Drinkers for Ukraine

This March, Craft breweries, cider makers, wineries, and drinkers across the world came together for a series of events, to raise funds and show solidarity for their friends and peers in Ukraine. Led by Lana Svitankova, writer, translator, educator and Ukraine’s first ever certified Cicerone, the call for support has – at the time of writing – raised nearly €50,000 to support the International Red Cross humanitarian relief effort, thanks entirely to the generosity of the drinks industry and individual donors, just a few of whom are listed on the page opposite.

The first part of the project was an online auction, organised in just a few days, in which businesses and individuals dug into their cellars, bookshelves and garages, for special booze-related items to sell off. The response was phenomenal, and saw everything from white whale beers to works of art and beery experiences going under the hammer.

Next came an ambitious global collaboration brew: an ‘anti-imperial beetroot stout’ dubbed RESIST, developed by Ukrainian brewers. From a base recipe, brewers were invited to create and interpret freely, with a request that a portion of the proceeds go to the Red Cross fund. Astonishingly, almost 80 breweries took up the challenge, from Brazil, South Africa, Chile, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and across the breadth of Europe.

Finally, the month of activity reached its finale with a three-hour live-streamed telethon, hosted by Lana, Beer52’s Doug Garry and beer writer Eoghan Walsh. It included live music, debate, educational presentations and, of course, plenty of quality beery chat. 

“The degree of support we’ve received from our international friends has meant so much,” says Lana. “The goal of Drinkers for Ukraine was to channel this solidarity into real, practical help for the people dealing with the devastating consequences of this tragic and illegal war. It isn’t hyperbole to say this is a matter of life and death for millions of people, who still urgently need our help - in whatever way we can provide it.”

THANK YOU

• David Richards • 420 Brew Company • Ballykilcavan • Benelux Brasserie Artisanale • Brasserie Saint Nabor • Brewis Beer Co. • Brouwerij de Coureur • Brussels Beer Project • Canvas • Chelsea Tessier • COEDO • Community Brewing Ventures • CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery • Deep Creek • DOK • DTSJ Brewing • Eppelein & Friends Craft Bier-Manufaktur • Fallen Acorn • Farr Brew • Final Gravity Brewing Company • Granizo • Green Earth Brewing Company • Gyle Fifty-Nine • Hook Norton Brewery • Ill Street Brews • Insurrection AleWorks • iso_panimo • Jackknife Brewing • Keswick Brewing Co • Kings & Daughters • MAREK Cervejaria Artesanal • Menze Brewing Co. • Neon Raptor • Niagara College Teaching Brewery • Old Planters Brewing • Otterbank • Pretty Decent Beer Co • Ravinia Brewing Company • Rivington Brewing Co • Rockwell Brewery • Scandinavian Zombie Brewery • Schnitt Brewing Company • Spitting Feathers Brewery • Spy Brew • Stewart Brewing • Stripe Nine Brewing Co. • The Experimental Brewhouse • The First & Last Brewery • Northumberland • The Four Candles • The Ilkley Brewery • The Totnes Brewing Company • Tornio Brewery and Distillery • unicorn.brewing • Vector Brewing • Verzet • Westerham • Zebonkey • Postdoc Brewing • Eastern Market Brewing Co, Brauerei Kundmüller, Horny Toad Brewery • Jump Ship Brewing • Keswick Brewing Company • Bain Bridge Brewing • L’Opercule • Heroes and Villains, Bush Shack Brewery • Two Thumb Brewery & Beerhouse • Daoravida, Democracy Brewing • Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail (homebrew) • TennFold Brewing • Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant • Western Ridge Brewing Collective • Gotchers Brew • D R Rea • Oud Beersel • Matthew Kluis • Hope Brewery • Lambiek Fabriek • Station 1280 • Lana • Randy Mosher • Mark Dredge • Natalya Watson, Pomona Island • Neon Raptor • Tara Nurin • Dead Centre Brewery • Dead Centre Brewery • The White Hag • Trouble Brewing • Indie beer weekend • Gabe Cook • 3F • De Cam • Pints & Panels • Rascals • Good Beer Hunting • Peter Dekort • Kemker • Bottle Conditioned • Bokke • Eoghan Walsh • Steal This Beer • The Week in Rauchbier • Katie Mather, Lars Garshol • Gabe Cook • Bryan Roth • Christina Wade • Jeff Alworth • Leah Thomason Bromberg • Siren Craft Brewing • David Nisen • Cantillon • BXL beerfest • Stu Mostów • Antidoot • Shuyang • Hop Hideout • Brian Alberts • Orval pins, De Coureur • Lars Garshol • Simple Things Fermentation • Corto • Pete Brown • Stephen Beaumont • Wilderness • Jack Hinks • Joncan Kavlakoglu • Pavel Shepan • Robyn Gilmour