• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Maine’s Baxter Brewing created a cool subsidiary for hardcore winter races

February 8, 2016Keith Gribbins

snow racing running
Must. Get. To. Beer.

Athletes are thirsty types. While water or electrolyte-infused drinks would seem like the beverage of choice before, after or during a physical workout, extreme sports athletes (for lack of a better term) have often been associated with and sponsored by the most intensive and counter-intuitive of beverage brands — like Red Bull or Mountain Dew. So in our estimation, if you can drink a jug of Dewshine after an Ironman, then you can probably drink a beer, right? Baxter Brewing Co. thinks so.

In fact, the brewing company out of Maine is marketing directly to hardcore winter sports fans via its subsidiary Baxter Outdoors and its Packed Powder Series of races, which are a combination of Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and snow running. Apparently, beer and hard-boiled athletes go way back, according to this article from the Portland Press Herald:

“When you look at endurance sports, beer has been a part of the tradition,” [racer Peter] Malinowski said as he caught his breath after his 1-hour, 18-minute run. “Back in the ’70s, people used to drink beer in parking lots before marathons for the carbohydrates. I do this because it’s a lot of fun racing through the woods. It’s spectacular and it’s peaceful. The snow cushions you.”

First off, the races are a cool way for Baxter Brewing to market its beer — especially since craft fans have an affinity for the outdoors. But more importantly, Baxter hopes to make some money off them — or at least get their money back.

“Obviously at these events we’re not going to make a million bucks. We’re in it for the long term. It’s a lifestyle brand,” says Baxter Outdoors founder Adam Platz, 29, a graduate of Edward Little High School and Dartmouth College.

Unfortunately, the race discussed in this article — the third this winter — only drew 26 competitors. It’s still a solid idea and is a style of event that can grow into a yearly tradition with repeat races. Reconsidering, actually getting 26 people to race over snow-covered mountains is probably a pretty impressive number. Anyone willing to do that deserves a beer.

Quarantine read — Quality Labs for Small Brewers: Building a Foundation for Great Beer
Minnesota’s Indeed Brewing grew 20% in 2022, plans more growth with THC seltzers/gummies
Tennessee brewers
Tennessee craft brewers organize clean up day with Pick Up For a Pint
Beer Institute releases November 2022 domestic tax paid estimate

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bill Barnwell says

    February 8, 2016 at 5:36 pm

    Bill Barnwell liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  2. crsimp01 says

    February 8, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Maine’s Baxter Brewing creates subsidiary for winter races https://t.co/CiqE1RPNIy via @craftbrewingbiz

    Log in to Reply
  3. Lorraine Deffenbaugh says

    February 8, 2016 at 4:36 pm

    Lorraine Deffenbaugh liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Jonathan Cahoon says

    February 8, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    Jonathan Cahoon liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Fort Point Beer debuts cider line, explains why ciders instead of seltzers
  • NBWA releases January Beer Purchasers’ Index, craft demand sinks low
  • Watch a drone release insects over hop yards for sustainable pest control in this Yakima Chief Hops video series
  • BarTrack scales nationwide presence to over 40 states, announces big Series A investments

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • fort point both-ciders-3Fort Point Beer debuts cider line, explains why ciders instead of seltzers
    January 31, 2023
  • Watch a drone release insects over hop yards for sustainable pest control in this Yakima Chief Hops video series
    January 30, 2023
  • Distro update: Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing goes to Colorado + news from Surreal, New Sarum and more
    January 30, 2023
  • Cadaverine: When your beer smells like dead human
    January 26, 2023
  • beer taps brain distribution cbb cropUnfiltered: There are weevils in my grain – what do I do?
    January 26, 2023
  • People news: Industry icon John Mallett steps down from Bell’s + moves from Craft ‘Ohana, BrewDog USA and more
    January 25, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC