Nirvana has taken another step in providing as many of its beers in larger formats, making its best-selling IPA (0.5% ABV) available in 500ml bottles.

NIrvana IPA

The move is part of the brewery’s ‘long pour’ strategy, ensuring drinkers can enjoy no and low beers in as ‘normal’ a format as they can full-strength ones. The IPA also remains available in keg and 330ml bottles.

“’No low’ beers are predominantly in smaller-sized cans or bottles, but we know that these drinkers often want a more satisfying serve, whether that’s a pint on draught when out, or pouring a beer at home,” said Becky Kean, Nirvana founder and brand ambassador.

“There’s also a strong visual element that matters to no-low drinkers — being seen with a ‘normal’-sized serve!  So, we want to normalise long-pour in this category. It’s also a commercially attractive strategy for stockists in any trade sector.”

The brewery has also subtly tweaked the IPA’s recipe to deliver more body, flavour, and head retention. This has been achieved by switching both malts (to Vienna and Munich) and hops (to Mosaic, Nectaron, and Simcoe) and even changing the beer’s yeast.

Head brewer James Rabagliati describes it as being “full-bodied and satisfying”, as well as “citrusy and bold”, with “notes of pine, stonefruits, and grapefruit, leading to a zesty and moreish finish”. 

BT Patreon final