BrewDog launches second collaboration with Candy Kittens
BrewDog Distilling Co. has launched a new flavoured vodka, Raspberry & Guava (40% ABV), in partnership with gourmet sweet brand Candy Kittens.
Using a grain to glass approach, the Raspberry & Guava vodka is triple bubble distilled for four days before the clear spirit vapour climbs a purification column so high, BrewDog distillery had to rebuild their roof around it.
The liquid is then infused with ripe, jammy British raspberries and tropical guava, offering top notes of strawberry and pear.
This is the second collaboration between the two brands, following the launch of the Candy Kittens and BrewDog beer.
BrewDog and Candy Kitten’s latest variant is available now in 700m bottles from BrewDog’s webshop and Sainsburys at RRP £20.
Camden Brewery celebrates Lionesses' Euro win
In celebration of the Lionesses’ win against Germany in the Women’s Euro finals last week and in honour of Golden Boot winner, Beth Mead, Camden Town Brewery has announced a new ale, Goalden Mead Honey Wheat Ale (5.2% ABV).
Camden’s take on an old school mead, the brewery has added honey to an American Wheat Ale to create the new serve.
The Camden team stated it had always been passionate about women’s football, from working with the Camden Town FC squad in 2019 to creating an all-female football table in 2020 and being the official beer partner for Arsenal FC.
Furthermore, the brewery has pledged to donate and match 100% of beer sales to Cancer UK, a charity of Mead’s choosing.
The 1,000-count limited-edition brew can be purchased, while stocks last, from the Camden webshop in 4x330ml cans.
Silent pool launches limited-edition whiskey
Premier gin producer, Silent Pool, has entered the whiskey category with the release of its limited-edition Woodcutter’s Daughter Whiskey (46% ABV).
A blended mix of American Rye from New York and Surrey Rye whiskey, Woodcutter’s daughter, blended and bottled in Surrey, offers floral top notes combined with rich undertones of vanilla.
The transatlantic serve, of which there are just 1,500 bottles available, was inspired by, and pays tribute to, the courageousness of a medieval maiden, the woodcutter’s daughter.
Found bathing in a pool in the Surrey hills and suddenly startled by a young prince, who went on to become King John, on horseback, she refused his advances, moving away into deeper waters of the pool and tragically drowned.
Silent Pool Woodcutter’s Daughter whiskey is available now in 70cl bottles direct form the distillers webshop at RRP £65 while stocks last.
Curious Brewery now available at Loungers sites
Curious Brewery IPA is now stocked in 330ml bottles across 164 venues operated by award-winning Loungers group.
A traditional Pilsner-style lager brewed with a trio of hop varieties grown locally to the Curious Brewery in Ashford, Kent, such as Ernest and Bullion hops, and offering aromas of citrus, orange, apricot, and lemon, whilst the classic Kent Challenger hop delivers the bitterness.
Loungers’ drinks operations manager Neil Webb said: “IPA is a hugely popular style amongst craft beer drinkers, and with so much choice out there, it’s important we serve brands that offer a genuine point of difference.
“As a distinctive, British craft beer, Curious IPA is a great fit with Loungers, as well as delivering on the all-important flavour and refreshment our customers expect.”
Loungers joins other hospitality brands such as Coppa Club restaurants and Prezzo in serving the Curious Brewery portfolio, which includes Curious Lager and Curious Apple.
Curious Brewery managing director Nick Gatehouse said: “We’re delighted to see our IPA going into Loungers, and to be working with such a prestigious and varied range of on-trade operators to bring the distinctive Curious Brewery range to their customers.
“We’re seeing strong growth for our three established core brands, as well a great initial response from the trade to Curious Pilsner.
At 4% ABV and traditionally lagered at low temperature for six weeks, it offers on-trade operators a premium quality, authentic British lager at a very accessible ABV.”
The full Curious Brewery range is available in keg and 330ml bottles direct from the breweries webshop.
Sxollie launches cider range
Made entirely from freshly pressed, hand-picked, eating apples, with no added sugar, sweeteners, or water, comes award-winning Sxollie (pronounced Sk-ollie), a 4.5% ABV cider range from South Africa, including three serves: Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Cripps Pink.
Sxollie, a term in South Africa used to describe someone as cheeky, is available now from Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Tesco in 300ml and 500ml formats at RRP ranging between £1.80 and £5, depending on pack size, as well as at venues such as Nando’s, Metropolitan Pub Company, Albion & East and Brunning & Price.
Tasting Notes:
Granny Smith:
A crisp, tart, and refreshing beverage with a crunchy acidity and fizz, offering a light cider with depth and character.
Golden Delicious:
Clean, apple-skin on the nose, a pillar-stone of what a modern cider should be; clean, bold, balanced, and refined.
Cripps Pink:
A balance of acidity and sweetness with floral undertones.
Takamaka announces new rum series
Closing this week’s round-up is a new collection from family-owned Seychelles rum company, Takamaka , the St André Series, made up of four premium rums: Extra Noir, Zepis Kerol, Pti Lakaz and Grankaz.
Designed to celebrate the rich heritage and Creole traditions of Takamaka’s island home, the new series of rums are best served over ice or enjoyed in a long and elegant highball and are available now from Master of Malt and the Whisky Exchange with RRPs ranging between £35.00 and £50.00.
Extra Noir (43% ABV)
A blend of pot and column distilled molasses rum, soaked with ex-bourbon American oak wood fines then pressed with both French and ex-bourbon cask wood, the rum is then filtered and rested in second fill ex-cane French oak casks for 60 days, before being filtered once more and bottled.
The result is a full bodied, punchy rum that retains some high ester funk and spicy elements from the French oak, with notes of vanilla and sweet undertones from the ex-bourbon wood, with no sugar added.
Zepis Kreol (43% ABV)
Drawing its character from oak and local Seychelles spices, this serve is a blend of pot and column distilled molasses rum which is pre-soaked with ex-merlot French oak wood fines, then macerated with locally grown natural spices before being pressed and blended with an eight-year-old Bajan Foursquare rum before a final resting for 60 days in very old ex-bourbon casks.
Zepis Kreol delivers a depth of flavour with a rich, okay character, complemented by cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and quatre épices, with just a hint of island sweetness with no added colour.
Pti Lakaz (41.5% ABV)
A traditional pot distilled Seychelles cane rum from three different barrels, including two ex-Radoux casks and one ex-port cask, blended with pot and column distilled molasses rum that’s been rested for three years in ex-bourbon casks, as well as an eight-year-old Bajan Foursquare molasses rum.
With no colour or sugar added, and non-chill filtered, this rum is full of rich fruity notes of star anise and dried cocoa beans, alongside a complex finish full of dry spice.
Grankaz (45.1% ABV)
The epitome of Seychelles rum, this serve showcases Takamaka’s ageing and blending craft.
A traditional pot distilled Seychelles cane rum aged in medium toast new French oak before being blended with three-year-old ex-bourbon molasses rum and an eight-year-old Bajan Foursquare molasses rum, with no added sugar or colouring and only lightly filtered.
Offering herbaceous and floral notes on the nose, this rum provides are gentle hint of vanilla, followed by silky and smooth stewed fruits and flavours of butterscotch with layers of complexity to give way to a long finish with notes of toasted oak.
If you have any new products being released to the on-trade, email the details with high resolution images before Thursday at midday for potential inclusion on Friday’s article to Rebecca.weller@wrbm.com.
