Jump Ship Brewing, run by Sonja Mitchell, launched the first edition of its Shore Leave beer in mid-2022. The second version in the Shore Leave series, a sour beer, fermented with berries, was released in May 2023. 

In July 2023, Mitchell discovered that Brewdog had shared an image of a soon to launch Shore Leave beer with the proposed tagline, ‘It’s time to jump ship’.

The beer has not been withdrawn by Brewdog. 

Mitchell said: “I am disappointed that despite contacting Brewdog directly, I have been forced down the legal route to defend all that I and my team have built. We have put considerable investment into the development of our Shore Leave series of beers, from the creation of the beer itself to the branding, packaging and distribution.

“We cannot afford to lose that. Jump Ship has developed a steadfast reputation for great tasting beers with ethics at our heart and this is what we’re seeking to protect,” Mitchell added.

“At the point where Brewdog launched its beer, Jump Ship was the only brewer in the UK market with a beer called Shore Leave in production. The basis of our claim is that Brewdog’s actions cause a risk of confusion amongst our stockists and drinkers and this causes financial harm to our brand,” continued Mitchell. 

Jump Ship first began production in December 2019 and has created a range of six non-alcoholic beer and lagers, all with nautical names including Shore Leave.

In 2022, Mitchell launched an equity-based crowdfunding campaign that attracted investment of £366,000, exceeding its target of £280,000 in just two days. The funding is supporting the build of a new brewery at Rosemains Steadings near Pathhead, Midlothian, Scotland.