Tap Social Movement's New Can Release
Tap Social have just released a new range of uber cool cans that prompted me to write about the amazing work that they do. I first came across them at The Social Brew Collective launch event back in December 2019. After chatting to a few members of the team I realised that I shared a few values in what seems to be a social injustice in the system. I had a close friend who had been sent down for a crime which could have been dealt with through community service. Despite already volunteering time to community projects and clearly creating a positive impact on the people around him, including myself, it wasn’t enough, not even an ex police officer's reference could save him. 
This in fact changed my perception on the way I saw the system, I feel that we are all brought up to believe that people who are sent to prison are ‘bad people’, they’re not someone who has made a mistake or chosen a wrong path. This is something that we all need to remember when individuals are released back into society.The Tap Social Movement was set up by Paul, Amy and Tess back in 2016. All had experience in positions across the criminal justice system. They witnessed first hand the problems that many talented people face while trying to turn their lives around after coming into contact with the law, especially when it comes to employability. All with a keen interest in craft beer and homebrewing, they realised that they had the opportunity to create something that would make a real change to other people's lives. After chatting to brewers and pitching the idea to prisons and getting a positive response they bought a 1000L brewery, along with a premises in Oxford. They were then joined by award-winning brewer Jason, and long-time friend Matt. 
Tap Social now has a fantastic range of brews along with an awesome community space. Having worked closely with several prisons they now hire people currently serving and recently released from prison sentences. This provides them with some much needed support, helping them to develop new skills, learn about setting up and running small businesses. It also gives them real work experience in an engaging and fast growing industry. One other great thing to mention about these guys is that they offer one-on-one support and a gateway to secure permanent employment. With the support of the Forward Enterprise Trust, Oxfordshire LEADER, The Blenheim Estate, Covington & Burling LLP, UnLtd and a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2017, they expanded their brewing capacity. This extended to a second site in Oxford, and in 2019, they further extended their capacity with several new tanks. Their Botley brewery became home to a new barrel-ageing programme, thanks to The Wild Beer Co.This year Tap Social launched their Brew School where they offer brewing courses/equipment hire for individuals and groups of any size to learn how to brew and take home their own beer!So to the beer, some fantastic colours but it’s what matters inside that counts, right? The cans also come with some interesting facts about the prison system too;
‘False Economy’ Lager - Slightly floral, with a biscuity aroma, followed by a crisp clean flavour and a cracking hoppy bitterness in the finish.Fact: Prisoners get £46 for the journey after prison, and for those without homes, often just a tent. Without the necessary support to rebuild, half of prison leavers reoffend within a year, costing the tax-payer a further £6bn annually. This is a FALSE ECONOMY.
‘Time Better Spent’ IPA - Tangerine hop-charged peach aroma, with a maltiness that is followed into the flavour and hit by a dry bitter finish.Fact: A third of prisoners spend at least 22 hours a day locked in their cells. Unsurprisingly, reoffending rates are high (50%) and employment rates are low (20%) after prison. Time in training and employment is TIME BETTER SPENT.
‘Cell Count’ American Pale Ale - Sweet butterscotch aroma followed through into the flavour and met with an earthy, bitter finish.Fact: At £42K/year, a prison place costs about ten times more than a community sentence of the same length, and comes with higher reoffending rates. Reducing the CELL COUNT, and making greater use of day release, would mean savings for the taxpayer and reduced crime rates.All three of these are pretty solid and are definitely worth a go, not to mention with a good cause in mind. I really can’t wait until the current pandemic dies down, I’ll be heading down to these guys for sure to say hello, meet these amazing brewers and have a great beer!
