Avanti West Coast has partnered with a London brewery to serve an historic style craft brew on its trains for a limited time as part of a guest beer offering.
Small Beer, who are pioneers of mid-strength beer, have produced nearly 4,000 cans of Mexican Lager for the train operator.
Based in South Bermondsey, Small Beer are dedicated to crafting beers between 2 and 2.8% ABV. They are the first in London to have B Corp certification, a globally recognised mark for commitment to responsible business practices.
Mexican Lager is the latest addition to Avanti West Coast’s brewery showcase. This is an initiative that involves partnering with breweries within five miles of the West Coast route for a guest beer. Designed to spotlight small, regional producers, the guest beer changes every few weeks.
The brewery takes its name from the historic low-ABV’small beer’ consumed for hydration in medieval times — a brewing style they have revived.
“With our trains serving major towns and cities, North Wales, and Scotland, our brewery showcase provides a platform to spotlight small local businesses in places they might not usually reach,” said Rob Taylor, food and beverage development manager at Avanti West Coast.
“We admire this brewery’s distinctive craft as well its sustainability credentials, and this latest partnership supports our commitment to working with responsible businesses that enhance our customer experience.”
Small Beer was selected to feature as part of Avanti West Coast’s brewery showcase after the train operator discovered the business through an initiative called Pitch Social, which it delivered in partnership with procurement partner Foodbuy Group.
“Taking part in Pitch Social was a fantastic experience from start to finish,” said Celia Fraser, head of on-trade at Small Beer. “From submitting our initial proposal to presenting to a panel of five judges — with many more people watching — every stage gave us the opportunity to share our story, answer questions about our business, and showcase what we’re building…
“I couldn’t recommend the programme highly enough. Seeing our Mexican Lager now available on board is a genuine pinch-me moment, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved in making it happen.”
