Brewgooder and Brooklyn Brewery Session IPA Collab Taps West African 'Super Grain' Fonio

Fonio is a grain cultivated in West Africa for the most part. The crop grows quickly in dry climates and doesn't require irrigation, making it a hardy alternative in nations like Guinea, one of the principal producers of the small grain mullet.

This “super-grain” is mainly consumed in Africa, but a new beer produced by Brewgooder and Brooklyn Brewery is using fonio as the basis for a session IPA.

In addition to providing economic opportunities to West African fonio farmers, the use of the drought-resistant, hardy grain also lowers the environmental footprint of the beer.

Brewgooder and Brooklyn Brewery’s Fonio IPA’s label design is reminiscent of West African art with a vibrant mix of colors, different patterns, and thick brush strokes. The cans are co-branded with Brewgooder’s wordmark along the top, and Brooklyn Brewery gets represented in the center. The design also marks a departure from Brewgooder’s more serene branding of white cans with soft, colorful layered waves.

“When we first started brewing, I'm not sure I would have believed it if someone said we would one day collaborate with Brooklyn Brewery,” said Alan Mahon, co-founder of Brewgooder, in a blog post. “To work with Brooklyn Brewery on a collaboration that is not only the UK's first ever 'at scale' fonio grain beer but also a product that empowers communities and gathers learnings for more sustainable brewing is something very special to the entire Brewgooder team.”

Brewgooder and Brooklyn Brewery’s Fonio Session IPA is now available at Co-Op UK stores.