RELAUNCHED Scottish-made lager brand Kestrel is in development phase as new owner Brookfield drinks, headed up by Nigel McNally, former managing director of brewer Wells and Young’s, makes its way through its plans for the beer.
But McNally has more in mind than simply the success of Kestrel.
He wants the brand to play a major part in re-igniting a tradition of British lager brewing. Traditional ales and craft beers are doing well and many retailers seem to ‘get that’, he told Scottish Grocer. They understand how to respond to consumers’ interest in the products.
But things are less good in what are often called the ‘discovery shelves’ of world lagers, he reckons.
This year with further development of the Kestrel range, all of which will be brewed longer than many mainstream lagers, and the release of the beers in new packs, including bottles, the firm aims to capture something of the spirit of Belgian abbey brewing and begin what it hopes will be a trend towards British lagers that can take on the world’s best.
