Beer is a perfect start for a cocktail. At Stadshaven Brouwerij the world’s first beer cocktail tap is now in use. The idea came from Andrea Possa, a shareholder of the brewery and former world champion in cocktail shaking. This experienced bartender – with more than 10 years of brewery experience – wanted to build a bridge between the cocktail and beer worlds.
Andrea Possa is proud of this world-first: “After almost a year of development, we finally have the first beer cocktail tap in the world in use. For our guests, it’s an enormous asset. Beer cocktails are immensely popular. Thanks to the development of the beer cocktail tap we can serve everyone a qualitative and tasteful beer cocktail at any time. An enormous enrichment for the beer- and cocktail industry.”
The tap consists of two tap columns, the tap machine mixes beer with three different cocktail options. The tap combines the drinks in measured proportions, which are adjusted by electronically controlling the flow rate. This way six different cocktails can be served. Andrea developed the tap in collaboration with Van Duijnen Horeca Service.
“The idea originated when I was standing in a busy bar and wanted to order a beer cocktail. However, the barman had to refuse with regret; the beer cocktails were very laborious and it took him too much time to make one for me. With all these technological developments in the catering industry, there had to be a solution, I thought. But without losing the human touch. And that is exactly what we have realized with our beer cocktail tap. A barman can tap the beer cocktail up to 80% and then add a personal touch for the remaining 20%. Fast, efficient, and qualitative,” explains Andrea Possa.
History of the beer cocktail
Beer cocktails are not a new trend: in 1861 the first beer cocktail was mixed by a creative bartender, who added a dash of champagne to a stout. Thanks to the beer cocktail tap the trend is lifted to a new level. Stadshaven Brouwerij serves a freshly tapped Florist for example. A fresh and flowery cocktail, made of the home-brewed Great White (white beer with orange and grapefruit), KETEL 1 Vodka, Italicus bergamot liqueur and elderflower liqueur. The Fruit de Merwe is a sweet and fruity cocktail made with Stadshaven American Amber Ale, Tanqueray Black Currant gin, Maraschino liqueur and pineapple juice.
The beers of the brewery lend themselves perfectly to a beer cocktail, thanks to their surprising fruity tones. These fruit tones play a significant role in the profile of the beers. The house-brewed beers are in fact inspired by the location of the brewery. A 100-year-old (fully restored) fruit shed in the former Rotterdam Fruit Port.
