Cincinnati-based Rhinegeist Brewery announced today the forthcoming launch of RGBevs: a new line of malt-based, fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages. The company also revealed plans for a new hard tea brand, Geist Tea. Both new products are set to hit retailers with Rhinegeist’s full distribution footprint in early March.
“Not beer, not seltzer,” RGBevs will launch with three flavors inspired by previous Rhinegeist fruited ales – Bubbles (apple, peach and cranberry splash), Wowie Colada (pineapple and passionfruit colada) and Zango Crush (mango and blood orange smash) – as well as the brewery’s first “hard lemonade with a hint of lime,” Lemmy Nade. RGBevs will be sold in 12 oz. single-flavor 6-pack cans, with a variety pack to follow this summer.
“RGBevs are all about bringing flavor back,” Tracey Ireland, Rhinegeist director of marketing, said in a press release. “Through a series of consumer panels and employee trials, it was clear that people are looking for more flavorful alternatives in the ‘beyond beer’ space. By delivering an intense, full flavor experience, RGBevs are breaking the rules of flavor.”
In addition to the RGBevs lineup, Rhinegeist will release Geist Tea, a 5% ABV hard iced tea made with real black tea concentrate and other natural flavors. Geist Tea will be sold in single-serve 16 oz. cans.
“As we increased innovation in the beyond beer space, the production team was challenged with adding a tea to the mix,” Matt Steinke, Rhinegeist’s VP of sales, said in the release. “They delivered a wonderfully balanced, uncarbonated product that blew us away, and we knew we had to add it to our lineup.”
In 2022, Rhinegeist will also release a new fruited wheat beer and a variety pack featuring “crowd-sourced fan favorites from the brewery’s past releases.”
“The future has never been more clear—people are searching for delightful and flavorful innovation, and we’re excited to deliver on this front with a wide spectrum of new offerings in the coming year,” Bryant Goulding, co-founder of Rhinegeist, said in the release.
Rhinegeist produced 97,381 barrels of beer in 2020, a -8% decline in production amid the COVID-19 pandemic following three consecutive years of growth, according to the Brewers Association (BA). Rhinegeist ranked as the 23rd largest BA-defined craft brewery by volume that year.