Boston Beer and Beam Suntory JV Launches Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey
One year after its launch, the joint venture between Boston Beer Company and Beam Suntory revealed a third product: Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey.
The 32.5% ABV (65 proof) whiskey is available in 50 mL, 750 mL and 1L bottles in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio, Missouri, Texas and military outlets in various states.
Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey is made with brewed tea and lemon and intended to mimic the flavors of Twisted Tea Original. Beam Suntory will produce, distribute and sell the whiskey, and Boston Beer will manage its marketing and advertising.
“We put our fans first in everything we do – from printing their photos on our cans, to including them in our commercials, to bringing them the flavors and pack styles they ask for,” Twisted Tea brand director Erica Taylor said in a press release. “Many of them are already shopping for flavored whiskey, so this is our way of giving them something they can call their own.”
“We are excited to continue our partnership with Boston Beer Company and to bring Twisted Tea into the whiskey space,” Stephanie Kang, Beam Suntory senior director, strategic ventures, said in the release. “We’re taking the great taste of Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea and reimagining it as a whiskey to deliver on the bold and unexpected experiences consumers are looking for.”
Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey follows Truly Flavored Vodka, which Beam produces, and Sauza Agave Cocktails, cocktail-inspired flavored malt beverages that Boston Beer produces.
Year-to-date through July 10, dollar sales of the Twisted Tea brand family have increased +26.1%, to $438 million, at off-premise multi-outlet food and convenience stores, according to market research firm IRI.
PepsiCo’s Blue Cloud Distribution Clears Regulatory Hurdle in Nevada
Hard MTN Dew – a collaboration between Boston Beer and PepsiCo – rolled out to Las Vegas retailers this week after a regulatory standoff with the Nevada Department of Taxation.
According to an advisory opinion issued June 29 and obtained by Beer Business Daily, the Nevada Beer Wholesalers Association inquired whether “a person that has entered into a joint venture or partnership agreement to manufacture alcoholic beverages [can] also be licensed to engage in the business of a wholesale dealer of liquor?” The department’s short answer was no.
“If the non-alcoholic beverage company, whether through a subsidiary, affiliate, ownership equity or in any other manner, seeks a license to wholesale liquor – that is to sell liquor in its original package to retail liquor stores – after receiving a certificate of compliance through the joint venture or partnership, the department would be prohibited from issuing the wholesale dealer license to the non-alcoholic beverage company because the non-alcoholic beverage company would be in engaged in business as both a supplier and wholesale dealer,” the department wrote.
Self-distribution is not permitted in Nevada, according to Sovos ShipCompliant.
Nevertheless, the department issued Blue Cloud Distribution a license and the entity is selling Hard MTN Dew in Las Vegas as of last week.
Through Boston Beer and Pepsi’s JV, the former produces Hard MTN Dew and the latter has established Blue Cloud Distribution to distribute it. However, the network’s rollout has taken longer than expected due to regulatory hurdles, which will result in fewer depletions, Boston Beer CEO Dave Burwick said during the company’s second quarter earnings results call.
Hard MTN Dew launched in Florida, Tennessee and Iowa in March and has since expanded to Las Vegas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Missouri.
In addition to the states where Hard MTN Dew has already launched, Pepsi’s career website lists job openings for alcohol sales representatives and alcohol warehouse roles in Roanoke, Virginia, and Morton, Illinois.