Show Your Stripes with the University of Reading

 When the University of Reading invited us to support their “Show Your Stripes” campaign with a house lager for their venues, we jumped at the chance. “Show Your Stripes” pilsner is a crisp, refreshing 3.8% Gluten Free lager. There’s less than 10 miles between the brewery source and the bar, minimising the carbon footprint and making it super fresh every time you take a sip. This beer is exclusively on keg on the university bars and in cans exclusive to the Siren webshop, and comes with a striking message and design. 

The Stripes That Speak Volumes

"Show Your Stripes" isn’t just a name… it’s a call to action. The label features the iconic “Climate Stripes” graphic, created by Professor Ed Hawkins at the University of Reading. This powerful visualisation uses a series of coloured stripes to illustrate over a century of average global temperature data, from 1961 to 2010. Blue shades represent cooler years and red shades symbolise warmer years. The gradual shift from blue to red stripes shows the undeniable trend of global warming. It’s simple, striking, and eye-opening. 

If that band of dark red at the right hand side (which is where we are) doesn’t grab your attention, nothing will.

Click here for more info on the Show Your Stripes campaign

This simple yet unapologetic graphic has been around for a while, some of you may remember seeing it on the sleeves of the Reading FC shirt from the 22/23 season. Those local to Reading will also have seen it adorning the side of the electric buses. It has become an iconic part of the Reading zeitgeist and has received national press coverage.

Getting to use this as part of the branding for our University bars House Lager is really exciting for us.

Climate affects everything - even beer

As a brewery, we’re keenly aware of the impact climate change has on our planet, our ingredients, and the future of beer itself. Hops, barley, and water, essential to every pint, are all affected by changing weather patterns. Indeed, hop growers are already working on new species of hops that are more resilient to inconsistent seasonal weather changes and altering temperatures, following an awful year for hop growing - especially in Germany. 

There’s always a fine and often somewhat wobbly and incoherent line between “I’m supporting a cause” and “I’m part of the problem”. We all want to save the planet, but most of us still drive, fly internationally, the list goes on. The great thing about the Show Your Stripes campaign is it aims to show the international, macro situation and spark conversation about the systemic changes that might be possible.

As a small independent brewery we’re climate conscious in our decision making. One of our core values is ‘Lasting’ - the aim to create a sustainable business that can stand the test of time. But of course there are financial and technological limits. By supporting this campaign, we hope to support University of Reading in raising awareness among students and the wider community about the urgency of climate action, whilst also aligning with our own climate goals. 

A Beer With Purpose

At just 3.8%, "Show Your Stripes" is a perfect session lager. It’s light, approachable, and of course brewed with quality ingredients. We hope it’s a great bridge for connecting people to the world of craft beer. It's also Gluten Free, making it more accessible to as many people as possible.

We’re proud to work with the University of Reading on this meaningful project, aligning our values with the university’s commitment to sustainability and environmental education. By making "Show Your Stripes" available in their bars, we hope to spark conversations and inspire positive action. After all, if we can raise a glass while raising awareness, why wouldn’t we?

So next time you’re at a University of Reading bar, look for the stripes. Grab a pint of "Show Your Stripes" and join us in making a toast to a more sustainable future.

Let’s show our stripes together.