Canada's biggest brewers join the caffeine crowd

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Molson will debut its new Kick brand March 21 in central and western Canada. Labatt will introduce its new brand entry Ð Shok Ð beginning in early April.

Both beers get their caffeine boost from guarana, a South American berry plant that both companies describe as being "a natural source of caffeine."

Anheuser-Busch uses guarana, among other ingredients, in the recently introduced B-to-the-E. BE is be packaged in a 10-ounce, slim-line can, similar to the non-alcoholic, caffeine-laden energy drink Red Bull, which has grown in popularity at bars.

Molson describes its Kick product as a premium lager. It will market it in clubs and bars in a "sleek, fast-chilling aluminum bottle." It will feature five per cent alcohol by volume, similar to most of its standard brands.

Labatt's offering, on the other hand, is being touted as a strong beer with 6.9 per cent alcohol. Shok will be sold in a smaller 250 ml can which will contain the same amount of alcohol as one regular bottle of beer. Shok also contains other "berry aromas," Labatt said.

Molson also announced a new marketing campaign to "revitalize and re-energize" its Canadian brand. The new slogan Ð "It Starts Here."

Gone is Joe, the flannel-clad Everyman known for the the "I Am Canadian" rant. In his place is a varied assortment of fraternity pals and beautiful women, each one speaking directly to the camera to conjure up for the prospective beer buyer a first-person collection of surprise let's-party possibilities: the spur-of-the-moment road trip, the buddy with an extra front-row seat, the chance encounter with a love-hungry bombshell.

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