barextensions now available,
ALL
ROUTES
pubs. Pubs play a key role in Irish
culture, though the actual drinking
takes second place to the pub's
function as a meeting place. If you
want to see your pals and friends, the
best place is down at your local pub.
Eamonn O' Sullivan is brand manager for
Murphy's Irish Stout worldwide.
Downturn
Over the last eighteen months,
however, there have been signs of a
downturn. Because of the precarious
state of Ireland's economy visits to the
local pub have become less frequent.
Spending power is on the decline and
a pint of stout is not cheap because of
the high excise duty. Partly forced by
circumstances, the Irishman is in
creasingly seeking his social life at
home, buying bottled or canned beer
from the off-licence store or the
supermarket and inviting friends
along to his home.
Stout from a bottle or ordinary can
is hardly comparable to draught stout,
even though the brewing process is
identical. But Eamonn O'Sullivan,
Brand Manager for Murphy's Irish
Stout world-wide, says that the two
types of stout should not be compared
with each other. "They are totally dif
ferent products. In Ireland we prefer
draught stout but in France, for
instance, consumers are enthusiastic
about bottled Murphy's."
Mix
Bottled stout not only tastes differ
ent, it also looks different from
draught stout. The characteristic head
of foam is missing because only car
bon dioxide has been added to the
bottled or canned beer, whilst a
draught stout is dispensed with a mix
of 30% carbon dioxide and 70% ni
trogen.
A revolutionary development in
the brewing industry means that it is
now also possible to drink 'draught
quality' stout at home as well. The
British brewing group Whitbread
(which brews and distributes
Heineken lager under licence for the
British market) has developed the
'Draughtflow System' with the help of
Heineken. This unique system en
sures that when a can is opened, a
device at the bottom of the can re
leases a fine stream of nitrogen bub-
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
bles. The nitrogen mixes with the
product, thus creating a stout with
exactly the same composition and
unique head as draught stout.
Murphy's Brewery was eager to
introduce the Draughtflow can in
Ireland because it felt that this special
can offered potential for strength
ening the market share of Murphy's
Irish stout in its home market. The
only metric measures allowed in
Ireland are 33 and 50 cl, which meant
that the 44 cl can from the U.K. could
not be used for the Irish market. For
the introduction of Murphy's Irish
Stout in the Draughtflow can, there
fore, a change in packaging was
needed. A 37.5 cl can was developed.
However, the actual contents of the
can are 33 cl, since some head space
must be left over for the head of foam
to develop after the can has been
opened. Introducing Murphy's Irish
Stout in the Draughtflow can with
contents of 50 cl was never consider
ed, as the can's size of 57.5 cl would
be too big for shelving.
Bar extensions
Eight months after its launch in the
U.K., Murphy's Irish Stout in the
Draughtflow can was introduced in
Ireland in October last year. Three
ten-second commercials and a bill
board advertising campaign set the
tone for the introduction. The slogan
'Bar extensions now available' made
it clear to consumers that they could
now drink a draught quality stout at
home as well. Murphy's Brewery also
devoted a great deal of attention to in-
store samplings in supermarkets and
off-licences and to sales promotion
activities. Trial - also in Ireland - is of
eminent importance for Murphy's
Irish Stout.
"It is a very palatable product. If
we offer consumers an opportunity of
regular tastings of Murphy's Irish
Stout, it's not long before they acquire
a taste for this product", explains
MURPHY'S DRAUGHT. NOW IN CANS
