Garage Beer has taken a different approach to craft beer success: Concentrate on brewing and distributing one simple, refreshing, light beer in the Midwest. And it has worked. This month alone, Garage Beer has doubled its state distribution and widened its retailers by opening up in Chicago, Philadelphia and Nashville.
Garage Beer touts itself has being “one of America’s only independent light beers,” at 4% ABV, 95 calories and 4g carbohydrate beer served in two simple varieties: regular or lime. Garage Beer is available in cornfed flyover states such as OH, IN, KY expanding its distribution with latest launches in IL, PA, and TN.
Garage Beer hit our radar back in February, when Braxton Brewing Co. announced its new partnership with Andrew Sauer, Brand Investment Marketer, to form Garage Beer Co. The partnership’s focus is solely on growing distribution, sales and notoriety of the Covington, Ky.-based craft beer brand. In the new entity, Braxton Brewing will continue to brew the Garage Beer brand, while Garage Beer Co., overall, focused on fueling stronger, more strategic growth.
To that last point, Garage Beer has had a few viral beer moments, including the inaugural of Puttapalooza in Chicago’s Coyote Run Municipal Golf Course with the winner receiving a whopping 52 cases of Garage Beer.
Whatever the case, it has worked. Garage has has grown +252% in a year and become the No. 1 selling craft light beer in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana where it’s currently in distribution according to data from retail analytics firm IRI. In the last four weeks, Garage has joined the Top 250 Brands.
Garage Beer has undoubtedly brought up feelings of nostalgia like the feeling of buying your first beer case with your dad.
“Garages have long served as gathering spaces for me and my buddies to share a drink and swap stories,” said Sauer. “Garage Beer is aiming to give Dads across America more hangs and less hangovers, by offering an independent light beer that cares about what goes in the can. It’s not too complicated, it’s beer the way beer used to be.”
Iron Hill and University of Delaware students debut Blue Hen Haze
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant partnered with the University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Animal and Food Sciences offering “Craft Brewing Practicum,” a seminar for undergraduate students. Blue Hen Haze, a New England-style hazy, juicy IPA, is the culmination of the students’ formulation and brewing efforts.
Named after the University of Delaware’s mascot and athletic teams, Blue Hen Haze is a New England-style hazy and juicy IPA. Brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops and dry-hopped with El Dorado and Galaxy hops, produced zesty notes of citrus and tropical fruits in Blue Hen Haze.
“Over the years, Iron Hill has collaborated with the University of Delaware through several events. However, sharing our expertise and highlighting the deep bench of brewing talent with undergraduate students was truly special. The students gained valuable practical experience in addition to theoretical, and the delicious result of their efforts will be sold on tap in Newark and Wilmington locations,” explains Mark Edelson, Founder and VP of Beer.
The three-hour course met weekly at the Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant on Main Street in Newark, DE, and was taught by Seth Mathlery, Sales Manager for Iron Hill Brewery. The fall curriculum and topics included History of Fermentation, The Sciences of Brewing Beer, The Politics of Beer – History of Beer in America, The Business of Beer, Beer Sensory Class, and Lab – Brewing Beer at Iron Hill Brewery. Fifteen students participated in the one-credit-hour seminar.
Karl Strauss diverges from the norm with Golden Stout
Karl Strauss, San Diego’s longest continuously operating post-Prohibition brewing company, released its award-winning seasonal Golden Stout this week. Originally brewed for its collaboration series, Golden Stout has officially become a seasonal staple, with this release marking its second year available on draft, and in four packs of 16-oz cans cans across California, Arizona, and now Nevada.
Diverging from the norms of conventional imperial stouts and their use of roasted barley, Golden Stout is involves locally sourced Bird Rock coffee, vanilla beans, and Ghanaian cocoa nibs, to achieve a similar profile. This presents an intriguing dichotomy: a light-colored liquid, with the depth, complexity, and richness of its inspired namesake. Released just in time for Southern California’s “winter,” Golden Stout punches in at 7.5% ABV, providing just enough kick to be your new favorite winter warmer.
This beer has won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
“We often find that people tend to drink with their eyes,” said Brewmaster Paul Segura. “Some people can be shy about drinking dark-colored beers, so we thought it would be fun to experiment with a style that captures the aesthetic of a lightly colored beer, while infusing the rich complexity of a robust stout. The result is something all should have the pleasure of experiencing. Golden Stout has turned out to not only be a fan-favorite, but a highly anticipated beer around the brewery as well. We just can’t get enough of it.”
Schlafly Beer’s Winter Warm Up variety pack is here
St. Louis-based Schlafly Beer released its Winter Warm-Up variety 12-pack this week, with three exclusive stouts: the returning Mexican Chocolate Stout and Raspberry Coffee Stout, and Irish Cream Stout.
“Each year, people look forward to seeing what stout flavors will make our winter release,” says Schlafly CEO, Fran Caradonna. “We listen to consumer requests, and our popular Stout & Oyster Festival in March is a fun way to test out new stouts from our creative brewing team. Festival attendees get to be a part of the process to help us curate what stouts are considered for a winter pack, and this year, we opted for three approachable but toasty stouts for the winter months. Now we can enjoy them again for the winter.”
The “winning” selections featured in the Winter Warm Up sampler are determined by the crowd favorites at Schlafly’s annual Stout & Oyster Festival. Schlafly brews ten specialty stouts for the annual March festival, which are served as “tasting tacos” for guests. The Irish Cream Stout and Raspberry Coffee Stout were this year’s standouts.
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