A recent push towards lower alcohol craft beer offerings has prompted Alchemy & Science — the craft brew incubation project and wholly-owned subsidiary of Boston Beer Company — to rebrand its Just Beer Project flagship.
Beginning this week, A&S will relaunch “Just IPA” as “Anytime IPA.”
“The name ‘Just IPA’ didn’t convey the sessionability message,” said Rob Kreszswick, a brand manager for The Just Beer Project. “When we tested the name ‘Anytime,’ the response was overwhelming. It’s simple and drinkers know they can consume more than one during an occasion.”
The name isn’t the only thing changing, either. When the beer was first test-marketed last June, it checked in at 5.2 percent ABV. That’s dropped to a much lower and more sessionable 4.6 percent ABV.
A&S isn’t the only craft beer company trying to capture ‘session’ drinking occasions. Founders Brewing today announced it will introduce 15-packs of its canned “All Day IPA,” the company’s fast-growing 4.7 percent session IPA. Meanwhile, Lagunitas Brewing plans to increase production of its own 4.6 percent ABV “Daytime IPA” when the company begins brewing at its secondary brewing facility, in Chicago, this February.
But unlike Lagunitas and Founders — which each produce their fair share of high-octane brews — Just Beer is targeting a crossover craft consumers, Kreszswick said.
“The majority of our consumers are the trade-in drinkers looking to try craft beer,” he said. “The ABV is a little closer to what a domestic beer might be and it’s geared for that social occasion where you might be looking for more quantity.”
Just Beer will also broaden its portfolio in March with the launch of its first seasonal beer, Just Summer, an unfiltered hefeweizen that also checks in below 5-percent ABV. And, over the next 12-months, the company plans to rollout three additional seasonal offerings: Just Fall, Just Winter, and Just Spring.
Anytime IPA is currently available in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia and will soon be available in Georgia, Kreszswick said.