Hulk Hogan is getting into the beer business, lending his name and image to Real American Beer, a new light lager brand that launched Thursday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Hogan, the 1980s and 1990s professional wrestling star, is partnering with Terri Francis, who previously worked at Anheuser-Busch InBev’s innovation arm, ZX Ventures, as global VP and general counsel for investments and new business.
Francis is serving as CEO of Real American Beer, with Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) serving as founder and “majority owner” of the business.
“He’s just so deeply passionate about it,” Francis told Brewbound. “He shows up to all the wholesaler meetings, he shows up to all the retailer meetings, nothing is too much. There’s no restriction on his time.”
Real American Beer (4.2% ABV), named for the Rick Derringer song that became Hogan’s entrance theme, will be sold in 12 oz. can 6-, 12- and 24-packs. Francis expects to add a 24 oz. single-serve can when the brand rolls out in Texas, as well as draft with increased on-trade interest.
“What we’re doing is creating an everyman beer from an everyman hero,” Francis said. “We really want to get back to this idea of beer being simple. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It doesn’t need to stand for anything. It can just be good times.”
The beer is distributed across 17 states, with retail placements in ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Albertsons, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Total Wine & More, Walmart and U.S. military bases, as well as on-premise venues such as Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos and select Hooters locations.
Additional launch events include Minnesota (June 17), Missouri (June 20) and Colorado (June 24), with the beer distributed by Breakthru Beverage.
“The 17 states we’ve got, it’s kind of this wonderful crossover of strong beer-drinking markets, wrestling fans and it makes sense,” Francis said. “When you speak to people on Real American Beer, we’re getting a bit of pull rather than a push.”
The can art repurposes the 1991 illustration used to promote Hogan’s WrestleMania VII match with Sgt. Slaughter, which the company licensed through the WWE, Francis said.
“He just signed a five-year, non-exclusive deal with them,” she said of the wrestling organization.
Real American Beer is being produced at multiple contract brewing facilities, with early orders outsizing expectations, Francis said.
Although Hogan announced his sobriety last year across several media outlets, the 70-year-old has since “adopted a moderation lifestyle,” Francis told Brewbound.
“He has a beer with friends. He’ll have a beer on the beach with his wife. And it’s really about having a different relationship with alcohol,” she said.
“The reason we’re doing a light beer is because it is a beer of moderation. It’s easy drinking. You can have one with friends, and it’s an easier space to be in. And he has a really positive relationship with alcohol now.”
Francis envisions the brand expanding beyond light lager into non-alcoholic (NA) beer to provide “a fully well-rounded, all-inclusive” brand. Other alcoholic and NA beverages are also on the table in the future, she added.
“What we hope to do is create a beverage portfolio rather than just a light beer company,” she said.
However, Real American Beer is aiming to “go deep and then go wide” and be “really thoughtful and considerate” about expansion and supporting the brand.
“We want to make this simple, and we want to bring people back to the category,” Francis said.