Help our rainforest by drinking beer (no, really)

What does beer have to do with Scotland’s rainforest? Jemma Getty from RSPB Scotland, tells us all.

A selection of beer from Beer52

If you say the word ‘rainforest’, most people will automatically think Amazon. If they ponder it for a little longer, they might picture ancient trees, sloths, parrots… but very few are likely to associate the word with Scotland.

That’s in spite of the fact that Scotland has some of the most important areas of rainforest, not only in the UK, but in Europe. Our temperate rainforests are incredibly biodiverse, and even rarer than their tropical counterparts. They might not be home to sloths, but they do support thousands of different species, including several that are found nowhere else on Earth.

They’re also under threat from invasive non-native species, over-grazing, climate change and pollution. But it’s so much harder to protect and restore a habitat that so few people even realise exists. That’s why raising the profile of Scotland’s rainforest is vitally important in the fight to help it survive.

And that’s where beer comes in.

Beer and rainforests might not seem a natural partnership, but it’s pretty much a given that there are more people in the UK who like the odd-pint than who know anything about the rainforest.    

Craft beer subscription service, Beer52, is working to change that. They’re offering a free case of beer (check out the T&Cs below) to subscribers at the link www.beer52.com/RSPB. All you pay is the postage. When you sign up, they’ll donate £7.50 towards the RSPB’s work to protect Scotland’s rainforest. So that’s (almost) free beer, donation for the rainforest, more awareness: everyone’s a winner.

RSPB Scotland’s Izzy Baker is a warden at Glenborrodale nature reserve. She said: “Support, such as this offer from Beer52, is vital in helping us to protect Scotland’s rainforest. Not only is the money extremely welcome, but it also helps to raise awareness of these rare and important sites.”

Beer52 is the UK’s largest craft beer discovery club. They send out a selection of craft beers to subscribers each month designed to fuel a passion for flavour, and spread the word about small breweries.

Each box of beer comes with a snack, as well as a copy of Ferment magazine.

Here are the terms and conditions: claim a free case of beer at www.beer52.com/rspb and pay just £5.95 postage and packaging. Redeeming the offer will automatically enrol the customer in the Beer52 subscription service. The subscription can be paused or cancelled at any time.