AUSTIN, Texas — Independence Brewing Co., one of Texas’ original craft breweries, today announced its plans to begin distributing Stash IPA, the company’s top-selling beer, exclusively in 12-ounce cans. The announcement helps celebrate Stash IPA’s 10th birthday, affectionately dubbed “the Chronic of IPAs” by its makers.
“Stash drinkers have been telling us for years that they wanted the beer in cans so they could take it along while enjoying the outdoors and we’re very happy to make the switch for them,” said Amy Cartwright, president and co-founder of Independence Brewing Co. “Now, fans of the beer can share their Stash with friends anywhere.”
With a reputation as an “old school” West Coast-style India Pale Ale, Stash is described as a “dank, resinous and enlightening hop trip” defined by its blend of four varieties of hops including Columbus, Galaxy, Nugget, and Amarillo that provide piney, citrus flavors and a pungent herbal and earthy aroma.
After Stash IPA’s draft-only debut in Austin on August 20, 2007, Independence Brewing Co. had to limit its production after a fire in a major hop facility led to a severe shortage of hops found in the beer. The brewery was able to begin packaging Stash in early 2010 and as a result, Independence’s first IPA quickly became its top-selling beer. According to internal data, Stash IPA’s sales increased by 50 percent from 2014 to 2015, followed by a 28 percent growth to close out 2016. Already this year, Independence has seen a 13 percent uptick in the beer’s sales, a trend the craft brewer expects to continue with the canned release.
“Before we invested in a new canning line, the brewery simply didn’t have the capacity to produce the amount of Stash in cans that we’d need to keep up with the increasing demand. Now, we have the capability to can almost one hundred beers per minute.” Cartwright said.
Stash IPA cans will first arrive in Austin on both off-premise retail shelves and on-premise locations beginning this week. Independence Brewing Co. will then begin to rollout the beer throughout its distribution territory and expects statewide availability in both Texas and Arkansas by Labor Day.