Wales rugby star Alun-Wyn Jones has been immortalised in his homeland with his very own ale from Brains.
‘Ale Wyn’ is a special collaboration between the newly-appointed Wales captain and the country’s biggest brewer and hospitality company, SA Brain and Co Ltd.
Alun-Wyn Jones, an official Brains ambassador, recently visited the Cardiff Brewery in the heart of the Welsh capital to select the blend of malts and hops for his own ale.
The deep-red IPA he’s created will be behind the bar of Brains pubs for the duration of the RBS 6 Nations and early demand for the collaboration brew has been high.
Alun-Wyn Jones said, “There’s always been the link between playing sport and having a couple of drinks afterwards. Brains has a pretty iconic stance in Wales, just like the Welsh Rugby Union, so the two go hand-in-hand
“I met with Bill Dobson the head brewer and it was interesting to see the process that goes into making Brains beer.
“When you start to taste the different malts you get a better understanding of where the flavour comes from.
“We finished in the laboratory with the microbiologists and the chemists and it’s incredible to see the level of detail that goes into every stage.”
With an ABV of 5%, Ale Wyn is a blend of Carared and Rye Crystal malts, with hints of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Waimea and Amarillo hops bring bold citrus and pine flavours for a balanced and satisfying bitterness.
Brains head brewer Bill Dobson said, “It was a pleasure to have Alun-Wyn Jones visit the Cardiff Brewery, he got stuck in with the rest of the production team and he took a keen interest in every aspect of the brewing process.
“A legendary player deserves an ale to match and the deep-red IPA he’s created is a real winner, just like the man himself.
“It’s been one of our most hotly-anticipated collaborations from the Brains Craft Brewery, with pubs across Wales keen to get it behind the bar in time for the 6 Nations. We’re already planning extra brews to keep up with the demand.”