Leading craft brewer Meantime Brewing Company has challenged pioneering Manchester furniture designer, Liam Hopkins of Lazerian, to create something unique in six weeks.
Liam has taken inspiration from Meantime and their brewing craft, choosing to create a one-of-a-kind bar stool from recycled brewing waste. Liam will design and create this unique piece of furniture in six weeks – the same time it will take Meantime to brew a beer for him.
Meantime recently launched ‘Make Time For It’, a campaign celebrating the care and attention afforded to every keg and bottle of Meantime beer, showcasing the master craftsmanship of their brewers. Meantime mature its beers for up to six weeks, allowing the beer to mature and mellow for greater flavour.
Liam’s creation is the first of six collaborations across six key cities for the ‘Make Time For It’ campaign. The campaign will showcase the abundance of craftsmanship and innovation throughout the UK. Each handpicked craftsman has been challenged to create a bespoke product which will form part of a pop-up ‘Make Time For It’ bar which will be unveiled in London at the end of the campaign.
With just six weeks to design and build his creation, Liam is pushing his skills and expertise to the limit as he sets about constructing an ambitious two-seater bar-stool made of brewer’s waste – a pulp laminate made from left-over brewing ingredients. The beautifully crafted bespoke design takes inspiration from Meantime, their brewery and beers. The inventive use of key brewing ingredients elevates a seemingly humble bar stool into a true work of art.
Meantime are hard at work brewing a bespoke beer inspired by Liam’s personality, craft and Mancunian roots. The beer will be launched at Cane and Grain in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter at the start of June with a full tasting session with Meantime’s brewing team and the reveal of the finished bar stool. The beer will also be available to purchase on Meantime’s online store.
Rich Myers, Marketing Director of Meantime Brewing Company, says:
“Our roots are in Greenwich, the universal home of time, and aside to being the fifth ingredient in our beer, time is also in our name. ‘Make Time For It’ is about celebrating the time and passion we put into each one of our beers, as well as the leading craftsmen around the UK who share our values.
“We were really keen to partner with Liam as he places significant value on the time and passion it takes to produce something truly special using his own innovative techniques, much the same as our brewers. Liam is working around the clock on his creation and we can’t wait to see the finished piece.”
Liam Hopkins, Designer and founder at Lazerian, says:
“We’re always trying to push the boundaries of our craft using modern technology, which is in line with Meantime’s approach to brewing traditional beer styles with a modern twist. There’s a lovely synergy between both of our very different crafts and I’m enjoying the six week challenge to produce a unique piece inspired by Meantime, their values and beers. We’re excited to see what Meantime are brewing, and can’t wait to try the beer when we launch both products in Manchester in a few weeks’ time.”
‘Make Time For It’ launches in the first city, Manchester, then heads to Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, and Brighton, before returning to London, Meantime’s home turf. The specially designed pieces from each of the six craftsmen will be featured in Meantime’s ‘Make Time For It’ Pop Up Bar at the end of the campaign in October. The bar will be open to the public at the London Bridge City Summer Festival, ‘London Riviera’ exhibiting the best of British craft and will be the perfect drinking environment in which to take time over a beer.
