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Food & Drink

18th Mar 2020

White Hag Irish Brewing Company to hold world’s first online-only beer launch

Sarah Finnan

White Hag Irish Brewing Company

Plans for the launch of the new White Hag IPA have had to change due to restrictions put in place to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Sligo’s White Hag Irish Brewing Company will become the world’s first brewing company to launch a brand new beer exclusively online.

The beer, a Hazy IPA, titled Phantom was brewed back in mid-February to launch just after the breweries’ Europe wide St Patricks Day tour. However the tour of over 80 bars was cancelled, and with no bars left open to host the beer launch, organisers have had to think on their feet – choosing to launch the beer online instead.

Determined not to let months of work go to waste, pre-sales, orders, delivery and even a guided tasting by the master brewer will all be delivered online.

The beer was carbonated earlier today and will be canned live on camera on Thursday 19th. Cans will be filmed being filled, packed into boxes and shipped to waiting customers.

And for the best part – the brewery will live stream an online tasting for customers to partake in once they’ve received their orders (by Monday 23rd/Tuesday 24th). Hosted by master brewer Joe Kearns, it aims to give customers the same experience as an in-person tasting.

Speaking of the initiative, Commercial Director Bob Coggins said:

“These are extraordinary times and we have to adapt and change how we do business to ensure we keep our business and brand alive. We believe this to be the first time any brewery has had to resort to these measures to launch a beer.

We are lucky to have a loyal and supportive fanbase, who also support the independent retailers who stock our beer online and around the country.

Our sales online are necessary to serve the customers who we otherwise cannot reach with our limited traditional retail reach.

This type of innovation will hopefully save jobs and ultimately our business, and we need to act quickly to influence our customers’ buying behaviour.”

Based in Ballymote in Co. Sligo, the White Hag is an Irish Craft brewery that distributes in over eight different international markets.

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