KESTREL Lager has returned for a fresh bite at the beer market – this time with extra Scottish credentials.
The brand enjoyed its heyday in the 1980s and 90s, when a series of television adverts starring Russ Abbot and Hugh Laurie propelled it to the upper reaches of the lager charts.
In latter years it has fallen from view, but it has been given a new lease of life thanks to a new owner producing the lager at the Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow and the appearance of Saltire flags on the can.
Nigel McNally, a former managing director of Bedford-based brewer Wells & Young's, said: "Kestrel has fantastic awareness. It is truly a national, British lager.
"It originated in Scotland and I wanted to take it back to being brewed and crafted in Scotland."
After its first flush of success, Kestrel became increasingly less visible under Scottish & Newcastle as the brewer, now owned by Heineken, prioritised resources behind Foster's, Kronenbourg 1664 and John Smith's.
But even then, Mr McNally said, Kestrel remained a major brand in independent off-sales stores. Around 200,000 barrels were sold each year.
It was this latent popularity that convinced Mr McNally to acquire the brand from its most recent owner, Wells & Young's, and use it to spearhead a new business, Brookfield Drinks.
Mr McNally said: "A lot of people remember, very fondly, the Kestrel Pilsner.
"This was discontinued by Scottish & Newcastle going back to 2003, because they wanted to focus on Foster's and Kronenbourg.
"At that point it was a very large brand [of] some 200,000 barrels. Logic says it was a popular beer, it was very sizeable, it was a British lager. There is every opportunity to make it available once again."
The Kestrel appearing on shelves now is different to the one previously sold under the Younger's brand.
Production now takes place at Tennent Caledonian's brewery in Glasgow's east end, where it is made in accordance with the "holy brewing method".
The ingredients are fermented for seven days, including the Sabbath, and only Scottish barley, water from a local source and crushed malt are used.
Crushing malt takes longer than grinding malt but is said to yield a better flavour.
Mr McNally said the production method runs counter to the corner cutting practices of some its rivals, with some shortening the time it takes to make their beer, reducing their alcohol strength and selling products in smaller cans.
Mr McNally has also given prominence to its Scottish heritage in its presentation – the Saltire is proudly displayed on its cans – to highlight the lager's provenance and tap into the growing craft ale category. Although its return coincides with debate raging on Scotland's constitutional future, he has no qualms about how its Scottish branding will play out south of the Border.
Mr McNally said: "I think it is very much a positive. We research it and people love the fact it comes from Scotland, that it originated in Scotland and that it has come home."
Kestrel, which Mr McNally said is still the UK's biggest independently-owned British lager, is now available in four variants of alcohol – ranging from 2.8% to 9% in strength – to meet consumers' demands at different occasions.
Mr McNally, who declined to comment on how much Brookfield had paid for the brand, added: "What we feel is that people want different alcohol levels for different occasions.
"Hence, we feel that with Kestrel we can be the first real brand that can offer the complete range of alcohol levels – from alcohol free to 2.8%, 4%, 5% up to 9%."
Distribution is currently focused on independent grocery stores and multiples, though there are plans to start selling it on draught in pubs and clubs within 12 to 18 months.
Mr McNally expects it to appeal to a broad demographic, from drinkers aged 35-plus who drank Kestrel Pilsner in the 1990s to younger consumers interested in craft ale and lager. He said he would like to see the brand return to TV screens – its ads famously signed off with the tag line "it bites" – but said the focus was maximising its availability across all variants before that can take place.
Beyond Kestrel, he said further acquisitions are on the agenda for Brookfield, revealing that he was in talks to bring two further brands into the portfolio this month. The business is funded by private investors.
Mr McNally added: "Our model is to acquire these retro brands which have got a lot of positive memories and great awareness that can be revitalised with a bit of focus and attention. That is the model and it should work really well."
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