been inspired by a meeting between Dickinson and long-time Iron Maiden fan George Yusa – owner of the 300 year old Okunomatsu Saké Brewery in Fukushima. Following a few rounds of experimentation – and with permission from the Japanese government – Sun And Steel was born.
"This has been such an exciting project," says Dickinson of the beer. "I had a crazy idea to try and make a sake infused lager, and over two-and-a-half years later, here we are!
"I know Martyn and the team at Robinsons have had to become mad scientists to make this work but the end result is a really unique hybrid beer that tastes fantastic. Trooper fans have been asking for a lager, and here it is. I bet you would never have guessed we would do it like this though!"
Sun And Steel will be available in the UK from May 6, with worldwide availability coming later in 2019. Pre-order is available by signing up to the Robinsons mailing list.
