Press Releases Archive
New premium beer launched in South Africa
27 March 2007Premium beer drinkers in South Africa are set to be spoilt for choice when a new premium beer, Hansa Marzen Gold, is made available to the public by SAB in April. This premium product is the first locally developed but internationally based beer to be introduced to South Africa in many years.
Heavily German-influenced, Hansa Marzen Gold is neither a pilsener nor a regular lager, but a marzen style German beer, with a special recipe using slow roasted amber malt as a key ingredient. It is brewed for significantly longer than regular beer styles and together with its unique flavour, will set the product apart in the premium sector.
Its look and feel is distinctly premium in a green bottle with copper foiling. Amber malt prepared at high temperatures gives the brew a deep amber hue, a rich malty aroma and rich brewhouse flavour. It is brewed using four different malt types and uses the classic Perle hop. The product has an alcohol content of 5.2%.
Given that a significant slice of the South African market is in returnable bottles, Hansa Marzen Gold will be available in a 750ml (quart) returnable bottle, a 340ml non-returnable bottle and 340ml can. SAB Communications Manager Michael Farr said that extensive consumer research had been conducted late last year, with the brand development of Hansa Marzen Gold taking place in 2006.
“This unique recipe not only took a great deal of time to develop, but takes significantly longer to brew and mature, which is why it will only be available to the public during April. Hansa Marzen Gold will be available at leading outlets in Gauteng in the first week of April and will be rolled out nationally over the following two weeks.
As a premium product, it will be sold at a 20% premium to Castle. The announcement of the new brand is well timed; it is named for the German word for the month of March, the beginning of European spring. Brewers in 12th century Germany were the first to devise ways of allowing their beer to mature through the hot summer months by brewing in March and storing their beer in alpine caves until September. Kegs would then be cracked at local town celebrations, and popular mythology holds that this was the origination of the now famous Oktoberfest.
“From Bohemia to Germany and now to South Africa, we are introducing a new beer style to South African consumers – a first in the country.
“The Hansa brand is all about being different. The original Hansa Pilsener – now one of the top three selling South African beers with Castle and Carling Black Label – effectively changed the rules by being the first pilsener to be introduced into South Africa in 1975. The launch of Hansa Marzen Gold carries on this tradition by presenting South Africans with a totally new beer type.
“Consumer testing far exceeded our expectations and ultimately, this new product is all about giving South African consumers more choice in the fast-growing premium segment.”
The company yesterday confirmed that it was also extending its popular Peroni Nastro Azzurro premium brand into draught, which will be available throughout South Africa.
