Feature
category was Small Beer Brewing
Co.’s Original Small Beer Lager, a
refreshing 2.1 per cent lager with
masses of flavour. Lyre’s Non-
Alcoholic Spirits also caused a stir
within the spirits category with
its non-alcoholic homages to the
greatest tipples of all time, including
Absinthe, Dry London Spirit and
American Malt & Coffee Liqueur.
Berkshire-based start-up, Saicho,
had a successful show at the wine
bar with its range of sparkling cold
brewed teas, including its Darjeeling
sparkling cold brewed tea - a non-
alcoholic wine substitute with notes
of muscatel, nectarine and wood
spice that pairs brilliantly with
grilled meats.
With flavoured carbonates
experiencing a growth of 5.6 per cent
during the last 12-month period,
mixers are high on the agenda for
hospitality professionals looking for
the best complementary sidekick.
Fentiman’s had a successful show,
providing visitors with a chance
to try its latest and most popular
mixers including Pink Grapefruit
Tonic Water, Rose Lemonade and
Ginger Beer & Muddled Lime.
aisles, so attendees often use these.
It’s really important for us that
our exhibitors get as much out of
the show as possible, that’s why we
encourage as many wine, beer, cider
and spirits buyers as possible to
come and explore the latest trends,
product releases and new producers
on show. It’s also key that we take
into account proprietors, restaurant
managers, bartenders, and
sommeliers who are absolutely vital
for our exhibitors to engage with.
Are there any particular
challenges associated with
running the event? What will the next 10 years hold?
Imbibe Live is a business event so
the audience is there to discover
products to support them with
sales in their establishment and to
learn from our business-focused
masterclasses. We introduced a £10
ticket fee in 2018 to reinforce that
message and all exhibitors have free
ticket codes to share with clients or
their on-trade database.
There are certain restrictions
placed on exhibitors throughout
the event so only sample sizes are
served, and we have a large Water
Bar in the middle of the event where
all exhibitors and visitors can access
free water throughout the day. You’ll
also find spittoons across the show in The on-trade environment is a
constantly shifting space, which
is what makes it such an exciting
place to be! Three categories which
we highlighted as future hotspots
from our successful 2019 show were
the growth of no and low alcohol
products, the continued strength
of premium products and the
abundance of high-quality mixers.
It’s hard to say what the next 10
years will hold for the industry but
what we are sure of, is that Imbibe
Live will be there to showcase the
very best producers and give expert
insight to those that work in our
creative and forward-thinking
industry. EN
August — 31