On a gray London morning, a can of beer arrived on British store shelves—one that had traveled an improbable 2,500 miles from the Israeli-occupied West Bank. But this was no ordinary lager. It was Sun & Stone, the product of a remarkable partnership between a Palestinian microbrewery and a Scottish social enterprise, brewed and shipped against a backdrop of war, checkpoints, and adversity that would make most business owners throw in the towel.
The story begins in Taybeh, a small Christian village perched on the hills of the West Bank. Here, Taybeh Brewing Co. has been producing craft beer for 34 years, ever since its founders, Nadim and David Khoury, returned from the United States with a dream to brew quality beer in their homeland. According to the Associated Press, Taybeh claims the distinction of being the oldest microbrewery in the Middle East—a feat made all the more extraordinary by the obstacles it faces.
"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 daughter of one of the founders. "Because of these challenges and obstacles that we go through—it just makes you stronger." She’s not exaggerating. The brewery operates in a region where most of the population is Muslim and abstains from alcohol for religious reasons. On top of that, Taybeh has endured decades of regional conflict, chronic water shortages, and periodic incursions by Israeli settlers. The recent torching of a church in the village is just the latest in a long line of hardships.
But the troubles for Taybeh Brewing Co. didn’t stop at religious or cultural barriers. The outbreak of war in October 2023, after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took more than 250 hostages, sent shockwaves through the region. According to the Associated Press, the ensuing Israeli military response has resulted in over 64,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, with violence and military operations increasing across the West Bank. The economic fallout has been severe. Bars, restaurants, and hotels have shuttered. Festivals have been canceled. Unemployment has soared. For Taybeh, whose product is seen as a luxury, the local market has all but collapsed.
And then there’s the matter of getting the beer out. Taybeh exports to 17 countries, including the U.K., but every shipment must pass through Israeli-controlled crossings. Even before the war, the journey to the port took three days and involved a labyrinth of paperwork. Now, with heightened security, the process is even more grueling—multiple checkpoints, new layers of bureaucracy, and the ever-present risk of delays. If a scanning machine isn’t working, inspectors switch to manual checks, sometimes using dogs. As Khoury recounted to the Associated Press, "If the dog spends too long in a truck, it triggers suspicions and further delays. One day, a dog urinated on cases of beer. My driver would send me pictures and he’s, like, ‘Look what happened?’ I don’t know what to do. How am I making a high quality product and then by the time it reaches my customer in Jerusalem it smells like pee?"
Despite these challenges, Taybeh’s story caught the eye of James Hughes, co-founder of Brewgooder, a Scottish company with a mission to make beer and do good. Hughes read about Taybeh’s struggles and reached out with an idea: a collaboration that could bypass some of the logistical nightmares, boost Taybeh’s business, and raise money for charity. "I don’t think we’ve ever come across a brewery that has faced the hardship that Taybeh has," Hughes told the Associated Press. "Traditionally collaborations are a celebration of fun and the sort of different styles and quirks that exist within the brewing industry. This one is just a completely different narrative and situation altogether."
The result is Sun & Stone, a crisp, Mediterranean-style lager brewed in Glasgow with Bavarian hops and British malt, but inspired by the resilience and flavors of Taybeh. Together, they produced 180,000 cans—each about a pint (440 milliliters)—now available in 1,600 Co-op stores across the U.K. since Wednesday, September 10, 2025. What makes this project even more remarkable is that neither Brewgooder nor the Co-op will take a profit. All proceeds will go back to Taybeh, to be distributed among local charities and the Disasters Emergency Committee, which supports Gaza and other Middle Eastern communities affected by conflict.
For Taybeh’s founders, the collaboration is about more than just beer. Nadim Khoury has often joked that the barriers they clear are what make their beer special. "We have many problems in terms of culture, religion, occupation, siege, closures, the checkpoint, the port, the airport, electricity, shortage of water," he told the Associated Press. "You name it, you can make a book out of the problems and the obstacles that we have." But for Hughes and Brewgooder, the project is rooted in something deeper: "At the end of the day, we’ve just brewed a beer," Hughes said. "You know, this isn’t getting on a boat and going to Gaza or all these incredible other initiatives that many thousands of people globally are now doing."
Yet, the impact is tangible. By finding a new way to bring Taybeh’s beer to the world, the partnership offers a lifeline to a business battered by forces far beyond its control. It’s also a small but meaningful gesture of solidarity with a community under siege. The hope is that Sun & Stone will not only quench thirsts but also raise awareness and inspire others to offer help—whether through commerce, charity, or simply by sharing a story.
Of course, the journey isn’t over for Taybeh Brewing Co. The region’s political situation remains fraught, and exporting beer from the West Bank will likely remain a logistical headache for the foreseeable future. But for now, as British shoppers pick up a can of Sun & Stone, they’re holding a testament to perseverance, partnership, and the belief that even in the most challenging circumstances, something good—and maybe even delicious—can emerge.
Sometimes, a beer is more than just a drink. It’s a story, a bridge, and, against all odds, a reason to hope.
