Bristol care home residents launch their own beer... and it's called Hundred Not Out

Over 150 residents at St Monica Trust's retirement villages and care homes in Bristol have planted, nurtured and harvested hops used to make their debut drink. The new brew results from sessions run by Hoppiness Brew - a Bristol-based CIC which is pioneering ways of encouraging the lives of elders and people with dementia.

Pictures show the care home residents gardening, watering the planted hops and enjoying the beer. They hope that beer sales will let others join them in gaining the benefits of gardening, brewing and social connections.

Hoppiness Brews co-founder, Guy Manchester said: “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.

"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.”

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.

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.

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”.

Over 18s are being offered the chance to sample Hundred Not Out on Thursday between 4pm and 7pm at the Old Market taproom of Wiper and True, the Bristol-based brewery used to convert the hops into beer. The taproom will be serving the brew on tap at the launch as well as in 440ml cans.

St Monica Trust chief executive David Williams added: "It has been a real pleasure watching both the hops and our residents of all abilities, flourishing through their involvement with Hoppiness Brews.

“Hundred Not Out embodies the spirit of connection, contribution and choice that underpins everything we do and it is the perfect brew with which to toast our 100 years of caring."