Outlaw on the rise: How Tivoli’s light beer brand continues to break the macro mold

From historic roots to national disruption, Outlaw Light Beer is proving there’s still room to shake up domestic lager.

Tivoli Brewing Co. has been part of Denver’s beer scene since 1859 — predating Colorado’s statehood and weathering more than a century of industry upheaval. It survived Prohibition, thrived as a regional powerhouse, and ultimately shuttered in 1969 under pressure from floods, strikes, and national macro brands. Read its rich history here. The brand was revived in 2012 by entrepreneur Corey Marshall, who helped reestablish Tivoli as a historic lager house and educational partner to MSU Denver’s brewing program. But Tivoli’s most dramatic evolution has come in recent years.

Today, Tivoli Brewing is powered by BCBG LLC, an elite investor group made up of former Fortune 500 executives, global family offices, and notable names from sports and entertainment. Under the leadership of CEO Ari Opsahl — a former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive — Tivoli has transformed from a regional heritage brand into the engine behind one of the fastest-growing beers in America: Outlaw Light Beer. With deep-pocketed backing, a clear national strategy, and a brand built for modern consumers, Tivoli is rewriting its legacy once again — this time with light beer in its sights.

Enter Outlaw Light Beer

In 2022, Tivoli took a bold step beyond the history books. It launched Outlaw Light Beer — a sleek, affordable, no-nonsense lager designed to take on Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors Light head-on. Led by new CEO Opsahl, Tivoli retooled its business around this one mission: Give light beer drinkers a sincere craft choice. Last year, according to Tivoli, Outlaw was recognized by Nielsen in 2024 as the #1 fastest-growing light domestic beer in the United States. Just recently Outlaw has noted it’s doubled its 2025 first quarter sales-to-retailer volume performance (case equivalents) from last year. What’s this beer all about?

Outlaw is a Kölsch-style light beer — fermented cold with a hybrid German ale yeast and built with Magnum hops and pilsner malt. It lands at 4.2% ABV and 105 calories. Clean, crisp, and priced to move. While it drinks like a domestic lager, the Kölsch yeast gives it a slightly different backbone — a point of subtle distinction in a sea of sameness. More importantly, it’s brewed fast and efficiently, allowing it to hit a competitive $21.99 price point for a 24-pack in many markets. We’ve seen it as low as $17 online.

Brewing big

Outlaw now accounts for something like 85%+ of Tivoli’s output. The brand moved production from Denver’s historic Auraria campus to the larger Gold Buckle Beer facility in La Junta in 2023. That shift gives Tivoli the capacity to scale, and its 2025 production goal looks to be 200,000 barrel (bbls) — according to this press release. That scale is necessary. Competing in light beer means chasing volume, cutting cost, and eliminating inefficiencies. You need silos, freight deals, retail access, and serious distributor muscle. Outlaw is stacking those dominoes fast. From a recent press release:

“Outlaw’s rise isn’t luck — it’s been earned through relentless focus, Outlaw hustle and a product that delivers every time,” said Opsahl, CEO of Outlaw and Tivoli Brewing Co. “We set out to make a light beer that punches above its weight — full of flavor, priced right and built for the people who live life their own authentic way. We’re not chasing fads, but instead answering real demand. We’re building something sustainable — a national brand rooted in genuine connection.”

45 states and climbing

In less than two years, Outlaw has gone from a Colorado startup to a near-national brand. It’s now sold in 45 states and will be available nationwide by the end of 2025. The brand has landed in major retail chains — Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Whole Foods, Safeway, HEB, Circle K, Buc-ee’s, and more. It’s also building share in music events and big-box retailers across Texas, Florida, and the Midwest. As we mentioned, Tivoli projects a 200,000-bbl run rate by the end of the year just for its Outlaw brand, but what we didn’t mention is that’s something like 65 times its 2022 output (if we consider Tivoli only produced 3,000 bbls of Outlaw in 2022). Outlaw has entered 2025 at full throttle, doubling its first quarter sales-to-retailer volume performance (case equivalents) from last year and pushing toward coast-to-coast availability by year’s end.

Big names, big noise

Outlaw didn’t just show up on shelves. It hit the road with a strategy rooted in music, motorsports, and boots-on-the-ground community work. Opsahl recruited major names. Country-rock stars HARDY and Koe Wetzel joined as equity partners, not just faces on a can. HARDY’s JIM BOB World Tour will feature Outlaw as the exclusive beer partner, with merch drops and on-stage visibility. Tivoli is even producing a limited-edition HARDY can (see above) with hidden prizes revealed inside. Outlaw is also the official beer of the 2025 Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which has Bob Dylan. Beyond music, Outlaw sponsors NASCAR driver Jeffrey Earnhardt and backs NHRA drag racers via Elite Motorsports. It even found time to support the US Open Pickleball Championship. That’s reach. From a press release:

“As soon as I heard the name Outlaw, I thought, ‘Yeah, that sounds about right.’ It felt like something made for me and my fans,” said Koe Wetzel. “What I love about the brand is that it’s not pretentious — it’s just good beer, plain and simple. It’s smooth, easy to drink and fits the lifestyle we live and how our fans live. That’s why I took an equity stake. I believe in what we’re building, and I’m here to help shape it and grow it the right way. We’re going to make some noise and take this brand to new heights.”

A playbook for craft brewers?

Outlaw proves it’s possible. It’s proof that an independent brewery can compete in one of beer’s most ruthless categories — light lager — without losing its identity. It’s Montucky Cold Snacks meets Garage Beer meets macro efficiency — with a little Denver history thrown in for good measure. For craft brewers willing to streamline, scale up, and build outside the taproom, Outlaw is a compelling model. The slogan says it all: America deserves a new light beer. And Tivoli’s betting Outlaw is the one.