Strongbow in Ireland = Bulmers?

Saruman

Did bulmers (magners) start producing cider called Strongbow as a retaliation of HP Bulmer introducing Bulmers Original in the UK?

I have been buying cans of Strongbow for the last few months (different logo, yellow can) and i noticed its manufactured by Bulmers It tastes just like Bulmers but is much much cheaper.

Its not as cheap as Druids but it tastes better.

oblivious

they produce a lot of the branded ciders and perry such a ritz, Linden Village & Strongbow in Ireland anyway

which i believe is produced from their initial apple pressing, but is blend differently. Which in the case of bulmers blending usually means watering down and back sweeting

BeerNut

Saruman wrote: »

Did bulmers (magners) start producing cider called Strongbow as a retaliation of HP Bulmer introducing Bulmers Original in the UK?

I have been buying cans of Strongbow for the last few months (different logo, yellow can) and i noticed its manufactured by Bulmers It tastes just like Bulmers but is much much cheaper.

Retaliation? HP Bulmer were making and selling their cider in the UK nearly fifty years before William Magner set up operations in Clonmel.

The licence to make Strongbow in Ireland is owned by Beamish & Crawford, so C&C wouldn't be allowed make a retaliatory product unless, as Oblivious suggests, they're contract brewing it for B&C. But then they're not likely to have the name "Bulmers" on the can.

Could the cans be UK imports and the "Bulmers" referred to is HP Bulmer rather than C&C?

Saruman

BeerNut wrote: »

Retaliation? HP Bulmer were making and selling their cider in the UK nearly fifty years before William Magner set up operations in Clonmel.

Fully aware of that beernut. Did the fact i knew enough to mention it was HP bulmer not hint at that?

By retaliation i mean, as i said that HP bulmer introduced Bulmers Original in the last few years. One could say to tap into the Irish bulmers drinking market. There are plenty of Irish people who go abroad and they might see Bulmers Original and assume its the same as back home.

mikemac

I don't know why Magners in Clonmel don't just rebrand Bulmers to Magners for the Irish market.

Instantly you have one brand for all your target countries and maybe that'd help advertising wise and other benefits too

RDM_83

I've been wondering about this cos there seems to be cans of Strongbow that are 6% (which I think are English, not sure what strength it is draught but fairly sure the big bottles I get when back in the North are 6%) and the "new" ones which are 4% not sure about this (could just be my Druids addled memory playing up)

grenache

BeerNut wrote: »

Could the cans be UK imports and the "Bulmers" referred to is HP Bulmer rather than C&C?

The Strongbow sold in the offy i work in is referred to as the 'irish strongbow', the one manufactured by Showerings in Clonmel. Its definitely not the British 6% can - is a totally different can. Perhaps its Bulmers (Showerings) have the licence to manufacture it in Ireland? I'm not sure really.

oblivious

grenache wrote: »

The Strongbow sold in the offy i work in is referred to as the 'irish strongbow', the one manufactured by Showerings in Clonmel. Its definitely not the British 6% can - is a totally different can. Perhaps its Bulmers (Showerings) have the licence to manufacture it in Ireland? I'm not sure really.

Could be alright

BeerNut

grenache wrote: »

Perhaps its Bulmers (Showerings) have the licence to manufacture it in Ireland? I'm not sure really.

Me neither. Beamish & Crawford definitely have it listed on the product portfolio on their site, but it doesn't look like that's been updated since 2004, so perhaps the licence transferred to Bulmers-Showerings-C&C in the meantime.

Blisterman

Saruman wrote: »

Fully aware of that beernut. Did the fact i knew enough to mention it was HP bulmer not hint at that?

By retaliation i mean, as i said that HP bulmer introduced Bulmers Original in the last few years. One could say to tap into the Irish bulmers drinking market. There are plenty of Irish people who go abroad and they might see Bulmers Original and assume its the same as back home.

Yes, the bottle, taste and advertising is extremely similar. It's definatly ripping off Irish Bulmers.