New beers from the Pilot Series will be released every two weeks and will be developed based on the performance of their predecessors. Market research and focus groups will not be used to develop any of the Pilot Series, Meantime said.
“If a particular style proves to be very popular, Meantime will bring it back as part of their seasonal range the following year,” it added.
The Pilot Series will be brewed in Meantime’s new high-tech Bavarian-style brew house at the company’s Greenwich-based brewery.
The new brew house has the capability to brew smaller volumes of beer and ties in with Meantime’s ethos of experimentation and developing new styles of brews with new hop varieties and ingredients.
Rye-PA, Sunset and CTRL-ALT will be the first three beers to come from the new brew house and will be followed regularly by other beers throughout the year, according to Meantime.
Meantime marketing director Richard Myers, said: “Meantime has always strived to introduce the British public to a wide range of great beers and open their minds to trying something different.
‘Modern craft brewing’
The first in the Pilot Series:
- Rye-PA: 6% ABV rye IPA with a distinctive malty flavour
- Sunset: 9% ABV Imperial Red Ale packed full of flavour
- CTRL-ALT: Altbier inspired by an ancient German-style of brewing
“The Pilot Series gives us the perfect opportunity to continue to push the boundaries of modern craft and have a bit of fun experimenting with some unusual beer styles.
“We’re proud to say that innovation and quality are the heart of everything we do, so expect to see some great beers coming out of the Pilot Brewery.”
The range will be available on draught at a handful of selected partner outlets across London, including the Understudy at the National Theatre, The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, The Orange in Pimlico, Vinothec Compass in North Greenwich and the Four Quarters in Peckham.
SABMiller appointed Laura Edwards as the brand’s new general manager last month, taking over from CEO Nick Miller who stepped down.
Edwards joined the company after fronting Miller Brand’s premium beer portfolio, where she boosted the category’s reach.
Meantime also announced it would bolster its national sales team with nine new sales managers.
Nick Miller managed Miller Brands, the UK arm of SABMiller, until 2011 when he left to join Meantime.
AB InBev purchase
Meantime was purchased by SABMiller in May 2015 before it again changed hands after a deal with AB InBev last November.
Several brands including Meantime, Grolsch and Peroni were set to be sold off by AB InBev to assist competition rules.
As a result, Meantime are set for ownership by Japanese brewery Asahi following the finalisation of the proposed acquisition of SABMiller by AB InBev.
Meanwhile, beer innovation will be top of the agenda at the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s first Future Trends: Beer & Cider event to be held in London on 22 June.
Brewers’ Association president and chief executive Bob Pease is set to give the headline speech at the event where he will talk about the rise of craft beer and cider in the US and how the UK can make a bigger play of it.
For more information about Future Trends: Beer & Cider visit www.FutureTrendsBeerandCider.co.uk.
To book your place now contact Joanne Horton by email at joanne.horton@wrbm.com or by phone on 01293 610 403.