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.
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