Tree House Brewing Company
Monson, Massachusetts
According to a recent blog post, the formerly draft/growler-only Massachusetts Tree House Brewing Co. will be canning their highly sought-after Julius IPA in 16-ounce four-packs, on sale at the retail shop. They also expect to can the hoppy blonde ale, Eureka, and its variants, Green (an IPA brewed with American and Australian hops), Haze (a double IPA), and That’s What She Said (a milk stout). Once a bottling line lands (hopefully by late spring/early summer), they also plan to bottle the coffee stout, Double Shot, and its variants and the imperial stout, Good Morning, and its variants. The good news is due to a significant expansion and equipment purchases—a 30-barrel brewhouse and a mixture of 30- and 60-barrel tanks—that will let them make ten times more beer in 2015 than in 2014.
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio’s oldest brewery will be launching an updated look, with a new logo and packaging artwork with illustrations by a still-to-be-revealed artist (they’ll announce the name in January). As for new beers, first up this spring is a Spring Variety Pack with a session IPA, a kolsch, a Belgian single, and a Belgian wit, due out in April. In May, look out for the brand new Alberta Clipper Porter and in June an American wheat (name to come) will drop as a new seasonal. “We want this refresh of the brand to be a rediscovery for our loyal fans as well as a way to tell the Great Lakes story to new customers,” said Co-owner Pat Conway of the changes.
Twisted Pine Brewing Co.
Boulder, Colorado
Twisted Pine is wrapping up a major rebranding effort, which has been ongoing since June. The Boulder brewery has introduced new beers: Hop Zealot IPA, Agaveras (IPA brewed with agave nectar), and La Petite Saison. It has nixed some beers: American Amber, Honey Brown, Blonde Ale, and Hoppy Knight. And it has rebranded others: their flagship beer Hoppy Boy is now an American pale ale. In addition, it has put out a “complete facelift with new labels and packaging,” designed by local firm Anthem Branding, for their core beers, including the extra-spicy Ghost Face Killah.
“The new labels attached to those beers are meant to reflect the artistry and attention to detail that our team is investing into each batch we brew,” said Twisted Pine CEO Jean Lund, who was appointed last November.
New Cans Coming to a Beer Store near You
The canning continues in 2015, as breweries plan to roll out old favorites and new beers in new packaging. Tröegs Brewing (Hershey, Pennsylvania) will be releasing their hoppy red ale Nugget Nectar in four-packs of 16-ounce cans in January, and Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Surly Brewing’s Doomtree, a dry-hopped ESB collaboration with local hip-hop group Doomtree, will be out in 16-ounce cans in early January. Labels are also leaking for Denver, Colorado’s Great Divide’s Whitewater Wheat Ale in 12-ounce cans and Chicago’s Goose Island’s rebranded Goose IPA in 12-ounce and 16-ounce cans.