Beer Lovers around the UK and Europe have spent an estimated £5 million on home delivery through Beer is Here since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.
Beer is Here was created back in March by hop supplier Simply Hops, in a bid to connect consumers with local breweries who could suffer greatly or even potentially close due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The platform is supported by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), as well as Simpsons Malt, Muntons, Lallemand Yeast, Brewers Select, SSV, and Bottleshops.
All people have to do is simply enter their postcode to find out where they can easily get beer delivered to their homes.
So far, 1,410 breweries, bottle shops, and taprooms have signed up to Beer Is Here (70% in the UK) and around 76,000 people have used it to find and buy beer.
Simply Hops director, John Willetts, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support and love of independent craft beer that has been shown through this initiative, and hope that we have helped to bring many more beer friends to the community.
“There is still a long way to go for these businesses, with pubs and restaurants still not expected to open until July at the very earliest, so we will be encouraging that support to continue as much as we can.”
‘This website is a lifeline for our brewery. It’s vitally important to keep our heads above water’
He added: “Simply Hops and our other friends of craft beer just wanted to do what we could to help the fantastic independent brewers across the UK and Europe get through this tough time.
“We felt that helping them change the shape of their businesses, when the bulk sales of beer to pubs, restaurants and taprooms have suddenly stopped, was a small thing to do.
“We want people to be aware that there are a lot of ways to get great beer to your house and try lots of different beers, and support the large number of small business people that need it right now.
“This is a free of charge, not for profit service that allows all true lovers of great beer to find all the independent breweries, retailers, or taprooms that can deliver to their door, therefore supporting the small brewers and giving the consumers a real opportunity to connect with breweries they may never have even heard of before.”
Kier McAllister Wilde, owner of Wilde Child Brewing Co, in Leeds, said: ”This website is a lifeline for our brewery. It’s vitally important to keep our heads above water, but we really need a sustainable route to the local market to keep ticking over in these exceptional times.
“There will be major issues if the network of breweries and good beer goes away. Beer delivery drivers are just as important and essential as any other delivery drivers at this time.”
