Brewbound Podcast Episode 14: Sizing Up Hard Seltzer with the Founders of Briggs

As an increasing number of consumers shift toward more “functional’ or “better-for-you” drinks with fewer calories, small beer companies are beginning to look toward an emerging hard seltzer category as a potential driver of future growth.

In the last two weeks, four craft breweries – Oskar Blues, Perrin Brewing, NoDa Brewing, and Platform Beer Company – have introduced or announced plans to bring alcoholic seltzers to the market.

Although the category is dominated by larger brands such as White Claw, made by Mark Anthony Brands, or Truly Spiked & Sparkling, which is produced by Boston Beer Company, a growing number of smaller companies are now getting in on the action.

One of those companies is Briggs Hard Seltzer, a Boston-area startup that is exclusively focused on the production of hard seltzer made with 100 percent real fruit.

Two longtime friends, Michael Kurson and Neil Quigley, founded the company in 2016. The duo launched their first product, a cranberry-flavored hard seltzer, in 2017.

The company has since rebranded and reformulated its original product and added two additional flavors — grapefruit and pineapple – to its portfolio.

Earlier this year, Kurson and Quigley stopped by the Brewbound offices to sample their products and share their entrepreneurial story with our Brewbound Podcast listeners.

In episode 14, Kurson and Quigley discuss the emerging alcoholic seltzer category, and the opportunities they see for a higher-end brand to gain market share.

Also in this episode: Brewbound editors Chris Furnari and Justin Kendall share the latest news, including details about layoffs at Anheuser-Busch, another update on the Trillium Brewing controversy and new data from the Brewers Association. Furnari and Kendall also celebrate the return of segments, including the debut of “Seriously, WTF?”

Listen to episode 14 of the Brewbound Podcast above, as well as on iTunes. The episode is also available on Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Soundcloud. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast, which is co-hosted by Furnari and Kendall, are published every Thursday.

Episode 15, featuring Woods Beer Company founder Jim Woods, will be released on Thursday, December 20.

For questions, comments or suggestions, please email [email protected].

In episode 14 of the Brewbound Podcast, Michael Kurson and Neil Quigley, the founders of Briggs Hard Seltzer, discuss their offerings – which are made with 100 percent real fruit — the emerging spiked seltzer category, and the opportunities they see for a higher-end brand in the market.