Queen Elizabeth II has launched her own brand of beer, which is brewed with organic barley grown on the grounds of her beautiful royal estate at Sandringham, as reported by several local and international media. But where can one get his product, and is it available to everyone?
The product can be purchased at the souvenir store of her residence, the Buckingham Palace. This is now possible because the Palace has reopened its doors after several months without giving access to the public following the coronavirus pandemic.
According to The Times, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the 95-year-old queen dedicated herself to the elaboration of the alcoholic beverage. It was also reported that ‘Sandringham’ – the name of Queen Elizabeth II’s brand of beer – now has two types: the traditional English cold-filtered bitter; and the classic Golden IPA priced at $5.50 (4.50 euros) a 500 ml bottle.
Queen Elizabeth II chose Norfolk Barsham Brewery as her local distillery. This is where the beer is brewed. Queen Elizabeth II’s beer is available in two presentations: Best bitter with 4.5 % alcohol and the Golden IPA (India Pale Ale) style, slightly stronger, with 5 %. The image of a hare and a pheasant was used as the image for the presentation. In other words, they represented the wild animals that are common to see in the royal grounds of the country house.
In addition, on its label appears the legend of what it is made of: “organic spring barley of the Laureate variety harvested from the royal estate and crystal clear water extracted from a nearby well”.
In 2020, a gin made from ingredients found in the backyard of the Queen’s London home was also launched. In May of this year, the Palace released a new variety of gin distilled using the classic Buckingham Palace gin mixed with “hand-picked whole sloe berries,” according to a release from the Royal Collection Trust charity. The Trust organizes the opening of the main royal palaces and their accompanying stores to the public.
According to People magazine, the Trust will use the proceeds of the gin to help preserve the Queen’s extensive art collection. It also recommends that the royal tipple is served by pouring a measure of gin into a fluted glass, then topping it up with “champagne or sparkling wine and garnish with fresh berries or orange peel.”
| Credit: Royal Collection Trust
Priced at $41 a bottle, the addition of the hand-picked fruits — which grow on Blackthorn bushes in the U.K. — gives the gin a unique and intense fruit flavor. According to The Times, it is known that Queen Elizabeth II likes gin, although the creation of this beer is related to her husband, Prince Philip, who recently passed away. He was indeed a beer lover.
