On-premise
- Q1 2027Pilot in approved accounts: chalice pour vs standard bottle serve
- Q2 2027Trained-account draft and bottle service with chalice
- Q3 2027Add accounts only where pilot evidence supports it
Proposed launch plan · 1947–2027
Carib Cold Pour ritual: define, pilot, earn the rollout
Carib owns the cold pour: no garnish, just a perfect chalice pour. Carib is the masterbrand; the Cold Pour is a proposed service ritual, not a product line or new formulation. It is served only with the Carib Heritage line (including 80th Anniversary editions) and the Caribbean Gold line, carrying the supplied Calypso gold medallion.
Timeline
01 · Q4 2026
Define & clear
Agree chalice specification, chilling equipment, training and pilot scope for the Heritage and Caribbean Gold lines.
02 · Q1 2027
Pilot & learn
Bounded adult-guest trial in approved accounts: ice-cold chalice pour against a standard bottle serve. Check service time, hygiene, breakage, preference and repeat intent.
03 · Q2 2027
Launch selectively
Only after Carib approval: trained-account draught and bottle service for both lines. Proposed Miami / Southeast starting point; accounts and budget to confirm.
04 · Q3 2027
Earn expansion
Use account-level performance and reorders to decide broader rollout and adult-audience Caribbean Week activity.
05 · Q4 2027 → 2028
Keep what works
Carry the ritual beyond the anniversary as the continuing serve for Heritage and Caribbean Gold if evidence supports it.
Budget
Illustrative planning ranges for discussion only — not approved budgets or quotes. Excludes the CapEx gates.
| Phase | Main uses | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2026 · Define & clear | Chalice specification, chilling equipment, training design, quotations | $150K | $250K |
| Q1 2027 · Pilot & learn | Approved-account trial, chalices and neck labels, bartender training, glass chillers, pilot measurement | $200K | $350K |
| Q2 2027 · Launch selectively | Heritage and Caribbean Gold tap handles, chalices and POS, Miami / Southeast trade and retail support, launch media | $600K | $1,000K |
| Q3 2027 · Earn expansion | Reorder-led distribution support, Caribbean Week adult-audience activity | $400K | $800K |
| Q4 2027 → 2028 · Keep what works | Anniversary review, post-80th Caribbean Gold artwork transition | $100K | $200K |
| Total planning envelope | $1,450K | $2,600K | |
Go-to-market roadmap
Retail
- Q4 2026Ritual story on Heritage and Caribbean Gold packs
- Q2 2027Chalice gift-pack test
- Q3 2027Broaden distribution on reorder evidence; hold other formats
Distributors & trade
- Q4 2026Sell-in story and account selection with partners
- Q1 2027Bartender training and service standards
- Q3 2027Account-level performance reviews
Brand & media
- Q2 2027Carib 80 launch moment, 21+ audiences only
- Q3 2027Caribbean Week activity
- Q4 2027"Here's to the Next 80"; retire 80-year seal after 2027
Assumptions & sources
Public benchmarks for a small import-tier brewer, checked 28 Oct 2026. Taxes per six-pack: federal $0.06 + Florida $0.36; per ½ bbl keg: $9.19. "Unverified" items are industry ranges awaiting a primary source.
Federal beer excise, domestic brewer <2M bbl/yr (first 60,000 bbl)
verified$3.50 per barrel; $16 to 6M bbl; $18 above · source
Florida malt beverage excise
verified$0.06 per 12oz container; $0.48 per gallon in kegs · source
Imported share of US beer consumption
verified≈18% of volume · source
US beer market size and trend
verified$113B retail; production + imports −5.7% in 2025 · source
Import volume softness
verifiedImport volume −14.9% YoY (Apr 2025) · source
Three-tier margins
unverifiedDistributor ≈25–30% of wholesale; retailer ≈25–30% of shelf · source
Co-packer canning cost
unverified≈$6–10 per 24-can case plus printed-can MOQs (often 100K+ cans) · source
Trade spend for challenger imports
unverified≈15–25% of net sales in launch markets · source
Launch spend benchmark: brand extension by a large US craft brewer
verifiedNew Belgium invested ≈$1M behind Juice Force launch (2022) · source
Launch spend benchmark: national import launch by a global brewer
verifiedBrahma US launch budget ≈$40M (InBev) · source
Release only after approval
Carib approval required before launch: glassware and equipment feasibility, hygiene review, training and agreed economics. Dates are planning windows, not commitments; no budgets, account counts or performance targets are approved.
No fruit, wheel, twist or garnish of any kind, and no change to the lager recipe. Chill the chalice and the lager; serve in a standard glass or bottle if a chilled chalice is unavailable. Validate service time, hygiene, glassware handling, breakage and cost before rollout.