A British Paralympic champion with just ten percent eyesight has channelled his home brewing passion into creating an inspirational new beer, designed to be a golden reward for anyone pursuing their goals.
From Allotment Hops to Paralympic Gold
Dan Pembroke MBE, a javelin champion and two-time Paralympic gold medallist, recently returned to Siren Craft Brew in Finchampstead for his second collaborative brew day. This visit followed his successful gold medal win at the World Championships in India.
Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at six years old, Dan's eyesight deteriorated as he grew up. Despite this, the three-time World Championship Gold Medallist cultivated a keen interest in home brewing, which began with growing hops on his allotment.
This hobby blossomed into a serious passion, leading to his first collaboration with Siren on a beer called Paris Gold. While that brew was designed to "manifest gold for himself," his latest creation focuses on the power of the team.
The Creation of Ice Gold
The new beer, named "Ice Gold," was selected through a competition on Dan's Instagram page. The winning name was suggested by Georgie from Teal House Designs, a former skeleton athlete who competed internationally from 2018 to 2022 and now coaches the British Army Skeleton Team.
Dan explained his vision during the brew day: "I wanted to use what I'd done in Paris in terms of that manifestation, and I want to give them a beer to manifest what they want to achieve at the end of the Winter games, and hold up that beer just as I did in Paris."
He developed the recipe through trial and error in his back garden. "I've done some brews that weren't great, some that were really great. I've been learning and using that process to manifest the best beer that we can come up with," Dan stated.
A Beer Forged with Champion Determination
Ice Gold is crafted as a West Coast Pilsner, a contemporary style that merges a traditional lager foundation with generous dry-hopping of aromatic American hops. The beer is described as suitably 'crisp', reminiscent of snow-covered peaks.
Its inspiration is twofold, drawing from the Italian Pilsner style—a nod to Italy, the host nation of the upcoming Winter Games—and influences from the USA, which will host the forthcoming Summer Games. The brew is intended to embody the same focus and determination that drives champion athletes.
Siren Craft Brew, where the collaboration took place, is currently ranked number four on TripAdvisor's list of Breweries in Berkshire, sitting amongst other notable local brewers like Windsor & Eton Brewery and Double-Barrelled Brewery & Tap Room.
