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Beer of the day: Able Seedhouse + Brewery applies classic beer playbook to sell a beer for our ‘new normal’

June 23, 2020Chris Crowell

Ol Trusty Able Seedhouse

What’s old is new again. The pandemic has changed craft beer sales strategies — with dollars shifting from taprooms to to-go beers and distribution. Ramping up those sales channels can mean adding a canning line or signing with a new wholesaler, but it might also change your entire brewing strategy or portfolio mix. We’ve already seen that “new beers” in the market are way down during the pandemic. Maybe a return to the basics instead of a hyper-focus on something new is in order — both in style and in price.

That’s what I like about the approach of Minneapolis-based Able Seedhouse + Brewery with the release of Ol’ Trusty. Sure it is “new,” but it is a classic beer that — most importantly — is more cost-effective to brew and is sold at a lower price point (while still tasting great).

“With Ol Trusty, we’re not chasing trends or creating flavor profiles. We’re establishing a baseline,” says Matt Johnson, Owner of Able Seedhouse + Brewery. “It was important we got this right, so we tested it out in the taproom last year. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Ol’ Trusty is one of our fastest growing beers by volume and remains the åçåtop pick among Able staff. We hope this trend continues throughout our market and consumers have a beer they can trust.  Sometimes you don’t know what you’re missing until you take a step back to easy drinking, beer flavored beer.”

At just $11.99 for a 12-pack of 16 oz cans (suggested retail), Ol’ Trusty is a thrifty throwback that might be exactly what drinkers are looking for right now — something affordable and approachable they can stock up on, without gambling on an unknown beer on possibly their lone, weekly venture outside to stock up on essentials.

“Ol’ Trusty is a very light beer that, unlike others, is 100% barley malt and no fillers,” says Able Head Brewer Bobby Blasey. “It’s crazy refreshing with just a sprinkle of hops for a light fruitiness. If you like beer, you’ll like this.”

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