Hogs Back Brewery is supporting pubs this January with point of sale support for Tongham TEA, Little Swine Low Alcohol on draught, and a new Little Swine 0.5% ABV bottled beer.

Hogs Back Little Swine

Tongham TEA pumpclips will invite customers to “Support Your Local, Go TEA Total” by enjoying a pint of their favourite ale, repeating the successful, and slightly tongue-in-cheek January campaign from previous years.

Meanwhile, those consumers looking for low- and no-alcohol beers in January will have the choice of Little Swine 2.8% ABV on draught, or in 330ml and 500ml bottles, while Little Swine 0.5% is launching in 330ml and will be available in 500ml bottles from the end of January.

“We know that this month is going to be a challenge for pubs, with worries about the high cost of living combining with the usual new year’s resolutions to cut back,” said Hogs Back managing director, Rupert Thompson.

“So, we’re helping them appeal both to customers wanting to beat the January blues with a flavourful pint of Tongham TEA, and to the increasing number of consumers with a thirst for beers with full taste but lower strength, which peaks this month.”

Little Swine 0.5% is a full-bodied, flavourful pale ale, brewed with four speciality malts and three hop varieties. These include aromatic Cascade from Hogs Back’s own hop garden. It is dry hopped with Mosaic for a robust citrus finish.

“The distinct branding for both the new 0.5% beer and existing 2.8% create a Little Swine family which is clearly part of the Hogs Back portfolio,” said Rupert.

“This means that drinkers will trust the beers to deliver great taste while also being produced in-keeping with our ethos of brewing sustainably and using local ingredients. Little Swine is brewed with our own home-grown hops and so has a lower carbon footprint — from field to firkin in a furlong, as we like to say.”

He added: “Currently, pubs mainly offer low- and no-alcohol versions of global beer brands, and we believe many consumers will welcome the option to support local brewers producing great-tasting no- and low-alcohol beers. We’re encouraging pubs to broaden their low and no range during January and stock a local brand, to help customers show their support for local brewers.

“The method we use to brew low and no alcohol beers leaves more of the hop character in the brew, as well as retaining a fuller, more complete mouthfeel. It’s lower-tech and less interventionist than mass-produced low and no beers, and we think consumers will appreciate this more natural approach.”

Both the 0.5% and 2.8% beers are gluten free.