While many chase trends or try to capture the fleeting attention of a certain segment of beer buyers, TailGate Brewery has found remarkable stability with a flagship Wheat in its arsenal.
TailGate Orange, the Nashville-based company’s year-round product, has defied trends and established itself as a customer favorite, outselling every other product in the lineup.
For owners wondering how to create and sustain a flagship beer, TailGate Orange offers valuable lessons.
Wesley Keegan’s decision to introduce a Wheat wasn’t initially driven by market gaps or consumer demand. Instead, it was a product that grew organically from the taproom.
“Like every brewery, we’ve always had an IPA, a ‘yellow beer’… typical core lineup stuff,” said the brewery’s founder.
“In the early years, our biggest seller was actually a Peanut Butter Milk Stout. But that’s a small niche,” Keegan said.
TailGate Orange evolved naturally from customer preferences, and as Keegan noted, “It just kept selling, so we took it to market. And it became our No. 1 seller about eight years ago, with no signs of slowing down.”
Wheat Ales, often brewed with a combination of malted wheat and barley, offer a smoother, often hazier drinking experience than other styles. TailGate Orange is a citrus-infused Wheat that uses a hint of sweetness balanced by orange zest, making it an approachable yet flavorful beer for a wider audience.
It bridges the gap between light, easy-drinking beers and those with more complex flavor profiles, appealing to craft beer lovers and casual drinkers alike.
Despite the growth in TailGate’s portfolio and expansion across multiple beer styles, Orange remains a top performer.
“Every year we grow a lot in all categories. We’ve never had a down year,” Keegan said. “Despite all the cumulative growth, TailGate Orange continues to outpace anything else we bring to market.”
Maintaining the consistency of a flagship beer, however, can be a challenge. It’s not just about making a good beer once, but making it consistently great every time.
“Our biggest challenge has been instilling a culture of ‘is this the best version of this beer you have ever had?’ in our production team,” Keegan said. This means constantly resetting goals, tasting batches against their quality control library, and addressing any gaps in equipment, process, or management. Quality control is paramount, and if something doesn’t meet expectations, Keegan said you must be willing to take the financial hit.
“When you’re talking batch sizes of 200 barrels, that’s the ultimate commitment to quality,” he said. “When given the very rare occurrence, I’m smashing that red button.”
Another element behind the success of TailGate Orange is the brewery’s evolution in its adjunct techniques. Keegan considers himself an “adjunct OG,” referencing the early years when TailGate was using adjuncts like fruit and spices in their brews before it became mainstream. Initially, these experiments were met with skepticism from the craft beer community, but consumer preferences have since shifted.
“We actually got smoked for it by some of the beer forums… Funny how the consumer evolves,” Keegan said.
READ MORE: This Facet of Beer (& Food!) Making at TailGate is Paramount for Keegan
Adjunct brewing, especially with oranges, requires precision and adaptability. Over the years, TailGate has moved from a “by feel” approach to a data-driven process, with detailed records and rigorous testing.
“Most beers have more than one addition, and even then, more than one source – even if it’s the same ingredient,” Keegan said. “We’ll blend the same type of product from different vendors too.”
His philosophy is clear: evolve or die.
“If we’re not constantly pushing ourselves to do things better, we may as well pack it in,” he said.
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