Ten years ago, Grant Pauly recalls going into a Walmart, and you’d see someone walk out with a cube of Busch or Miller Lite.
“Now it’s the same person walking out with that cube of Busch, but also a six-pack of craft beer,” said the co-founder of 3 Sheeps Brewing during a cover story interview for the March/April issue of Brewer Mag. “I think that’s a cool trend.
“Everyone wants to experience a little bit of flavor. They want to try something different. They want to try something new. And that’s what we’re trying to figure out, how do you fit into that in Wisconsin?”
Because the Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based brewery is located in such a macro Lager and Amber Ale state, being able to tailor a lineup is important to the audience at hand.
“Coming up with that blend has been enjoyable to try to figure out so we feel like we’re being earnest to all of our customers,” Pauly said. “Because we do have such a wide swath of folks.
“Our Pilsner is one of our best draft beers in Wisconsin. As well as in Chaos Pattern, our hazy, is right there with it. And they are selling to very different accounts. But now, craft Pilsners have thankfully taken off in Wisconsin again.”
READ MORE: What 3 Sheeps Did to Find its Business Focus
To appeal to drinkers who like a larger grouping of beers, 3 Sheeps debuted an Explorer Variety pack recently. These curated 12-packs feature three year-round favorites with Fresh Coast Pale Ale, Chaos Pattern Hazy IPA, and Rebel Kent Amber Ale along with a rotating “Explore Wisconsin” beer. Banshee — a limited-release Irish Stout — will be the inaugural Explore Wisconsin can of the Explorer Pack with label art featuring Rib Mountain in Wausau. Eau Claire, Door County, Hayward, Eagle River, and the brewery’s hometown of Sheboygan are on the list of featured Wisconsin sites. The brewery is also staying open to suggestions of tourist-worthy destinations via email and social media message.
Pauly said they have an on-site digital printer so they can print what the style and names are on the side of the cartons, and then it’s a new label. They have new cans coming in that have a big bar area that’s just blank. The cartons go through the case packer and it will print the beer name, style, and all the rest of it.
“Also it’s a cool price point because we’ll be able to put those six packs out in the taproom,” Pauly said. “As much as I love having a $15 four-pack of 16-ounce hazies, we’ll be able to have $10 six-packs of different styles of beer that people aren’t gonna have in this area that they can take home.”
Now 3 Sheeps will be able to put four different Lagers out to distro as well, he said.
“It works well for that format and it lets us still get creative without having to try to get a new SKU and then all that goes into that: getting into the chains, distribution, and such,” he said. “Now we just get to put them in there and people can enjoy. Nice and easy.”
Sheboygan is slated as the second destination featured in the Explore Wisconsin Beer Series. The can art will feature one of the things that makes Sheboygan so unique – freshwater surfing. The label will showcase the second beer, ‘Rye and Mighty’ Rye IPA.
“We are so proud to call Sheboygan home for so many reasons,” Pauly said in a statement. “Our Lake Michigan shoreline is nothing short of amazing and draws travelers from all over. The Fresh Coast is the best coast!”
Photo courtesy 3 Sheeps Brewing
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