Brewery ‘inundated with requests’ for vegan, gluten-free lager
Pubs on the Isle of Wight will stock the 4.6% ABV lager from Goddards Brewery, which is said to have a flavour profile between a Pilsner and a Vienna lager.
The lager is called Planet after planet barley, which is grown on the island and used in the many of the brewery’s products.
Goddards Brewery managing director Xavier Baker said the new product marked the brewery’s 26th year of operation and a diversification of its range.
Filling a gap
He added: “You may be wondering why gluten-free and why vegan-friendly? We have been inundated with requests to bring [customers] something that fits this criteria, and Planet lager has been the perfect way to do this and fill the gap that there has been within our range.”
“As much as our new lager is unique in our range, we still wanted to maintain a link to our island born and brewed status, hence the name Planet was born. Where possible we will use planet barley grown on the Isle of Wight.”
Brewer Josh Davies said a lengthy process of experimentation had gone into brewing the drink.
He said: “It was great to be let loose to spend the past seven months experimenting with this new rogue brew from Goddards. Trying new ingredients, brewing methods old and new, to create this refreshing flavoursome lager.”
Lifestyle choices
An estimated 1.3m Brits live gluten-free lifestyles, and drinks brands have been prompted to come out with inclusive variants of their products, including Stella Artois and San Miguel.
Vegan beers have also soared in popularity in recent years, with an estimated 540,000 vegans in Great Britain, according to 2016 research from the Vegan Society.
Many consumers are also opting for vegan choices as part of ‘flexitarian’ or health-conscious lifestyles.
Speaking at The Morning Advertiser’s MA500 conference, Pete Hughes, head brewer at Brewhouse & Kitchen explained the rationale behind the group’s choice to make all of its beer vegan.
He said: “We started experimenting with new finings and it just made sense to make all of the beers vegan. It’s about making everything available to everybody.”
