The newest marketing ploy in the world of contract brewing is Wet Beer. Founder Stephen Brown says "Dry Beer is out, Wet Beer is in." Yep, he’s another marketing dude in the beer business. Like Waldron, he had a line of wearables before he had a drinkable, though unlike Waldron, he always planned to have beer.
It came to him one day when he was drinking a Dry Beer. Remember Dry Beer? He got to thinking about beer being mostly water and the idea struck him as marketable. Brown used the web to launch his business and all of his "Wet" products have his web address prominently displayed.
Admittedly not a beer drinker, Brown says he knows a good beer from a bad one. He could not find a Michigan brewery to work with him so after much investigation, he ended up in Cold Springs, Minnesota at Gluck Brewery. He chose one of their house products, a golden lager, to
be Wet Beer. When asked how the recipe was developed, his response was that he selected it because it had a hint of sweetness.
Wet Beer has been on the market since May 1. Check it out on www.wetbeer.com.
There are only a few current Michigan made and bottled contract products available. King Brewing Company makes beers for Mr. Bs.
Michigan Brewing Company produces Stewart’s Ale for Frog Island’s Dave French and Linda Flannery. Big Buck makes Boyne Amber Ale, but they sell and distribute it as well.
There are a number of other Michigan related contract products out there, like McSorley’s and St. Ides, produced out of state by Detroit’s Stroh Brewery and Blues Beer operating from St. Clair, Michigan.
Then there are the private label products available only on draft, usually at contractee restaurant locations, such as Natural Disaster by
Michigan Brewing Company, some of the Bad Frog line in Bad Frog Tavern by King Brewing Company, Powers Real Wheat for Rick Powers
brewed by Atwater Block, and a whole portfolio of products by micros such as Traverse Brewing Company and Roffey Brewing Company in
their local markets.
As contract products are often heavily marketed, they serve to initiate more beer drinkers toward exploring craft beers.
