Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (FES), the iconic strong stout, is gonna get a new look real soon, and it’s quite a change. It looks very modern actually. A radical move by Guinness.
The change will affect both the can and the bottles. They’ll be a lot blacker, that’s for sure.
It will be launched in November. But here’s a sneak peek, just a peek. Dont wanna spoil Guinness’s party!
New vs old
Yup! And it’s great stuff.
Had some at Moet Hennessy Diageo’s media night at Vertigo recently. This is a super-premium 18-year-old blend, to be launched soon.
Session on at the media nite
The Platinum is primarily for the Asian market. It’s also time to say goodbye to the Green Label.
I tried a glass of this Scotch neat, and it was silky, sweet-ish, with a tinge of smoke. The finish was easy and pleasant, with an urge to have another sip almost immediately. That’s how nice it feels.
Jim Beveridge has outdone himself.
Cant wait. Stay tuned for the post-launch post.
Carlsberg Breweries Malaysia has altered the image of the extra strong pilsner, Special Brew.
While the can was mostly gold, it’s now got two shades of brown, making it look more attractive. A bit like a coffee i gotta say, but i prefer it over the old design. Bolder.
Special eh?
The bottle, in line with the redesign of Carlsberg’s bottles, has a more radical change. The new bottle is minimalist, with not much of a label. A lot like the Green Label beer, but in a brown bottle.
This classic lager has some history with me, tho not as much as the Night Train.
Kicked my ass a few times. Never could get used to the strong flavours though. At 8.8%, it’s a good bang for your buck.
The new large SB bottle (left), and the new Gold (right) vs old
Many drinkers have a past with this beer.
I’m tempted to try it again tho. It’s been years since my last dose.
With the number of brands of strong beers available here now, I feel Special Brew has a tough battle ahead. There probably 15 lagers above 8% around. (Some up to 13%! Haha). That was probably one of the incentives to change its looks. The other – all Carlsberg’s main brands are undergoing a change, even the Gold.
The new look is currently in Malaysia only.
Amazingly, the beer was originally brewed by the Danes for Winston Churchill (England’s WWII PM). His visit to Copenhagen in 1950 was commemorated with a ‘special’ brew (originally 9%) produced in his honour.
Churchill’s favourite drink was cognac, so in brewing him a commemorative beer, the brewers at Carlsberg created a stronger lager with cognac flavours among its tasting notes.
Interesting eh? I bet 90% of Special Brew drinkers never knew that part.
