Brewmanity has been named the official beer partner of Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, with the brewery releasing an exclusive beer to celebrate the partnership.
Brewmanity’s co-Founders, David Neitz, Paul Hopgood, and John Ahern, are themselves former Melbourne Football Club players, and have maintained a connection to the club over the years.
“Being a past player of the club, I have had a long association with them, so when there was a gap in their beer sponsorship space, they gave me a call. It wasn’t something we were actively seeking, and we obviously don’t have the budget of the big boys, but we were able to come to an agreement that could fit within our means,” Neitz said.
Founded with the intention to do good deeds as well as brew good beer, Brewmanity has also been involved with FightMND, a charity founded by former Melbourne Football Club coach Neale Daniher to fund research into motor neurone disease.
“We had our most recent fundraiser for FightMND on 31 May, where we raised over $130,000, and this year we joined with Coles Liquor in a campaign to raise vital funds and awareness for the cause. In total we are proud to say that our fundraising efforts have generated over $1 million in donations since we launched in 2015.
“We’re super proud of those efforts, and while there have been significant advancements in the lab, there is still a long way to go to beat this beast of a disease. We’ll continue that fight one beer at a time,” Neitz said.
Chris Kearon, Melbourne Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, said that Brewmanity’s connection to the club and charitable efforts were key reasons behind the partnership.
“David Neitz, Paul Hopgood and John Ahern are favourite sons of the club, and we are proud to partner with an organisation that strongly supports causes close to our heart. Brewmanity and Melbourne have a mutual desire for excellence, and a commitment to making Demons fans feel proud to belong. We thank Neitz, Paul, John, and the rest of the Brewmanity team for their support both now and into the future,” he said.
Neitz explained that the partnership will continue to grow Brewmanity’s presence in Melbourne.
“We see the partnership as us broadening our horizons from being south of Melbourne, towards embracing being a beer company that captures Melbourne more broadly. It also comes off the back of opening Melbourne’s first rooftop brewery earlier this year, which has sprawling views across Melbourne’s city skyline and gives our customers a unique Melbourne experience,” he said.
Brewmanity is set to release the Mouth of Melbourne in early July to celebrate the Melbourne Football Club partnership. The lager’s packaging design pays homage to the club and reflects Brewmanity’s new rooftop home in South Melbourne.
“Melbourne has been a high performing team and in contention for the premiership over the past few years, so we wanted to create a premier crafted lager that the members could enjoy. We’ve incorporated the red and blue colours of the club in the packaging, and also incorporated the city views you get from our rooftop when you visit the brewery,” Neitz said.
Mouth of Melbourne will be exclusively available at Melbourne Football Club functions or for purchase through the Brewmanity website.