By James Atkinson
Coopers Brewery will expand its Thomas Cooper's Selection label to include seasonal beers, chairman Glenn Cooper (pictured) has revealed.
Cooper told TheShout that Thomas Cooper's Selection is set to become a permanent fixture as the brewer's "craft beer division", following the launch of the Celebration Ale earlier this year.
"It's that division that we can bring in some special beers, like a winter warmer, and they would be under the Thomas Cooper's Selection banner," Cooper said.
"If I was a betting man, I think you'll find the second product released under Thomas Cooper's Selection not before summer, but soon after."
Cooper said the new label will enable Coopers to experiment with craft beers without running the risk of confusing people by messing with its mainstay range of Pale Ale, Sparkling Ale and Stout.
"People say to me now, 'Cooper's is not craft anymore, because you're too big'," he said.
"That's why this range of Thomas Cooper's has come along. It gives us a chance to differentiate between the real Coopers big sellers and a craft department."
"It's totally different in design and presentation to our normal beers, so it's easily distinguishable as the craft division of Coopers," he said.
Cooper said early indications are that the Celebration Ale may be a permanent fixture in the range, which will otherwise consist of beers that are "more relevant to a season".
"I would like to really support the on-premise, so we may test some new products in the on-premise first," he said.