New brews from Adnams, Beavertown, Fourpure and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall revealed

Fourpure Brewing Co. Hometown Hazy IPA 

Fourpure Brewing Co. has launched 5.3% ABV Hometown Hazy IPA in tribute to its brewing team and supportive local community in Bermondsey, London, after it’s taproom reopened following Covid-19 lockdown.

Fourpure’s taproom had been closed since 20 March, due to the global coronavirus pandemic with the beermaker dedicating its latest citrus flavoured brew to the team and local neighbourhood that has helped it weather the crisis. 

Adnams and Beavertown Strange Seas 

Adnams and Beavertown have collaborated to produce limited-edition 3.5% ABV tropical pale ale Strange Seas to celebrate the tenth birthday of the Suffolk-based brewery’s flagship pale ale, Ghost Ship.

“We’re thrilled we were able to produce Strange Seas with Beavertown given the circumstances this year, and virtually no less,” Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer at Adnams, said. “It’s always a pleasure to talk beer with Logan and Nikola. Their pure love for beer, from the technical details to the minutiae of the flavours delivers a truly collaborative brew. 

“We were after a really fresh, juicy beer that would honour its inspiration, Ghost Ship and make use of some of the amazing hops we’ve tasted this year. The pale ale style fits these super tropical hops perfectly and Logan is a pro at packing big fruity, zesty flavours into light, refreshing beers so Beavertown is the perfect partner for Strange Seas.”

Logan Plant, CEO and founder of Beavertown added: “I've known Fergus for years, he's a super knowledgeable brewer, doing an amazing job at Adnams, I love their beers. Ghost Ship in particular is a beer I've enjoyed on many an occasion on cask, so to be part of the collaboration series that celebrates this great beer was a real honour.”

Palm Beach rum liqueur 

The company behind pours including Cactus Jack’s schnapps, non-alcoholic spirit Amplify and TW Kempton, has created a range of Caribbean-inspired liquers.

Intercontinental Brands’ Palm Beach Banana & Butterscotch delivers banoffee pie notes while Palm Beach Mango & Passionfruit features a combination mango and passion flavours.

“We’re really excited to be launching the first two flavours in our rum liqueur range,” Clare Gibson, Intercontinental Brands’ marketing director said. “With people becoming more adventurous with rum-based drinking there’s a desire to experiment by trying new flavours and serves, which is where rum liqueurs come in, offering those wanting to venture into rum drinking a delicious introduction.

“We’ve seen great success across our gin liqueur ranges and saw the opportunity to create a product that would cater to consumers looking for a similar ‘bridge’ in the rum category. 

“With a lower ABV of 20%, they offer consumers the chance to try something new and exciting which has a sweeter profile and is more easy drinking than a full strength rum.”

Stroud Brewery and River Cottage launch ale range 

Television chef and environmental campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and his team at Channel 4’s River Cottage​ have produced a pair of pale ales in tandem with Stroud Brewery.

The River Cottage range comprises The Stinger, a golden ale infused with locally foraged wild nettles and Rye PA, a modern take on the classic amber ale using malted Rye sourced in the West Country and British-grown hop varieties.

“The tradition of foraging wild ingredients and using them to make delicious drinks goes back centuries,” Fearnley-Whittingstall explained. “It’s such a great way to celebrate the seasons and connect with nature. I think it’s more important than ever to revive those traditions and keep those connections alive. And of course, we wanted to use the finest organic hops and local grains in our beers too. 

“Collaborating with Stroud Brewery was a natural fit, not just because of their remarkable beer-making capabilities but also because their commitment to farming and brewing in a sustainable way, helping to protect and reviving a bio-diverse landscape, align so closely with our own.” 

Stroud Brewery’s founder, Greg Pilley, added: “Hugh expressed to us the importance of inspiring people through food and drink that is ethically sourced and has a great story. He came to us with the concept for Stinger already formed, and with its lovely zesty notes it worked really well. 

“We wanted to do something a little different with a big aroma for the second beer, and when Hugh tasted another of our Rye-based beers he was charmed. We tweaked it with some unusual hop varieties and the result was RYE PA - our unique interpretation of a classic amber ale.”

Kopparberg Dark Fruit Spiced Rum ​

Cidermaker Kopparberg has produced 37.5% ABV Dark Fruit Spiced Rum following the brand’s first foray into the category with their Cherry Spiced Rum in June 2020. 

Infused with a blend of blackcurrant and blackberry flavours, the new pour is suitable for vegans and gluten-free.

To mark the launch of their latest spirit, Kopparberg has teamed up with East London creative and rapper, Kojey Radical, to design a limited release of 500 T-Shirts inspired by the new rum variant. 

“Following the success of our Cherry Spiced Rum launch earlier this year, our new Dark Fruit variant allows existing and new Kopparberg Rum fans to discover a new way to enjoy the bold fruit flavours the brand is famous for,” Rob Salvesen, head of marketing at Kopparberg said. “We are always looking for new ways to engage our customers and introduce the brand to new audiences –  we were thrilled with the reception our fans had to our cherry variant, and the bold flavours of blackberry and blackcurrant and rum felt like a natural fit.”

To mark the launch of their latest spirit, Kopparberg has teamed up with East London creative and rapper, Kojey Radical, to design a limited release of 500 T-Shirts inspired by the new rum variant. 

“Our partnership with Kojey Radical highlights the importance of supporting the night-time economy and late-night event spaces, now more than ever,” Salvesen continued. “We're delighted to offer our support to the Music Venue Trust at this crucial time and look forward to a time soon when we can all enjoy live music together again."

OTO botanical seltzer 

Cannabidiol (CBD) and wellness brand, ​OTO​, has added Korean encha Tea, Mint and Kampot Pepper; Bitter Orange, Goji Berry and Habanero Chilli; and Elderflower, Cucumber and Liquorice botanical seltzers to its drinks portfolio.

The trio contain all-natural, hand-picked botanical extracts, including adaptogens, along with a dose of CBD designed to help relieve stress.

OTO’s new seltzers are also alcohol and sugar-free, low calorie and vegan friendly. 

Abel Methode Cider

Imported by Cider Is Wine, New Zealand made Abel Methode cider is made from 100% not-from-concentrate juice comprising 80% apples and 20% pears.

Made only in small quantities, each vintage is made from freshly harvested hand-picked fruit, unfiltered and fermented in bottle like champagne.

Fluère Smoked Agave

Drinksmaker Fluère Spirito Non Alcolico has added alcohol free mezcal alternative Fluère Smoked Agave to its portfolio of distilled non-alcoholic spirits.

Produced using the same techniques as alcohol-based spirits, Fluère Smoked Agave features fresh Salmiana agave juice from Mexico and boasts a smokey nose with a complex yet balanced taste according to its producer. 

The new expression is designed for mixing as well as recreating the taste of mezcal without the alcohol. It joins the existing range of Original, Amber and Pink pours. 

“We’re excited about the latest addition to the Fluère range having seen the success globally of our other non-alcoholic spirits,” Fluère CEO, Léon Meijers said. “With the growth in the category and the interest in agave and Mezcal we felt the time was right for our Smoked Agave launch. 

Fluère has also recently joined forces with Lightbox Brands in the UK as their new distributor.

“We are very excited to work with Léon and his team at Fluère,” Patrick O’Reilly, founder and managing director of Lightbox Brands added. “The non-alcoholic category is innovative, fast growing and importantly for the trade right now, represents an incremental sale or an added margin opportunity at a tough time.”

Tobermory, Deanston and Bunnahabhain Distilleries unveil limited editions 

Eight new limited-edition expressions have been unveiled across spirit maker Distell’s single malt Scotch whisky portfolio comprising Tobermory, Deanston and Bunnahabhain distilleries

Tobermory Distillery on the island of Mull has revealed 55.8% ABV Tobermory 2007 Port Pipe Finish alongside 58.6% ABV Ledaig 1998 Marsala Finish – matured for 21 years with four of those spent in Marsala wine casks – and Collectors Edition 2007 Pedro Xeminez Finish at 55.5% ABV.

Additionally, Deanston Distillery has introduced a 49.3% ABV 2002 Organic Pedro Ximenez finish, a Deanston 1991 Muscat Finish at 45% ABV, and the Deanston 2002 Pinot Noir at 50% ABV.

Finally, Bunnahabhain Distillery, the most northerly of the Islay distilleries, has unveiled the 55.4% ABV Bunnahabhain 2008 Manzanilla Matured alongside the Bunnahabhain Moine 1997 Pedro Ximenez Finish at 50% ABV.

Henry Westons cider launches in pubs

Herefordshire-based Westons Cider has revealed plans to bring its Henry Westons brand to the on-trade for the first time.  

Bestsellers from the existing range Henry Westons Vintage (8.2%) and Henry Westons Family Vintage (5%), will be joined by new launches Henry Westons Cloudy Vintage (7.3%) and Henry Westons Organic (6%) in a range of 10L bag-in-box products exclusively available to pubs, bars and restaurants.

“Henry Westons is our star-performer in retail, and we’ve built a loyal shopper base who purchase the brand time and time again,” Sally McKinnon, head of marketing at Westons Cider, commented.

“Launching the brand in the on-trade means for the first time, Henry Westons drinkers will be able to enjoy a pint of their favourite traditional crafted cider in their local pub.”

L.A Brewery Sparkling English Rose 

Suffolk-based L.A Brewery has unveiled new champagne alternative Sparkling English Rose, brewed with a blend of Assam and White Monkey teas and infused with organic white rose petals from Devon. 

“I am incredibly proud of our newest creation,” L.A Brewery founder Louise Avery said. “My goal was to develop a complex yet refreshing liquid that can be enjoyed when marking the end of the working day and celebrating the beginning of downtime. 

“The Sparkling English Rose is best enjoyed chilled as a perfect aperitif or celebratory drink, delivering all the experience without the alcohol.”

The Park Brewery ///lovely.venue.earth  

The Park Brewery has unveiled Kveik IPA ///lovely.venue.earth created from an ancient strain of yeast originally used in Norwegian farmhouse beers.

The brew was created in tribute to the sanctuary The Park Brewery’s owners Josh and Frankie Kearns found in west London’s Richmond Park during the height of lockdown.

The Park Brewery began experimenting with new innovative location system what3words – which divides the world into three metre squares and gives each a unique combination of words – to devise the new brew’s name, with one spot in the park yielding ///lovely.venue.earth as its bespoke tag.

“Richmond Park, more than ever, became a place to find sanctuary for our whole family, even if temporarily,” Frankie explained. “It’s amazing what having a bit of open space can do for an entire community’s sense of wellbeing, especially during such bleak times.”

Signature Brew - Passion Fruit NEIPA and In the Dark Smoked lager

London-based Signature Brewery has launched 5% ABV passion fruit New England pale ale Passion and 5.1% ABV In the Dark smoked lager, created in collaboration with rappers DRS and Dynamite MC.

Fresh from their collaboration with Mercury shortlisted Sports Team, Signature Brew has teamed up with the pair to create a lager named after their new album, In the Dark.

As wine sommelier at Michelin-starred East London restaurant, The Clove Club, Dynamite MC brought a new perspective to the process, creating a dark lager made with beech-smoked malt and serving up dark fruit and cinder toffee tones.

Jura Winter Edition

Jura’s new 40% single malt Winter Edition boasts flavours of sticky maple syrup, spicy mulled wine and freshly brewed coffee while the finish is left with a taste of whipped vanilla and cinnamon spice.

The new serve is matured for a period in American White Oak Ex Bourbon barrels before being finished in hand-selected aged Spanish Sherry Casks.

“I’m really passionate about exploring the flavour we can unlock within Jura,” Gregg Glass, whisky maker at Whyte & Mackay, commented. “In our new Winter Edition we’ve created the perfect festive season toaster. 

“In this expression, we have crafted a harmonious marriage of sweet spices and freshly baked apple pie, which result in an indulgent whisky while staying true to the heart of our distillery character with its mapled and citrussy characteristics.

“The Isle of Jura is a unique place to develop and experiment with whisky and Jura Whisky is at the heart of an unbreakable bond between our island, our people and our distillery.  This release captures that island spirit and is ideal for keeping warm with friends and family and toasting during the winter months.”