Dive Brief:
- The Boston Beer Company is introducing an Angry Orchard pear cider that is a blend of both apples and pears, according to Food Bev Media. The new beverage has an ABV of 5%, and is available in six packs with a suggested price between $7.99 and $9.99.
- A variety of fruit goes into every bottle of the hard cider. Bartlett, D’Anjou and Bosc pears, along with Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples are part of the recipe.
- Boston Beer tells Food Bev Media that while fruit ciders are a small segment of the US beverage market, the trend is growing rapidly with drinkers craving more complex flavors infused with a variety of fruits.
Dive Insight:
Boston Beer looked across the pond for inspiration for its latest creation. The company says it chose to make a new pear cider after studying the popularity of Perry in the UK and Europe. Traditional Perry, a fermented pear beverage, has a 4% to 8% ABV and drinks like a subtle white wine.
The independently owned beer maker may be trying to appeal to Millennials who crave new, bold flavors with this latest innovation. This group of drinkers represents nearly a quarter of the U.S. population, and has been turning away from beer in favor of wine and spirits.
The decline in beer sales accelerated in 2016, dropping 1.8% compared with a five-year decline rate of 0.6%, according to IWSR, which tracks the alcohol industry. At the same time, sales of hard alcohol — such as gin, tequila and whiskey — rose 0.04%. Mixed drinks, like pre-made cocktails, surged 1.6%.
Boston Beer has seen sales of its Twisted Tea and low-calorie sparkling beverage Truly Spiked and Sparkling increase as sales of traditional beers and cider decline. It makes sense they would turn to a European pear cider-wine hybrid to peak the interest of this demographic.
Overall, the maker Samuel Adams has fared better than the beer market at large. The company’s latest earnings report showed the craft beer maker's earnings are on a steady upward trend, with net revenues up 1% year-over-year. On a whole, beer sales dropped 1.8% while hard alcohol, like vodka and bourbon, rose 0.04%. Pre-made cocktails are also gaining popularity, surging 1.6%.
Boston Beer is likely looking to newer flavors, such as this pear cider, to help boost their growth and compensate for falling interest in their signature beverage. On the upside, millennials tends to grab a craft beer when going for a bottle of suds. The combination of the two could help Angry Orchard’s newest cider resonate with consumers.