FOOD & DRINK

A recently released cider from Sharp’s Brewery has earned recognition at the International Cider Challenge (ICC).

Just months after being rolled out in UK bars and restaurants, Cold River Cider was awarded a silver medal in the New World Cider Category at this year’s event.

Judges acknowledged “its light, crisp, and moreish flavour with a refreshing look to match”.

Sharp’s Cold River Cider is a collaboration between Sharp’s Brewery’s Cornish team and Aspall Cyder House’s Suffolk team, to create a new premium 4.5% ABV medium-dry apple cider.

James Nicholls, marketing controller for Sharp’s Brewery, said: “In Cold River Cider, we have created something truly unique; a crisp and moreish, refreshing medium-dry apple cider, and we’re delighted that this has been recognised by the panel at the International Cider Challenge so soon after our launch.”

SHARP’S SILVER CIDERSUCCESS

St Austell Brewery’s flagship lager brand, Korev, has announced a new partnership with the Marine Conservation Society. The Marine Conservation Society is a UK charity campaigning for a cleaner ocean. It tackles threats to habitats and species by working closely with communities and businesses, organising beach cleans and shaping government policy. Korev will be supporting the charity’s Great British Beach Clean this month (Sep 17-26)

CHARITYOF THE YEAR where hundreds of beach cleans take place nationwide. The Marine Conservation Society logo will also be featuring on the lager’s 100% recyclable cardboard can packs. In addition to the Korev partnership, the Marine Conservation Society has been named ‘Charity of the Year’ by St Austell Brewery’s Charitable Trust. The trust is funded by contributions from the brewery, as well as donations from customers and fundraising events held at its head offices, depots, and pubs. Since it was launched in 2003, it’s donated over £800k to charities and causes across the region.

TRELEAVENS MD MARK CRUSCIAK & EDDIE LOFTHOUSE

North Cornwall’s Harbour Brewing and Treleavens Luxury Cornish Ice Cream opened three new hospitality venues during the summer.

The joint ventures saw the creation of a new open-air bar and restaurant at Watergate Bay, the opening of the St Tudy Inn which has been closed since December, and a new café in Wadebridge.

ICE CREAM ANDBEER!

Harbour Brewing MD Eddie Lofthouse said: “We opened The Atlantic bar and restaurant at Polzeath in 2020, and trading since then has been extremely strong. With this in mind and a little down time in lockdown, we started exploring other opportunities to expand our portfolio.

“The new venues are in such great locations, and the Harbour and Treleavens board members agreed that investing in the Cornish hospitality sector was a very positive step.”

A NEW UPBEATRUM

A new Cornish independent drinks company has launched a premium spiced rum.

8Track, from Upbeat Spirits, is made from fine Guyana and smooth eight-year-old vintage Barbados rums, and is infused with Seville oranges, vanilla, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. It has already secured a wholesale listing and distribution partnership with St Austell Brewery and established numerous local listings.

The company was co-founded by Matt Franks, who is also CEO at Fluid Branding, and former St Austell Brewery marketing director Jeremy Mitchell (pictured), who said: “Having worked in drinks marketing and hospitality for much of my career, I’d always wanted the opportunity to start up a new business and create a brand from scratch.

“Events of the last 18 months gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join forces with Matt and to fulfil this ambition through 8Track.”

The rum is presented with a bright label design – encapsulating its “good times” philosophy – created by Falmouth design agency Kingdom & Sparrow, with web design and photography provided by The Design Room, in Truro.

8Track uses only lightweight recycled glass bottles and is partnering with Porthlevenbased paper packaging company, FlexiHex, - to offer a sustainable packaging solution that’s plastic free.