Brewing something bold together: Tap Social x NewGround Coffee team up

What happens when a social enterprise brewery and a B Corp coffee roastery combine forces? A punchy, cherry sour ale infused with coffee – and packed with purpose.

Coffee, beer and a shared mission

Oxford-based Tap Social Movement and NewGround Coffee have long admired each other’s work. Both drinks brands are built on a powerful mission: to create life-changing job opportunities for people with convictions.

The spark for a collaboration came via Social Supermarket, after we saw the potential for a truly meaningful partnership and suggested the two brands band together. With aligned impact models and shared communities, it was a natural fit – and the idea for a co-created beer quickly started brewing.

“We’ve talked about working together for years,” says Joel, of NewGround Coffee. “When Will [Rooney] came on board at Tap, we all felt the timing was finally right.”

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” adds Will, Operations Manager at Tap Social Movement. “But we knew it had to be more than just a beer. We wanted to tell a shared story.”

 

Meet Blender Head: a limited edition sour ale with coffee and cherries

The result of these purpose-led brands collaborating is Blender Head — a 4.1% sour ale brewed with handpicked cherries and a custom NewGround roast. It’s bright, juicy and refreshingly tart, with a subtle coffee finish that rounds things out.

“It’s unlike anything we’ve made before,” says Will. “Sour ales are already a bit unconventional, but adding coffee took things in a totally new direction.”

The beer is available in 440ml cans and 30L kegs.

“We’re both fascinated by each other’s processes,” says Will. “This was about bringing our teams together – visiting each other’s sites, sharing our stories and creating something reflects both sides.”

A collaboration powered by second chances

What makes this partnership truly special is the impact behind the product. Both Tap Social Movement and NewGround are social enterprises working to reduce reoffending by providing meaningful employment and training to people with convictions.

From day one, both teams agreed this beer would shine a light on that mission. People on day release from prison were involved in the brewing process — and the story behind the beer is front and centre in its packaging and promotion.

“This isn’t just a great beer. It’s a platform to share the importance of second chances,” says Joel.

And the impact won’t stop at the taproom door. Blender Head will be stocked at venues across the country, and also available to buy online — both on Tap Social Movement’s webshop and via Social Supermarket.

Behind Tap Social Movement

Tap Social Movement crafts criminally good beer with a mission at its heart: breaking the cycle of reoffending by training and employing people with convictions.

With a national reoffending rate in the UK at nearly 50%, their model stands out. Tap Social Movement’s rate is just 6%, thanks to real on‑the‑job training, skills development, mentoring and wrap‑around support that helps people secure long-term employment. Every time you choose one of their bold lagers, IPAs, stouts or sour beers — all named with cheeky nods to the brand’s mission and paired with prison-artist artwork — you’re supporting a social enterprise that turns beer into second chances.

All about NewGround Coffee

B Corp NewGround Coffee serves up exceptional speciality brews with real social impact: ethically sourced, expertly roasted coffees that fund meaningful training and employment for people with convictions. With reoffending rates high across the UK, their model stands apart – just like Tap Social’s – by combining quality with purpose.

NewGround sources beans from small-scale farmers, paying up to four times above Fairtrade standards, to support communities from crop to cup. Meanwhile in the UK, the NewGround Foundation trains prisoners and links them with job opportunities on release, while the NewGround business trains and employs people with lived experience of the criminal justice system.

A shared future of impact

This collaboration marks the start of a deeper partnership between Tap Social Movement and NewGround. “We’ve had so much fun working on this together,” says Joel. “And the potential for future collabs is huge – whether it’s more drinks, events or storytelling projects.”

And while this is their first joint product, it likely won’t be the last.

For Tap Social Movement, collaborations like this are about more than just reaching new audiences. They’re a way to show that social enterprises don’t have to compete for attention — they can team up, get creative and make a bigger impact together.

“It’s not about beer vs coffee,” says Will. “It’s about purpose-driven brands helping each other grow — and showing what’s possible when you build with community in mind.”

Help reduce reoffending with a limited edition beer

Pick up cans and bundles via our marketplace and Tap Social Movement – or find it in person at The Tap Room, 27 Curtis Industrial Estate, Oxford, OX2 0LX.