Island's Edge is here.
Heineken has taken the bold move of launching a brand new stout within the Irish market.
Perhaps not
that bold if the related research is to be taken into account. Per a new study in conjunction with the arrival of the Island's Edge stout, three in four people are said to have a taste for a new, modern stout.
The study also notes that over 70% of those surveyed would be more inclined to opt for stout if a lighter-tasting and "more refreshing" option was available.
That's likely what Heineken has in mind with Island's Edge, which underwent a soft launch in 300 pubs two months ago, having originally been in development for over two years.
Now, a further nationwide rollout commences with the stout set to be made available in select pubs, off licences and retailers from this weekend.
As of now, the plan is to have Island's Edge generally available across the country by the end of the year.
As for what the thing tastes like; over 100 test brews led to the development team adding in a simple ingredient that brought the elusive effervescence they were after – tea.
"When we started developing Island’s Edge, we played with over 100 recipes and countless ingredients to see what we could add to stout to achieve a really refreshing taste," says PJ Tierney, Head Brewer for Island’s Edge.
"When we discovered that adding a touch of tea at just the right moment softens the bitterness of stout, making it smoother tasting, we knew we had landed on an unexpectedly refreshing pint of stout. We also kept the heritage of the traditional stout pour, but we knew Island’s Edge needed a different type of glass.
"After trying three types, consumers told us they loved the feel of the tall conical glass so everything about Island’s Edge is just a little unexpectedly refreshing. Myself and the brewing team in Cork are very proud to see the kegs rolling out to pubs, off licences and retail shelves across the country."
