Liverpool brewery teams up with Ukrainian breweries to produce unique Eurovision beers

Video report by Zoë Muldoon

As Liverpool prepares for Eurovision, a brewery in Bootle is helping to give it an extra special Ukrainian swing.

Working with local Ukrainian refugee Andriy Zhbadynskyy, who has a brew pub and restaurant back home in Ukraine, Neptune Brewery is one of eight local brewers which have collaborated with Ukrainian breweries to create unique beers for Eurovision.

The aim is to celebrate the best of local brewing both here and in Ukraine.

Neptune Brewery was paired up with Beermaster Brewery in Kyiv, to work together on a brew for a unique Ukrainian Golden Ale.

Co-founder and head brewer Les O'Grady said there were emails back and forth with Viktor, Les' equivalent at Beermaster, to make sure the recipe for the ale was just right.

Les said: "We've been learning along the way how they would make it in Ukraine, and tried to replicate it in the best we could."

The founder of the 'Beer Together' project Sarah Hyde said she wanted to make sure the thousands of visitors to Liverpool for Eurovision could try Ukrainian beers, as well as local craft beers.

The packaging on the Ukrainian Golden Ale has been designed to reflect a perfect blend of the two cities, Kyiv and Liverpool.

Neptune Brewery's Sales and Beer Experience Manager Chess Slattery said: "We feel really united as the city of Liverpool, with the city of Kyiv.

"We threw in some rainbows, hearts and musical notes on the packaging, because after all, this is all inspired by the joy that is Eurovision."

In the run-up to the grand final on 13 May, a series of 'Beer Together' celebratory activities are taking place and 20p on all cans and £10 from each cask and keg will go to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

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