Apparently this is the world’s first ‘transgender’ beer
A company has created what it claims is the world’s first “transgender” beer – using hops that have changed sex from male to female.
Scottish brewing company Brewdog launched the new product, No Label – which it claims “captures the spirit of Soho itself”.
Brewdog explained: “No Label is the world’s first ‘non-binary, transgender beer’ designed to reflect the diversity of the area and champion inclusivity.
“This 4.6% ABV Kölsch has been brewed with hops that have changed sex from female to male flowers prior to harvest.
“We have used these to emphasise that, just like humans, beer can be whatever the hell it wants to be, and proud of it.”
The company added: “We have brewed No Label with ale yeast and then cold-conditioned to give characteristics of a lager – a beer that blurs boundaries between the binary worlds of lager and ale.
“The beer draws parallels with individuals who identify themselves in a similar ‘non-binary’ way, as neither exclusively male nor female – a community of people that is still largely under-acknowledged by society.
“We have also looked at the traditions of brewing – where female hop plants are used and male hop bines discarded (as the flowers don’t grow into full cones).
“For No Label, we have sourced Jester hops – a varietal naturally prone to altering sex whilst growing – and brewed No Label with 20kg that have undergone this change and grown male flowers; to add diversity, rather than restrict it.”
Profits from the beer will be donated to queer event collective Queerest of the Queer, in turn to support trans communities.
Dr J of Queerest of the Queer said: “We see a huge number of parallels between BrewDog and Queerest of the Queer – we’re cut from the same cloth and believe in much the same things.
“Inclusivity is a huge deal for us, and is at the heart of everything we do.
“When we met the BrewDog team recently, we discussed what it means to live beyond the L and G in LGBTQI+, and delved deeper into the areas where labels don’t really translate anymore.
“BrewDog was super responsive and respectful and we could see their approach to diversity and inclusivity in brewing is pretty close to what it means to Queerest of the Queer.”
