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The dedicated cider taproom will sell Hawkes’ flagship Urban Orchard and Ginger Beer products, alongside a range of guest UK and world craft ciders. The Hawkes Cidery & Taproom will also host workshops and tours to educate visitors on the processes of creating cider. Simon Wright, Hawkes representative, said: “Cider has spent too long in the background, and that needs to end now. In building…

_____________________________________ THE IMPOSING EDIFICE of Edinburgh Castle was the backdrop for the whisky leg of this year’s International Spirits Challenge, which fittingly saw the scotch category showered in gold medals. Ten experts from around the world gathered at the Scotch Whisky Experience on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to rank the finest whiskies on the planet. The ISC is one of the largest…

But unlike the improving animation of the characters, one thing that is consistant is the brown bottle of Duff or Quahog beer that they drink. But now the ever reliable bottle is under threat from the 330ml can, so is Homer and the rest of Springfield failing to keep up with the canned beer revolution? In 2015 more than 220 million pints of beer were shipped…

Toast Ale, the UK’s first ale made from discarded bread, will now be available to stock in thousands of pubs, bars and restaurants in the UK for 12 months. Rob Wilson of Toast Ale, said: “We are thrilled to have won Carlsberg UK’s first Your Beer, here? competition. Although we are a relatively young company, we are ambitious and see this as a fantastic chance…

The Ruinart Challenge, previously known as Ateliers Ruinart, is an international training and mentoring programme committed to supporting Sommelier wine education. Sewell will join 13 other Sommeliers from the eight worldwide Ruinart Challenge final days at a four-day educational trip to France in July, hosted by Ruinart’s chef Frédéric Panaïotis. Sewell said: “I’m so excited to have won. I’m looking forward to the absorption of…

Gin Mare is the first and only Mediterranean gin made from nest botanicals including Arbequina olive, thyme, rosemary and basil. The competition wil take place from 3-6 September 2017 and national finalists will be tasked with presenting their ‘Gastrobartender drink’ as well as either a Mediterranean gin and tonic or their own take on the Mare Nostrum cocktail. International finalists will then be invited to…

Enkel is 4.5% ABV making it Leffe’s weakest beer on sale, adding to the growing number of lower alcoholic drinks reacting to trends in social behavour. Leffe says that Enkel is a light bodied, rich flavoured abbey beer which will be available in keg form only for on-trade consumption. Leffe Enkel is inspired by the traditional ‘single bier’ that monks of Leffe’s Abbey brewed to…

The new range contains 32 wines which were selected by master of wine Jonathan Pedley and wine buyer Louise Boddington from more than 200 different wines. Pedley said: “Prosecco sales continue at mind boggling levels but the feedback from our customers is that they are now looking for a truly dry (Brut) Prosecco.” The two new Proseccos are Lyric Prosecco Extra Dry, exclusive to Crown…

Refriango launched Tigra in April 2016 and the factory currently produces 60m liters of beer a year, but the decision to expand will also create 50 jobs within the company. A Tigra spokesperson said: “Tigra is a brand that looks to the future with optimism and wants to show that it is possible to offer innovative solutions that continue to surprise, with a high quality…

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s annual market overview also revealed that prosecco is still the most popular sparkling wine in the UK with 85m bottles sold in 2016, and champagne remains in second having sold 31m bottles. Chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale (pictured), said: “Jumping two places to the UK’s fourth favourite fizz is another amazing achievement for…