Beer – Page 6 – Keep It Overproof!

Top 10 drinks trends in the US on-trade for 2020

The low to no alcohol trend will expand Non-alcoholic ‘spirit’ brand Seedlip’s Mr McGregor cocktail In the coming year, expect to see an increase in ‘spirits’ with no alcohol in the US, with a greater variation in products to appeal to different drinkers. On-premise creativity will continue to fuel alcohol-free cocktail menus and bars across the country. The rising popularity of drinks like spritz-based cocktails has helped this category grow. New takes on classic drinks may emerge, highlighting the emergence of low-alcohol Sherries, vermouths and saké options.

The biggest drinks acquisitions of 2019

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

As 2019 draws to a close, we round up a year of acquisitions which has seen two prominent British brewers snapped up by foreign investors, Constellation Brands agree a wine sale worth over US$1 billion, and the break-up of retailers Naked Wines and Majestic. Constellation Brands has certainly been one of the most active in the acquisitions scene this year, taking both majority and minority stakes in a number of companies. Its sale of just under 30 wine brands to E&J Gallo, however, was one of the biggest in the drinks industry this year. In the UK, if 2018 was the year of the Conviviality...

The Year of Light Beer?

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Were we too early in predicting the inevitable death of 3.2 beer, when folks are drinking lighter and lighter beer? There’s been a plethora of articles lately about how young people are “sober curious”, drinking with a view toward “wellness”, and watching calories. Of course, at the top of each article is the … Continue reading “The Year of Light Beer?” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

André Simon 2019 shortlist announced

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

The shortlist of food and drinks books for the 2019 André Simon Awards has been announced, featuring tomes on lager, tea, Burmese cooking and wines of the French Alps. A total of 150 submissions were whittled down to 16 with this year’s independent assessors being Niki Segnit for the food books and former BBR CEO Dan Jago for the drinks books. Nicholas Lander, chairman of the André Simon Memorial Fund said that this year’s books, “are deliciously wide-ranging in theme and approach”. In the drinks category the shortlist is: A Brief History of Lager: 500 Years of the World’s...

J.D. Wetherspoon to inject £200 million into pub portfolio

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

UK bar group J.D. Wetherspoon is to invest more than £200 million in developing its pub portfolio over the next four years. The cash injection will be spent on developing new pubs and hotels, according to a statement from the group, as well as enlarging its existing pubs in the UK and Ireland. It said this should create 10,000 new jobs within the group. Wetherspoon said the “majority” of developments will be allocated to pubs in small and medium sized towns, but will also include larger towns and cities. This will include new pubs in Bourne, Waterford, Hamilton, Ely, Diss, Felixstowe,...

Top marketing moves in drinks: November

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

Heineken to sponsor Euro2020 and Champions League Heineken will be the Official Beer Partner of next year’s UEFA Euro men’s football tournament, and has also extended its sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League for the next five years. The two separate agreements means the brewer is now the major beer sponsor of Europe’s leading club and international football tournaments. Its partnership with the UEFA Champions League is already 25 years old, and the new deal extends the brand’s sponsorship through to 2024. The new Euro partnership will see Heineken given exclusive pouring rights in the...

Alcohol may have saved humanity’s ape ancestors

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

The ability to consume and tolerate low levels of alcohol in overripe, fermenting fruit may have helped the ape ancestors of human beings avoid extinction a new book posits. The book, ‘Alcohol and Humans: A Long and Social Affair’ by two British researchers, Dr Kim Hockings, senior lecturer in conservation science at Exeter University and Dr Robin Dunbar, professor of evolutionary psychology at Oxford, suggests that a common ancestor of humans and other great apes may have evolved to carry a protein that helps to metabolise alcohol some 10 million years ago. The ability to consume extra calories...

Portman Group tells Tiny Rebel to remove teddy bear from beer can

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

After a second complaint against Newport-based Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch red ale, UK drinks regulator the Portman Group has told the brewer to remove an image of a teddy bear from the beer can in order not to promote underage drinking. The Portman Group made the comments after a member of the public expressed concern that Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch might appeal to those under 18. The complaint read: “[I] went into my local Waitrose in Caldicot Monmouthshie (sic) and was shocked to find that what I thought was fizzy drinks at the front of the store was alcohol (sic) cans of drink. “It looks...

How Important is Distributor Alignment?

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Our story on Boston Beer Co. and Dogfish Head’s challenges in distributor integration elicited a response from a craft brewer which started: “Harry, cut to the chase …. this is a Sheehan – Boston Beer issue and then a whole lot of little issues.” We don’t like to report on ongoing deals that … Continue reading “How Important is Distributor Alignment?” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

The Huge Beer Drinking Holiday Nobody Talks About

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: You know what I’m talking about. College kids, post-grads, and even 30-somethings coming back to their hometown to visit their folks for Thanksgiving, and on the Wednesday night before, they huddle up in their old local haunts to meet with their old high school friends over a few bevs. It’s the big on-premise … Continue reading “The Huge Beer Drinking Holiday Nobody Talks About” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

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