Older people, and those living with dementia in and around Bristol, are celebrating the launch of their debut beer. They hope sales will let others join them in benefiting from gardening, brewing, and social connections.
Sylvia and Val enjoy some Hundred Not Out. Photograph: Camilla Adams
More than 150 residents of St Monica Trust’s retirement villages and care homes have taken part in planting, nurturing, and harvesting the hops used to make the best bitter now being marketed as Hundred Not Out, in honour of the trust’s centenary.
The new brew results from sessions run by Hoppiness Brews, a Bristol-based community interest company which is pioneering ways to enrich the lives of elders and people with dementia by encouraging creativity, outdoor activity, and healthy ageing.
“Thanks to support from Alive Activities, the St Monica Trust, and Wiper and True, we’ve been able to involve local care home and retirement village residents, their families, and care teams in the full brewing journey, from nurturing hops in gardens to deciding on the name of the finished beer,” said Hoppiness Brews co-founder, Guy Manchester.
“Along the way, we’ve delivered therapeutic multi-sensory activity sessions for residents with a diagnosis of dementia which, as well as fostering socialisation and a sense of identity, have also triggered happy memories of earlier get-togethers, including in a place most of us visit at some time in our lives — the pub.”
Drinkers are being offered the chance to sample Hundred Not Out today (6th November, from 4-7pm, at the Old Market taproom of Wiper and True, the Bristol-based brewery used for the brew.
Wiper and True founder, Michael Wiper, said: “Brewing Hundred Not Out together has been a real celebration of community and creativity. It’s an absolute privilege to see how beer can bring people together across generations and make such a positive impact.”
The taproom will be serving the brew at the launch, on draught as well as in 440ml cans, and will be selling the cans via its online shop.
Other outlets are also being sought, with any profits from sales being reinvested by Hoppiness Brews into expanding its work with care homes, hop gardens, and brewing partnerships in and around Bristol and across the South West.
Among the places involved with the project are St Monica Trust care and retirement sites in Keynsham, Westbury-on-Trym, Sandford, and Bedminster, with extra hops coming from care homes in Filton, Redland, and Soundwell, and from Alive Activities’ dementia-friendly allotments.
Project participant Caroline Drewell said: “For me, it was the joy of seeing residents from our villages and care homes busily picking hops together. It didn’t matter how many you picked or how fast, everyone was contributing and helping each other, with plenty of laughter and chatting.”
