In New Zealand, men kill themselves at more than twice the rate of women.

It’s also a sad fact that most men receive their first flowers at their own funeral. And in a country where New Zealand blokes are expected to be stoic, and struggle to talk about their mental health, we’re having too many funerals.

Giving flowers to each other isn’t something many New Zealand men do, but an ingrained social behaviour is that blokes do chat over a beer.

So brewers Yeastie Boys, who partner with leading men's mental health charity I Am Hope, wanted to see what they could do to help break the ice and encourage healthy discussions about mental health between mates.

In New Zealand, men kill themselves at more than twice the rate of women.

It’s also a sad fact that most men receive their first flowers at their own funeral. And in a country where New Zealand blokes are expected to be stoic, and struggle to talk about their mental health, we’re having too many funerals.

Yeastie Boys is an independent brewer, who are known for crafting 'delectably irreverent beers'.

They are a also proud supporter of I Am Hope, New Zealand's leading charity for men's mental health, founded by well-known mental health advocate Mike King.

In New Zealand, November is 'Movember' - a month dedicated to men's health.

Together with brewers Yeastie Boys, and New Zealand’s leading mental health charity, I Am Hope, we created the first ever beer brewed from a bunch of flowers – the Blokequet.

It means blokes don't need to wait to receive their first flowers at their own funeral - but can give them to one another, opening up meaningful chats about how they're really getting on.

Designed to break the ice on crucial conversations about men's mental health, and encourage blokes to catch up for a chat about how they’re really getting on, the Blokequet, a low alcohol, 2.5% hazy pale ale, is brewed from earl grey blue flowers.

Sold nationwide in major liquor retailers, bars, restaurants and online, every can encourages meaningful conversations, links to mental health resources and is a donation to I Am Hope.

Yeastie Boys audience is craft beer drinkers, but in creating Blokequet, the brew masters crafted a hazy pale gold ale from earl grey blue flowers so that it would be low-alcohol and with distinct floral notes, but still deliciously mid-strength to appeal to the widest possible audience of beer-drinking men around New Zealand.

The design and concept of Blokequet was aimed to provoke meaningful conversations in familiar social situations, and encourage men to check in with their mates over a beer to see how they are really getting on. It would also help highlight and extend Yeastie Boys partnership and support of mental health charity I Am Hope.

Launching in late October, ahead of men’s mental health awareness month, the drinkable bunch of flowers would be sold on tap, in bars and restaurants, and in cans at leading liquor retailers nationwide - and promoted via an integrated campaign.

Blokequet launched in late October ahead of men’s mental health month, at an event at a popular central Auckland bar, attended by high profile mental health advocates like Mike King from I am Hope, as well as social media influencers and beer critics.

The 2.5% Blokequet was then sold on tap and in cans in bars, restaurants, and major liquor stores nationwide, with each can sold a donation to I Am Hope. Each can was a conversation starter with links to important mental health resources - and bars serving the Blokequet on tap received coasters that carried the same message.

At the same time, an integrated campaign was launched via DM packs to key influencers, a film which aired on TV and social, OOH at key sites across Auckland central, radio and point of sale nationwide.

Conceived for men’s mental health month, the Blokequet has now gained nationwide distribution, and sells in bars, restaurants and major liquor retailers across New Zealand.

Receiving accolades from beer critics and mainstream beer drinkers alike, it received overwhelmingly positive social media comments, typified by: ‘Love beer and love men discussing their mental health, win-win. Good on you, Yeastie Boys and I Am Hope’.

Most importantly, the Blokequet has promoted crucial conversations about mental health between New Zealand men. Bringing us a step closer to making sure no New Zealand male has to wait for his funeral to receive his first flowers.

Having a beer with your mates is an ingrained social behaviour amongst New Zealand men. Giving a mate flowers is not - and it’s a sad fact that most men receive their first flowers at their own funeral. And with New Zealand men committing suicide at more than twice the rate of women, we were having too many funerals.

Creating Blokequet, the low alcohol hazy pale ale that was also a drinkable bunch of flowers, was a way to normalise checking in on a mate with flowers, and starting important conversations that could ultimately save lives.