Dark Star, Thatchers, Thwaites and Matthew Clark refresh their selection

The arrival of Spring is being accompanied by the blossoming of new drinks for British customers including a ‘farmers’ beer’, a pink coloured cider, a new 4% ABV lager and sparkling wines.

Sussex brewer Dark Star is hoping to harvest a crop of new drinkers with Saison. The light coloured 4.5% ABV is a product of the farmhouses of the French-speaking regions of Belgium. It is traditionally enjoyed by farmers who are taking a respite during the harvest season. It contains Saaz, Styrian and Belgian Goldings hops. Dark Star brewery was born in born in 1994 in the cellar of The Evening Star Pub, in Brighton. It offers a series of monthly beers and April’s will be an IPA which is a "celebration of English hops”.

Thatchers is also bringing out a new fruitful flavour. It is bringing a pink tinge to its cider range with Katy Rose, the latest version of its single apple ciders. It will only be made with Katy apples. The rose version of Katy has an ABV of 5.4%, which is lower than the 7.4% ABV of the original Katy brand. Thatchers is building on the concept usually found in the wine industry, in which the colour of the fruit is used in the colour of the drink. Thatchers is hoping that Katy Rose will particularly appeal to the ‘female market’

Matthew Clark is adding more sparkle to the range of wines which it distributes after signing a deal to be the exclusive distributor to the on-trade of Rocco Venezia proseccos. The varieties will include Extra Dry Conegliano e Valdobbiadene DOC, Brut Dry Conegliano e Valdobbiadene DOC, which will be available in three sizes and Rosé Brut.

Finally, Daniel Thwaites is following the 4% ABV path laid down by InBev by producing Skol 4 The Lancashire family brewer will make the brew available to its 400 tenants and lessees, as well as selected free trade customers. Thwaites says that Skol - partly famous for its 'Hagar the Horrible' advertising campaigns – will, in its 4% variation, give landlords a new weapon with which to combat the challenging climate for pubs. Thwaites’ pubs are concentrated in the north of England

20 March 2009