Managing director Brian Blake said that the focus of the business will continue to be beer but that "we want to actively compete for a share in alcoholic beverage occasions".

The drink, called Barrel 51, is a 5.3 per cent alcohol by volume bourbon and dry cola mix.

Further new products are expected to reach the market this year, said the company, based on new beer styles and packaging systems.

DB Breweries, owned by Singapore group Asia-Pacific Breweries, has a 38 per cent of the beer market in New Zealand with Lion Nathan holding 51 per cent.

But discounting by the leading firms has eroded margins in the last year, Blake told the New Zealand Herald earlier this month.

Furthermore beer consumption in New Zealand is falling while wine and RTD alcoholic beverages are rising strongly. Beer consumption was down by 10.8 per cent in the past decade to 313.2 million litres last year, according to the country's Beer, Wine and Spirits Council. But consumption of RTD drinks has nearly doubled over the last five years to 10.51 million litres last year.