Galway Hooker Brewery

Our work is to establish and conserve permanent native woodland in Ireland, encouraging land regeneration and biodiversity. What inspired you to work with Hometree?
At Galway Hooker, we are defined by the sea in so many ways. Our name is based on the traditional fishing and cargo boats that were historically used to navigate the challenging West of Ireland waters – and this nature-inspired identity is a major reason that we are so tied to the idea of making smarter environmental decisions. We’re defined by nature and by those who, once upon a time, were able to be at one with the sea thanks to handcrafted boats. Plus, we believe that it’s important for us all to take steps to not only reduce our impact on the environment, but give back as much as we can in positive ways. When we first heard about Hometree’s mission, we were immediately invested in the whole ethos, and it was a no-brainer decision to team up with the great team behind the charity. We’re delighted to have been able to contribute to adding more trees to the Irish landscape. We’ve partnered with Hometree so that we can help make a real difference, and we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership in the years ahead.

You will not see some of the trees you are planting reach maturity, what has inspired such a long term vision?
Here at Galway Hooker we believe it’s actually a very beautiful thing that we won’t see some of the trees that are being planted reach maturity. As Connacht’s oldest-existing brewery, we’re passionate about crafting beers, but more importantly we’re dedicated to creating a legacy that lasts for a very long time. Our commitment to long-term goals aligns with Hometree’s desire to create lasting change – and that was one of the obvious main draws when we first teamed up together. In generations to come, the trees that we’ve helped plant with Hometree will be standing several metres tall, and even though we might not be around to see them doesn’t take away from the feeling we know they’ll bring others – and the positive impact they’ll have on the environment, too.

What is inspiring you to work with the regeneration process like Hometree?
We’ve all heard the statistics that underline how wooded and full of forests Ireland – once upon a time – was. In its prime, the country had around 80 percent forest cover, but now has around only 11 percent. Times change and places develop, but at the same time it’s important to consider how part of Ireland’s heritage trees are and have been through history – and what can be done to preserve that identity. Compounding this are the numbers around carbon emissions and environmental breakdown that we all read about every day, so much so that it’s easy to see how much of a strain we’re all having on the environment; it’s a reminder of how we can be doing more. Hometree combines the mission of introducing more trees to the landscape with helping to combat the Co2 impact on the environment. After all, Hometree have already planted some 150,000 trees since they were established, and every tree can help draw down some 4.4kg of Co2 per year. The impact is measurable, and the mission is noble. It’s amazing to be part of it – how could we not get behind it?

Other than Hometree can you celebrate other ways you or your organisation supports a healthier environment?
We’re always thinking new ways that we can support a healthier environment. Much of what we do is driven by our internal team – but also by our customers. We are excited about trying to produce beers that are environmentally friendly but also made using high-quality organic ingredients. In this spirit, we introduced an Organic Pilsner that is brought to life using organic produce. An alternative brew, it is made using our core values – introducing something fresh and new to the market, while proving that sustainably made and organic beers don’t compromise on quality and do taste amazing. Plus, in our brews across the board we like to use local, natural ingredients, which means we steer clear of the negative environmental impact that importing brings with it – for example, our Black Tide porter is made using fresh and flavourful blackcurrants grown and harvested in county Wexford.

Have there been any key moments you can share about how you or your organisation decided to support a more abundant and healthier world?
Our partnership with Hometree was a real milestone moment in the Galway Hooker journey. In 2023, we announced that our unique Organic Pilsner beer would be key in contributing something to the Hometree success story. We were excited to share the news in February of 2023 that for every beer of Organic Pilsner that was sold, we would be making a donation to the Irish tree-planting charity. Plus, for every keg that was sold at industry level, a donation would also be made to Hometree. It’s exciting to think what sort of positive impact this will have, and we’re looking forward to sharing how many trees the initiative has helped grow.

Would you like to share any key lessons life has taught you?
We can all learn from the past, but it’s important to use the future as a north star towards a better world. Galway Hooker is a brewery steeped in traditions, and our past is very important to us and who we are – but we recognise that what’s more important is thinking to the future and having new traditions that can be enjoyed for years to come… Because after all, it’s never too late to make a change – and it’s always worthwhile contributing to a great cause like Hometree.