Beer professionals from across the South of England came together to brew a special beer to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Hampshire brewery Vibrant Forest.
The collaborators gather in the New Forest
The special edition brew, called Many Trees One Forest, was created at an event which saw 80 industry people join the Vibrant Forest team at their taproom on the edge of the New Forest.
Attendees included breweries, such as Elusive Brewing, cider-makers, including Purbeck Cider Company, pubs, among them The Barking Cat Alehouse, and suppliers, such as Yakima Chief Hops.
Vibrant Forest is known locally for its standout taproom events for the local community, but this was its first industry event that it has held. The event featured a walk in the forest, followed by a lunch, and a rare opportunity for people in the beer community to spend time together to talk beer.
Many Trees One Forest is a 6% ABV IPA, made with hops from New Zealand. It can be purchased from Vibrant Forest’s online shop, as well in bars and pubs including The Bookshop Alehouse (Southampton), Butcher’s Hook (Southampton), and The Escapist (Chichester).
The unique packaging for the beer, and commemorative poster, was designed by Parr Studios as part of a long-standing design partnership with the brewery. It includes the names of everyone who attended the event and who brewed the beer.
“In the beer industry, you don’t always get a chance to spend time with people face to face, so we’ve wanted to host an event that brought everyone together for a long time,” said Ryan Dack, general manager of Vibrant Forest.
“Our 15th birthday felt like the perfect reason to bring people together and say thank you for all the support they’ve given us through the years.”
Vibrant Forest was founded in 2011 in Kevin Robinson’s garage. Over the years, it has grown into a thriving craft beer brand with a taproom beloved by the local community. Its beers are stocked in pubs, restaurants, and shops across the UK and Europe, as well as Vibrant Forest’s own horsebox bar, which will be popping up at festivals and sporting events throughout the summer.
Throughout its anniversary year, Vibrant Forest is launching four special editions beers, including Many Trees One Forest. The anniversary beers also include First Settlement, a nod to a local iron age fort, as well as the return of Vibrant Forest’s first beer, Mooncross, named after Kevin’s garage.
