NEW BEER PURE AS A JAYBIRD
By Adnews Staff
"Truly Naked." The name says it all, Lakeport Brewing Corporation president Bill Sharpe told reporters in Toronto yesterday at the launch of his company's newest beer. The name came to him, he said, as the best way to describe the purity of the water that is used to make the new brew, designed for people who want a smooth taste with no bite or sharpness. To achieve this taste, Lakeport removes ions of sulphate, magnesium, potassium and sodium from the water, using a process imported from Sweden where it is employed in the production of foods. Lakeport, based in Hamilton, Ont., has a patent pending for the process in beer making, said Sharpe. He said Lakeport has spent more than $1.5 million in development costs. When one brewery brings in a new category such as light, dry, draft or ice, the other breweries soon jump in, he pointed out. "We want to keep it (ion-free beer) as a category for ourselves." Truly Naked, which is 5% alcohol and sold at regular price, is being launched in Ontario tomorrow with a newspaper and radio campaign in the Toronto-Hamilton corridor, created by Ranscombe & Co. of Toronto. Plans call for a later roll-out to the rest of the province. Sharpe said the radio ads for Truly Naked are also a pioneering effort in the Canadian beer industry since they are narrated by a woman; the tradition of beer advertising is to have males predominant, with females in the background if they are there at all. The announcer is Pat Musack, whose throaty voice is expected to appeal to women and men. Male voices will be used in future spots. Asked if the beer will eventually be sold outside Ontario, Sharpe replied, "We're looking at that." Lakeport also makes Dave Nicol's Personal Selection premium draft beer for Cott Corp. of Toronto, and La Norois which is sold as a private label beer in Quebec supermarkets belonging to Montreal-based Métro-Richelieu.