Beverage Craft

Fizzy Drinks Are Not Just for Kids

Carbonated Soft Drinks and Energy Drinks categories are responsible for nearly $6 in every $10 of beverage growth and No-Sugar options are growing twice as fast as their sugary counterparts across both categories.

Fizzy drinks are growing up, reflecting the current trends around health and wellness, innovative flavour combination and premiumisation.

We know we’re going to be heading into a period where consumer wallets are likely to be more stretched, however, consumers love to spend on small indulgences at these times, and the right beverage on the menu can be the treat they’re looking for.

Shine+ shows how better-for-you functionality can be brought to the energy drink space. Shine+ nootropics are better because it’s energy for the mind first, a better kind of energy.

S.Pellegrino Essenza is a great example of premiusation within the flavoured water category. Sparkling mineral water with a subtle, creative blend of Mediterranean fruit flavours crafted in a stunningly designed slim, recyclable 330ml can.

The Art of Premiumisation

Driven by the desire to create elevated experiences whenever

they can, consumers are willing to pay more for products that offer something that is, or is perceived to be, more premium. A great example is FeverTree tonic up 42.5 percent with more than $1 million in sales growth in the past year, it a brand that has recognised the c=savvy consumer’s demand for something better.

Functional Benefits

Speaking of better, the betterfor-you category has greatly increased, spurred by demand caused by the global pandemic.

According to IRI’s recent Health & Wellness Survey, nearly one in five Kiwis make food and drink choices because of specific health benefits such as including ingredients with properties known to improve gut health, increase metabolism or support physical and emotional wellbeing.

Cold Beverages is a dynamic category representing a plethora of innovation and trends in action. There are no doubt further opportunities for premiumisation and indulgence as Kiwis seek more exciting tastes and options to elevate occasions at home and out and about.

BRING THE GIN REVOLUTION TO YOUR MENU

New Zealand consumers are following global trends with the move to premiumisation, and a move away from quantity to quality. Kiwi’s palates are evolving, they are deman-ding unique, premium local spirits, and the industry is delivering. The gin revolution continues to expand its reach, drawing new consumers to the category through the use of high quality ingredients and innovative flavour combinations. Perfect for the warmer months, check out some of our picks for your venue’s Gin Menu.

JUNO EXTRA FINE GIN

Two-time winner of the NZ Gin Guide Tasters’ Pick of Classic Gins, and multiaward winner both locally and internationally, Juno’s signature Extra Fine Gin 700ml is a standout! Fresh bright citrus supports a strong juniper backbone, all finishing with a clean peppery heat. The innovative team at Juno work with local horticulturalists to grow the botanicals, with a zero-waste distillery in Taranaki.

DELIGHTFUL DRY GIN

Kiwi Spirit’s Delightful Dry Gin is an elegant spirit bursting with aromatic delights and homegrown botanicals picked fresh from the grounds of its unique distillery. Vibrant lavender and zesty lemons are distilled to create a beautifully balanced Delightful Dry Gin. Perfect for the classic G & T or Martini, with delicate floral hints and gentle citrus tones that create a fragrant and delicious taste experience.

BLUSH GIN

If there is Summer in a Glass, its Blush Gin! With a delicious range that will tickle your Tastebuds! Zesty Citrus, our latest edition. Beautiful Rhubarb and of course the lip smacking Boysenberry. Crafted from real fruit by people that care.

GREENSTONE GIN

Greenstone Gin is a harmonious blend of tradition and new ideas. Native New Zealand botanicals Totara and Kahikatea twice distilled with the purest water on earth. Kiwi Spirit gather native Totara and Kahikatea berries to create a smooth old-time gin with the purity of New Zealand’s crystal clear spring water and untouched forests, the result is a clean earthy botanical gin like no other. Greenstone Gin, a taste of New Zealand.

CLEMENGOLD GIN

The sweet and sun-ripened essence of ClemenGold, South Africa’s leading mandarin, now treats gin aficionados to a classic Cape Dry style gin with subtle hints of citrus. Eight botanicals – with sundried ClemenGold peels taking the flavour lead – are used when distilling this superb gin in the heart of Cape Town. ClemenGold and orange peel, cinnamon, ground almond, juniper berries, angelica and orris root, and coriander are macerated and vapour-infused. Excellent in a refreshing gin and tonic; the number one choice for any number of classic gin cocktails, or try serving it on ice with a twist of orange, or a cinnamon stick.

TITILLATING TONICS

Just like its infamous collaborator, tonic has also gone through a revolution of late, with unique flavour experiences and premium ingredients at the forefront.

BOOTLEGGERS

The Gin Drinker’s Collection, by Bootleggers is the ultimate collection of tonic waters for the most discerning gin drinker. Today gin drinkers are looking for more than one tonic to mix with their premium gins. Bootleggers NZ tonic range is just that, combining founder James Waugh’s’ bartending knowledge and soda-making experience to great effect. Flavours include Classic, Blood Orange, Elderflower, Thai Lime and new to market Tuscan (Low Sugar) and Grapefruit. Today Bootleggers tonic range is served in some of New Zealand’s leading bars, restaurants and eatery’s.

BARKER & QUIN

Barker & Quin tonic water is delicious enough to be drunk on its own, but add it to a craft gin, and you create a unique gourmet drinking experience. In a bid to create a superior tonic for the discerning gin drinker, Barke & Quin went to great lengths to source only the highest quality, natural products from Africa. Its citrus flavours and spices are created from distilled essences, and the tonic’s quinine is harvested from the bark of Chinchona trees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Combining these ingredients with spring water from the Breede River in the Slanghoek Valley outside Cape Town, Barker & Quin have created a delectable tonic, free of artificial sweeteners, colourants and flavourants. This has helped create a delicious range of flavours, now available in New Zealand.

FORESEEING A PERFECT SPRING COCKTAIL

With Juno being the Goddess of Gin, it only makes sense that its spring cocktail, made with Juno’s seasonal Spring 2021 release is called The Oracle. With this on the cocktail menu, the future looks bright.

THE ORACLE

INGREDIENTS: • 45ml Juno Spring 2021 Gin • 10ml Dry Vermouth • 3 Sage leaves • 10ml Lemon juice • 10ml Sugar syrup (1:1 Sugar & Boiling water) • 60ml Grapefruit soda METHOD: • Lightly Muddle sage leaves • Stir together the spring 21 Gin, vermouth, lemon, sugar and ice. • Strain into preferred glass • Garnish with a sage leaf

A COLLABORATION FOR THE GODDESSES

After a request from Ozone Coffee to create an outstanding espresso martini spirit from their coffee beans, the team that brought you the Goddess of Gin, Juno, is excited to introduce her sister, the goddess of the hearth and its fires, Vesta Coffee Vodka.

The team at Juno spent months on the development of Vesta. Trialling a few different beans before settling on one which brings a rich coffee flavour/aroma alongside chocolate and berry notes.

“It was important to take our time because it’s quite a new flavour category for the spirits industry,” explained Jo James, distiller and COO at Juno Gin.

“We felt that it was better to take our time and get it right, make something that not only can make delicious cocktails, but also tastes delicious on its own.”

The coffee beans come from the Kercha sharo washing station, a high altitude plantation in Ethiopia and the team add a touch of Orris root to bring flavour stability, it is then distilled in a locally built 400 litre copper still, Lila.

The freshly roasted coffee aroma with a creamy mouth feel, good structure and longevity of coffee flavour, with hints of dark and milk chocolate and dark berry and strawberry notes makes this an indulgent, treat of a vodka. James noted that there›s a real trend towards dessert cocktails right now, and it›s important for venues to be able to offer that indulgent treat at the end of an evening out.

“Being able to offer a clear coffee spirit was also really important to us. Yes we’re used to seeing it’s application in an espresso martini which is brown, but there are other exciting combinations of flavours you could create that you wouldn’t want made cloudy with a dark liqueur. For example, a Cointreau and chocolate bitters cocktail for a spin on a Christmas favourite, the Terry’s chocolate orange.”

The clear look also adds that element of intrigue and surprise. For James, innovating with flavours and collaborating with other brands is important for the company and a lot of thought goes into every element, even the water.

Through the process of creating Vesta, James and the team realised that water was a crucial ingredient.

“After much sampling, we chose the same water as we use for our Juno Gin – water drawn to Taranaki by our mountain.”

The brand is set to also release an Extra Fine Vodka, and water choice has been deeply considered for this version too.

“Depending on our water sauce we can make something that’s quite sharp and crystalline and ‘classic’, or something that›s very structured and creamy and has that longevity of mouthfeel,” said James, adding that the company has been doing market research with local bars to see which direction they should go.

While Vesta Coffee Vocka makes a stand-out Espresso martini, it is also brilliant combined with a black raspberry liqueur like Chambord to create something reminiscent of a Black Forest Gateau.

“We call this cocktail (which can be served with either soda or on the rocks) The Dark Forest.”

You can order Vesta Coffee Vodka direct from the distillery, for more information contact orders@ junogin.com

A True Kiwi Spirit

Kiwi Spirit Distillery is a New Zealand, family-owned and operated distillery that specialises in unique, handcrafted spirits.

Owner and distiller Terry Knight began teaching himself how to make spirits 25 years ago. With decades of distilling knowledge, the Knight family are fiercely dedicated to quality over quantity.

“Quality and uniqueness are critical to us,” said Isabella Knight, Terry’s daughter and Kiwi Spirit’s marketing manager.

“You don’t want to make a spirit that is not high quality. We also didn’t want to copy anyone. We wanted to take something in a different direction. We incorporate that New Zealand aspect - creating New Zealand made spirits with local ingredients and botanicals, and the way we make our spirits.”

Just like every business, Kiwi Spirit has felt the pinch with the COVID pandemic in addition to its usually quiet season.

“It’s been quite hard. Every business has gone from operating to just, not,” said Knight.

“We are a seasonal business as well. We’ve got the cellar door, but we’re a beach town, so winter is quiet already, and the lockdown has just made it worse.

“The upside is people want to drink and try making cocktails, so that has kept us busy.”

Whilst importing is suffering delays, those who source within New Zealand are not as severely affected. Luckily for Kiwi Spirit, their sourcing hasn’t been affected much.

“We focus on buying from New Zealand first anyway. We look in Golden Bay, and if we can’t find it here, we’ll go to the Tasman, then the South Island, and then the North Island.

“There are a couple of things not available in New Zealand, like juniper berries. Our bottles come from overseas as well, but we are hoping to switch to a New Zealand supplier.”

During Levels 3 and 4, the distillery shut down.

“We’re lucky at the distillery because we live on site. It’s 25 acres, so there were lots of jobs we needed to do,” laughed Knight.

Kiwi Spirit is the only distillery in New Zealand that makes TeKiwi 100% Blue Agave Spirit, made from the famous Agave Tequilana Weber Blue. The Weber Blue Agave Tequilana plants are grown at the farm and take eight years to mature.

“We just planted a few thousand of these, so that kept us busy as well,” Knight added.

Throughout the levels, Kiwi Spirit Distillery was sustained by online orders through its website.

“We put a lot of time and energy into our website as it’s the best place to order from us. There’s lots of additional content like cocktail recipes as well.”

When New Zealand, excluding Auckland, shifted to Level 2, Kiwi Spirit was able to open its cellar door and welcome back its staff.

“We’re a small team but growing,” said Knight. Being a small team makes it easier, she said, as everyone is kept busy

with the cellar door and handbottling and labelling summer’s line-up.”

Hand-bottling and labelling is just one part of Kiwi Spirit’s dedication to sustainability, as well as shopping local and planting.

“Sustainability is ingrained in what we do, even before it was the buzzword,” said Knight. Golden Bay is a hippie town. It’s just part of what we do naturally. Shopping locally is part of that.”

Kiwi Spirit is planting its own fruit trees to grow the fruit it uses for liqueurs and botanicals for gin. Juniper berries are imported, and tangelos are not as readily available as they used to be, so the Knight family are trying their hand at growing these fruits.

“Our Delightful Gin is made with lavender and lemon. The lavender is grown here, and the lemons are from Golden Bay, plus a few of our baby lemons.”

Village distilleries in Europe inspired the idea, said Knight. There is a lot of excess fruit, so the distilleries pop up to make something out of it.

“People sometimes turn up with crates of lemons, so we’ll create something. Sometimes we make small batches that don’t leave the cellar door; others are specialist batches.”

Knight believes being innovative is not running after the trend but going beyond it.

“There are lots of really good spirits, but for a spirit to be great, it needs to be unique, standalone, and meet a niche that wasn’t there before or does better than anyone else, and of course, quality. You have to sip it and say, wow, this is special, this is different.”

Kiwi Spirit’s TeKiwi is one such example.

“It’s New Zealand’s only 100% Webber Blue Agave Tequilana Spirit, and it’s absolutely standalone. Watching people’s faces, even if they don’t like whiskey or gin or whatever, and their eyes widen, and they look at you like ‘what!?’ That’s what we do this for.”

The most rewarding aspect of their job is making something special, said Knight.

“You put the plant in the ground or the liquid in the barrel, and when you come back in eight years, it’s perfect. You take raw fruit/ingredients, and you have this product on the shelf that people love, and you know it came from fruit.”

Kiwi Spirit has hosted an annual festival for the past few years and hopes to cement that into the local calendars.

“We want to get that running smoothly and create our big event,” Knight concluded.

“We’re also looking at redoing our cellar door; it’s a bit small, and we want to take it to the next level. Growing our own fruit and botanicals is already in progress, so we’ll keep working on that too.”