Tag Archives: Beer Innovation

United Breweries launches Kingfisher Smooth

United Breweries Limited (UBL), part of the HEINEKEN Company, has launched Kingfisher Smooth. Brewed using imported hops and containing no added sugar, it delivers a smooth, balanced taste while retaining the strength consumers expect.

While Kingfisher Strong remains the benchmark for a classic, full-bodied beer, Kingfisher Smooth expands the flagship brand’s portfolio, reinforcing UBL’s commitment to innovation and consumer centricity. Kingfisher Smooth is now available across Rajasthan. It is priced at Rs. 100 for a 330 ml bottle, Rs. 145 for a 500 ml can, and Rs. 185 for a 650 ml bottle.

L-R: Mohit Raina, Category Director & Vivek Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, United Breweries Limited

Speaking on the launch, Vivek Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, United Breweries Limited, said, “Kingfisher has played a pioneering role in shaping India’s beer category, and we are a key recruiter to the segment, bringing young legal-age consumers into beer. With Kingfisher Smooth, we are introducing a first-ever game-changing innovation in the mainstream strong beer segment, designed for next-generation consumers. We’ve put intensive research, design and consumer testing into this launch, resulting in a winning combination of superior brew and packaging that reflects our commitment to innovation and our brand investments.”

“The strong beer segment continues to dominate beer consumption in India, and as drinking occasions diversify, we are seeing more consumers seek smoother, more approachable strong beers that are easier to enjoy without compromising the familiar taste they value. These insights are backed by extensive consumer testing, and Kingfisher Smooth addresses this shift by delivering a more balanced strong beer experience aligned with contemporary consumption occasions.”, added Vikram Bahl, Chief Marketing Officer, United Breweries Limited.

New Beer Releases at Geist Brewing Co.

Geist Brewing Co. has introduced four new beers on tap, each offering a fresh flavour profile. They include Geist Lagerithm; Geist Route 66; Geist Double IPA; and Geist Star Spangled Haze.

The lineup begins with Geist Lagerithm, a pale hoppy lager that brings a gentle mix of citrus and mild tropical fruit notes. Geist Route 66 follows with a Midwest style IPA that balances bright citrus and floral character with a smooth thread of bitterness. For a bolder choice, Geist Double IPA delivers a classic West Coast experience with layers of spice, pine and mild resin. Rounding out the collection is Geist Star Spangled Haze, an East Coast style that pours pale and fruit forward. Notes of citrus, tropical fruit and berries rise first, supported by gentle spice and a soft malt body that keeps the finish smooth and balanced. 

They are available on tap at all Geist Brewing Co. outlets.

Carlsberg creates the world’s smallest beer

  • Says will inspire people to drink in a more responsible and moderate way
  • Students now challenged to create an even smaller beer

Carlsberg has created the world’s smallest beer, in collaboration with the research institute RISE, the company Glaskomponent, and a miniature artist Åsa StrandC. The aim is that the beer’s moderate size and non-alcoholic content will inspire people to drink in a more responsible and moderate way. In relation to the launch Carlsberg are also challenging students to create an even smaller beer.

Carlsberg have created a non-alcoholic beer measuring only twelve millimeters in height and containing 0.005 centiliter of non-alcoholic beer. The bottle is as small as a grain of rice and contains just a single drop of non-alcoholic beer. It comes complete with a Carlsberg label and a sealed cap.

“To promote responsible drinking, we present our most moderate idea ever. The world’s smallest beer holds only one-twentieth of a milliliter and is so small that it’s easy to miss. But the message is much bigger: we want to remind people of the importance of drinking responsibly”, said Casper Danielsson, Head of Communications at Carlsberg Sweden.

“Some might think the bottle doesn’t exist, or that the images are AI-generated. But it’s actually the product of craftsmanship, innovation and a close collaboration between us and several experts, Casper Danielsson continues.

How Carlsberg created the world’s smallest non-alcoholic beer

The project brought together several leading partners and experts. RISE (a Swedish state-owned research and innovation institute) made it possible to fill the bottle using precision capillaries designed for fiber optics. Glaskomponent, a company specializing in glassblowing for laboratory equipment, developed the bottle. Miniature artist Åsa Strand crafted and applied the cap, label, and coloring. Meanwhile, the non-alcoholic beer itself was specially brewed at Carlsberg’s experimental brewery in Falkenberg, Sweden, to deliver an intense taste experience despite the tiny volume of just 0.0050 centilitres.

“Crafting and applying the colour, cap and label for a bottle just twelve millimeters tall has been incredibly challenging and great fun. There was no established way of doing this, but with precision, patience and creativity we managed to make it work, says Åsa Strand, miniature artist.

Competition for Students

In relation to the launch, Carlsberg and Tekniska Högskolan Studentkår (the Student Union at KTH Royal Institute of Technology) are presenting a competition inviting university students across Sweden to outdo Carlsberg. The rules are simple: the smallest beer wins. The aim is to encourage boundary-pushing thinking – much like Carlsberg has done historically through innovations such as pure yeast cultivation and the discovery of the pH scale.

“Like Carlsberg, we students usually focus on the big questions. But we know that we can also grow even more from the smaller and trickier challenges, or as KTH would call them, intractable problems. I’m excited to see how KTH students take on this one, says Lydia Boij, President of Tekniska Högskolans Studentkårer.

The prize includes 10,000 SEK and a visit to the Carlsberg Research Laboratory in Copenhagen.