STRATFORD, USA – Over the past eight years Two Roads Brewing Company has grown to be a top 50 craft beer producer in the United States.
The Company has announced its next phase of craft innovation, this time in the beyond-beer space, with the release of Daybreaker Vodka Cocktails, a new line of 7 percent ABV Ready-to-Drink alcoholic beverages. These groundbreaking products combine vodka, sparkling water and 100 percentreal fruit juice to create an authentic, refreshing and bold cocktail in the convenience of a 12oz can.
The Innovation Team at Two Roads was dedicated to creating a beverage for consumers that didn’t just mimic a cocktail through the use of artificial flavorings and sweeteners, but rather was an exact replica of a bar-made cocktail in its own right. That meant utilizing real fruit juices.
Master Brewer and co-founder, Phil Markowski noted: “When we set out to develop the Daybreaker line of Vodka Cocktails we had the ambitious goal of replicating the character of a freshly mixed cocktail, in a can. We wanted our products to taste like they were just handed to you by a professional bartender. By sourcing the very best juices and utilizing our proprietary production methods we have absolutely achieved that goal – a freshly made cocktail taste in a convenient, go-anywhere, 12oz can.”
Two Roads looked to industry and consumer trends for flavor inspiration. Markowski went on to say: “When deciding on what initial flavors to focus on we targeted a modern spin on some classic cocktails. By choosing Blood Orange we strove to elevate the traditional Screwdriver. Our Meyer Lemonade has a more refined, less intensely sour character compared to a hard lemonade. With Cranberry-Lime, inspired by the popular Cape Codder, we opted to use a blend of the Howe and the Early Black varieties of cranberries coupled with the relative subtlety of the Key Lime.”
Innovation has been an important area of focus for the Company over the past couple years. It is 2019 opening of the Area Two Experimental Brewing Innovation Hub has enabled them to craft everything from wild sour beers, pastry-inspired stouts, barrel-aged hard seltzers and more. The epitome of this innovation is realized in the Daybreaker Vodka Cocktail line.
Chief executive officer, Brad Hittle, remarked: “Today’s craft beverage consumer demands not only excellent, high-quality liquids but also innovation and authenticity. By veering away from the commonly used so-called ‘natural flavourings’, our breakthrough recipes on Daybreaker use real fruit juice and deliver an exceptional cocktail experience.”
According to director of marketing, Collin Kennedy, it was the RTD factor that helped inspire the brand. “The Daybreaker name was born out of the desire to help consumers break from the mundane and ordinary. We want to empower consumers to get out there and Seize the Day, whether that means a beach outing with friends, hitting the golf course, or something as simple as a spontaneous happy hour, Daybreaker is the perfect option.”
Daybreaker Vodka Cocktails are shipping from Two Roads in mid-March. The brand comes in three distinct flavors: Meyer Lemonade & Vodka, Blood Orange & Vodka and Cran-Lime & Vodka. The 7 percent ABV products are available in 12oz 4-pack and will be made available anywhere Two Roads Brewing Company products are sold.
