SweetWater Brewing Acquires Green Flash Brewing and Alpine Beer Co Brands – Press Release

(ATLANTA, GA)  – SweetWater Brewing Company, LLC (“SweetWater”) today announced that it has acquired Green Flash and Alpine Beer, partnering up with the two iconic West Coast craft beer brands that boast award-winning brews as SweetWater continues its new market, portfolio, and innovation expansion.

Both Alpine, known for its highly-rated Duet and Nelson brews, and Green Flash, the brewer of the iconic West Coast IPA, provide high-quality and highly-respected craft brew staples that seamlessly join SweetWater’s portfolio of flavorful and innovative craft brews and heady lifestyle, making this another perfect duet that will bring these brands to their highest potential.

“We’re excited to join forces with two phenomenal brands and brews in Alpine and Green Flash,” said Freddy Bensch, co-founder and CEO of SweetWater. “We have a lot of respect for both brands, which along with SweetWater have a passion for tasty brews and a great time. The West Coast lifestyle that is part of these brewery’s DNA perfectly aligns with our 420 lifestyle and SweetWater’s brand. We’re looking forward to keeping the legacy of these great brands intact, and bringing them back to prominence, furthering their potential, and bringing them to craft beer fans across the U.S.”

Green Flash has been crafting award-winning beers for nearly 20 years, including the original “West Coast IPA.” And Alpine, known as the “Home of Pure Hoppiness” with Nelson and Duet IPA, has been brewing world-class ales since ’99.

“As SweetWater continues to expand, alongside our new partners we’re looking forward to growing these iconic brands and strengthening operations to deliver some of the best tasting and highest-quality brews to all of our fans across the U.S. and around the world,” continued Bensch.  “As we actively seek to acquire brands that embody the energy, brewing style, and lifestyle of SweetWater Brewery, we saw a partnership with Green Flash and Alpine Beer as a perfect fit. We are beyond stoked to welcome them to the SweetWater Family.”

As SweetWater continues its westward expansion, the brewery plans to immediately add twelve new positions along with a $2 million investment in its western markets, inclusive of the new Green Flash and Alpine addition to the business.

The deal marks a year of major expansions and partnerships, including the acquisition and opening of SweetWater’s Western US brewery, further westward expansion, the first extension of its iconic 420 flagship brew with SweetWater 420 Imperial IPA and becoming a full-service beverage alcohol supplier, introducing Oasis Lemonade, Golden Isles Hard Tea and SweetWater RIFF, the brewery’s first spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails. Along with RIFF, SweetWater also collaborated with Broken Coast, two brands joined together under Sweetwater’s parent company Tilray, the world’s largest provider of cannabis, who acquired the brewery in November of 2020.

The Alpine and Green Flash brands and core brews will stay intact, along with plans to bring new and exciting future innovations to the highly-respected portfolio from each brand, whose cultures are a natural fit with SweetWater’s lifestyle and brewing credentials.

“Green Flash and Alpine are fantastic OG craft brands, backed up by incredibly-rated beers which is something SweetWater is both proud and eager to expand upon and broaden their reach across the US” states Brian Miesieski, Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re excited to link up and head out on an exciting new journey with our new brothers-in-beery-arms.”

This addition introduces the brewery to its furthest western market to date, following the opening of SweetWater’s second brewery location in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is now officially open to the public and set to begin production for distribution in early 2022. SweetWater’s award-winning lineup of year-round, seasonal, and specialty beers are now available in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C. wherever the fishin’s good.

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About SweetWater Brewing Company:

SweetWater Brewing Company is an Atlanta-based craft brewery living by the motto “Don’t Float the Mainstream!” In 2020, SweetWater was acquired by Aphria Inc., now Tilray (Nasdaq: TLRY and TSX: TLRY), a leading global cannabis company inspiring and empowering the worldwide community to live their very best life. SweetWater Brewing Company celebrated 24 years of heady brews in 2021 and is the 11th largest craft brewery in the nation, according to Brewers Association. The award-winning lineup of year-round beers includes 420 Extra Pale Ale, H.A.Z.Y. IPA, 420 Imperial I.P.A., G13 IPA, High Light Lo-Cal Easy IPA, Goin’ Coastal IPA, Broken Coast Lager, SweetWater Oasis Premium Hard Seltzer, and Golden Isles Hard Iced Tea, and SweetWater RIFF RTD cocktails. Additionally, seasonal releases offer palate-pleasing variety, along with an experimental, one-time-only Dank Tank series, 420 Strain Series, and progressive barrel-aged styles in The Woodlands Project series.

SweetWater is passionate about protecting natural resources and habitats and is recognized for its contributions to environmental initiatives throughout its distribution footprint. Supporting the conservation of some of the nation’s most threatened rivers, streams and coastlines is a cause near and dear to the brewery, as clean water is also vital to the creation of their tasty brews.

SweetWater Brewing Company has two locations, with its flagship brewery and taphouse at 195 Ottley Drive in the heart of Atlanta, and its second location is now open in Fort Collins, Colorado at 1020 E Lincoln Ave. For more information about SweetWater Brewing Company, please visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com, follow SweetWater on Twitter/Instagram @sweetwaterbrew, and become a fan at facebook.com/sweetwaterbrew.

About Alpine:

Alpine Beer Company is an award-winning craft brewery founded in 1999, and is rated a top 50 brewery in the United States with highly-rated favorites including Nelson IPA and Duet IPA. In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales. For more information visit www.alpinebeerco.com

About Green Flash:

Green Flash is an award-winning, independently owned and operated craft brewery founded in 2002 to bring fresh ideas and a sense of adventure to craft beer. Green Flash delivers an eclectic lineup of specialty craft beers and distributes them throughout California and selected Southwestern and Northeastern U.S. markets. For more information, please visit www.greenflashbrew.com.

For SweetWater media inquiries, please contact Haley Filippone: [email protected]