Contact: Cathy Erway / cathy@sixpoint.com / (862) 485-0025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SIXPOINT BREWERY COLLABORATES WITH WHEELMEN & CO. TO CREATE LIMITED EDITION CUSTOM NANOKEG HOLSTER
JUNE 8, 2011, BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn-based Sixpoint Brewery has partnered with Connecticut-based Wheelmen & Co. to create a custom-made can—or “nanokeg”—holster. The genuine American leather holster is lined with neoprene insulation which will keep beer cold for twelve hours, and features hand-stitching, brass rivets, and iron-forged Sixpoint Brewery and Wheelmen & Co. logos.
The holster will complement Sixpoint’s newly released 16-ounce nanokegs of four of its most popular beers—Sweet Action, Bengali Tiger, The Crisp, and Righteous Ale. Since their release this past Memorial Day weekend, the canned beers have received a wildly enthusiastic response with stores in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Philadelphia seeing their shelves depleted and warehouses quickly running out of stock. With the weather heating up along with sales of the beer, the holster will ensure the beer stays cold throughout the summer’s long days and warm nights.
“Just as the standard, cookie-cutter mass-produced beer was not adequate for our fans, neither was the standard disposable cheap koozie,” explained Shane Welch, the brewery’s president and founder. “I think most people see a koozie and they automatically think, ‘Oh, another disposable trinket.’ We saw an opportunity to handcraft a creative product with the same care and attention to detail that goes into our beers.”
Sixpoint chose to go into cans versus bottles because the cans keep the beer fresher, and block out all harmful light. Cans also have the added benefit of portability and accessibility. Many parks, beaches and outdoor spaces prohibit glass bottles but allow the use of cans. As an additional added benefit, since the cans are made of aluminum and aluminum is a highly conductive metal, the canned beer turns ice-cold within 30 minutes when submersed in ice inside a picnic cooler. It is a double edged-sword, however, as the cans also rapidly rise in temperature once the sun’s rays shine on the ice cold can. From this predicament, the idea of the “Wheelmen/Sixpoint nanokeg holster” was born.
“Sixpoint’s brand and vision is synchronized with Wheelmen’s,” commented Bradford Riedell, Wheelmen & Co. Founder. “We both honor the roots and heritage of our craft, but forge ahead by reinterpreting the classical craftsmanship in a modern sense. We both emphasize sourcing high-quality materials, with smart and intelligent design that is based around functionality.”
“The key to this entire collaboration was that our end result not only had to look good,” agreed Welch, “but it had to work as well. I love how each piece is slightly different from the next. You can see the deviations of the handcrafted design. However, the most important question was, ‘Does this actually work?’ I put an ice-cold nanokeg in the holster and placed it into the trunk of my car on the hottest day of the year last week. I drove all the way to Boston from Brooklyn to a beer festival. When I got back to my hotel that night and cracked open the Bengali eight hours later it was still cold!”
Sixpoint and Wheelmen will not be selling the limited-edition nanokeg holsters through its website or any retail sites initially, but instead will be sending a limited amount to Sixpoint’s wholesalers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia. The holsters will be provided to fans who come to Sixpoint tastings over the course of the summer in these markets, and will also be available at select beer festivals in which Sixpoint participates. Fans wishing to procure one of these holsters should stay tuned via Sixpoint’s Facebook page and Twitter feed to determine when the tasting events occur, and also check in with Sixpoint’s wholesalers.
About Wheelmen & Co:
Wheelmen & Company was born from a strong family heritage in cycling, combined with a passion for classic tailoring. Our mission is to create functional, durable accessories and apparel using classic lines and styles reborn for the 21st century. The products we create at Wheelmen & Company are produced and designed in the United States. We strive for the highest standards while maintaining function and comfort.
Wheelmen & Company’s bloodline can be traced back to Thomas Smith, the founder’s great grandfather in the 1800’s. He was born in 1874, lived his whole life in Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland, and was a man with many diverse talents. Thomas Smith not only worked full time for the national railroad, but was also one of the first bicycle mechanics in Ireland. His bicycle repair business flourished and wasn’t long before he became an exclusive dealer of Raleigh Bicycles. Thomas Smith’s bicycle business prospered for many years. At Wheelmen & Company, we stand by tradition and a long lasting understanding of creating product that can be worn now, as well as in many years to come.
About Sixpoint Brewery:
Sixpoint Brewery was born out of an 800 square foot garage in Brooklyn, New York City in 2004 by homebrewer Shane Welch, who had amassed over 1000 individual homebrew recipes. The brewery’s name is derived from the ancient six-pointed brewers’ star, which had symbolically adorned the walls and equipment of ancient breweries since at least the Medieval period. Sixpoint’s motto is “Beer is Culture” to highlight the human trajectory—the earliest human civilizations were founded upon the cultivation of cereal grains for making beer. Sixpoint aims to perpetually inspire the art, creativity, and community generated through beer by acknowledging the history of the craft, while forging ahead to inspire culture in a modern setting.
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Sixpoint Wholesalers:
NYC - Long Island - Westchester - Union Beer Distributors - (718) 497-2407
New Jersey - Hunterdon Brewing Company - (908) 454-7445
Massachusetts - Craft Brewers Guild - (978) 777-5525
Philadelphia - Bella Vista Beverage - (215) 627-6465