Charity ale honours cancer-hit brewing boss
By: JimOldfield
February 1st, 2012
A special beer brewed in honour of a pioneering brewery boss with cancer, has raised over £6,000 for charity.
Cornwall’s Sharp’s Brewery honoured Sheffield’s Kelham Island Brewery founder Dave Wickett with a 9.5 per cent bottled beer called DW – and gave the proceeds of the sell-out brew to Cornish Hospice Care.
Sharp’s head brewer Stuart Howe made the gesture after learning of the 64-year-old Sheffield brewer’s illness, and invited him to nominate a charity of his choice to benefit from the sales.
The pair worked on the recipe together and produced a strong golden ale, described as “barley wine type”, as a 1,000 “champagne bottle” limited run.
The story behind its DW name was printed on the £10 ale’s labels.
Dave has family connections in Cornwall and his son Ed also temporarily worked at Sharp’s.
Former economics lecturer Dave opened the Kelham Island Brewery in 1990 – the city’s first new brewery in the 20th Century.
Last year he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group.
