Spirits

New products round-up

Wales rugby stars kick-off spirit launch, Hendrick’s boasts botanicals in new gin

24-Feb-2022 By Gary Lloyd

The latest new products have a strong bias towards being lower in alcohol or in calories. First up is a low-alcohol spirit from four former Wales rugby union stars while Beavertown and SkinnyBrands launch drinks with fewer calories.

Sustainability in cocktail bars 'very important for the world right now'

22-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

The key to sustainability in cocktail bars lies within using local resources, reusable items, and creative solutions to combat waste, according to sustainable cocktail bars across the sector.

New products round-up

Trio of beers from Wild Card, Allsopp’s launches two classics

17-Feb-2022 By Gary Lloyd

In the latest new product launches we have a trio of beers from Wild Card Brewery, two new beers from an almost forgotten historic brewer in Allsopp’s, Scottish brewer Cold Town Beer backs it national rugby team with a limited-edition ale, Indian spirit...

Gov alcohol tax proposals blasted by businesses

17-Feb-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government’s proposed changes to alcohol duty have been criticised by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the drinks sector.

Jameson launches new campaign with comedian Aisling Bea

15-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Jameson Irish Whiskey has today (15th February 2022) launched its new international brand campaign, ‘Widen the Circle’.

Vote now: Have you seen an increase in spirits sales?

14-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

In the week to Saturday 5 February, average drinks sales in Britain’s managed pubs, bars and restaurants were 3% below the same period in 2020, however, sales of spirits have continued to soar, according to the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker.

Beer sales plummeted by 1.4bn pints in 2021

11-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Pubs lost £5.7bn of revenue from beer sales in 2021, equivalent to 1.4bn pints, new data from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has revealed.

Theakston brings back a favourite, North Brewing’s new two

10-Feb-2022 By Gary Lloyd

Theakston is bringing its XB beer back to its core range after a two-year absence, North Brewing Co has released two new brews and Macnair’s unveils a 10-year-old blended whisky.

New products round-up

Beer releases for Six Nations kick off latest product launches

03-Feb-2022 By Gary Lloyd

The Six Nations rugby union tournament starts this weekend and there are beer launches to coincide with it among the new product releases.

Top 50 Cocktail Bars

Lab 22 named UK’s number one cocktail bar

02-Feb-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Cardiff-based Lab 22 was awarded named the best cocktail bar in the UK on this year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars list.

We are behind the curve and missing out when it comes to low and no

02-Feb-2022 By Ed Bedington

Our trade has often prided itself as being ahead of the curve when it comes to drinks trends and innovation - it’s often said brands and new drinks are created and built in the on-trade.

The Lock In Podcast

The low and no revolution

02-Feb-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take a trip to an innovative alcohol-free off licence and realise the trade needs to stop saying no to low and no. We hear from special guests including Laura Willoughby of Club Soda, James Kindred of award winning brewers Big Drop Brewing...

New products round-up

3 in 1 font from Thatchers, Krombacher Pils cans hit on-trade

28-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

Claimed to be a first for the cider industry, Thatchers has launched its 3 in 1 font for serving fruit ciders. Also in the world of new products, Krombacher has rolled out its Pils cans to the on-trade, Black Sheep releases details on its seasonal cask...

Rum, Tequila and vodka see sales rise as wine and cask slips out of favour

25-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Rum, Tequila and vodka are expected to be among the more popular drinks for 2022, while wine, gin and whisky are among those suspected to take a dip in popularity this coming year, according to the latest CGA On Premise Measurement Service.

New products round-up

Gunpowder Gin form BrewDog’s spirit arm, Liberation Brewing’s first non-alcoholic beer

20-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

There are plenty of new products being launched at the moment so there’s a good chance something will help you light up your offer in the run-up to Burns Night and Valentine’s Day.

New products round-up

Cambusier fruit liqueurs in UK, non-alcoholic spirit Palette and Kopparberg cider launched

14-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

The latest new products launched to the market include Ten Locks taking on distribution of Cambusier fruit liqueurs, Bacardi releasing two variants of non-alcoholic spirit Palette and Kopparberg's alcohol-free Mixed Fruit Tropical flavour.

The first drinks launches of 2022

07-Jan-2022 By The Morning Advertiser

The first few days of 2022 have seen a variety of new drinks launched including beer, wine and spirits.

The last new product launches of 2021

24-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

The final new products round-up of the year includes a new brewery named after Roger Daltrey’s fishing lakes releases six beers, rums from the amazing terroir of Grenada brought to the UK, whisky start-up Woven launches limited-edition collaboration spirit...

New products round-up

Festive drinks released in time for Christmas

17-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Burleighs has employed a rare production process to make its limited-edition Christmas Gin, Tuscan Tree targets a sequel Aperitivo, Vida Wines & Spirits shows off a few of its wines, Netherlands-based Ful launches its Spirulina Fizz trio and Liquid...

Revolution Bars Group to replace passionfruit garnish in its cocktail's

07-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Revolution Bars Group has announced it will replace all passionfruit garnishes in its Pornstar Martini and Rumtini cocktails with rice paper from this December as part of its initiative to become a NetZero business by 2030.

Turn January into a great month at your pub

06-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

The traditional image of empty pubs in January isn’t something an operator has to endure while customers ‘punish’ themselves for over indulgence in the previous month. The month of January has become an opportunity in waiting for a canny licensee to profit.

The Drinks List

Jagermeister tops table for liqueurs & specialities

03-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

While there was no corresponding category in last year’s Drink List, liqueurs & specialities is certainly a division licensees cannot ignore.

The Drinks List

Jose Cuervo leads up-and-coming Tequila category

03-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

A new category to the drinks list this year, Tequila sales to the on-trade have been extremely positive in general, and as such should certainly be viewed by operators as something very useful to have stocked on their back bar.

New products round-up

Hofmeister crowdfunding, Bone Daddies and Deya collab beer

03-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Among the new products on offer this week are a collaboration brew from Bone Daddies and Deya, Beavertown's new hard seltzer range and a liqueur range from Witch Kings Rum. There is also news on a crowdfunding campaign from Hofmeister.

The Drinks List

Tonics division title taken by Fever-Tree

02-Dec-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

There was little movement in the tonic water list and Fever-Tree continued to dominate the market with mixers claiming first and second place.

The Drinks List

Captain Morgan Spiced named UK’s most popular rum

02-Dec-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The top two best-selling rums in the UK on-trade have remained the same since last year with Captain Morgan Spiced and Bacardi Carta Blanca coming in at first and second respectively.

The Drinks List

Jack Daniel’s leads whiskies category as top three unchanged

02-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

While none of the top 10 whiskies on this year’s drinks list showed any growth in volume or value on last year, the top three selling brands have stayed the same.

The Drinks List

Gordon’s plunders top two positions in gin section

01-Dec-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

This year’s list of the UK’s top gin brands was full of familiar faces and most brands hadn’t budged from last year’s rankings.

The Drinks List

Smirnoff Red outstrips rivals to land top vodka brand title

01-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

This year’s top five vodka brands may have all declined in both volume and value sales but there is a new entry to the list as Russian Standard Vodka drops away.

The Drinks List

Smirnoff Red remains top of the spirits category class

01-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Despite a drop in volume of sales by 16% (15% in value), Smirnoff Red has remained the top selling spirit on The Drinks List, followed by Gordon’s Pink Gin and Jägermeister.

The Drinks List

The Drinks List – top brands to stock in 2022

29-Nov-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

This year’s Drinks List has been impacted by the fact the on-trade sector was either in lockdown or operating under restrictions from October 2020 to July 2021, which was a longer period than when the results was previously compiled.

New products round-up

Brooklyn Brewery's Stonewall Inn IPA launches in UK, Black Sheep Brewery re-releases festive favourites

26-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Beers have taken over the latest new product launches such as Brooklyn Brewery's Stonewall Inn IPA, Blitzen and Snowflake from Black Sheep Brewery and Vocation's five stouts variants. But a chilli bacon vodka and healthy mixer range may tempt...

New products round-up

Anspach & Hobday's Hogarth-inspired beer, Stirling Distillery's charity gin release

19-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Among the new products to be released this week are a beer from a collaboration between Anspach & Hobday and Tate Britain's food and drink operator, proceeds from a new gin at Stirling Distillery to help police sufferers of PTSD, Campari takes...

Brits abandon beer during lockdown

18-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

A decline in beer consumption over the 2020 lockdowns demonstrated the damage done to brewers, who lost a key route to market when pubs were forced to close during the Covid crisis.

Promotional content

Are your products generating high profit levels to the till?

16-Nov-2021 By Venners, expert food and beverage stocktakers and compliance auditors

A recent report looking at the often undervalued and neglected topic of product yield within the pub sector has been launched by Venners, the expert food and beverage stocktakers and compliance auditors to the hospitality industry.

How to make this Christmas a belter

15-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

The festive period is often the time when pub operators make most of their annual sales and this year, more than ever, needs to be a good one after the disasters suffered not just last Christmas (stop singing that Wham! song) but throughout the past 20...

Promotional content

Why rum-based spirits are must-stocks this festive season

15-Nov-2021 By Samantha Newby, Category Director, Captain Morgan

Many consumers will have missed spending time with friends and family within the on-trade over the past year and we can expect people to flock back to pubs and bars this festive season to enjoy celebrating with loved ones.

New products round-up

Big Drop releases beer with coffee roaster, Liquid Diamond launches debut still wine

12-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Among the latest new products to hit the market are Leafkicker alcohol-free beer from Big Drop, a Sauvignon Blanc from Liquid Diamond, a hit of blueberries from Blue Aurora wine and if you like Pina Coladas then Soho Street Cocktails has something for...

Gin company forced to change its labels

11-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The alcohol industry’s independent Complaints Panel has made a precedent changing decision to force Fok Hing Gin to change their labels.

Millennials keeping pubs alive with high-end purchases

11-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Millennials making premium drinks purchases are keeping pubs alive according to worldwide insights group GlobalData.

Cocktail and spirits sales up, ale sales down for JDW

10-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Cocktail, vodka and rum sales have risen for pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) but draught products including traditional ale and stout sales have declined.

CBD alcohol dying fad despite ‘anti-anxiety’ benefits

09-Nov-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Cannabidiol (CBD)-infused alcohol is a dying craze unlikely to resurface due to the hesitation of larger companies and distrust of customers, said bar operators.

Top 50 Cocktail Bars

Top 50 Cocktail Bars awards open for entry

05-Nov-2021 By Top 50 Cocktail Bars

Have you got the best bar team in the country, pride yourself on your sustainable credentials or perhaps you’re new to the bar scene and want to make your mark?

Two breweries offer crowdfunding opportunities

05-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Gloucester Brewery and Lister’s Brewery have both launched crowdfunding campaigns on financing platform Crowdcube.

New products round-up

Brewery launches beer for football team, new gin distillery gears up for third release

05-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

The latest drinks releases include beers from Black Sheep Brewery, Wimbledon Brewery and Vocation, and spirits from Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and The Henley Distillery.

JDW drops prices on three alcoholic serves to 99p

29-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) will reduce prices on a trio of alcoholic drinks to 99p at 671 of its pubs but minimum unit pricing means customers to sites in Scotland and Wales will pay £1.10 on one of those lines.

New products round-up

Spirits dominate latest new launches

28-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Whether it's the fiscal boon awarded to the spirits sector through this week's Autumn Budget statement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak or just a buzz for Halloween, spirits are the top hitters for new products this week.

Autumn Budget 2021

Duty freeze and further cuts are 'bold and far reaching'

28-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Sector bosses have hailed the Government’s decision to scrap planned duty increases to alcoholic drinks and introduce a Draught Relief scheme to further reduce duty as “bold and far reaching”.

Autumn Budget 2021

Duty increase for alcohol scrapped, new scheme to lower rate further

27-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced planned duty increases for alcoholic drinks at pubs would be cancelled from midnight on Thursday (28 October) and a new Draught Relief scheme would see duty cuts of 5% introduced in 2023.

Autumn Budget 2021

Best budget for pubs in a generation?

27-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

Despite all the leaks, from a government that makes the Titanic look like a viable operation, there were still a few rabbits in Rishi Sunak’s hat as he stood up in Parliament today (27 October 2021).