There's a couple of ways you can approach this collab by close brewing buddies Akasha and Reckless. On one level, it's an easy-going XPA that sits neatly in the middle of the range of XPAs released by Aussie brewers: delicate tropical aromas and the lightest of grain sweetness; good body for a beer of its size, with a rising citrus character on the palate. In short, well put together and sessionable.
Rather louder than the liquid itself is the message – tied to the #breakthebias theme of International Women's Day 2022 – that the beer brings with it. Designed in collaboration with ABC disability affairs reports Nas Campanella, they've followed the latest guidance in design accessibility to create a beer they hope as many people as possible are able to experience – from the liquid to the can art to the story behind the beer.
The team aimed to make the labels "like a work of modernist art" with dots spelling out the name of the beer derived from Braille, plus raised Braille elements on the can for maximum legibility. Nas also recorded the alt text accessed via a QR code on the labels, allowing the beer to be completely accessible to the vision impaired. What's more, all profits from the sale of the beer will go to support Akasha, Reckless and Campanella’s elected charity partner, the Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre – a non-government, not-for-profit clinic delivering low-cost and affordable medical, allied and complementary health care and education to improve women’s health.
Now if that's not worth raising an XPA to, we're not sure what is.
Published March 8, 2022 2022-03-08 00:00:00
