First Rochester 19.2-ounce stovepipe can hits the market

Three Heads Kinda Juicy hazy DIPA taps into a big growth area for craft beer. It's the first, but probably won't be the last.

Note: This newsletter is supported by Rohrbach Brewing Co., a pioneering craft brewery in the city of Rochester.

A packaging trend sweeping across the craft beer nation has finally reached Rochester.

Three Heads Brewing, based in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, is jumping into the 19.2-ounce stovepipe can game with the release of its Kinda Juicy hazy double India pale ale.

The bright orange-colored label, designed by Allen Firlit and David Moffitt, is poised to compete with all-encompassing behemoths like New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger IPA series. The stovepipe market is growing like wild. Three Heads sees an opportunity to give consumers a local option.

“We’re pumped,” said 3HB co-founder Dan Nothnagle.

Between 2018 and 2021, sales of 19.2-ounce stovepipes grew from $66 million to $177 million, according IRI scan data reported by the Molson Coors blog. As Molson noted in early 2022, it was the “second-largest growth package in the U.S.”

Bryan Roth, Good Beer Hunting news editor, noted stovepiples are still “selling like crazy”

“By dollars, craft 19.2 probably doubled sales 21-22 in that format,” Roth said in a text message. He said that a lot of national and the biggest regional brands use the format for IPAs. And concluded that if you want to be in convenience stores these days, the packaging needs to be a consideration.

After a discussion with its Monroe County distributor Lake Beverage last year, 3HB started planning for a launch in the stovepipe format. That included a pilot batch of a hazy DIPA. Nothnagle said 3HB wanted a beer that would stand apart from its flagship Kind and Too Kind IPAs. Data showed that tons of volume was being moved through this format, too. He noted the brewery didn’t have a hazy year-round offering in its portfolio.

Enter Kinda Juicy. (I’ve long advocated to the 3HB crew that it needed to release a session or pale ale called Kinda. But I’ll admit this new entry is brilliant and fitting, especially the vibrant orange artwork.)

“We didn’t want to come in with The Kind or Too Kind, something that people have been used to,” Nothnagle said. “We thought this was a good opportunity to introduce a brand new beer to everybody.”

The beer is fantastic — soft, low bitterness, super aromatic, huge notes of peach and mango, way too easy drinking for 9 percent alcohol. And you can’t beat the price. It should be around $3 per can at most spots.

Kinda Hazy is available right now at the brewery’s taproom at 186 Atlantic Ave. The beer is also hitting the market in reasonably priced six packs of 12-ounce cans.

It will hit local distribution early next week and be available at all the typical places you find local craft beer. You’ll also find it at local convenience stores like Crosby’s, Quicklee’s, Byrne Dairy, and others. Through its distribution and retail partners, the beer will immediately be available at hundreds of businesses.

Nothnagle doesn’t expect to sell a huge volume at its tasting room. But he said it is a play for off-premise consumption. We’ll see. And don’t be surprised to see some other local stovepipes hitting the market in the coming months.

Brave Brews Fest in Auburn

Looking for a great way to enjoy the late winter weather, then head over to Auburn, Cayuga County, March 3 through 5 for the Brave Brews Festival.

The festival, which seeks to expand the inclusiveness of craft beer, supports both women and non-binary individuals through a weekend of special guests (including Pink Boots Society founder Teri Fahrendorf), ice carving, tours, tap takeovers, various events in the city of Auburn, and a really fantastic beer fest curated by Prison City Brewing.

More information is available at www.bravebrewsfest.com.

Title sponsor: Rohrbach Brewing Co.

This work is made possible through support from Rohrbach Brewing Co. Rohrbach features two locations — its Beer Hall at 97 Railroad St. in the city of Rochester and its brewpub at 3859 Buffalo Road in the town of Ogden. Since 1991, Rohrbach has been producing classics and influencing the Rochester beer scene, including its iconic Scotch Ale.

The brewery’s support allows this work to remain free for this audience. So make sure to get out to Rohrbach and support one of the best establishments in our area.

I remain open to sponsorships, sponsored content, and advertisements, especially if it’ll keep the newsletter free for readers. And if you have information about upcoming releases, events, or happenings, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information, feel free to drop me a line at clevelandprost@gmail.com.

And if you enjoyed this edition of the Cleveland Prost, please subscribe and share! See you again soon.