Budweiser Brewing Group launches Stella Unfiltered to the on-trade
Stella Artois Unfiltered, a new super-premium lager from Stella Artois, is now available both on draught and packaged to the on-trade following an off-trade launch earlier this year.
Budweiser Brewing Group on-trade sales director Jean-David Thumelaire said: “With unfiltered lager taking Europe by storm and hazy beer becoming hugely popular in the craft segment, we wanted to bring something new to the world lager category.
"Stella Artois Unfiltered has already proven to be a hit with consumers so we are pleased to offer this innovative and super-premium beer to the On-Trade.
"Stella Artois is the ideal brand to grow the unfiltered category in the UK, with the brand being synonymous with taste and quality. We have already seen in the Off-Trade how Stella Artois Unfiltered encourages consumers to trade up and we are confident it will prove a success in pubs and bars across the country.”
Read more here.
Smirnoff announces new flavoured offering
Smirnoff has expanded its flavoured vodka portfolio with the release of Smirnoff Cherry Drop (37.5% ABV).
The new serve will available in 70cl bottle format from Tuesday 1 November at RRP £16.50 exclusively at Asda, with an on-trade launch expected in February.
Smirnoff GB head Mark Jarman said: “The launch of Smirnoff Cherry Drop has been hotly anticipated by all of us at Diageo and it is great to be able to bring it to market.
"We know cherry is a trending flavour and the popularity of vodka is only increasing, so this launch further establishes Smirnoff’s position as a leader in the category and taps into key trends.
“A liquid that lends itself perfectly to spending quality time with friends, once again, the brand has created a high-quality and unique flavoured vodka to get consumers excited about.
"Smirnoff Cherry Drop is a strong addition to the Smirnoff portfolio, complementing the range perfectly when placed alongside the existing flavours on a shelf or along a backbar.”
Smirnoff Cherry Drop Martini Cocktail (1.9 units)
Ingredients:
- 50ml Smirnoff Cherry Drop
- 25ml Lime juice
- 15ml Sugar syrup
- 75ml Cranberry juice
- Ice
- Fresh cherry
Method:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice
- Shake to mix, strain into a chilled martini glass
- Garnish with a cherry and serve
Salcombe Brewery releases new chocolate stout
Award-winning Salcombe Brewery Co. has announced the launch of Maya, a 4.5% ABV chocolate stout.
Created by adding cacao nibs during the brewing process, Maya is a smooth, dark, chocolate stout offering caramel and coffee notes that pairs well with braised or spiced meats and Autumnal stews.
Salcombe head brewer Sam Beaman said: “We are very excited about this latest addition to our small batch range.
"For the ancient Maya people, the cacao bean was sacred. They were obsessed with its rich, chocolate taste and believed it was a gift from the gods. This was our inspiration for our new stout which we have infused with organic cacao nibs to add depth and complexity.”
Maya will be available on tap in pubs from the end of October and in 330ml (RRP £25 for 12x330ml) cans as well as in 9g casks for the on-trade from the brewery webshop in early November.
BrewDog Distilling Co launches a trio of new vodkas
BrewDog Distilling Co has launched a new portfolio of vodkas, Bad Beer Vodka, available in three flavours; Original, Vanilla and Toasted Marshmallow, and Tropical Guava.
Made from the batches of beer that don't meet BrewDog's standards, instead of being wasted, it is repurposed at BrewDog Distilling Co's new distillery to create the trio of flavour-forward, smooth and silky vodkas.
Additionally, the vodkas are packaged in recycled glass bottles using a wood pulp label.
Bad Beer Original Vodka leads with aromas of icing sugar and caramel followed by top notes of vanilla while the Vanilla and Toasted Marshmallow variant offers notes of campfire toasted marshmallows alongside caramelised Madagascan vanilla and the brand's Tropical Guava serve provides the taste of ripe guava with a hint of pineapple and mango.
BrewDog CEO James Watt said: “This is a hugely exciting launch for BrewDog and BrewDog Distilling Co, highlighting both businesses’ commitment to the environment. We are looking forward to continuing our research into new ways to prevent wastage in our industry."
All Bad Beer variants (40% ABV) are available now direct from the brand's webshop at RRP £20 for 700ml.
Marshmallow Croissant
Ingredients:
- 35ml Bad Beer Vanilla and Toasted Marshmallow Vodka
- 15ml Orange curacao (Cointreau)
- 30ml Lime juice
- 25ml Sugar Syrup
- Half a croissant
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Method:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice
- Shake and strain into a tumbler
- Garnish with the remainder of croissant and serve
Jameson reintroduces signature style
Jameson has introduced its latest expression, Jameson Single Pot Still (46% ABV), celebrating the traditional style of Irish Whiskey after which it is named.
Created from a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley before being triple distilled and matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, while also introducing the subtle flavour contribution of three different types of Virgin oak casks: American, European, and Irish.
The result is a spicy and smooth tasting Whiskey with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg intertwined with rich toasted oak, sweet honeycomb, and salted caramel on the nose alongside dark chocolate, spicy toffee and hints of ginger and orange peel on the palate.
Irish Distillers master distiller Kevin O’Gorman said: “We are delighted with the release of Jameson Single Pot Still. It has been an honour and a joy to work on rebuilding a traditional Jameson expression with an innovative twist and bringing a new member into the Jameson family.
“While crafting this whiskey, the team at Midleton Distillery worked hard to find the exact balance and flavour profile for our finished product. We wanted to showcase the quintessential notes of the single pot still style by blending the familiar ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before bringing a new dimension with the introduction of the virgin oak casks.”
The brand made the decision to switch from a single pot still to a blended whiskey in the late 20th century, however, inspired by Jameson’s history, the team recently decided to recreate the signature single pot still style.
Jameson Single Pot Still Whiskey is available from the brand's webshop in 700ml bottles at RRP €60 (£51.81 at time of publication).
Gordon Ramsay launches new collaborative gin
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has launched a new gin in collaboration with St Andrews based distiller Eden Mill.
Ramsay's Gin (40.6% ABV), a new take on a classic London Dry Gin inspired by the taste of Scotland, has been crafted using selected botanicals from along the Scottish coastline that are native to Fife and St Andrews, including Mara seaweed and honey berries, combined with pink peppercorn, fennel seeds, lavender, and lemon verbena.
The citrus and floral flavoured gin is availble now in 70cl bottles at RRP £28 direct from the Eden Mill webshop.
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.
