MONROE - A resurgent buzz word just found a home in Monroe.
Minhas Craft Brewery started manufacturing its version of a Cuban mojito, along with two other versions of malt-based alcoholic drinks, about three weeks ago.
"It's become a popular buzz word," Minhas co-owner Ravinder Minhas said of the mojito, a rum-based drink that includes tastes of mint, lime and sugar cane.
Minhas became familiar with mojitos two years ago when he was in Miami for the Super Bowl.
"At the parties, there were mojitos everywhere," Minhas said. "I started taking a liking to them, and as I traveled to Chicago and other places, I couldn't find any good mojitos."
To change that, and to turn a rum concoction into a malt drink, the brewery installed a world-class proprietary clear malt filtration system into its Monroe facility between January and mid-March 2008. The product was in development for 16 months before it was made.
"The clear malt produced from this sophisticated system is the highest quality clear malt available on the market, period," Minhas said.
In addition to the mojito-inspired drink, the Corsairs line of malt-based coolers includes Orange Squeeze, which Minhas said will remind drinkers of a kid favorite, the orange creamsicle. The drink includes a hint of vanilla.
"We've all had orange juice since we were kids," Minhas said. "It's a taste other companies haven't tapped into yet."
Ice is the third Corsairs drink, and is described as lemonade with a kick. The market already is crowded with "hard lemonade" drinks, but that didn't stop Minhas from putting his product forward.
"We can do it better because our base is so much cleaner," Minhas said. "It has a subtle taste of lemonade, and we don't have to mask it."
The drinks will sell retail for between $3.99 and $4.25 and are available now at the Beverage Mart in Monroe. The drinks may be available in other stores in the area soon and also could be offered in area bars and restaurants.
The brewery is in its third run of Corsairs drinks for shipment to Alberta.
The Corsairs drinks are the latest in a line of new products from Minhas and his sister, co-owner Manjit Minhas, since they took over the brewery.
Lazy Mutt Farmhouse Ale, the brewery's flagship beer, has been well-received, Minhas said, and sales of the brewery's iEnergy drink have started to increase.
"That's the one drink that has a lot of room for improvement," Minhas said. "It's a crowded category with some big names and it's tough to compete."
Minhas said the brewery continues to plan roll-outs well in advance, and has the market research to back up its choices of new beverages.
"I could see why people would think we're overextending, but it's our strategy not to do that," Minhas said. "Everything we do is well thought out."
Minhas Craft Brewery started manufacturing its version of a Cuban mojito, along with two other versions of malt-based alcoholic drinks, about three weeks ago.
"It's become a popular buzz word," Minhas co-owner Ravinder Minhas said of the mojito, a rum-based drink that includes tastes of mint, lime and sugar cane.
Minhas became familiar with mojitos two years ago when he was in Miami for the Super Bowl.
"At the parties, there were mojitos everywhere," Minhas said. "I started taking a liking to them, and as I traveled to Chicago and other places, I couldn't find any good mojitos."
To change that, and to turn a rum concoction into a malt drink, the brewery installed a world-class proprietary clear malt filtration system into its Monroe facility between January and mid-March 2008. The product was in development for 16 months before it was made.
"The clear malt produced from this sophisticated system is the highest quality clear malt available on the market, period," Minhas said.
In addition to the mojito-inspired drink, the Corsairs line of malt-based coolers includes Orange Squeeze, which Minhas said will remind drinkers of a kid favorite, the orange creamsicle. The drink includes a hint of vanilla.
"We've all had orange juice since we were kids," Minhas said. "It's a taste other companies haven't tapped into yet."
Ice is the third Corsairs drink, and is described as lemonade with a kick. The market already is crowded with "hard lemonade" drinks, but that didn't stop Minhas from putting his product forward.
"We can do it better because our base is so much cleaner," Minhas said. "It has a subtle taste of lemonade, and we don't have to mask it."
The drinks will sell retail for between $3.99 and $4.25 and are available now at the Beverage Mart in Monroe. The drinks may be available in other stores in the area soon and also could be offered in area bars and restaurants.
The brewery is in its third run of Corsairs drinks for shipment to Alberta.
The Corsairs drinks are the latest in a line of new products from Minhas and his sister, co-owner Manjit Minhas, since they took over the brewery.
Lazy Mutt Farmhouse Ale, the brewery's flagship beer, has been well-received, Minhas said, and sales of the brewery's iEnergy drink have started to increase.
"That's the one drink that has a lot of room for improvement," Minhas said. "It's a crowded category with some big names and it's tough to compete."
Minhas said the brewery continues to plan roll-outs well in advance, and has the market research to back up its choices of new beverages.
"I could see why people would think we're overextending, but it's our strategy not to do that," Minhas said. "Everything we do is well thought out."