Suffolk-based St Peter’s Brewery has been working on an improved recipe for its popular Without brand of zero-alcohol beer.
Since launching in 2016, the brand has built a strong following. However, consumer motivations and tastes are changing, so the brewery has taken steps to refresh the recipe to appeal to a new range of potential customers.
The brewery’s managing director, John Hadingham, said: “When we first launched Without, it was one of very few zero-alcohol craft beer products available in the mainstream, and it has been incredibly popular, but we want the brand to continue to reach across all age groups and motivations.
“A lot has changed in four years. No and low is appealing to more and more younger consumers, and tastes are changing. We’ve seen a growing trend towards full-bodied IPAs, for example, and trade and consumers have been telling us they wanted a refreshing zero-alcohol beer that has hoppier flavours.
“We’ve been experimenting with our liquid and feel we’ve achieved something that will not only appeal to our current consumers, but also attract the new and discerning no- and low-alcohol purchasers.”
St Peter’s Brewery has made changes to the profiles of Without Gold, Without Original, and Without Elderberry and Raspberry, which launched in June.
Although the taste will remain largely the same, the brewing team has worked with new hop profiles to provide more hop-forward aromas and subtly improved taste characteristics, too.
John said: “However, we have been careful not to stray too far from the current profile so as not to alienate our current loyal consumers. We have benchmarked the new liquids against many others on the market through consumer panel blind tastings, and the results have been very positive indeed.”
