“But I didn’t even know Heineken had an ale portfolio,” I hear you say.
Well they do now – since they bought Scottish & Newcastle, they ultimately control John Smiths, Caledonian (Deuchars) and Newcastle Brown – still the UK’s biggest selling bottled ale. And it’s Broon that cropped up on my morning ‘Hops and Glory’ Google Alert:
The accompanying blurb reads:
Newcastle Summer Ale, the first seasonal ale from Newcastle, is available for a limited time. Summer Ale is a draught beer available in select markets until mid-September. The light-colored ale infuses Golden Promise and Optic Malts to provide a hoppier taste. It also blends Fuggles and Super Styrian Goldings Hops. For greater promotion possibilities, Newcastle Summer Ale glassware, with a wider rim and new logo celebrating “Hops and Glory,” also is available.
It’s nothing to do with my book – so I don’t know whether to be pleased or miffed. Hopefully it’ll do something to raise awareness. No idea what it’s like – should try some before judging I suppose. But it does show that they feel there’s a reason to not just let their ales wither on the vine. Or should that be ‘bine’?
BTW – in the theme of the week – the website I lifted this from has a link ‘to find out more’ about the beer. The link takes you to Heineken’s ‘Drink Responsibly’ page, which tells you nothing about beer but tells you what to do if you have a problem with your drinking.
I would never have thought we'd be seeing Newcastle branded seasonal ales.
What next? A new set of John Smith offshoots?!
I'd be miffed if I were you Pete – 'Hops and Glory' is your IP is it not? And to attach it something other than IPA is really taking the piss, no?
Pete — you might want to do a post sometime on the terrible state of copy writing for industrial brewers. It's just not all that technical to get something right — e.g., you don't blend one malt with another and get a "hoppier taste." You um…use hops for that.
Given the vast sums these companies spend for advertising, wouldn't it be possible to get writers who actually know something about what beer is about? There has to be a pot of gold waiting for the beer writer who can convince companies trying to win back a craft-beer audience that these kinds of details matter…
I seem to remember Ash Vine brewery used to have a beer called "Hop and Glory" a good ten years ago, no ? ;o)