KENYA – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has launched new Guinness variant, Hop House 13, a premium international quality lager into the Kenyan market becoming the first African country to launch the brand.
Hop House 13 created in Dublin is a flavourful Irish lager produced by Diageo, owners of Guinness and will be locally brewed in Kenya.
It will be made with Guinness yeast and locally sourced malt and hops.
It has a sweet fruity aroma, with hints of apricot and peach and subtle malt notes breaking through. It has both depth of flavour and crisp lager refreshment making it perfect for casual social occasions.
Hop House 13 combines tradition and novelty, by balancing the care and experience 250 years of Guinness brewing provides, with a new, contemporary style of premium international quality lager.
Speaking at the launch, Kenya Breweries Limited Marketing Manager – Guinness, Ms. Nduku Wamakau said, “Hop House 13 will tap into all senses of our consumers allowing them to experience the excitement about this new lager from Guinness.’’
‘’It has been a great success across Europe where it is currently available and we are very excited to be the first African country to showcase this great premium, international quality lager to our beer drinkers.”
Currently available in Nairobi, the 4.1% ABV lager will be available for KSHS 210 per 500ml bottle, with roll out intended to continue across the country later in the year.
In bid to expand its market share, this year has seen KBL launch a couple of products which include: Tusker Premium Ale in March and Sikera its new brand of cider beer in September.
In Africa, Guinness Nigeria Plc a subsidiary of Diageo Plc launched Guinness Smooth stout, a new addition to its portfolio in September this year.
In the USA Diageo launched the ‘Guinness Over The Moon Milk Stout’ brewed from its Baltimore facility – the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Maryland last month.
The brand, which is the latest in a line of new beers launched from the brewery, has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.3%, joining the Guinness family as a full-bodied stout with a creamy mouthfeel, full of flavour with hints of roasted malt, milk chocolate and rich coffee.
