44 Beverage Dynamics • May/June 2015
www.beveragedynamics.com
B
eer is America's most popular beverage year-
round, and when the mercury rises, it really
comes into its own. Beer owns the summer.
A brewer's challenge in the warm months
is not so much to persuade consumers
to drink more beer—that is pretty much of a given. It's to use
promotions and, increasingly, new summer styles to claim
market share.
Brewers eye the summertime
sales surge, eager to slake the thirst
of beach goers, baseball fans, boaters
and music buffs. The breweries' job
was once simple: mount a summer
promotion that gives you the vol-
ume advantage over your competi-
tor. Now, however, beer styles have
proliferated, the drinking public
craves variety and seasonal beers are
increasingly popular. It may no lon-
ger be enough to dress a year-round
fl agship in a special promotion for summer; breweries also
think long and hard about introducing special brews for sum-
mer drinking only.
BIG BREWERS EMBRACE SUMMER
Both England and Germany have long traditions of mixing
beer with a sparkling soda—often referred to as "lemonade,"
but closer to an American lemon-lime soda—to create a
thirst-quenching, low alcohol beverage. The English version
is known as a "shandy," and can also feature ginger ale or
other sodas; the German take is called a "radler," named after
the cyclists it was designed to refresh.
Whatever the origin, these light
adult alternatives have inspired both
of the major beer companies this year.
MillerCoors is bringing back Coors
Light's summer line extension, now
known as Coors Light Citrus Radler.
"This will be available this summer
in the same size package as regular
Coors Light at the same price, as well
as nationally in 16-ounce cans and in
24-ounce cans in select markets," says
MillerCoors Media Relations Man-
ager Cat Corrigan. "Our packaging graphics will have a new
brand look that emphasizes the brand's citrus refreshment."
She promises "lots of sampling and infl uencer work on behalf
B
BY JULIE JOHNSON
Summer holds the promise of
light-hearted fun, lazy days
and relaxed entertaining.
BEAT THE HEAT
with with with
BREWS
