Alexander Keith's launches new Hop Series Ales

Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale and Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale to be available nationally

TORONTO, March 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Alexander Keith's has added a new line of ales to its family of brews that pay homage to beer's most flavoursome and aromatic ingredient - the hop. Each brewed using a single variety of hop, Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale and Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale will be available across Canada at participating pubs and retailers beginning early March.

Hops, which provide bitterness, taste and aroma to beer, will be a key focus for Alexander Keith's Hop Series. From a national sampling program and a new TV spot, to in bar sensory challenges, Alexander Keith's is putting hop education front and centre.

"Alexander Keith's has a rich history of brewing quality, great tasting beer for more than 190 years. Our new Hop Series ales are a continuation of this heritage," said Mike Bascom, brand manager, Alexander Keith's. "As the number one specialty brand in Canada, Alexander Keith's will be traveling across the country this spring to educate Canadians on the brewing process and the role of the hop. Through the Hop Series, we'll introduce Canadians to new brews that single out one variety of hop and drive home the unique flavour signatures and aroma that hops impart."

Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale is brewed with hops from the Cascade Mountain region of the Pacific Northwest United States. The Cascade hop is known for its mild citrus aroma and flavour. Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale boasts hops from the Hallertau region of Germany and is distinguished by more herbal, spicy notes.

"Our Hop Series ales are a labour of love. We had a lot of fun experimenting and exploring new flavours and variations to ensure we brewed something that tasted great and met the high standards of Alexander Keith's," said Steve Durand, brewmaster. "Flavour and aroma were paramount in the development of these brews. To achieve this, we added fresh hops during the brew's maturation phase - a technique known as dry hopping. The end result is a rich, hop-forward ale with strong aromatics, balanced by 100 per cent malts."

Both ales also pair well with food. The grapefruit notes of Cascade Hop Ale pair well with citrus-marinated seafood; while the herbal, mild spicy notes of Hallertauer Hop Ale cuts the sweetness of grilled meats basted in sweeter BBQ sauces

Alexander Keith's Hop Series will be available in a variety of different skus across the country including six-pack bottles, mixer 12-pack bottles and 473 ml cans.

About Alexander Keith's

Alexander Keith's maintains the quality and heritage first introduced by Alexander Keith himself in 1820.  Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale and Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale are two new ales from the Alexander Keith's Hop Series. Each is brewed with a signal hop variety and dry hopped to impart additional flavour and aroma.

Only the finest barley malt and select hops are used to brew the Alexander Keith's family of fine beers that also include Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale - the #1 specialty brand in Canada - Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale, Alexander Keith's Original Cider and Alexander Keith's Dark Ale.  For more information on Alexander Keith's, visit www.Keiths.ca or www.Facebook.com/keiths.

SOURCE: Alexander Keith's

Amanda Gun-Munro 
Veritas Communications Inc.
[email protected] / 416-955-4580

Briar Wells 
Labatt Breweries of Canada 
[email protected] / 416-361-5247