I don’t know about you, but I’m a Royal Family nerd. I stayed home from high school to watch the live-stream of William and Kate’s wedding, and I’ve obsessed over all three of their babies via the Kensington Palace Instagram. So, I’ve been fangirling over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding and got even more excited when I learned that a brewery in the UK launched a commemorative beer in their honor.
The Winsdor and Eton Brewery released “Harry & Meghan’s Windsor Knot,” a pale ale that reportedly combines American west coast hops (a reflection of Meghan Markle’s origins) with barley grown at Windsor’s royal farm, representing Harry.
“It gives a nice story about Harry and Meghan’s backgrounds,” Willie Calvert, co-owner of the brewery, told People. “We’re using some nice, fruity hops from Yamika in Washington State, and some English hops, which are more subtly flavored.”
This special blend of British hops is called Invicta, a nod to Harry’s creation of the Invictus games and the spot where he and Meghan first went public with their relationship. To finish it off, the brewery has added a splash of Champagne yeast, perfect for the grand celebration.
The town of Windsor has had royal ties for nearly a thousand years since it’s home to the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. And since the couple is set to tie the knot on May 19 at the Queen’s Windsor Castle home, this brew is extra fitting for the occasion. The bottle design itself is also symbolic. The label combines the British Union Jack with American stars and stripes.
“When Harry and Meghan tie the knot it will be very much a modern marriage of equals as well as a celebration of their British and American nationalities. We chose the interlocking symbols to reflect the strength and support they give each other,” the brewery said.
This isn’t the first time the brewery has made a beer fit for a royal couple. The original “Windsor Knot” brew was released in 2011 to honor William and Kate. It was supposed to be a limited-release beer, but it became so popular that it’s still available today. Windsor Knot is made with two hops, Sovereign and Nelson Sauvin, which have an intense and tropical fruit aroma with notes of mango, lychee, and passion fruit. Windsor and Eton also debuted beers in honor of Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
If you’re traveling to the UK for the royal wedding, you can try the pale ale for yourself at the Royal Farm Shop in Windsor, or at pubs throughout London and Windsor. Either way, this is just more proof that beer brings people together.
