Summer selection

With the change in season, we review the accompanying change in consumer demand and seek out what's on offer from suppliers to help boost Summer sales in your outlet.

Summer’s a time when we can expect an uplift in sales in the pub – especially beer and cider sales. But surrounding the Summer with the appropriate product, pub appeal and pub environment requires some thought and a somewhat different approach to your customer offering.

C&C published its end-of-year statement for 2016 recently. Of its performance during the Summer period it stated, “The performance of cider was buoyed by better Summer weather as well as new product development helping to expand the category and bring in new millennial consumers.”

New product development remains a key factor in moving forward, it seems.

 

We look at what’s on offer from suppliers to help boost Summer sales in your outlet.

 

 

Summer Spirits

Gins

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, with its refreshing signature grapefruit serve, is the perfect choice for relaxed garden parties and warm evenings with friends this Summer. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is slow-distilled by hand with Oriental Botanicals and Gunpowder tea.

The super-premium gin is the result of PJ Rigney’s travels and passionate exploration.  His curious mind, filled with the great oriental traditions of distilling fruit, herbs and botanicals, has fused oriental botanicals with the local Irish ones to create this fresh citrus-tasting gin with spicy notes, all slow distilled by hand in medieval copper pot stills.  Fresh Chinese lemons, Kaffir limes and oriental grapefruits are vapour-infused along with the exotic gunpowder tea to give a truly unique gin experience.

 

Signature Red Grapefruit Serve Ingredients

40ml Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

140ml Chilled Premium Tonic

Generous wedge of Red Grapefruit

Serve over cubed ice and garnish with a thick wedge of fresh red grapefruit.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is distributed by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits.

 

 

Von Hallers Gin

Dalcassian Wines & Spirits has just launched Von Hallers Gin, the second super-premium brand from The Shed Distillery. Von Hallers Gin is created in Germany and crafted in Ireland. Count Carl Von Hardenberg Jr came over to learn the craft of hand-distillation at The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, where he discovered Irish botanicals and distilling with gleaming copper pot stills – a method unchanged since medieval times.

On his return to Germany, Carl began to dream of a gin that would combine the meticulous approach of his homeland with the freedom and inventiveness of Ireland.

He began at the famous Göttingen Botanical Gardens, established in 1736 by the physician, poet and – above all – botanist, Albrecht Von Haller.  In Göttingen, Carl hand-picks German ginger and lemon verbena and brings them to be distilled slowly with Irish angelica at The Shed Distillery. The outcome is a remarkable gin, distinctive, pure and born of two traditions: wholly German, fully Irish and altogether unique.

For a Summer cocktail with a difference, combine the aromatic Von Hallers gin with the refreshing zing of lime juice and fresh ginger.

Ginger Gimlet Ingredients

50ml Von Hallers Gin

40ml Lime Juice Cordial

10ml Fresh Lime Juice

Fresh Ginger

Muddle ginger in the base of a shaker and add all ingredients. Shake with ice and fine strain into a chilled glass. Finish with a spritz of lime and garnish with fresh ginger. 

To add to its extensive gin collection this Summer, including local gins such as Dingle,Barry & Fitzwilliam has introduced Sipsmith (London) Dry Gin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonic Waters

To support its range of premium gins Barry & Fitzwilliam also represents the Bottlegreen mixers collection. Bottlegreen offers the gin & tonic drinker the perfect accompaniment to their favourite premium gin. By enhancing and enriching the qualities in high-end spirits, these tonic waters work in harmony to create the most refreshing and delicious drinks. Developed to be as single-minded as possible in their make-up, Bottlegreen mixers let the accompanying gin ‘sing’, allowing the flavour that the master distiller created to be enjoyed as intended.

 

 

Rums

Goslings Dark ‘N Stormy

Bermuda’s national drink is here –  Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy – a perfect marriage of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum which has a rich, intricate flavour and the specially-crafted Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer, a match made in Summer drink heaven, according to distributors Dalcassian Wine & Spirits.

Goslings is a super premium dark rum made from a 150 year-old Gosling’s family recipe. A blend of three different rums, aged independently for between three and six years in charred American oak casks, Gosling’s Black Seal Rum can be enjoyed as a Dark’n Stormy, Black & Coke, Black & Tonic, as a Bermuda Coffee or as a key ingredient to a variety of cocktails.

Gosling’s Ginger Beer was created by Goslings to perfectly complement Gosling’s Black Seal Rum in the signature drink, Dark ’n Stormy.

The official beverage of the America’s Cup, the Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy is beloved by the sailing community, the ultimate in summer refreshment.

 

Dark ‘N Stormy Ingredients

1.5oz Gosling’s Black Seal Rum

4 oz Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer

In a tall glass filled with ice, add 4 – 5 oz of Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer and top with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. Garnish with an optional lime wedge.

 

 

 

Summer Beers

B&F launches New Yorker

Following its appointment as Irish distributor for New Yorker Lager by D&P Europe, Barry& Fitzwilliam has launched New Yorker, a new beer with attitude says B&F’s Managing Director Michael Barry.

At 4.2% ABV New Yorker Fine Lager Beer is light but still full of flavour and has a pale, golden colour, he says.

The first shipment, now in Ireland, marks a new chapter in the PPL market, says Michael, adding that it’ll be a strong challenger to existing brands already well-established in the marketplace.

“Customers are looking to a new, aspirational product to reignite excitement in the category,” he said, “I’m confident, with the experience of the team behind it, New Yorker is that brand. I think the brand essence and proposition of New Yorker will appeal well to a young, affluent and adventurous market.

“Its classic and stylish packaging really stands out from the crowd – a brand which today’s beer drinkers of all ages will readily identify with,” he added.

The brand is being given a comprehensive support programme including trade marketing, brand marketing, radio advertising, social media, product placement, PR and POS.

New Yorker is also gaining visibility from high-profile events as well as tailor-made promotional activity and major brand promotions.

For more information visit newyorker.beer.

 

 

World & Craft Beers & Ciders

In addition to the Wells & Young portfolio Barry & Fitzwilliam has added Coopers from Australia which has gained a very loyal following over the years. New additions to the range include New Yorker and Innis & Gunn.

 

 

 

 

Score big with Bulmers this Summer

Ireland’s most popular cider, Bulmers, has been turning heads this year with a new look and a new attitude. Its shimmering suit of copper can be seen on shelves right across the country.  As it celebrates its new look, Bulmers is getting ready for a bumper Summer with a programme of trade activity rewarding its fans with an amazing Summer promotion that’s 100% different.

A sweet melody of sorts, Ireland’s favourite cider has collaborated with Shazam, the clever app that easily identifies music within seconds, to roll out two amazing on-trade promotions that give back to loyal Bulmers customers.

Launched this month, the Bulmers Draught Shazam Campaign is a fun and engaging promotion that allows consumers to ‘Shazam’ their special Bulmers dripmat for a chance to win the ultimate Bulmers sports experience.

To enter, consumers simply Shazam the unique code on their dripmat to play a 3D augmented reality sports game that pops out from the dripmat and they then submit their details for a chance to win.

 

 

 

Free pint?

For July Bulmers second bumper activation is its 1 in 10 Bulmers Pint Bottle Shazam campaign, a tempting initiative that offers consumers the opportunity to win a free Pint Bottle of Bulmers Original or Bulmers Light.

Consumers purchasing a pint bottle of Bulmers Original or Bulmers Light can enter by using the Shazam app on their smartphone to scan the front label on the bottle. Once the label is scanned, an augmented reality experience of the Bulmers Pint Bottle will appear on the screen and the consumer is brought directly to the entry page.

Incredibly, every ‘1 in 10’ entry will be successful and winners can redeem their complimentary Bulmers on the spot by presenting their winning mobile voucher details to bar staff.

Bulmers is the first brand to team up with Shazam on its new augmented reality feature for the Irish market and anticipates the collaboration will be the most popular trade promotion this Summer.

All Bulmers activity has been designed to support customers in achieving increased sales levels as the cider category in Ireland continues to outperform the market (with Bulmers retaining its number one position).

 

 

 

 

What does a Dublin Blonde and a Hairy Lemon have in common?

Dublin’s iconic bar the Hairy Lemon has a newly-commissioned three-storey piece of wall art in collaboration with the award-winning Dublin Blonde Lager on its gable-end.

Two young Irishmen tore up the rulebook and left their safe, big brand careers behind on a hunch to build their own road to success in the beer industry.

Their idea was simple…develop an easy-drinking craft beer for when you’re having more than one. They set out to find a great brewer and challenged him to make a perfectly balanced craft beer…. and so Dublin Blonde Lager was born.

 

Their strategy is certainly paying-off as it’s now pouring in 200 bars across the country since launching in January.

Currently being contract-brewed in Dublin, Irishtown Brewing Co is already planning to build its own brewery.

Next month will see the launch of Dublin Blonde in 330ml cans to be distributed in independent off-licences, O’Briens nationwide and some Dublin restaurants.

Following in the footsteps of Dublin Blonde Lager it will shortly launch the newest addition to the family, Dublin Red Pale Ale.

 

 

Who’s behind Irishtown Brewing Co?

Having spent a combined 25 years working in one of Irelands most creative drinks brand-building companies, Joey Shore & Flor Prendergast decided to build their own road to success in the beer industry.

“We’ve been building other people’s brands for so many years in Ireland that we thought why not do it for ourselves?” says Flor.

One year and many refinements later they brewed a small batch of Dublin Blonde lager which was trialled to great success in a couple of watering holes around Dublin.

For more information: contact contact: Flor Prendergast, First Floor Harmony Court, Harmony Row, Dublin 2.

Phone No. +353 862852331

flor@irishtownbrewing.com

 

Summer Liqueurs

Belsazar

They’re already the rage in Berlin, New York and London and now light alcohol long drinks are becoming the new trend in Ireland this summer, according to Belsazar distributor Dalcassian Wine & Spirits.

Earlier this year, Sebastian Brack, owner of the iconic Belsazar vermouth range arrived in Dublin to present a new wave of mixology focused on superior recipe and taste – but the beauty is the drinks are three times lighter in alcohol than standard equivalents.

Each variety of Belsazar has its own macerates, consisting of extracts from herbs, spices, blossom, husks and peels, which are left to mature in large demijohns.  Belsazar’s finishing touch comes from a dash of fruit brandy.  The vermouth is then stored in stone casks to allow its range of complex aromas and flavours to develop.  High quality, regionally-produced wines from Southern Baden are exclusively used to produce Belsazar.

The brand is already a major international hit, as a component of classic cocktails  such as the Negroni, the Dry Martini or the Manhattan whilst also spearheading the trend for lighter long drinks occasions.

“These are uncomplicated, exquisite drinks which you can drink in the afternoon before dinner as an easy and pleasant aperitif,” says Sebastian. 

 

Belsazar Rosé & Tonic Ingredients

50ml Belsazar Rosé

100ml Premium Tonic Water

Fill a tumbler with ice, add the Belsazar Rosé, and top off with a premium tonic.

 

The Bitter Truth

The Bitter Truth range of bitters, invented by German Drinks genius Alexander Hauck, brings the ultimate in drinks sophistication to Ireland this Summer, with its refreshing ‘Garden and Tonic’ creation set to be a firm favourite in leading bars, claims distributor Dalcassian Wines & Spirits.

The Bitter Truth brand was developed to bring to life some of the most exhilarating tastes and flavours of the past in a modern context. From orange and aromatic bitters, the extensive range also features unique celery bitters and a violet liqueur.

In 2006, fellow barmen Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg decided to invent their own bitters following a conversation about how difficult it was to source high quality cocktail bitters in Germany.

Their criteria for the choice of The Bitter Truth flavours was mainly provided by old cocktail recipes that could no longer be mixed true to the original because one crucial ingredient had been missing – the correct bitters.

For the Irish launch this year, Alexander teamed up with one of the latest and most talked-about Irish brands – Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin.

He developed a series of cocktail recipes including the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Garden and Tonic featuring The Bitter Truth and Celery Bitters and Aviation featuring Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur and Lazaroni Maraschino Liqueur.

 

The Bitter Truth Garden & Tonic:

50ml Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

10ml The Bitter Truth Elderflower Liqueur

2-3 dashes of The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters

1 slice Cucumber

4-5 Mint Leaves

1 Lime Wedge

Tonic Water

Put all ingredients in a long drink glass on ice and fill up with tonic water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

St~Germain

In 2007 Rob Cooper, a third-generation distiller, engaged some of the world’s top mixologists and traditional French liqueur producers to create St~Germain.

An exciting innovation in the tired liqueur category, lovingly referred to as Vie Parisienne en Bouteille or “Parisian Life in a Bottle”, the secret to the liqueur’s allure and early success is the fresh, hand-picked wild elderflower blossoms gathered each Spring in the foothills throughout Europe.

St~Germain is created in France and thanks to its unique flavour, versatility and elegance, The New York Times remarked that it’s “one of the most influential cocktail components introduced in the last decade”.

The drink has won an array of awards including four consecutive Grand Gold medals from Monde Selection and the Chairman’s Award at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. It has a reputation for elevating just about any cocktail you mix it with. Those in the trade refer to it as ‘bartender’s salt and pepper’ for the way it enriches any drinks experience.

 

The St~Germain Cocktail

Simple, elegant and quintessentially French, there’s no finer way to unwind than with our signature apéritif.

 

Sharing Cocktail:

Mix 200ml St~Germain and 350 ml Champagne or sparkling wine and top with 350ml soda water.

Serve using our bespoke sharing Carafe to offer your consumers something unique and different. Serve the carafe with Collins glasses, vintage straws and add a twist of lemon.

Contact an Edward Dillon Rep on 01 8193300 for a St~Germain Carafe POS Kit.

 


Sign Up for Drinks Industry Ireland

Get a free weekly update on Drinks Industry trade news, direct to your inbox. Sign up now, it's free