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The short answer is definitely. After all the Atlanta-based brewery was purchased by Canadian cannabis Aphria in 2020 with eye to enhancing its presence in the US.
Here’s the deal…
Nearly two months after the sale of SweetWater Brewing to Aphria Inc., a leading global cannabis company headquartered in Leamington, Ontario, the company announced the brewery’s expansion into Colorado, the first US state to legalize recreational marijuana.
According to a press release, the pot-friendly, outdoor-forward lifestyle of SweetWater was at least in part, inspired by the state of Colorado, where founder and CEO Freddy Bensch, a part-time resident of the state, attended college and held his first brewery job.
“Colorado has always held a special place in my heart. It’s where I first learned to brew beer and where I now live half of the year in Telluride. Because of my connection with the state, SweetWater has always had a Colorado vibe, from our West Coast style beers to our 420-friendly lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors,” said Freddy Bensch.
“Having our flagship brews and new brands like H.A.Z.Y available throughout the state feels like coming home. Finally, we can pick up some 420s before hitting the slopes or river!”
But SweetWater’s February entrance into Colorado’s rich craft beer environment, a state already home to more than 400 breweries, might seem unnecessary, unless your real goal is to establish a beachhead for your primary product.
And Aphria’s core product is cannabis not craft beer.
Irwin D. Simon, Aphria’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer basically let that cat out of the bag last November with the announcement of the $300 million SweetWater acquisition…
“We will establish and grow our US presence through SweetWater’s robust, profitable platform of craft brewing innovation, manufacturing, marketing and distribution expertise. At the same time, we will build brand awareness for our adult-use cannabis brands, Broken Coast, Good Supply, Riff and Solei, through our participation in the growing $29 billion craft brew market in the US.
Among the nation’s top 15 craft breweries in sales by volume according to the Brewer’s Association, SweetWater Brewing is touted as one of the fastest growing and largest craft brands in the country. With its expansion into Colorado, SweetWater’s award-winning lineup will be available in 27 states, plus Washington, DC.
