Cobra Beer has launched a premium addition to its portfolio, designed to target the dining occasion as an alternative to wine.
King Cobra is a whopping 8% abv beer, which is brewed at a higher strength than standard Cobra and then shipped to Belgium where it is fermented a second time. Then, in a similar way to Champagne, a dose of sugar and yeast is added to the brew and the beer continues conditioning in the bottle.
The beer, which is packaged in a 750ml bottle, is designed to be shared with friends and drunk with a meal as an alternative to wine.
Christopher Edgcumbe-Rendle, Cobra’s business development director, said: “We
wanted a strong beer that had all the background of Cobra but that was distinctly different.”
Edgcumbe-Rendle said the premium nature of the beer, enhanced by its Champagne-style cork and £3.99 price tag, would encourage sensible drinking and deflect any binge-drinking concerns raised by its high alcohol content.
“It is not a session beer and should be treated with respect. At 8% abv, it is still much weaker than many wines,” he said.
King Cobra joins the company’s rapidly growing portfolio, adding to this year’s launches of Cobra 0.0% and Cobra Lower Cal. The company also announced it would be brewing Cobra in India again.
“We are delighted with King Cobra. In our opinion it is the finest strong beer ever made,” said Karan Bilmoria, founder and chief executive of Cobra. “We are now providing consumers with a full range of exceptional beers.”
Ged Futter, Asda’s beer buyer, said dining-format beer was still a niche segment. “It is a very small section of a small market, but there is a growing interest in these beers.”
Sonya Hook

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