After a successful soft launch only two months ago in 300 Dublin bars, Island’s Edge, a new Irish Stout from Heineken Ireland, is being rolled out further to off-licences and retailers across the country.
Island’s Edge will be available in off licences and retailers by mid-September and in pubs and bars nationwide by the end of the year.
Commenting on the retail launch, Ruth Hankin, category & shopper marketing controller at Heineken Ireland, said, “Two years in the making, this is the most exciting innovation that has come to the market in recent years."
"In a move that will rejuvenate the stout market and offer consumers increased choice, Island’s Edge will offer something completely different to consumers as it arrives in shops and off licenses," she said.
Consumers purchasing Island’s Edge stout in stores will be offered an exclusive gift with their purchase - the new iconic stout glass.
Brewed at Heineken Ireland’s brewery in Cork, it was almost 24 months in development, the company said.
A 'Progressive Stout'
According to Heineken, most stout stories start with one creator; the Island’s Edge story starts with an innovative collective approach which involved bartenders, pub owners and stout fans across the country.
The result, they claim, is a new brand and product that was 'built from scratch with consumers, which feels progressive and relevant to their lives today, while also resonating with the next generation of stout drinkers'.
With an ABV of 4%, Island’s Edge is a 'creamy, smooth stout, brimming with refreshment'.
'Ready To Experiment'
Paula Conlon, marketing manager for Island’s Edge, commented “We’ve listened to stout and beer drinkers and we know they’re ready to experiment with stout,
"From working hand in hand with our customers, we know how excited they are to be part of this journey with us, offering a new stout experience to Irish customers at just the right time," she said.
Commenting on the launch, PJ Tierney, head brewer for Island’s Edge at Heineken Ireland, said, “When we started developing Island’s Edge we played with over 100 recipes and countless ingredients to see what we could add to stout to achieve a really refreshing taste.
"When we discovered that adding a touch of tea at just the right moment softens the bitterness of stout, making it smoother tasting, we knew we had landed on an unexpectedly refreshing pint of stout."
"We also kept the heritage of the traditional stout pour, but we knew Island’s Edge needed a different type of glass. After trying three types, consumers told us they loved the feel of the tall conical glass so everything about Island’s Edge is just a little unexpectedly refreshing," he added.
Island’s Edge joins the brewery’s portfolio, which includes Heineken®, Heineken® 0.0, Heineken® Light, Orchard Thieves, Birra Moretti, Desperados, Tiger, Coors, Fosters, Sol, and Beamish & Murphy’s Stout, as well as their range of specialty beers, including Laguinitas.
Availability
Most off-licences and retailers nationwide will be fully stocked by mid-September, with Island’s Edge available in both 4 x 500ml and 8 x 500ml formats with an RRP of €8 and €14 respectively.
For pubs and bars, nationwide roll out begins in September and will see Island’s Edge become a firm stout staple for consumers across the country.
© 2021 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more Drinks news click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout
