Champagne yeast beers launched into on-trade

Two new premium beers with a difference have been launched into the on-trade.

Kasteel Cru from Coors and Curious Brew from the English Wines Group (EWG) are both brewed using Champagne yeast.

Kasteel Cru is the result of a joint effort between Coors and Karlsbrau brewery from Alsace.

Dave Griffiths, innovations manager at Coors, said: "The brewers at Karlsbrau have been slaving away for the last 12 months trying to get the taste just right. They have been working with London bartenders and their consistent problem was that it was too sweet - we think this has now been rectified."

Inspirit Brands will distribute the beer in the first 12 months as Coors attempts to push the beer into the top-end London bar scene. Inspirit also has an option for another year but the aim is to filter the beer down into other pubs and bars as time goes on.

This is not the first time Coors Brewers has tried to break this market. About four years ago it launched a similar product called Cru, the difference being that it was solely brewed by Coors.

At the same time as Kasteel Cru launched, EWG, based in Tenterden, Kent, has released its own champagne yeast beer - Curious Brew.

The Publican exclusively revealed in May that EWG would be launching this beer and after testing the product in the on-trade, it is now available in a select number of bars in the London and South East.

The five per cent beer is brewed in Sussex using East Anglian malt and Cascade and Saaz hops. It is then re-fermented using "French Sparkling Wine" yeast.

EWG is maker of the Gold Medal Award winning Chapel Down Methode Champenoise sparkling wines.