Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC), Ohio’s original craft brewery, introduces aSPLASH, Ohio’s first crafted long drink. The gin-based canned cocktail launches in August.
Introducing an All-Ohio Original
The storied Ohio brewery’s first canned cocktail is crafted with Four Peel Gin, made in Columbus by Watershed Distillery, producers of Ohio’s #1 selling Ohio-made gin portfolio. Portions of proceeds from aSPLASH sales will fight microplastic pollution via a partnership with innovative Cleveland-based CLEANR.
Have A Splash More
Beginning in August 2026, aSPLASH Crafted Citrus Long Drink will be available across Ohio in convenient can 6-packs. It will be offered in two refreshing gluten-free varieties: a 6% ABV original recipe and a lighter 4% ABV with just 99 calories and no added sugar. aSPLASH is crafted with Ohio-made Four Peel Gin and real grapefruit and orange flavors, delivering a bright, effervescent drinking experience with premium ingredients. aSPLASH’s cans are designed with a refreshing blue and teal color gradient, with the 4% cans featuring a white backdrop.
Tapping Watershed Distillery
While this is Great Lakes’ first foray into canned cocktails, the brewery has had recent success in branching out as a beverage company with its hard seltzer and THC-infused offerings. GLBC CEO Chris Brown says, “Consumer preferences are evolving, and so are we. A craft brewery in today’s marketplace needs to reimagine itself as a total beverage company. We are a brewery first and foremost, but we know flavors and our brewing team are masters of quality, so I believed a canned cocktail opportunity was there for Great Lakes to develop an elevated long drink. I initially reached out to the leadership at Watershed as they make such perfect sense as a partner. We share many of the same values: quality and craftsmanship, and both companies were leaders in the Ohio craft movement. We are both proud of aSPLASH as a brand, from the great-tasting liquid in the can to having a social cause in helping to eliminate microplastics from the Great Lakes.”
Watershed Distillery US Brand Ambassador Tommy Householder says, “We’ve had a great relationship with GLBC for years, partnering on events and small batch releases like our bourbon finished in their Barrel Aged Christmas Ale barrels, so we’re excited to level up our partnership with aSPLASH. Great Lakes’ approach to crafting a canned cocktail is a perfect complement to how we craft our Four Peel Gin. We can’t wait to get aSPLASH in hands throughout our home state and beyond.”
Blossoming as a Beverage Company
Brown describes the strategy behind launching ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails with a long drink. “Obviously there are a few major players who’ve been very successful in introducing the long drink cocktail to an American audience. I knew Watershed’s brands well from my time in the Georgia market and their Four Peel Gin has a very refreshing and citrus-forward flavor profile that makes a perfect base for our crafted long drink, giving it an extra citrus pop. aSPLASH will appeal to a wide range of drinkers, which is key for us as we step into the RTD cocktail world. We are so proud and thrilled with the liquid, which is a crafted, elevated version of a canned cocktail that we know many people already love.”
Making aSPLASH for Good
With aSPLASH, Great Lakes has also partnered with CLEANR, a Cleveland-based company working to stop microplastics pollution and exposure with their patented VORTX filtration technology. CLEANR’s first product, a washing machine filter, fights the #1 cause of microplastics pollution – our clothing. A portion of proceeds from aSPLASH 6-pack purchases will be used to donate CLEANR filters to Great Lakes colleges and universities. This collaboration will help demonstrate practical ways for people to minimize their environmental impact and educate future generations on clean water issues.
GLBC Marketing Director Vicki Campana says, “The best partnerships are built around a shared purpose. For Great Lakes Brewing Company, protecting our namesake waters has been part of who we are since Dan and Pat Conway founded the brewery nearly four decades ago. When we began developing aSPLASH, we knew we wanted partners who could help us create something truly special. Watershed’s quality and innovative approach to gin made them a natural fit for the liquid, while CLEANR’s groundbreaking work to combat microplastic pollution gave us an opportunity to extend our environmental commitment beyond the can. Together, we’ve created a premium canned cocktail that celebrates Ohio craftsmanship while helping support CLEANR filter installation and educational initiatives on college campuses across the Great Lakes region.”
CLEANR Co-Founder & CEO, Max Pennington says, “We are so thrilled to partner with an innovative local company like Great Lakes, especially given their history of advocating for clean water. A partnership between three Ohio-based companies in Great Lakes, Watershed, and CLEANR will be so impactful in reducing microplastics pollution from college campuses and showing the next generation how their actions can contribute to a brighter future for the Great Lakes and our surrounding waterways.”
Launching in August
Customers can look forward to finding both aSPLASH 6-packs at retailers throughout Ohio including the Great Lakes brewpub starting in August.
The brewery has announced the following launch events:
- Thursday, September 3: aSPLASH Launch Party at North Coast Yard, Cleveland OH
- Saturday, September 19: aSPLASH Launch Party at Great Lakes Brewing Co.
- October: aSPLASH Launch Event at Watershed Distillery (date TBD)
