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Introducing the “Champagne” Lager | Articles | Wine Enthusiast Magazine
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Issue Date: December 1, 2006
Introducing the “Champagne” Lager
By Gregg Glaser
Dubbed “The World’s First Champagne Lager,” Krait Prestige,
an 8.0% alcohol by volume beer, launched recently in the U.S. at
Ono restaurant at Hotel Gansevoort in New York City.
Krait Prestige comes from U.K. brewer Cobra Beer, founded by
Lord Karan Bilimoria, which began selling a premium lager—
simply called Cobra Beer—in the U.K. in 1989. This beer was
launched in the U.S. in 2004, but the name was changed to
"Krait" because of a trademark conflict with the word "Cobra" on
an American beer (Krait is Indian for "cobra"). In addition to Krait Beer, the brewer also sells Krait Free (0%
alcohol) and Krait Light (low calorie/low carb) in the U.S.
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Krait Prestige differs from most lagers—perhaps all lagers—in that it’s bottle-conditioned (refermented) in
Champagne bottles with cork closures and wire cages. The elegant bottle design includes gold embossing on
a black background with the brand’s signature elephants.
It’s not unusual for ales to be refermented in the bottle, but this may be a first for a lager—at least one brewed
in Belgium. Cobra Beer brews most of its beers at Poland's Browar Belgia, part of Belgium's Palm Breweries,
but Krait Prestige is brewed at Belgium’s famous Rodenbach brewery (best known for Rodenbach Grand
Cru).
Krait Prestige is gold in color; on pouring it’s slightly cloudy because of the yeast remaining in the bottle. The
aroma is sweet and light, with a trace of spicy yeast. The first sip reveals a typical sweet lager flavor, which
develops into a pleasing fruitiness. The body is full and creamy, rolling around on the tongue and finishing
with a sweet finish and a trace of dryness. Hop bitterness is low.
Krait Prestige will be sold across the country in high-end bars, clubs and gourmet markets in key cities. The
suggested retail price for a bottle will range from $12–16.
Gregg Glaser is the editor of Yankee Brew News and the news editor of All About Beer Magazine. He writes
about beer, saké, spirits, cider and mead for many other publications.
Have an opinion or question? Email us!
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Krait Prestige has been dubbed "The World's First Champagne Lager."
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http://www.winemag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publicat... 12/14/2006
November 27, 2006 edition
Cobra Beer Vies for Premium
American Lager Crown
By Christopher Faherty
Special to the Sun
November 14, 2006
Can beer — and good beer at that — be made by employing the French
Méthode Champenoise? Cobra Beer Inc. thinks so, and is embarking on an
American marketing blitz with its new brew.
The company is betting it can match its entrepreneurial success in England
with an office down the street from the New York Stock Exchange by
selling its "champagne-brewed" beer.
Hoshang Chenoy, a Briton of Indian heritage who moved into an office at 50
Broad St. shortly after September 11, 2001 ("because the price was right," he
says) is attempting to tackle the high-end booze market stateside with Krait
Prestige, a lager that is brewed in the traditional method of Champagne. But
in this case, it's beer that is fermented a second time by injecting yeast and
sugar to create carbonation.
The market share of high end brews that Mr. Chenoy hopes to conquer is
about 3% of the entire beer industry, but is experiencing double-digit
growth, the sales manager at high-end distributor Union Beer, Robert
Hodson, said.
During Mr. Chenoy's exclusive tasting at the Gansevoort Hotel in the
Meatpacking District yesterday (well, kind of exclusive; I was invited, after
all) dozens of champagne-turned-beer enthusiasts swilled the British bubbly
to rave reviews.
Mr. Chenoy has been handed the lofty responsibility of making Cobra Beer a
success in America from his mentor and cousin, Lord Karan F. Bilimoria.
Mr. Belimoria's story of ascendancy is a London version of the American
Dream. Born in India, he moved to England for his education at 19 and,
fulfilling the dream of any college student fixated with beer, started the
Cobra Beer Company in 1990 while gravely in debt. Over the last decade,
Mr. Belimoria built the business into a multicontinent conglomerate with a
current valuation of some 80 million pounds (by his estimates, of course).
"He became one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Britain during a
time, and in a place, where it was almost impossible," Mr. Chenoy said.
Over the last few years Mr. Bilimoria has racked up a slew of prestigious
awards and honors in England, including the Royal Society for the
Encouragement of the Arts' Prince Albert Medal in 2004. He also was
awarded London's entrepreneur of the year in 2003 and its businessman of
the year in 2004. But the mack-daddy of all honors in British society —
becoming an honest-to-God "lord" — came down in May of this year.
So, if Mr. Chenoy hopes to match the success of his teacher in New York
City, a town filled with more entrepreneurs than lords, he will have his
hands full. New Yorkers are a discerning bunch when it comes to premium
beers.
The champagne-style beer that is brewed and bottled at the Rodenbach
Brewery in Belgium has already made successful inroads into New York
City restaurants and clubs, and is retailing at Whole Foods and Gristedes,
Mr. Chenoy said. However, it has yet to get picked up by a major distributor
in the city.
Krait Prestige, on the other hand, is sold by the liquor giant Southern
Distributors in Las Vegas, in what Mr. Chenoy called, in an inexorably
British manner, "quite a coup."
Mr. Chenoy, who served for two years as Mr. Bilimoria's assistant, said in
an interview with the Sun yesterday that he is convinced that Krait Prestige
will become a leader in the American high-end liquor market. "We're going
to use the same formula of hard work and intelligent decision making that
worked in England," he said.
The New York Sun Newspaper: http://www.nysun.com/article/43453?page_no=1
October 2006
Beverage World:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/idealmedia/bw1006/index.php?startpage=24
Drink: Bob Townsend's Beer Pick | ajc.com
Tues, Jan. 02, 2007
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Drink: Bob Townsend's Beer Pick
By Bob Townsend
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/28/06
> Krait Prestige Champagne Lager
Palm Breweries, Steenhuffel, Belgium.
> $10.99/750-milliliter bottle at metro beverage stores.
> Profile: Marketed by Cobra Beer Co. of New York, Krait Prestige is called a "champagne lager." But that's just
the beginning of the confusions surrounding this strong (8 percent alcohol by volume), malt-liquorlike beverage.
It's brewed with a combination of malted barley, corn and rice, then bottle conditioned at the Rodenbach Brewery
in Belgium, where a dose of ale yeast is added. The result is a soft, somewhat fruity beer that should appeal to
those who usually favor wine. The cork-finished, painted bottle makes it easy to chill in a champagne bucket.
Serve in a flute or white-wine glass.
> Pair with: For New Year's Eve toasts, amiable Krait Prestige could make a quirky alternative to sparkling wine.
It would also make a decent pre-dinner drink or a simple match for a variety of light appetizers.
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The Drink
Krait Prestige Champagne Lager
The Price
$12 for a 750ml bottle
The Score
E-mail this to a friend »
The Taste
Beer has an image problem. No matter how good it tastes, it never seems as fancy as wine.
Even an oversized bottle of a great microbrew is usually less expensive than low-end grapes
from Chile. According to a recent Gallup poll, wine drinkers now outnumber beer swillers in the
United States for the first time in 60 years. What's a beer maker to do?
For the holiday season, Krait has introduced its Prestige Champagne Lager. Despite the heavyhanded marketing angle, the product has its merits. It is double-fermented in Belgium, which
means it undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle. This costly process is generally reserved
for only the better sparkling wines.
The bottle certainly looks regal. It is sleek, black and emblazoned with the company's elephant
logo in faux gold relief. The cork is smaller than those found in true champagnes. The alcohol
level is smaller, too: eight percent, as opposed to the 12 percent in Veuve Clicquot. The beer is
a cloudy pale yellow and has a toasty, bread-like aroma. It has floral notes, like a Belgian beer
and, although it may be too sweet for some drinkers, it finishes fast and dry. At $12, it's an
affordable alternative to sparkling wine. Connoisseurs of both beer and wine, though, will likely
not want to mix libations -- no matter how cool the bottle.
-- James Oliver Cury
DRINK REVIEW ARCHIVE
http://www.playboy.com/style/reviews/drinks/12-18/
12/26/2006
March 07, 2007
Champagne Wishes, Pilsner
Dreams
Say Hello to the Champagne Lager
It's the final countdown to St. Patrick's Day: T-minus
10 days.
You've never needed a special occasion to justify
drinking beer—but a special occasion does call for a
little something extra. To distinguish your St. Patty’s
night of imbibing from, say, last Tuesday, you'll want
a brew that truly stands out. Consider the Krait
Prestige Champagne Lager.
The world's first champagne beer, Krait Prestige is
essentially Stella Artois meets Veuve Clicquot.
Produced in Belgium—a country that previously
introduced the world to such peculiar ingenuity as
yeast-leavened waffles and The Smurfs—Krait
Prestige is fermented twice, including once in the
bottle, an expensive process generally reserved for
fine sparkling wines. (You know our motto: double
the fermentation, double the class.) Smooth and
subtly sweet, the beer-pagne flows easily from an
elegant black bottle and finishes dry.
And because it's part bubbly, Krait Prestige boasts an alcohol content higher
than your typical pilsner: 8 percent. The recently launched 13 oz bottle will run
you anywhere from $11-25. Once in your possession, untwist the cork, savor
the complex floral notes and take pleasure in the fact that somewhere Dom
Perignon is rolling over in his grave.
A tasty adult beverage that also pisses off the French...what took so long?
Krait Prestige Champagne Lager, available at Puck Fair, Union Square
Cafe, Against the Grain, A Voce and Gotham Bar and Grill
urbandaddy is pure editorial. you can't buy love from the daddy
© 2007. UrbanDaddy. All Rights Reserved.
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KRAIT PRESTIGE
Drink Your Heart Out This Valentine's Day with Krait Prestige
This Valentine's Day, play Cupid and allow your loved ones to fall in love with
Krait Prestige - the world's first champagne lager*. Think out of the box (of
chocolates) and don't go down the usual path (of flowers) - Krait Prestige is the
perfect Valentine's Day gift for both men and women. Also, since Valentine's Day
is all about sharing the love, Cobra Beer is encouraging lovers to try a sinfully
delicious experience - enjoy Krait Prestige with that special meal on Valentine's
Day.
Targeted to a more discerning drinker - connoisseurs of both superior brews
and fine cuisine - Krait Prestige is a grand accompaniment to any meal. And in the
days leading up to Valentine's Day, happy couples are scrambling for dinner
reservations, and the singles are dreading the day. Solution? This year, whether
dining out or having a cozy meal at home, enjoy Krait Prestige with your special
one or group of friends and make it an affair to remember.
For further information please visit www.kraitprestige.com
13/02/07
Krait Prestige Champagne Lager - Luxist
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Krait Prestige Champagne Lager
Posted Dec 10th 2006 4:07PM by Nicole Weston
Filed under: Spirits
Krait Prestige Champagne Lager is a beer
that aims to bridge the gap between those
who love beer and those who prefer wine or
champagne. It is being marketed as an
alternative to wines, sparkling wine and
champagne, with the taste of beer but the
versatility of the other drinks. The word
"champagne" is being used to describe the
process used to make the beer. Once the
proto-beer has been bottled, it is injected
with ale yeast from Belgium's Rodenbach
brewery and it is "cork conditioned" for two
weeks, which brings out an "extra smooth,
soft and fruity taste." It is packaged in
750mL bottles, like the wines and
champagnes that it competes with, and has
a retail price of about $13 per bottle,
though you can expect to pay quite a bit
more at the upscale nightclubs, wine bars and hotels that it is being marketed towards.
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12/14/2006
Krait Prestige Champagne Lager
November 17, 2006
By Steve
Now you can drink beer and champagne from the same
bottle!
New from New York-NY-based Cobra Beer Inc. is
"Prestige Champagne Lager" described as the most
innovative beer to date.
The label literature says "This holiday season have your
beer and your champagne too!"
The company says it's an 8 percent ABV, bottleconditioned champagne lager, and goes on to say that it's
double fermented in Belgium's world famous Rodenbach
brewery, bringing out all the subtleties and character of its
fine ingredients.
Add more glam to your beer and more fizz to the party
circuits this holiday season.
Available in 750ml glass bottles, with retail price between
$10.99 - $12.99.
Bottle Watch: http://www.bottlewatch.com/#_new
Cobra Beer’s ‘Prestige Champagne Lager’: Now Enjoy
Beer and Champagne from the Same Bottle
Monday Nov 20 2006, 3:43am PDT
By Nidhi
Beer and Champagne in one bottle!
Don’t be amazed now, Cobra beer, Inc. USA (New York) is
launching world’s first “Champagne Lager” this month as a
latest addition to Krait Beer Line.
It is described as the sophisticated and high quality beer.
It’s an 8% ABV beer, double fermented in Belgium’s
Rodenbach brewery.
It is considered a specialty beer which can appeal non-beer
drinkers.
You can get it for $10.99 to $12.99 in 750ml glass bottle.
On A High: http://www.onahigh.org/entry/enjoy-beer-and-champagne-fromthe-same-bottle/#_new
Stretching the Limits
Page 1 of 1
You are here: About> Food & Drink >Cocktails
Cocktails
Stretching the Limits
From Colleen Graham,
Your Guide to Cocktails.
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There are a couple of new and notable spirits that are hitting the market just in time for the holidays. Both of these new products
add the bubbles of Champagne to two unlikely beverages: lager and vodka. Krait Beer has launched a most interesting lager
called Krait Prestige (pictured). This "bottle-conditioned champagne lager" from one of the best breweries in Belgium comes in an
elegant Champagne-like bottle and adds a definitive twist to the robust lager. The other notable bubbly is O2 Vodka, the world's
first sparkling vodka. This 80-proof premium spirit from England is light and tingly and should be interesting in certain cocktails.
Even without tasting it yet, I can already see drink possibilities opening up... Sparkling Cosmo?...Bubbling Bay Breeze?...Fizzing
Kamikaze?
Photo Courtesy of: © Krait Beer
Tuesday December 19, 2006 | comments (0)
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