Once upon a time, Cincinnati-based Braxton Brewing Company created a light-bodied lager and called it Garage Beer. It was a popular beer. In fact, because it was so popular, Braxton Brewing spun off Garage Beer into its own company. It is currently sold in more than a dozen states, with plans to expand to dozens more. The addition of the Kelce brothers (Jason and Travis Kelce) as majority owners should help Garage Beer’s plan come to fruition.
I read somewhere that one of the reasons Braxton Brewing’s owners decided to create a separate entity for Garage Beer was because it was different from everything else the brewery did. Garage Beer was not the same kind of beer. It existed for a different reason. Simple, light, not fancy, and so on. Think lawnmower beer. Think poker night in the garage–old men smoking cigars and drinking Garage Beer. I appreciate the fact that they’re not shy about this being as much about marketing as it is about beer.
For whatever reason, sometime last year Garage Beer became its own company owned by the same guys who owned Braxton Brewing. Now, those guys are minority partners and Garage Beer is largely owned by the Kelce brothers, who bring their celebrity, their money, and their somewhat notorious love of beer to the company. By now, I’ll assume everyone is familiar with the Kelce brothers: NFL all-stars, media darlings, diva daters, and all that.
“People crave quality and simplicity, and Garage Beer nails both for me,” said Jason Kelce. “We are light beer drinkers and Garage is the best light beer. For me, the brand fits my lifestyle, and having a few beers is a great excuse to get the neighbors together.”
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Joining the Kelce brothers, a third partner in the business is a marketing guru named Andrew Sauer who is largely responsible for turning Garage Beer into what some folks describe as the nation’s fastest-growing independent beer brand. Like I said, as much about marketing as it is about beer.
According to a press release, Jason and Travis believe that beer should be fun, and they want to partner with a brand that embodies the spirit of a neighborhood feel, a light beer all will enjoy. Serendipitously, through a prior relationship, the Kelce brothers learned about Garage Beer and for the past two years have been laying the groundwork to join forces with the company. Now that they’ve accomplished that, the brothers will be involved in every aspect of the business, including brewing, distribution, sales, marketing, and national expansion efforts. Retail displays will be in stores shortly along with social content, billboards, and other promotional activities.
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Garage Beer was originally created by Braxton Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio (where the Kelce brothers both played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats) and the business is now headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The beer is currently sold in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia, Idaho, Montana, and New Jersey. They have plans for expansion into dozens of other states this year.
So what exactly is Garage Beer? Garage Beer Classic is described as a small-batch-brewed light lager (4% ABV, 95 Calories, 3g Carbs). Garage Beer Classic Lime is, you guessed it, the same beer but with a hint of lime. That’s it. Garage Beer, the company, is now based in Columbus, Ohio. No word on who is, or who will, make the beer moving forward. Likely, the term “small-batch” will no longer apply.
“It comes down to quality for me,” said Travis Kelce. “I think everyone knows I like to have a couple beers now and then, so being an owner of Garage Beer and heavily involved in making the best light beer is exciting, man! There is nothing better to bring people together than an ice-cold beer, and for Jason and me that is what beer is all about – friends, family and fun. I have worked with Andy for years and I really trust the team and their approach to running the business. We look forward to taking Garage Beer to the next level.”
Andrew Sauer says, “We want a beer that tastes like beer and one that keeps the stories alive in the neighborhood. Garage prides ourselves on small-batch brewing and a commitment to quality. Ever since our first conversation with Travis and Jason, it was clear we had similar opinions about beer, but they also had brilliant, and very funny, business sensibility. Our team better be on their toes now. The garage is a symbol for building stronger communities one beer at a time, and I think we can all use more time with friends, family, and neighbors to talk, smile, laugh, and enjoy that time together.”
