LOVE AN ICE-COLD beer in the sun, but worried about their calorie content? Things may be changing. The alcohol industry is starting to respond to the demand for reduced-calorie, gluten-free and vegan options, says SkinnyBrands’ chief commercial officer Adrian Hirst.
Their new premium lager seeks to provide exactly that, all in one bottle. Unless you work in the drinks industry, you may not recognise Hirst’s name. But chances are, you’ve tasted one of his success stories – he’s known as the man who popularised Kopparberg.
Now, he’s turned his hand to a brand new reduced-calorie lager that’s just launched in Ireland. He sees SkinnyBrands Premium Lager as “the only brand that does it all in one bottle”. So, what should we know about it?
Launched in the UK about two years ago, SkinnyBrands Premium Lager has just landed on the Irish market. Hirst says the idea was pretty simple: “We wanted to create a premium lager that didn’t compromise on taste but delivered a lower amount of calories than other beers”. The end result was a 4% beer that has 89 calories per 330ml bottle – most other lagers have at least 130 calories, some are as high as 184.
Now that people may have more dietary restrictions, it was important that it was also gluten-free and vegan. While you may not realise, most beer is filtered using a fish-based liquid – making it unsuitable for vegans. SkinnyBrands use what they say is a unique vegan-friendly process. Interestingly, the beer has also launched in Israel, so it’s kosher.
SkinnyBrands Premium Lager has already been launched in Australia, South Africa, USA and Russia in order to keep up with an interesting trend across the world in relation to beer drinking – what is known within marketing as “repertoire increase”, but to you and me as “drinking by occasion.” This means your choice of alcohol largely depends on the setting or time.
While there’s also been a demand for lower calorie options in food and chocolate, beer has been “a bit slower to come to the table, but it’s very clear that’s where the market is moving.”
As Hirst explains, they feel there’s an unmet demand for lower-calorie options, particularly for summer occasions:
Twenty years ago, you would have just drank beer. Now, customers are demanding added benefits, particularly lower calorie that don’t compromise on flavour, and we’re the first to offer this.
Combine these two trends with the rise in popularity of gluten-free products. “Gluten-free is a massive area of focus both for restaurateurs and in the marketing world”. Hence many bigger beer brands now offer a gluten-free version, though Hirst notes: “we’re just the first brewer to pull it all” – reduced-calorie, gluten-free and vegan with a full flavour – “off in one bottle.”
SkinnyBrands’ beer is a full flavour premium lager. “It’s a refreshing beer that you’d enjoy at a barbecue.” While they’re currently focused on launching the bottles right now, Hirst shares that SkinnyBrands Premium Lager will also be launching a can and “we’re looking at other areas, we’ve dabbled with a cider too.”
Around 150 bars and pubs around the country have SkinnyBrands Premium Lager on order, through their Irish distributor, Mosaic Beverages and the company are in talks with retailers. According to their website, it’s currently available in stores such as Donnybrook Fair so far.
Wondering how much it’ll set you back? The price was an important factor, says Hirst: “A premium beer shouldn’t be unaffordable or at a price the puts people off”. The price will depend on the retailer but a four-pack is approximately €8 to give you an idea.
Sound like something you’d like to try for yourself? A bottle of SkinnyBrands Premium Lager is only 89 calories, gluten-free and vegan and it’s winging its way to 150 bars and pubs around the country. Find out how it compares calorie-wise to your regular tipple here and find out where you can get your hands on an ice-cold bottle here.
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