By James Wells – publisher Intermedia liquor division
Australia’s oldest operating brewery, Cascade, will today start selling its re-launched range of beers, featuring new packaging that emphasises its Tasmanian history.
The new range includes a “re-crafted” Cascade Premium Lager, the new Cascade Bright Lager, a new Cascade Blonde that features “an improved brew”, as well as new packaging emphasising the brewery’s location in Hobart and its history in brewing since 1824.
No changes have been made to the Cascade Stout and Cascade Pale Ale brews, while the Cascade Pure product has been deleted.
All beers now feature a crown-seal to emphasise its positioning as a premium and handcrafted product in the market.
“We have under-invested in Cascade in the past, but this has now changed,” said CUB general manager, craft beer, Craig MacLean.
“Today, beer drinkers are spoilt for choice so we’ve had to make some changes to the brand to ensure it can stack up against some of the country’s best beers,” he said.
McLean admitted that over the past decade, CUB has built a number of international premium brands they didn’t own at the expense of local premium brands like Cascade.
“Cascade is Australia’s oldest brewery, which has legitimate handcrafted values that we’ve undersold in the past; this, combined with its longstanding heritage will now be at the forefront of the brand.
“This last year, we’ve been investing in the Brewery, our beers and service levels to ensure Cascade can better compete in what is an incredibly exciting and competitive beer category.
“The changes not only better reflect the significance of Cascade’s rich history in the look and feel, but will ensure it can be enjoyed by Australian beer drinkers to come.”
According to Cascade brand manager, Louise Thiele, there has been a new focus from within the business to make beer and the brewers the priority within the company.
“Beer is at the heart of everything we do, to the point that the brewers are now our heroes in the business,” she said.
To reinforce this new focus, at the official re-launch conducted yesterday in Hobart, it was Head Brewer Mike Unsworth who was given the responsibility to announce the new range, alongside brand ambassador Ben Milbourne of MasterChef fame.
“Consumers have told us that they are looking for brands with credibility and authenticity, and they also want to hear stories,” said Thiele.
The new packaging includes the bottle, which remains at 375mL but is now classic in style and shape. The new brown glass bottle was inspired by the original Cascade beer bottles from the past.
Each bottle is embossed with ‘1824’, recognising the year the company that would go on to be Cascade Brewery Co., was established, and ‘Hobart Tasmania’, as the proud home of Cascade.
The entire range will be available from today at Cellarbrations, IGA Liquor and Bottle-O stores nationally, with availability for other stores including Coles and Woolworths from 17 September onwards.
“IBA have been terrific supporters and we saw it as a great opportunity to have distribution available from day one,” said Thiele.
The range will be available in a new four-pack cluster format and 16-pack cartons.
For the on-premise, the entire packaged range will be available from October as well as three lines in draught: Pale Ale, Bright and Premium Lager.
Cascade expects the Stout and Blonde to be available in draught from the middle of next year.
Looks great… and never realised Cascade was the oldest operating brewery in Australia.
Can’t wait to try Bright
I went to get my next home brew kit of Pale Ale and was shocked to hear “It’s not made any more.”
I know this can’t be true, or there would be blood in the streets!!
I’m in Semaphore, South Australia.
Where is the closest place I can go to to get a fix of Pale??