With beer manufacturers everywhere tapping into "dry is better" marketing keg, Brighton entrepreneur Stephen Brown believes he is drawing from a concept that makes a lot more sense: Wet beer.
It all began two years ago when Brown, founder and CEO of the new local brew, Wetbeer Inc., cracked open a bottle of a so-called "dry" concoction.
"That's when it hit me," said Brown, "This "dry" beer thing is an oxymoron. When people think of beer, they want something wet…not dry. After all, beer is 90 percent water."
With a background in corporate publicity, Brown realized that his new revelation had potential.
In late 1997, after creating and legally protecting his Wetbeer concept, Brown initiated his "virtual company" - a Wetbeer Web site, complete with jokes, fun and merchandise…but no beer.
"I figured I couldn't compete with the big beer business…I'm just one little guy," he said. "But after throwing the Wetbeer idea around, I was pretty sure that it could stand on its own."
He may be right. His Web site, www.wetbeer.com, receives more than 2,000 visits per month from as far away as Germany and Brazil. On-line T-shirt, hat and mug sales are bubbling as well, Brown said.
But the past few months brought numerous inquiries as to the availability of a real "wet" one, and Brown quickly responded by putting his business into the fast-ferment mode.
Instead of "dry" beer - brewed to have no aftertaste - his beer has a catchy name and unique taste that he describes as slightly sweet. "Wet" isn't part of the brewing process.
Last month, bottled Wetbeer slid onto local retail shelves. After finding financial backing, Brown signed a contract with Gluek Brewery in Cold Springs, Minn.
Even though production of the golden lager is in only its early months, southeast Michigan sales already have neared the 3,000-case mark. Retail party stores and bars, with the assistance of distributors such as Silver Foam Distributors in Washtenaw and Livingston counties and Oak Distributors in Oakland County, are already re-ordering, said Brown.
Sam Kallabat, co-owner of The Canopy Bottle & Gourmet Shoppe in Brighton, said Wetbeer is selling better at his store than a typical new product.
"I'm going through about five cases per week," he said. "People really seem to like the idea…It's a good beer, too."
And good sales are good news to Brown, who threw his personal time and finances into the deep end to keep his business idea afloat.
The husband and father of three quit his "day job" and re-mortgaged the family's home to start his Web site company.
"I'm really pleased with how the displays look and how sales are going," he said. "It all looks like some big-shot corporation, but it's really just one guy doing everything."
