One Box; Two West Coast Breweries

If you grew up watching cartoons in the late 1980s, you might remember the moment when The Jetsons met The Flintstones—a mind-bending mashup that brought together a futuristic family from Orbit City and a prehistoric clan from Bedrock. For my five-year-old self, it was a wild collision of timelines, technology, and tone that I never thought possible.

In the world of craft beer, collaborations between breweries have often felt like the closest real-world equivalent to that kind of crossover. Two creative forces teaming up for a single, limited-edition release—bringing together brewing styles, fan bases, and brand personalities.

But today, the nature of collaboration is evolving. Mergers and acquisitions—once viewed as the end of an independent brand’s identity—are increasingly being used as platforms for innovation. Instead of just combining operations, these deals are creating new opportunities to blend identities, reach new audiences, and extend brand loyalty in unexpected ways.

It’s been over two years since Drake’s Brewing Co. took on stewardship of Bear Republic, one of Northern California’s most iconic craft breweries. While business motivations like scale and distribution still drive these decisions, a recent crossover variety pack from the two brands points to another benefit that’s often overlooked: trial.

A multi-brand variety pack isn’t a brand-new concept—Canarchy (now Monster Brewing) has done similar mixes with Oskar Blues, Cigar City, Deep Ellum, and others. But Drake’s and Bear Republic, both deeply rooted in Northern California and known for their distinctive brewing cultures, offer something uniquely regional and resonant. It’s a collaboration that goes deeper than co-packaging; it speaks to shared ownership, mutual respect the drove the acquisition, and a new approach to growth.

I connected with the team at Drake’s for a Q&A to learn more about how the acquisition has unfolded, what it’s been like integrating an iconic beer like Racer 5, and the thinking behind this new kind of crossover. Responses are from Retail & Marketing Manager Jordan

It’s hard to believe it’s already been over 2 years since Drakes became stewards of Bear Republic’s beer and brand. How would you describe how the transition has gone thus far?

Like any major change, it took some time to find our rhythm and integrate our operations between the two breweries, but we are proud of how far we’ve come. Bear Republic is a beloved brand with a strong legacy, and we are honored to have it as part of the Drake’s Brewing family. Over the past two years, we’ve worked hard to ensure a smooth transition while staying true to what made Bear Republic special.

Now that you’re engaging with fans of both brands, how would you compare and contrast a Drakes fan versus a Bear Republic fan? Where does the Venn Diagram overlap and where is it different?

Both the Bear Republic and Drake’s fans are passionate, loyal, and deeply connected to the craft beer culture of Northern California. It’s been exciting to watch the worlds collide. Bear Republic fans have a strong attachment to the legacy Racer 5 has brought to the beer scene and Drake’s fans love our variety, innovation, and experimental brews. It’s exciting to see someone at one of our three retail locations (Drake’s Barrel House, Drake’s Dealership, or Drake’s: The Barn) order a cold Racer 5 and learn about how we now make all the Bear Republic beer right here in San Leandro, CA.

When craft breweries sold ten years ago, it’s became a running joke that “nothing will change”, but the public has become more accepting that things in fact always need to change, at least in some areas. What do you consider to be some of the most important characteristics of Bear Republic that you are focused on making sure truly never change? What is an example of something that does need to change in order for a brand with a legacy like Racer 5 to keep up with so much competition.

Yes, that’s true. If you aren’t evolving somewhere, you’re getting left behind. That said, there are core things about Bear Republic that will never change: our commitment to high-quality, balanced beers that stay true to that classic West Coast style that put Racer 5 on the map. There’s a reason it’s a legend, and we’re not about to mess with that recipe. Where we do have to change is how we bring that story to new drinkers. Just having a great beer isn’t enough, so we’re looking at fresh ways to market while making sure Racer still feels like the beer you can count on when everything else feels like a trend. You may also have noticed that the Racer 5 can and package design got a little bit of an update since the merger. Making a bolder impression on customers.

To what extent would you say that consumers of either brand are aware of the shared ownership? And to what extent do they care?

Awareness really varies. Long time fans of either brand immediately recognized the merger and are excited for what is to come. Others see us offsite at beer festivals and question why the Drake’s booth is serving Bear Republic’s newest Hazy IPA, Racer 7. It’s exciting to hear that people do not know about the merger because it gives us the opportunity to educate the community on this exciting journey these two iconic Northern California breweries are on. As for whether they care, we’ve learned that people don’t care about who owns the brand and concentrate more about the quality and the experience they have while enjoying their favorite brew.

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When you shared the new Variety Pack that combines two Drakes beers and two Bear Republic beers into one SKU, you had my full attention. Can you let us be a fly on the wall to what that internal debate was like, weighing the pros and cons of letting the two brands exist in the same package? If applicable, what were some of the reasons you considered not doing so? Clearly the decision to move forward is a signal that you’re not hiding from the shared ownership and also get to offer a novel opportunity for consumers. Is that fair to say?

Since the Bear Republic brands joined the Drake’s family, there have been minimal opportunities to drive new packages and brands. This was a unique opportunity not only to introduce a new item, but to drive additional sampling for some core IPA brands (Racer 5 and Best Coast IPA) and introduce some new consumers to a couple offerings- Racer 7, still in its infancy, and fan favorite Aroma Coma in a new 12oz format.

We wanted to give the consumer what they gravitate towards; over 45% of all craft dollars spent are in the IPA category. Moreover, we saw this as a unique opportunity to do so in a way that no one in the area has previously: featuring four (4) products from two (2) Top 10 Northern CA breweries (based on $ sales). “

“We are neither broadcasting our acquisition of Bear Republic nor hiding from it,” said Jim Crudo, Vice President of Sales. “We saw an awesome opportunity to provide an extremely unique and desired new item and please the masses.” It was a fun, honest way to acknowledge the partnership without making some big corporate-sounding announcement.

Besides the obvious goal of most new beer SKUs to “sell more beer”, what were some of the additional goals of this Variety Pack once you decided to move forward?

The industry is experiencing some volatility and uncertainty. Craft beer is losing space to numerous other categories, convoluting the beer space. N/As and RTDs in particular are gaining presence and space at the expense of beer and seltzer. In addition, the craft competition has become immense and, in some categories, saturated. As a result, we want to prioritize and focus on what we do best: making great consistent beer and increasing market share in the space we’re best known for: IPA. All of our new items this year, for example, are IPAs. This package provides an innovative way to not only grow within this critical category, but to hopefully provide additional sampling for both breweries, pay homage to our roots and core identity, and remind the consumer of the great, consistent quality available every day from Drake’s and Bear Republic.

Are all four beers brewed and packaged at the same facility? Is that at a Drake's facility or contract brewed? Where is available?

Yes, all four beers, Best Coast IPA, Aroma Coma, Racer 5, and Racer 7, are brewed and packaged at the same facility, our home base in San Leandro. It’s all in-house with the same talented brewing team that’s committed to maintaining the quality and integrity of both brands. As for availability, you’ll find the variety pack at major retailers and independent shops throughout California, and we’re always working on expanding that footprint. If you don’t see it at your local spot, ask the staff! Sometimes that’s the push it takes to get your favorite beers on the shelves.

I like how you don’t overthink the language on the box and let the brand crossover do most of the talking. Consumers who want specifics can head to the bottom panel for details. Can you share some of the behind the scenes that went into arriving with this layout?

At first, there was some temptation to explain the whole backstory right on the box, but this is one of those less is more decisions. “We really wanted the beer selection to speak for itself,” said Andrew Retallick, Brand Manager. “The idea was to let the craft crossover between Drake’s and Bear Republic share space naturally without over-explaining.” This allowed us to use language that feels familiar and straightforward, supporting the unique IPAs that represent each brand. For the more curious consumer, we added more information and some story about each beer on the bottom panel.

At Revolution, I worked on 20 different iterations of the same Variety Pack concept over an 8 year span with the belief that the more it rotated, the fresher it would stay both with the beer inside and the newness that drives trial. In hindsight, that may have been overkill but when you released this Variety Pack, have you considered how long until it might need an update to stay fresh in the consumers’ eyes, whether alternating the beers inside, or an updated take on the packaging? If so, any estimated timetables for when you predict that might be necessary?

We’ve had plenty of conversations about how to keep this variety pack exciting without falling into the trap of change for change’s sake. For now, we're letting the market guide us. As long as consumers keep reaching for it, we won’t mess with a good thing. That said, variety packs are a great playground for innovation. If we see a chance to refresh the lineup or give the packaging a glow-up, we’re all ears. Market data shows that variety packs tend to have a certain shelf life before interest starts to lose their appeal, especially if there's a 'lame duck' in the mix. We’re confident in this initial lineup and excited for what’s ahead, but we’re always keeping an eye on performance and consumer feedback. It’s all about staying fresh, delivering enjoyment, and jumping on opportunities to grow.

A lot of breweries are considering or recently announced strategies similar to what Drakes and Bear Republic are now over two years into. If an East Coast brewery of similar size and maturity as Drakes had the opportunity to acquire a brand with a legacy similar to Bear Republic and Racer 5, what is some advice that you would give them? What are the challenging parts of integrating two brands that they might not be thinking about?

“My biggest piece of advice would be don’t get too anchored in either brand’s past,” said John Martin, owner of Drake’s and Bear Republic. “The real magic happens when you allow the acquisition to evolve. It’s not easy to let go of the way things have always been done, but it is essential for any growth. Stay open to ideas, check your ego, listen, learn, and embrace the unknown.”

Any other interesting nuggets that you’d like to share with the readers or questions you wished I’d asked?

Bear Republic was originally rooted in the North Bay and North Coast, and that shaped its early identity. But like anything, growth brings a new perspective. Now being under Drake’s and a part of the East Bay beer scene has opened up fresh ideas and inspiration for what’s next. The Bay Area is full of incredible craft brewers and that energy is definitely influencing where we take Bear Republic in the future. Keep an eye out for a new Apex recipe coming soon!

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What began as a strategic acquisition has evolved into something more collaborative and more creative than many expected. By staying rooted in what made both brands beloved—while being unafraid to experiment with how they show up today—Drake’s and Bear Republic are proving that shared ownership doesn’t have to mean lost identity. It can mean renewed energy, fresh opportunity, and a chance to surprise their most loyal fans. If this variety pack is any indication, the future of craft beer isn’t just about consolidation—it’s about evolution, and the potential for something greater than the sum of its parts.