Molson Coors trials beer cocktails

Carling brewer Molson Coors is planning to drive sales of its speciality beers in pubs through two new initiatives.

The brewer is partnering with pubs to promote beer cocktails to appeal to women, and is launching a marketing campaign for Mexican beer Sol.

Under the first initiative, licensees are being offered assistance to make and promote cocktails involving Molson Coors beer brands including Groslch Weizen, Kasteel Cru, and Blue Moon. The activity is the brainchild of the BitterSweet Partnership, the new Molson Coors division tasked with attracting more women into consuming beer.

Suggested cocktails include Kru Woo, peach schnapps and cranberry juice topped up with Kasteel Cru; Dutch sunrise, passoa and orange juice topped up with Grolsch Weizen; and Colorado Root Beer, Galliano and cola finished off with Blue Moon.

Point of sale (PoS) material and advice on making the cocktails is available from www.bittersweetpartnership.com.

And in the second initiative, the brewer is rolling out PoS to help pubs run Mexican-themed events in the run-up to national festivals Cinca de Mayo (May 5) and Mexican Independence Day (September 16). It believes there is an opportunity especially for pubs to promote Sol around food ahead of Cinca de Mayo, which celebrates the Mexican army's defeat of the French in 1862.

Sol brand manager Rob Parker said: "We will support any outlet that wants to work with us, aiming to develop mutually advantageous sales driving activity, while any independent on-trade outlet looking to drive the sunshine lager category can benefit from Sol support in the form of our Club Sol activity.

"This allows retailers to choose the support materials they need from posters, ice buckets, and parasols through a loyalty scheme which offers 'Sol points' for each case purchased."