Small Town Brewery to roll out 10.7% ABV version of Not Your Father’s Root Beer across US

NYFRB entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Pabst Brewing Company, and re-released its two flavors: Not Your Father's Root Beer (launched in July 2105) and Not Your Father's Ginger Ale (launched in November 2015), both with an ABV of 5.9%.

The new product rollout will begin in Illinois in May, with the national roll-out expanding to additional states over the summer season.  The brew should be available in 45 states by fall 2016.  Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, and Tennessee will be excluded due to state regulations limiting ABV content in beer.

On-premise experience

Not Your Father’s Root Beer with 10.7% ABV will be available on draft in restaurants and bars across the US.  Limited edition 22-ounce bombers will also be released to key off-premise accounts three times per year, with a suggested retail price of $7.99. 

“We want our consumers to experience this product in the on premise accounts as if they were consuming it at Small Town Brewery in Wauconda on draft,”​ Small Town Brewery founder Tim Kovac told BeverageDaily.

“On premise staff will be trained on the proper serve to be used with this brew the way we would pour it for our customers in the tap room.”​

Not a new brew

Even though NYFRB with 10.7% ABV will be the third beer Small Town Brewery (Not Your Father’s Root Beer and Ginger Ale flavors were the first) has launched nationally, the higher strength version is one of the company’s original brews and has only been available in limited quantities in the Chicagoland area.

“The 10.7% was one of our earliest brews and has been amazingly popular since day one,”​ Kovac said.

The higher alcohol content will not affect the taste of the beer, according to Kovac.

‘Beer renaissance’

Consumers are demanding and expecting a variety in beer, just as they are with food, Kovac said. Small Town Brewery has found success adapting older recipes to a modern palate like they did for the NYFRB beer line.

“There's a whole beer renaissance in the US today,”​ Kovac said. “All the blogs and others who want to expose beer lovers and novices to all the styles the beer world has to offer. People are looking for the next interesting brew. “​