Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

UK citizens are raising a glass for European speciality beers

UK citizens are raising a glass for European speciality beers
- British beer tastes are becoming more sophisticated -

The European influence is well regarded in British culinary tastes. Now that influence is being firmly transferred to the beer-drinking palette with speciality beers such as Hoegaarden and Leffe enjoying spectacular growth in the drinks industry.

After 40 years of lager being the undisputed tipple of choice recent figures show that sales of Belgian speciality beers have risen by 30% in the past year, six times the rate of traditional bestsellers including lagers and real ales.*

Supermarket chain Tesco introduced Belgian beers Leffe Blonde and Hoegaarden in 2003. Last year sales increased by a massive 66% and 48% respectively with experts pointing at low-cost European flights and cheap weekend breaks as the reasons for the popularity explosion of speciality beers. Gourmet drinkers are also increasingly ordering speciality beers to drink with meals instead of wine.

Tesco beer buyer Ian Targett comments: “There’s no doubt about it but the palate of the average British beer drinker is becoming more discerning. Where once many lager drinkers were not so selective they now favour brews that are more flavoursome and, dare I say it, sophisticated.

“When Hoegaarden and a few German wheat beers first arrived over here in the late 90s many drinkers held their noses up because they saw them as a novelty. Now many of those same drinkers have been converted because they realise how refreshing and full of taste these beers really are. Sales can now prove that at last the British drinker is finally approaching beer with the sophistication normally associated with the wine world.”

Hoegaarden is a natural, unfiltered wheat beer, brewed following an authentic recipe using an original combination of natural ingredients including coriander and orange zest. A light, refreshing beer, Hoegaarden is the perfect summer alternative to the traditional pint.

Leffe Blonde is a rich, rounded beer with a warm, golden appearance. Like other traditional Abbey beers it is still brewed in strict accordance with the original Abbey recipe and regulations as set out by the monks. Leffe Blonde makes a great alternative to wine and partners well with full-flavoured foods.

Belle-Vue is a Belgian lambic fruit beer that is made using spontaneous fermentation and matured in wooden in wooden casks. Available in two varieties – Belle-Vue Kriek and Belle-Vue Framboise – the beer is a great choice for weddings and parties. With a light and bubbly appearance it is served in its own champagne-style flute glass.

Adam Prentice, Marketing Manager of Speciality Beers at InBev comments: “Hoegaarden is just one of a range of quality beers rich in flavour and served in their own unique glasses which are currently being enjoyed by a growing number of consumers in the UK. Because speciality beers offer such variety of colour and flavour they make a refreshing change from a traditional lager or ale. With rich beers like Leffe Blonde and fruit beers such as Belle-Vue Kriek, there really are beers to suit every palette and consumers are starting to enjoy and take advantage of this variety of choice.”

- Ends -

*Sales data from AC Nielsen (Feb 05)

Notes to Editors:

Please contact the Hoegaarden Press Office at Cow PR on 020 7684 6969 or hoegaarden@cowpr.com for more information about speciality beers including:

•Speciality beers and food - including expert advice on how to match beers with food and a wide range of cooking techniques and recipes that use speciality beers
•Summer drinking – including details of the perfect beers to accompany your summer BBQs and picnics
•Winter drinking – the warming beers that partner hearty, full-flavoured foods
•Wedding beers – the fruity alternatives to champagne
•Belgium and beer – insight into a country where beer, culture and religion are interwoven to a degree not seen anywhere else in the world
•Speciality beers and glasses – Hoegaarden, Leffe and Belle-Vue are all served in their own specially designed glasses to enhance the drinking experience and bring out the beer’s natural flavour and aroma