Expert's verdict... 8/10
?There are three beers in the Kapuziner range, varying from 0.5% to 5.4% abv. They are Hefeweizen, wheat beers from southern Germany that are made with yeast (Hefe) to give them a cloudy appearance. All three have a hazy amber colour. The 5.4% variant has a pronounced nose of banana and cloves but the flavours are less pronounced in the low-alcohol variants. The packaging is inaccessible as most of the wording is in German. The points of difference for the low-alcohol styles are not communicated strongly enough.
Henry Moran, trading manager, spirits, MBL
Consumer's verdict... 4/10
?I am a fan of wheat beer and impressed with choice now available in the UK, but this trio failed to meet my expectations. The packaging is in keeping with similar brands - traditional and boring - and carries little information about the beer's provenance. The beers were also unimpressive. The strongest, at 5.4% abv, had the familiar taste of wheat beer but lacked real depth, while the 3.1% abv lighter version had a bitter taste that did not appeal. Surprisingly, the alcohol-free variant was the best, but its sweetness means you couldn't drink too much of it.
Leighton Fort, farmer, New Forest
A year down the line... Peeterman Artois Company: InBev UK Launch Price: £3.59 for a four-pack Today's price: £3.59 for a four-pack
Peeterman Artois, which InBev launched to grow the value of the beer category, has generated take-home retail sales of more than £10m in just 10 months, according to Nielsen [take home 52 w/e 26 January, 2008] and has secured listings in most of the major multiples.
Support for the brand this year includes a multi-million pound marketing push for the entire Artois family.
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