Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to Beverage Chronicles everyone. I'm your host, Gary monterroso
my co host Michelle Lamb will be along a little
bit later. Beverage Chronicles, as you know, is the show
that explores all types of beverages. And let's get started.
Tell you a little bit about a couple of drinks
called Shandies and Rattlers. These were once thought to be
(00:31):
a thing of the past, and they're now making quite
a comeback this summer, and they're capturing the hearts and
I guess I should say taste buds of consumers who
are looking for refreshing, low alcohol options packed with fruity flavors.
Now I'm gonna talk about the Great Lakes Brewing Company.
They've made several attempts to create the perfect summer beer
(00:54):
over the years. In twenty twelve, they launched Rally Drum
as a piny red ale, which didn't quite deliver the
summer refreshment they were hoping for. In twenty twenty one,
it transformed into a low alcohol lagger. But then last
August they introduced another light logger called Cold Rush, available
(01:14):
year round, and it raised some questions it didn't make
sense to have to have two similar laggers in the market,
said Chris Brown, who's the co CEO of Great Lakes.
Some fruity beers have always been popular during the summer,
and the brewery decided to revamp Rally Drum into a
four per cent ABV Shandy and Shandy is a British
(01:36):
concoction that combines beer with lemonade or lemon flavored soda.
The new Rally Drum Lemon Shandy blended Lagger and lemon
juice and it made its debut this spring and it
is showing promising early sales. The brewery's main distributor quickly
placed a reorder, captivated by its appealing flavor and low
(01:57):
alcohol content. In the US, the Shandyes and the Fruity Rattlers.
These are German specialties made by mixing beer with fruit
juices like grapefruit, and they first gained traction it it
gets about ten years ago, largely thanks to lightning Google's
Summer Shandy. However, sales took a dip during a crowded market,
(02:20):
causing some brands like Traveler Beer to vanish as pallets
shifted toward hazy IPAs, which offered exciting new hop flavors.
The shandy and rattler segments saw a decline, but now
with drinkers increasingly on the lookout for delicious flavors while
moderating their alcohol intake, breweries are enthusiastically reconnecting with the
(02:43):
fun of shandyes and rattlers. In fact, dollar sales for
these fruit and fuse styles surged by twenty eight percent
last year, making them a staple in bars, restaurants, and
event venues alike. People are drawn to the fruit and
the low alcohol element, shared Calvin Frederickson, an account manager
(03:04):
at Spiteful Brewing in Chicago. They are grapefruit rattler with
a refreshing two point seven percent alcohol content, has seen
a twenty percent increase in sales as Spiteful caters to
the Better Feu category of beer. This year, discount grocery
chain al D has jumped into the mix with their
(03:25):
own lemon rattler. With an a b v of just
two percent, It aligns perfectly with a growing demand for light,
flavorful drinks, according to Aldise, director of Buying for Alcoholic Beverages.
All These noted that the chain's alcohol sales had riven
over has risen over fifty percent year over year, partly
(03:45):
thanks to the popularity of their lemon rattler. The origins
of the rattler are rooted in consumer needs, with legends
saying that a Bavarian innkeeper, overwhelmed by thirsty bike riders,
cleverly extend when did his beer supply by mixing lagger
with lemon soda, calling the blend rattler, which means bicyclist
(04:07):
in German. Today's breweries are embracing that legacy by catering
to outdoor gatherings and warm weather festivities. With the impending
closing of the Buffalo Bill's Workid Park Stadium in New
York after this NFL season, Labat Brewing is rolling out
La bat Blue Light Stadium Shandy, which is a blueberry
(04:29):
lemon shandy that pays homage to the bittersweet ending of
a beloved venue after fifty two years, according to the
brand manager for Labat USA, for American brewers, shandies and
rattlers are templates for innovation and experimentation. Because of their
sweetness and lower ABV, the styles lend themselves perfectly to
(04:53):
be explored and updated. Few rattlers are less traditional than
Firestone Walker's recently released Mine Hayes rage turbo rattlers that
offer a higher alcohol content eight percent and flavors such
as watermelon and grapefruit. The turbo rattlers appeal to drinkers
(05:14):
who might opt for fruit forward cocktails or seltzers, as
well as IPA fans accustomed to intensely flavored double IPAs
it fits the trend of drinks that are bold but easy,
craft beer is definitely entering an era of clearly defined flavors.
A rattler or shandy has the approachability of fruity sweetness
(05:37):
without the need to learn about a hop variety. Fruit
is instantly recognizable, which makes it a great entry point
for trying something new. In the words of Sam Hendler,
the CEO and co founder of Jack's Abbey Craft Laggers
in Massachusetts, blood orange wheat rattler is consistently the top
(05:58):
cellar in the brewery's Even if someone isn't familiar with
a beer style like a rattler, seeing a flavor they
know and enjoy creates an immediate connection, Hendler says. And
here's er Michelle Lamb.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Welcome back to beverage chronicles, where we pour the stories
behind the spirits. I'm Michelle Lamb and today we're diving
into something close to my heart, public relations trends that
are reshaping the beverage brand and world in twenty twenty five.
Whether you're a small batch distiller, a family owned winery,
(06:35):
or a global spirits brand, understanding how to tell your
story is just as important as crafting what's inside the bottle.
So let's pop the cork on the topier trends you
need to know, and I'll be breaking down three key
components for each one so you can apply them right
away to your own brand strategy. Purpose driven campaign very
(07:01):
important everyone. Number one align with a mission sustainability, inclusivity,
or community causes. Build loyalty. Number two, collaborate with nonprofits
or cultural organizations for mutual press and credibility. Think about
(07:21):
that again. And the third one, Gen Z and millennials
especially expect brands to stand for something. Three important takeaways
to think about. Well, that's a wrap up for today's
Beverage Chronicle spotlight on one of the PR trends. Top ones,
(07:42):
of course, helping beverage brands build buzz and loyalty, whether
your startup distillery or an established label looking to stay relevant.
Embracing this trend can set your part in a saturated market.
If you like support in bringing your brand to story,
to your life, to us as www dot Brooklynnightmedia dot
(08:03):
com or reach us directly at Michelle at Brooklynnightmedia dot
com and don't forget to follow us on Instagram to
see all behind the scenes insights, event highlights and also
peer tips that keep your brand top of mind. I'm
Michelle lamb Thank you for tuning in and always keep
pouring with purpose and leading with story.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
You heard Michelle lamb our co host here on Beverage Chronicles. Michelle,
as you may know, is the founder and owner of
Brooklyn Night Media public relations firm in New York City. Now,
obviously I'm biased, but I truly believe that Beverage Chronicles
has a really great array of regular talent. In fact,
(08:48):
going to be adding to that over the next few weeks.
And getting back to Michelle, she recently offered a presentation
to the Women in Business Association and she attracted an
audience that broke their all time record. Michelle had this
to say, quote, I offer a DIY public relations workshop
(09:11):
aimed at equipping businesses and individuals with actionable strategies to
boost their visibility. My goal is to speak at respected
conferences and high impact venues that drive brand exposure and
open doors to new opportunities, whether through keynote talks, team trainings,
(09:31):
or student focused workshops. We are very, very proud of Michelle,
but we can't say we're too surprised. She is very
talented and a giving person. She's a star. She's a
rock and roll star. And as I mentioned, she is
the founder of Brooklyn Public Brooklyn Night Media, Brooklyn Night
Public Relations, and she can be reached at Michelle at
(09:55):
Brooklynnightmedia dot com. And Brooklyn is spell abbreviated bk Lyn,
so that's Brooklynnightmedia dot com. Where you can just find
her through our website at Beverage Chronicles dot com. So
congratulations to Michelle. And as I said a little earlier,
we're going to be adding some more talent to our
roster here at Beverage Chronicles. And I'm going to mention
(10:18):
one of them because he's going to debuting right now,
and his name is Mike Vanderhorn. Now, Mike is a
New Jersey resident. He is the bar lead and he
plays called Queen Jane's in summers Point, New Jersey, that's
near Atlantic City. I'll tell you a little bit about Mike.
He changed his career a little while ago and he
(10:40):
operates in the hospitality in beverage space with a passion
and intensity. He is so in love with what he's doing.
He is an avid competition bartender, and he's competed at
the national and global level. And he has aspirations to
be both a perpetual student that means he's always learning.
(11:01):
Got to give him some kudos for that, and a
teacher of craft cocktails and spirits. You will find him
on our Beverage Chronicles page very shortly, and I'll mention
that his instagram is cocktail dot complex cocktail dot complex.
So let's turn it over to the first segment for
our new edition. Mike vander Horn.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Hey, everyone, Mike Vanderhorn here, and today we're gonna be
talking about the old fashioned cocktail. Now to figure out
what's old fashioned about it, we have to go back
to the first definition of a cocktail, which was printed
in seventeen ninety eight for the first time, but we
didn't get that definition until eighteen oh six. It was
printed in the Balance in Columbian Repository in Hudson, New York,
(11:43):
and described it as any stimulating liquor composed of any
kind of spirit, sugar, water, and bitterers. It's been a
little over two hundred years since that definition was published,
but in today's craft cocktail world, we're still kind of
looking at it the same way. However, I think there's
a tacit agreement that if somebody just orders an old
fashion from you, it's gonna be made a little specifically.
(12:04):
We're gonna use bourbon, We're gonna use some kind of sugar.
We're gonna use angostura bitters, and it's likely today gonna
be served on a large cube. In most of the
world's best cocktail bars. We're talking two to one sugar syrup.
A lot of places are gonna use a Demarara sugar,
which is the most molasses forward type of sugar, and
that's what I like to use. We're gonna do a
(12:24):
few dashes of angostura bitters, two ounces of a good bourbon.
And when I say that, there's not really bad bourbons
out there, but we want to use something that is tasty.
Of course, a little higher proof in my opinion, is
going to be best, and we want to make sure
that we're diluting it properly for when it's served at
my bar. We have rox glasses in the freezer with
(12:45):
large clear cubes. We stamp our logo into it. People
really love that, but we're so this is coming out
ice cold, and honestly, the cubes are stuck to the
bottom of the glass at that point, so there's no
way I'm building this in the glass. Even at home.
I like to stir it in a mixing glass a
very short ster and so you're not going to get
like droplets on the side of the glass, and it's
not gonna be a messy presentation. It's gonna be very clean.
(13:08):
And so after that short stir, we're gonna straight it
over this ice cold cube. And then the most important
part is the orange oil over top. Now you can
use a fresh citrus twist, of course, but I like
to use Shaker and Spoon makes a product that is
a concentrated orange oil mixed with like coconut MCT oil
and it stays good forever. I use it at home,
(13:28):
we use it at the bar, and it just you
have all the aromatics without having to worry about or
waste any kind of fresh citrus. And so that's it.
I mean, that is that is an old fashion that
you're gonna get at many Kraft cocktail bars. I like
to think mine is great. We're gonna use again that
higher proof bourbon I like wild turkey one oh one.
Anything it bottled in bond is gonna be awesome too.
(13:49):
But that is that's your somebody asks you for an
old fashion doesn't specify a spirit anything like that. Now,
if we think about the old fashion as a templates,
as I think many classic cocks recipes are, you can
use any spirit, you can use any sugar, you could
throw the cure in there. I mean, there's a lot
of ways to build an old fashion that is not
the old fashioned way. But at the end of the day,
(14:11):
when you're talking about the cocktail, this is how in
twenty twenty five, we're building this cocktail in most modern
cocktail bars.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
And that was Mike Vanderhorn. What do you think you
did a great job. We're really excited to have Mike
join our team here at Beverage Chronicles and again look
for him on our Beverage Chronicles page. And also you
can follow him on Instagram. Well, let's it for this
week's episode of the show. Thank you for joining us.
I am Gary Monterros. So we're going to be back
(14:38):
again right here next week with another episode, and again
you could look for us on social media accounts. You
could find us on virtually every major podcast platform as
we kind of diversify ourselves and get into all different
kinds of beverages. All right, that's it everyone, see you
next week.