Grimsby brewery Docks Beers has launched a beer in aid of the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Helihopter being poured by LNAA crew at the Docks Beers taproom
The beer, a 3.4% ABV pale ale called Helihopter, has ben released in the Docks Beers taproom.
It will go on general release in 30 pubs and restaurants around Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and beyond from this week. Docks Beers will be making a donation to LNAA from every cask sold.
The LNAA is one of the UK’s leading Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) charities,
funded purely by donations. With rising costs, especially in the cost of fuel, the amount needed
to keep the life-saving charity operational for this year is now set to top £13 million.
The charity works 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It is vital to the community, with an average of four missions a day providing the most advanced pre-hospital care to patients.
“We were honoured to be chosen by LNAA to brew this beer,” said Kate Douglas, communications lead at Docks Beers. “Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance is essential to our community as they fly A&E care directly to patients and respond to the most serious of incidents across our region.
“We have team members and friends who have had direct experience of being treated by their crews, and I am pleased to say they are the Docks Beers chosen charity for 2024.
“In addition to donations from Helihopter, some of our team will be fundraising by completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on 23rd June, and the Grimsby 10k race. We are also organising a cycling ride out from Docks Beers on Sunday, 14th July. We will welcome the LNAA team to our live music festival, DocksFest, in July to collect donations and speak to members of the public.”
Kate added: “Some of our staff, including myself, have visited the LNAA Lincolnshire’s headquarters, and it was an honour to meet the crew and see their work in action. It’s great to know that the funds we give will contribute to the very much needed emergency work that they do.”
Mike Richards, head brewer at Docks Beers, said: “Helihopter is gold in colour and bursting with fruity hoppy aromas, with hints of lychee, pine, and orange. It’s eminently drinkable, with a subtle bitterness, medium body, and a sweetness from the slightly higher finishing gravity.
“A foundation of lager, wheat, Vienna, and caramalt in the grist, with Saaz, Hallertau Blanc, and Citra hops, creates a distinctly smooth, hoppy beer.”
