A collaboration between a Swedish creative agency, Snask, and a brewery, PangPang, the “Shower Beer” has been specifically designed for bathroom enjoyment. It’s only six ounces, but packs a punch at 10% abv. (Though you would think it would come in a can rather than bottle.) The founder of PangPang brewery, Fredrik Tunedal, tells Munchies, “Looking through the hashtag #showerbeer it’s easy to see that people all over the world love that feeling of a hot shower and an ice cold beer. I just wanted to try to optimize the experience by trying to customize a brew for this glorious occasion.”
Not to be outdone by beer, meet the Shower Sommelier.
What KitKat, Pocky and Ben & Jerry’s have in common
Forsaking all healthy resolutions for the new year and waiting out the winter hunkered on the couch? Producers of candy and ice cream have you covered with booze-inspired flavors. Supercall notes Nestlé Japan is currently selling sake-soaked Kit Kat bars to American audiences (Amazon), made with real sake and coming in at .8% abv. Elsewhere in Japan, the iconic sweet snack Pocky has debuted a Champagne variety for 2017, though limited to Japanese consumers for the time being.
Looking to keep it closer to home? Ben & Jerry’s has filed a trademark for an upcoming Urban Bourbon flavor. No news on a release date, but concept art has been leaked to Instagram. And if you can’t get enough candy infused with beer, wine, and spirits, check out our guide:
A wine that takes years off?
Superdrug has debuted a wrinkle cream, “Optimum PhytoFreeze Ice Wine Face and Neck.” One of the active ingredients, Vin-upLift, is derived via frozen grapes that are used to make ice wine from Switzerland. There is no report whether drinking Swiss ice wine while applying this cream has any additional youth-giving properties. More detail on The Drinks Business.
Behold the $500 million “Fort Knox of Wine”
Causing worldwide wine cellar envy, Emirates Airlines has spent over $500 million on their wine list. Where do they store all those bottles? In a modern facility in Burgundy holding 3.75 million bottles of wine. Senior Vice President Joost Heymeijer tells Bloomberg, “If you have a vision of limestone cellars with cobwebs, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Ours is more of a Fort Knox-style facility.”
Pucker up with wine lipstick
Allure has the word on Labiotte Chateau Wine Lipstick comes in four varieties: Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Shiraz and (strangely) “Malbec Burgundy.” It contains “actual wine extract” and in a nice packaging touch, the lipstick is wine-bottle shaped.
In The Trade
Acquisitions and Sales
Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of Screaming Eagle, can now add Burgundy to his wine portfolio. Decanter reports that Kroenke has purchased the majority of shares of Domaine Bonneau du Martray. The winery had been in the family for 200 years, and produces Corton and Corton-Charlemagne.
ViniSud Exhibition in Montpellier
ViniSud, an international Mediterranean wine and spirits exhibition, is coming to Montpellier, France, January 29th-31. In its 13th year, 20,000 attendees, 6,000 visiting from outside France, are expected. A Master Class on Southwest French wines will be led by Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor Roger Voss and additional seminars focus on everything everything from Prosecco and rosé to wine tourism. Find out more about the event and tickets on at ViniSud.
Out and About
Spirits Editor Kara Newman practicing her ABCs: Always Be Cocktailing.
Not at all conspicuous #boozewriterlife pic.twitter.com/e90iGQVC3Z
— Kara Newman (@karanewman) January 5, 2017
No surprise Managing Editor Joe Czerwinski drank well New Year’s Eve.
Speaking of the new year…
Last Updated: May 4, 2023
