Beer named after head brewer's new son

l Will and Mel Freeland with baby Sam

March 27, 2006: When little Sam Freeland entered the world, his dad knew a thing or two about “wetting the baby’s head”.

Will, of Perranporth, Cornwall, has been head brewer at Truro-based Skinner's Brewery for the past seven years and, with the full blessing of boss Steve Skinner, set about brewing his very own one-off beer in honour of Sam - named Sam’s Ale - to toast the first child for Will and wife Mel.

The couple have also bought a bib for him bearing the words “mine’s a pint”, although Will confirms: “Not a drop of beer will pass his lips for a good few years yet!”

Will actually had double cause for celebration, with Skinners having just completed their 2,000th brew since their launch in Truro in 1997. At around 7,000 pints a brew and ten brews a week, that’s a total of some 32 million pints of beer over the last nine years.

Some of that beer has also been used to celebrate another birth in the Skinner's fold. Brewery assistant Dale Read and partner Carla Penrose welcomed new arrival Amelia - who was also the first grandchild for Terry Wilson, Skinner's technical services manager.

A third Skinners little one is due in August, with Niki Buller, from the accounts department, and husband Paul expecting their first baby.

As Steve Skinner put it: “It’s obvious - must be something in the beer!”