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17th August 2012

NEW REGIONAL BEERS TO HIT SAINSBURY’S SHELVES NATIONWIDE THIS AUTUMN

20 new-to-market beers go on sale in stores ahead of the Sainsbury’s Great British Beer Hunt Grand Final in October


Following the regional heats and announcement of the regional winners of this year’s Great British Beer Hunt which took place this summer, 20 finalist beers are due to go on sale in stores nationwide for a limited time in September.*

By introducing the 20 new-to-market beers to its customers, Sainsbury’s will demonstrate the unusual and varied beer range it offers through working with smaller, regional breweries. Whilst the new beers will appeal to existing beer-loving shoppers, Sainsbury’s expects to entice new customers to experiment with the category.

 

Nicky Millington, beer buyer at Sainsbury’s said: “This year’s Great British Beer Hunt has uncovered some fabulous quality, regional beers that we’re delighted to bring to our customers on a national scale, so, for example, those living in Scotland can taste the fantastic beers from the South West as well as their own region and vice versa. With a wide variety of beers, ales and lagers in the final 20 going on sale in September, customers can trial styles and flavours new to them in addition to exploring the food matching qualities of the beers. ”

 

The range of beers going into store includes* –
– Horizon (Wadworth Brewery, South West region) – Pale, gold colour with zesty, citrus and hop aromas with a tangy finish –works particularly well with spicy foods
– Lemon Head (Nethergate Brewery, South East region – Lemon and ginger combine to create this zesty and refreshing beer
– Manchester Star Ale (J W Lees, North England region) – Malt, caramel and unsweetened dark chocolate flavours with modest hopping for balance. Excellent with beef stews.
– 99 Red Baboons (Blue Monkey Brewing Ltd, Midlands region) – A dark, malty ale with fruity hoppiness that matches well to roasted meats and game
– Double Espresso Premio Caffè Birra (Traditional Scottish Ales, Scotland region) – A beer brewed with double strength coffee beans for an intense character

 

The new listings follow the five regional heats of the Great British Beer Hunt in which Sainsbury’s customers and beer experts judged more than 100 beers from across the UK. The 20 beers will go head-to-head for a three-week period in September, and ten beers (based on sales volume), will go through to the Grand Final where a panel of expert Judges will award one winning beer and one runner-up beer permanent listings in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.

-ENDS-

 

For more information, high res. images or additional comments, please contact Rachael Everitt on 020 7759 7400 / Rachael.everitt@thisisphipps.com

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

* The 20 finalist beers will be sold in the seasonal aisle in all Sainsbury’s stores which promote the drinks festival from 12th September – 2nd October (300 stores in total)

* The 20 beers on sale in store are as follows:

SCOTLAND
Double Espresso Premio Caffe Birra Traditional Scottish Ales Brewed with double strength coffee beans which give this beer a unique character.  A superb silky texture. Great with a good steak or beef dish.
Prodigal Sun Williams Bros Brewing Co. A delicate, fruity and aromatic blonde beer. Enjoy with fish and chips.
White Lady Cairngorm Brewery Bavarian style wheat beer, with additional hints of roasted malt for colour.  Brewed with orange peel & coriander to give fruit flavours with a hint of spice. Good with curries, spicy food, or with barbecue dishes.
Wild Hop Gold Harviestoun Brewery A simple malt background and earthy English hops overlaid with citrus and spicy character from the Citra and Simcoe hops. Complements spicy foods such as Thai green curry.
SOUTH EAST (EAST, HOME COUNTIES, SOUTH COAST)
Pumphouse Pale Ale Sambrooks Brewery A fine citric aroma leads into sweetish cereal notes then hoppy marmalade tones. Drink with barbequed meats. 
Poppy Ale Wolf Brewery Ltd A delicately flavoured golden ale infused with honey and fruity hops. A must with a variety of world cheeses.
Bad Elf Cotswold Brewing Co. for Beer Counter Ltd A light bright and floral pale ale with a bit of a punch. Try with a Thai curry.
Lemon Head Nethergate Brewery Lemon and ginger combine to create a wonderful zesty beer. Ideal with spicy food.
SOUTH WEST (WALES / WEST OF ENGLAND)
Snowy Cotleigh Brewery A straw coloured golden winter ale made with pale Flagon malt and Goldings hops for a full bodied long lasting and morish ale with hints of citrus fruits. Delicious with fish.
Willy Nilly S A Brain A distinctive ruby ale with a traditional rich hop aroma, complemented with a fruity and more-ish finish. Goes exceptionally well with chicken.
Horizon Wadworth Brewery Pale gold colour with zesty, citrus and hop aromas and a crisp, tangy finish on the palate. Goes well with any spicy food.
Dorothy Goodbody’s Blissful Brown Ale Wye Valley Brewery A bottle-conditioned brown ale with a fruity aroma and rich full flavour. It features raisin and malt sweetness and a rounded roast-grain finish. 
NORTH ENGLAND
Batemans Mocha Batemans A rich smooth coffee and chocolate beer made with real Arabica coffee and Belgian chocolate
Manchester Star Ale JW Lees Hefty body and a deep smoothness.  Malt, caramel and unsweetened dark chocolate flavours with modest hopping for balance. Fruity alcohol with a long lingering finish of ripe fruit. Great with game.
Scarborough Fair IPA Wold Top Brewery Strong and well hopped with a pale Wold grown malt base, a triple hop blend and maize for good head retention. Serve with hot, full flavoured foods
Wojtek Beartown Brewery A powerful, deep golden beer full of character. Tremendous with spicy sausages.
THE MIDLANDS
Screech Owl Castle Rock A pale amber beer with a distinctive rich pungent hop. There’s fresh upfront bitterness, smooth citrus and a long hop finish. Drink with Lamb Dhansak.
Indian Summer Elgood & Sons Ltd A Premium style pale ale, with a golden hue and refreshing slightly sweet palate. Ideal accompaniment for summer foods, fish & curry dishes.
99 Red Baboons Blue Monkey Brewing Ltd A dark and interesting ale, combining fruity hoppiness with a dark, malty side. Great with roasted meats and game.
Ivanhoe Ridgeway Brewing Co. An old fashioned, balanced, 100% English, red ale which is neither malty sweet nor overly bitter. Try with good nutty English cheddar cheese.