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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Beer drinkers are in for a special treat because the new brew master at Belize Brewing Company has tested and perfected a unique stout for the season. The new product is spiced with sorrel, a Christmas favorite, and will soon go on the market. So aside from the sorrel wine, there's now a sorrel stout to enjoy. The company says it is working with farmers countrywide for the steady supply of sorrel plants. News Five's Delahnie Bain had a taste of the favored stout.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

Just in time for the holiday season, Belize Brewing Company is putting a new drink on the market that's sure to bring a little extra joy to the celebrations. The company is launching its Sorrel Stout, which according to Brew Master, Nolan Michael, took a process of trial and error to perfect.

Nolan Michael, Brew Master/Brand Manager, Belize Brewing Company

"For the past decade-over a decade-Belize Brewing Company has not added a new beer or new product to its portfolio and coming into the Christmas season, we thought this was the appropriate time. We had been searching and doing market research and testing all types of flavors and in the end, the Sorrel flavor added a one up. We believe that it will contribute significantly to the Belizean people catching the Christmas spirit."

For stout lovers, this special brew goes through a similarly complex production process, bringing new flavor to an already popular drink.

Nolan Michael

"We brewed a special stout recipe for this particular product. In addition to that, we went through the normal brewing process, but we had to add in Sorrel and that particular sorrel extract, the essence of the Sorrel, is added in during the fermentation process to give the particular characteristics to the final version of the sorrel stout that we have. The final version actually contains-I will say this-slightly higher alcohol content than our normal stout. You're also getting a larger quantity of extract in it, it's a bit sweeter than our normal stout. So it provides very good drinkability and I believe all the Belizean people will enjoy it. I believe this is an everybody's drink. I believe everybody will enjoy it, I believe men, women will enjoy it; of course all of those over eighteen. But I believe everybody will enjoy this. It will still have the characteristics of a stout, but it will have easier drinkability; the sweetness counteracts with the normal bitterness of a stout so I believe everybody will be able to enjoy this particular new sorrel stout."

The packing is also similar to the regular, but for that extra flavor the sorrel stout will cost a little more. But Michael assures the taste is worth every penny.

Nolan Michael

"The package is the same as a normal stout; it's a two hundred and eighty-seven ml bottle, it's in the same belikin bottle, we just brightened it up with a new red cap that says sorrel stout on it. It should be available at all your local grocery stores and it's definitely available at the Bowen and Bowen Belize Brewing Company sales centers throughout the entire country."

Delahnie Bain

"And price-wise it will be in the same range as the regular stout?"

Nolan Michael

"In terms of the additional extract and the sorrel essence that we have added into the product and the increased cost overhead with producing this particular product, it's going to retail at a slightly higher price than the regular price. The new retail price will be fifty-four ninety-five, which is slightly higher than the normal price per case for a stout. We're hoping that the retail outlets will not increase their prices too much over it and our people will certainly be out there monitoring the per bottle price in the market."

The sorrel stout is the first Belizean beer flavored with a local product and Michael says there will be more in the coming year.

Nolan Michael

"That's basically the complete idea that we're going for. We will be launching an entire series of new seasonal beers and all of them will be local based type flavors. We have another one on the agenda for some time in the spring or around Easter time next year. Sorrel is basically our new product for the Christmas season."

This new stout hits the stores on Saturday so be sure to get yours. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Free samples will be given out at the Northern Highway branches of Brodies and Publics as well as Save-U Supermarket between ten a.m. and midday on Saturday. The free samples will also be available at One Plus One Supermarket, Brodies downtown branch and Sky Supermarket in Ladyville from two p.m. to four p.m. meanwhile in the districts, the samples can be found at Mega Food in Cayo, Gregalizean in Dangriga and the People's Store in Orange Walk; also between ten in the morning and midday.

Channel 5


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Sorrel is an herb that is associated with the Christmas season; there's sorrel wine, cake and juice and now there is sorrel stout. That new product was introduced into the market on December third. But if you're looking for the new stout, well you have to wait a bit because the stock has been totally depleted in only ten days. The brew master is now busy distilling a new stock. News Five's Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Sorrel Stout, a new addition to the production line at Belize Brewing Company, is a seasonal blend that was introduced countrywide at the beginning of the month. While the initial brew was supposed to satisfy the unquenchable thirst of dark beer drinkers the company has found itself momentarily short on its supply. The brown bottle with the ubiquitous red stopper has since become a scarcity at most retail outlets across the Old Capital forcing the company's newly appointed brew master to concoct another batch of sorrel stout.

David Vasquez, Sales & Marketing Mgr., Belize Brewing Co.

"Sorrel Stout was somewhat of the brainchild of our brew master Nolan Michael and it was to be a limited edition product first and foremost. We expected that at some point to now we would run out. We didn't anticipate such a high demand and I must say that we are happy for that. We are currently in the process of doing a follow up brew which will provide the market with another three thousand to three thousand, five hundred cases. It was a limited product from the day of planning and the success of this product this year was the gauge for what we will do in subsequent years. So this is not temporary for one so it's to understand that this is a product that will be perennial but at the same time to it was at first, as it was devised in our concept of launching it, a limited edition product."

Isani Cayetano

"In terms of the supply of sorrel for this production, how does that work in terms of either getting local growers to bring in the sorrel or outsourcing that part of it?"

David Vasquez

"Well I think in terms of product development it was too short term for us to get a supply locally. This is something that we are looking at next year whereby we will be using homegrown products. The idea of using sorrel this year was because it was a traditional Belizean Christmas time product in terms of sorrel wine, sorrel juice, sorrel cake as some people do in infusing it in baking products and stuff like that. So it was a natural thing for us to decide to use it as an infusion in one of our products this year but Mr. Michael, I'm sure you've spoken to him at some point or another and he'll tell you that we expected or anticipated some success but not to this degree but we're happy for it because now people are [finding out about it]. The word is getting out there about it, I think we built up some hype about it but once the tasting was done, during which we did a first round of tasting last week and we plan on doing some this weekend in certain areas throughout the country, I think once everyone gets to taste this I think the second batch which we have coming on will be done in short order as well."

According to David Vasquez, the company's sales and marketing executive, a new stock of freshly brewed sorrel stout will be available for retail countrywide by the end of the week bringing to an end the dearth that has left stout lovers at a loss for their favorite drink. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

Channel 5



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