SweetWater Brewing buys Green Flash and Alpine Beer

SweetWater Brewing Co. is expanding its budding empire by acquiring Green Flash and Alpine Beer this week. Partnering up with the two iconic West Coast craft beer brands means new markets and a portfolio expansion for the Atlanta beer and cannabis brand. Remember that global cannabis company Aphria Inc., bought SweetWater Brewing Co. for $300 million last year (hence my bad pun in the first sentence).

“We’re excited to join forces with two phenomenal brands and brews in Alpine and Green Flash,” said Freddy Bensch, co-founder and CEO of SweetWater. “We have a lot of respect for both brands, which along with SweetWater have a passion for tasty brews and a great time. The West Coast lifestyle that is part of these brewery’s DNA perfectly aligns with our 420 lifestyle and SweetWater’s brand. We’re looking forward to keeping the legacy of these great brands intact, and bringing them back to prominence, furthering their potential, and bringing them to craft beer fans across the U.S.”

Green Flash has been crafting award-winning beers for nearly 20 years. The brand ran into financial difficulties when it caught the nationwide expansion bug that was going through the industry about five years ago, but its “West Coast IPA” is still a staple. And Alpine, known as the “Home of Pure Hoppiness” with Nelson and Duet IPA, has been brewing world-class ales since ’99.

“As SweetWater continues to expand, alongside our new partners we’re looking forward to growing these iconic brands and strengthening operations to deliver some of the best tasting and highest-quality brews to all of our fans across the U.S. and around the world,” continued Bensch. “As we actively seek to acquire brands that embody the energy, brewing style, and lifestyle of SweetWater Brewery, we saw a partnership with Green Flash and Alpine Beer as a perfect fit. We are beyond stoked to welcome them to the SweetWater Family.”

As SweetWater continues its westward expansion, the brewery plans to immediately add twelve new positions along with a $2 million investment in its western markets, inclusive of the new Green Flash and Alpine addition to the business.

The deal marks a year of major expansions and partnerships, including the acquisition and opening of SweetWater’s Western US brewery, further westward expansion, the first extension of its iconic 420 flagship brew with SweetWater 420 Imperial IPA and becoming a full-service beverage alcohol supplier, introducing Oasis Lemonade, Golden Isles Hard Tea and SweetWater RIFF, the brewery’s first spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails. Along with RIFF, SweetWater also collaborated with Broken Coast, two brands joined together under Sweetwater’s parent company Tilray, the world’s largest provider of cannabis, who acquired the brewery in November of 2020.

The Alpine and Green Flash brands and core brews will stay intact, along with plans to bring new and exciting future innovations to the highly-respected portfolio from each brand, whose cultures are a natural fit with SweetWater’s lifestyle and brewing credentials.

“Green Flash and Alpine are fantastic OG craft brands, backed up by incredibly-rated beers which is something SweetWater is both proud and eager to expand upon and broaden their reach across the US” states Brian Miesieski, Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re excited to link up and head out on an exciting new journey with our new brothers-in-beery-arms.”

This addition introduces the brewery to its furthest western market to date, following the opening of SweetWater’s second brewery location in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is now officially open to the public and set to begin production for distribution in early 2022.