UK: InBev puts 4% draught Beck's on trial
InBev UK has recently announced it had put a 4% draught version of Beck's on trial. The reason is InBev seeks to boost its presence in the standard lager market in the UK, The Publican communicated on January 25.
"The new beer is being imported from Germany where it is brewed to the same Reinheitsgebot German purity laws as five per cent ABV Beck's, and is part of our continued innovation drive. This trial does not affect availability of five per cent Beck's which continues to be marketed and distributed by InBev UK," a spokesperson for InBev UK told The Publican in a statement.
If the new draught version of Beck's proves successful InBev could roll it out across the UK, although the brewer is keen to point out that the 5% bottled version will remain on sale.
The move may result in a scaling down of Castlemaine XXXX, which has become a fixture on bars up and down the country after InBev purchased it from Carlsberg in 2002.
It is believed InBev is looking to find a strong standard lager brand, something it has been missing since Heineken Cold Filtered was withdrawn in 2002. Its replacement, Castlemaine XXXX while helping to fulfil contractual obligations has suffered in the face of the Extra Cold revolution.
However, there is concern among industry insiders that any removal of XXXX will not help licensees who get good a cash margin on the Australian brand. There are suggestions that the more premium Beck's could force licensees to put up to 15p extra on a pint of standard lager in their pubs.
The new brew is being tested in 50 pubs and bars in five cities across the country. Phoebe Stubbs, staff supervisor at the Jolly Gardeners in Putney, South London, said the trial was going very well: "We sell it on the bar between Staropramen Granite (a dark beer) and Heineken and it is going really well. It has been on a month now and we are pleased with it."
Tom Evans, assistant manager of the Ropewalk bar in Nottingham, agreed. "It is very popular in here," he said. "The InBev reps are in here a lot making sure everything is running smoothly. It is obviously an important trial for them."
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