Dear Client:
When Heineken and Lagunitas first linked up in 2015, it seemed it was only a matter of time before the California brewer started making beer overseas.
Two-and-half years later that time has come. Today, Lagunitas shared that they would soon begin brewing at the Brand Brewery in Wijlre, Netherlands, which is also owned by Heineken.
The craft brewer said its master brewer, Jeremy Marshall, and his team of brewers visited the brewery last month and returned home feeling “confident” in their ability to produce Lagunitas IPA the same way they do in the States.
Lagunitas has already assembled a team of brewers to work their magic on Brand Brewery’s 350 hl Huppmann/Zeiemann brewhouse and said they expect their first IPA born overseas to hit the Netherlands market towards the end of summer/early fall of this year.
UPDATE ON AZUSA. The Lagunitas news doesn’t stop there… We also grabbed a little more color on their forthcoming outpost in Azusa, California. Recall last fall, Lagunitas CEO Maria Stipp told CBD that with Lagunitas fine on capacity between Petaluma and Chicago, they decided to turn Azusa into a dedicated barrel-aging center.
Barrel-aged brews are still definitely in the works at Azusa, but the new facility won’t be limited to that. Azusa is set to become a “lab, of sorts” for Lagunitas “mad scientist brewers” to cook up “limited, one-off beers not available anywhere else,” per Lagunitas site. The brewer says they “plan to create unique one-off hoppy beers—of all colors, hats and sizes, alongside the wood aged funky stuffs.”
Some of the beers coming out of Azusa will never leave the facility, as they’ll only be served in the forthcoming “2-story rooftop TapRoom” there, which is set to open up this fall.
“What we’re going to do in Azusa will likely inform what we do in the future in the U.S. and globally,” Lagunitas concludes.
LAGUNITAS’ SUMPIN’ EASY OFF TO A HOT START
Yet another update from the brewer… As you may recall, Lagunitas debuted their second canned product ever this year with the release of Sumpin’ Easy. The 5.7% ABV ale rolled out nationally in 12-pack cans and on draft at the start of the year.
The 12-packs are gaining some serious traction in the off-premise.
Lagunitas informed CBD that the Sumpin’ Easy 12-pack is the second-best craft 12-pack launch (bottles or cans) in 2018, by volume, per Nielsen all outlet scans through March 24. And if you look at all 12-pack beer launches this year, Sumpin’ Easy comes in as the third best new launch by volume this year.
In fact, the Sumpin’ Easy 12-pack has already become the “#12 selling, 12pk craft can nationally,” in its mere three months of existence.
Zooming in closer to Lagunitas home base (the Pacific states), Sumpin’ Easy is the top 12-pack launch of any new beer package, and the number three craft launch of any package format, per Pacific Division Food scans. Sumpin’ Easy ain’t too shabby across the country either, as it’s the number three 12-pack craft can launch in the Northeast, per Northeast Region Food scans.
Until Monday,
Jordan, Jenn, and Harry
“Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
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