Top 5 New Alcoholic Beverage Innovation Picks

1.     Beer inspired whiskey

 

Glenfiddich Experiment Series

Whiskey and beer have always shared a special relationship. Having a wee dram to finish off the night after a few cold beers has been enjoyed for decades. In fact, whiskey begins life as a distiller’s beer, or wash, that’s made with malted barley, water and yeast. The difference is that beer is given a measure of hops, which contributes bitterness. In recent years, it has often been the beer brands leveraging whiskey associated elements and semantics from; ‘craftsmanship’, ‘tradition’ and ‘provenance’ to ‘wood barrel aging’ amongst others. A couple of crossovers that spring to mind are Tennent's Beer Aged with Whisky Oak, combining two of Scotland’s favourite drinks, and BrewDog’s Paradox Jura, which is aged in barrels previously used to house Isle of Jura whisky. But Glenfiddich has looked to flip this trends as part of its new Experimental Collection. One of these exclusive products is a collaboration with a Speyside Craft brewery to produce a single malt Scotch whisky finished in IPA craft beer casks. The Glenfiddich IPA Experiment is a 43% ABV single malt Scotch whisky infused with zesty citrus and tangy hops from the oak casks that had previously held a bold Speyside IPA to create the brand’s first mass collaborated whisky.

2.     Canned wine

 

Pampelonne's sparkling canned wine

Wine in a can might still be taking some time to catch fire in the UK like it has in the US – it definitely takes some getting used to for us refined, 'proper' Brits! However it has some real potential, particularly in the lazier summer sipping months. For all those naysayers, think picnics in the park, think chilling on the beach, think impromptu BBQ. Now imagine kicking back with a chilled can of rosé much like a savoured brew – chic convenience at its finest. Portable, unbreakable, no more having to trawl google for ‘the best way to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew’ - there are clear advantages. But then add the value of innovative new flavour profiles that you might not experience in your normal chardonnay tipple. For example, Pampelonne has a Bretton stripped can with zesty sparkling hints of cherry and lime, then Underwood has flavours from white peach and apple to raspberries and chocolate. Could this trend take off like Ready-to-Drink (RTD) pre-mixed cocktails like G&T? Watch this space…particularly with experience savouring millennials.

3.     Cocktail inspired vodka

 

Skky Barcraft cocktail vodkas

Flavoured vodka isn’t new in fact it has become almost mainstream. So ways to be innovative in this sub market is proving to be difficult. Not for Skky vodka who have started with the end in mind – producing cocktailed flavoured vodkas. Skky Barcraft cocktail-inspired vodkas are available in Margarita Lime, Watermelon Fresca and White Sangria varieties, are designed for mixing with club soda over ice to deliver a quick, flavourful and authentic drink that takes the guesswork out of crafting a cocktail.

4.     Alcoholic craft sodas

 

Crooked Beverage Co's alcoholic soda

Another import from the US here, alcoholic craft soft drinks or hard soda as they are known across the pond. Leading the way in the UK revolution is Crooked Beverage Co part of Global brands in Derbyshire, who have produced three different variants, made with all-natural flavours, colourings and real fruit juice, with a malted base. They all have ABV of 4.7%. Packaged in 330ml cans, they are aimed at people aged 20 to 30 and bridge the gap between RTD products, fruit cider and craft beer. Taking a combination of the best from different categories to make a drink that is the first of its kind. The fruity body of the liquid is designed to provide a sweet but not sickly alternative for millennials who are increasingly seeking drinks that are not hugely sugary and synthetic, while the slightly hoppy notes also appeal to beer drinkers. The cans are designed with surreal character illustrations to bring the brand to life and catch consumers’ attention, created by Sheffield artist Lisa O’Hara. A game changer? They think so. 

5.     High flying beer

 

Betsy beer by Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific have created the world’s first beer specifically designed for sipping at 35,000 feet. The airline will be offering their own “Betsy”-branded craft beer to business and first-class customers on UK routes to Hong Kong. With a flavour palette designed to reduce bitterness and enhance sweetness to offset changes in taste perception while at high altitudes the beer is certainly a unique and innovative concept. Named after Betsy, the airline’s first Douglas DC-3 aircraft that flew during the 1940s and ’50s, the Cathay Pacific craft beer uses ingredients sourced from both Hong Kong and the UK to emphasis the ‘travelness’.