Tea-boosted beer; Concentrated maple flavor; Veggie-rich waffles

Tea-boosted beer
Inspired by the popularity of lower-alcohol “session” beers, Owl’s Brew, maker of tea-infused cocktail mixers, recently launched a line of Owl’s Brew Radlers, a fruity “double-brewed” beverage that combines 60% beer and 40% tea. At no more than 180 calories per serving, the beers are lower in calories than regular beer. Each can in the line features an owl atop a bicycle, which pays homage to the fact that the radler beer style was invented in Germany in the 1920s as a lower-alcohol beer intended for cyclists.

“[We] kept getting frustrated there was nothing on the market that tasted like our ‘beer cocktails.’ We finally had an ‘aha!’ moment, where we realized that we were creators, and that if it didn’t exist, we should make it,” says cofounder Jennie Ripps. “We spent about a year working with a brewmaster to develop our own beer to pair with Owl’s Brew, in order to introduce Owl’s Brew Radler, the first blend of beer mixed with tea.”

Varieties include The Blondie, wheat beer blended with English breakfast tea and lemon peel; That’s My Jam, amber ale blended with Darjeeling tea, hibiscus flowers, and strawberry; and Short and Stout, chocolate stout blended with masala chai, pineapple, and coconut water. The radlers are available for $11.99 per six-pack in nearly 15 states, with distribution expected to increase in the next few months.

Concentrated maple flavor
The Maple Guild, which owns 25,000 acres of Vermont maple trees, recently introduced its Maple Cream. This butter-like product is made by slow-churning the company’s steam-distilled maple syrup, which converts sap into syrup at lower temperatures, resulting in a smooth, golden-colored product.

“For a long time, maple cream has been a treat exclusively favored by New Englanders. It is very hard to produce, utilizes a large amount of syrup, and thus, people have only ever made it in small batches,” says John Campbell, head of sales and marketing. “At The Maple Guild, we wanted to perfect the process and bring this Vermont delicacy to consumers on a national scale.”

The organic spreadable sweetener can be used in a variety of ways, such as atop yogurt or toast or as a frosting or glaze on cakes and cookies. It will soon be found on Amazon for a suggested retail price of $16.99 for a 16-ounce jar.

Veggie-rich waffles
Garden Lites debuted a line of frozen waffles that contain 23% vegetables—the first of its kind, according to the company. Available in Homestyle and Blueberry, the waffles’ primary ingredients are butternut squash and carrots.

“Consumers demand better choices in their foods for themselves and their families,” says Andy Reichgut, executive vice-president. “Garden Lites continues to fulfill consumers’ needs by creating delicious and convenient products that offer the health benefits of vegetables, fiber, and nutrients.”

The waffles, which are free from gluten, dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts, contain about 200 calories and 18 grams of whole grains per two-waffle serving. They can be found nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.49.