Even the smallest breweries understand that it’s tough to get by on only beer-flavored beer these days. Whether you’re distributing or selling them through your taproom, there’s more pressure to produce a broader range of beverages that appeal to new customers across diverse occasions.
Some breweries are finding success with THC drinks, ciders, natural wines, and spirits-based cocktails, but the fundamental truth is that brewers know malt-based drinks best.
So, here’s some good news: Malt-based beverages—whether they’re botanical seltzers or fruited sours or “dirty” sodas—can tick many of the same boxes as a ready-to-drink cocktail would but without the legal and operational hurdles. Malt-based drinks also enjoy the broadest availability—in retailers and taprooms—and your team can design them to meet many of the same preferences as popular cocktails.
However, to succeed with these products, it takes an understanding of what the drinker wants, where there are gaps in the market, and how to brand a particular beverage so it has the greatest chance at reaching the right audience.