Liquid assets: all the latest drinks launches

Big Drop Poolside IPA/Kodama IPA

Non-alcohol beer specialist Big Drop Brewing Co has created two limited edition Summer Series beers that have been brewed with the warmer months in mind. The company’s Poolside Double Dry Hopped IPA has the hopiness of its alcoholic counterparts accompanied by tropical flavours of pineapple, mango and citrus as well as pine and stone fruit aromas, underpinned by a pine and herby flavour. Its Kodama India Pale Lager, meanwhile, is made using Japanese hop Sorachi Ace that gives it citrus and orange notes that are balanced by gooseberry and white wine undertones, derived from the Nelson Sauvin hop. Both are light and complex thirst quenchers that show that non-alcoholic beers can be as rewarding in terms of flavour as traditional brews. “We wanted to brew something special this summer for all those having to stay at home, so we’ve brought a bit of tropical and oriental inspiration into the new beers. We hope they will transport you away and join us in dreaming of better times ahead,” says Rob Fink, Big Drop CEO and co-founder.

Sparkl Hard Seltzer

British companies remain hopeful that the success of the hard seltzer category in the US can be emulated over here, the latest brand to enter the category being Sparkl Hard Seltzer. The 4% abv drink comes in two flavours - Peach & Rose; and Lemon, Ginger & Chilli - with more flavours due to be released later this year. Each 330ml bottle has 80 calories and can be drunk on its own over ice or used as a cocktail mixer, says founder Stephen O’Neill. “At a time when we are thinking more about our health than ever before, we believe consumers will be drawn to the idea of cleaner drinking – and Sparkl delivers just that.”

Château de Pommard releases Clos Marey-Monge’s 2018

Côte de Beaune-based winery Château de Pommard has released the 2018 iteration of its signature wine Clos Marey-Monge Monopole, a blend of six cuvées made from six different vineyards within Pommard AOC. With brilliant, bright ruby colour and purple undertones, Clos Marey-Monge Monopole 2018 is described as a complex, generous, and aromatic wine that can be drunk young. The nose is said to reveal delicately powdered aromas along with notes of dried flowers, fresh roses, and black fruit, highlighted by iodine, a finely peppery note. The palate is fresh, round, and generous, while the tannins are silky with a light sweetness. Founded in 1726, Château de Pommard is the largest Monopole in Burgundy and produces wine from several AOCs outside its eponymous appellation. It was purchased by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Baum in 2014 and has since switched over to biodynamic.

6 O’clock Gin RTDs

British gin company 6 O’clock Gin is expanding its ready to drink range with two new flavours; Exotic Orange and Damson & Ginger, as well as a Light alternative to its classic London Dry and tonic. Available in cans, the Damson & Ginger variant features citrus and spice and has an abv of 5% while Exotic Orange is a stronger 7% abv and is a tangy, refreshing cooler-style drink, according to the company. 6 O’clock Gin was founded in the late 1980s by Edward and Penny Kain and takes its name from the Kain’s long-held family tradition of indulging in their first G&T of the evening at 6 o’clock.

Distiller's Cut Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum

BrewDog Distilling Co has launched Distiller's Cut Five Hundreds Cuts botanical rum. The rum is made using Five Hundred Cuts botanical rum which is blended with white rum that has been aged in Oloroso sherry casks for 15 months to create a Distiller’s Cut that BrewDog says has intense blood orange peel notes backed up by schezuan peppercorn, green cardamom and clove botanics. The company says its new expression works particularly well mixed with ginger beer for a Dark & Stormy.

Two Keys

Two Keys is a range of sparkling mixers designed to offer an alternative to tonic and soda. The four-strong range comprises Green Tea; Black Tea; Pink Grapefruit; and Lemon variants, which comes in 200ml recycled glass bottles all with less than 40 calories per serve. The drinks are made using premium ingredients including Ceylon, Assam and Lapsang Souchong teas that are grown in Sri Lanka, India and China retrospectively; and Kukicha, Gyokuro and Tencha green teas harvested in Japan. Citrus fruits in the Lemon and Pink Grapefruit mixers are sourced from farms in southern Spain with the pink grapefruits coming from the Andalusia region and lemons from Murcia. "Instead of masking the individual flavours of spirits like tequila, gin and whisky, our mixers enhance them,” says co-founder James Simpson. “We want to encourage consumers to be adventurous.”

The Irishman Vintage Cask

Irish distiller Walsh Whiskey has released the 2020 vintage of The Irishman Vintage Cask, a rare cask strength Irish whiskey expression. A blend of aged single pot aged still and single malt, it is first matured in first-fill bourbon casks, non chill-filtered and cut to 55.2% abv. The Irishman Vintage Cask 2020 edition is the 12th release since it debuted in 2008 becoming the first triple-distilled Cask Strength Irish whiskey released in over half a century. This year’s vintage is limited to 3,500 bottles worldwide.

Ben Lomond Flavoured Gin

Ben Lomond Gin is tapping into the growing flavoured gin category with its first two flavoured releases. Raspberry & Elderflower and Blackberry & Gooseberry are made using wild botanicals, berries and florals found within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs region, where the distillery is located, including blackcurrants and locally foraged rowan berries from the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Other botanicals include juniper berries, coriander seeds; angelica root; fresh oranges; rose petals; Szechuan pepper; cassia bark; liquorice; and orris root. “The flavoured gin category continues to demonstrate strong growth, and this trend shows no sign of abating across the UK. With summer now here, these new releases will make a fantastic addition to our portfolio,” says John Grieveson, CMO of Loch Lomond Group, which produces Ben Lomond Gin. Both gins come in 50cl bottles.

World of Zing Cocktails

World of Zing has supercharged its range of pre-batch cocktails with the addition of 18 new varieties that are available for both the on and off-trade. New options have been designed to help businesses in a post-lockdown world and include single-serve cocktails and cocktail pouches that are ideal for takeaway, delivery and al fresco drinking. They include: Bordeaux Aged Negroni (24% abv) that is a blend of Tanqueray Gin, Campari, Rosso Vermouth and Zing Rosehip Bitters, aged with Bordeaux wine casks; a Salted Caramel Old Fashioned (29% abv) made with Bulleit Bourbon, Bulleit Rye, salted caramel, Sansho peppercorn and Wakame seaweed bitters; and Persian Lime & Nori Margarita (22% abv) that blends Ocho Tequila, Persian lime, nori seaweed and agave syrup.

Signature Brew C-Sharp

East London based brewery Signature Brew has developed a beer for the summer that packs a citrus punch. Called C-Sharp, it is a 4.5% abv Sicilian lemon and Citra hop sour that is slightly hazy yellow in appearance and which is gently acidic at first followed by lemon meringue with hints of lime and elderflower on the finish. The Walthamstow brewery is also bringing back its Festival Saison as a tribute to the festivals that have been cancelled this year because of the Coronavirus. The 4.8% abv beer is described as 'sunshine in a glass' and has dry, big-hop flavours and a fruity aroma.