Partnering with Netherlands-based Uiltje Brewing Company, the collaboration will see the Dutch beer Bird of Prey recreated as a seasonal cask ale
Bird of Prey is a 5.2% ABV fruity, hoppy IPA, said to be “full of citrus and tropical flavours”.
The project began in 2024 when the two brewers discussed how they could adapt the beer as a cask edition.
Greene King said its goal was to continue to innovate in the cask category while also offering support for a foreign brewer to launch its name into UK pubs.
Following Greene King’s visit to Haarlem and the Uiltje Brewery, the recipe for Bird of Prey was crafted in Bury St Edmunds and the beer was recreated as a cask ale.
International collaboration
The collaboration saw the breweries work together to match the balance of hop aromas and flavours of Bird of Prey in the Netherlands.
The original Bird of Prey beer continues to be produced by Uiltje Brewing Company as a keg product and at 5.8%.
However, Greene King said the cask edition available in the UK is at 5.2% ABV to meet consumer preferences, which is for a slightly lower ABV in golden ales.
Greene King technical brewer Alan Fulcher said the company had conducted consumer research on the new beer, and feedback had been “really positive.”
He added: “Bird of Prey is our first-ever international collaboration, and it’s been a fantastic opportunity to work with the brilliant brewers at Uiltje.
“It has been a great challenge to craft a beer that was not originally brewed as a cask ale, and this really showcases the flexibility of cask and the variety it can offer drinkers.”
Working with legends
Uiltje Brewing Company master brewer Aditya Parupudi said: “We are excited to make our first cask debut with Greene King and we can’t wait for guests to try the beer in pubs.”
He added: “Working with the brewers at Greene King, who are legends, has been a great experience and it’s been so interesting to take one of our favourite products and give it a British cask finish for people to enjoy on the bar this summer across the UK. It really is going to blow people’s socks off.”
Uiltje Brewing Company is based in Haarlem, Netherlands, and was founded in 2012 as a contract brewery before transitioning into its own brewing in 2016. They are known in the Netherlands for their experimental beers.
