The Shout NZ September 2021

NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

SEPTEMBER 2021 | www.theshout.co.nz

EFFECTIVE LABELS EXPLAINED HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF’S MENTAL HEALTH NZ’S BEST TEQUILA AND MEZCAL BARS REVEALED

NEW SUMMER BREW Hard kombucha set to take off

discover the

missing drink Lyre’s award winning range of non-alcoholic spirits are quietly changing the way the world drinks. How? By giving drinkers and non drinkers alike the freedom to drink their drink, their way.

Explore the unparalleled range of drinks that can only be made with Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Spirits at Lyre’s.co.nz

STAY SPIRITED. MAKE IT A LYRE’S.

LYRE’s NON-ALCOHOLIC PENICILLIN

contents

September 2021

The Shout NZ Editor, Charlotte Cowan

28

STAY STRONG, NZ

As we embark on yet another COVID-19 recovery mission, our thoughts are with the hospitality industry during this difficult time. We know how challenging the continuing uncertainty of potential lockdowns can be and The Shout NZ team is always here to support the industry and to encourage people to get out to their locals when they're permitted and able. It's important for us all to try and stay positive. Kia Kaha.

When it comes to changes, trends and market updates in the liquor industry we're committed to keeping our readers informed of any updates, both locally and globally. One trend that is slowly but surely making its way onto the market is hard kombucha. Soft kombucha is already super-popular in New Zealand but its alcoholic sibling is part of the ever-changing better-for-me beverage space and we’re here for it.

Sadly though, hard kombucha hasn’t squeezed its way onto many off- or on-premise shelves yet. Take a look at pgs 12-13 to learn why it’s a muststock for the trade.

While you’re there, flick across to pgs 14-15 where I delve into the word of liquor labels. When launching a brand, the label can be your make or break and we have found the top trends in labels to help you on your way to being a consumer favourite.

For spirits lovers this month, Tash McGill is exploring how Kiwis can get their hands on premium Tequila and mezcal on pgs 18-20 and we showcase some of the top Tequila and mezcal bars in New Zealand on pgs 22-23. And our beer writer Denise Garland shares her picks for the best brews to stock this summer on pgs 28-30.

And this month our guest columnists share views on new product development (pgs 10-11) and tips on mental health and wellness in the liquor workplace (pgs 32-33).

We look forward to some positive news for the industry in the coming months.

Cheers,

18 24 12

6 INDUSTRY NEWS AND INSIGHTS 10 NPD: KNOW WHAT MATTERS TO

22 SPOTLIGHT ON NZ LOCALS

Insights from Andrew Arnold, NZ Country Manager, Shopper Intelligence

CHARDONNAY

SHOPPERS

Five Kiwi Tequila and mezcal bars

24 SEMI-AROMATICS, AROMATICS AND Wine with Cameron Douglas MS

12 HARD KOMBUCHA – SET TO TAKE OFF

28 SUMMER BEER AND CIDER

14 THE RIGHT LABEL

32 MENTAL HEALTH AND WORKPLACE

18 TEQUILA SUNRISE

Practical tips from Jane Kennelly, GM Wellbeing, Skills Consulting Group

Special report on why alcoholic kombucha is poised for growth in the years ahead Industry experts share the top liquor label trends for 2021 Tash McGill explores this in-demand spirit

21 ON SHOW

Executive Chairman Simon Grover Managing Director Paul Wootton

WELLBEING

34 SEVEN INSIGHTS FROM NEW ZEALAND’S

This month’s must-try classics and new releases

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group (NZ) Ltd PO Box 109 342, Newmarket, Auckland 1149

Denise Garland’s picks the best brews to quench your customers’ thirsts this summer.

PUB MARKET

Results of CGA’s ‘On Premise User Survey’

Group Publisher Craig Hawtin-Butcher craig@intermedia.com.au

Digital and Print Coordinator Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

Editor Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph 021 774 080

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4 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

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news

Gin tasting room opens in Queenstown Broken Heart Spirits distillery has opened New Zealand’s first-ever boutique gin tasting room in Queenstown.

Located in Arthurs Point, the Gin Garden is centred around 12 locally-distilled Broken Heart spirits, a brand-new Oktoberfestinspired lager and locally sourced, seasonal foods.

Broken Heart Spirits owner, Joerg Henkenhaf, hails from Germany but has lived in New Zealand for 20 years. He developed the concept for the Gin Garden with the aim of delivering a stunning location in which to showcase his range of spirits in a venue with a unique European flavour.

“It’s been a dream of mine for many years to serve our products in one beautiful, cohesive space, and have a dedicated tasting room for the first time in Broken Heart’s history,” says Joerg. “The Gin Garden will be our new home, where we’ll share our story and passion, to bring a new level of understanding to what we do and why we do it.”

The Gin Garden has an on- and off-licence, so visitors can buy spirits, beer, wine and bubbles on site to take home. For tastings reservations, email gingarden@ brokenheartspirits.com.

WHAT’S ON October 29 INTERNATIONAL GIN & TONIC DAY October 24 FIRST LIGHT WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL Gisborne www.firstlightwineandfood.co.nz October 29-30 THE DUNEDIN CRAFT BEER & FOOD FESTIVAL Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin www.dunedinbeerfest.co.nz November 5-14 SUMMER F.A.W.C Hawke’s Bay www.fawc.co.nz November 13 THE NZ CIDER FESTIVAL Nelson www.nzciderfestival.com www.brewersguild.org.nz

Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits reshapes distribution model in New Zealand Two years since launching into the New Zealand market, Lyre’s says it is re-aligning its distribution model to bring the non-alcoholic spirit closer to both the consumer and customer.

From October 1, the full Lyre’s range will be available via a dedicated wholesale e-commerce store, allowing trade customers and select retailers to make Lyre’s available for consumers, with support from a dedicated on- and off-premise team.

Lyre’s will work directly with the trade to grow the market, whilst also extending a partnership with Future State CPG who will be responsible for major retail distribution in New Zealand.

“Our experience in launching Lyre’s in over 60 countries has helped us understand the importance of being close to the market,” says Mark Livings, CEO and Co-Founder of Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Spirits. “All the feedback shows that Kiwis have embraced the change towards nonalcoholic spirits, so accelerating our range and availability is critical.

“We thank our launch partner Hancock’s 6 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

for the wins they have had so far in New Zealand and look forward to building on the foundation they have laid.”

The Lyre’s range can be purchased now at www.lyres.co.nz, or from selected stockists nationwide. Trade enquires can be emailed to hello@lyres.co or visit www.lyreswholesale.co.nz.

news

Lion NZ to sell Liquor King business Lion New Zealand has announced that it intends to sell its Lion Liquor Retail (LLR) business operating under the Liquor King banner. “We have made the decision to sell our Liquor King retail network,” says Lion NZ Country Director, Craig Baldie. “In the more than 25 years LLR has been part of the Lion NZ business, the retail landscape has changed significantly. While our strategy has also evolved over time, we see our advantage in our core domain of manufacturing, distributing and marketing of adult beverages, rather than in retailing.”

Baldie says Lion NZ has become an increasingly complex business in a very competitive market and it believes a simplified focus will create space for us to unlock future growth in our core business.

“We have a hardworking and talented LLR team. We have not made this decision lightly and appreciate this creates uncertainty for those involved.”

The sale process is expected to take a number of months.

During the process, stores will continue to trade as usual, but the lk.co.nz website has now ceased trading.

“LLR has been performing well and we believe there will be strong interest in the business based on the current retail market environment. LLR has 22 stores in its network following the settlement of the three stores which were recently on the market. We see this as a positive sign for Lion Liquor Retail’s future under new ownership,” says Baldie.

Marek Przyborek, Andrea Martinisi and Celia Hay

New Zealand Sommelier of Year 2021 announced Auckland sommelier Andrea Martinisi was named New Zealand Sommelier of the Year 2021 at a competition held at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine last month.

Originally from Italy, Andrea is General Manager and Head Sommelier at The Grove Restaurant in Auckland’s CBD. Martinisi competed against two other candidates in the final – Angela Allan, Sommelier and Manager of Culprit Restaurant and Suraj GC, Sommelier at Onemata, Park Hyatt Hotel.

They were assessed on theory, blind-tasting both wine and spirits, decanting, food pairing and precision pouring.

Allan was named runner-up and The Northern Club’s Karan Patyal took out the NZ Young Sommelier of the Year title.

AWARDED NEW ZEALAND’S BEST OVERALL GIN 2021 NOW AVAILABLE IN ecoSPIRITS For orders or more information, contact ordersnz@proofandcompany.com

news & industry insights

Buyer announced for Villa Maria Marlborough-based wine company Indevin announced last month that it has signed a conditional agreement to acquire Villa Maria.

The conditional sale follows an extensive nine-month sale process after the parent company and sole shareholder of Villa Maria Estate Limited, FFWL was placed into receivership.

At the time of publication, the sale was not yet finalised but if it goes through, it will include Villa Maria’s Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland wineries, vineyards, supplier agreements, the flagship brand Villa Maria as well as Esk Valley, Vidal and Leftfield.

Chairman of Indevin, Greg Tomlinson, says the company’s business model is about producing quality wines, creating authentic brands while retaining and building value for New Zealand wine in international markets. “Adding Villa Maria to our portfolio fits within our long-term growth strategy and will complement our existing business,” he says.

“Our whole business is built around holding and building value for New Zealand vineyards and growers. If the conditions of the sale are satisfied, we plan to drive focus and increased investment behind Villa Maria to further enhance its reputation for quality and protect its brand value. This will be an important next step in the story of the brand.”

Chairman of the Villa Maria board, Malcolm McDougall, says it is reassuring that Villa Maria’s new owner will be another Kiwi company. “There is genuine compatibility between the

businesses,” he says. “Indevin is a successful operator, it brings a strong supply chain and has established key export markets with contracted long-term partnerships. Meanwhile Villa Maria brings a legacy and strong brands that command a premium. Together that’s a powerful combination.”

Receiver Brendon Gibson says they are working closely with Villa Maria management and the purchaser to satisfy the sale conditions, which are typical for a transaction of this nature, with a view to settlement in late August.

“We see this is a good outcome that provides certainty for the business, staff, customers, suppliers and the communities in which Villa Maria operates,” he says.

Calibre Partners has also announced that FFWL has entered into a conditional contract to sell 34 hectares of light industrial land surrounding Villa Maria’s Auckland winery to Goodman Property Trust. The land sale is expected to settle later in 2021.

Gin under threat The jewel in the crown of gin – the juniper berry – is under threat. There is nothing that can replace this unique, resinous, fragrant botanical which must be prominent in gin for it to carry the name. However, in the last few years, a fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora austrocedri has been discovered in several overseas countries (UK, Germany, Argentina, Iran), spreading aggressively through Juniperus communis trees, causing dieback and tree death. Significant outbreaks have occurred in Scotland, which produces berries for 70% of gin in the UK. Much of the world’s supply of juniper berries is found in the wild in eastern Europe (Macedonia and Albania), hand-picked and sold to trading houses for overseas sales, with little traceability back to point of origin. Juniper is expensive - the average cost of importing juniper berries into New Zealand is $22,000 a tonne and rising.

The spread of this disease and the impact on supply chain is a concern for distillers world-wide. The massive global growth in the popularity of gin, increasing costs, focus on origin and quality, plus COVID-related supply delays have already caused New Zealand distilleries to seek local sourcing opportunities for their ingredients.

Currently, specialised juniper trees for gin are not grown as a commercial crop in New Zealand, however, a partnership* between Massey University, BeGin Distilling (Juno Gin) and Greentec Propagation is continuing previous work on the development of a New Zealand juniper berry industry.

The project has shown success so far with more than 40 male and female Juniperus communis trees located in gardens around New Zealand. The trees exhibit enough

8 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

Sue James Chairperson, Distilled Spirits Aotearoa genetic variation to breed a viable commercial population with a desired gin profile. Propagation is proving complex, and it will be a long-game – typically, once planted, the trees take three to five years before they bear mature berries for picking. Early results have shown that there may be an exciting terroir effect due to our unique sun and soil, which could lead to a distinctive sensory profile for New Zealand-made gins. Our vibrantly aromatic New Zealand juniper could eventually be as globally sought after as New Zealand grapes and hops as a market differentiator with a premium reputation.

Commercial propagation programmes and availability of trees into market are still a few years away, and it may be at least a decade before gin with a genuine 100% New Zealand provenance makes it to the market, but it will be a spirit worth waiting for. *Funded from the Pivot Award, a unique fund designed to support agri-innovation in Taranaki, co-funded by Massey University and Taranaki’s Bashford-Nicholls Trust. For more info about the project and growing juniper for commercial cropping, contact dave@begin.org.nz

industry insights

It’s blooming spring Daffodils are in abundance, and lambs are frolicking in paddocks. New buds appear on grapevines that will burst into fresh leafy growth with the tiniest flowers for winemakers to nurture. As hops vines awaken from their deep winter sleep, they form the beginnings of hop cones in anticipation of the craftsmanship of brewers. Aromatic herbs and botanicals flourish, and citrus fruit bursts brightly, awaiting harvest for distillers to capture their essence.

If you haven’t guessed it–it’s blooming spring. It’s all about taking a deep breath and embracing the moment to appreciate a new season and new beginnings. Perhaps even trying the taste sensation of a new drink. Spring is a time for lightness, brightness, freshness, and crisp, clean flavours.

Alcohol-free bubbles are perfect for any occasion, and our Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Rosé lighter wines (less than 10% ABV) are the ideal accompaniment for weekend spring lunches. It’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a luscious plum or elegant berry-filled red too! Perhaps get experimental and try a different varietal or a wine from a different region in New Zealand.

The crack of a can tab, twist of a bottle cap or pull of a pint will reward you with a crisp new craft brew or a classic favourite. There is no compromise on the quality or flavour of low- and no-alcohol beers, which remain increasingly popular whether it’s to keep that first spring BBQ safe and social or to enjoy a refreshing beverage out with friends.

Bridget MacDonald Executive Director, New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council A tall gin with a citrus twist or a slice of cucumber will always be a spring favourite, but lightness can be brought to liqueurs and darker spirits when paired with fresh fruit flavours. Zingy, spritzy, fruity seltzers provide a lower carb and lower alcohol option.

We are privileged to be home to world-class wine, beer and spirit producers – each perfecting their craft to produce unique, quality beverage experiences. Spring is also the time to reflect on the skill and passion that drives this industry – the growers, the brewers, distillers and winemakers, the retailers, and the hospitality staff. We’re an industry made from hard graft, talented craft and a whole lot of heart.

Whether you’re out with friends for lunch, having an afterwork drink with colleagues or enjoying a family dinner at home, whatever you choose to sip and savour this spring, take some time to honour the season and the people who lovingly made your drink.

A perfect storm We hear it almost every week, hospitality businesses are doing it tough. Wages are up, staff shortages, supply issues with certain products and regions with a heavy reliance on international visitors missing out from our closed borders.

But if you look at the spending patterns of Kiwis, we are spending slightly more. Statistics NZ data for electronic card spend for food and beverage services shows that in the first six months of 2021 we spent 7% more than in the same period of 2019. When compared to last year with the impacts of COVID-19, spend is up 42%.

So the difficulty for operators is not necessarily no customers, but the cost of doing business has just gone up. In real terms, how does this play out?

What we have seen in the last 18 months is businesses changing the way they operate to simply keep the doors open. Many businesses took on extended debt in 2020 just to get through the year. This coupled with the increase in overheads from minimum wage rises, the cost of goods increasing across the board through high inflation and just a lack of available staff, has meant businesses who want to get ahead have focused in on reducing overhead costs. Whether this is through reduced and targeted opening hours, changing to better margin produce for improved food cost, or simply just putting prices up to meet the shortfall.

Dylan Firth Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

This means for the beer and brewing sector that while there are similar dollar values going across the bar. This may not reflect the volumes being sold. The continued consumer trend towards retail purchase of beer has also impacted the sector’s bottom line. Suppliers and consumers will be interested in the comments made in the recent Commerce Commission report which highlights retail margins and notes that competition for the wholesale purchasing of goods is not working well for many suppliers.

This all amounts to a perfect storm for both suppliers and hospitality businesses. The key for us an industry is to try understanding these factors a whole, as well as advocating our concerns to regulators in a way they can understand the combined impact. Not just single-issue discussions.

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 9

NPD:

KNOW WHAT MATTERS TO SHOPPERS

Andrew Arnold, NZ Country Manager, Shopper Intelligence, shares insights into New Product Development (NPD) and why it’s important to get your strategy right.

WHAT’S DRIVING YOUR NPD? HINT: IT SHOULD BE YOUR SHOPPER! In a previous life on the supplier side, I recall having a conversation with a category buyer covering the usual topics – promos, pricing, ranging etc – when the conversation turned to NPD. ‘When were we going to be launching a new product?’, I was asked. My reply was that I didn’t know, as our NPD cycle was driven by offshore markets and we rarely if ever produced something new specifically for New Zealand. The buyer replied that she was a bit confused by my answer as ‘this category needs NPD to cycle against sales from previous years’. At the time that comment didn’t really register with me a great deal, but in recent years as I have been working in shopper data I often think back on that conversation. The truth is, the role of NPD is so much more than just a tool to cycle against sales. And a crucial 10 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

component of your NPD strategy is to know what matters to shoppers, and how that influences how you should do it.

FISH WHERE THE FISH ARE Retailers will want NPD, that is obvious.

They have their reasons. But it’s vital to know what role your shoppers see NPD playing in their minds. The reality is, there are going to be different attitudes to NPD across different categories and different shopper groups – some categories will have shoppers that expect NPD on a regular basis, but there will also be categories where NPD will just get in the way if it’s done too often. Take the example of craft beer or craft cider: these are categories where shoppers have very high expectations of NPD, which means they expect to see new things on a constant conveyor belt. Not highlighting new products or new ranges

Andrew Arnold, NZ Country Manager, Shopper Intelligence With 20 years’ worth of experience in NZ FMCG, Andrew has worked in a wide variety of sales and insights roles with the likes of Red Bull, Gordon & Gotch and Energizer.

During his career he has led sales and insights teams to develop insight-led strategies that drive both retailer and category growth.

off-premise

“THE ROLE OF NPD IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A TOOL TO CYCLE AGAINST SALES.”

will have a detrimental effect on shopper satisfaction and likely will lead to shoppers trying elsewhere to get their fix. But in a category like whisky or vodka, those same levels of expectation around NPD just aren’t there. Too much NPD here will just irritate the shopper that knows what they like. Focus NPD efforts where there is an appetite for it – because that also means that there is a higher chance of success.

TAKEOUT #1 – MOVE THE NEEDLE ON NPD BY DOING IT WHERE IT IS IMPORTANT – IF YOU HAVE AN UNTARGETED APPROACH THEN HABITUAL SHOPPERS WILL JUST GET FRUSTRATED. WHAT IS THE NPD ENDGAME? Once you have established the appetite for NPD in your category, the next task is to understand just how it fits into your toolbox. Is it something that will bring new shoppers into your category? Or will it be something that you want to use to drive incremental sales without necessarily expanding category penetration (i.e. share steal)? Depending on what the role of NPD is best suited to play in your category, the tactics will change. NPD should always be given visibility in some way, be that through pre store communications (mailers, TVC, radio, digital etc) and/ or instore activation (displays, instore navigation etc) but what makes sense will differ depending on the role that NPD plays. For example, shoppers of brandy are less likely to buy incrementally if they see something new. That means that it is less likely that you can drive share steal in brandy through NPD – it’s not impossible mind you, it’s just more difficult to achieve.

But a RTD vodka shopper is very likely to

buy incrementally through NPD, so that is a category where innovation can drive your share. Talking about new products in RTD vodka pre store makes more sense if your goal is to steal share.

How about attracting new shoppers though? While you could always try to do that through pre store messaging, it might make more sense to try to capture a shopper instore that wasn’t thinking about your category at the time. Here NPD can be a very effective method of increasing penetration by enticing a shopper to impulsively buy into a category they weren’t considering when they entered the store. I’ve seen a lot of amazing instore displays and activations of NPD over the years that would have fitted the bill on this – if only they had been on a category where shoppers actually are open to being enticed to buy impulsively through Innovation! Again, this is not to say that a display on a planned category won’t be effective so long as you are clear on what you are trying to achieve. But if you want Innovation to be the tool to drive penetration, capture the shopper with instore activation when they are in that mindset of trying new things. Categories like sparkling wine and Champagne or RTD gin are dominated by shoppers in that particular mindset.

TAKEOUT #2 – UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE USING NPD TO TRY AND ACHIEVE AND TAILOR YOUR ACTIVATION ACCORDINGLY. DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES REQUIRE DIFFERENT APPROACHES. THE PRICE QUESTION I get asked a question a lot by suppliers – should I price promote my NPD? It’s a

difficult one, as I’m well aware that it is often hard to separate a promotional price from an activation, but the answer lies in shopper mindset. If a shopper wants to see innovation in the category AND is likely to buy innovation incrementally AND has low overall price knowledge, then the answer quite simply is no. If these conditions hold for your category, then price promoting NPD is only going to cost you money you didn’t need to spend.

Tequila stands out as a category where I would advise against price promoting something new – Tequila shoppers want to see innovation coming through to stores, are highly likely to buy the new product as well as their favoured or habitual product and have very limited knowledge of the price they are paying compared with other categories. When you throw in the fact that Tequila shoppers also place a very high level of importance on enjoying the instore experience, this is a category tailor made for launching a new product through an experience, not through a price promotion.

TAKEOUT #3 – DIAL UP THE INSTORE ACTIVATION TO WOW THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE, NOT THE PRICE TAG. Innovation is an important part of any supplier’s strategy and is also vital to get right from a retailer’s perspective. But precisely because it is such an important part of your strategy, it needs to be more than just a tactic to cycle against sales.

Understand where it is needed, what purpose it serves and launch it in the most appropriate fashion to succeed. ■

SHOPPER INTELLIGENCE NZ We believe only by understanding how shoppers think and behave, can we influence what they buy. Shopper Intelligence interviews more than 45,000 shoppers in New Zealand across the Supermarket, P&C and Traditional Liquor channels in order to drive strategic shopper-led commercial decisions at retailer, category, segment and brand levels. If you want to understand your shopper better, contact Andrew Arnold, NZ Country Manager at Shopper Intelligence, at andrew.arnold@shopperintelligence.co.nz.

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 11

a h D R c A u H b m o k O T T E S

F F O E TAK

While still a small category relative to hard seltzers, alcoholic kombucha is poised for growth in the years ahead, reports IWSR.

ith the better-for-me beverage movement continuing to gain momentum both globally and locally, alcoholic kombucha (or hard kombucha) looks set to gain traction in the health and wellness space.

According to global liquor research analysts IWSR, the US is set to be the driving force for hard kombucha in the short to medium term – with volumes expected to more than double by 2023.

But other markets, such Australasia and the UK, will provide pockets of growth as more brand owners – including a number of brewers – explore the category.

w

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS HARD KOMBUCHA? Regular (or soft) kombucha is a 200-yearold fermented drink made with sweetened black or green tea and SCOBY, which stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. It is often blended with fruit 12 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

juice and its probiotic properties are said to assist in gut health and reduce inflammation (amongst other claims).

All kombucha contains a small amount of alcohol (less than 0.5% ABV) as a by-product of the fermentation process, but it is still classified as a non-alcoholic beverage. To get the additional alcohol content in hard kombucha, extra sugar and yeast are added to extend the fermentation process in order to create an alcoholic beverage.

“While hard kombuchas are alcoholic, they still benefit from the halo effect of the perceived health benefits [of regular kombucha],” says Brandy Rand, COO Americas at IWSR. “Many brands play upon this by highlighting their probiotic properties, as well as wellness-friendly ingredients such as enzymes, organic acids, vitamins and minerals.”

TAKING ON THE MARKET With hard seltzers dominating the betterfor-me beverage category, Rand says new

entrants into the category are driving the diversification of hard kombucha through innovation. “[Such as] innovative flavour combinations, differing levels of alcoholic strength and fresh packaging formats – from the slimline cans favoured by hard seltzers to regular cans and bottles traditionally used by beers,” she says.

IWSR says hard kombucha typically shares many ‘favourable’ characteristics with hard seltzers. They are both typically low in calories, sugar and carbohydrates, as well as often being organic, non-GMO and gluten-free. Rand says many brand owners call attention to these properties by packaging their hard kombuchas in the slimline, single-serve aluminium cans that are already strongly associated with hard seltzers.

But in order to target their own category of consumers, Rand says hard kombucha brands are releasing products with fewer calories and lower carbs, “allowing them to compete more directly and effectively with hard seltzers”.

hard kombucha

The global hard kombucha market was valued at

US$99030 million in 2020 and is expected to reach

US$1203850 million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 42.4% during 2021-2026. *360 Market Updates Global Hard Kombucha Market Research Report 2020.

Beach Booch launched in June this year

Brand owners are also looking to varying levels of alcohol to provide them with a unique selling point.

With hard seltzers in particular, much activity is focused around the 4.1-5% ABV, IWSR reports there has been a significant increase in the launches of both lower- and higher-ABV products in recent months.

They are also increasingly exploring the fringes of the hard kombucha category, with variations such as canned cocktails, hard kombuchas fermented with Champagne yeast and hybrid products combining hard kombucha with beer.

HARD KOMBUCHA IN NEW ZEALAND Hard kombucha brands have been slowly popping up in New Zealand for the past few years. Both Kombucha Bros and Happy Booch launched in 2019 and there are now a decent handful of hard kombucha brands in the Kiwi better-for-me alcoholic beverage space.

Beach Booch founder Alistair Kirk

One of the most recent additions to the category is Beach Booch which was founded by two mates, Kiwi Alistair Kirk and Californian George Wielechowski, and launched into the market in June this year.

“The Beach Booch story began and exploded with mates riffing on opportunities and ideas to create a New Zealand brand that smashed together So-Cal know-how with Kiwi can-do, and to celebrate the all-things Aotearoa,” Kirk told The Shout NZ. The Beach Booch range currently includes 90 Mile Booch - grapefruit and ginger; Ocean Booch - peach and chilli; and Raglan Booch - berry, lemon and sage.

“Our chief brewer Josh Makler, [who is] San Diego based, is a pioneer in the hard kombucha space, so his knowledge of flavours is absolutely invaluable,” says Kirk.

“We selected flavours that represent some of our favourite places in New Zealand citrus for Northland, peaches for Hawke’s Bay, berries for Waikato - and added a Beach Booch twist.”

Currently available in the Auckland region, distribution of Beach Booch around New Zealand will happen over the spring and summer months.

Kirk says initial consumer response has been overwhelmingly positive and there is a long list of flavours that will be launching over the coming months.

“Our flavours, our organic ingredients, our core team’s product knowledge and expertise and our brand has meant we have well and truly launched with a bang.”

And with the focus of the brand on all-things New Zealand, Kirk hopes the country – and then the rest of the world – will jump on board.

“We literally created the brand and product as a celebration of all the things we love most about New Zealand,” he

THE HISTORY OF KOMBUCHA The history of kombucha is shrouded in mystery but it is believed that it originated in ancient China more than 2000 years ago in the Qin Dynasty circa 220BCE. In 414CE, a Korean doctor named Dr. Kombu brought the beverage to Japan for Emperor Inyoko. Legend says that the term ‘cha’ meaning ‘tea’ in Japanese was added to the doctor’s name, which is how the name ‘kombucha’ was coined.

says. “It’s why we’ve pushed so hard to make sure that we’re brewed and produced right here in Aotearoa.

“It would be amazing if we adopted and got behind Beach Booch, made it ours and then took it to the world. Our plans are huge and ambitious and we know that as a new company in a fledgling category, we have to do this carefully and well we’re so excited to see where this goes.”

And while the hard kombucha category is still relatively small in New Zealand, Kirk believes there is a definite demand for it in the better-for-me beverage space.

“The soft kombucha market, along with the explosion in hard seltzer and nonbeer options, gives us huge confidence that there is a solid and growing demand for something new,” he says. “Couple that with the actual year-over-year and projected world-wide growth of hard kombucha, especially in our region, and we can see that this is something that New Zealanders, and others are starting to move towards.”

With consumers continuing to search for alternatives to suit their lifestyles and gravitating towards better-for-me beverages, the IWSR says as more hard kombucha brands enter the market and look to carve out their own distinctive niche, the increasing diversification in terms of flavour, strength and packaging should serve to expand the appeal of premium-priced hard kombucha in the years to come. ■ THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 13

label

THE RIGHT

Ensuring your brand is a standout on-shelf can often come down to label design. Bold and bright, simple and sleek or out-there and off-the-wall? The choices are endless, but thanks to some industry experts, we have a list of the top liquor label trends in 2021. By Charlotte Cowan.

i

n a world where the liquor category is increasing every minute – or, in fact, every second – standing out from the crowd has become paramount to brands hoping to secure a regular consumer base.

Designing a liquor label is an intensive process and there are many complex design and label configurations in the market from which brands can choose.

According to Horst Klos from Viniquip International – one of Australasia’s leading importers and distributors of liquor bottling, packaging, and processing equipment – having a stand-out liquor label has a huge effect on customers’ perceptions of the product. “Making it look unique, grand and expensive is three-quarters of the battle,” he says.

“If the consumer is a connoisseur – or knows their spirits – they will happily savour the product out of a clean skin bottle,” he says. “If the consumer is ‘Joe/ Jane average’, then packaging will carry great importance as they will pick out 14 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

brands with great and ‘expensive’ looks – something that screams ‘you have to buy me!’. Even a mediocre product will sell well if the packaging has a ‘wow’ factor.”

So how do you get that wow factor?

Here are the biggest trends in liquor label design right now…

BEING SUSTAINABLE Sustainability is having an impact on every part of the liquor production process – from ingredient sourcing to packaging and, of course, labels. Many liquor brands are choosing sustainable labels to show commitment to their eco-friendly approach and corporate responsibility and to target consumers who are choosing to lead a more sustainable life. Matt Grantham, Creative Director of specialist branding and digital design agency Onfire Design, says consumers at all price points are now taking steps to be sustainable (as well as ethical) in their purchasing decisions. “The power has undoubtedly shifted to the consumer in this regard,” he says. “Each

brand can, and should, be doing what they can right now to make what they are putting out into the world as sustainable as it can be.”

Many label producers, such as trans-Tasman manufacturer Hally Labels, have created a selection of environmentallyfriendly and sustainable label materials for brands to choose from.

“We have an extensive range of options to address different environmental drivers - including recycled content papers and plastics, bio-based plastics replacing petroleum, and alternative fibre Giesen Wines’ Ara Resolute Organic labels are made from Hally Labels’ Grape Waste material - an FSC® certified paper containing 15% grape waste sourced from wine production

liquor labels Finery’s simple packaging follows the same mantra as its brand - clean, honest and to-the-point

label materials such as cotton, grass, bamboo, sugar cane, hemp and grape waste,” says Hally Labels Group Technical & Marketing Manager, Nigal Tutty. Hally’s Grape Waste labels, as used by wine giant Giesen Wines for its Ara Resolute Organic Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, contains 15% grape waste that is sourced from wine production. “It is matched with a specialty beverage adhesive that ensures excellent adhesion in chilled and damp applications,” says Tutty. Tutty says sustainable labelling is a key driver for a number of Hally Labels’ customers.

However, it is a complex category that needs to be navigated carefully. There are many confusing and often contradictory terms such as biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, reusable, and dissolvable; they all need context if you are to make the right decision.”

Tutty says Hally Labels has seen several existing customers proactively move to make change to reduce the environmental impact of their material footprint. “We are also seeing many new start-up businesses choosing environmentally sustainable material options from the get-go,” he says.

“It is our experience that local and global alcoholic beverage brand owners are often at the pointy end of any change. We see a collective desire from this category to be ahead of the curve, and anticipate that future demand for environmentally sustainable labelling from the alcoholic beverage sector will be strong.”

CHOOSING BOLD ALL-OVER COLOURS AND MINIMALISTIC DESIGNS As German-American painter Hans Hoffman once said: “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” With the continuing pandemic putting everyone in a spin, consumers are searching for

uncomplicated, bold and inspiring labels.

Choosing a stand-out all-over colour is one option to draw in consumers. “Colour psychology is a very real thing,” says Grantham. “Different colours make us feel various emotions, and the saturation and brightness of something affects our moods, too. It’s no surprise that after 2020, we’re seeking out something that feels full of life.”

When it comes to branding, Grantham says less is most certainly more such as with Finery’s labels designed by Onfire Design. “The natural evolution of socialfirst branding with its clean, unobtrusive designs simplify our lives and, more importantly, pop on social feeds.

“Stripped back designs with bold flat colours, simple (go small or big with it, keep it clean), brand and list of ingredients are some of the go-to visual languages. It’s a tried-andtested way of engaging consumers with a reassuring look that feels familiar and credible,” he says.

“IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT AFTER 2020, WE’RE SEEKING OUT SOMETHING THAT FEELS FULL OF LIFE.” MATT GRANTHAM, ONFIRE DESIGN. Because a shrink sleeve can conform to practically any shaped bottle or liquor container, the labels can offer 360 degree coverage in terms of design – meaning more space for product details or imagery.

“Shrink sleeves allow for amazing artwork and in higher volumes are not expensive to manufacture or apply,” says Viniquip’s Horst Klos.

An while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used to be the material of choice used for shrink labels, many companies are now choosing environmentally-friendly materials such as PET(G) (Polyproplyene Terephthalate Glycol), which is recyclable; and OPS (Oriented Polystyrene), which is an environmentally-friendly when creating shrink sleeve labels.

GOING HIGH-END For brand with a large or limitless budget, premium labels can draw in consumers by creating an emotional connection that is driven by tactile design.

“High cost products labels are becoming more bespoke and premium through the use of uncoated materials and high-end embellishments,” says Adhesif Labels Account Manager, Michael Schofield. Particularly common in the wine category, SHOWCASING 360 DEGREE embellishments can include 3D COVERAGE embossing, foiling, varnishing With brands such as Johnnie and die-cutting. Schofield says Walker, Smirnoff and Jose the use of uncoated materials Cuervo all showcasing the gives a more textured and effectiveness of shrink sleeve premium look and feel. “The use design on their bottles, this label of multi-level emboss can give option has continued its rise in a 3D look to areas which would popularity over the past decade. otherwise appear flat or enhance Put simply, a shrink sleeve the shimmer of foils. Many label is made from a heat[brands] are now incorporating sensitive material that is seamed the multi-level emboss into their with openings on the top and trademark symbol.” bottom to create a “sleeve.”

Dale Bamford, General The sleeve is placed around Manager of Auckland company the bottle or can and placed Rapid Labels, says it’s the classic in a heat tunnel where the embellishments that have Johnnie Walker used shrink sleeve is then shrunk to stood the test of time and sleeve labels for its limited edition the container. have evolved.

Game of Thrones whiskeys THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 15

liquor labels tweaks,” he says. “Adding colour and vibrancy to a design is becoming more and more popular. A mash up of the two is perhaps on the cards.”

The McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé label took out its category in the 2021 Print in Print awards.

“Using a foil today can be different to what it was in the past,” he told The Shout NZ. “Micro, nano and sculpted embossed foils all add further dimensions to an age-old technique, giving it new life.”

One example of a stand-out premium label is the McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé label which took out the top label category at this year’s Pride in Print awards. Printed by Rapid Labels, it includes embellishments such as an all-over matt varnish, spot matt varnish, rotary hot foil, textured emboss, sculptured emboss and gloss high build. Judges said it was one of the most technically brilliant wine labels seen in the Pride In Print awards’ 28-year history.

Bamford says the McBride label design is a true classic. “The use of a premium uncoated label stock not overcrowded with print, allows the off-white textured material to shine.

This coupled with some classic and cleanly produced embellishments really makes this label stand out. Labels like these ones don’t happen every day.”

Bamford predicts the future of premium labels – particularly wine labels – won’t stray far from the classic space.

“Clean and classic matched with premium materials is here to stay but maybe with a few

ADDING SOME QUIRK “Simplicity can only take you so far and is easy to mimic,” says Onfire’s Matt Grantham. “Each brand has to have its own tone-of-voice, a unique perspective that the consumer gravitates to. This manifests itself in a visual quirk.” Utilising illustrations, hand-drawn art-work, icons or tongue-in-cheek wordplay can grab attention, tell a story and add a personal touch to labels. “[Use] elements that bring a smile to the face and are identifiable,” says Grantham.

Grantham says for every new entrant into the crowded liquor market, it is important for each brand to understand their product and target consumer, what their competitors are doing and where the ‘white space’ is (aka the gap in the market) for their product to live in and own.

“The worst scenario would be to design something that looks like everyone else and for the consumer to confuse your brand with another,” he says. “The key is to craft a different brand story and personality, then go out and damn well own it.” ■

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY Each colour in the spectrum can make us feel a certain way just by association, these are the some of the most common themes – both positive and negative - seen in colour psychology to consider when choosing a label for your brand.

RED Positive: power, excitement, strength, passion, energy, youth, confidence Negative: anger, danger, aggression, warning YELLOW Positive: optimism, warmth, happiness, creativity, friendliness Negative: caution, anxiety, fear GREEN Positive: health, hope, nature, growth, freshness, prosperity Negative: envy, sickness, boredom BLUE Positive: trust, loyalty, dependability, logic, serenity, security Negative: coldness, emotionless, uncaring PINK Positive: imaginative, passionate, transformation, balance, creativity Negative: outrageousness, femininity, impulsive

Matt Grantham, Onfire Design

BLACK Positive: sophistication, security, power, authority, substance Negative: oppression, coldness WHITE Positive: cleanness, clarity, purity, simplicity, freshness Negative: sterility, coldness, isolation

The Neleman Wine labels, designed

by Onfire Design, feature a range of illustrations of winemaker Derrick Neleman riding his bike

16 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

a l i u q e T E S I R N SU

Weber blue agave

Tequila, Tequila everywhere but not a drop to drink? Tash McGill takes a look at this in-demand spirit and explores how Kiwis can start getting their hands on more premium options.

t

equila is the ongoing success story that the world has been waiting … and waiting for.

Half-a-dozen celebrity-owned brands have made big noise on launch and acquisition in the last decade, but alongside that excitement comes the reality of limited supply and increasing demand in North America. With consumption at an all-time high across a land border, getting Tequila onto a boat has become an increasing challenge.

The global market has grown 22% since 2014 according to the ISWR, with premium releases showing a 64% increase in sales.

In New Zealand, Tequila and mezcal sales are over-indexing with over 400% growth for some distributors – but it’s from a baseline of barely any significant volume moving through New Zealand channels. So what does it mean for the landscape when it’s Tequila, Tequila everywhere but not a drop to drink?

18 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

There’s a quote from Steve Lauth of Tequila Partida that has been doing the rounds for the last few months: “When times are good, people drink. When times are bad, they drink more.”

While growth across the category is exciting, it’s almost in parallel to the whisky boom experienced across Scotland and Japan 10 years ago. While in Scotch world, it’s all about time to age spirit in barrel, in the world of mezcal and Tequila, it’s about agave stocks and planting for a future that will demand more supply than ever.

BACK TO THE FUTURE FOR PLANTING Agave plants, in particular the Weber blue agave that is denoted for Tequila production, take seven to 10 years to mature, before well-trained jimadors can harvest the piña or hearts of the agave plant with which they make the agave spirit. This focus on the horticultural attention to the process is crucial

Tash McGill is a spirits and hospitality writer who regularly hosts tastings and education classes for those wanting to know more about spirits and their uses - from cocktails to culinary food matches.

She has been in the spirits and cocktail industry for more than 10 years, writing, tasting and judging competitions.

tequila & mezcal as the health of the crop over time can impact yield once agave moves into production.

Aging the spirit has previously not been a significant consideration for planning overall supply of product to market – blanco or silver Tequila is not aged, while reposado Tequila is aged for a minimum of two months and up to 364 days. For classic Tequila cocktails like the Margarita and Paloma, blanco and reposado Tequila has sustained the bulk of volume and volume growth.

After 365 days, the Tequila becomes añejo, and then after three years, it becomes extra añejo. Alongside a global trend towards premiumisation – aged Tequila is experiencing the same boom with products such as Don Julio’s 1942 (small batch, extra añejo) entering the market with a premium price tag.

Much like many wineries which purchase grape stock from vineyards – many mezcal and Tequila producers have historically purchased their agave from specialist growers, maintaining the production facilities but not the estates. Now that demand is increasing, the brands which own their own estates have both a supply, stock and pricing advantage as increased demand for agave means producers are having to pay a premium.

Tequila producers are ramping up estate development, planting and stock warehousing to meet demand for aged Tequila products within the next five to 10 years but admit supply will continue to be tight.

Jamie Dickens of Tickety-Boo Liquor says: “Super premium Tequila like Fortaleza and Arette have seen a tremendous growth in our portfolio. Of course, this growth would be a lot more if we could source product faster and keep our price rises to a minimum. Thankfully for Tickety-Boo, our brands use their own estate-grown agave, so haven’t faced the huge hikes on agave price like those that buy in from other growers.”

PREMIUM DEMANDS The Distilled Spirits Council (USA) estimates that premium and super-premium Tequila has seen an extraordinary growth of 706% since 2002 but that represents growth from an extremely minimal baseline. Patrón laid early claim to the premium Tequila market and have continued to drive its growth with single estate releases expanding the portfolio holding internationally.

As with much of traditional production, there has been an extremely artisanal focus on everything from jimador training to the manufacture of Patrón bottles – it reportedly takes up to 60 people to complete the process from field to bottle. This creates some challenges for stepping up supply to meet demand and poses interesting questions for the modernisation of previously traditional systems throughout the mezcal and Tequila worlds.

For the consumer, it’s easy to see parallels between other premium spirit categories.

Premium growth traditionally happens when

“IN THE WORLD OF MEZCAL AND TEQUILA, IT’S ABOUT AGAVE STOCKS AND PLANTING FOR A FUTURE THAT WILL DEMAND MORE SUPPLY THAN EVER.”

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 19

tequila & mezcal

Agave plants take seven to 10 years to mature before jimadors can harvest the piña

there is activation and awareness in the on-premise segment to drive consumer purchase down the line in off-premise. The time is ripe for mezcal to see similar exponential growth. For now, it’s the bartender talent and expertise pushing consumer awareness of mezcal (and Tequila) cocktails which is paying off.

Dickens concurs. “When Gracias a Dios joined our portfolio we held three products, this range now consists of 12-14 lines, depending on availability,” he says. “Consumers are generally unaware of mezcal as a whole, but love mezcal-based cocktails. So it’s the on-trade and passionate bartenders driving this category.

Our mezcal sales would be 90/10 in favour of on-premise.”

However, global intel would suggest it’s not just on-premise driving demand in a new world of digital influence and at home drinking.

A NEW WAY OF DRIVING DIGITAL DEMAND Internationally, the growth of mezcal and Tequila is a clear case study on changes to the consumer path-to-purchase. The launch of influencer Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand was subtle but ubiquitous. Alongside picking up anonymous gold medals in international spirits competitions, the launch to market was as simple as Instagram videos of Kendall and her friends making tasting selections for the final blends.

Who could forget Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s now infamous Watermelon Margarita made with Teremana Tequila?

Whether he muddled or simply crushed the watermelon with his bare hands is yet to be determined. But either way, alongside Rita Ora, George Clooney, Adam Levine and Behati 20 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

Prinsloo – celebrities and their social media influence have spurred consumers into brand engagement in a whole new way.

Much of this is the positive halo effect that Tequila and mezcal are experiencing – neither The Rock or George Clooney are renowned for dancing on tables in nightclubs. Instead there’s a wellness and ‘drink responsibly’ message that pairs innately with a perception of enjoying good quality spirits. In a world driven by digital representation of people and brands, those celebrities with an authentic connection to a love for the product and it’s processes have been most successful.

In addition to the celebrity factor, COVID lockdowns have driven consumers towards e-commerce in ways we haven’t seen before.

This has particularly been felt internationally with major companies such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman investing in high-profile brand ambassadors and bartending talent to educate, advocate and entice consumers to athome cocktail preparation and premium spirits.

The bonus of all this digital content and consumer education? Demand exists. The challenge for us in New Zealand? Whether consumers are looking for something they’ve seen online in a local retail store or they are keen to try something new at their local bar – we’re yet to see much allocation, if any, of some of the newer and premium releases from brands consumers already know and love.

Distributors are on the hunt for new products to introduce to the portfolio but in COVID times, there is only one piece of advice: If you find something you like, buy it twice, as it might be a while before you can get your hands on it again. ■

TEQUILA VS MEZCAL Basically, Tequila is a type of mezcal.

While mezcal can be produced from up to 50 species of the agave plant, Tequila can be made from just one: agave tequilana Weber, or Weber blue agave. It can be produced in only five Mexican states (protected by law, similar to Champagne) and must fit within one of the five styles recognised by the Mexican government. Additionally, agave that is used for Tequila is steamed in ovens, while the plant is often roasted in underground pits for mezcal, which provides its distinctive smoky flavour.

product showcase

MATAHIWI ESTATE WAIRARAPA PINOT ROSÉ 2021 This brand new Rosé from Matahiwi Estate is grown sustainably in the beautiful Wairarapa and lovingly picked by a great bunch of people from the Matahiwi wine club on a beautiful autumn day. A vibrant cool climate Pinot Noir Rosé, it is a beautiful pink in the glass with aromas of strawberry and melon on the nose.

The palate is lively with raspberry and stone fruit flavours, subtle creaminess and a long fresh finish. Excellent on its own or with seafood dishes such as crayfish, prawns and salmon.

RRP $26.99 Contact: (06) 370 1000 www.matahiwi.co.nz use code PINOT for an extra 10% off

MIDDLE-EARTH NELSON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 Middle-Earth wines is located in the prized wine region of Nelson, the geographical centre/middle-earth of New Zealand. Family owned and operated and 100% sustainable, Middle-Earth’s range of cool climate wines are balanced and character-filled with vibrant varietal characters. The grapes for this 2021 Sauvignon Blanc are grown exclusively on the free draining terraces of the Wai iti River at the back of the Waimea Plains. Winemaker Trudy Sheild received the fruit in the cool of dawn over a two week period. Individual parcels were cool fermented to retain flavour compounds and held on fine lees for three months prior to bottling. Expect wines of vibrancy, concentration and balance from 2021.

Phone: (03) 542 4145 RRP $19.95 Distributor: Hancocks Wine Spirits and Beer Merchants www.middleearthwine.com

w o h s on This month’s

CURIOSITY CLASSIC New from Curiosity Gin, Classic is a curious take on a traditional London Gin. Versatile and excellent for any gin cocktail or occasion, Classic is the perfect gin from the Curiosity range to put in your bar. This latest release is exceptionally smooth and softly juniper forward with gentle citrus playing off light, bright spice and smooth, sweet floral highlights. Find your curiosity for flavour in gins with a New Zealand twist. Where will you land on the Curiosity Scale? Will you be quietly curious with Classic? Or will your journey lead you to a new passion for the depth of grain-to-glass in our Negroni Special? Who knows where a little curiosity will take you.

RRP $75.00 (700ml, 40% ABV) Distributor: Beverage Brothers Contact: (022) 382 2071 www.curiositygin.co.nz

leases.

nd new re y classics a

must-tr

TIRONUI ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY ROSÉ 2021 From a small Boutique Hawke’s Bay vineyard, nestled below Sugar Loaf Hill in Taradale, overlooking The Mission, Napier and with a view out to Cape Kidnappers; this 93pt Rosé stands out both in terms of its candyfloss pink hues and its cranberry and red apple skin aromas and flavours, along with hints of peaches and cherries. Unusual too, in that the wine is Malbec dominant, backed up by Merlot and Cabernet and with only 3200 bottles produced, this is a rare gem indeed. All grapes are handpicked and co-fermented from the picturesque hillside vineyard and this wine is unlikely to be around for long.

RRP $28.00 (750ml, 13.5% ABV) Contact: Richard Brown on (021) 033 4270 or richard.tironui@gmail.com www.tironuiestate.com

DR BEAK NEW ZEALAND PREMIUM GIN The team at Dr Beak is inspired by New Zealand’s amazing biodiversity. All but one of their botanicals and raw ingredients are sourced in New Zealand, which keeps their footprint small, supports local growers, and gives traceability straight to your glass. While not only crafting premium quality gin, 5% of profits are donated to Forest & Bird. This New Zealand Premium Gin is an audacious juniper-forward gin, bursting with flavour and complexity. A recent Gold Medal winner at the 2021 NZ Spirits Awards, this small batch gin reveals spice and earthy notes, with lifted citrus and lavender to brighten the palate, which is rounded out by a touch of umami. Batch-distilled using a bespoke copper still.

Like the Kea that adorns the label – this is a bold and cheeky expression of a London Dry gin.

RRP $79.90 (500ml, 48% ABV) Contact: Lacey Bourne (021) 046 4284 or lacey@drbeak.nz www.drbeak.nz THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 21

on-premise

SPOTLIGHT ON NZ LOCALS:

hola mexico!

As the hospitality industry continues to be affected by the global pandemic, The Shout NZ is dedicated to supporting Kiwi locals. This month we’re exploring New Zealand’s most tantalising Tequila and mezcal bars…

Ghost Donkey

AUCKLAND: GHOST DONKEY A lively, vibrant mezcal and Tequila bar that embodies the warmth of Mexican hospitality, Ghost Donkey is Mexican at heart, always paying homage and being respectful of tradition while putting its own stamp on things. With 70+ mezcals and Tequilas on the menu, including carefully curated Agave tasting flights and a bespoke cocktail list, it has the largest offering of the top selection of Tequila and mezcal in Auckland.

Signature drink: The Stone Wall – featuring house-made habanero-spiced apple juice, a blend of some of the finest Tequila and mezcal and a dash of pomegranate.

Must-try Tequila: Fortaleza Tequila. www.ghostdonkey.nz 22 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

ŌHOPE: CADERA A fun, vibrant and inviting place, Cadera has a laid-back atmosphere for people of all ages. With a glimpse of the ocean from its deck, this one-of-a-kind Mexicanon-the-beach venue features colourful artwork inside and out and is a great spot to sit back and relax with a Tequila.

Signature drink: Chili margarita – house infused chili Tequila makes for a deliciously spicy and interesting drink.

Must-try Tequila: Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Extra Anejo. www.facebook.com/Cadera.ohope/ AUCKLAND: FRIDA COCINA MEXICANA & TEQUILA BAR Inspired by the Mexican artist and icon Frida Kahlo, Frida Cocina Mexicana &

Cadera Frida Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar

Tequila Bar has a modern yet authentic atmosphere celebrating the festive food, drinks, colours and handmade décor of Mexico. Along with good music and a fiesta-loving team, you will feel like you’re at Frida’s home in the centre of Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Signature drink: Casa Azul – a signature margarita named after Frida Khalo’s home (now a museum) in Coyoacan, Mexico City meaning ‘Blue House’.

Must-try Tequila: Herradura Ultra Anejo. www.frida.co.nz WELLINGTON: LOS BANDITOS Los Banditos is a traditional Mexican Cantina and Tequila bar, but with a twist.

Rather than adhere to strict traditional rules, they adapt contemporary global flavours into their food and drinks, keeping the Mexican spirit of the menu alive, while pushing the boundaries. Dedicated to

Los Banditos

having fun, not taking themselves too seriously and keeping standards high, the team at Los Banditos loves having a laugh with everyone that comes through the doors.

Signature drink: Margaritas! But Los Banditos’ unique selection of original and revamped cocktails that utilise Tequila and mezcal mean there is always something for everyone!

Must-try Tequilas: Fortaleza Anjeo for sipping, Tequila Ocho reposado for shots and Altos Plata for margaritas. www.losbanditos.co.nz AUCKLAND: LA FUENTE A small but perfectly formed mezcal bar serving up delicious Mexican-inspired food and good times, Auckland’s La Fuente aims to make all his customers feel comfortable ordering mezcal. The first of its kind in New Zealand and owned

by Mexican-born sommelier Edmundo Farrera, La Fuentes offers more than 20 different Mezcales, all served in specialised vintage cognac glassware, plus a permanent mezcal experience matched with Mexican tapas.

Signature drink: Mezcalita – fresh organic lime juice, sal de gusano (worm salt) and lemonade.

Must-try mezcal: Meteoro. www.lafuente.co.nz ■

WHAT MAKES A GREAT TEQUILA/MEZCAL BAR? “Having staff that knows Tequila inside and out, from the way it’s been made to how to best enjoy it goes a long way in introducing people to a side of the spirit beyond the salt and lime shots.”

Los Banditos

“Selection. We have a variety of blanco, reposado, anejo and extra anejo Tequilas, ranging from house pours to premium quality Tequilas as well as mezcals, so you are sure to find what you’re after.

A great Tequila bar also needs fiesta music and sombreros!” Frida

“The margarita will always be the go-to cocktail at a Tequila bar and whilst we love a good margarita, we think a great Tequila bar should take people out of their comfort zone and introduce them to some new favourites.” Ghost Donkey

“Our ethos is not to feature any Mezcal that has industrial methods or shortcuts in their production, everything we offer is also what we drink ourselves, life is too short!” Le Fuente

La Fuente

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 23

s c i t a m s o c i r A -aromat i m se AND

BY

Aromatic and semiaromatic grape varieties can produce wines with a lot of power and finesse and seductive scents from flowers to perfumes, to fleshy juicy fruits, to exotic and spicy flavours. They can be bone dry through to exceedingly sweet. That can mean it is a little harder to match customers to the right wine for them unless they tell you the stories of what wines they like and why, as much as wines they don’t like – and why.

My sister-in-law does not like Riesling and refuses to buy or try mostly because she thinks all Rieslings are sweet. You and I both know this is not true, but how do you show customers, and family, that these wines and styles can be fantastic drinking? Well, in my case, I keep offering my sister-inlaw tastes of wine without showing her the bottle or naming the variety and guess what? She actually does like Riesling in a justdry style with a touch of spice or dry botrytis flavour.

The term ‘aromatic’ refers to a specific category of white grape varieties that contain an extra set of naturally occurring compounds called ‘terpenes’. Terpenes enhance and even

amplify the spice, fruit and floral scents of wine.

Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Torrontes are among the most intense and exotic of the aromatic varieties with flavours ranging from tropical fruits to roses and spices.

The most popular of the aromatic varieties is Pinot Gris, it is nearly always available by the glass in restaurants across two to three different expressions and hopefully two to three regions. The drier styles are sometimes better with food that is salty such as shaved meats or fish with capers, or seafood dishes with crisp, crunchy textures. The off-dry to medium styles are well suited to dishes with creamy textures such as oily fish or pasta with soft proteins. Strictly speaking, Pinot Gris is semi-aromatic - it is not as floral or intense as the three varieties described above. The aroma and flavour package of Gris is relatively simple – fruity, mouth-filling without being cumbersome or too complex and often with just a little residual sweetness. Pear skin and poached pear, yellow or red apple, white spice like pepper and Asian pear are typical descriptors.

S MS

DOUGLA CAMERON

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Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. An experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant, he is academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage Programme at AUT University in Auckland and is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association. Douglas consults to a variety of establishments, taking care of their wine lists, wine and food pairings, and staff training matters and he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas.

24 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

tasting notes 6

GREYWACKE MARLBOROUGH RIESLING 2019 Aromatic, complex and enticing bouquet with aromas of exotic flowers and heirloom citrus. Meyer lemon, wild peach and lees spices.

Sweetness on the palate is easily contrasted by acidity and a core of fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet.

Very lengthy finish, satin textured, floral and delicious. Drinking well now and through 2030+.

Points 96 RRP $31.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 572 5425 www.greywacke.com

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DOMAIN ROAD DUFFERS CREEK CENTRAL OTAGO RIESLING 2018 Complex bouquet with a mineralcentric beginning, aromas of tangerine and lemon, fresh green apple and white blossoms. Off dry on the palate for just a few seconds then the wine finishes dry. Flavours of apple and citrus with orange and yellow skinned fruits, flowers and more mineral layers. Acidity delivers contrast, texture and mouthfeel. A lovely example for aperitif and food pairing application. Best drinking from purchase and through 2029.

Points 95 RRP $27.00 Distributor: Co Pilot Distributors Phone: (03) 445 4244 www.domainroad.co.nz

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GREYWACKE MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2019 Complex and enticing bouquet with aromas of white spices and lees, wild flowers and exotic fruits, apple and pear. The wine coats the palate with flavour and texture leaving behind the taste of white fruits, spices and flowers. Perfectly balanced, silky and well made, complex and just dry on the finish. Best drinking from purchase and through 2026+.

Points 95 RRP $31.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 572 5425 www.greywacke.com

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CARRICK JOSEPHINE CENTRAL OTAGO RIESLING 2020 Pure, ripe and fresh scents of citrus fruits and green apple, roses and lemongrass. Very fragrant and enticing bouquet. Off-dry on the palate with noticeable sweetness.

Contrasting acidity draws attention back to mouthfeel and flavour with apple and lemon fruits, some quince and honeysuckle moments. Balanced

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and well made. Best served with food that has some heat spices or are creamy and naturally sweet.

Drink from day of purchase and through 2027+.

Points 93 RRP $34.00 Distributor: EuroVintage Phone: (03) 445 3480 www.carrick.co.nz GIESEN ESTATE NEW ZEALAND RIESLING 2021 Aromas of ripe, fleshy white fruits and citrus with pears and apples, sweet lemon and honeysuckle. Medium sweetness on the palate with plenty of contrasting acidity then flavours of fleshy green apple, sweet hot lemon, tangerine and pith. Lengthy finish, lovely balanced example with a long finish. Best drinking from day of purchase and through 2028.

Points 93 RRP $15.99 Distributor: Giesen Group Phone: (03) 344 6270 www.giesen.co.nz

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MATAHIWI ESTATE WAIRARAPA PINOT GRIS 2021 Mineral, spices and fresh white fleshed fruit aromas. Apples and pears, white pepper and stony mineral scents. There’s complexity and charm with some floral highlights. Dry with a satin cream mouthfeel, flavours of lemon and white fleshed fruits. Balanced and well made with a lengthy finish. Best drinking from late 2021 through 2024+.

Points 93 RRP $24.99 Distributor: Matahiwi Estate Phone: (06) 370 1000 www.matahiwi.co.nz

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PETANE HAU HAU HAWKE’S BAY PINOT GRIS 2020 Aromas of ripe, fleshy white stone fruits, brown pear and apple. Some honeysuckle and floral scents add breadth and charm. Just dry on the palate with a tickle of sweetness leading to fruit flavours that reflect the nose. Acidity and texture throughout the palate deliver a finer coarse-silk mouth feel giving length and ultimately a dry finish. Best drink from 2021 through 2023.

Points 93 RRP $27.00 Distributor: Invisible Wines and JG Wines & Drinks Phone: (021) 237 3742 www.petanewines.co.nz

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SAINT CLAIR PIONEER BLOCK 28 CAMP BLOCK MARLBOROUGH PINOT BLANC 2019 Ripe, varietal and fruit-centric bouquet with aromas of green pear, apple and baked white fleshed fruits.

A layer of leesy autolysis and mineral add complexity and intrigue. Dry on the palate with perhaps a whisper of sweetness then flavours of tree fruits and citrus pith, white spice and lees.

Balanced, salivating, fresh, youthful and dry. Best drinking from 2021 through 2026+.

Points 93 RRP $28.90 Distributor: Negociants NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 578 8695 www.saintclair.co.nz

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SEIFRIED NELSON PINOT GRIS 2021 Aromas of baked apple and fresh pear, some white spice and yeasty lees autolysis. Fresh, youthful and enticing bouquet. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, flavours dance across the palate with the help of acidity adding crunch as well. Medium weight in a just dry style, fleshy, fruity, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2024.

Points 93 RRP $20.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (03) 544 5599 www.seifried.co.nz

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WAIRAU RIVER MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2021 Aromas of nashi pears and yellow apples, honeysuckle and peach tea with a touch of white spice. Fragrant, fruity, youthful and appealing. Just dry with a core of fruit, flavours reflect the nose with white stone fruits, apples and a touch citrus with white spice and a fine lees. Balanced, well made and ready to enjoy from day of purchase and through 2024.

Points 92 RRP $20.00 Distributor: Federal Merchants Phone: (09) 578 1823 www.wairauriverwines.com

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THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 25

y a n n o d r a ch AS MS

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Last year produced some of the best wines I have tasted with quite a few 94 through 97-pointers, such is the quality. Winemakers excelled at capturing a sense of place and time in varieties such as Chardonnay, this is not easy to do. Purity of fruit, much lower new oak used, less time in barrel, bright and focussed acid lines and most of all texture have been the highlights.

There are still a number of producers that will not release their 2020 Chardonnays till 2022 and for good reason – quality. Many of the high pointer wines were Chardonnay and from the early release examples through to the most recent samples chardonnay continues to demonstrate its potential for fine wine.

The 2021 harvest is likely even better from the reports released for general reading, especially Chardonnay, and with just a few wines trickling in for tasting, so far, the quality once again appears to be very high. The major issue across the whole country though has been quantity.

Harvest 2021 across New Zealand was down by 20% overall, Chardonnay specifically was down 15% to just 6.6% of the harvest or 23,507 tonnes. Other varieties were down as much as 27%. Despite the challenges that farming grapes presents, the quality is there and for consumers the conundrum remains – which Chardonnay to buy.

Many of our consumers/customers have learned to enjoy certain styles of Chardonnay being seduced by rounded, creamy, full-bodied wines with sweet oak. That’s quite a broad generalisation, but it does highlight that this specific and legitimate style is still available and drives sales very nicely, but this makes it harder for retailers and Sommeliers to ease those drinkers into new styles of Chardonnay that are very exciting. New expressions of Chardonnay are demonstrating that if less oak, less new oak, older or neutral barrel, even no oak in some cases, that the powerful new wood flavours that could drive the overall flavour of wine are not needed because just below the surface can lie a wine of complexity and charm.

New Zealand’s climate and myriad soil types are ideally suited to growing Chardonnay and all regions grow the variety well, arguably some better than others. Not only do the different soils types influence aroma and flavour, so too can the use of dry-farming, organic practices, vineage, canopy management and harvest decisions the tipping point for quality Chardonnay is often when to know that ‘hands-off’ point in the winemaking and let the wine reveal its story.

26 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

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4 GREYWACKE MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2018 A fantastic wine with a bouquet, aromas and flavours of wild flowers and fine leesy spices, grapefruit and apple, nectarine and silty, stony soils. Full-bodied with a vibrant toasty silky-cream texture accentuated by fine tannins, medium+ acidity, brazil-nut and vanilla, quince, stone fruits and lemon. As the wine warms in glass the flavours continue to develop leading to a long salivating finish.

Best drinking from purchase and through 2028+.

Points 97 RRP $43.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 572 5425 www.greywacke.com

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DICEY BANNOCKBURN CHARDONNAY 2020 A complex and detailed bouquet with aromas of cool climate stony schistous soils of Otago, ripe almost sweet citrus, peach and apple then scents of toasty spicy barrel. Youthful, tense and vibrant

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on the palate with fine tannins and acidity framing the flavours of white stone fruits and citrus, some baking spices and gun metal. Excellent texture and length, balanced and well made. Best drinking from early to mid 2022 and through 2028+.

Points 95 RRP $30.00 Distributor: Red + White Cellar Phone: (09) 376 0760 www.dicey.nz ODYSSEY RESERVE ILIAD GISBORNE CHARDONNAY 2020 A complex and inviting bouquet with sweet grapefruit and yellow fleshed stone fruits, layers of new and used wood with baking spices and fresh cashew nut. Full-bodied and creamy on the palate with flavours of roasted stone fruits and apple, nut and baking spices.

There’s a light lactic note and a fine gun-flint mealy, fine tannin texture layering in mouthfeel and complexity. A delicious, balanced and well-made wine. Best drinking from mid to late 2022 through 2030.

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Points 95 RRP $36.95 Distributor: Odyssey Wines Phone: (09) 837 5410 www.odysseywines.co.nz ALCHEMY HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2019 Complex, ripe and fruity bouquet with aromas equally divided between yellow stone fruits and French oak toasty barrel spices, raw cashew nut and a fine gun-flint and mineral layers. Delicious on the palate with a full-bodied power, youthful tension, fine tannins, plenty of acidity and core of ripe yellow fleshed fruits. Smoky, toasty barrel spices follow leaving a nutty oily richness and residue adding to a lengthy finish. Well made with a choice of immediate drinkability or cellar time with best drinking from early 2022 through 2026.

Points 94 RRP $28.50 Distributor: Alchemy Wines Phone: (027) 378 5759 www.alchemywines.co.nz

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tasting notes ASKERNE HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2020 Ripe, fleshy, varietal and fruity bouquet with aromas then flavours of nectarine and lemon, roasted stone fruits and grapefruit, some barrel spice and toasty wood layers. Youthful textures with some new wood tension and fine tannins to match, flavours of vanilla and nut then back to stone and citrus fruits. Well made, youthful and needing some development time. Best drinking from mid 2022 through 2028.

Points 94 $24.90 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (06) 877 2089 www.askernewines.co.nz

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AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2019 A complete wine with a harmonious and layered bouquet, flavours of grapefruit and citrus pith, white peaches and apple then fruit and wood spices with a cashew nut barrel spice. Complex, youthful, plenty of energy, ripe fruit and tang across the palate. Fine tannins, medium+ acidity, plenty of oak, fruit and purity. There’s a fine core of stony soil minerality extending an already lengthy finish.

Youthful too and needing some cellar time with best drinking from 2022 through 2029+.

Points 94 RRP $36.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 578 0622 www.auntsfield.co.nz

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7 CLOUDY BAY MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2019 Youthful, fresh, varietal, fruity and complex bouquet. Aromas and flavours of brazil nut and peach, ripe grapefruit and apricot, new wood flavours with baking spices and toasty sweet barrel. Youthful tension from acidity, fine wood tannins and mealy, creamy tannins then flavours of lemon and stone fruit, some apple, pith and spice. A lovely wine that needs some time to harmonise more and develop additional complexities. Best drinking from 2022 through 2026+.

Points 94 RRP $42.99 Distributor: Moet Hennessy NZ Phone: (09) 308 9640 www.cloudybay.co.nz

KINA BEACH VINEYARD RESERVE NELSON CHARDONNAY 2016 Youthful, fresh and vibrant bouquet with aromas grapefruit and yellow stone fruits, there’s a fresh yoghurt note then raw brown sugar, toasted staves and vanilla scents of barrel.

Full-bodied with a satin cream texture, flavours of barrel and baking spices then citrus and stone fruit. Generous, fresh, lively, complexity is building and bottle age at reaching a plateau, balanced and well made. Best drinking from day of purchase and through 2024.

Points 93 RRP $36.00 Distributor: Kina Beach Vineyard Phone: (027) 521 5555 www.kinabeach.co.nz

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MISSION HUCHET HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2018 Grown and bottled by Mission Estate, Huchet Chardonnay - named after Brother Cyprian Huchet, one of New Zealand’s pioneering winemakers (circa 1870) is a captivating wine with a spun gold hue and very bright appearance leading to aromas of stone fruit and barrel spices, roasted cashew and brazil nut, burnt butter and apple, and a light sweet raw sugar scent. On the palate - the wine is creamy, rich in flavour and texture with fruit flavours of roasted nectarine and apricot, baked apple and grapefruit peel. With medium acidity and super fine wood tannins the texture transitions from creamy to tense enhanced by the flavours of citrus and French oak. Lengthy finish, full-bodied, nutty, packed with flavours of stone fruits and citrus, it’s rather delicious and definitely ready.

Best drinking is upon purchase and through 2025.

Points 93 RRP $125.00 Distributor: Mission Estate Winery Phone: (06) 845 9350 www.missionestate.co.nz

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OLD COACH ROAD NELSON CHARDONNAY 2019 Really lovely bouquet with a citrus, mineral, quince and stone fruit attack followed by scents of hazelnut and mild toasty wood suggestions.

Youthful, fresh and salivating on the palate with fruit and barrel flavours to reflect the nose, fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity an lengthy finish.

Quietly complex, dry and lengthy.

Best drinking from mid to late 2022 through 2028+.

Points 93 RRP $15.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (03) 544 5599 www.seifried.co.nz

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PETANE PURIRI BLOCK HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2020 Bright, fresh, varietal and attractive bouquet with a pure fruit core of white fleshed stone fruits then citrus, some floral notes then sweet oak with vanilla and mild toasty wood suggestions. Lovely weight and texture with flavours that mirror the nose - vanilla and peach, apple and lemon. Fine dusty wood tannins add texture while acidity and alcohol carry flavour through a lengthy finish.

Balanced and well made with best drinking from 2022 through 2026.

Points 93 RRP $35.00 Distributor: Invisible Wines and JG Wines & Drinks Phone: (021) 237 3742 www.petanewines.co.nz

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MISSION RESERVE HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2020 Peach and cashew, butterscotch and baked apple, vanilla custard and mild toasty barrel spices of French oak.

Creamy textures with contrasting acidity and fine wood tannins, flavours of stone fruits and apple reflect the nose. A near full-bodied expression with flavours and textures that will please many who like the nutty, creamy expression of this variety.

Drink now and through 2023.

Points 92 RRP $29.00 Distributor: Mission Estate Winery Phone: (06) 845 9350 www.missionestate.co.nz

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WAIRAU RIVER ESTATE MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2020 Classic Wairau River wines estate expression with aromas of ripe, fleshy yellow stone fruits, vanilla and whipped creamed scents of French oak and malolactic conversion, then red apple and citrus. On the palate youthful, weighty, creamy fresh and dry. Flavours reflect the bouquet with stone fruits and citrus domination then spice of oak and a light smoky wood flavours. Balanced and well made, youthful and lengthy. Best drinking from day of purchase and through 2025.

Points 92 RRP $20.00 Distributor: Federal Merchants Phone (09) 578 1823 www.wairauriverwines.com

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THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 27

cold brew IN THE HOT SUN With the warmer months fast approaching, beer writer Denise Garland chooses the top beer and cider styles to quench your customers’ thirsts this summer.

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ummer marks the busiest time for brewers and cidermakers in terms of sales – the warm weather and festive season is all the encouragement needed for New Zealanders to splurge a little on their alcohol budgets!

There’s not a brewery or cidery I know that doesn’t sell more during summer than any other season; as an example, Peckham’s Cider – one of the country’s premier craft cideries – will sell about 40% of the volume in August as they do during their peak summer sales in December.

While beer and cider is delicious all year round, there are certain styles that particularly suit the warmer months and work to refresh your customers on a hot summer’s day. Here are a few of my picks for must-stock styles for your on- and off-premise this summer…

LAGER What is it? A favourite beer style the world over, it’s very hard to beat a classic lager on a hot summer’s day. While popular New Zealand brands such as Speight’s and Waikato Draught technically fit into this category, to most Kiwis, a lager is a golden beer of around 4-5% ABV with a light body and crisp finish.

28 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

Sprig & Fern Tasman Reserve

Denise Garland is a journalist with a love of all things beer. She has been writing about beer for a decade and was the winner of the 2019 Brewers Guild Beer Media Award. She has previously worked in hospitality in Christchurch, Wellington and Edinburgh. Denise home brews – though not as often as she’d like – and has been a judge in several home brew and commercial beer competitions.

beer feature The joy of a great lager is the perfect on-premise, a well-balanced lager will pair balance between a light malt body, a fresh well with a seasonal summer salad or a hop aroma, and a bitter tickle at the end of butterflied chicken, or try serving it as a each mouthful – too much hop bitterness pairing with prawns. and the beer turns ashy and astringent, too much malt and it loses its crisp, light, PILSNER thirst-quenching quality.

What is it? The pilsner is a lager made What to stock? Parrotdog famous by the Czech Republic, Lager is a 4.5% thirst-quenching with a punchier malt and hop beer that is possibly a perfect character than your traditional example of the style. Using the lager. New Zealanders are big green bullet hop which has lovers of the pilsner – in fact, made Steinlager famous, it has by using Aotearoa-grown hops a light, floral aroma with touch of to mimic the Czech pilsner, our grass, well-balanced cracker-malt country’s brewers have created flavour with a bitter kick at the a brand new style – the New end of the mouthful that makes Zealand Pilsner – that is slightly you want to go back for more. higher in alcohol and much more For a stronger example, Sprig fruity in hop aroma and flavour & Fern Tasman Reserve is a 6% than its European cousin. lager, but tastes just as drinkable The pilsner is the perfect as something much lighter in summer quaffer – refreshing ABV. While for something just enough to quench your thirst, as quaffable but with a twist, but flavoursome enough that you Duncan’s Yum Yum Yuzu is a can enjoy a glass on a summer delightfully drinkable 4.7% lager evening with friends. with the citrus kick of yuzu on the What to stock? Panhead’s Port aroma and the drying finish.

Road Pils is a 5.2% version of the What to serve it with? For the style, showcasing New Zealand Panhead Port Road Pils

hops with a sweet bouquet of passionfruit and grapefruit on the aroma, and a bitter punch on the aroma that immediately pulls you back in for another sip.

Emerson’s Pilsner, which inspired the style here in Aotearoa, is a bit bigger in malt body, but still showcases a punchy citrus aroma which reminds me of lemon trees in spring.

What to serve it with? The pilsner pairs well with a wide variety of foods - a punchy hard cheese like a sharp cheddar with fresh bread will work a treat, while the citrus aromas and hop flavours are beautiful with fuller-flavoured fish such as salmon or deep fried warehou – in fact, fish and chips with a locally-brewed pilsner is pretty hard to beat.

HAZY IPA What is it? The hazy IPA is the current darling of the New Zealand craft beer scene; the style has found popularity among consumers for its vibrant, fruity aroma, juicy flavour and low level of bitterness, while brewers love them for how experimental they can be with the amount of hops, adjuncts and combinations thereof.

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beer feature The trick with the Hazy IPA – also known as a New England IPA or NEIPA - is that customers need to drink them fresh.

Refrigeration should be a key consideration for anyone wanting to stock, serve or drink Hazy IPAs – especially in summer – because as soon as this style of beer is not in a fridge, the hops are degrading and creating bitter, dirty and cheesy aromas and flavours.

It should be drunk Garage Project Fresh August 2021 Hazy IPA within about three months of packaging.

What to stock? One brewery which has chosen to promote the dates of its hazies is Garage Project. Its ‘Fresh’ series began in 2018, with a new Hazy IPA released every month with a unique combination of malt, yeast and hops and labelled with the month proudly plastered at the top of each can. The idea is that the drinker should consume the beer within the month that’s printed on it, in order to get the best flavour experience.

What to serve it with? When fresh and kept cold, the fruity and juicy aromas and flavours of a Hazy IPA are second-to-none, and can stand up to some pretty full-on food flavours such as eggs benedict, sticky BBQ ribs or a classic Kiwi burger – beetroot and all.

FRUITED CIDER What is it? Summer is where cider’s popularity comes into its own, with the sweetness of the apple base and crisp, fruity finish the perfect pairing for a hot day when the sun is beating down. Fruited sours are a particularly good variation, with cider makers pairing a cider apple base with citrus or berries (or both!) for a complex drink that isn’t as sweet or heavy as a wine or many beers. Watch out for the RTDs masquerading as ciders as well, which have no actual apple base and, as a result, tend to be much more sweet and insipid than their applebased cousins.

What to stock? Peckham’s do fruited cider well, having mastered the art of balancing the cider apple base with the fresh fruit they are trying to showcase. Their Boysenberry Cider at 5.2% is made with locally-grown berries on an apple base that is still present in every mouthful, yet doesn’t overshadow the boysenberry. It is also wild-fermented which adds a layer of complexity and added tartness. They also offer a citrus cider called Orange-A-Tang, which is made by adding the zest of mandarins, tangelos and oranges for a punchy citrus flavour.

Zeffer also offers a Rosé cider with berries, for a more thirst-quenching, fruity version of the wine-lovers summer favourite wine.

What to serve it with? Pair a fruited cider with fresh versions of the fruit they are highlighting, or try hard cheeses such as gouda and manchego with oat crackers.

ICE CREAM SOURS What is it? Everyone thinks of ice cream when they think of summer – after all, it is pretty hard to beat a scoop of Hokey Pokey when the sun is shining. And it is possible to experience those flavours in beer form too. An ice cream sour is a sweet version of a sour beer, with the brewer adding lactose and often vanilla to a fruity sour base. The result is a sweet, ice cream-like flavour with a tart finish, which prevents the beer from being too heavy or cloying, and gives it that refreshing finish that a cool ice cream provides.

What to stock? Duncan’s Brewing Company offers a wide range of ice cream sours in all sorts of flavours, including the odd sorbet sour, which are slightly more tart and without the intense vanilla character. The Raspberry Ripple is Duncan’s original example of the ice cream sour style, but whatever fruit is in season will likely make it into the range at some point!

What to serve it with? This style of beer is so great as a dessert on its Duncan’s Raspberry Ripple own, but would also pair nicely with a Ice Cream Sour cheesecake or fruit salad.

30 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

Whatever you’re stocking or serving this summer, just ensure it’s fresh and chilled, so you know you’re offering the best pop of flavour, and most thirst-quenching version of your chosen beer or cider to your costumers. After all, it is all about the “ahhh” after taking that first, refreshing sip. ■

Peckham’s Boysenberry Cider

THE NZ CIDER FESTIVAL 2021 Back for its sixth year, The NZ Cider Festival is taking place in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay on November 13, 2021. This year’s festival will be staged at Tomoana Showgrounds, Hastings, showcasing the finest award-winning ciders in New Zealand – all in one place.

For tickets, head to www.nzciderfestival.com/tickets and check out www.theshout.co.nz and our November issue for all the coverage of the event and the NZ Cider Awards!

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WHY SPARK SPORT FOR BUSINESS IS A GAME CHANGER

The future is here with Spark Sport for Business Broadcasting sports via streaming, gives Kiwi operators and customers more flex and access to the sport they love.

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ia their technology, SSfB offers more options for their customers and Rae Herbert’s team understands what Kiwi operators need. As a tech innovator, SSfB is committed 100% to streaming spectacular sport and entertainment direct to the sports loving public, and to the industry, delivering on key requirements of value, flexibility and choice. Rae explains how it’s done: Kiwi operators want best bang for their buck, so how does SSfB offer tangible value to its hospitality and accommodation clients?

Spark Sport for Business understands Kiwis’ love for sport and the atmosphere that’s created from sharing big moments together. We also appreciate the hardship that the hospitality industry has faced from COVID-19 and have priced our offering in a way that gives more Kiwi businesses access to the sport they love than ever before.

Does it cost more for venues to offer multiple streams and banks of TVs for customers to view sporting events and programmes?

No, SSfB doesn’t charge extra for multiple streams or TVs in your premises.

A one-size-fits-all model for broadcasting sports and entertainment doesn’t suit hospo operators. They want flexible programming and on-call support to get and keep their streaming going. Is this what SSfB provides?

Yes, because we recognise the logic of paying for a service when it’s relevant to you and your customer base. That’s why SSfB has Open Term contracts* so customers can sign up to the service when your favourite sport is on. We also offer fixed term contracts where your installation cost can be spread over 12, 24 or 36 months. (*Eligible for hospitality customers only.)

As seasoned sports viewers, hospitality customers want the flexibility of viewing the events and programmes they want, when they want them. Does SSfB offer this service?

In traditional pay TV services, customers are bound by what’s programmed to be on at any given moment. But sport is about moments. With Spark Sport you can watch what’s on our five 24/7 channels for that set and forget experience. But the game changer is being able to scroll through and watch highlights, replays and key moments whenever you or your customers want.

Finally, Rae, can you sum up the beauty of streaming?

Streaming is the future and it’s here now with SSfB. Customers have more flexibility and choice, as setting up with SSfB allows you to stream other content on the same device – simply providing more choice with Spark Sport.

Keen to stream Spark Sport? Get in touch with the team on 0800 776 785 and let’s discuss your streaming options. ■

THE SPARK SPORT FOR BUSINESS STORY SO FAR Kiwis love a David and Goliath story, and Spark Sport is a beauty; since 2019 attracting a loyal team of customers. It’s fully committed to hospo’s hallowed sports grounds – the pubs, clubs and bars full of revellers who experience streaming that’s so good, they feel right there in the game.

In this third story in a series of four, on Spark’s emergence in the sport and entertainment streaming arena, The Shout NZ gets to the crux: the key benefits Spark Sport for Business offers hospitality and accommodation providers.

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 31

mental health AND WORKPLACE WELLBEING

Jane Kennelly, GM Wellbeing, Skills Consulting Group, shares simple, practical tips on how you can provide top class wellbeing and mental health support to your greatest asset, your people.

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e all know that 2020 was a year of huge upheaval, not least for our liquor industry.

And in an industry that is so service-orientated and relies heavily on capable, friendly, happy employees, having a team of workers that feels valued and cared-for has a huge impact on helping your business stay in business.

How employees feel at work is pivotal to how they approach their work and how they feel about life. Simply put, ‘doing right by your people’ creates a huge opportunity for employers to not only check that the wellbeing programmes they are offering make their people feel looked after, but also that these efforts will translate to the business’ bottom line.

32 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

So, what does this mean for the liquor industry? Particularly when workers within this sector have jobs and roles that don’t necessarily fit the usual, stock-standard 9-5 office or desk job. And, thanks to a little old thing called COVID-19, at a time when the wider hospitality industry has been under huge duress with numerous workers losing their jobs, job security and income.

WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS With COVID-19, we have learned a lot of things. A biggie, when it comes to our workplaces, is the importance of managing expectations. Employees don’t want to feel they’re ‘just a number’ – far from it; they want to feel valued and part of a genuine work whanau where their wellbeing truly matters.

This might sound basic but taking some time to really get to know your team pays dividends. By doing this, you are showing you care, and genuine care is the number one factor in supporting wellbeing. Yes, it takes up a little of your time, but how hard can it be to get to know the name of your team members’ kids, partner or pooch, or that their favourite hobby outside of work is a round of golf?

And as to why you should spend the time … our research shows that not only does the act of taking an interest have a huge impact on employee wellbeing, but adding a commercial lens shows it will also positively impact staff retention, job satisfaction and your business’ reputation.

As a case in point – when I request a Hendricks and soda at my favourite local,

mental health

“HOW EMPLOYEES FEEL AT WORK IS PIVOTAL TO HOW THEY APPROACH THEIR WORK AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT LIFE.” I am served by a team that clearly has a manager in charge who cares about them. They smile brightly and always go the extra mile; they are a stable bunch who are friendly, efficient, thoughtful and welcoming, all the time. I even wrote a 5/5 Trip Advisor comment for them last summer. Contrast this with my second local option, about 50 metres up the road … here the service is hit and miss, turnover is evident, smiles are infrequent and it’s clearly ‘just a job’. You can probably guess where I choose to spend my money.

STOP AND ASSESS We know that every employee is important, whether full-time or part-time, short-term or permanent.

But right now, I would encourage you to stop and look at the different types of people within your organisation; the type of jobs they all do and what their differing needs are. It’s a good starting point because from here, as an employer, you can sense check the wellbeing initiatives you have in place, talk to your people, and really make sure these programmes and initiatives are hitting the mark for ALL your employees.

Jane Kennelly, GM Wellbeing, Skills Consulting Group

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL The 2021 Work Wellbeing Index released recently by Skills Consulting Group – in which New Zealand scored just 62/100 overall – revealed that those people who don’t work in a traditional office environment feel the least looked after by their employer when it comes to their overall wellbeing.

For many who work in the hospitality industry and don’t have a desk job, work some highly unusual hours or work at different locations on a regular basis, trying to access a wellbeing programme or service that is offered in 9 to 5 hours just isn’t going to cut the mustard.

For those workers, it may also mean that they aren’t able to see the same team mates regularly or even meet their manager very often – so building the right tool set for your employees, to suit their particular work environment or way of working, is going to be a great help.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? Here is your toolkit: ➤ Offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to your workers and make sure you promote it – www.instep.nz is a great example. ➤ Schedule individual and team checkins to ensure that those who work outside of, or in a different way to, a conventional office feel part of the team. ➤ Remember to keep in touch – an outof-the-blue text or phone call can make someone feel really valued! ➤ Arrange team activities that are at different times/days so that individuals can attend most or at least some events. ➤ Communicate regularly, calling out good work and celebrating successes.

Video is a great way to do this. Simply use your iPhone and keep it short. ➤ Create a WhatsApp group for informal fun communications and sharing of photos and GIF. ➤ Support a charity and encourage the team to take part. Even better, ask the team to decide the charity they wish to support and go for it!

AND HERE’S THE POSITIVE NEWS By knowing what your people need as individuals and understanding what is truly important to them, you can develop that all important ‘sense of belonging’ – which means that when your employees are thriving, you will enjoy the benefit of happier, more productive workers.

This then flows on to a greater customer experience and, ultimately, business success. Which is a win-win all round! ■ For more on the Skillz 2021 Work Wellbeing Index, visit www.skillsconsultinggroup.com/ insights/wellbeing-index/

If you or any of your employees need urgent mental health assistance, you can find contact information for help services here: https://mentalhealth. org.nz/helplines

THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021 33

last round

SEVEN INSIGHTS FROM NEW ZEALAND’S PUB MARKET On-premise measurement, insight and research consultancy CGA has released its ‘On Premise User Survey’ (OPUS), which shows how pubs and taverns are integral to drinking out in New Zealand.

4. AFTER-WORK DRINKS IS A KEY OCCASION After-work drinks is the most important daypart for many pubs in New Zealand.

Among consumers who go out for drinks every week, nearly half (44%) do so for this occasion every week.

5. DRINKERS LIKE FAMILIAR BRANDS Many pub users stay loyal to the drinks they like. Nearly half (44%) of those visiting pubs for after-work drinks say their choice is affected by the availability of their favourite brand, putting it on a par with price (45%) as a factor.

6. DOMESTIC BEER TOPS CRAFT AND IMPORTS Domestic beer is the category of choice for a third (33%) of pub users, putting it ahead of both craft (26%) and imported (25%) beer. All three rank ahead of other drinks categories like still wine (21%), soft drinks (21%) and cider (20%).

7. WHISK(E)Y LEADS SPIRITS Whiskey is the top ranking spirit among pub users. Just over half (54%) choose it while out, placing it ahead of vodka (51%). Gin (35%), rum (31%) and tequila (29%) complete the top five spirits.

The authenticity and reputation of a brand rank nearly as high as quality and value in the list of influences on drinkers’ choices.

a

ccording to CGA’s report, around a third (32%) of New Zealand on-premise users visit pubs and taverns at least monthly, and these people tend to be highly engaged, with three quarters (73%) visiting at least once a month.

Here are seven more insights from CGA on the NZ pub and tavern market…

1. PUB VISITORS ARE HEAVIER SPENDERS Pub users are slightly older than the average on-premise user in New Zealand – 60% are aged 35-plus – and they are much heavier spenders too. Their average 34 THE SHOUT NZ – SEPTEMBER 2021

monthly outlay on eating and drinking out is £209 (NZD$416), compared to the allconsumer average of £173 (NZD$345).

2. RANGE IS CRUCIAL Pub visitors are motivated by a good drinks offer. Nearly a third (31%) say they are influenced in their choice of venues by the range of drinks – 13% more than the average consumer (18%).

3. BIG CITIES DOMINATE THE PREMIUM MARKET Upmarket and premium pubs are heavily concentrated in big cities, OPUS shows.

Two thirds of those who only use these types of pubs live in Auckland (43%), Wellington (12%) or Canterbury (11%).

Graeme Loudon, CGA’s Managing Director, EMEA & APAC, says research shows that drinks range plays a key part in driving footfall to pubs, and that consumers are looking for their favourite brands at the bar. “Whilst domestic beer is the most popular drink in pubs, there is a huge opportunity for spirits to grow share and volume by building a stronger understanding of the consumer path to purchase,” he says. “We found that one in two whisk(e)y drinkers who visit pubs, don’t drink whisk(e)y in pubs, convincing this consumer to switch to whisk(e)y on their pub visits by stocking their favourite brands and executing the perfect serve can help drive share and therefore volume for spirits.”

CGA’s analysis is based on a survey of 1,500 nationally representative onpremise users in New Zealand in March 2021. For more on the survey, visit www.cgastrategy.com/seven-insightsfrom-new-zealands-pub-market/ ■

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