Goose Island Midway IPA

AB InBev-owned Goose Island is readying its Midway IPA for its debut in the off-trade.

The 4.1% abv brew, previously available solely in the on-trade, will launch into 1,250 Tesco stores in 330ml cans and 450 Asda stores in 4x330ml multipacks, at £1.75 and £6 respectively from the end of August. In Tesco it will fall under the super’s 3 for £5.25 deal on craft beers.

The beer had “a bright hop aroma with tropical and mandarin notes” which gave it “an accessible flavour profile”, said the brand, and is made with Hallertau, Amarillo, Centennial and Mosaic hops.

It would tap “the trends for lower-abv, more sessionable IPAs”, added Goose Island Beer Co president Ken Stout.

The launch will be backed by a digital and out of home campaign.

It comes as sales of Goose Island have skyrocketed over the past twelve months: the brand added £2.1m to its value this year, growing 77.4% to a total of £4.8m, on volumes up 81.1% [Nielsen 52 w/e 21 April 2018].

This makes it the ninth biggest craft alcohol brand in the UK, as our Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands 2018 report revealed last month.