A Palestinian beer from the West Bank reached British store shelves this week after a Scottish brewer helped produce and distribute the cans, a rare export success for a microbrewery operating amid conflict, stringent checkpoints and logistical barriers.
Taybeh Brewing Co., founded 34 years ago in the majority-Christian village of Taybeh, worked with Glasgow-based Brewgooder to create Sun & Stone, a Mediterranean-style lager that went on sale in 1,600 Co-op stores across the United Kingdom. The two breweries produced about 180,000 cans of the 440-milliliter beer, and neither the Glasgow brewery nor the Co-op will take profit; proceeds will go to Taybeh and to charities including the Disasters Emergency Committee.
The partnership was framed as an effort to help Taybeh avoid repeated border checks and delays that have complicated exports from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where all goods leaving the territory must pass through Israeli crossings. Taybeh, which says it is the oldest microbrewery in the Middle East, had previously exported to 17 countries but has faced escalating challenges since a deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel and the subsequent war. That conflict has killed more than 64,000 people in the Gaza Strip, officials and aid groups say, and prompted intensified Israeli security measures across the West Bank.
"My grandfather used to say, if you can make it succeed and happen in Palestine, you can succeed anywhere else in the world," said Madees Khoury, Taybeh's brewmaster and the daughter and niece of the company's founders. She described a long list of obstacles — from cultural and religious restrictions to occupation-related closures, water shortages, electricity problems and extra security checks — that have made exporting beer both costly and unpredictable.
Taybeh's co-founder, Nadim Khoury, said the brewery has endured cultural resistance to alcohol in a predominantly Muslim region, as well as frequent disruptions from conflict and settler violence. Business dropped sharply after the Oct. 7 attack, he said, with bars, restaurants and hotels in the West Bank closing and unemployment rising. There have also been violent incidents in Taybeh, including the recent torching of a church, according to residents and local reports.
Brewgooder co-founder James Hughes said he read about Taybeh's difficulties and offered to help develop a beer and route that would avoid some of the logistical pitfalls. "I don’t think we’ve ever come across a brewery that has faced the hardship that Taybeh has," Hughes said. He said the collaboration is rooted in humanitarian concern and the hope that raising funds and awareness will benefit people in the region.
Exporting goods from the West Bank has long been complicated by Israeli-imposed controls. Even before the current war, Taybeh faced delays that could stretch shipments to port over three days. Since the war began, the Israeli military has increased security and added a new layer of checks, company managers said. Inspections sometimes require manual searches, use of sniffer dogs and extensive paperwork; failures or delays of scanning machines can trigger further scrutiny and hold-ups.
Madees Khoury recounted numerous frustrations with the process, including a day when a sniffer dog spent time among cartons of beer and urinated on cases, leading to further complications in distribution. She described long waits, nervous drivers and the strain of attempting to deliver a high-quality product through unpredictable conditions.
The Sun & Stone lager was developed using Bavarian hops and British malt and is intended to evoke a crisp, Mediterranean profile. By producing the beer in Scotland and partnering with a national retailer, the breweries aimed to keep the product moving without being subject to the same West Bank exit checks. The Co-op and Brewgooder said proceeds from sales will be distributed by Taybeh to local charities and to the Disasters Emergency Committee for relief efforts in Gaza and other Middle Eastern communities affected by the conflict.
Taybeh's history underscores the unusual nature of a microbrewery prospering in the West Bank. Founded by Nadim and his brother David, the brewery has repeatedly navigated social, economic and security challenges to remain in operation for more than three decades. Before the latest surge in violence, Taybeh had built a modest international presence; the recent collaboration is part of an effort to stabilize revenue streams and maintain visibility in foreign markets.
The move also highlights the broader effects of the Israel-Hamas war on West Bank commerce. Increased military operations and restrictions have forced many hospitality businesses to curtail operations, and some festivals and public events have been canceled. Rights groups and Palestinian officials have criticized Israeli tactics in the West Bank as heavy-handed; Israeli authorities say their measures are necessary to blunt a rising militant threat.
Hughes emphasized that the breweries' work is a small contribution amid larger humanitarian and political efforts. "At the end of the day, we’ve just brewed a beer," he said, noting the many other initiatives by individuals and organizations to assist people affected by the conflict.
Taybeh and Brewgooder said the release in the U.K. is intended not only to raise funds but to spotlight the commercial and human difficulties facing businesses in the occupied West Bank. The collaboration may also serve as a model for other partnerships aimed at bypassing logistical hurdles and generating revenue for local communities affected by conflict.
Associated Press journalist Imad Isseid contributed reporting from Taybeh, West Bank.