Licensing World Spring 2017

Spring 2017

Culture Club

Brand Refresh for Iconic Mixer 4 Publicans Call Time on Good Friday Ban 5 Belfast Bar Removes Global Beer Brands 5 Pub Prices ‘Trend Upwards’ in 2017 8 Operation Transformation for Bulmers 24 Create Tasty Beer & Food Combos 34 Irish Whiskey Targets The Next Generation

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Contents

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NEWS

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LICENSING REFORM

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The craft beer and whiskey sectors are lobbying to ensure that their products have a starring role in campaigns to promote the island of Ireland tourism offering.

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COVER STORY

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Britvic's Club Mixers celebrate 165 years with a major relaunch of the iconic brand.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS The latest appointments and promotions at Heineken, Dalcassian Wines & Spirits, ProtĂŠgĂŠ International, and Teeling.

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BARFLY Powers & Dublin's publicans celebrate in style...JT Pim's hosts wild launch...Peroni presents La Primavera.

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GIN DIARY Bitter lessons at Zozimus and The Exchequer.

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FOOD PAIRING Liam Campbell elaborates on his three simple guidelines for publicans keen to create tasty food and beer combos.

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BRAND NEW

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WINE

TECHNOLOGY Why Bermar's latest wine preservation model is destined to become the system of choice for Irish bars.

SPIRIT WORLD New distilleries, bespoke tours, and the next generation of master distillers - the Irish whiskey success story continues.

Jean Smullen looks at what's trending for summer.

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PROFILE Orla Connolly reports on how Giltraps Townhouse in Offaly has successfully reinvented itself post recession.

Peter O'Connor on Diageo's decision to move into the premium Irish whiskey category.

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HOME BREWING Brew a special fruit ale with Smithwick's.

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Editor's Letter

The Licensed Vintners Association kicked off its bicentenary celebrations in style on March 31st with its 'Hooley in the House' gala event in Dublin's Mansion House. Over 500 publicans and suppliers to the trade packed the Round Room to mark the occasion.

The presentation of the inaugural Best of the Best Pubs in Dublin Award 2017, as voted for by Dublin's publicans, was one of the highlights of the event. The top accolade went to Kehoe's of South Anne Street, with owner Louis Fitzgerald accepting the award. Enda Keogh of Peter's Pub in Johnson Place was presented with the runner up award. David Chawke's The Bank, on College Green, was the inaugural winner of the Best of the Best Pubs for Food award. The Old Spot on Bath Avenue claimed the runner up prize.

These new Licensed Vintners Association annual awards are in memory of former publican and founder of the Porterhouse Group, Oliver Hughes, who passed away last year. Oliver's children Holly and Elliott Hughes joined LVA Chair Deirdre Devitt to present the awards to the winners, who were selected from over 550 pubs throughout Dublin.

Oliver, who was also a former Chair of the LVA, was described on the night by Deirdre as 'a publican, brewer, distiller and friend.' He was also an industry pioneer and innovator who could anticipate trends well in advance of his peers. The LVA celebratory event was a reminder of how far the licensed trade in Ireland has come and of the innovation and pioneering spirit that is now characteristic of publicans in Dublin and throughout the country.

There are major legislative changes ahead, as well as ongoing cost pressures.

Like other industries, publicans face an uncertain economic and political environment following Britain's triggering of Article 50. However, despite all of these challenges, the Irish pub, and the licensed trade in general, has much to celebrate, and much to look forward to in the years ahead.

Licensing

WORLD Editor: Maev Martin Editorial and Production Director: Mary Connaughton Creative Director: Jane Matthews Designer: Antoinette Sinclair Production: Nicole Ennis Stock Photography: iStock.com Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, D7.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 1393-0826 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Š Ashville Media Group 2016. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Licensing World. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 1393-0826

VISIT US ONLINE www.licensingworld.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BarOfTheYear #SkyBarAwards16 FIND US ON FACEBOOK For information on the Bar of the Year Awards and the Hotel & Catering Review Awards please visit our dedicated Facebook pages

Maev Martin Editor email: maev.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com tel: 01 432 2271

www.facebook.com /BarOfTheYearAwards www.facebook.com /TheHotelCateringReview

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BE THE LATEST SIGNING! FOR

PREMIER LEAGUE PUBS

Carling, a Top 5 Beer in Ireland’s On Trade* is now Official Beer of the Premier League.

To celebrate this partnership we are offering Carling stockists a season long support package worth up to €10,000** **Terms and Conditions apply.

Support Includes: • Premier League fixture kits • Regular promotion activity • Ticket giveaways for staff • Social media content • Point of sale and much more...

For more information about becoming an Official Carling Premier League Pub contact Molson Coors on 01 6510876 or your local Molson Coors Field Sales Representative.

*Source AC Nielsen On Trade MAT January 2017.

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News

NEWS ROUND-UP PUBLICANS CALL TIME ON GOOD FRIDAY BAN Publicans all over the country are calling on the Government to amend the licensing laws to permit all licensed premises to trade normally on Good Friday. The two main representative groups, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, have described the current law which prohibits the sale of alcohol on Good Friday as "archaic and discriminatory".

On February 23rd, the LVA welcomed the introduction of an amendment to the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2017 by Independent Senator Billy Lawless. The amendment, co-sponsored by Senators Michael McDowell, Victor Boyhan and Gerard Craughwell, calls for the lifting of the current ban on all licensed premises to sell alcohol on Good Friday. Padraig Cribben, CEO of the VFI, has pointed out that, for many publicans, Friday accounts for 30% of their weekly business - and this is especially true of bank holiday weekends. The LVA and the VFI are calling on the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald to introduce the necessary legislation in time for Easter 2017 and to avoid further procrastination by deferring it to the Sale of Alcohol Bill.

(l-r): LVA Chair Deirdre Devitt of the Two Sisters pub in Terenure with VFI President Pat Crotty of the Paris,Texas bar and restaurant in Kilkenny.

JÄGERMEISTER ON THE HUNT FOR IMITATORS A recent landmark court case win by Norfolk Trading Standards in the UK against a city centre bar which was found guilty of ‘passing off’ Jägermeister has highlighted the need for greater awareness and education among the trade and consumers. The city centre bar in Norwich was fined in excess of £16,000 for deceiving the public and for misusing Jägermeister trademarks on their promotional material in outlet. This recent UK court case brought to life the issue of ‘passing off’, which is serving consumers, without notifying them, what they are led to believe is genuine Jägermeister, but in fact is an imitation product. “Practices such as ‘passing off’ damage the Jägermeister brand, as well as that of the offending licensee who will build mistrust among their consumers,” says Dr Finke, Head of Raw Materials & Manufacturing at Jägermeister. “We are extremely lucky that the licensees we work with are responsible business owners, and we will continue to work to ensure that we are supporting them, and increasing the education surrounding the dos and dont's and their responsibility in this area in keeping with the law."

Bars Benefit from Contactless Payments LVA member pubs and bars have been benefiting from discounted rates on contactless card payment terminals since last December. Card payment provider BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA) and the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) entered a new partnership that saw the BOIPA become the preferred payments platform for the LVA’s 600 Dublin pubs and bars ahead of 2016's festive season. Since entering the market two years ago, BOIPA has provided card payment and contactless facilities for many of Dublin’s leading pubs, bars and nightclubs. Cashless transactions in Ireland are currently valued at over 35bn. LVA member, John Gleeson of Gleeson’s of Booterstown, says that cashless has become the preferred method of payment for their customers in the past two years. (l-r): Brian Cleary, Managing Director of BOI Payment Acceptance, John Gleeson of Gleeson’s of Booterstown, and Donall O’Keefe, Chief Executive of the Licensed Vintners Association.

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Pub Prices 'Trend Upwards' in 2017 CBRE Ireland has released statistics on the volume and value of pub sales in the Dublin market in 2016, which shows that a total of 30 pub properties were sold for more than 443m during the last year. The previous year, 2015, saw 35 pub sales in Dublin totalling 440m between them. Some notable Dublin pub properties that were sold in the last 12 months include The Grafton Lounge, later reopened as Lemon & Duke, Kennedy's on Westland Row in Dublin 2, Howl at the Moon on Mount Street in Dublin 2, and Kennedy's in Drumcondra in Dublin 9. The average Dublin pub price in 2016 was 41.44m and CBRE expects the average sale price to increase further in 2017. CBRE is also predicting that up to 40 pubs will change hands in Dublin in 2017 and that a limited supply in the city centre is expected to drive demand for suburban pubs over the next 12 months.

BELFAST BAR REMOVES GLOBAL BEER BRANDS One of Belfast’s longest standing public houses has taken the bold move of removing the majority of its international beer brands in favour of showcasing products from local breweries. The Sunflower bar re-opened under new management in 2012 but there has been a bar on this spot for over 100 years. The bar has earned a reputation for its diverse entertainment line-up, featuring everything from poetry readings to live music. A well-known face within the industry, Pedro Donald, owner of Sunflower, has worked in the hospitality sector for over 30 years. His decision to overhaul the bar’s range of draught beers, is a definite departure from the norm. “The licensed trade in Northern Ireland has always been restricted by the tied house phenomenon that excludes competition and only promotes the big multinational’s brands, which in turn has meant that the trade’s offering to the public has been somewhat generic," says Pedro. "I firmly believe that consumers are completely fed up with the same standard offerings and now they want something different. I also believe that we now have some amazing local craft breweries here in Ireland that deserve to have their brands showcased.” Northern Ireland has 27 local craft breweries. The Hercules Brewing Company is one of the breweries chosen by Pedro to adorn the bar counter in Sunflower, with their Yardsman Original Double Stout now pouring as the venue’s only stout of choice. “The Yardsman Original Double Stout is a fabulous beer and it is brewed here in Belfast, and is made using all natural, local ingredients with traditional brewing methods," says Pedro. "We are in Belfast so why not offer a Belfast stout rather than a Dublin one?” Sunflower’s tap range, which is now almost exclusively local, will carry craft beers from across Ireland, including ranges from Hilden, Ireland’s oldest independent brewery, Farmageddon, Northbound, Clearsky and Kinnegar, as well as a locally produced cider, McIvor's, from Armagh.

A BEER WITH ATTITUDE Barry and Fitzwilliam have been appointed as the Irish distributor for New Yorker Lager by D&P Europe. With 4.2% alcohol by volume, New Yorker Fine Lager Beer is light and has a pale, golden colour.

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ENTRIES NOW OPEN! ENTER NOW at www.licensingworld.ie Got a query Call 01 4322201 Or email jacinta.orourke@ashville.com

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News

OPERATION TRANSFORMATION FOR BULMERS

Above, the new Outcider brand.

Below, Belinda Kelly, Marketing Director for Bulmers.

Bulmers has transformed its brand, with all references to ‘time’ and ‘time honoured traditions’ completely discarded. Instead, a new advertising campaign scans the scene at a Dublin party. Using statistics to make sharp observations about life in Ireland, the ads show a DJ who has only an eight per cent clue what the buttons on his decks do, while a guy in a suit having a boogie is 99% sure he is at the wrong party. But regardless of the statistics, there is always one thing that is 100% Irish – Bulmers. The new Bulmers TV ad went live on St Patrick’s Day and, to accompany the launch, Bulmers' packaging has also been completely revamped. The new Bulmers Original copper-toned packaging reflects the liquid colour of the cider. Bulmers Original is available on draught, in a pint bottle, 330ml bottle, and 500ml cans. Bulmers Light, with the same ABV of 4.5% but with just 92 calories, will mirror the new look and feel of Bulmers Original, but with a silver colour palette. Bulmers has also launched a new, sweeter cider called Outcider. The brand's in your face artwork has been designed by Dublin graffiti artist, James Earley. It is now available in the on-trade on draught and in the off-trade in 500ml can and eight-pack can formats, with an ABV of 4.5%.

Carling Signs Up for Premier League With a global audience of over five billion, the Premier League is the most watched football league in the world. Carling, the official beer of the Premier League, is launching Carling Premier League Pubs, which will offer Carling stockists season long support worth up to 10,000 (terms and conditions apply). Support ranges from bespoke venue branding to Premier League promotions and social media content. "With over 250 Premier League games to be televised live this year, the Carling Premier League Pubs initiative is aiming to create a community of venues with a best in class sports watching experience for customers," says Ronan O'Hagan of Molson Coors. "Also, the addition of Friday night games will give pubs a further opportunity to maximise this after work occasion. By enhancing the live football watching experience, Carling stockists have a unique opportunity to increase engagement with customers and leverage the most watched league in the world." For more details, contact Molson Coors on 01 651 0876 or your local Molson Coors Field Sales Reoresentative.

Launching the initiative at The Two Sister’s Pub in Terenure are (l-r) Seán Moynihan, CEO of Alone, Ann Marie Phillips, Diageo Channel Director On Trade, Tony McCarthy, Kilmainham Befriender, Kathleen Foster, Naas, Anne McAuley, Terenure, Deirdre Devitt, Owner of the Two Sisters Pub and LVA Chair, Noel Murphy, Kilmainham, and Annette Egan, Ranelagh.

LVA ANNOUNCE ALONE INITIATIVE The LVA announced details last month of a new community initiative with Alone, the charity that supports older people living on their own at home.

The LVA aims to raise 200,000 for the charity through the fundraising initiative. To support the initiative, Guinness has brewed a limited edition beer, ‘Dublin Amber Pale Ale’. A joint donation of fifty cent for each pint of ‘Dublin Amber’ sold in participating pubs will be made to Alone by Guinness and the publican to support the expansion of its ‘Befriending Services’. The aim of the service is to enhance the lives of older people by introducing them to volunteer ‘Befrienders’ who will provide them with companionship. ‘Dublin Amber’ has been available on draught in hundreds of pubs across Dublin since March for a limited time.

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Licensing Reform

Ireland

A Drink Tourism Destination Efforts to promote Ireland as a food tourism destination have been underway for a number of years. Now the craft beer and Irish whiskey sectors are lobbying to ensure that their products have a starring role in campaigns to promote the island of Ireland's tourism offering. Maev Martin reports.

O

n December 7th, the Irish Whiskey Association launched its Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy in the Irish Whiskey Museum on Grafton Street. The Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland were hot on their heels with an event just a stones throw away in Porterhouse Central on Nassau Street where they launched proposed legislation which they believe will boost craft beer tourism.

Irish whiskey is now the fastest growing spirit drink in the world. According to a report published by the Irish Whiskey Association in December 2016, Irish whiskey experienced double digit growth and record exports of 400m in 2015.

Global sales of Irish whiskey have been growing by double digits since the mid1990s. The IWA's strategy sets out how Ireland can become the world leader in whiskey tourism by 2030. The strategy forecasts that the future of Irish whiskey tourism is dependent on a collaboration of local communities and state agencies supporting the growth of Irish whiskey distilleries and visitor centres around the island. It proposes innovative ideas, including the establishment of an allisland whiskey trail that will attract a significant number of tourists to Ireland,

similar to the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, which attracts nearly a million tourists every year. It highlights the importance of working with tourism bodies to develop the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth, and recommends

the development of a hospitality embassy network connected to the Irish whiskey trail. It believes that this will make it easier for visitors to undertake specialist whiskey tours, while extending the benefits of whiskey tourism to local businesses and

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Licensing Reform

cultural hubs around each distillery. For example, the Scotch whisky embassy network has created 1,370 jobs and contributes over Stg£43m to the local economy.

"With these support systems and solid foundation structures in place, Ireland will be able to offer an even more distinctive all Ireland-whiskey product with global appeal, setting it on the path to become the world leader in whiskey tourism by 2030," says Miriam Mooney, Head of the Irish Whiskey Association. “In 2013 there were just four distilleries in Ireland.

Today there are 16 in production and 13 in planning in 18 counties across Ireland.

With national and local government support, Irish whiskey tourism has the potential to grow from 653,277 visitors every year up to 1.9 million visitors by 2025, spending an estimated 1.3bn every year."

Speaking at the launch of the whiskey tourism strategy, Chairman of the Irish Whiskey Association, and CEO of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, Bernard Walsh said that the growing success of Irish whiskey internationally and an outstanding whiskey visitor performance to date means Ireland has the potential to become the world's number one whiskey tourism destination. "But to become the number one whiskey tourism destination in the world, Ireland will have to compete against its biggest rival, Scotland," he said. "We have 653,000 visitors coming to Ireland's whiskey visitor centres.

Bearing in mind that we have only had five key visitor centres, we are just finding our feet. In Scotland, on the other hand, their visitor numbers are 1.4 million. One in every five visitors to Scotland goes to see a distillery during their trip. They've got 109 distilleries, with about 60 of those having a visitor centre, so we're ahead of the game in terms of the numbers we're getting to visit the few distilleries we have.

There's a great opportunity to become number one in the world very quickly, but in order for the industry to grow we need more distilleries, new tastes, and variations." Bernard also pointed out that our current excise rates mean that a bottle of Irish whiskey that costs 42 in Ireland costs just 27 in the US. "This makes no sense in the context of encouraging whiskey tourism," he says. "Also, new proposals under the Public Health Alcohol Bill will restrict the new entrants and smaller distillers that are needed to promote sustainability through depth and diversity in the Irish whiskey category and so stymie growth in the sector.”

Meanwhile, whiskey producers in Northern Ireland are backing the call by the IWA for an internationally-marketed whiskey trail, similar to Ireland’s tourismfocused Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East. Old Bushmill’s Distillery in Co Antrim, the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, already attracts around 150,000 visitors annually and has plans to create a new interactive visitor centre as part of an Stg£30m investment in Ireland’s historic distillery, now owned

by Jose Cuervo, the market leading Mexican tequila producer. Echlinville, Northern Ireland's most recent licensed distillery and Ireland’s only single estate whiskey, recently opened a visitor centre at Kircubbin, Co Down. “Our visitor centre is proving increasingly popular especially with international tourists," says Echlinville's founder and Managing Director Shane Braniff. "We’d certainly welcome an initiative to develop an allIreland whiskey trail. It would be great for the industry and for the wider economy here.”

The Craft Beer 'Hopportunity' Having announced the legislation the previous week, Alan Kelly TD officially launched the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2016 (Breweries and Distilleries) at

"...Ireland will be able to offer an even more distinctive all Ireland whiskey product with global appeal, setting it on the path to become the world leader in whiskey tourism by 2030..."

Miriam Mooney, Head of the Irish Whiskey Association.

Porterhouse Central on Nassau Street on December 7th. The Bill aims to boost craft beer tourism in Ireland by removing a major regulatory barrier for breweries, microbreweries, cider makers and distilleries. The Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Bill 2016 would allow these businesses to sell their own produce to tourists and other visitors on site, which is not the case under current licensing laws.

"Microbreweries are in operation in 23 of the 26 counties and many of these distilleries, breweries and microbreweries are also major tourist attractions that welcome visitors and offer guided tours, and owners say there is a substantial demand for craft beer tasting on site," said Alan Kelly. "However, the ability to fully capitalise on this potential for ‘craft-beer tourism’ is being hampered by current licensing regulations, which require producers to have a pub license or an off-licence to sell their produce, made on site, to tourists and visitors. For example, can you imagine a situation existing in Italy, France or Spain, where tourists visiting vineyards are prevented from purchasing wine at the end of their tour? This was the most common issue highlighted by microbreweries as a barrier to development in a recent report for the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland and Bord Bia. The legislation that I am proposing would rectify that, and be of enormous benefit to the smaller scale and local producers in particular, as well as small batch distilleries and cider makers."

The Bill includes safeguards such as time restrictions of between 10am and 6pm for sales, and fines to ensure owners don’t sell alcohol that is not brewed on site. And there’s a clause preventing the license holders from applying for the types of exemptions and/or extensions to opening hours that pubs and clubs, for example, can apply for. “The objective here is simple- to remove a regulatory barrier to growth and support an expanding industry in Ireland,” he said.

The Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2016 (Breweries and Distilleries) was read in the Dáil on Thursday, March 23rd.

"The second stage debate in the Dáil went well," says Gráinne Walsh of Metalman Brewing Co. "It received unanimous support - everyone in the

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Licensing Reform

craft brewers, cider makers and distillers that included Gráinne Walsh and Seamus O'Hara, Chief Executive of Carlow Brewing Co.

Dáil is interested in seeing the Bill go forward - and it has now passed to the committee review stage, at which point amendments will be proposed.

Speaking in the Dáil on March 23rd, Joan Burton expressed a desire that everyone move the legislation along as quickly as possible, so we are optimistic that the legislation may be in place before the Dáil breaks up this summer. We are cautiously optimistic that, given the support

behind it, the government will move the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2016 (Breweries and Distilleries) through as quickly as possible because it is great for tourism, great for jobs and great for rural Ireland."

Speakers at the December 7th launch who endorsed the proposed legislation included John Mulcahy of Fáilte Ireland and food writer John McKenna, as well as a panel of Irish

Like the craft beer brewers and distillers in the Republic of Ireland, craft brewers in Northern Ireland are campaigning for a change in the region’s licensing laws to help the industry’s continuing growth.

They want to be able to sell online, from their own premises, and at the many farmers’ and food markets across Northern Ireland. They want to be able to sell freely alongside other artisan food producers, without a special licence.

The region currently has almost 40 craft breweries producing a wide range of ales, beers and stouts for the local market, with several selling in the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and further afield.

The campaign to modernise the licensing laws is being supported by Food NI, the region’s food promotion body, as well as Hospitality Ulster.

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Cover Story

Lifting Spirits With Major Relaunch

Britvic's Club Mixers range has played a central role in Irish pub culture since 1852.

This year, to celebrate the portfolio's 165th birthday, Britvic has re-launched the iconic brand across the island of Ireland with, among other things, new packaging, an improved tonic recipe, and a refreshed brand identify.

An Iconic Tonic The Club Mixers portfolio offers a wide range of flavours that are best enjoyed served chilled, over ice, and with your garnish of choice. It includes tonics, as well as soda water, lemonade, bitter lemon and the classic ginger ale. All of these liquids have been developed and enhanced following extensive consumer consultation. For its tonics range, Club listened to both customers and consumers to develop great tasting tonics to lift consumer’s spirits - in both senses of the word. Club’s new tonics are skilfully blended with crisp citrus notes and balanced with a distinct fizz. Similarly, the Slimline Tonic is based on the original recipe and has a crisp and refreshing taste, but with fewer calories per sip and the Club Mixers' soda water is both bubbly and refreshing.

Inventor of Ginger Ale in Belfast Club Mixers Irish heritage goes back to Belfast in 1852 when Club invented a world first - ginger ale. During the 1850s, ginger beer was widely available and often cloudy due to the residues of brewing - and it had a stronger ginger taste.

The Club Belfast team perfected the production of ginger ale with its signature

dark colour, sweet taste, strong ginger spice flavour, and smooth liquid. Club Ginger Ale went on to be marketed with 'The Original Makers of Ginger Ale' embossed on its bottles. At the time, local doctors described it as 'sparkling and clear as the choicest champagne,' and as having 'a most agreeable odour, perfectly free from any intoxicating quality, and yet eminently warming and invigorating, pleasant to the taste and pleasant to look at.' Ginger Ale was added to many of the soda waters and tonics that Club produced at that time.

In fact, Club Soda and Club Ginger Ale were globally recognised for their quality and awarded 32 gold medals at exhibitions in Paris, Jamaica, Liverpool and New York during the 1890s.

Following the worldwide recognition and awards, Club Mixers were embraced by the White Star Line and sold on the Titanic.

Mixers Relaunch The Club Mixers 2017 brand re-launch includes new packaging, an improved tonic recipe, two iconic bottles in the shape of 125ml and 200ml, and a refreshed brand identity that will be

supported through-the-line. “The new non-returnable Club Mixers bottle is modern, with a sleek design that features broad confident shoulders on the bottle neck, accompanied by 1852 embossed on the end of the bottle to add to the premium finish,” says Stephen Cramp, Marketing Controller, Britvic Ireland.

“The 200ml format is one of the market’s fastest growing SKUs as it offers customers a convenient size to cater for both single and double measures. Club will now be available in this 200ml format across a range of variants, including Tonic, Slimline Tonic, Soda water and Ginger Ale. The new bottles are complemented by new livery across the range that use metallic labels which reflect the premium quality of the liquid contained inside. The new livery has bold, strong colours which, coupled with the metallic labels on both the body and neck, allow the bartender to easily navigate through the range on the back bar. As well as introducing beautiful metallic-finished labels, Club have increased the over panel size of the label for maximum impact.” These new non-returnable 125ml and 200ml bottles are available in cases of 24. “The Club Mixers brand has an incredible heritage

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Cover Story

“The new bottles and improved liquid will be available from April onwards and can be ordered through your Counterpoint Representative.”

dating back to 1852, so what better time to celebrate that than on the year of our 165th year anniversary,” says Stephen.

“We really believe that our improved liquids, coupled with our strong range, new non-returnable bottles and new look and feel, will help to lift Irish spirits.”

Category Investment To further grow and excite the category, Club Mixers will be supported by a significant marketing campaign that will include experiential and sampling marketing, consumer PR, trade press, point of purchase communications, and digital support. During the summer, Club Mixers will be showcasing its improved liquid and bottle to consumers at several events. “This move is the first in a series of investments that are in the pipeline as Club Mixers looks to reconnect with the consumer through the brand's unique heritage, new look, improved liquids and support plan,” says Stephen. “The new bottles and improved liquid will be available from April onwards and can be ordered through your Counterpoint Representative. Club Mixers are the perfect accompaniment to spirits, expertly designed to blend deliciously with gins, vodkas and whiskeys, or even to be enjoyed on their own over ice.

Why not try the new Club Tonic with your gin of choice, served over ice, with a slice of cucumber and cracked black peppercorns, or Club Ginger Ale with your favourite Irish whiskey, garnished with a wedge of lemon - and plenty of ice.”

“The new livery has bold, strong colours which, coupled with the metallic labels on both the body and neck, allow the bartender to easily navigate through the range on the back bar.”

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Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers New Heads at Heineken

Radina Shkutova

nal FI’s

Alison McMahon

Alison McMahon has been appointed as Head of Innovation for Heineken Ireland, reporting directly to Marketing Director, Radina Shkutova. Radina Shkutova was announced as the new Marketing Director of Heineken Ireland on December 8th. She joins from the Heineken Zagorka Brewery in Bulgaria where she most recently held the role of Marketing Director. Alison has been with Heineken for 13 years, joining in 2004 as Marketing Planning and Coordination Manager, where she worked on portfolio strategy development. In her next role as On Trade Channel Manager, she led the channel strategy and managed the execution of portfolio activation plans. As Category Strategy & Development Manager, Alison led several key category initiatives such as the introduction of Heineken Star Serve and front end innovation. Most recently, she held the position of Business Strategy Manager, which saw her drive the business strategy agenda within Heineken Ireland. Before joining Heineken Ireland, Alison held various marketing positions in Dairygold Consumer Foods. Her replacement as Business Strategy Manager will be announced in the coming weeks. Radina started her Heineken career in 2005 as Brand Manager on Heineken and global brands. In her prior role, Radina and her team drove significant business growth for Heineken Bulgaria, building a strong portfolio and achieving the leading position in the premium segment. Under her leadership, the cider category was shaped with the introduction of Strongbow in 2015. This was followed by the introduction of Apple Thief cider in 2016, which was based on Heineken Ireland’s Orchard Thieves. Spearheaded by Radina, it was launched within a six week window and delivered an impressive 25% market share of the cider category in year one.

She was awarded the prestigious 'Advertiser of the Year' award in Bulgaria in 2014 and 2016.

Steve To Drive Route 66 Expansion Protégé International have announced the appointment of Steve Wilkinson as CEO of the company's beer division. Steve will lead the review and expansion of the Route 66 premium beer brand in the US and internationally. As CEO he will work with the brand owners to grow the team, expand the portfolio, and significantly broaden distribution. A veteran of the brewing industry, Steve has a wide range of experience, including senior roles with Guinness, Pilsner Urquell and SABMiller. “Given the recent consolidation of brand ownership in the beer world, where over 40% of all beer now sold is made by one group, the potential for our beer portfolio, spearheaded by Route 66 premium beer, becomes ever greater in offering real choice and quality to the consumer," says Andre Levy, Chairman, Protégé International.“Through his experience, energy and passion for great quality beer, Steve will bring an immediate new dimension to the Route 66 brand and to the other beers due to be introduced later this year.”

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Movers & Shakers

Teeling Ambassador Named 'Industry Legend'

Kevin Hurley

Teeling Whiskey's Global Brand Ambassador, Kevin Hurley scooped the award for ‘Industry Legend of the Year’ at the 2016 Irish Craft Cocktail Awards, which recognise outstanding achievements in the Irish cocktail industry. The ‘Industry Legend of the Year’ award recognises an exceptional individual who, in their professional life, has made a stellar contribution to the Irish cocktail industry by playing a crucial role in improving the quality of the country’s bars, bartenders and cocktails. As the 2016 recipient of this award, Kevin will now be inducted into the Irish Craft Cocktail Awards Hall of Fame. Kevin was appointed Global Brand Ambassador of Teeling Whiskey in 2015, having previously worked in the Irish drinks industry for over 15 years. He has managed some of Dublin’s finest cocktail establishments, including the Liquor Rooms. While Kevin was at the helm, The Liquor Rooms became the first Irish bar to be nominated in the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, which are considered to be the world’s top authority on mixology.

Dalcassian Strengthens Management Team Dalcassian Wines & Spirits has announced further expansion with three senior appointments. Co Down native Frank O’Hanlon takes up the role of Commercial Sales Manager following 30 years working in the licensed trade north and south of the country. Frank spent 27 years with Diageo Ireland heading up sales and commercial management roles in both the on and off-trade. Prior to joining Dalcassian Wines & Spirits, Frank held senior management roles in Dillon Bass (NI) and Counterpoint Wholesale.

Frank will lead the 30-strong sales team in (l-r): Lisa Deveney, Frank O'Hanlon, John Dillon, and Julie McMahon. business development and expansion across their 100-plus wine and spirit brand portfolio.

Julie McMahon has been appointed Wine Trade Marketing Manager representing in excess of 40 premium wine Spirits, co-ordinating all marketing activity across the company ranges in both the on and off-trade. Julie joined Dalcassian and working directly on activation and execution with the sales Wines & Spirits in 2011 as an Area Sales Manager, later taking team. Lisa joins from PepsiCo where she spent over seven years up the role of Regional Sales Manager. Prior to joining the on the trade marketing team, focusing on the snack side of the company, Julie spent over 11 years working in the hospitality business and representing brands including Walkers, Doritos and sector and in hotel management in Ireland and abroad, holding Tropicana. She previously worked in the wine business as a Sales roles in Buswells Hotel in Dublin and in the Sea Pires Resort in Representative for Kelly Wines. She holds both intermediate South Carolina. Julie is the third generation of her family to work and advanced WSET qualifications. Dalcassion Wines & Spirits' in the industry, following in the footsteps of her grandparents and portfolio includes Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Walsh her own parents, who worked in IDL, Gilbeys and Diageo. Lisa whiskeys, Diplomatico rum and Jaffelin, Wakefield, Elvaro and Deveney is the new Marketing Manager for Dalcassian Wines & Astoria wines.

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Ad Template.indd 36 242191_1C_Heineken_LW.indd 1

10/04/2017 01/03/2017 10:24 11:31

INTRODUCING THE NEW HEINEKEN HERO THE HEINEKEN STAR GLASS We are delighted to announce a new tall, sleek glass, specifically created for the Irish market and offering a fresh take on previous branded glassware.

We have enhanced the nucleation in the glass to ensure optimum head height all the way down the pint. The new glass maintains its nod to our rich heritage via the iconic star and brand name embossed across the lower section of the glass.

Created using toughened glass to ensure optimal quality and durability, with the aim of increasing the lifespan of the glass, it has proved to be a huge success to date and will be rolled out to all On Trade customers by the end of March 2017.

‘QUALITY IS VITAL, THAT’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE BEER IS ALWAYS SERVED IN THE CORRECT GLASS.’ Paul Flannery, Flannery’s Bar Limerick

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10/04/2017 15/03/2017 10:23 11:39

ar y

The Social Network Willie Ahern, The Palace, Joe O' Rourke, The Old Punchbowl, and Gerry Cooley, Dublin Tour Guide.

David Morrissey and Liam Lahart of The Porterhouse Group

John Hoyne, The Brazen Head, Eamon McCormack, The Merrion Inn and John Gleeson, Gleeson’s of Booterstown

Celebrating Powers & The Dublin Pub

L

ast month Powers Irish whiskey launched Powers 1817 Release, a special limited edition whiskey commemorating this year’s bicentenary of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the rich heritage of the Dublin pub.

Powers 1817 Release is a 10-yearold, single pot still Irish whiskey.

Triple distilled and non-chill filtered, it personifies the style of whiskey that was prevalent in the pubs of Dublin in 1817 at the foundation of the LVA. The special whiskey has been bottled exclusively for Dublin pubs for this year only. It was appropriate that the launch took place in Hedigan's pub in Glasnevin. Owner Michael Hedigan was chairman of the LVA from 1987 to 1988 and, so far, three generations of Hedigans have managed the pub.

Speaking at the launch, LVA Chair Deirdre Devitt said that Hedigan's pub is renowned for its white label whiskey.

“Powers and Dublin’s pubs share a proud history and heritage that began in and continued through the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th century, the dark days of decline in the 20th

century and has continued with the return to the glory days and the new renaissance of Irish whiskey in the 21st century," said Powers Brand Manager Claire Henry. Irish Distillers Managing Director Louise Ryan told guests that a visit to the Dublin pub is the best place to experience an Irish whiskey and the best place to recruit the next generation of whiskey drinkers. Also celebrated on the night was the LVA's strong and long-standing relationship with Irish Distillers. John Power, son of the founder of Powers, was an LVA member in 1818. In fact, throughout its history the Powers brand has been an integral part of the Dublin pub experience, a relationship which began in 1791 when founder and publican James Powers set up shop on Johns Lane off Thomas Street in Dublin’s Liberties. He began distilling his own whiskey and, as one of the first Dublin distilleries to bottle in house, Powers chose to work with Dublin publicans to build a brand, continuing to supply whiskey directly by barrel as well as by bottle.

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Derry Kealy, Kealy’s Bar, Noel Anderson of The Bridge and Lemon & Duke, Charlie Chawke, Chawke Group, and Michael Hedigan, Brian Boru.

(l-r): Historian Eamon Casey, Michael Maguire, Irish Distillers, Michael Carr, Powers Ambassador, Donall O Keeffe, LVA CEO, and Cormac Murphy, Irish Distillers.

Tom O'Brien, The Ferryman, Charlie Chawke, The Chawke Group and John Gleeson, Gleeson’s of Booterstown

10/04/2017 09:55

ar y

Glendalough Distillery founders Brian Fagan, Gary McLoughlin, Kevin Keenan and Barry Gallagher.

Wild Launch at JT Pims

T

he newest addition to Glendalough Distillery's award-winning gin collection, Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin, was launched in JT Pims in Dublin on January 31st where guests sipped it in a wild Irish G&T with Poachers Tonic, just one of a menu of craft cocktails paired with venison and pork belly canapés. Guests included some of the finest mixologists in Dublin. Bottled at 41% ABV, Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin is presented in the distillery's distinctive packaging complete with the outstretched figure of Saint Kevin. Wild Botanical Gin is produced in the same small batch, artisanal method as the company's seasonal gins.

Peroni Presents La Primavera

A

celebration of the start of spring, La Primavera is marked in Italy with flower and food festivals that take place during ‘Festa della Primavera’. This year, Peroni Nastro Azzurro brought La Primavera to Dublin with a two-day pop-up market in Temple Bar's Meeting House Square on March 30th and 31st that was open to the public. Some of Dublin’s finest Italian eateries and artisan food suppliers unveiled seasonal offerings at the market. Participating eateries included Luna, Dublin Pizza Company, and A Mano, a specialist pop-up dedicated to fresh, handmade gnocchi. Luna served its Italian salume, while seasonal Irish and Italian produce formed the basis of the wood-fired Neapolitan pizza from Dublin Pizza Company.

A Mano dished up handmade, fresh gnocchi, served with sauces made using locally-sourced meats and seasonal vegetables. Peroni Nastro Azzurro global brand ambassador, Dublin-based Federico Riezzo, designed a special Peroni infusion to celebrate La Primavera, which he served at the bar.

The La Primavera infusion combined Peroni Nastro Azzurro, gin, dry Martini, elderflower cordial, chamomile and thyme syrup, orange blossom and lemon juice. It was garnished with a spring bouquet and finished with black pepper and jasmine oil. Peroni Nastro Azzurro on draught and bottles of Peroni Gluten Free were also available at the market.

Brand ambassador, Federico Riezzo, with the 'La Primavera' Peroni infusion.

Luna's Italian salume.

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WE SHARE A LONG HISTORY WITH THE LICENSED VINTNERS ASSOCIATION. HERE’S TO OUR SHARED FUTURES. Ad Template.indd 36 242254_DPS_Diageo_ALS_LW.indd 2

10/04/2017 01/03/2017 10:20 10:19

Our partnership with the Licensed Vintners Association over the last 200 years has strengthened with each passing year.

In fact, our commitment to you and to the Dublin pub has never wavered.

Our portfolio is founded on iconic, outstanding brands that are rich in heritage, strong in equity and consistently deliver unrivaled quality to you and your customers.

Our commitment to the future of brewing in Ireland and the Dublin pub is evident in both our state-of-the-art brewing facility in St. James’s Gate and our continued passion for quality and innovation in the drinks we supply to you. With a rich history, a passion for brewing and craftsmanship spanning 300 years, our best work is yet to come.

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10/04/2017 01/03/2017 10:21 10:19

Gin Diary

Can You Handle The

Bitter Truth?

Irish bartenders were out in force in March as Germany's The Bitter Truth and Ireland's Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, both represented in Ireland by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits, created some bespoke cocktails. Maev Martin spoke to The Bitter Truth founder Alexander Hauck shortly after he arrived in Dublin.

30 at the second,” says Alexander. “A masterclass runs for up to two hours and includes a Q&A session with the participants.”

Since The Bitter Truth’s inception in 2006, they have won multiple awards in the drinks industry and have grown their portfolio of products significantly.

Their first foray into production resulted in orange bitters and aromatic bitters, and they have since extended their range to include a much wider selection, from celery bitters to a violet liqueur.

The Aviation cocktail, featuring Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, The Bitter Truth violet liqueur, Lazaroni Maraschino liqueur and lemon juice.

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eading mixologists and bar owners from Dublin’s top cocktail and bar venues arrived in Zozimus and The Exchequer to attend one of Hauck’s two exclusive masterclasses where they witnessed the drinks’ genius in action. Alexander showcased his ‘Michelin Star’ menu of modern-day cocktails. For the Irish launch, he developed a series of cocktail recipes featuring the two super-premium brands, which have now been officially launched in Ireland. These include the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Garden and Tonic,

featuring The Bitter Truth and celery bitters, as well as lemon juice, mint and tonic water, and the cocktail Aviation, made from Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, The Bitter Truth violet liqueur, Lazaroni Maraschino liqueur and lemon juice. Alexander also created two special edition The Bittter Truth cocktails featuring other Dalcassian Wines & Spirits brands (Jeffersons Bourbon and Diplomatico Rum) - Peach Old Fashioned and Puka Beach Cocktail. “In Dublin we had 30 bartenders in attendance at our first masterclass and between 25 and

The Bitter Truth brand was invented by fellow barmen Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg in 2006 following a conversation about how difficult it was to source high quality cocktail bitters in Germany. Both bartenders had extensive knowledge of the various forms of bitters and Stephan owned a large collection of current and historical bitters, some of which hadn’t been produced for decades. “In 2006 there were few spirits brands available in Europe and there were almost no bitters available,” says Alexander. “Stephan was a collector of defunct bitters, including pre-Prohibition bitters, and these are the inspiration for the bitters we produce. Also, Stephan is a collector of old cocktail books from the 19th century which contain recipes for drinks, as well as the ingredients, so that was the second source of inspiration for our business. We then started experimenting.”

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Gin Diary

The Bitter Truth supplies up to 20 products in its regular line and has teamed up with brands such as Pernod Ricard, Havana Club and Beefeater to produce bitters to go specifically with their products. “These would be limited edition bitters for special occasions,” says Alexander. “For example, we did a dried fruit bitter for the well known Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai for its most expensive cocktail in the world, which they produced about seven or eight years ago. I can't remember how much the cocktail cost but we made four bottles of bitter for it, which was more than enough as they only sold 10 cocktails! It was an Old Fashioned cocktail which ended up in the Guinness Book of Records.”

The Bar's Spice Rack A big part of The Bitter Truth's bartender training is about giving bartenders information on the history of bitters.

Established in 1824 by a German doctor in Venezuela as a medicinal product for troops, Angostura is the most popular bitter brand on the market. “We run bartender training courses on the use of bitters because you need experience and education to use bitters correctly,” he says. “Bitters are the spice rack in a bar – if you don't use enough salt in a soup it tastes flat - and it is the same with bitters. Using bitters correctly is an art in itself. Our bitters and liqueurs are being sold in 60 markets. Big drinks companies don't produce bitters because they aren't big business. We are in steady communication with bartenders around the world, finding out what they need, so if they want a new product we can produce it quickly. Some big drinks companies do small lines of bitters but it isn't a big focus for them - and their bitters lack credibility because they make them available but don't provide the necessary training and support.”

Sophisticated Customers – And Bartenders With so many more spirit products becoming available on the market in recent years, as well as the current gin craze, the number of bitters has increased, especially in the US. “The cocktail scene is hugely popular now, in restaurants as well as in bars,” says Alexander. “Customers are more sophisticated and have a better awareness of quality, so bartenders

Alexander Hauck and Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin's PJ Rigney at the cocktail launch.

Peach Old Fashioned - one of two special edition The Bitter Truth cocktails featuring Dalcassian Wines & Spirits Jeffersons Bourbon.

are recommending the premium and super premium brands. Very often we are seeing more sophisticated and knowledgable bartenders. However, many bartenders still don't have a sufficiently detailed knowledge of drink and its origins.” He refers to a scene in the film Goldfinger where James Bond is drinking Cognac and he describes it as a bit 'bonbois', meaning that it has poor grape quality. “A lot of people wouldn't know what he meant unless they knew a bit about Cognac,” he says. “We are not just selling a product, but informing the industry about drinks, as well as bitters,

and we have to keep up to date with the latest trends. As a customer I saw a lot of bad bartenders and while I was working as a bartender I enjoyed making customers happy, particularly if that involved creating a good cocktail. The son of the owner of the iconic Harry's Bar in Venice, where the Bellini cocktail was invented, wrote a book about the bar. He said that the drinks industry is about serving, about making people happy, and not necessarily about serving the most expensive drink.

For me, the business of being a bartender is definitely not a craft, it is an art.” ■

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10/04/2017 09:57

Food Pairing

Find Your

Perfect Match The modern Irish pub offers an extraordinary degree of diversity in terms of both the food and drink available. Well known industry afficianado Liam Campbell elaborates on his three simple guidelines for publicans who want to create a few tasty beer and food combinations for punters.

T

he Irish pub has reinvented itself in so many ways since the 1960s when my father and his three siblings each ran their own pub in the west. I come from a family of five publicans but with just two now remaining, my cousin and namesake, Liam Campbell, who runs his late father's pub on Main Street in Swinford, Co Mayo, and my second cousin, Catherine Johnston, who runs the Liffey Arms in Newbridge, Co Kildare. In fact, I made my entry into the world in a home delivery on my father's new pub's opening day - a farmer's Fair Day in the bedroom above the bar. I think I cost my father more standing his new customers a round than he made that day! Anyway, enough reminiscing - the recent renaissance in Irish craft beers and the steady strong growth in quality pub meals and snacks share a similar theme of innovation and creativity.

Keep Your Balance Matching the weight or alcohol strength of a beer with the richness and intensity of a dish allows the two to balance each other. The richness in a beer can include not just alcohol but also the malt character and degree of roast, from pale malt to chocolate malt, and the presence of aromatic or bittering hops etc. A beer’s appearance, aroma, flavour and keeping ability is affected by hops. The 200 or so

different varieties of hops are divided between aroma hops and bittering hops, the latter giving an attractive bitterness, refreshing acidity and tannic texture to the taste buds. In the food, the richness increases with the level of fat, butter, cream, cheese etc, and food flavours are intensified depending on whether the ingredients are grilled, fried or roasted. The addition of spice will also enrich and highlight the dish’s flavours. Umami is the Japanese term for a savoury taste. It is found in mature cheese, roasted meat, mushrooms, cooked tomatoes and fatty fish. Umami is balanced best by a beer with hop bitterness, higher alcohol, carbonation, and dark roasted malt.

Common Connects Finding similar flavours or aromas is helpful and one can inspire the choice of a match for the other. The maltiness of a beer will balance with food’s spicy heat and acidity. For instance, a lemony chicken or fish dish in a creamy sauce has echoes of the citrus character in a Weissbier or wheat beer. Its refreshing crispness works with cutting the creamy sauce and refreshing the taste buds. Refreshment in a beer is both profitable as well as pleasurable. By cleansing the palate, the appetite is stimulated and a hungry customer keeps a kitchen happy. A slightly richer

malty beer, a red ale, could pick up on the nutty character of a cheddar cheese.

A spicy Saison is a good match for a tangy piquant dish, while a richer red ale or smoky stout and a smoked salmon or salty oysters each reflect the other’s top notes and greater richness and flavour intensity.

Opposites Attract Contrasts can be equally effective in pairings and sometimes more exciting in the surprisingly tasty results. To ensure that you don’t have two divas on the stage at the same time, look for combinations where the interaction of the beer highlights the dish and vice versa. Certain elements in beer and food interact with each other in very specific and predictable ways e.g. their bitterness, sweetness, carbonation, spicy heat and rich flavour intensity.

For instance, foods that are either sweet or rich in fat are ideally matched with a beer’s hop bitterness, sweetness, roasted level of malt, or alcohol strength.

A hop forward beer, e.g. an IPA, will emphasise the heat in a spice, especially if the heat comes from a chilli, and make it taste hotter. Whereas, a more malty beer will help take some of the sting out of the spice. A crisp pale ale will contrast well with a steak. Carbonation is also very effective at tackling richer and fattier dishes.

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Food Pairing

Publicans should also keep seasonality in mind. The dishes and beers should be lighter in summer and heavier in the winter. With salads and starters, lighter wheat beer and lagers work well. With main courses, focus on the main ingredient - meat, poultry or fish, how it is cooked and, finally, if it is spiced or sauced. Generally, the lighter the cooking process (poaching and grilling), the lighter the roast/toast of the malt for lagers, blonde and pale ales.

The more intense the cooking method (frying and roasting), the richer the malt in the beer (red ales and stouts).

Whenever in doubt, a safe all-rounder beer for most dishes is a Belgian-style Abbey Dubbel or Tripel. These beers have sufficient alcohol to be robust, but without any aggressive malt or hop character that would overwhelm most foods. A favourite practice of mine is to prepare a dish using some of the beer. For instance, lighten a batter for deep frying fish with a pale ale or lager, and deglaze the frying pan with the appropriate beer when making a

sauce. Don’t just reduce the beer as it will make it too bitter. Alternatively, use acidic beers in salad dressings as a substitute for vinegar and amber and brown beers for marinades. Finally, to end on a sweet note, desserts are often overlooked as some of the best beer companions.

Because most desserts are quite sweet and richly flavoured, beers need to have higher alcohol, at least over 6% ABV - for example, an apple pie matched with a Belgian Tripel. The sweeter the dessert, the more a hop forward beer is a good choice e.g. a Double IPA with cheesecake or carrot cake. On the dark side, chocolate-based desserts and Imperial Stouts support each other. Enjoy experimenting and keep notes.

Acknowledgements: Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher was a great source of information when I studied for my Diploma in Craft Beer and Cider with Beer Heaven/National OffLicence Association of Ireland (2016).

About the Author Liam Campbell has been a member of the judging panel at a number of prestigious awards around the world, including Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Michelangelo International Wine Competition, South Africa, Bacchus International Wine Competition, Madrid, the International Taste & Quality Institute, Brussels, and the Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards. An approved educator and invigilator to WSET Level 2 and Level 3 courses, Liam is a member and former council member of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers.

“...A hop forward beer, e.g. an IPA, will emphasise the heat in a spice, especially if the heat comes from a chilli, and make it taste hotter...A crisp pale ale will contrast well with a steak.

Carbonation is also very effective at tackling richer and fattier dishes.”

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10/04/2017 10:00

Brand New

Riding the

Premium Spirits Growth Wave

Irish produced whiskey has never been as popular, garnering international acclaim and recognition. Maev Martin talks to Diageo Brand Ambassador and Master of Whiskey Peter O'Connor about the drinks giant's decision to move into the premium Irish whiskey category.

D

iageo recently launched a new premium blended Irish whiskey, Roe & Co. The move into the premium Irish whiskey category comes as the company announced plans in February to invest in a whiskey distillery in the former power station at St. James’s Gate. The total project investment comes to 25m (£18.6m) over three years. So what is Diageo's strategy for Roe & Co in the Irish market? “In crafting Roe & Co we explored the demands of today’s consumers for more premium drinking experiences and the desire of bartenders for an adaptable, flavourful whiskey that works in both traditional and new cocktails,” says Peter. “For its first year, Roe & Co will be focused on the on trade across Europe. We want to place it with leading bartenders across the key cities in Ireland and we have picked 440 accounts that we will support with it. We will then move into the off trade next year.

We regard Roe & Co as a European city brand, so we want to see it in the right bars and the right cities.”

Irish whiskey is the fastest growing spirit in the world. “When we examined the

Diageo's new premium blended Irish whiskey.

whiskey market two years ago we looked at how Irish whiskey stood in the market globally," he says. "92% of the Irish whiskey market globally was taken up with the standard brands and only six per cent was taken up by

the premium sector, so that is where we decided to focus. The trend in spirits is that premium spirits are growing and we want to capitalise on that - Teelings and Jameson are taking the same approach. I see Irish whiskey continuing to grow and

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Brand New

Diageo Brand Ambassador, Peter O'Connor.

the premium sector of Irish whiskey really taking off. About 30% of the US whiskey market is premium whiskey so, given that statistic, there is plenty of scope for growth in Ireland. We really want to see Roe & Co grow in the cocktail sector.

Our vision is for a quality and visually appealing whiskey that stands up well in cocktails, as well as on its own.”

Roe & Co is made from hand-selected stocks of Irish malt and grain whiskies and aged in bourbon casks. It is named in honour of George Roe, the once world-famous whiskey maker who helped build the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th century. His distillery, George Roe and Co, extended over 17 acres on Thomas Street in Dublin and was once Ireland's largest distillery. As neighbours for hundreds of years, George Roe and Co and Guinness were the two biggest names at the heart of Dublin’s historic brewing and distilling quarter. Diageo will now build on this heritage with the creation of a new distillery by converting the historic former Guinness Power House on Thomas Street.

The new St. James’s Gate distillery will be situated just a stone's throw away from where the George Roe and Co distillery once stood and, subject to planning approval, will begin production in the first half of 2019. “A lot of renovation will take place before the new distillery is fully operational but when it is it will produce half a million litres of single malt whiskey a year, which is a pretty average output for an Irish distillery,” says Peter. “Using her 30 years of experience, Master Blender Caroline Martin has created a luxuriously smooth blend with a perfect harmony between the intense fruitiness of the malt and the mellow creaminess of the grain whiskies. The high proportion of firstfill casks gives notes of creamy vanilla balanced with its hints of fruit and soft spice and a remarkable depth for such an elegant and refined whiskey.”

Roe & Co is non-chill filtered and bottled at a higher than usual ABV of 45%. The first blend of Roe & Co has been available in key European cities since March 1st

as part of Diageo’s growing Reserve portfolio. Peter O'Connor has been a brand ambassador for Diageo in Ireland for the Reserve portfolio for the last three years. Prior to that he worked as a Master of Whiskey for New York and New Jersey for Diageo for a four-year period, before returning to Ireland in April 2015 to take over the Reserve portfolio.

"Before joining the team at Diageo I ran a number of bars in Dublin, including The Morgan Hotel bar, which was a big cocktail bar," he says. "That is how Diageo approached me about eight years ago. I was food and beverage and bar manager at The Morgan. Ketel One was very popular in the Morgan at that time and we were one of only a few bars

serving it, so my working life has been in the drinks industry.”

What does the industry lifer see as the next big trend in the Irish whiskey market? “I think the premium sector will continue to grow,” he says. “The Scots have done it very well and now the golden era of Irish whiskey has made a comeback. New casks are being used Teelings are doing great stuff with wine casks - so there is going to be a voyage of discovery and collaboration between the bartender and the consumer, which will be very exciting over the next few years. The more distilleries that open the better - it will bring more tourists into Ireland and benefit the country, as well as the whiskey industry.” ■

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Wine

Whats

Trending For Summer Our wine expert Jean Smullen looks at wines that match the lighter food options that people turn to when the warmer weather arrives. Here are some of the styles that are currently in demand as summer approaches.

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osĂŠ wine is the most seasonal of all styles, accounting for approximately four per cent of the Irish market. As soon as spring arrives, more of it starts to appear.

Sparkling wines also surge in popularity at this time of year.

Nothing says summer like a glass of something with bubbles, and the rise and rise of Prosecco shows no sign of abating. Sparkling wines are also much sought after as the season of weddings, communions, confirmations and graduations arrives. Lower alcohol wines are also a new emerging trend - many new world producers are launching more of these this year. Expect to see a greater demand for the specifically created lower alcohol varietals ranges as the consumer becomes more health

conscious and more aware of ABV levels. Pinot Grigio is still a perennial favourite with the consumer. The popularity of the Italian pseudonym for the Pinot Gris grape has gone global.

Such is the resonance of the Italian language name for this French grape that the new world producers have now been adopting it en masse. The term Pinot Grigio has almost become a brand name in its own right. It is one of the most sought after wines and a must stock on any restaurant or pub wine list.

One of the most sought after wines for summer drinking is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. As an isolated coolclimate island nation, New Zealand enjoys an undeniable advantage when it comes to producing distinctive, high quality wines. No place is more than 130km or 80 miles inland and the proximity of the vineyards to the ocean has a pronounced effect on the character

of their wines. Mild sunny summers and a marked difference between day and night time temperatures in many regions, slow the ripening of their grapes, which allow them to develop intense flavours.

Most Reliable White The world’s most reliable white wine should never be taken for granted.

Sauvignon Blanc brings over $1.5bn New Zealand dollars to their economy annually. It is 142 years since Marlborough was first planted and 30 years since Cloudy Bay put New Zealand on the global wine map. In 1973, as Marlborough’s first Sauvignon Blanc vines were being planted, no one could have imagined that it would achieve the superstar status that it has attained today. Pungently aromatic, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc assails the senses with red capsicum (bell peppers) and gooseberry characters, lush passion fruit and tropical fruit notes. Fresh cut

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Wine

Ones to

The Central Otago region.

WATCH

Marlborough from the air.

New Zealand

grass, tomato stalk, and lime flavours added to the mix give this wine style its enormous appeal. The explosive flavours of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc have dazzled wine critics throughout the world and today this is one of the most sought after wine styles thanks to its vibrant, distinctive qualities. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a must list as a summer wine style.

Don’t forget though, New Zealand is not just about Sauvignon, these days New Zealand is also becoming known for a range of aromatic and alternative white varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Albarino, Gruner Veltliner and Viognier. In terms of New Zealand red, Pinot Noir produced in New Zealand is fast gathering momentum on most good restaurant lists.

Though Pinot Noir is a thin skinned grape, this does not mean that it does not produce red wine with great complexity. New Zealand Pinot Noir shows fine tannins and elegance, with lots of spice and vibrant ripe summer fruits. It is perfect served with barbeque beef or lamb.

New Zealand producers to look out for include Cloudy Bay (Edward Dillon & Co), Felton Road (JN Wines), Lawson’s Dry Hills Wines (Febvre & Co), Greywacke, Kim Crawford and the excellent sparkling wines from Central Otago produced by Akarua (Liberty Wines), Wither Hills (Coman’s Beverages), Matua and Saint Clair (Findlater Wine & Spirit Co), Ribbonwood (Le Caveau), Te Pa (Enowine), Seifried Estate (Classic Drinks), Craggy Range and Escarpement (Tindal Wine Merchants), Esk Valley and Vidal (Barry & Fitzwilliam), Marisco Vineyards (Robb Brothers) and Nautilus (Cassidy Wines).

Australia

Premium Category Focus Australia is another country that is well worth a look when you are reviewing your restaurant list for the summer. The Irish wine drinkers' love affair with Australia continues unabated. It is the second most popular country of origin in terms of sales here, accounting for over 18% of all wine sales in Ireland.

Australia has moved away from the entry level fruit driven wine styles that were so popular a decade ago. Now Australian wine is all about the premium category and here they offer mid-priced and premium wines that are world class. Don’t forget that the Southern Hemisphere harvest takes places in Spring so the new vintages are coming on stream now so look out for the fresh zesty 2016 vintage white wines from Australia and New Zealand and the 2015 vintage in terms of the reds.

Australia prides itself on its regional diversity. With a geographical size similar to Europe, you can now expect wines of enormous diversity. With distinct climates, soils and terroirs, it is no surprise that Australia boasts an array of wine styles, flavours and grape varieties. You will find still, sparkling, sweet and fortified wines, and some of the most sought after are wines from cool climate regions, but also look out for alternative varieties such as Fiano, Malbec, Tempranillo and Negroamaro, all of which challenge the traditional assumption of the styles produced in Australia.

Australian producers to look out for include: Nepenthe (Barry & Fitzwilliam), Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate (B MacCormaic Vintners), Chaffey Bros, Dalrymple, Jansz, Jim Barry, Vasse Felix, Victoria Park, and Yalumba (Cassidy Wines); Barramundi Wines and Peter Lehmann (Coman’s Beverages), Wakefield Wines (Dalcassian Wines & Sprits), d’Arenberg and De Bortoli (Febvre & Co), Penfolds, Rawsons Retreat, Rosemount and Katnook Estate (Findlater Wine & Spirit Co), Thorn Clark (J&C Kenny Wines & Spirits), Clonkilla, Innocent Bystander, Shaw + Smith and Mount Horrocks (Liberty Wines), Langmeil and Heartland (Robb Bros Wine Merchants).

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Technology

New Wine & Champagne Preservation System

Bermar's Verre de Vin Tower, distributed in Ireland by Febvre Wine Company, is destined to become the system of choice for many bars and hotels around the world.

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ermar's latest wine preservation model, Le Verre de Vin Tower, which can be placed anywhere in the bar or restaurant, preserves any open bottle of wine or Champagne for 21 days in perfect serving conditions. And Febvre claims that the compact counter-top unit still offers the 21st century’s answer to the serving of wine by the glass. The Bermar Le Verre de Vin system was developed with the assistance and input of many global wine makers. Where the latest model scores is that it does not need any installation - a customer can just plug it in and go.

It is so flexible that it can be added and placed in any space to a bar – it does not take up much room and can also be taken to outside catering jobs such as

race-meetings, weddings, launches, pop-up restaurants etc. to serve the wine by the glass in perfect condition. Most importantly, with the growing market for good wine by the glass, Febvre claims that any hotel or bar using the Bermar Tower will increase the value of wine sales by an average of 25% because of no wastage, and increase the volume of sales by 12%. And, they avoid the question: “How long has that bottle been open?” The system works by removing oxygen from the open bottle of wine to a precisely controlled level and so preserves wine without any risk to its subtle structure. It prevents the release of the naturally occurring CO2 in Champagnes and sparkling wines, ensuring that the fizz stays locked in and

any issue of oxidisation is eliminated.

Its proven preservation technology has interactive resealing preservation with illuminated nozzles that are amber to start the resealing and turn green when completed. Febvre says that the systems are fully guaranteed and any bar person can be fully confident of serving wines exactly as they should be. The 'Portable Tower' is available in two colours - satin black and classic stainless steel – and is available in three models – one has a dual system for both still and sparkling wines and there are two individual Towers that work for still wine only or Champagne and sparkling wines only. The Bermar wine preservation system is used by 45,000 hotels and bars around the world.

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rofile

o

Glamping with Giltraps ince the recession pubs have been encouraged to diversify in order to attract new custom. ne venue that has undergone a ma or and remarkably successful reinvention is iltrap s ownhouse in ffaly.

Orla Connolly reports.

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ating back to the 17th century, Giltrap's Townhouse in Kinnitty village is a local landmark in Co Offaly but, like many pubs, the profit margins of this family-run business were hard hit by the recession.

“My parents ran the pub and they were immersed in it 24 hours a day,” says John Clendenen, the current owner of Giltrap's.

“Of course, when the recession came business took a bit of a battering, as it did in many licensed premises around the country.” After graduating from Smurfit Business School, John worked for a number of high profile hotel groups around the world before returning home to focus his attention on the revitalisation and re-branding of Giltrap's.

Retaining Tradition The pub itself underwent significant transformation during the initial renovations but John was keen to retain the traditional elements of the venue.

“In terms of the physical improvements, we are trying to keep the authentic feel to the pub,” he says. “The majority of

people will come in and admire the snug, for example. I always ask them how long they think it is there and they guess about 150 years. It is only there four or five years now.” However, John felt that upgrading existing attractions in the pub

“Located adjacent to the pub, the glamping experience at Giltraps presents guests with the natural charm of the rustic surroundings...in accommodation that consists of rugged log cabins, and even a mongolian yurt.”

wasn't enough in the current climate and that the only way for the venue to attract enough footfall was to expand into new territory. “It is now a major challenge for pubs in rural areas to survive on local trade alone,” says John. “They need to start thinking outside the box to see how they can get different groups into their premises at seasonal times of the year.”

Glamorous Camping With Kinnitty Castle a short distance away, the region has always been

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a popular wedding location. While Giltrap's has consistently been a popular accommodation spot for wedding guests, John wanted to create an environment that would attract people to Kinnitty, whether they were attending a wedding or not. With this in mind, he constructed a new type of accommodation that would appeal to visitors both young and old - Giltrap's Glamping (glamorous camping). To launch glamping at Giltraps, John merged his knowledge of the family business and of international travel accommodation that he garnered from his experience of working in a number of five star hotels. This combination of knowledge and experience allowed him to create an innovative attraction for the area, while maintaining the village’s understated charm. “I wanted to come up with something that would fit the local area and, at the same time, differentiate us from the other services on offer,” he says. “Located adjacent to the pub, the glamping experience at Giltraps presents guests with the natural charm of the rustic surroundings, alongside the advantage of running electricity in accommodation that consists of rugged log cabins, and even a mongolian yurt.”

The blend of nature and comfort has proven to be popular with customers who want to experience the beauty that

the Irish countryside has to offer without the hassle of unrolling sleeping bags or pitching tents. “It is for people who want to get away from it all,” says John. “They want to experience nature as much as possible without lying on the ground in a two man tent that could blow away in the middle of the night.” The glamping experience has also proved popular with hen parties, birthday parties and corporate groups, with Giltraps creating a range of tailored packages to suit the needs of each group. Packages include Pamper & Prosecco parties and Wet & Wild experiences, not to mention a Face Your Fears package. Perks featured in these packages include a bottle of prosecco on arrival, biking, hiking and team building exercises, pampering sessions, and handmade breakfast hampers stocked with ingredients produced by Giltrap's own farm yard animals.

A Travel Destination John’s key objective was to transform Giltraps into a travel destination, not just a place to rest your head. In order to diversify his offering and activity range, he partnered with local businesses to offer customers the activities that form part of Giltrap's glamping packages. “We are still in the early days of the business but we have managed to extend the

season and diversify into new customer segments,” he says. “We are working a lot more closely with the attractions that we have in the local area. Nobody goes to any part of the world to just stay in a bed, they want to explore the local area as well.” Another objective of Giltraps' diversification strategy is to promote Kinnitty as a whole, including its unique heritage and local landmarks.

Some of the local attractions include the Slieve Bloom mountains and the Kinnitty Pyramid. “If you look at our URL it's www.visitkinnity.com - we want people to visit Kinnitty, it's not just about Giltrap's, it's about coming to the village and experiencing that escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life,” he says.

Moving into 2017, John plans to expand the range of glamping accommodation on offer and hopes to entice further footfall into the area with the introduction of a music festival to the region in July. “And the 'Off the Bloom' adventure race will take place on August 12th and that will include running, biking and kayaking,” he explains. “Also in Slieve Bloom, within the next 12 months, we are going to see the introduction of 90kms of mountain bike trails. If that comes to fruition, it should elevate Kinnitty to the next level and bring a new type of visitor to the area.”

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Spirit World

Irish Whiskey Believe the Hype

As Kilkenny celebrates its whiskey guild, Dublin's whiskey tours are well underway and the capital is welcoming the start of construction at the Dublin Liberties Distillery, the re-opening of the Old Jameson Distillery, and the 'next generation' of whiskies and apprentices.

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n March 20th, the Dublin Liberties Distillery announced that construction work is now underway at its new distillery and visitor centre at Old Mill Street in the heart of the Liberties. The €15m project will support 50 jobs during construction with a further 19 permanent positions created once the distillery and visitor centre opens. The project will see the 300 year old historic Old Mill Street building redeveloped, conserving the original architecture of the building.

The build will take approximately 12 months to complete. The new distillery will combine traditional distillation practices with the latest in modern technologies and features a unique natural spring water source on site to be used in the distilling process. The distillery and visitor centre will open in late Spring 2018. Speaking at a ground breaking ceremony, Darryl McNally, General Manager and Master

A Premium Experience

tasting tour focuses on the stories of Jameson’s heritage and on-going innovations. This tour costs €18 and includes a comparative whiskey tasting and a complimentary drink at the bar. The Whiskey Makers 90 minute tour offers a more in-depth exploration of Jameson Original and the three whiskeys that make up the Whiskey Makers Series: Distiller’s Safe, Cooper’s Croze and Blender’s Dog. At €55 per person, the tour includes the opportunity to blend your own whiskey, and a visit to an on-site maturation warehouse to sample whiskey straight from the cask. The Whiskey Shakers tour is similar to the Makers tour and, again, is around 90 minutes long at €55 per person. Rather than blending your own whiskey, participants are given the chance to blend their own cocktail with the help of in-house bartenders.

Three fully-guided tours are being offered at the redeveloped brand home: The Bow St. Experience 40 minute

Another innovative whiskey venture, launched in January, is Dublin Whiskey

Distiller at The Dublin Liberties Distillery said their goal was for The Dublin Liberties Distillery to become one of the leading whiskey producers in Ireland. “The new distillery will provide a home for our collection of established Irish whiskey brands, including The Dubliner and The Dublin Liberties, which are on sale in over 30 international markets, from the US to Australia." The ground breaking ceremony in The Liberties followed hot on the heals of the re-opening of The Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield in early March.

Irish Distillers is hoping that the new look Jameson Distillery Bow St. will support the Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy target of trebling the number of Irish whiskey tourists visiting Ireland annually to 1.9 million by 2025.

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Spirit World

Clockwise from left, The Palace Bar; Dublin Liberties Distillery's Marketing Director Sinead O'Frighil and GM Darryl McNally; Irish Distillers' experimental super premium whiskeys, Method and Madness.

Tours which mix whiskey with history, literature, music and stories and allow participants to following in the footsteps of Brendan Behan and Patrick Kavanagh as they head from bar to bar. The bars visited during the tour are Dingle Whiskey Bar, Bowes Lounge, The Palace Bar, and The Rag Trader. The tour options include a Whiskey Tasting Tour (€39 two-hour tour with five premium whiskeys and three bars in Dublin city); a Premium Whiskey & Food tour (€49 - two-hour tour with five premium whiskeys, an Irish cheese board and handmade chocolates); and the Deluxe Whiskey & Food tour (€69 - two-hour tour, five deluxe aged statement whiskeys, Irish cheese board and handmade chocolates). The whiskey selection has been hand picked by Fionnan O’Connor who wrote ‘A Glass Apart', the cheese board was selected with the help of Sheridans of South Anne Street, and Dublin Whiskey Tours' chocolates are handmade by Cocoa Atelier of Drury Street.

Whiskey Bars Unite Ten local hostelries in Kilkenny recently established the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild, an Irish whiskey tourism initiative to provide a premium Irish whiskey experience to visitors and Kilkenny locals alike. Each

Guild House will have a range of 60 or more Irish whiskeys offered on bespoke menus by specially trained staff. There will be tasting trays to tempt the novice, as well as whiskey cocktails and food pairings. The Kilkenny Whiskey Guild will host monthly whiskey events and tastings across participating venues. Each of the guild houses will be designated by a specially commissioned Kilkenny Whiskey Guild plaque - Billy Byrne’s Bar, Paris Texas, The Brewery Corner, The Dylan Whisky Bar, The Hibernian Bar, Matt the Millers, Langton's, The Left Bank, The Wine Centre and Lanigan's Bar. The ambition is to make Kilkenny Whiskey Guild a comprehensive attraction at the forefront of Irish whiskey tourism and there are initiatives planned all the way out to the 700th anniversary of The Red Book of Ossory in 2024 to make this happen

“Method and Madness is designed to reflect a next generation Irish spirit brand with a measure of curiosity and intrigue (Madness), while honouring the tradition and expertise grounded in the generations of expertise at the Midleton Distillery (Method). At the Midleton Distillery, we are committed to innovation and experimenting with new whiskey styles. We are also committed to training and nurturing the next generation of Irish whiskey makers and this project really brings that commitment to life.”

The range launches with four new Irish whiskeys, each with its own twist; a Single Grain Irish whiskey finished in Virgin Spanish Oak; a Single Pot Still Irish whiskey finished in French chestnut; a Single Malt Irish whiskey enhanced with French Limousin oak; and a 31 Year Old Single Cask, Single Grain limited edition bottled at cask strength.

The Next Generation Irish Distillers has introduced a new range of experimental super premium whiskeys under the Method and Madness brand. “Method and Madness aims to harness the creativity of Midleton’s whiskey masters through the fresh talent of its apprentices,” says Brian Nation, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers.

"We are committed to training the next generation of Irish whiskey makers..."

Brian Nation, Irish Distillers

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Home Brewing

Another Year, Another Challenge The Smithwick’s Homebrew Challenge 2017 invites homebrewers across Ireland to brew a special summer fruit ale. Smithwick's Senior Brand Manager Paul Dunkin talks about this year's challenge and why Smithwick's is heroing homebrewing.

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ow in its second year, the Smithwick’s Homebrew Challenge is a celebration of the ups and downs of brewing; whether it’s an experiment at home with friends, or in the brewery – the one constant is a love of great tasting beer. Each brew entered in the competition will be tasted by a panel of expert judges, professional taste-testers from St. James’s Gate, and members of the National Homebrew Club.

The winning brewer will be invited to brew their summer ale to 30 kegs alongside the Smithwick’s brewers at the brewery’s 10hl pilot plant. The beer will then be made available on tap in the Open Gate Brewery for a limited period. The winning brewer will also get a supply of their winning brew to enjoy with friends and family. Brews must be received by April 21st. The winner will be contacted in early June and will also receive a prize of 1,000. "We love the Homebrew Challenge," says Paul.

"It's all about celebrating the home brewers up and down the country who are making some fantastic beers that we don't get to taste in the trade. The Challenge is open to pubs and their staff once the beer isn't produced by professional brewers or in a commercial brewing facility. In fact, we would love to see publicans and their staff entering. The competition is open to individuals and groups of two, so we would be delighted if pubs got involved. Smithwick's has over 300 years of experience in brewing beer. Throughout our entire history Smithwick's has

always been innovating. We have three variants on the market – the original Smithwick's Red Ale, and a relatively new Smithwick's Pale Ale, as well as Smithwick's Atlantic Blonde." In addition to Smithwick's, Paul currently has responsibility for the Harp, Kilkenny and McArdles brands.

"All of these brands have an incredible history and story to tell," he says. "Customers want a great taste, but they also appreciate brands with meaning and heritage behind them. Smithwicks is the largest ale in the country and ale is one of the fastest growing categories in the country. Northern Ireland is a key region for Harp. I have been blown away by how that brand has become part of the culture in Northern Ireland. Kilkenny and McArdles don't have a huge profile, but they are still very important brands and they perform really well in certain parts of the island." According to Paul, the craft beer revolution should be seen as an opportunity. "Craft beer is about people looking for more depth and discovery in their beers and less mainstream qualities and I think Smithwick's offers that," he says. "Even though it is a big brand, it's all about the beer and making beers of taste. Our brewers spend a lot of time brewing award winning ales, so I think the craft beer movement helps brands that already have authenticity and who focus on producing great tasting beers such as Smithwick's." ■

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