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Will Fourpure’s attempt to get beer fans ‘excited’ pay off?

24 February 2023 By Jessica Mason

Fourpure brewery has added two new pale ales to its line-up for a limited time in an effort to get beer fans “excited” by its range.

The new additions include a 5.2% ABV easy-drinking tropical beer brewed with Galaxy hops named Pacific Pale Ale and a 5.3% ABV hazy pale ale named London Haze.

Last year, Australian beverage giant Lion – a subsidiary of Japanese drinks conglomerate Kirin which had owned Fourpure – launched a strategic review of its beer brands before selling the brand to Odyssey Inns. As such, the move to ramp up the range with variants that will get fans “excited” has been rumpured to indicate how the Bermondsey-based brewery has lost appeal following its recent buy-outs with each one showcasing its non-craft credentials.

Fourpure owner Steve Cox said: “We’re excited to take people along for a journey of growth at Fourpure in 2023 and have plans to launch more new beers throughout the year, with our top priority remaining brewing quality products that UK craft beer drinkers are going to be excited by.”

Industry sources told the drinks business that the releases as “a leap of faith” and stated that “nobody considers Fourpure as craft anymore”.

However, another industry insider said to db: “We need to still judge breweries like this that have been through the mill based on the merits of their beers and the quality of that, rather than continue to blame good brewers for the big company decisions that have led to their reputation suffering. They are still gaining supermarket listings as ‘craft’ and that will be good for them while they take some time to revitalise.”

The new beers will join Fourpure Lager, Citrus IPA, Session IPA, Hazy Pale Ale and Fourpure’s Oatmeal Stout in the brewery’s portfolio.

The new beers will be available in a 330ml cans retailing at £2.60 each and will be stocked at Waitrose as well as sourced via the Fourpure web-shop.

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