The first collaboration between SweetWater Brewing Company and its now parent company Tilray (which merged in May with Aphria) became clearer today with the announced launch of BC Lager, a collaboration beer between the Atlanta craft brewery and the Canadian cannabis firm’s Broken Coast brand.
The 5.5% ABV lager is SweetWater’s first co-branded release with the cannabis company since the brewery was acquired in December 2020 by Aphria.
The May merger of Aphria and Tilray created the world’s largest cannabis company, valued at $8.2 billion. When Aphria’s acquisition of SweetWater was announced, the firm said it planned to leverage the brewery’s “manufacturing and distribution network to build brand awareness for the combined company’s leading brands via craft beers, hard seltzers, and other beverages.”
While the lager does not contain cannabis or have a cannabis flavor, it is inspired by the Broken Coast brand and some of its strain offerings, featuring aroma notes of Key lime pie and orange zest, according to the release.
“Collaborating with the SweetWater team and creating a craft beer with the same precision and passion that I have for my craft-cannabis has been a dream come true,” Broken Coast founder and head grower Kevin Anderson said in the release. “For both brands to come together to create a first-of-its-kind partnership and for Broken Coast to break into the U.S. market is an exciting time for us.”
The collaboration will be available exclusively in the U.S. both on draft and in package at select retail locations, with 6-packs releasing July 12. The collaboration also marks the first time a Broken Coast-branded product will be available in the U.S.
“With a strong aligned passion and value system, working with Broken Coast on the inspiration for this special brew was an exciting process for our team,” SweetWater chief marketing officer Brian Miesieski said in the release, noting that the collaboration had been in development for over half a year. “British Columbia is known for its coastal shorelines, and with it being one of the most beautiful and adventurous places in North America, we wanted beer drinkers to feel as if they are transported there each time they sip on this new lager.”
SweetWater also teased more summer beer releases, including a limited release 710 Double IPA available in early July. The hazy, juicy double-dry-hopped IPA is “the perfect brew to sip on while raising a glass to good summer vibes and the 420 lifestyle drinkers love,” the release stated.
For the 52-week period ending June 13, off-premise dollar sales of the SweetWater brand family have declined 8.5%, to more than $61.3 million, in multi-outlet and convenience stores tracked by market research firm IRI. Those numbers are cycling the consumer shift to off-premise purchasing during the pandemic, and also come up against a largely reopened on-premise environment in 2021. SweetWater holds a 1.2 share of the craft beer segment, a decline of -0.20 share points, in 2021.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Aphria and Tilray are using the latter’s name post-merger.