European-style fruit-led beer has become so popular in the UK that it has become Britain’s fastest growing beer trend.
Demand for these lighter thirst-quenching beers, which have a typical strength of around 4% ABV, is rocketing so much that Tesco has seen sales volume grow by 250 per cent in the last year.
These fruity beer styles have long been popular in western European countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy, and are associated with ‘after sport’ refreshment, particularly skiing and cycling.
Over the last 15 years, various European beers with fruity profiles have gradually become more popular over here such as Belgian strawberry brews Fruli and Bacchus Kriek, and more recently Radler, a shandy style beer from Germany and Damm Lemon from Spain.
Seven years ago, dedicated UK fruit lager brand Jubel was launched and quickly established themselves as one of the hippest beers for drinkers in the 21-35 age group.
The company now has five different varieties – peach, mango, blood orange, lemon and grapefruit – of its 4% strength lager and has seen volume grow in Tesco by more than 300 per cent.
Tesco beer buyer Ben Cole said: “The soaring demand for fruit-led brews, particularly lager, has taken the UK drinks market by storm and is the biggest trend to hit the beer scene since the craft boom started more than 15 years ago. The trend actually has its roots in the craft beer movement because it introduced beers with tropical fruit profiles to more drinkers than ever before.”
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