Social Media Standouts: Resurrecting Lager, Venue vs. Taproom Pricing, Women of Craft
The final week of the year saw quite a few unveilings here in the Midwest. The three I’m featuring this week are for very different reasons and include 1) entering the lager space without cannibalizing your brand, 2) pricing conflicts when you’re a venue half the time and taproom the “other half”, and 3) a new project to unite the women the the craft beer industry here in Chicago.
Sun King Revives Indianapolis Brewing Company
As craft breweries consider the opportunity to launch their own “economy” lager brand, my favorite decision point is the debate over whether or not to use the brewery’s existing branding or not. By using it, you get immediate name recognition, the ability to piggyback off your reputation, and continuity on the shelf. By starting a completely new brand, you avoid contradicting the existing brand, voice and pricing, while diversifying by appealing to customers who don’t choose craft beer. In addition, the chance for incremental shelf spots and secondary tap handles goes up when the two options appear to be completely different breweries. I could write an entire post on the pro’s and con’s of each decision as I don’t believe there to be a right or wrong answer, just a fascinating exercise.
Indianapolis’ Sun King Brewing went with the latter, announcing that they’re reviving Indianapolis Brewing Company (1887-1948) whose best sellers were lager. In the case of Sun King, this makes extra sense to me because they’re best sellers already include Sun Light (Cream Ale) and Panchenga (Mexican Lager). Adding an “American Lager” to that portfolio that already has two light easy-drinkers would probably cap it’s ceiling much lower than this new opportunity to spread it’s wings and fly solo under a new banner.
Another debate that plays out when designing the packaging and marketing support for lager brands is whether to loudly call it Lager or Beer, given the mainstream drinker being targeted. There’s pro’s and con’s to each with different drinkers viewing the term Lager more favorably than the others as far as quality goes. You can see that struggle playing out in the launch graphic above, where they go with Lager on the can, but emphasize BEER in the promotion graphic as well, hedging their bet in a way. Sun King stacks medals at the big beer competitions each year so I’m supremely confident in the liquid without even tasting it and look forward to following how they attack the marketing side.
Other Half - Pricing When You’re Half Venue / Half Taproom
Brooklyn’s Other Half is opening a new Taproom in Chicago, but with a pretty unique setup. I was invited to check out the space, which is part of the restoration of the old Ramova theater, which has major backing from the city and celebrities alike. A minor point that makes this concept so fascinating to me, beyond the unique relationship with Other Half, is the dilemma of how to consistently price one’s beer when some days you’re a concert venue bringing in expensive talent, while other days you’re a brewery taproom that anyone can walk into off 35th & Halsted. Personally, I have two very different price thresholds in my head when I’m a customer in those two unique scenarios, despite it being the same beer.
Other Half has done periodic burst distribution into Chicago for a few years now. They’re pricing is very premium by Chicago standards, with most of their 4-packs falling well into the $20s. Not surprisingly, they’re going high with prices at their new place and I say good for them. Other Half spent the last decade building a stellar reputation while expanding into new markets, doing more collaborations than I’ve ever seen anyone do, and aggressively participating in beer festivals all over the country. You won’t find many breweries with an Instagram following larger than theirs and there’s a reason for that. Just because “we already have plenty of Hazy IPAs in Chicago”, doesn’t mean Other Half can’t decide that they want to be considered the best of the best and strive to compete in one of the country’s most competitive markets.
I got a look at the first menu shared on their website and started by counting the 12 IPAs, 1 Mexican Lager, and 1 Fruited Granola Berliner. Clearly they’re not going for style diversity, or maybe this is just what’s currently available through Other Half distribution while they get caught up on brewing on-site. My jaw dropped at first at the idea of a $14 pint of IPA or $16 Imperial IPA, but I immediately had to check myself. I thought back to all those Chicago Fire MLS games I attended this past season where I didn’t hesitate to shell out $13 for a Hazy Pitch (our 5% Hazy Pale Ale) at Soldier Field and I was quickly reminded that this is the market price when you’re at a venue.
In a first that I can recall, you are penalized for ordering the largest size ($14/16oz), at least according to the menu, which is the size I’d want if I’m attending a show. I want to have to go back and get another beer as infrequently as possible. At the same time, you’re rewarded for ordering the middle size ($8/12oz) which is actually very reasonable these days and is the size I’d probably order on a traditional visit to the taproom. Is this pricing illogical? Or is it a genius way of keeping the menu locked, while threading the needle between maximizing your revenue when putting on an expensive act, but not scaring away Taproom visitors on days without shows? Look for me double fisting 12oz pours at a show soon 😛 .
And check out
and their recent interview with Other Half’s co-founder and COO Andrew Burman.
Solemn Oath Launches Women’s Beer Project
Lastly, shoutout to Charolette Converse of Solemn Oath / Hidden Hand out of Naperville, IL who have invited underrepresented friends in the industry to a special collaborative beer project and brew day taking place this month.
Tuesday January 9th 6:00pm Solemn Oath Chicago - Hop selection, recipe development, and label design
Tuesday February 13th 8:00am Solemn Oath Naperville - Brew day, lunch, and networking. This will take the majority of the day, please join when you're able to. Coffee and donuts will be there for those that join us earlier, with lunch in the afternoon.
Under her leadership as the 11 year old brewery’s Events & Hospitality Manager, Charolette developed this project for women, non-binary, or trans members of the craft beer industry regardless of their role, who would like to gain additional knowledge in hop selection, recipe development, and production of the beer, along with networking and building important relationships.
I reached out to Charolette via e-mail and she explained, “This project goes beyond a group of women brewing a beer together. Instead, it will highlight the talented folks within Chicagoland’s craft beer community that are involved in each facet of providing craft beer to the public. There are breweries, bottle shops, restaurants, and craft beer clubs involved; with a variety of jobs such as line cooks, bartenders, brewers, brand managers, and owners participating. Some folks have spent decades in craft beer and others are just getting started in this industry.”
Charolotte added, “The development of this beer is an avenue of providing education, support, and networking opportunities for the participants of which belong to an under-represented group in the craft beer industry.”
The plan is to have participating breweries sell the beer at their locations, with a portion of proceeds from the beer to benefit the Illinois Diversity in Beer Scholarship (or possibly a woman-focused charity of each participant’s choosing in their direct community). Donations, release day, and release events will be discussed at the hop selection and the brew day as a group so that this project can be as collaborative and beneficial as possible for all that are involved. RSVP HERE if you, or any eligible person at your brewery are interested in this project.
The folks at Solemn Oath gained one type of respect from their peers when they took home “Best in Show” at the Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers this past November. They’re following that award up by “championing” this great opportunity and earning them a whole new degree of admiration.
It's interesting that we've been conditioned to and accept paying a crazy mark-up for food and drink when it's an ancillary part of the experience of going to a game or concert but people seem outraged about paying a premium for the same beer at a taproom when it's basically the focus of the experience.
Thanks for the link, Doug :)