Portobello Brewery raises funds for Stonewall Housing, the charity that provides housing support, advice and advocacy to the LGBTQ+ community. The brewery donates 10p from every sale of their PoLAri Pale Ale and Rainbow Pilsner. They’ve been doing that since 2021 and raised £20,000 in the first year. Portobello Brewery recently ramped up their commitment by launching their #40Kfor40 campaign at John the Unicorn in Peckham.
The brewery began fundraising for Stonewall Housing with the launch of PoLAri Pale Ale and have recently launched their Rainbow Pilsner. QX touched base with the team behind the initiative at Portobello to find out more about the brewery and what motivated them to help make a difference by supporting Stonewall. We spoke with their FD, Darren, and Brand Ambassador, Jamie.
What is the history of Portobello Brewery?
Jamie Portobello Brewery started in 2012 with a mission to become the leading independent Brewery in London. Now in our 11th year, the Brewery continues to be fiercely independent and thrives on having the personal touch. We know the people we work with and deliver great beers across London and the UK. There was always a desire from the company team to do more and keep Pubs thriving.
How did Portobello Brewery come by the idea of supporting an LGBT+ charity?
Darren. As a gay man who grew up in a small town in Swansea, I experienced my fair share of homophobia. In those days, I never thought I could ‘come out’ and be my true self. This manifested in my relationship with my parents being strained, and I was kicked out on a few occasions. I can recall a time when I was studying for my BTEC National Diploma, and as part of that, we were tasked with a Small Business Enterprise project. I can remember being presented with a cheque for £5 from the Lord Mayor of Swansea for coming in third place, but I spent that night sleeping in a car by the local estuary.
“I also experienced the difficulties of trying to get benefits with no fixed abode.” – Darren
Luckily though, I was able to stay with friends before eventually returning home to my parents and then starting on the property ladder for myself, but it made me appreciate how hard it must be for those who become homeless, or face abuse, and through no fault of their own.
Fast forward to several years later, and happily out of the closet, I told my colleagues that I wanted to do something with the wider LGBTQ+ community and to give something back. I wanted to help those who might be going through what my experiences probably just touched upon. Supporting a charity seemed to be the best way of doing just that, and my colleagues were very open to the concept.
Why did you pick Stonewall Housing?
Darren Stonewall Housing seemed to be the perfect fit. They’re the leading charity, but what was important to me is that it’s run by real people who care. It seemed to be a good match that us (as a brewery), and they were based and operating in London, although I’m very glad that they are now supporting our communities nationally and, therefore, can support fellow Welsh LGBTQ+ people too.
The work that they do is amazing and just so important. And they were fully receptive to the idea!
Why did you brew a Pale Ale first when most of us queers drink Pilsner?
Jamie – We wanted to stand out, and stand out we did! Our Pale Ale is an excellent bridge between a lager and an IPA, and that has helped drive the popularity of the brand. People are definitely willing to try new things since the pandemic. It was the perfect way to start.
How receptive have the bars and clubs been to stocking the Polari Pale Ale?
Jamie – the audience we have for POLARI goes across both LGBTQI and ‘Straight’ venues. There have been so many occasions in the past when a company had made a ‘Gay’ brand, and it has flopped in bars. We wanted to make something that was a quality product with a purpose, and that has been well received. The number of bars that stock it changes weekly, but it is in as many straight bars as queer venues!
Now you’ve launched a Rainbow Pilsner. How is that going?
Jamie – Rainbow is a real success story and one we are all proud of. We developed it for Pride as the LGBTQI+ Bars with Stonegate wanted to have a Pilsner/Lager on for London Pride as well as the Pale Ale – which made perfect sense. We launched across the Stonegate family of Pubs in late December, and the rollout went really well. We have some beautiful standalone fonts in the venues (pop to the Kings Arms or Village to see them in action!). We think this will only continue to grow and, importantly, is an excellent opportunity for more bars to raise money for Stonewall Housing during Pride month, which is our busiest time of the year!
Do you have any other products in the pipeline?
Jamie – We are always thinking ahead. We would love to do a Cider using Polari words and an alcohol-free Polari too. This is what makes this work so rewarding. We respond to demand, and the demand for drinks that support a charity so closely has never been higher.
Does your local stock Polari Pale Ale and Rainbow Pilsner?
You can order Rainbow Pilsner and PoLAri at numerous bars across London, in LGBTQI+ venues and those of our gorgeous allies: The Two Brewers, Kings Arms, Rupert Street, Bar Soho, Village Soho, Admiral Duncan, Halfway To Heaven, Duke Of Wellington, Rupert Street, Retro Bar, Rosemary Branch, The King & Co, The George & Dragon, Farr’s Dalston, John The Unicorn, Knowles of Norwood, Sylvan Post, Effra Social, Prince of Wales, Eltham GPO, Forest Tavern, Pratts and Payne, The Eight Bells, Tap @ The Shed, The Pelican, The Herschel Arms, Big Chill Brick Lane, Cock & Bottle.
To find a Polari Beer and Rainbow Pilsner stockist near you see our map:
